Shiv Ramdas Mens Rice Activist
@nameshiv.bsky.social
Writer, storyteller. Nebula, Hugo, Ignyte finalist. Work in
@strangehorizons, @Slate, @LightspeedMag etc. http://shivramdas.net. 2006 Time Magazine Person of the Year
@strangehorizons, @Slate, @LightspeedMag etc. http://shivramdas.net. 2006 Time Magazine Person of the Year
Pinned
4 yrs ago today, a family member managed a truly spectacular own goal, splintered his domestic bliss, & in the process, united the world for a day.
On popular request, I shall now recreate the livetweet thread from that day
So gather around children, for this is the tale of The Rice Truck Saga
On popular request, I shall now recreate the livetweet thread from that day
So gather around children, for this is the tale of The Rice Truck Saga
The bird can fly backwards, hover, perform maneuvers that defy all logic, lives on nectar like a greek god and takes part in deathmatches in mid air against competition.
So obviously they called it a hummingbird
So obviously they called it a hummingbird
February 20, 2026 at 3:36 PM
The bird can fly backwards, hover, perform maneuvers that defy all logic, lives on nectar like a greek god and takes part in deathmatches in mid air against competition.
So obviously they called it a hummingbird
So obviously they called it a hummingbird
Reposted by Shiv Ramdas Mens Rice Activist
the thing is that nobody seemed to be doing that for so long that it comes as a relief to be back to normal greed
February 20, 2026 at 3:34 PM
the thing is that nobody seemed to be doing that for so long that it comes as a relief to be back to normal greed
I mean they sided with their financial portfolio lets be honest
It is pretty telling that it comes as something of a surprise that the Supreme Court sided with the Constitution over Trump.
February 20, 2026 at 3:33 PM
I mean they sided with their financial portfolio lets be honest
Reposted by Shiv Ramdas Mens Rice Activist
Don't congratulate John Roberts or the Supreme Court.
Congratulate Rick Woldenberg, the Chicago-area leader of Learning Resources, an educadtional toy company that had the courage to sue the president of the United States to save his family business.
As well as everyone else who stepped up.
Congratulate Rick Woldenberg, the Chicago-area leader of Learning Resources, an educadtional toy company that had the courage to sue the president of the United States to save his family business.
As well as everyone else who stepped up.
February 20, 2026 at 3:14 PM
Don't congratulate John Roberts or the Supreme Court.
Congratulate Rick Woldenberg, the Chicago-area leader of Learning Resources, an educadtional toy company that had the courage to sue the president of the United States to save his family business.
As well as everyone else who stepped up.
Congratulate Rick Woldenberg, the Chicago-area leader of Learning Resources, an educadtional toy company that had the courage to sue the president of the United States to save his family business.
As well as everyone else who stepped up.
Went down the bird name rabbithole and have learnt that the cocker spaniel was literally bred to hunt woodcocks and thats why it has that name although this still does not answer the more important question of why the bird has that name
February 20, 2026 at 3:31 PM
Went down the bird name rabbithole and have learnt that the cocker spaniel was literally bred to hunt woodcocks and thats why it has that name although this still does not answer the more important question of why the bird has that name
TIL. Fascinating
Lots of stuff that would be considered orange now were called “red”.
I did a Wikipedia delve into the color orange the other day. Apparently Europeans didn’t have a firm name for the color until relatively late, so they often just called it red.
I did a Wikipedia delve into the color orange the other day. Apparently Europeans didn’t have a firm name for the color until relatively late, so they often just called it red.
February 20, 2026 at 3:30 PM
TIL. Fascinating
ornithologists are a menace and we need to start saying it
"oh well I guess that's a ring-billed duck, huh?"
"no, ring-necked"
"but the ring on its bill is WAY more noticeable than..."
"RING. NECKED."
"no, ring-necked"
"but the ring on its bill is WAY more noticeable than..."
"RING. NECKED."
