Frank Boosman
@fboosman.bsky.social
Global team leader in data center training (but my opinions are my own). MPH from the University of Edinburgh. Former chair of a malaria-focused NGO. Fascinated by the interconnectedness of audacious ideas. Thinking about what to do next in my spare time.
Every other year, for a while, the BBQ editor of Texas Monthly is the most powerful person in the state. I’m not kidding.
July 8, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Every other year, for a while, the BBQ editor of Texas Monthly is the most powerful person in the state. I’m not kidding.
3.2% of the US population took part in a #NoKings protest. Meanwhile, reliable estimates place the Trump crowd at between 20,000–50,000.
The Washington Post: "Trump watches the military parade of his dreams march through D.C." and "Trump's military parade, in photos and videos"
Do better, media.
The Washington Post: "Trump watches the military parade of his dreams march through D.C." and "Trump's military parade, in photos and videos"
Do better, media.
June 15, 2025 at 11:56 PM
3.2% of the US population took part in a #NoKings protest. Meanwhile, reliable estimates place the Trump crowd at between 20,000–50,000.
The Washington Post: "Trump watches the military parade of his dreams march through D.C." and "Trump's military parade, in photos and videos"
Do better, media.
The Washington Post: "Trump watches the military parade of his dreams march through D.C." and "Trump's military parade, in photos and videos"
Do better, media.
![A French menu reading "Menu enfant (moins de 10 ans) 15 [euros], Steak frites, Boule de glace"](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:bs46xcpuo5eazhapfkygnxmv/bafkreibmmkzzsiervjv4wyhikbsxuvv2dpya4igueehm6shlylrdx7zk6u@jpeg)
Trump has no understanding of history and no sense of decency or decorum. He has no idea why what he did was bad, and wouldn't care if he did.
Speaking as a veteran, though, these soldiers should know better. Their reaction is shameful. And extremely dangerous. This is banana republic territory.
Speaking as a veteran, though, these soldiers should know better. Their reaction is shameful. And extremely dangerous. This is banana republic territory.
June 13, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Trump has no understanding of history and no sense of decency or decorum. He has no idea why what he did was bad, and wouldn't care if he did.
Speaking as a veteran, though, these soldiers should know better. Their reaction is shameful. And extremely dangerous. This is banana republic territory.
Speaking as a veteran, though, these soldiers should know better. Their reaction is shameful. And extremely dangerous. This is banana republic territory.
The first photo is Saddam Hussein in 1979 as he has a total of 68 Ba'ath Party members removed from a meeting, a few at a time, for alleged treason. 22 of them were later executed.
The second photo is one of many Party members responding by loudly proclaiming their loyalty to avoid punishment.
The second photo is one of many Party members responding by loudly proclaiming their loyalty to avoid punishment.
June 12, 2025 at 9:13 PM
The first photo is Saddam Hussein in 1979 as he has a total of 68 Ba'ath Party members removed from a meeting, a few at a time, for alleged treason. 22 of them were later executed.
The second photo is one of many Party members responding by loudly proclaiming their loyalty to avoid punishment.
The second photo is one of many Party members responding by loudly proclaiming their loyalty to avoid punishment.
"Hyatt Hotels Corporation today announced Unscripted by Hyatt, the newest brand in its growing Essentials portfolio."
Finally. Hyatt desperately needs more hotel brands. What kind of hotel superchain has only 34 brands? I mean, come on.
Finally. Hyatt desperately needs more hotel brands. What kind of hotel superchain has only 34 brands? I mean, come on.
May 31, 2025 at 10:13 AM
"Hyatt Hotels Corporation today announced Unscripted by Hyatt, the newest brand in its growing Essentials portfolio."
Finally. Hyatt desperately needs more hotel brands. What kind of hotel superchain has only 34 brands? I mean, come on.
Finally. Hyatt desperately needs more hotel brands. What kind of hotel superchain has only 34 brands? I mean, come on.
The update theme from the original Unsolved Mysteries will always be the creepiest music I have heard in my life. It's as if the producers asked the composer for music that was both jaunty (finding a missing person) or terrifying (discovering a murder victim)—and the composer nailed it.
May 28, 2025 at 11:33 AM
The update theme from the original Unsolved Mysteries will always be the creepiest music I have heard in my life. It's as if the producers asked the composer for music that was both jaunty (finding a missing person) or terrifying (discovering a murder victim)—and the composer nailed it.
“The fact that a senior government official is publicly behaving this way is a stark indicator of the United States’ accelerating decline.”
May 26, 2025 at 5:21 PM
“The fact that a senior government official is publicly behaving this way is a stark indicator of the United States’ accelerating decline.”
“I’m not fat! I’m bulkin’ up!”—Eric Cartman #southpark
April 21, 2025 at 10:58 PM
“I’m not fat! I’m bulkin’ up!”—Eric Cartman #southpark
From @techdirt.com.web.brid.gy.
"[T]here must be a quota carved out for the kind of thought that the government prefers or there will be punishment. Were we to need a perfect example of thought-policing in the modern era, it appears we have it."
"[T]here must be a quota carved out for the kind of thought that the government prefers or there will be punishment. Were we to need a perfect example of thought-policing in the modern era, it appears we have it."
April 16, 2025 at 9:20 AM
From @techdirt.com.web.brid.gy.
"[T]here must be a quota carved out for the kind of thought that the government prefers or there will be punishment. Were we to need a perfect example of thought-policing in the modern era, it appears we have it."
"[T]here must be a quota carved out for the kind of thought that the government prefers or there will be punishment. Were we to need a perfect example of thought-policing in the modern era, it appears we have it."
