Mark D. White
banner
profmdwhite.bsky.social
Mark D. White
@profmdwhite.bsky.social

Professor, author, editor, and fan of comics, movies, and music

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-d-white-4a568730a/

See my books here: http://amzn.to/2aFC66M

Economics 50%
Political science 10%
Pinned
Say "yes chef" and join me on my latest project for the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series! andphilosophy.com/2025/10/01/t...
The Bear and Philosophy Call for Abstracts
Call for Abstracts The Bear and Philosophy Edited by Mark D. White The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series Please circulate and post widely. Apologies for cross-posting. To propose ideas fo…
andphilosophy.com

Reposted by Mark D. White

“Lots of teeth when necessary”.

From 1943, a character sheet for Bugs Bunny.

Reposted by Mark D. White

“New York City’s syndromic surveillance system, which collects information about every patient who visits an emergency room, reported 9,857 visits for “influenza-like illness” last week. That was higher than in the worst weeks of the 2017-18 or 2024-25 flu seasons, both ranked as “high severity”
Flu Cases Climb to Highest Levels in New York City in a Decade
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Mark D. White

but nike never really stopped using it, nor did consumers stop associating it with nike

& trademark rights in the US depend on use, not registration--so the case for abandonment (& thus infringement) here is weak.

www.wsj.com/business/ret...
Nike’s Revival of Classic Brand Has a Hitch—Soccer Coach Grabbed the Trademark
The nostalgic Total 90 product line is central to Nike’s World Cup plans. It just never renewed the trademark rights.
www.wsj.com

Reposted by Mark D. White

i spoke with @wsj about the "total 90" trademark dispute. a small company noticed nike's trademark registration for TOTAL 90 had lapsed, so they registered it & started using it on related goods & then sued nike for infringing it...
This is why it’s so important to trace things back to the beginning whenever possible.

I believe @rauchway.bsky.social calls these “historical urban legends”
looking up the source of quotes, whether for a book or a video script, is great for figuring out when a quote everyone "knows" and has repeated for ages is actually just weird bullshit someone else made up
A great example of how the @nytimes.com centers white Americans and Trump supporters in its anecdotal political coverage. You never see stories like this about Black Democrats whose cities are cracked in Republican gerrymandering to give them Republican elected officials.
They Wanted a Conservative State. They Might Get a Democratic Representative Instead.

The passage of Proposition 50, which redrew California’s congressional map, means that all of the state’s conservative north is likely to be represented by Democrats.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/26/u...
They Wanted a Conservative State. They Might Get a Democratic Representative Instead.
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Mark D. White

Hohoho! I drew this year's holiday card for my art rep, Felix Comic Art. I wanted the recipients to get something that looked like a piece of vintage original art, but also couldn't help poking some fun at Felix's love for Dark Knight Returns.
President Donald Trump gifted the world with nearly 200 Truth Social posts (and counting) on Christmas Day, where he amplified conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and called for a member of Congress to be deported.
Trump Posts Nearly 200 Times in Unhinged Christmas Day Spree
The president amplified conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and called for a member of Congress to be deported.
trib.al

It's a calendar, so no, I don't need a summary, thank you.

Beautiful!

Reposted by Mark D. White

“There’s early evidence that service dogs can help veterans stick with their antidepressant medications. But for many veterans, the companionship and real-time support matter most…

“He’s my battle buddy,” Dr. Bahr said, “my constant reminder that I’m not fighting alone.”
The Service Dogs Helping Veterans With PTSD
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Mark D. White

You have to wonder if Santa is a little more worried this year about NORAD tracking him.
Trump: I am fine. You sound beautiful and cute. How old are you?

Caller: I am eight

Reposted by Mark D. White

“Mr. Epstein’s tan, leathery skin is folded into a smile; in one photo a bit of blond hair is peeking out from under the large black redaction box. In another photo we see what looks like a young foot in a Croc. One photo shows a note that says someone….

www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/o...
Opinion | The Epstein File Releases Make Everything Worse
www.nytimes.com
If you’re wondering why your friends in academia are a little on edge right now, it’s because an eighteen-year-old who hasn’t done the reading, doesn’t look at the assignment, and has does no critical thinking skills more complex than “because I think it’s in the Bible” can literally end your career
cnn.com CNN @cnn.com · 2d
The University of Oklahoma has removed an instructor who was accused by a student of religious discrimination over a failing grade on a psychology paper in which she cited the Bible and argued that promoting a “belief in multiple genders” was “demonic.” https://cnn.it/4b6g3rd
Oklahoma instructor removed from teaching for failing a Bible-based gender essay | CNN
The University of Oklahoma has removed an instructor who was accused by a student of religious discrimination over a failing grade on a psychology paper in which she cited the Bible and argued that promoting a “belief in multiple genders” was “demonic.”
cnn.it

Reposted by Mark D. White

This is on an official town website:

How do you know if a bear is dangerous?
Step 1: bang two pots together.
Step 2: did it eat you?

Reposted by Mark D. White

Just imagining if Merrick Garland’s DOJ had shitposted.

Reposted by Mark D. White

The idea that you have to win a major book prize before your colleagues will stop treating you like crap.... is why a lot of people, many of them POC and women, leave the profession. You shouldn't have to be Theda Skocpal level of scholar to be treated like a human.
xmas movie posters but with muppets: thread

Reposted by Mark D. White

Pope Leo vs. Franklin Graham
CNN @cnn.com · 2d
The University of Oklahoma has removed an instructor who was accused by a student of religious discrimination over a failing grade on a psychology paper in which she cited the Bible and argued that promoting a “belief in multiple genders” was “demonic.” https://cnn.it/4b6g3rd
Oklahoma instructor removed from teaching for failing a Bible-based gender essay | CNN
The University of Oklahoma has removed an instructor who was accused by a student of religious discrimination over a failing grade on a psychology paper in which she cited the Bible and argued that promoting a “belief in multiple genders” was “demonic.”
cnn.it
This is an almost shockingly wise essay. I'm glad I've finally read it.
There Is No Mary Problem in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’
George’s vision of his wife without him is essential to the film, but critics continue to miss its true—and profound—meaning.
open.substack.com

Reposted by Mark D. White

“The evidence will show that the school board named that school for Stonewall Jackson —a prominent Confederate general well known for fighting to preserve slavery —to make it very clear that Black students were not welcome,” Kaitlin Banner, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in her opening statement”
The Confederacy Goes on Trial, Along With Schools Named Jackson and Lee
www.nytimes.com
Greenland Envoy Gov. Jeff Landry: "Look, the United States has always been a welcoming party. We don't go in there trying to conquer anybody and trying to take over anybody's country. We say, 'Listen. We represent liberty. We represented economic strength. We represent protection.'"
The people who profited most from the cancel culture/free speech panic were less interested in actual freedom of speech than establishing their own control over public discourse. You don't even have to take my word for it. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...

Reposted by Mark D. White

If you're not on ballet YouTube you're missing out on some of the most hilariously hypercritical observations on the planet

Reposted by Mark D. White

Where we send you if we catch you inferring future events on the basis of resemblance to past occurrences. Or, at least, where we've sent people so far.
DOJ briefly uploaded this letter from Jeff Epstein to serial child molester Larry Nassar:

"Our president shares our love of young, nubile girls. When a young beauty walked by he loved to 'grab snatch,' whereas we ended up snatching grub in the mess halls of the system."