Chris Bennett
@chrisbennettedu.bsky.social
Redhead, NC native, and higher education researcher. He/him. https://chrisbennettedu.com
I needed to make a temporary variable for the cost of room and board at colleges, so I instinctively named it “room_temp” and it took me a full two minutes to realize what an amazing variable name I’d created.
January 23, 2026 at 6:53 PM
I needed to make a temporary variable for the cost of room and board at colleges, so I instinctively named it “room_temp” and it took me a full two minutes to realize what an amazing variable name I’d created.
Reposted by Chris Bennett
Reposted by Chris Bennett
New QJE for the minimum wage literature uses IRS data to study effects on small and medium size businesses. The effects seem…very good
academic.oup.com/qje/article/...
academic.oup.com/qje/article/...
January 17, 2026 at 1:53 AM
New QJE for the minimum wage literature uses IRS data to study effects on small and medium size businesses. The effects seem…very good
academic.oup.com/qje/article/...
academic.oup.com/qje/article/...
Because of my relatively common name, I’ve always gotten stray emails and text messages meant for other people. Now, I’m also getting the joy of receiving a slew of messages related to the legal entities (e.g., LLCs, trusts) created by my name-sharers. Thanks, Franken-data brokers!
January 11, 2026 at 2:19 PM
Because of my relatively common name, I’ve always gotten stray emails and text messages meant for other people. Now, I’m also getting the joy of receiving a slew of messages related to the legal entities (e.g., LLCs, trusts) created by my name-sharers. Thanks, Franken-data brokers!
Today in newspaper headlines about fictional crises
January 2, 2026 at 3:04 PM
Today in newspaper headlines about fictional crises
Perhaps the most British thing about the TV show Industry is that they have a company named Rican that they insist on pronouncing “RYE-can” as if Puerto Rico doesn’t exist
December 31, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Perhaps the most British thing about the TV show Industry is that they have a company named Rican that they insist on pronouncing “RYE-can” as if Puerto Rico doesn’t exist
*cracks knuckles* Well, looks like it’s time to break out this classic
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTAA...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTAA...
December 31, 2025 at 4:01 PM
*cracks knuckles* Well, looks like it’s time to break out this classic
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTAA...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTAA...
Reposted by Chris Bennett
Is this the look Rob Schneider was going for?!??
Time for our annual viewing of the academia-themed Just in Time for Christmas, in which she gets cold called by the “Dean of Yale,” who wants to publish her dissertation because it will be a bestseller and offers a flyout for a job she didn’t apply for, and mystical William Shatner shakes things up.
December 30, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Is this the look Rob Schneider was going for?!??
Reposted by Chris Bennett
They’re not perfect, but golly, public universities are one of the best engines of economic mobility we have
Recently accepted by #QJE, “Marginal Returns to Public Universities,” by Jack Mountjoy: doi.org/10.1093/qje/...
Marginal Returns to Public Universities
Abstract. This paper studies the returns to enrolling in American public universities by comparing the long-term outcomes of barely admitted versus barely
doi.org
December 25, 2025 at 12:15 AM
They’re not perfect, but golly, public universities are one of the best engines of economic mobility we have
Reposted by Chris Bennett
it is almost Christmas which means it’s Muppet Christmas Carol season and that, in turn, means it is time to revisit this delightful interview with Michael Caine, who loves everything about that movie even more than you do
Michael Caine Loves 'The Muppet Christmas Carol' as Much as You Do
God bless us, every one! But especially Michael Caine.
www.gq.com
December 20, 2025 at 5:31 PM
it is almost Christmas which means it’s Muppet Christmas Carol season and that, in turn, means it is time to revisit this delightful interview with Michael Caine, who loves everything about that movie even more than you do
And one of them is throwing the horns in slo-mo! No notes, Bull City
Just learned the videos of Durham City Council meetings start with hype music over a montage of the city council members as if they are cast members on Saturday Night Live: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv7w...
Durham City Council December 15, 2025
YouTube video by City of Durham NC
www.youtube.com
December 16, 2025 at 4:01 PM
And one of them is throwing the horns in slo-mo! No notes, Bull City
Steph Curry always seems like he’s just days away from doing a live-action remake of the Jordan v. Bird “Nothin’ but Net” ad from the ‘90s
December 13, 2025 at 3:05 AM
Steph Curry always seems like he’s just days away from doing a live-action remake of the Jordan v. Bird “Nothin’ but Net” ad from the ‘90s
Reposted by Chris Bennett
I would like the phrase and concept of "common decency" to make a comeback
December 10, 2025 at 3:30 PM
I would like the phrase and concept of "common decency" to make a comeback
Reposted by Chris Bennett
"Our analysis shows that in the aftermath of extreme weather events, lower-income neighbourhoods are less likely to rebuild and do not return to their pre-disaster state, whereas higher-income areas rebuild and tend to improve...highlighting increasing disparities in their built environments."
