Joseph W. Brown
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josephwb.bsky.social
Joseph W. Brown
@josephwb.bsky.social
2.5K followers 450 following 3.2K posts
Comp. evol. biol., fake ornithologist, LFHCfs, Luddite, CSH

I get down methodically
Without regard to my soul

tinyurl.com/G00gleSch0lar

HHGG bot: @whalepetunias.bsky.social

pfp: Chickens exposed to natural beard hair on a mannequin
hdr: socks & sandals
Posts Replies Media Videos
josephwb.bsky.social
RStudio Update Available, they said. Would you like to Quit and Download, they said.

_Never_ seen this before :? #rstats
RStudio fails to launch. Error log below (longer, but no room): Error Starting R The R session failed to start. RStudio Version RStudio 2025.09.2+418 "Cucumberleaf Sunflower " (12f6d5e2, 2025-10-20) for Ubuntu Jammy Session Path /usr/lib/rstudio/resources/app/bin/rsession [No error available] [No errors emitted] Output [No output emitted] /home/josephwb/.local/share/rstudio/log/rsession-josephwb.log
November 4, 2025 at 1:03 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
#TIL Part of @realgdt.bsky.social's #Frankenstein was filmed in North Bay, Ontario, Canada, the city I grew up in! Apparently chosen because the harsh, icy desolation complements the intense mood of the film.

Let me tell you, GDT does his research!
Scene from Frankenstein (2025). The creature looks out across a desolate frozen landscape towards an ice-locked sailing ship.
November 3, 2025 at 3:19 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
Today in #AASSAK (an avian systematist should already know): I learned that a group of herons is called a "siege". #TIL
A group of egrets (Great & Snowy) in shallow water close to a wooded shore. 📷 by Steve Hillebrand. My much crappier 📷 of ~50 Great Egrets and some Great Blue Herons.
November 2, 2025 at 2:49 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
Unlit.
The pumpkin from the previous post. It is an alien worm UFO abducting a book on worms (Darwin) from your local public library.
November 1, 2025 at 2:14 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
Alternate abductable books. The MacClade manual was also being made but we had to run to trick or treat!
Mini-prop books: Inferring Phylogenies (2003) Joseph Felsenstein and Tempo and Mode in Evolution (1944) George Gaylord Simpson.
November 1, 2025 at 12:58 AM
josephwb.bsky.social
My (most ever?) convoluted #pumpkin. Deets in the alt-text.
So, it's an alien abduction scenario, but... weird? There's a flying saucer, but in the pilot section we see a... worm? Huh. And rather than abducting a human (or a cow), the alien worm is abducting... a book from the library? Oh! It's a "bookworm", I guess? Yeesh. You see, things are _far_ more interesting and satisfying when they need explainin'. Zoom in on the book, which is "The Formation of Vegetable Mould Through the Action of Worms, with Observations on their Habits (sometimes shortened to Worms)" (1881) by Charles Darwin. Why would an alien worm want a book on earthworms written by a 19th century naturalist?!? No one (the pumpkin author included) knows, only that it _seemed_ funny at the time :/
November 1, 2025 at 12:55 AM
josephwb.bsky.social
It is the day before Halloween and I am stricken with pumpkin writer's block :/
An emphatically blank pumpkin!
October 30, 2025 at 4:33 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
Yellow t-shirt with the text: For those paying attention, Joseph entered the adventure game in a way we hadn't intended.
October 30, 2025 at 4:07 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
Screenshot of text: !!!@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@!!! CONGRATULATIONS! You have arrived to your destination. !!!@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@!!!
October 28, 2025 at 1:00 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
Travelling 1.5 hours today to go see @realgdt.bsky.social's Frankenstein. Very excited!
Victor Frankenstein is working on his creature. The creature, clearly sewn together, lies on a laboratory table.
October 25, 2025 at 1:33 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
I thought I shoulda named one of my sons "Ian Motion" _just for the possibility_ of a morning roll call by a substitute teacher. No one would register/understand what happened, but it would exist in the universe.
Ralph from The Simpsons. Teacher (doing roll call): "Brown, Ian Motion?" Ralph: "Here!"
October 23, 2025 at 7:23 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
Who robbed the Louvre? Right answers only.
October 20, 2025 at 12:07 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
This might(?) be my favourite #pumpkin I've done: the buggy code #Jack-o'-lantern. Some process shots:
Gargantuan tall rectangular-y pumpkin. Eight blue rubber bands were (with great difficulty!) wrapped horizontally around the pumpkin at regular intervals. So: evenly spaced lines. Using the rubber band lines from previously, binary digits are drawn in. The carved pumpkin (unlit). On top of the "code" are painted 3 insects: a black widow spider, an ant, and a moth. Lit buggy code Jack-o'-lantern. Pumpkin covered with "binary code" (although there is a 2?!?!). On top of the code parade insects (black widow spider, ant, moth) i.e., "bugs".
October 18, 2025 at 3:01 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
_Dang_ that episode title is a deep cut

