Margaret Moerchen (she/her)
@carrotslittle.bsky.social
cyclist, mom, vegetarian, rookie pianist, Ph.D. astronomer, sometime editor, noisemaker for progressive policy
One time @themountaingoats.bsky.social John Darnielle was in front of me at the Target self-checkout in NW DC and I tried to be cool and say nothing, and failed, but he was so incredibly nice despite just trying to take his kid to the zoo that weekend, apparently, and to buy cold medicine
Right folks. Feeling rather down at the moment so bringing back an oldie
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
June 13, 2025 at 9:13 PM
One time @themountaingoats.bsky.social John Darnielle was in front of me at the Target self-checkout in NW DC and I tried to be cool and say nothing, and failed, but he was so incredibly nice despite just trying to take his kid to the zoo that weekend, apparently, and to buy cold medicine
I ran into Brian Wilson enjoying a cozy chair in the lobby of my hotel in Salt Lake City, and I managed a very restrained (imho) thank-you for the music. Enjoying that one especially this week.
Right folks. Feeling rather down at the moment so bringing back an oldie
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
June 13, 2025 at 9:06 PM
I ran into Brian Wilson enjoying a cozy chair in the lobby of my hotel in Salt Lake City, and I managed a very restrained (imho) thank-you for the music. Enjoying that one especially this week.
Reposted by Margaret Moerchen (she/her)
Dear business genius,
I’m a [WORKING-CLASS PERSON / MIDDLE-CLASS PERSON / SUPER-RICH PERSON]. Thank you for making me poorer.
Staying brief to save ink money,
[YOUR NAME. LITERALLY ANYONE]
I’m a [WORKING-CLASS PERSON / MIDDLE-CLASS PERSON / SUPER-RICH PERSON]. Thank you for making me poorer.
Staying brief to save ink money,
[YOUR NAME. LITERALLY ANYONE]
Templates for Thanking President Trump
Template 1 Dear President Trump and [RELEVANT MINIONS] I’m just writing from [UKRAINE / GAZA / THE HEARD AND MCDONALD ISLANDS] to say, once and for...
buff.ly
May 7, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Dear business genius,
I’m a [WORKING-CLASS PERSON / MIDDLE-CLASS PERSON / SUPER-RICH PERSON]. Thank you for making me poorer.
Staying brief to save ink money,
[YOUR NAME. LITERALLY ANYONE]
I’m a [WORKING-CLASS PERSON / MIDDLE-CLASS PERSON / SUPER-RICH PERSON]. Thank you for making me poorer.
Staying brief to save ink money,
[YOUR NAME. LITERALLY ANYONE]
Reposted by Margaret Moerchen (she/her)
One of many moments in Omar El Akkad’s new book, “One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This,” that will stop you in your tracks.
March 29, 2025 at 8:31 PM
One of many moments in Omar El Akkad’s new book, “One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This,” that will stop you in your tracks.
Panch is a coward and traitor of the highest order
NSF has spent decades—and billions of dollars—trying to attract more women and members of underrepresented groups into STEM. Not anymore. scim.ag/3RUtgZg
NSF starts to kill grants that violate Trump’s war on diversity efforts
Attracting women and minorities into science and studying misinformation are no longer priorities, agency says
scim.ag
April 19, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Panch is a coward and traitor of the highest order
Reposted by Margaret Moerchen (she/her)
🚨Georgetown University Law Center students are detailing which law firms have caved and which have stood up to the Trump regime. They have created this spreadsheet: docs.google.com/spreadsheets... Please share widely.
Legal Industry Responses to Fascist Attacks Tracker (Public)
docs.google.com
April 3, 2025 at 4:41 AM
🚨Georgetown University Law Center students are detailing which law firms have caved and which have stood up to the Trump regime. They have created this spreadsheet: docs.google.com/spreadsheets... Please share widely.
Reposted by Margaret Moerchen (she/her)
>1900 members of the National Academies of Science, Engineering & Medicine issued a statement supporting science for the benefit of all citizens, and ... 1/2
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Public Statement on Supporting Science for the Benefit of All Citizens
TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE We all rely on science. Science gave us the smartphones in our pockets, the navigation systems in our cars, and life-saving medical care. We count on engineers when we drive acr...
docs.google.com
March 31, 2025 at 4:28 PM
>1900 members of the National Academies of Science, Engineering & Medicine issued a statement supporting science for the benefit of all citizens, and ... 1/2
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Reposted by Margaret Moerchen (she/her)
arXiv used to be funded by Los Alamos for many years, so its a good job its not there now. It's a nice profile that captures Ginsparg pretty well (and there's still a question of its long term viability as funding is still dependent on grants). #scholarlypublishing #physics
Inside arXiv—the Most Transformative Platform in All of Science
Modern science wouldn’t exist without the online research repository known as arXiv. Three decades in, its creator still can’t let it go.
www.wired.com
March 27, 2025 at 12:48 PM
arXiv used to be funded by Los Alamos for many years, so its a good job its not there now. It's a nice profile that captures Ginsparg pretty well (and there's still a question of its long term viability as funding is still dependent on grants). #scholarlypublishing #physics
This also goes for removing “censor-worthy” words from websites, like diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, etc.