February 20, 2026 at 3:26 PM
ornithologists are a menace and we need to start saying it
it's struck me that this is kinda misleading. By small e earth I meant on land, if we're talking planet the Hawaiian islands are the tallest volcanoes on Earth
It keeps going: That volcano was probably the tallest non Andean volcano on earth but we don't actually know because the eruption was so savage even the mountain was completely destroyed and all that's left is a caldera bigger than Tambora left
February 20, 2026 at 3:23 PM
it's struck me that this is kinda misleading. By small e earth I meant on land, if we're talking planet the Hawaiian islands are the tallest volcanoes on Earth
Reposted by Shiv Ramdas Mens Rice Activist
Pamatan! Its history is recorded in Kawi (Ancient Javanese), on palm leaves.
Still can't get over how there's a whole civilization with a capital city at least as big as Pompeii buried deep under miles of volcanic rock from the biggest eruption in like 10,000 years on Lombok in Indonesia and all we know about them is that they existed till they were destroyed
February 20, 2026 at 3:19 PM
Pamatan! Its history is recorded in Kawi (Ancient Javanese), on palm leaves.
A Bruenig made up a bunch of shit and passed it off as fact till caught? No way they could have seen that coming
That Atlantic measles story was so poorly/deceptively edited that even the site's own flack thought it portrayed the actual account of a suffering, soon-to-die little boy.
Via @laurahazardowen.bsky.social
www.niemanlab.org/2026/02/the-...
Via @laurahazardowen.bsky.social
www.niemanlab.org/2026/02/the-...
February 20, 2026 at 3:16 PM
A Bruenig made up a bunch of shit and passed it off as fact till caught? No way they could have seen that coming
2 min ago I googled the red bellied woodpecker because of a meme and I am calling for a complete and total shutdown of bird names till we can figure out what the hell is going on
My brother was so annoyed when he asked my bird nerd partner what that yellow-headed blackbird was called and got "yellow-headed blackbird" in response.
"Why are half the birds things like blue jay and the other half are things like Johnson's marsh swooper?"
"Why are half the birds things like blue jay and the other half are things like Johnson's marsh swooper?"
Bird Person: I'm gonna name this jay after it's colour.
Not Bird Person: So Blue Jay?
Bird Person: Bingo.
Not Bird Person: So this is a red jay
Bird Person: don't be ridiculous that's a cardinal obv
Not Bird Person: So Blue Jay?
Bird Person: Bingo.
Not Bird Person: So this is a red jay
Bird Person: don't be ridiculous that's a cardinal obv
February 20, 2026 at 3:13 PM
2 min ago I googled the red bellied woodpecker because of a meme and I am calling for a complete and total shutdown of bird names till we can figure out what the hell is going on
you can come for John Roberts constitution with his blessing, but if you dare come for his 401K....
BREAKING: The Supreme Court strikes down President Trump’s sweeping tariffs, upending the central plank of his economic agenda. Follow the latest updates.
Trump warns of ‘bad things’ if Iran refuses deal, as US carrier nears Mideast
The U.S. and Iran are signaling they're prepared for war if talks on Tehran’s nuclear program fizzle out, as a second U.S. aircraft carrier nears the Middle East.
bit.ly
February 20, 2026 at 3:11 PM
you can come for John Roberts constitution with his blessing, but if you dare come for his 401K....
today is going to be one of the great days in modern internet history
BREAKING: The Supreme Court strikes down President Trump’s sweeping tariffs, upending the central plank of his economic agenda. Follow the latest updates.
Trump warns of ‘bad things’ if Iran refuses deal, as US carrier nears Mideast
The U.S. and Iran are signaling they're prepared for war if talks on Tehran’s nuclear program fizzle out, as a second U.S. aircraft carrier nears the Middle East.
bit.ly
February 20, 2026 at 3:11 PM
today is going to be one of the great days in modern internet history
Bird Person: I'm gonna name this jay after it's colour.
Not Bird Person: So Blue Jay?
Bird Person: Bingo.
Not Bird Person: So this is a red jay
Bird Person: don't be ridiculous that's a cardinal obv
Not Bird Person: So Blue Jay?
Bird Person: Bingo.
Not Bird Person: So this is a red jay
Bird Person: don't be ridiculous that's a cardinal obv
February 20, 2026 at 3:07 PM
Bird Person: I'm gonna name this jay after it's colour.
