@goweatherford.bsky.social
Just like @adamserwer.bsky.social, I grew up in the Foreign Service (Brazil, Afghanistan, West Africa) and found refuge in D&D and Tolkien. A fascinating look at the pseudoscientific racism that always undergirded so much of even the best fantasy and the people who are fighting to keep it that way.
The far right is obsessed with Lord of the Rings and Musk keeps posting about "hobbits" because modern scientific racism owes more to fantasy worlds and gaming systems than genetic science, and they see both as effective mediums for right-wing propaganda www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Why Elon Musk Needs Dungeons and Dragons to Be Racist
The fantastical roots of “scientific racism”
www.theatlantic.com
November 11, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Just like @adamserwer.bsky.social, I grew up in the Foreign Service (Brazil, Afghanistan, West Africa) and found refuge in D&D and Tolkien. A fascinating look at the pseudoscientific racism that always undergirded so much of even the best fantasy and the people who are fighting to keep it that way.
Back to work.
Everyone seemed to be looking for the Magic Shortcut and everyone got mad at me when I said "If there is one, I haven't found it yet."
You have to do the work. You cannot skip the work.
"Nooooo!"
GET BACK TO WORK
"NoooOOOOoooOOOo!"
YES BACK TO WORK
You have to do the work. You cannot skip the work.
"Nooooo!"
GET BACK TO WORK
"NoooOOOOoooOOOo!"
YES BACK TO WORK
August 9, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Back to work.
Reposted
If you are just writing for yourself, whatever! Sky's the limit!
If you want to write FOR PUBLICATION then you need to accurately and thoughtfully compare your OWN WORK to what's CURRENTLY BEING PUBLISHED, there is no way to get around it, sorry. There just is not!
If you want to write FOR PUBLICATION then you need to accurately and thoughtfully compare your OWN WORK to what's CURRENTLY BEING PUBLISHED, there is no way to get around it, sorry. There just is not!
August 9, 2025 at 3:50 PM
If you are just writing for yourself, whatever! Sky's the limit!
If you want to write FOR PUBLICATION then you need to accurately and thoughtfully compare your OWN WORK to what's CURRENTLY BEING PUBLISHED, there is no way to get around it, sorry. There just is not!
If you want to write FOR PUBLICATION then you need to accurately and thoughtfully compare your OWN WORK to what's CURRENTLY BEING PUBLISHED, there is no way to get around it, sorry. There just is not!
Dear @premeemohamed.com, thank you for writing The Apple-Tree Throne. Loved the unerring narrative voice (Edwardian/late Victorian), the casual implementation of truly gobstopping alt-history ideas, the delicate touch with deep emotions. Just wonderful.
July 4, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Dear @premeemohamed.com, thank you for writing The Apple-Tree Throne. Loved the unerring narrative voice (Edwardian/late Victorian), the casual implementation of truly gobstopping alt-history ideas, the delicate touch with deep emotions. Just wonderful.
Reposted
This is a really infuriating story. Eight of my books are in this database. I haven’t received a penny for that of course. Because Mark Zuckerberg decided that theft made more financial sense.
NEW: LibGen contains millions of pirated books and research papers, built over nearly two decades. From court documents, we know that Meta torrented a version of it to build its AI. Today, @theatlantic.com presents an analysis of the data set by @alexreisner.bsky.social. Search through it yourself:
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 20, 2025 at 6:16 PM
This is a really infuriating story. Eight of my books are in this database. I haven’t received a penny for that of course. Because Mark Zuckerberg decided that theft made more financial sense.
Reposted
Bandcamp lets us keep 85% of revenue. That is the best rate of anybody out there. Over a period of about 15 years, I have taken home ~$3000. Every album is "pay what you want", so you all rock.
If you bought an album for $5 then you gave me more than streaming the whole album ~300 times.
If you bought an album for $5 then you gave me more than streaming the whole album ~300 times.
February 10, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Bandcamp lets us keep 85% of revenue. That is the best rate of anybody out there. Over a period of about 15 years, I have taken home ~$3000. Every album is "pay what you want", so you all rock.
If you bought an album for $5 then you gave me more than streaming the whole album ~300 times.
If you bought an album for $5 then you gave me more than streaming the whole album ~300 times.
Reposted
Community health centers are now starting to shut down across the country because of Trump’s executive orders.
These centers serve 1-in-5 rural patients in America.
These centers serve 1-in-5 rural patients in America.
Virginia community health centers close over federal funding access
Despite pause on federal funding freeze, centers unable to access grants
www.vpm.org
February 5, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Community health centers are now starting to shut down across the country because of Trump’s executive orders.
These centers serve 1-in-5 rural patients in America.
These centers serve 1-in-5 rural patients in America.
Reposted
RIP Marianne Faithful.
