Mark E. Griffin
@marvelousmarks.bsky.social
Writer for hire of science, music, food, culture, and kids. Podcaster of those things, too.
Audio producer, writer, storyteller, McSweeney's, Cap Times, Wisconsin Life, etc.
MarvelousMarks.com
Audio producer, writer, storyteller, McSweeney's, Cap Times, Wisconsin Life, etc.
MarvelousMarks.com
Pinned
I Assume All Responsibility If My Child Jams a Bic Pen into Her School-Issued Chromebook
I understand I am responsible if my child renders her Chromebook a paper weight by mercilessly and giddily jamming a Bic pen into the power jack, c...
www.mcsweeneys.net
My newest for @mcsweeneys.net, I detail the ways in which your child should definitely, absolutely, positively not destroy their school issued Chromebook: www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/i-a...
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
I needed to start the new year with this conversation with the remarkable philosopher C. Thi Nguyen (@add-hawk.bsky.social) about scoring systems; outsourcing values; and the game that you — and me — shouldn't be playing: youtu.be/7AdbePyGS2M?...
Why Data Doesn't Always Win, with a Philosopher of Art | PTFO
YouTube video by PABLO TORRE FINDS OUT
youtu.be
January 6, 2026 at 3:50 PM
I needed to start the new year with this conversation with the remarkable philosopher C. Thi Nguyen (@add-hawk.bsky.social) about scoring systems; outsourcing values; and the game that you — and me — shouldn't be playing: youtu.be/7AdbePyGS2M?...
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
Gravity Falls ended well.
January 6, 2026 at 11:01 PM
Gravity Falls ended well.
The answer is, and always will be, the ending to Quantum Leap. Gut wrenching and perfect (and it made up for an otherwise iffy 5th season
January 7, 2026 at 4:09 AM
The answer is, and always will be, the ending to Quantum Leap. Gut wrenching and perfect (and it made up for an otherwise iffy 5th season
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
"All participants agreed on one thing: whatever you are currently doing does not count as getting your life together."
The Best Time to Get Your Life Together Was Five Years Ago, According to Everyone Who Knows You
A comprehensive new survey has concluded that the ideal moment for you to have gotten your life together was roughly five years ago. Not now, not n...
buff.ly
January 6, 2026 at 7:27 PM
"All participants agreed on one thing: whatever you are currently doing does not count as getting your life together."
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
🧵New preprint: Adults often agree with their ingroup even when evidence says otherwise. Why?
To find out, we studied kids, who show the same tendency but *before* political identities take hold. With developmental data, we can see the basic psychological ingredients.
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
1/11
To find out, we studied kids, who show the same tendency but *before* political identities take hold. With developmental data, we can see the basic psychological ingredients.
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
1/11
OSF
doi.org
January 6, 2026 at 3:03 PM
🧵New preprint: Adults often agree with their ingroup even when evidence says otherwise. Why?
To find out, we studied kids, who show the same tendency but *before* political identities take hold. With developmental data, we can see the basic psychological ingredients.
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
1/11
To find out, we studied kids, who show the same tendency but *before* political identities take hold. With developmental data, we can see the basic psychological ingredients.
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
1/11
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
Every culture has its own special soup. The belief is that a bowl will make you feel better if you're feeling under the weather, hung over or just in need of a pick-me-up.
Thyme for some healing soup recipes from around the world
Every culture has its own special soup. The belief is that a bowl will make you feel better if you're feeling under the weather, hung over or just in need of a pick-me-up.
n.pr
December 28, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Every culture has its own special soup. The belief is that a bowl will make you feel better if you're feeling under the weather, hung over or just in need of a pick-me-up.