#StarTrek #LowerDecks
Opening image of a Star Trek: Lower Decks episode. Two federation starships are orbiting a red/orange gaseous planet. In blue font in the upper right of the screen is the episode's title "Parth Ferengi's Heart Place". This is a play on the show "Garth Marenghi's Darkplace".
October 11, 2025 at 9:53 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
Don' forget DeForest Kelley :)
DeForest Kelley playing a crotchety loner. He is wearing a large brown coat, a grey fedora-ish hat, and a blue bandana tied around his neck.
October 11, 2025 at 1:11 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
"Figure 3"
- @bembidion.bsky.social (1991)

#art #phylogenetics
FIGURE 3. Trees in different islands are connected through a sequence of trees of greater length. Higher plateaus represent shorter trees. The two highest plateaus correspond to the most-parsimonious trees of island-8 (left) and island-12 (right). Trees in these two islands differ by several branch rearrangements. They differ by five rearrangements through relatively long trees (lower path) or by more rearrangements through trees only one step longer than the most parsimonious (upper path).
October 11, 2025 at 12:42 AM
josephwb.bsky.social
Researchin'
A hirsute and bewiskered dork sits at a messy desk overflowing with various books, notes, and tea. Arranged on the floor in organized (and labelled) piles are papers on various topics.
October 8, 2025 at 1:20 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
Library of Babel page with the text (surrounded by other words): jeffrey rossibarra said i give up. in a reply to jay dubya bee talking about the phrase put the cheese on the shirt
October 3, 2025 at 2:55 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
Of course, text-wise _everything_ (including every paper you will ever write) is in the Library of Babel libraryofbabel.info
Screenshot of Volume 3 on Shelf 3 of Wall 1 of hexagon X (too long for alt-text :() A bunch of random english words indeed containing the phrase "put the cheese on the shirt" ns haruspicated lockful licente illimitabilities pebbled lavatera homomorph amanitin karyological joints ratans accreditation abnormal encephaloid macrolide scandalous shakiest berouged waxiness cueings lungies nonbeliefs topsails hypoplastron saggings colorblind attitudinally rand aggadahs asterting methoxides upsurges sourings liposuction brank weazens perisarcs reindexed daimons visibleness idioticalness paisa yuckier quinquenniads restrainings laetare clavierists knackering couguars mamakos outrebounded skyfing epilogising rejuvenating unbureaucratic sa cyclizations deckled hacksaw wakerife euthanatized breaker nizam megalosaur eurybathic elenctic haunt tipoff burgoo bradding remand citharas estimating emborders tropophyte splakes enchondroma unforgivingnesses multurer neaffes troffers biaxial jubilarian monarchising sovranties rewatering negotiatresses speirs tay ra airspeeds oncolytics whereof outslick subreference climatise mullites durational broddled enclose valuate householdership ketene manslaughter epiphenomenon smicket kinetics fines phyllaries nonvoter unforewarned mountebankism cabries unbruised goitred hushy storges backstopping ranched flowerets tamponed uncomeliness unblindfolding diplopias unplumbs downcourt stoozings myopy muntrie thorianite intermountain meagernesses inarticulation incumbent micron barfly focussed damascenes intercolonial ryke virements draped expressionlessnesses vinous chamberer squeakiest tied reemphasised moormen eroticizes steeplechased nork platonic quacksalving megahits put the cheese on the shirt pappardelles amphibolic unintellectual tetrasyllabic misobservance blends pleromes homopolar easedosmiridiums drugstore unsafety washballs authorless curvaceously marches postfeminism prolicides repletes apograph extrapolative eightpence wested tugras
October 3, 2025 at 2:43 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
Appreciate the sentiment :) Alas, the lone figure does not deliver to the level that the title aspires :(