Her breakthrough hit in 1964 (at age 17!) was the first song penned by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards. The Stones recorded mainly blues standards until then. It's critical & chart success convinced the duo to write their own material!
Marianne was 78.
Her breakthrough hit in 1964 (at age 17!) was the first song penned by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards. The Stones recorded mainly blues standards until then. It's critical & chart success convinced the duo to write their own material!
Marianne was 78.
Marianne Faithful - As Tears Go By
YouTube video by Subtitleman
www.youtube.com
January 31, 2025 at 2:00 PM
RIP Marianne Faithful.
Her breakthrough hit in 1964 (at age 17!) was the first song penned by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards. The Stones recorded mainly blues standards until then. It's critical & chart success convinced the duo to write their own material!
Marianne was 78.
Her breakthrough hit in 1964 (at age 17!) was the first song penned by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards. The Stones recorded mainly blues standards until then. It's critical & chart success convinced the duo to write their own material!
Marianne was 78.
Reposted
every one i know with magic powers is saying something really good or really bad is going to happen within the next 500 years
December 26, 2024 at 8:16 PM
every one i know with magic powers is saying something really good or really bad is going to happen within the next 500 years
Reposted
Today, on Shirley Jackson’s birthday, let’s all marvel at one of the greatest opening paragraphs ever written (from THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE)
December 14, 2024 at 12:55 PM
Today, on Shirley Jackson’s birthday, let’s all marvel at one of the greatest opening paragraphs ever written (from THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE)
Reposted
rally round the family. with a pasta full of shells. hi, tom morello here for velveeta shells + cheese
December 5, 2024 at 11:56 PM
rally round the family. with a pasta full of shells. hi, tom morello here for velveeta shells + cheese
Reposted
🚨🚨🚨REPORTER JOBS ALERT!🚨🚨🚨 We have not one but TWO jobs open, one in our South bureau and another in the Southwest bureau. Both fascinating regions that desperately need more investigative journalists: boards.greenhouse.io/propublica/j...
Southwest Reporter
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
boards.greenhouse.io
December 5, 2024 at 8:56 PM
🚨🚨🚨REPORTER JOBS ALERT!🚨🚨🚨 We have not one but TWO jobs open, one in our South bureau and another in the Southwest bureau. Both fascinating regions that desperately need more investigative journalists: boards.greenhouse.io/propublica/j...
Reposted
I can also highly recommend Mermaid Moon by Susann Cokal (definitely YA).
November 16, 2024 at 9:28 PM
I can also highly recommend Mermaid Moon by Susann Cokal (definitely YA).
Reposted
Last week the FLDOE quietly published its (incomplete) list of 700+ instances of censorship recorded across the state during the 23/24 SY.
According to the list, 500+ unique titles were removed. 120+ titles were removed in 2+ districts. 35+ authors had 3+ books removed.
According to the list, 500+ unique titles were removed. 120+ titles were removed in 2+ districts. 35+ authors had 3+ books removed.
November 19, 2024 at 12:40 AM
Last week the FLDOE quietly published its (incomplete) list of 700+ instances of censorship recorded across the state during the 23/24 SY.
According to the list, 500+ unique titles were removed. 120+ titles were removed in 2+ districts. 35+ authors had 3+ books removed.
According to the list, 500+ unique titles were removed. 120+ titles were removed in 2+ districts. 35+ authors had 3+ books removed.
Reposted
1 - Welcome to #ThreadTalk! Get ready for #fashionhistory – it’s been a while, but I'm back.
Today’s topic is All That Glitters – we’re talking about fashioning fabric with gold and metal, but especially real gold.
Below, 1610-1620 - Dress of Electress Magdalena Syblla of Saxony.
Today’s topic is All That Glitters – we’re talking about fashioning fabric with gold and metal, but especially real gold.
Below, 1610-1620 - Dress of Electress Magdalena Syblla of Saxony.
November 19, 2024 at 1:02 AM
1 - Welcome to #ThreadTalk! Get ready for #fashionhistory – it’s been a while, but I'm back.
Today’s topic is All That Glitters – we’re talking about fashioning fabric with gold and metal, but especially real gold.
Below, 1610-1620 - Dress of Electress Magdalena Syblla of Saxony.
Today’s topic is All That Glitters – we’re talking about fashioning fabric with gold and metal, but especially real gold.
Below, 1610-1620 - Dress of Electress Magdalena Syblla of Saxony.
Reposted
A group of researchers have recreated the clothing of medieval Nubian royalty and clergy from the wall paintings in the cathedral of Faras, which sits at the border of modern Egypt and Sudan.
November 18, 2024 at 4:12 PM
A group of researchers have recreated the clothing of medieval Nubian royalty and clergy from the wall paintings in the cathedral of Faras, which sits at the border of modern Egypt and Sudan.