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
got vulnerable and wrote about a recent series of professional rejections in an attempt to distil both the changing sports media landscape, and what it means to want
Engine, ballast
The push/pull of want, The Believer's Sports Issue, and how athletes are shrinking the sports media landscape.
www.basketballfeelings.com
December 21, 2025 at 3:13 PM
got vulnerable and wrote about a recent series of professional rejections in an attempt to distil both the changing sports media landscape, and what it means to want
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
When you’re on Hadrian’s Wall and you feel something fall… 💩 🏺🧪
Diarrhea and stomachaches plagued Roman soldiers stationed at Hadrian's Wall, discovery of microscopic parasites finds
Analysis of latrine sediments at the Roman fort of Vindolanda has revealed that at least three parasites were widespread among Roman soldiers.
www.livescience.com
December 19, 2025 at 12:33 AM
When you’re on Hadrian’s Wall and you feel something fall… 💩 🏺🧪
This story by @eringretzinger.bsky.social ties all the pieces of K-12 education funding together, from state funding $ shortages to shared revenue that pulls money from bigger to other municipalities to restrictions on how cities can raise taxes.
Property taxes for all Wisconsin K-12 schools grew by 7.8% this year, marking the largest percentage increase in schools’ gross tax levies since 1992.
Madison schools account for 17% of rise in statewide K-12 tax levies
Property taxes for all Wisconsin K-12 schools grew by 7.8% this year, marking the largest percentage increase in schools’ gross tax levies since 1992.
captimes.com
December 16, 2025 at 9:09 PM
This story by @eringretzinger.bsky.social ties all the pieces of K-12 education funding together, from state funding $ shortages to shared revenue that pulls money from bigger to other municipalities to restrictions on how cities can raise taxes.
Sai King, with the beautiful words. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/o...
December 16, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Sai King, with the beautiful words. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/o...
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
And because this is going to be stuck in my head for the next 48 or so hours: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEOj...
December 13, 2025 at 3:31 PM
And because this is going to be stuck in my head for the next 48 or so hours: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEOj...
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
We may not be a sports magazine, but we've featured some exceptional sports writing in the past—like this story by Will McGrath. Watch for his next contribution in our sports-themed issue coming out this month.
www.thebeliever.net/american-boys/
www.thebeliever.net/american-boys/
American Boys - Believer Magazine
Listen to this story: Cedar-Riverside was humming. The boys were looking fresh—Frenchy with his hair twisted up, Saiid’s beard trimmed tight—everybody edged up and faded up and straight from the barbe...
www.thebeliever.net
December 10, 2025 at 7:31 PM
We may not be a sports magazine, but we've featured some exceptional sports writing in the past—like this story by Will McGrath. Watch for his next contribution in our sports-themed issue coming out this month.
www.thebeliever.net/american-boys/
www.thebeliever.net/american-boys/
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
I'll add that as someone who not that long ago spent many frantic nights looking for information on sleep training, feeding, etc etc--by far the most valuable internet resource was reddit, the only place with human advice. Everything else is basically useless at this point.
This entire grift relies on convincing people that they don't know how to do the things they have always known how to do, and ironically, if it works, we will, in a very short amount of time, forget how to do all the things we have always known how to do.
Jimmy Fallon: "And do you use ChatGPT when raising your baby?"
Sam Altman: "I cannot imagine figuring out how to raise a newborn without ChatGPT."
Sam Altman: "I cannot imagine figuring out how to raise a newborn without ChatGPT."
December 9, 2025 at 3:47 PM
I'll add that as someone who not that long ago spent many frantic nights looking for information on sleep training, feeding, etc etc--by far the most valuable internet resource was reddit, the only place with human advice. Everything else is basically useless at this point.
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
going with a team to the mountaintop of a title and then coming down! lessons from lobbying applied to basketball reporting! not treating people as sources! the one job we wish all nba media members had before being nba media! the BASKETBALL FEELINGS podcast ep 63 with @noadalzell.bsky.social!
The Basketball Feelings Podcast, Episode 63: Noa Dalzell
Celtics beat writer and WNBA reporter on the championship comedown, how lobbying is like basketball reporting, and asking good questions.
www.basketballfeelings.com
December 9, 2025 at 5:00 PM
going with a team to the mountaintop of a title and then coming down! lessons from lobbying applied to basketball reporting! not treating people as sources! the one job we wish all nba media members had before being nba media! the BASKETBALL FEELINGS podcast ep 63 with @noadalzell.bsky.social!
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
This was so fun!
going with a team to the mountaintop of a title and then coming down! lessons from lobbying applied to basketball reporting! not treating people as sources! the one job we wish all nba media members had before being nba media! the BASKETBALL FEELINGS podcast ep 63 with @noadalzell.bsky.social!