Don’t do them a favor by doing their work for them!
Don’t do them a favor by doing their work for them!
Another reason it is cowardly to simply obey and let them take over your newsroom or university is that if you don’t they often will be like “well fuck, that was our main idea”
JUST IN: Kari Lake has withdrawn the cancelation of Radio Free Europe’s grant, seeking to end a legal standoff.
March 27, 2025 at 12:24 PM
This also goes for removing “censor-worthy” words from websites, like diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, etc.
Don’t do them a favor by doing their work for them!
Don’t do them a favor by doing their work for them!
Reposted by Margaret Moerchen (she/her)
I don't care what side of the Israel-Palestine conflict your sympathies lie on, snatching up people with a valid student visa for the crime of writing an OpEd is naked fascism and if you don't oppose this you are a threat to this country's most basic values
Video of the international student at Tufts being arrested by "federal authorities" in Massachusetts has been released and it's terrifying.
They're not even uniformed officers. Just secret police thugs in hoodies and masks.
From WCVB: youtu.be/PuFIs7OkzYY
They're not even uniformed officers. Just secret police thugs in hoodies and masks.
From WCVB: youtu.be/PuFIs7OkzYY
March 26, 2025 at 6:25 PM
I don't care what side of the Israel-Palestine conflict your sympathies lie on, snatching up people with a valid student visa for the crime of writing an OpEd is naked fascism and if you don't oppose this you are a threat to this country's most basic values
@joaquincastrotx.bsky.social is doing amazing work these days — a great example for Dem leaders AHEM
Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) just told Tulsi Gabbard, Kash Patel and John Ratcliffe to their faces that they all know they're lying when they say the war-planning info they shared on Signal wasn't classified. www.huffpost.com/entry/donald...
Dem Rep. To Intel Leaders: ‘A Lie To The Country’ To Say Signal Chat Wasn’t Classified
www.huffpost.com
March 26, 2025 at 4:04 PM
@joaquincastrotx.bsky.social is doing amazing work these days — a great example for Dem leaders AHEM
Reposted by Margaret Moerchen (she/her)
From an operational security perspective, this is the highest level of fuckup imaginable. These people cannot keep America safe.
The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans
U.S. national-security leaders included me in a group chat about upcoming military strikes in Yemen. I didn’t think it could be real. Then the bombs started falling.
www.theatlantic.com
March 24, 2025 at 8:13 PM
From an operational security perspective, this is the highest level of fuckup imaginable. These people cannot keep America safe.
Reposted by Margaret Moerchen (she/her)
You cannot make this shit up. Sharing this jaw-dropping story with a gift link -- give it a read.
The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans
U.S. national-security leaders included me in a group chat about upcoming military strikes in Yemen. I didn’t think it could be real. Then the bombs started falling.
www.theatlantic.com
March 24, 2025 at 4:31 PM
You cannot make this shit up. Sharing this jaw-dropping story with a gift link -- give it a read.
Reposted by Margaret Moerchen (she/her)
Yay. According to this LibGen trained it's LLM on BOTH of my books, one of my features, and...
...my 2019 scientific article on the deletion of the VMAT1 transporter?
Love to see literal years of my work stolen so people don't have to work to write an email.
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
...my 2019 scientific article on the deletion of the VMAT1 transporter?
Love to see literal years of my work stolen so people don't have to work to write an email.
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
Search LibGen, the Pirated-Books Database That Meta Used to Train AI
Millions of books and scientific papers are captured in the collection’s current iteration.
www.theatlantic.com
March 20, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Yay. According to this LibGen trained it's LLM on BOTH of my books, one of my features, and...
...my 2019 scientific article on the deletion of the VMAT1 transporter?
Love to see literal years of my work stolen so people don't have to work to write an email.
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
...my 2019 scientific article on the deletion of the VMAT1 transporter?
Love to see literal years of my work stolen so people don't have to work to write an email.
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
Looks like everything I ever wrote, original research or reviews or published recaps of other works, it’s all in there
Meta considered licensing books to train AI—but opted instead to pirate LibGen, a database that currently contains more than 7.5 million books and 81 million research papers, Alex Reisner writes.
The Unbelievable Scale of AI’s Pirated-Books Problem
Meta pirated millions of books to train its AI. Search through them here.
www.theatlantic.com
March 21, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Looks like everything I ever wrote, original research or reviews or published recaps of other works, it’s all in there
Is everyone seeing this??
SCOOP: Hooded ICE agents snatched Indian-born Georgetown postdoc Badar Suri from Rosslyn street Monday, per court filing. Like Khalil, linked to pro-Palestinian views & Rubio 'foreign policy' power, lawyer says. Then whisked to Louisiana. w/ @kyledcheney www.politico.com/news/2025/03...
