Bijan Parsia
@bparsia.bsky.social
I am a Prof of Comp Sci at Uni of Manchester, UK. UCU NEC disabled member rep (2023-24). UCUCommons. All posts are my own behalf alone. He/him/they.
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
The Python Software Foundation's courageous refusal of an anti-DEI $1.5 million federal grant immediately triggered an extraordinary outpouring of community support.
PSF Gets a Donor Surge After Rejecting Anti-DEI Federal Grant
The Python Software Foundation's courageous refusal of an anti-DEI $1.5 million federal grant immediately triggered an extraordinary outpouring of community support.
bit.ly
November 9, 2025 at 3:00 PM
The Python Software Foundation's courageous refusal of an anti-DEI $1.5 million federal grant immediately triggered an extraordinary outpouring of community support.
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
There are 52 million immigrants in this country, the vast majority of whom are here legally. He wants to deport liberals. He's saying that part out loud.
November 9, 2025 at 7:55 PM
There are 52 million immigrants in this country, the vast majority of whom are here legally. He wants to deport liberals. He's saying that part out loud.
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
Astonishing how hard this administration is working to keep people hungry.
It's clear they are trying maximize public suffering, in hopes of getting people to blame Dems for that suffering. But it's transparently the White House working overtime to keep the suffering going!
bsky.app/profile/cram...
It's clear they are trying maximize public suffering, in hopes of getting people to blame Dems for that suffering. But it's transparently the White House working overtime to keep the suffering going!
bsky.app/profile/cram...
Yikes. USDA sent threatening letter to states telling them that if they sent out EBT money —which many states did during the window when a lower court said SNAP funds had to be released—they have to take it back (?)
Trying to sort out what this means and if states even can claw back the funds
Trying to sort out what this means and if states even can claw back the funds
November 9, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Astonishing how hard this administration is working to keep people hungry.
It's clear they are trying maximize public suffering, in hopes of getting people to blame Dems for that suffering. But it's transparently the White House working overtime to keep the suffering going!
bsky.app/profile/cram...
It's clear they are trying maximize public suffering, in hopes of getting people to blame Dems for that suffering. But it's transparently the White House working overtime to keep the suffering going!
bsky.app/profile/cram...
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
I asked Georgetown law prof David Super wtf is going on with this latest demand for states to claw back benefits already sent out.
He says the law doesn't allow for this, and if the USDA is mad that states already sent out SNAP money, too bad—they were following USDA's own guidance. Full comments:
He says the law doesn't allow for this, and if the USDA is mad that states already sent out SNAP money, too bad—they were following USDA's own guidance. Full comments:
November 9, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I asked Georgetown law prof David Super wtf is going on with this latest demand for states to claw back benefits already sent out.
He says the law doesn't allow for this, and if the USDA is mad that states already sent out SNAP money, too bad—they were following USDA's own guidance. Full comments:
He says the law doesn't allow for this, and if the USDA is mad that states already sent out SNAP money, too bad—they were following USDA's own guidance. Full comments:
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
A variation on the story from the other day about how many teens think factual reporting is routinely made up:
I spotted this on Mastodon and I find it horrible, not least for the speed with which this has happened.
November 9, 2025 at 4:47 PM
A variation on the story from the other day about how many teens think factual reporting is routinely made up:
Yesterday I learned that Julia Child was a big ole homophobe in her personal life until her dear friend and lawyer died of AIDS and she looked around, realised whats what, and became a big advocate of AIDS patients and LGBT+. (This was a time when not many were supporting AIDS sufferers.)
November 9, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Yesterday I learned that Julia Child was a big ole homophobe in her personal life until her dear friend and lawyer died of AIDS and she looked around, realised whats what, and became a big advocate of AIDS patients and LGBT+. (This was a time when not many were supporting AIDS sufferers.)
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
I wouldn't particularly claim my life was a success, but so far I've navigated male middle age without either sending photos of my cock to random women or developing an obsessive public hatred against a marginalised group. It's not exactly a high bar, but clearly not everyone manages it.
