Russell Sheptak
@rsheptak.bsky.social
Archaeologist, Historian, Software Architect, and DIY Tube Amplifier builder. History of Honduras from the beginning of time through the Spanish colonial period.
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
Joy and gratitude for being picked to be that special girl allowed to cut the life support for hungry children. They should make a Hallmark movie about it.
Rollins: Joe Biden increased food stamp program funding by 40%. Now… we continue to roll that back… Just gratitude and joy for this work. So, so grateful to you.
December 2, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Joy and gratitude for being picked to be that special girl allowed to cut the life support for hungry children. They should make a Hallmark movie about it.
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
Admin at UC have claimed various reasons why they aren’t fighting in court, but they simply are afraid to take on the Feds, believing antagonism will somehow make a terrible situation worse. Thing is, it can’t be much worse, and you can’t placate a bully.
Commentary: The UC faculty just won a big court victory over Trump. But why didn't UC join their lawsuit?
The UC faculty went to court to fight Trump's funding cutoffs and won. Why has the university system tried to negotiate instead?
www.latimes.com
November 22, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Admin at UC have claimed various reasons why they aren’t fighting in court, but they simply are afraid to take on the Feds, believing antagonism will somehow make a terrible situation worse. Thing is, it can’t be much worse, and you can’t placate a bully.
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
"What I'm trying to tell in the story is one of a brilliant scientist who somehow got left out of the story."
An Opera Explores the Story of Rosalind Franklin and the Discovery of DNA
Betrayal, ambition and the double helix: turning Rosalind Franklin’s story and the discovery of the structure of DNA into an opera
www.scientificamerican.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:03 PM
"What I'm trying to tell in the story is one of a brilliant scientist who somehow got left out of the story."
You need to read this
A BlueSky thread by Heather Cherone on Skyview
Greetings from the Dirksen federal courthouse, where Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino is set to appear before U.S. District Court Judge Sara Ellis.
What you need to know, for @wttw.bsky.social:
skyview.social
October 28, 2025 at 8:37 PM
You need to read this
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
Illinois State Senator Karina Villa sprang into action to protect her community from ICE raids, alerting neighbors to their rights and chasing off masked agents. This is how you stand up to authoritarianism. We should all be inspired by Sen. Villa's courage.
September 16, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Illinois State Senator Karina Villa sprang into action to protect her community from ICE raids, alerting neighbors to their rights and chasing off masked agents. This is how you stand up to authoritarianism. We should all be inspired by Sen. Villa's courage.
Yikes! I went to high school here.
Whaaaaaaaaat? But that's the OPPOSITE of what should happen idk gang I'm bored of this bit, I'm bored of these abusive sloppy fucking creep cops
August 21, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Yikes! I went to high school here.
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
Today in "You can't unplug 1/4 of the budget of research universities & do the same things, & there doesn't seem to be any backup plan other than to cancel things, & WHERE ARE THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS SPEAKING OUT LOUDLY & COLLECTIVELY ABOUT THIS EXISTENTIAL CRISIS?"
bsky.app/profile/mcop...
bsky.app/profile/mcop...
I missed this news before (but suspect we'll see more announcements like this in the coming months):
"The department also hopes to resume admissions for the fall 2027 class. However, no new applications will be accepted this cycle."
www.michigandaily.com/news/news-br...
"The department also hopes to resume admissions for the fall 2027 class. However, no new applications will be accepted this cycle."
www.michigandaily.com/news/news-br...
UMich cancels doctoral epidemiology program admissions for 2026
The University of Michigan School of Public Health will not admit a 2025-2026 admissions cycle cohort to its PhD in Epidemiologic Sciences program.
www.michigandaily.com
August 10, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Today in "You can't unplug 1/4 of the budget of research universities & do the same things, & there doesn't seem to be any backup plan other than to cancel things, & WHERE ARE THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS SPEAKING OUT LOUDLY & COLLECTIVELY ABOUT THIS EXISTENTIAL CRISIS?"
bsky.app/profile/mcop...
bsky.app/profile/mcop...
