Balajio
akbalaji.bsky.social
Balajio
@akbalaji.bsky.social
Burning down the bad place
Reposted by Balajio
Maybe this is just me but if I had to periodically take a test where they showed me a picture of a giraffe and I had to say "that's a giraffe," I think I'd probably keep that to myself
November 26, 2025 at 2:42 PM
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Every year around Thanksgiving, I see tons of grad students post heartbreaking messages on social media about how their loved ones don’t understand or support their decision to study what seems like something pointless or silly.

Perhaps my American Scientist essay can help!

🧪🌎🦑 #SciComm
“Why Are We Funding This?”
Long-standing myths about “silly science” have contributed to the reckless slashing of government-supported research.
www.americanscientist.org
November 25, 2025 at 6:42 PM
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"Uncle Bob, the only reason you got your ozempic is because a scientist was curious about Gila monster venom." 🧪🩺🌱🐀🐙💅
... And more found here.
Every year around Thanksgiving, I see tons of grad students post heartbreaking messages on social media about how their loved ones don’t understand or support their decision to study what seems like something pointless or silly.

Perhaps my American Scientist essay can help!

🧪🌎🦑 #SciComm
“Why Are We Funding This?”
Long-standing myths about “silly science” have contributed to the reckless slashing of government-supported research.
www.americanscientist.org
November 26, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Reposted by Balajio
Biden so powerful he’s voodooing the the cows a year into retirement
Brooke Rollins on spiking beef prices in November 2025: "There's a lot of reasons for that. The Biden-Harris administration had a war on cattle because they talked about climate change and cattle, um -- it was crazy."
November 26, 2025 at 1:56 PM
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Was the war on cattle before or after the war on Christmas? I can’t remember
November 26, 2025 at 1:51 PM
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I mean, obviously the Conservatives have a minor history of spending public money on, you know, duck houses and so on, and there's that slightly embarrassing question mark over some of the Covid VIP lane contracts, but I did think the party institutionally knew what the word "taxation" meant?
November 26, 2025 at 2:00 PM
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Badenoch: "HIKING TAXES TO PAY FOR WELFARE!"

Er. Yes. You see, you take money from people who have money, and use it to pay for things for everyone and help people who have too little money. That's... the whole point?
November 26, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Reposted by Balajio
If the executive can unilaterally shift all functioning out of an congressionally established agency, then what is left of Congress’ lawmaking?

Why should Congress authorize executive agencies to do anything at all, ever?

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/u...
School Groups Sue to Stop Dismantling of the Education Department
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:00 PM
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Then he came for the lexicographers
November 26, 2025 at 2:07 PM
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I did not know I needed to read Robert Caro nerding out about basketball (and Walt Frazier in particular) but apparently I did
November 26, 2025 at 2:12 PM
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(this is a great story by baxter holmes, the king of this domain) www.espn.com/nba/story/_/...
How a legendary historian is quietly fueling OKC's championship rise
As OKC GM Sam Presti formed a Thunder team built for a dynasty, he was inspired by a man who has been working on the same project for more than 50 years.
www.espn.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:00 PM
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"The Many Hidden Worlds of Quantum Mechanics," my lecture series for the Great Courses (24 half-hour lectures), is still available on Prime video for a few days! Tell your family that watching football on Thanksgiving is hopelessly uncool.

www.amazon.com/gp/video/det...
November 26, 2025 at 2:14 PM
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This is the type of hater energy that will fuel us in the years ahead.
Good morning to Brazilian reporter Manuela Borges, who’s been waiting eleven years for this petty moment. ❤️ 🇧🇷
November 26, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Reposted by Balajio
Good morning to Brazilian reporter Manuela Borges, who’s been waiting eleven years for this petty moment. ❤️ 🇧🇷
November 26, 2025 at 1:04 PM
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“Please sit down before you read the next sentence. The BBC Written Archives Centre has no catalogue of its holdings available to the public…Earlier this year, the BBC suddenly announced that it was altering its archival access policy. Enquiries from the general public are now ignored.”
🗃️
Who controls the past
The BBC is restricting access to its archives
app.the-tls.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Reposted by Balajio
MPR News photojournalist Kerem Yücel was hit by less-lethal munition during the operation in St. Paul today. Other photojournalists were hit as well.
More on what unfolded at the chaotic scene: www.mprnews.org/story/2025/1...
November 25, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Reposted by Balajio
"It is against the TOS to be talked into suicide by our LLM" is possibly the most evil tech bro thing I've ever read
Additionally, OpenAI argues its not liable because Raine, by using ChatGPT for self-harm, broke its terms of service
November 26, 2025 at 12:29 AM
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Like so many members of our military, serving this country changed my life. The Navy gave me opportunities I wouldn't dream of and taught me lessons I'll never forget. I'm grateful for everything our nation has given me, and I'll always do everything I can to give back to it.
November 26, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Reposted by Balajio
You know those labs that keep harming students, again and again? Some reflections on why it's so hard to stop this from happening and where our responsibilities lie.

scienceforeveryone.science/bad-mentors-... 🧪
Bad mentors hurt people
What to do about bad mentors?
scienceforeveryone.science
November 25, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Reposted by Balajio
Photos from St. Paul today captured by MPR photojournalist Kerem Yücel. He filed them even after being hospitalized after being injured by a less lethal munition.
November 26, 2025 at 3:30 AM
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When you are smiling because you know you found just the right stick for the nest and your partner will be SO happy!

#LakeCasitas #BaldEagles #Birds #Nature #Photography
November 25, 2025 at 7:21 PM
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"Class Traitor" has a new and better meaning.
November 26, 2025 at 3:38 AM
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Evil really ages one, doesn't it.
November 26, 2025 at 3:25 AM
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All of us who graduated from The Wheatley School with Steve Witkoff in 1975 can take great pleasure in knowing that almost nothing any of us could ever do would make us the biggest asshole in our class.
November 26, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Reposted by Balajio
can't believe this ancient mesopotamia shoe wearing ass said people need to dress up at the airport
November 26, 2025 at 1:30 AM