Besides, I am not yet done mining the gold that is Microbiological laboratory hazard of bearded men

journals.asm.org/doi/abs/10.1...
Figure 3. A bearded mannequin head on a table, surrounded by 3 chicks. FIG 3. Chickens exposed to natural hair beard on mannequin. Figure 2. Four bewhiskered men in labcoats and hats demonstrating beard-sampling techniques. FIG. 2. Techniques for recovering microorganisms from beards. Top row: (left) modified Millipore filter holder; (right) aluminum comb fitted with nonabsorbent cotton, Rodac plate. Bottom row: (left) Calgiswab; (right) physiological saline rinse. Figure 1. A shirtless man in an industrial shower demonstrating beard-washing techniques. FIG. 1. Beard-washinig methods. Left: splashing wash. Right: shower stream wash.
October 3, 2025 at 11:59 AM
josephwb.bsky.social
Huh. Been a zombie for 6 years. Time flies when yer undead!

¯\_(ಠ益ಠ)_/¯

Happy October!
Tombstone. Text: HERE LIES JWB FELLED IN 2019 BY A MANUSCRIPT REVIEW *PLEASE RECOMMEND 3 ALTERNATIVE REVIEWERS
October 1, 2025 at 1:29 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
Congrats CD on your well-earned achievement!

(This is _actually_ on the "journal" website)

＼(〇_ｏ)／
Screenshot from journal website. There is a picture of of Count Dracula. Text: BEST AUTHOR Of The Month Professor Thomas Count Dracula, MD, PhD Distinguished Professor of Haematology Head — Experimental, Historical & Sensory Haematology Vlad the Impaler University, Wolf’s Lane, Wooden Stakes Grove 666, Transylvania.
September 27, 2025 at 1:12 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
I miss him :/
Lyrics to Bowie's Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide: Oh no, love, you're not alone You're watching yourself, but you're too unfair You got your head all tangled up But if I could only make you care Oh no, love, you're not alone No matter what or who you've been No matter when or where you've seen All the knives seem to lacerate your brain I've had my share, I'll help you with the pain You're not alone
September 25, 2025 at 3:24 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
This one is no doubt the inspiration for the Dreadful Flying Glove.
Elephant drawing (~1350). This guy is _pissed_, y'all. Just grimacing like there is no tomorrow. It has a, um, accordian-like truck that curves upwards. Head is in line with its back. It has long-ass legs. Oh! And it is apparently wearing trousers ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ The Dreadful Flying Glove. It is blue. It has an eye, and a mouth formed between fingers. It flies via some red & yellow propulsion system which is clearly combustive as it leaves smoke in its wake.
September 25, 2025 at 1:26 PM
josephwb.bsky.social
Impossible to narrow it down to just 4 favourites.
Elephant drawing (1300-1350). Um..., a cubist elephant? The trunk is where a unicorn horn might be, but it droops down. Elephant drawing (~1300). A gerbil bosy with a chameleon head. The "trunk" comes out the mouth, and then points straight up like it is warning you about a falling object. Elephant drawing (~1385). So apparently Dr. Seuss was a time traveller. Has a felid-esquebody, a squirrel head, and a clarinet jutting from its face. Elephant drawing (~1450). An elephant sans ears. The programmer obviously made a sign error, as the tusks point straight up.
September 25, 2025 at 1:21 PM