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
The ruling deems the government's termination of grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities "unlawful" and allows a lawsuit brought by humanities groups to move forward.
Federal judge rules cuts to humanities grants were 'unlawful'
The ruling deems the government's termination of grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities "unlawful" and allows a lawsuit brought by humanities groups to move forward.
n.pr
August 7, 2025 at 3:50 PM
The ruling deems the government's termination of grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities "unlawful" and allows a lawsuit brought by humanities groups to move forward.
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
One of the really fun things about editing Current Anthropology is getting to read and share excellent and extremely fun research like this...
Niche Expansion and the Natural History of Human-Cat Kinship | Current Anthropology
Domestic cats (Felis catus) have flourished alongside humans for 10,000 years. What accounts for this success? We argue here that cats and humans collaborate in this success because cats are very good...
www.journals.uchicago.edu
August 1, 2025 at 9:34 AM
One of the really fun things about editing Current Anthropology is getting to read and share excellent and extremely fun research like this...
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
When you find a feral church you can't help but be enfolded in its greening. You sit in communion with its ghost congregation and feel an ache for old rites. You come to understand that some sites were consecrated long before they ever knew the cross. – #MattAdams, 1982
July 24, 2025 at 3:27 PM
When you find a feral church you can't help but be enfolded in its greening. You sit in communion with its ghost congregation and feel an ache for old rites. You come to understand that some sites were consecrated long before they ever knew the cross. – #MattAdams, 1982
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
I’ve gotten some negative feedback about the language I used about Columbia. Although I accept people choosing their own tone, I decline to accept tone critiques from people who wish to follow decorum obediently into a ditch. Columbia’s leadership is contemptible Vichy scum.
July 24, 2025 at 3:29 PM
I’ve gotten some negative feedback about the language I used about Columbia. Although I accept people choosing their own tone, I decline to accept tone critiques from people who wish to follow decorum obediently into a ditch. Columbia’s leadership is contemptible Vichy scum.
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
reposted with alt text! FUCK EM UP, WGA
this merger needs to be stopped
this merger needs to be stopped
July 18, 2025 at 6:26 PM
reposted with alt text! FUCK EM UP, WGA
this merger needs to be stopped
this merger needs to be stopped
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
Classical Studies one of the affected programs at Indiana University, with the requirement to "suspend" or "merge" the degree program by 2026-2027.
Not sure what a "merger" looks like in this case, but this is obviously disastrous.
The vandalism continues.
Not sure what a "merger" looks like in this case, but this is obviously disastrous.
The vandalism continues.
So, here it is. Thanks to a new state law that was NEVER DEBATED, Indiana University has committed itself to abolishing majors in African-American/African Diaspora Studies: American Studies; Art History; French; Italian; Religious Studies etc. DOZENS of majors. www.ipm.org/news-section...
Indiana public colleges cut almost 20% of degrees
Public Indiana colleges and universities have eliminated 19 percent of their degree programs to meet requirements added to the state’s budget, according to the Commission for Higher Education.
www.ipm.org
June 30, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Classical Studies one of the affected programs at Indiana University, with the requirement to "suspend" or "merge" the degree program by 2026-2027.
Not sure what a "merger" looks like in this case, but this is obviously disastrous.
The vandalism continues.
Not sure what a "merger" looks like in this case, but this is obviously disastrous.
The vandalism continues.
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
I'm reposting this cartoon by Garth German @garthtoons.bsky.social every day, separate from my recurring threads.
Because this is the Number One story
Because this is the Number One story
June 28, 2025 at 1:29 PM
I'm reposting this cartoon by Garth German @garthtoons.bsky.social every day, separate from my recurring threads.