The Basketball Feelings Podcast, Episode 63: Noa Dalzell
Celtics beat writer and WNBA reporter on the championship comedown, how lobbying is like basketball reporting, and asking good questions.
www.basketballfeelings.com
December 9, 2025 at 5:05 PM
This was so fun!
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
Question: Are there any good studies on the economic effects of the widespread addition of tipping screens to payment systems? Have all these new tipping prompts increased workers earnings or no?
December 8, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Question: Are there any good studies on the economic effects of the widespread addition of tipping screens to payment systems? Have all these new tipping prompts increased workers earnings or no?
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
Sam & Ed is the best basketball game from the 70's or 80's and I would like Evercade to release a version of it
December 3, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Sam & Ed is the best basketball game from the 70's or 80's and I would like Evercade to release a version of it
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
Betty Boop
St. Thomas, ND
St. Thomas, ND
December 3, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Betty Boop
St. Thomas, ND
St. Thomas, ND
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
Poodle planter
McGregor, MN
McGregor, MN
December 1, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Poodle planter
McGregor, MN
McGregor, MN
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
One of my fundamental beliefs is that I should not have to talk to people who have been cruel to me. You might be surprised to learn how often -- and vociferously -- people disagree with me about that.
December 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
One of my fundamental beliefs is that I should not have to talk to people who have been cruel to me. You might be surprised to learn how often -- and vociferously -- people disagree with me about that.
I routinely fail these, and it really bugs me because I can spot AI writing in most cases without even reading the words (I guess this makes sense, because I'm a writer, not a videographer)
There's no one way to be absolutely sure about a video's authenticity, but experts say there are some simple clues that can help.
AI video slop is everywhere, take our quiz to try and spot it
There's no one way to be absolutely sure about a video's authenticity, but experts say there are some simple clues that can help.
n.pr
December 1, 2025 at 4:45 PM
I routinely fail these, and it really bugs me because I can spot AI writing in most cases without even reading the words (I guess this makes sense, because I'm a writer, not a videographer)
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
Probably an unpopular opinion but: As a big-time Talking Heads fan, I find late-period David Byrne really cringy. I couldn't finish AMERICAN UTOPIA, and the aesthetic of this video is not my thing even though (like AU) it's heavily STOP MAKING SENSE coded
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNmc...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNmc...
David Byrne: Tiny Desk Concert
YouTube video by NPR Music
www.youtube.com
December 1, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Probably an unpopular opinion but: As a big-time Talking Heads fan, I find late-period David Byrne really cringy. I couldn't finish AMERICAN UTOPIA, and the aesthetic of this video is not my thing even though (like AU) it's heavily STOP MAKING SENSE coded
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNmc...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNmc...
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
(RACHEL walks past children playing. Her biological clock ticks. She’s thirty, almost dead.)
LITTLE GIRL: Are you excited for the County Hanukkah Fair?
RACHEL: Not really. I’m not super into Hanukkah.
LITTLE GIRL: Are you excited for the County Hanukkah Fair?
RACHEL: Not really. I’m not super into Hanukkah.
Scenes from a Hallmark Hanukkah Movie Written by Someone Who Has Definitely Met a Jew
EXT. SMALL TOWN BUS STOP – DAY (A beautiful woman with slightly wavy brown hair steps off a bus. She’s RACHEL, a corporate lawyer from The Big Cit...
buff.ly
December 1, 2025 at 2:30 AM
(RACHEL walks past children playing. Her biological clock ticks. She’s thirty, almost dead.)
LITTLE GIRL: Are you excited for the County Hanukkah Fair?
RACHEL: Not really. I’m not super into Hanukkah.
LITTLE GIRL: Are you excited for the County Hanukkah Fair?
RACHEL: Not really. I’m not super into Hanukkah.
Reposted by Mark E. Griffin
Cyber Monday is here. 33% off all books today, 50% off back issues all week, enjoy.
Store.mcsweeneys.net
Store.mcsweeneys.net
December 1, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Cyber Monday is here. 33% off all books today, 50% off back issues all week, enjoy.
Store.mcsweeneys.net
Store.mcsweeneys.net