Michael Erard
@michaelerard.bsky.social
Writer, linguist. 3rd book: BYE BYE I LOVE YOU, on first and last words. The Economist: "Beautiful and strangely comforting." LARB: "Wise and gracefully written." Others: "Indelible." To buy: https://bit.ly/4kN0PKa
Explore www.michaelerard.com
Explore www.michaelerard.com
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Reposted by Michael Erard
We’ve got one of the most in-depth surveys on how Americans connect with neighbors online — what works, what doesn't, what they want instead.
These are essential insights for anyone thinking about local communities.
Join us 11/20 when @taliastroud.bsky.social & @eli.bsky.social share the data
These are essential insights for anyone thinking about local communities.
Join us 11/20 when @taliastroud.bsky.social & @eli.bsky.social share the data
The Local Connection Crisis: New Data on What Communities Need · Zoom · Luma
Now we know what we've long suspected: People really use and rely on their local Facebook groups, Nextdoor neighborhoods, and WhatsApp group chats, but they…
luma.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:22 PM
We’ve got one of the most in-depth surveys on how Americans connect with neighbors online — what works, what doesn't, what they want instead.
These are essential insights for anyone thinking about local communities.
Join us 11/20 when @taliastroud.bsky.social & @eli.bsky.social share the data
These are essential insights for anyone thinking about local communities.
Join us 11/20 when @taliastroud.bsky.social & @eli.bsky.social share the data
From a friend with a mother whose health is failing: “collect family stories while you can.”
November 11, 2025 at 3:15 AM
From a friend with a mother whose health is failing: “collect family stories while you can.”
Reposted by Michael Erard
Stephen Jenkinson observes that we all die the death of our culture. That is, we die the death our culture gives to us. What culture extols death with as little dying as possible, the getting on with it, the efficiency, the using of death as a medical instrument? #medsky
April 3, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Stephen Jenkinson observes that we all die the death of our culture. That is, we die the death our culture gives to us. What culture extols death with as little dying as possible, the getting on with it, the efficiency, the using of death as a medical instrument? #medsky
An Attempt at an Inventory of the Metaphors Used by Me to Describe My Book
I should do this, actually
I should do this, actually
Pro tip: make sure to keep a journal while you're working on a long project. it's very useful for a number of reasons, none of them having to do with productivity.
mining mine just now i find shifts over time in the metaphors I use for the book, which go from fluid to solid.
mining mine just now i find shifts over time in the metaphors I use for the book, which go from fluid to solid.
November 10, 2025 at 1:37 PM
An Attempt at an Inventory of the Metaphors Used by Me to Describe My Book
I should do this, actually
I should do this, actually
Pro tip: make sure to keep a journal while you're working on a long project. it's very useful for a number of reasons, none of them having to do with productivity.
mining mine just now i find shifts over time in the metaphors I use for the book, which go from fluid to solid.
mining mine just now i find shifts over time in the metaphors I use for the book, which go from fluid to solid.
November 10, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Pro tip: make sure to keep a journal while you're working on a long project. it's very useful for a number of reasons, none of them having to do with productivity.
mining mine just now i find shifts over time in the metaphors I use for the book, which go from fluid to solid.
mining mine just now i find shifts over time in the metaphors I use for the book, which go from fluid to solid.
This weekend I was at the Texas Book Festival, which was very fun. It’s great to be a writer among writers, meet online friends like @davidbowles.us in IRL and catch up with old ones lIke @evolbrain.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 12:22 PM
This weekend I was at the Texas Book Festival, which was very fun. It’s great to be a writer among writers, meet online friends like @davidbowles.us in IRL and catch up with old ones lIke @evolbrain.bsky.social
Reposted by Michael Erard
What's lost when we lose staff, departments, programmes and faculties in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and what's that got to do with organ donation?
Amid the looming losses faced by Cardiff, Edinburgh, Lancaster, Leicester and Nottingham (among many others), here's a worked example. 1/8
Amid the looming losses faced by Cardiff, Edinburgh, Lancaster, Leicester and Nottingham (among many others), here's a worked example. 1/8
The organ donation ‘opt-out’ has been a fatal failure | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 10:10 AM
What's lost when we lose staff, departments, programmes and faculties in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and what's that got to do with organ donation?
Amid the looming losses faced by Cardiff, Edinburgh, Lancaster, Leicester and Nottingham (among many others), here's a worked example. 1/8
Amid the looming losses faced by Cardiff, Edinburgh, Lancaster, Leicester and Nottingham (among many others), here's a worked example. 1/8
Reposted by Michael Erard
My family has been without half our income for 40 days. It has been.. very hard.
We are willing to feel that pain so people can have health care next year, or to undo these illegal recissions.
We are not willing to have been put through this for NOTHING.
We are willing to feel that pain so people can have health care next year, or to undo these illegal recissions.
We are not willing to have been put through this for NOTHING.
November 10, 2025 at 1:36 AM
My family has been without half our income for 40 days. It has been.. very hard.
We are willing to feel that pain so people can have health care next year, or to undo these illegal recissions.
We are not willing to have been put through this for NOTHING.
We are willing to feel that pain so people can have health care next year, or to undo these illegal recissions.
We are not willing to have been put through this for NOTHING.
Reposted by Michael Erard
We are teaching a groundbreaking class at USC titled “Bridging the Media Gap Between L.A. Influencers and Independent Journalists” trying to create a new style of ethical hybrid reporting that will usher in this brave new era of journalism.
A letter from our editor: lataco.com/usc-class-la...
A letter from our editor: lataco.com/usc-class-la...