Because this is the Number One story
Because this is the Number One story
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
We also published a second paper on the spread of farming from Anatolia into SE Europe. Our results challenge the assumption that cultural entities frequently correspond to genetically homogeneous populations. Pots don’t equal people! 🏺
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Out-of-Anatolia: Cultural and genetic interactions during the Neolithic expansion in the Aegean
West Anatolia has been a crucial yet elusive element in the Neolithic expansion from the Fertile Crescent to Europe. In this work, we describe the changing genetic and cultural landscapes of early Hol...
www.science.org
June 27, 2025 at 4:41 AM
We also published a second paper on the spread of farming from Anatolia into SE Europe. Our results challenge the assumption that cultural entities frequently correspond to genetically homogeneous populations. Pots don’t equal people! 🏺
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
Give the photographer the Pulitzer Prize
June 8, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Give the photographer the Pulitzer Prize
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
BREAKING: An enormous peaceful protest has broken out in Los Angeles in defiance of Donald Trump’s ICE raids. This is how it’s done.
June 8, 2025 at 11:07 PM
BREAKING: An enormous peaceful protest has broken out in Los Angeles in defiance of Donald Trump’s ICE raids. This is how it’s done.
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
Trump is saving Los Angeles from big scary **checks notes** dancing flash mobs
The are line dancing in the middle of the protest while shouting Fuck ICE
June 8, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Trump is saving Los Angeles from big scary **checks notes** dancing flash mobs
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
“We would urge all pet owners in the region to make sure all of your beloved animals are under watchful protection while the secretary is in the region,” the @govpritzker.illinois.gov note said.
Sec. Noem to visit Springfield, drawing sarcastic response from Gov. Pritzker’s office
Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem will visit Springfield this week, drawing a sarcastic response from Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office.
www.nbcchicago.com
May 7, 2025 at 2:05 AM
“We would urge all pet owners in the region to make sure all of your beloved animals are under watchful protection while the secretary is in the region,” the @govpritzker.illinois.gov note said.
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
House Republicans are embarking on wholesale changes that could shake up the way students pay for college, advancing a conservative agenda to curtail the federal role in education financing.
How Republicans plan to shake up Pell grants and student loans
House Republicans are pushing wholesale changes to financial aid, advancing a conservative agenda to curtail the federal role in education financing.
wapo.st
April 29, 2025 at 4:20 PM
House Republicans are embarking on wholesale changes that could shake up the way students pay for college, advancing a conservative agenda to curtail the federal role in education financing.
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
The toddler, a U.S. citizen, was apparently sent to Honduras with her mother and 11-year-old sister, even as a federal judge tried to contact an attorney representing the government.
U.S. judge says 2-year-old apparently deported to Honduras 'with no meaningful process'
The toddler, a U.S. citizen, was apparently sent to Honduras with her mother and 11-year-old sister, even as a federal judge tried to contact an attorney representing the government.
www.npr.org
April 26, 2025 at 5:30 PM
The toddler, a U.S. citizen, was apparently sent to Honduras with her mother and 11-year-old sister, even as a federal judge tried to contact an attorney representing the government.
Reposted by Russell Sheptak
ICYMI, very positive results from first 2 years of NYC's window heat pump pilot in public housing:
- yielded 87% in energy savings
- halved energy costs
- “more consistent and comfortable” temps
could be a game changer for electrification...
from @smaldo.bsky.social
www.thecity.nyc/2025/02/27/n...
- yielded 87% in energy savings
- halved energy costs
- “more consistent and comfortable” temps
could be a game changer for electrification...
from @smaldo.bsky.social
www.thecity.nyc/2025/02/27/n...
Electric Heat Pumps Get Warm Reviews at Queens Public Housing Development
Woodside Houses residents say the eco-friendly alternatives to steam radiators have served them well through the winter.
www.thecity.nyc
April 16, 2025 at 6:49 PM
ICYMI, very positive results from first 2 years of NYC's window heat pump pilot in public housing:
- yielded 87% in energy savings
- halved energy costs
- “more consistent and comfortable” temps
could be a game changer for electrification...
from @smaldo.bsky.social
www.thecity.nyc/2025/02/27/n...
- yielded 87% in energy savings
- halved energy costs
- “more consistent and comfortable” temps
could be a game changer for electrification...
from @smaldo.bsky.social
www.thecity.nyc/2025/02/27/n...