November 8, 2025 at 10:46 AM
I wouldn't particularly claim my life was a success, but so far I've navigated male middle age without either sending photos of my cock to random women or developing an obsessive public hatred against a marginalised group. It's not exactly a high bar, but clearly not everyone manages it.
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
And yet so many men fail to clear this low bar.... 🤦🏼♀️🙄
I wouldn't particularly claim my life was a success, but so far I've navigated male middle age without either sending photos of my cock to random women or developing an obsessive public hatred against a marginalised group. It's not exactly a high bar, but clearly not everyone manages it.
November 9, 2025 at 10:39 AM
And yet so many men fail to clear this low bar.... 🤦🏼♀️🙄
When they say thy are against erasing history in response to taking down Jim
Crow era statues they mean they are against erasing false history and writing true history. Really, they are against anything but white glorifying “history”.
Crow era statues they mean they are against erasing false history and writing true history. Really, they are against anything but white glorifying “history”.
1/ The US Government has quietly removed a memorial to Black soldiers who died in World War II from the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, South Limburg. The move follows a complaint from the right-wing Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission. ⬇️
November 9, 2025 at 10:32 AM
When they say thy are against erasing history in response to taking down Jim
Crow era statues they mean they are against erasing false history and writing true history. Really, they are against anything but white glorifying “history”.
Crow era statues they mean they are against erasing false history and writing true history. Really, they are against anything but white glorifying “history”.
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
1/ The US Government has quietly removed a memorial to Black soldiers who died in World War II from the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, South Limburg. The move follows a complaint from the right-wing Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission. ⬇️
November 9, 2025 at 9:23 AM
1/ The US Government has quietly removed a memorial to Black soldiers who died in World War II from the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, South Limburg. The move follows a complaint from the right-wing Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission. ⬇️
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
14/ Professor Kees Ribbens, senior researcher at the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies, says that the removal appears to be the result of a complaint from the right-wing Heritage Foundation, which is currently the focus of controversy over anti-Semitism.
November 9, 2025 at 9:23 AM
14/ Professor Kees Ribbens, senior researcher at the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies, says that the removal appears to be the result of a complaint from the right-wing Heritage Foundation, which is currently the focus of controversy over anti-Semitism.
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
My annual post about how the Morning Star reported the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989
hatfulofhistory.com/2014/11/07/h...
hatfulofhistory.com/2014/11/07/h...
November 9, 2025 at 9:02 AM
My annual post about how the Morning Star reported the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989
hatfulofhistory.com/2014/11/07/h...
hatfulofhistory.com/2014/11/07/h...
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
In addition, there are folk who try to scam churches on a weekly if not daily basis and many of those attempted scams begin with the need for infant products before they work their way up to cash and move onto the next church. Too many folks are drinking the Kool-Aid of the OP to whom I reply here.
The young woman calling church is asking about baby formula is setting them up for Internet trashing. The audio is edited. What's often missing is the redirect to local services because most churches don't have formula in their pantry. It's a stunt and a shakedown. @histoftech.bsky.social
November 8, 2025 at 5:28 PM
In addition, there are folk who try to scam churches on a weekly if not daily basis and many of those attempted scams begin with the need for infant products before they work their way up to cash and move onto the next church. Too many folks are drinking the Kool-Aid of the OP to whom I reply here.
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
Cutting home insulation funding will imperil UK’s climate goals, Reeves told
Cutting home insulation funding will imperil UK’s climate goals, Reeves told
Energy firms and charities urge chancellor to avoid short-term fix that could also harm low-income households
buff.ly
November 8, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Cutting home insulation funding will imperil UK’s climate goals, Reeves told
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
Bosses at six water firms had £4m in bonuses blocked under new rules, Ofwat says
Bosses at six water firms had £4m in bonuses blocked under new rules, Ofwat says
Regulator considers forcing companies to report pay received by parent firms after Guardian investigation
Water company bosses were blocked from receiving £4m in bonuses for the last financial year – and the industry regulator is considering forcing companies to report pay received by parent companies following a Guardian investigation.