"We didn't like what you did, or said, or thought, so we threw you into a pit from which no one can escape. We don't want to release you, but even if we did, we can't. You're no longer our problem and you're never coming back."
I'll say this for "The Pit": at least the prisoners could see the sky.
I'll say this for "The Pit": at least the prisoners could see the sky.
April 16, 2025 at 8:48 AM
"We didn't like what you did, or said, or thought, so we threw you into a pit from which no one can escape. We don't want to release you, but even if we did, we can't. You're no longer our problem and you're never coming back."
I'll say this for "The Pit": at least the prisoners could see the sky.
I'll say this for "The Pit": at least the prisoners could see the sky.
"It does feel really stupid. It’s callous and it’s evil and it’s craven but it’s also very, very stupid. Clown-show, clown-shoe, clown-shit stupid." — Chuck Wendig (h/t @gruber.foo)
terribleminds.com/ramble/2025/...
terribleminds.com/ramble/2025/...
April 14, 2025 at 10:21 AM
"It does feel really stupid. It’s callous and it’s evil and it’s craven but it’s also very, very stupid. Clown-show, clown-shoe, clown-shit stupid." — Chuck Wendig (h/t @gruber.foo)
terribleminds.com/ramble/2025/...
terribleminds.com/ramble/2025/...
There's so much stupidity right now that no one can keep up with it all, but I'd like to nominate this as the stupidest thing anyone in public life said yesterday. Nothing about this is factual, truthful, or consistent with scientific best practices. It's idiotic gobbledygook.
April 11, 2025 at 9:19 AM
There's so much stupidity right now that no one can keep up with it all, but I'd like to nominate this as the stupidest thing anyone in public life said yesterday. Nothing about this is factual, truthful, or consistent with scientific best practices. It's idiotic gobbledygook.
If you suspect those "tariffs" that Trump held up on a sign were lies pulled out of thin air, you're right. A Redditor figured it out: they just took the inverse of our trade balance, with the exception that if the result was less than 10%—even if we have a trade surplus—they used 10%.
April 3, 2025 at 11:14 AM
If you suspect those "tariffs" that Trump held up on a sign were lies pulled out of thin air, you're right. A Redditor figured it out: they just took the inverse of our trade balance, with the exception that if the result was less than 10%—even if we have a trade surplus—they used 10%.
2024 was a difficult year. We were down to six WPV cases back in 2021, but that climbed to 30 in 2022, 12 in 2023, and to 99 in 2024. It's early, but 2025 is on a worse track than 2024—seven cases so far this year, compared to four in the same time span last year.
March 27, 2025 at 11:35 AM
2024 was a difficult year. We were down to six WPV cases back in 2021, but that climbed to 30 in 2022, 12 in 2023, and to 99 in 2024. It's early, but 2025 is on a worse track than 2024—seven cases so far this year, compared to four in the same time span last year.
As a (non-practicing) MPH, I can’t think of anyone living who has thought as deeply and insightfully about healthcare at a systemic level as @agawande.bsky.social.
160,000 deaths from malaria alone—which overwhelmingly kills children under the age of 5.
This is heartbreaking. And horrifying.
160,000 deaths from malaria alone—which overwhelmingly kills children under the age of 5.
This is heartbreaking. And horrifying.
March 17, 2025 at 1:41 AM
As a (non-practicing) MPH, I can’t think of anyone living who has thought as deeply and insightfully about healthcare at a systemic level as @agawande.bsky.social.
160,000 deaths from malaria alone—which overwhelmingly kills children under the age of 5.
This is heartbreaking. And horrifying.
160,000 deaths from malaria alone—which overwhelmingly kills children under the age of 5.
This is heartbreaking. And horrifying.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this quote lately.
March 8, 2025 at 12:39 AM
I’ve been thinking a lot about this quote lately.
At the BA First Lounge in T5. Overheard by the woman sitting next to me, to her partner:
"Ironically, there was no gravy."
"Ironically, there was no gravy."
March 7, 2025 at 6:49 AM
At the BA First Lounge in T5. Overheard by the woman sitting next to me, to her partner:
"Ironically, there was no gravy."
"Ironically, there was no gravy."
A decade ago, more or less, I said that I would know I trusted a self-driving car when I handed the wheel over to it on Highway 1 south of Big Sur. I stand behind that.
February 10, 2025 at 10:21 AM
A decade ago, more or less, I said that I would know I trusted a self-driving car when I handed the wheel over to it on Highway 1 south of Big Sur. I stand behind that.
What if the Liberty Mutual insurance commercials with "Doug and the LiMu Emu" are deliberately bad? What if they decided that with so many funny insurance commercials out there, they'd be more memorable if they kept people talking about how unamusing they are? I mean, I'm writing about it here...
January 27, 2025 at 12:49 AM
What if the Liberty Mutual insurance commercials with "Doug and the LiMu Emu" are deliberately bad? What if they decided that with so many funny insurance commercials out there, they'd be more memorable if they kept people talking about how unamusing they are? I mean, I'm writing about it here...
From last weekend’s Scottish Sunday Herald TV listings (h/t @beeblebrox.com). Wow.
January 24, 2025 at 4:16 PM
From last weekend’s Scottish Sunday Herald TV listings (h/t @beeblebrox.com). Wow.
A wonderful little David Lynch tribute from an artist on DeviantArt. www.deviantart.com/andreu-t/art...
January 24, 2025 at 1:06 AM
A wonderful little David Lynch tribute from an artist on DeviantArt. www.deviantart.com/andreu-t/art...