November 10, 2025 at 12:58 AM
We are teaching a groundbreaking class at USC titled “Bridging the Media Gap Between L.A. Influencers and Independent Journalists” trying to create a new style of ethical hybrid reporting that will usher in this brave new era of journalism.
A letter from our editor: lataco.com/usc-class-la...
A letter from our editor: lataco.com/usc-class-la...
I laughed. This is in Austin, Texas, a place not known for its rain. (I live in the Netherlands, where floors and umbrellas are apparently tougher.)
November 9, 2025 at 7:09 PM
I laughed. This is in Austin, Texas, a place not known for its rain. (I live in the Netherlands, where floors and umbrellas are apparently tougher.)
Reposted by Michael Erard
A terminal patient contemplates Rembrandt paintings at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, one final time. March 2015.
Photo credit: St. Ambulance Wens.
Photo credit: St. Ambulance Wens.
November 9, 2025 at 6:57 PM
A terminal patient contemplates Rembrandt paintings at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, one final time. March 2015.
Photo credit: St. Ambulance Wens.
Photo credit: St. Ambulance Wens.
Reposted by Michael Erard
And the four that did not support this idea: the BBB, the PVV, Forum voor Democratie and Oos Limburg.
November 9, 2025 at 5:37 PM
And the four that did not support this idea: the BBB, the PVV, Forum voor Democratie and Oos Limburg.
Reposted by Michael Erard
These are the eleven parties that would like to see a replacement: PvdA, VVD, GroenLinks, de Partij voor de Dieren, D66, Lokaal-Limburg, SP, CDA, Horizon, 50PLUS and JA21.
November 9, 2025 at 5:35 PM
These are the eleven parties that would like to see a replacement: PvdA, VVD, GroenLinks, de Partij voor de Dieren, D66, Lokaal-Limburg, SP, CDA, Horizon, 50PLUS and JA21.
Somebody put this on a sign I can wear at the airport
November 9, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Somebody put this on a sign I can wear at the airport
Reposted by Michael Erard
Read every word. This is what the US government is doing to terrorize a major American city. Authoritarianism is here. aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
I Want You to Understand Chicago
aphyr.com
November 9, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Read every word. This is what the US government is doing to terrorize a major American city. Authoritarianism is here. aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
This is about 6 km from where I live. I wonder how this change is going to play with the locals.
On one hand, they're very proud of this cemetery. Families adopt a grave and tend it; the waitlist to do is very long. The annual commemorative concert is packed.
michaelerard.com/blog/at-the-...
On one hand, they're very proud of this cemetery. Families adopt a grave and tend it; the waitlist to do is very long. The annual commemorative concert is packed.
michaelerard.com/blog/at-the-...
November 9, 2025 at 1:20 PM
This is about 6 km from where I live. I wonder how this change is going to play with the locals.
On one hand, they're very proud of this cemetery. Families adopt a grave and tend it; the waitlist to do is very long. The annual commemorative concert is packed.
michaelerard.com/blog/at-the-...
On one hand, they're very proud of this cemetery. Families adopt a grave and tend it; the waitlist to do is very long. The annual commemorative concert is packed.
michaelerard.com/blog/at-the-...
Reposted by Michael Erard
Stopped by the always amazing @texasbookfest.bsky.social and ran into @michaelerard.bsky.social, whose new book I've been dying read.
November 8, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Stopped by the always amazing @texasbookfest.bsky.social and ran into @michaelerard.bsky.social, whose new book I've been dying read.
Reposted by Michael Erard
Thinking only of Rosalind Franklin today, and what was stolen from her (and so many other female scientists alongside her).
Rosalind Franklin and the damage of gender harassment
Spurred by a recent report on sexual harassment in academia, our columnist revisits a historical case and reflects on what has changed—and what hasn’t
www.science.org
November 7, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Thinking only of Rosalind Franklin today, and what was stolen from her (and so many other female scientists alongside her).
my vote for "x as the moderate position" as the construction of the year
November 7, 2025 at 1:31 PM
my vote for "x as the moderate position" as the construction of the year
which came first, reality or ontological politics?
November 7, 2025 at 1:29 PM
which came first, reality or ontological politics?
(I am in Austin for the Texas Book Festival, so geographically closer to Pamela than usual.)
November 7, 2025 at 12:53 PM
(I am in Austin for the Texas Book Festival, so geographically closer to Pamela than usual.)
Pamela and Frank Arnosky are pioneering flower farmers in Central Texas. www.texascolor.com
They are great people, and very week she sends out a consistently inspiring newsletter. I don't live anywhere near the Hill Country anymore but I still subscribe just for her words.
They are great people, and very week she sends out a consistently inspiring newsletter. I don't live anywhere near the Hill Country anymore but I still subscribe just for her words.
www.texascolor.com
November 7, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Pamela and Frank Arnosky are pioneering flower farmers in Central Texas. www.texascolor.com
They are great people, and very week she sends out a consistently inspiring newsletter. I don't live anywhere near the Hill Country anymore but I still subscribe just for her words.
They are great people, and very week she sends out a consistently inspiring newsletter. I don't live anywhere near the Hill Country anymore but I still subscribe just for her words.
Reposted by Michael Erard
Please help us to keep publishing brilliant, multilingual, community-driven stories from all over the world! We really do run on a shoestring, but with all the funding cuts even that has become difficult. If you appreciate our articles, please support!
globalvoices.org/donate/
globalvoices.org/donate/
November 6, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Please help us to keep publishing brilliant, multilingual, community-driven stories from all over the world! We really do run on a shoestring, but with all the funding cuts even that has become difficult. If you appreciate our articles, please support!
globalvoices.org/donate/
globalvoices.org/donate/