Ofwat, the regulator for English and Welsh water firms, said six companies had complied with the new rules governing the sector and did not pay out bonuses to bosses. However, it is consulting on further rules to force the disclosure of payments by other companies after the revelation that Yorkshire Water’s chief executive, Nicola Shaw, had received £1.3m in secret payments via an offshore parent company. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 5, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Bosses at six water firms had £4m in bonuses blocked under new rules, Ofwat says
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
The Highly Qualified Director of the Kennedy Center everyone. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/u...
November 8, 2025 at 1:38 AM
The Highly Qualified Director of the Kennedy Center everyone. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/u...
I can’t really express what a relief it is to talk to a new heath professional and them actually take on board that I know myself and my condition very well and they don’t need to walk me through the super basics.
It’s always a worry.
It’s always a worry.
November 7, 2025 at 5:31 PM
I can’t really express what a relief it is to talk to a new heath professional and them actually take on board that I know myself and my condition very well and they don’t need to walk me through the super basics.
It’s always a worry.
It’s always a worry.
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
I vowed to never tolerate LLMs in my classroom or life the first time I read an article about ChatGPT guiding a child through suicide. The lack of uproar is disquieting.
1.This is not the only known example we know of ChatGPT cheering on a vulnerable young person to die by suicide, this time it is a recent Texas A&M grad
2. Every single university that has invited OpenAI into our midst should be asked to account for their choices.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
2. Every single university that has invited OpenAI into our midst should be asked to account for their choices.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
November 7, 2025 at 4:17 PM
I vowed to never tolerate LLMs in my classroom or life the first time I read an article about ChatGPT guiding a child through suicide. The lack of uproar is disquieting.
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
Meta itself estimates that it's involved in 1/3 of all successful scams in the United States lol
November 7, 2025 at 5:18 AM
Meta itself estimates that it's involved in 1/3 of all successful scams in the United States lol
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
For a striking contrast, here’s a video of Kamala responding to a medical emergency during a rally last year:
www.youtube.com/shorts/vB4Hc...
www.youtube.com/shorts/vB4Hc...
November 7, 2025 at 12:14 AM
For a striking contrast, here’s a video of Kamala responding to a medical emergency during a rally last year:
www.youtube.com/shorts/vB4Hc...
www.youtube.com/shorts/vB4Hc...
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 6, 2025 at 9:00 PM
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
Wes Streeting's comments on the racism experienced by health workers reminds me of the research by colleagues here at Manchester on the crucial role that immigrants have played since the inception of the NHS.
doi.org/10.1258/jrsm...
doi.org/10.1258/jrsm...
November 7, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Wes Streeting's comments on the racism experienced by health workers reminds me of the research by colleagues here at Manchester on the crucial role that immigrants have played since the inception of the NHS.
doi.org/10.1258/jrsm...
doi.org/10.1258/jrsm...
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
'A post-92 university will freeze staff pay if they choose to remain in a more expensive pension scheme as institutions continue to find new ways to grapple with rising cost.' 1/3
Northumbria to freeze pay if staff refuse TPS-USS pension switch
University says moving employees from more expensive scheme will save it up to £11 million a year
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:53 AM
'A post-92 university will freeze staff pay if they choose to remain in a more expensive pension scheme as institutions continue to find new ways to grapple with rising cost.' 1/3
Remember that Musk did this, deliberately and illegally.
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 7, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Remember that Musk did this, deliberately and illegally.
Reposted by Bijan Parsia
wikipedia's data shows that AI is siphoning traffic away from the site, which is a danger to its sustainability. ironically Wikipedia is more important than ever to users who want reliable information instead of slop, and to AI companies that need it for training data www.404media.co/wikipedia-sa...
Wikipedia Says AI Is Causing a Dangerous Decline in Human Visitors
“With fewer visits to Wikipedia, fewer volunteers may grow and enrich the content, and fewer individual donors may support this work.”
www.404media.co
October 17, 2025 at 1:15 AM
wikipedia's data shows that AI is siphoning traffic away from the site, which is a danger to its sustainability. ironically Wikipedia is more important than ever to users who want reliable information instead of slop, and to AI companies that need it for training data www.404media.co/wikipedia-sa...