Not Bird Person: So Blue Jay?
Bird Person: Bingo.
Not Bird Person: So this is a red jay
Bird Person: don't be ridiculous that's a cardinal obv
Not Bird Person: So Blue Jay?
Bird Person: Bingo.
Not Bird Person: So this is a red jay
Bird Person: don't be ridiculous that's a cardinal obv
I genuinely couldn't figure out who it was without the cosplay camo outfit
February 20, 2026 at 2:56 PM
I genuinely couldn't figure out who it was without the cosplay camo outfit
Reposted by Shiv Ramdas Mens Rice Activist
Happening right in front of us www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/u...
February 19, 2026 at 10:03 PM
Happening right in front of us www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/u...
superman theme
okay if you could magically become the greatest figure skater in the world for a day and deliver one banger performance that would live on forever, and if you could truly let your freak flag fly to choose ANY music you wanted, what are you skating to
I might do “Black Jack Davy” by Steeleye Span
I might do “Black Jack Davy” by Steeleye Span
February 20, 2026 at 5:21 AM
superman theme
Reposted by Shiv Ramdas Mens Rice Activist
ICE killed a US citizen in Texas. The public was not told a federal agent fired the fatal shot until much later.
February 20, 2026 at 4:18 AM
ICE killed a US citizen in Texas. The public was not told a federal agent fired the fatal shot until much later.
Reposted by Shiv Ramdas Mens Rice Activist
Reminder: No government ever builds concentration camps it does not intend to fill.
February 20, 2026 at 5:14 AM
Reminder: No government ever builds concentration camps it does not intend to fill.
Hat tip to the scammers who back in the day invented a fake substance called "red mercury" which they pretended was incredible nuclear material & then made bank selling mercury with red dye for millions and millions to wannabe despots and tyrants all over the globe who had more ambition than brain
February 20, 2026 at 5:11 AM
Hat tip to the scammers who back in the day invented a fake substance called "red mercury" which they pretended was incredible nuclear material & then made bank selling mercury with red dye for millions and millions to wannabe despots and tyrants all over the globe who had more ambition than brain
Reposted by Shiv Ramdas Mens Rice Activist
Reposted by Shiv Ramdas Mens Rice Activist
Kids don't study the classics anymore. When was the last time you heard someone under 30 say "Euripides nuts"?
February 20, 2026 at 5:00 AM
Kids don't study the classics anymore. When was the last time you heard someone under 30 say "Euripides nuts"?
Reposted by Shiv Ramdas Mens Rice Activist
Every news story is now “State Senator Randy Pervert (R-Springfield) was indicted on 8 counts of lewd behavior with a child under 12 and has been put on paid leave from his two jobs as Border Patrol liaison and youth pastor at First Presbyterian (PCA) where parishioners say they were ‘blindsided.’”
February 20, 2026 at 4:33 AM
Every news story is now “State Senator Randy Pervert (R-Springfield) was indicted on 8 counts of lewd behavior with a child under 12 and has been put on paid leave from his two jobs as Border Patrol liaison and youth pastor at First Presbyterian (PCA) where parishioners say they were ‘blindsided.’”
Can you imagine the GOP being like nvm all this skeevy shit they're doing lets talk about egg prices
Can you imagine if Biden's labor secretary was having an affair with one of her staffers while her husband was barred from the labor department because he sexually assaulted two women who work there?
What would GOP be doing?
What would GOP be doing?
February 20, 2026 at 4:50 AM
Can you imagine the GOP being like nvm all this skeevy shit they're doing lets talk about egg prices
Reposted by Shiv Ramdas Mens Rice Activist
Trump plans to send $10 billion in funds that Congress hasn’t appropriated from the US Treasury to an organization that he will continue to chair personally even after he is out of office.
This is looting.
This is looting.
Trump: "I want to let you know that United States is going to make a contribution of $10 billion to the Board of Peace." (Congress has not appropriated this money!)
February 20, 2026 at 2:35 AM
Trump plans to send $10 billion in funds that Congress hasn’t appropriated from the US Treasury to an organization that he will continue to chair personally even after he is out of office.
This is looting.
This is looting.