Trump is seeking to deport another graduate student who is legally in the country, lawsuit says
Badar Khan Suri, a fellow at Georgetown, says he is being punished because of the suspected views of his wife, a U.S. citizen with Palestinian heritage.
www.politico.com
March 20, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Is everyone seeing this??
I know such events are happening at numerous ports of entry, but I wonder if it gives #LPSC organizers yet more pause about hosting the conference in Texas when it is hostile in so many ways to scientists.
A french research going to the #lpsc conference outside of Houston Texas wasn't allowed to enter the country. After a "random" control at the border, the police searched their phone and computer and found compromising statements about Trump […]
Original post on solarsystem.social
solarsystem.social
March 20, 2025 at 12:07 PM
I know such events are happening at numerous ports of entry, but I wonder if it gives #LPSC organizers yet more pause about hosting the conference in Texas when it is hostile in so many ways to scientists.
I don’t know the answer, but I’ve been trying to figure out how to make this question into a holiday card for a lot of our extended family
I know I keep asking this, but how long does it take for people to realize they’re on the wrong side of history?
March 18, 2025 at 5:56 PM
I don’t know the answer, but I’ve been trying to figure out how to make this question into a holiday card for a lot of our extended family
Reposted by Margaret Moerchen (she/her)
They're called public records for a reason. Starting today, WIRED will *stop paywalling* articles that are primarily based on public records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, becoming the first publication to partner with @freedom.press to offer this for our new coverage.
Wired is dropping paywalls for FOIA-based reporting. Others should follow
As the administration does its best to hide public records from the public, Wired magazine is stepping up to help stem the secrecy
freedom.press
March 18, 2025 at 1:11 PM
They're called public records for a reason. Starting today, WIRED will *stop paywalling* articles that are primarily based on public records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, becoming the first publication to partner with @freedom.press to offer this for our new coverage.
Tell your family, tell your neighbors, let’s break the ability to look away or not know
www.newyorker.com/podcast/the-... @agawande.bsky.social speaks with @newyorker.com editor David Remnick on the mass casualties being inflicted by the Musk-Trump program
the numbers are too much for Remnick to keep his composure
the numbers are too much for Remnick to keep his composure
March 16, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Tell your family, tell your neighbors, let’s break the ability to look away or not know
Here’s the list with their states
None of these Democrats should enjoy a moment's peace.
Cortez Masto (NV)
Durbin (IL)
Fetterman (PA)
Gillibrand (NY)
Hassan (NH)
Peters (MI)
Schatz (HI)
Schumer (NY)
Shaheen (NH)
They've effectively just voted for Donald Trump's agenda without putting up a fight. Never let them hear the end of it.
Cortez Masto (NV)
Durbin (IL)
Fetterman (PA)
Gillibrand (NY)
Hassan (NH)
Peters (MI)
Schatz (HI)
Schumer (NY)
Shaheen (NH)
They've effectively just voted for Donald Trump's agenda without putting up a fight. Never let them hear the end of it.
March 14, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Here’s the list with their states
You would never see defections like this from the GOP for such a critical vote. Traitors.
Haven’t heard the term DINO a lot lately but seems we could usefully bring it back!
Haven’t heard the term DINO a lot lately but seems we could usefully bring it back!
These are the senators who collaborated with the GOP.
Schumer
Fetterman
Cortez Masto
Durbin
King
Shaheen
Gillibrand
Schatz
Hassan
Peters
Don’t let them forget it. No peace for them.
Schumer
Fetterman
Cortez Masto
Durbin
King
Shaheen
Gillibrand
Schatz
Hassan
Peters
Don’t let them forget it. No peace for them.
March 14, 2025 at 9:41 PM
You would never see defections like this from the GOP for such a critical vote. Traitors.
Haven’t heard the term DINO a lot lately but seems we could usefully bring it back!
Haven’t heard the term DINO a lot lately but seems we could usefully bring it back!
Everyone sees what you are doing, @schumer.senate.gov, and we are not stupid. My 4yo can do better smoke and mirrors.
You’re torpedoing DC and the Democrats and we will not forget. #FreeDC
You’re torpedoing DC and the Democrats and we will not forget. #FreeDC
A shutdown would give Donald Trump the keys to the city, state, and country.
Musk has said he wants a shutdown, and reporting has shown he is already making plans to use the shutdown to expedite his destruction of key government programs and services.
Musk has said he wants a shutdown, and reporting has shown he is already making plans to use the shutdown to expedite his destruction of key government programs and services.
March 14, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Everyone sees what you are doing, @schumer.senate.gov, and we are not stupid. My 4yo can do better smoke and mirrors.
You’re torpedoing DC and the Democrats and we will not forget. #FreeDC
You’re torpedoing DC and the Democrats and we will not forget. #FreeDC