Nature research paper: Built environment disparities are amplified during extreme weather recovery
go.nature.com/3YcD2ZS
go.nature.com/3YcD2ZS
Built environment disparities are amplified during extreme weather recovery - Nature
Higher-income neighbourhoods rebuild and improve after disasters while lower-income areas do not return to pre-disaster conditions.
go.nature.com
December 8, 2025 at 12:00 PM
"Our analysis shows that in the aftermath of extreme weather events, lower-income neighbourhoods are less likely to rebuild and do not return to their pre-disaster state, whereas higher-income areas rebuild and tend to improve...highlighting increasing disparities in their built environments."
they ask me to remember
but they want me to remember
their memories
and i keep remembering
mine
-Lucille Clifton, “why some people be mad at me sometimes”
but they want me to remember
their memories
and i keep remembering
mine
-Lucille Clifton, “why some people be mad at me sometimes”
Which lines of poetry live rent-free in your head?
December 8, 2025 at 3:15 AM
they ask me to remember
but they want me to remember
their memories
and i keep remembering
mine
-Lucille Clifton, “why some people be mad at me sometimes”
but they want me to remember
their memories
and i keep remembering
mine
-Lucille Clifton, “why some people be mad at me sometimes”
If you see this, repost with your model of positive masculinity.
December 7, 2025 at 4:12 PM
If you see this, repost with your model of positive masculinity.
In case you missed it, Vanderbilt is over on LinkedIn posting embarrassing itself by quoting someone who says “maybe [Vandy] should be ranked as high as 6th” for the College Football Playoff.
Be serious.
Be serious.
December 7, 2025 at 3:49 AM
In case you missed it, Vanderbilt is over on LinkedIn posting embarrassing itself by quoting someone who says “maybe [Vandy] should be ranked as high as 6th” for the College Football Playoff.
Be serious.
Be serious.
One of the most astounding streaks in any sport. Nearly 50% higher than the second-longest run of double-digit scoring (Michael Jordan at 866 games).
LeBron James' streak of 1,297 consecutive double-digit scoring games has ended.
LeBron James' 1,297-game double-digit scoring streak ends but he gets winning assist vs. Raptors
LeBron James' streak of 1,297 consecutive double-digit scoring games has ended. On Thursday night, the NBA's career points leader scored only eight points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-120 win over the Toronto Raptors.
bit.ly
December 5, 2025 at 5:11 PM
One of the most astounding streaks in any sport. Nearly 50% higher than the second-longest run of double-digit scoring (Michael Jordan at 866 games).
Reposted by Chris Bennett
Letter below is by surgical oncologist and professor Dr. Michael Baum about how a character explaining chaos theory in a Tom Stoppard play sparked an expansion in his understanding of breast cancer, leading to exploration of adjuvant therapy that protects distant organs.
This is what art can do.
This is what art can do.
December 2, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Letter below is by surgical oncologist and professor Dr. Michael Baum about how a character explaining chaos theory in a Tom Stoppard play sparked an expansion in his understanding of breast cancer, leading to exploration of adjuvant therapy that protects distant organs.
This is what art can do.
This is what art can do.
Reposted by Chris Bennett
The most precious commodity you have is your attention. You don’t have to waste it on poor-faith debates or arguments with strangers if you don’t think they’ll be productive. You can prioritize the things that matter to you and make your life richer.
November 30, 2025 at 8:00 PM
The most precious commodity you have is your attention. You don’t have to waste it on poor-faith debates or arguments with strangers if you don’t think they’ll be productive. You can prioritize the things that matter to you and make your life richer.
Reposted by Chris Bennett
Have any NCES data users gotten a disclosure review approved for a paper/report since spring? I've been waiting for 6+ months 😞
November 17, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Have any NCES data users gotten a disclosure review approved for a paper/report since spring? I've been waiting for 6+ months 😞
Reposted by Chris Bennett
Rudy Bridges is younger than the Sitting President of the United States and 29 sitting United States Senators
It’s useful for people of my generation to be reminded that this wasn’t that long ago. Ruby Bridges isn’t just still alive—she’s only 71, not ancient!
65 years ago on Nov. 14, little Ruby Bridges was escorted into an all-white elementary school in New Orleans. Norman Rockwell, renowned for blissful depictions of Americana, did this remarkable painting for Look magazine. Printed as a double page, over-size spread, it's his masterpiece.
November 15, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Rudy Bridges is younger than the Sitting President of the United States and 29 sitting United States Senators
Reposted by Chris Bennett
Oreoboros
oh wow that’s crazy
oreos with bits of
of oreos. in them
Real Bits of Oreos
oreos with bits of
of oreos. in them
Real Bits of Oreos
November 13, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Oreoboros