Mark Shea
@markcshea.bsky.social
Western Mass, college writing and applied linguistics
For an ongoing ed activity in our peer writing center, mentors met in pairs to discuss this post. Here are the discussion prompts we used--please use and adapt as you like!
marksheaappliedlinguistics.com/2025/11/19/g...
marksheaappliedlinguistics.com/2025/11/19/g...
I’ve been reading a lot of good discussion about the problems of using AI to grade student work, which has left me thinking again about how embedded these tools are becoming while many students are still learning little/nothing about them. theimportantwork.substack.com/p/at-my-high...
At my high school no one is talking about AI
But everyone is using it
theimportantwork.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:07 PM
For an ongoing ed activity in our peer writing center, mentors met in pairs to discuss this post. Here are the discussion prompts we used--please use and adapt as you like!
marksheaappliedlinguistics.com/2025/11/19/g...
marksheaappliedlinguistics.com/2025/11/19/g...
Reposted by Mark Shea
"Julio" is pruning orange tree in Fresno CA. "I earn min wage and work 7 hrs a day. I get very tired. I'm working from my knees a lot of the time and I need to cut thick trunks so my hands hurt. But this work is necessary so there will be a good harvest next season. #WeFeedYou
November 18, 2025 at 9:00 PM
"Julio" is pruning orange tree in Fresno CA. "I earn min wage and work 7 hrs a day. I get very tired. I'm working from my knees a lot of the time and I need to cut thick trunks so my hands hurt. But this work is necessary so there will be a good harvest next season. #WeFeedYou
Reposted by Mark Shea
"Val" sent us this video of where she would normally be pruning almond trees saying, "The rainy season has arrived in the San Joaquin Valley. This means we aren't able to work. Without this salary we are worried that we won't be able to pay our rent or buy food." #WeFeedYou
November 18, 2025 at 3:00 AM
"Val" sent us this video of where she would normally be pruning almond trees saying, "The rainy season has arrived in the San Joaquin Valley. This means we aren't able to work. Without this salary we are worried that we won't be able to pay our rent or buy food." #WeFeedYou
Reposted by Mark Shea
Reposted by Mark Shea
Workers in the Soledad area are harvesting celery. These workers often develop chronic back pain due to the repetitive motion. "Raul" shares, "We don't have time to rest or stand for more than two or three seconds." #WeFeedYou
November 16, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Workers in the Soledad area are harvesting celery. These workers often develop chronic back pain due to the repetitive motion. "Raul" shares, "We don't have time to rest or stand for more than two or three seconds." #WeFeedYou
Reposted by Mark Shea
"Julio" shares: wine harvesting work is very meticulous. The quality of the finished wine is determined by the condition of the grapes we pick. We need to carefully get rid of the leaves without damageing the grapes. Our skill produces great tasting wine. #WeFeedYou
November 15, 2025 at 9:01 PM
"Julio" shares: wine harvesting work is very meticulous. The quality of the finished wine is determined by the condition of the grapes we pick. We need to carefully get rid of the leaves without damageing the grapes. Our skill produces great tasting wine. #WeFeedYou
Reposted by Mark Shea
"Marie" sent us this photo saying: "Here we are harvesting sweet potatoes in Merced County CA. We begin working at 4am. It is hard to see at this hour as we sort the potatoes and distinguish their size and shape just using lamps." #WeFeedYou
November 14, 2025 at 9:00 PM
"Marie" sent us this photo saying: "Here we are harvesting sweet potatoes in Merced County CA. We begin working at 4am. It is hard to see at this hour as we sort the potatoes and distinguish their size and shape just using lamps." #WeFeedYou
Reposted by Mark Shea
take a moment, close your eyes, inhale deeply, exhale, and then imagine hearing "livvy" in RFK jr's voice
November 14, 2025 at 5:37 PM
take a moment, close your eyes, inhale deeply, exhale, and then imagine hearing "livvy" in RFK jr's voice
Reposted by Mark Shea
"Eri" sent this pic saying, "There's a cold rain here in Soledad CA, but we're still out in the field harvesting broccoli, so families across the country can eat. Farm workers deserve dignity, protection and respect for our work." #WeFeedYou
November 14, 2025 at 12:30 AM
"Eri" sent this pic saying, "There's a cold rain here in Soledad CA, but we're still out in the field harvesting broccoli, so families across the country can eat. Farm workers deserve dignity, protection and respect for our work." #WeFeedYou
Reposted by Mark Shea
"Martin" is cultivating young lettuce plants in Gonzalez CA. His skilled work allows the soil to better utilize water so the lettuce grows larger and fuller. #WeFeedYou
November 12, 2025 at 9:00 PM
"Martin" is cultivating young lettuce plants in Gonzalez CA. His skilled work allows the soil to better utilize water so the lettuce grows larger and fuller. #WeFeedYou
Reposted by Mark Shea
Musk: i reada da frankenstein
Mary Shelley: motherfucker
Shelley: you better not get this one wrong
Shelley: i literally could not spell it out any more obviously
Mus: itsa about how meddling in da domain ova god is good!
Shelley: MOTHER
Shelley: FUCKER
Mary Shelley: motherfucker
Shelley: you better not get this one wrong
Shelley: i literally could not spell it out any more obviously
Mus: itsa about how meddling in da domain ova god is good!
Shelley: MOTHER
Shelley: FUCKER
November 11, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Musk: i reada da frankenstein
Mary Shelley: motherfucker
Shelley: you better not get this one wrong
Shelley: i literally could not spell it out any more obviously
Mus: itsa about how meddling in da domain ova god is good!
Shelley: MOTHER
Shelley: FUCKER
Mary Shelley: motherfucker
Shelley: you better not get this one wrong
Shelley: i literally could not spell it out any more obviously
Mus: itsa about how meddling in da domain ova god is good!
Shelley: MOTHER
Shelley: FUCKER
Reposted by Mark Shea
The funniest thing happening in Houston is that the personal injury Pusch-Nguyen has broken up in spectacular fashion,and Pusch replaced Nguyen with a guy named Wynne.
I can't find my pics of the more obviously "we could be a yaoi-bait TV show teehee" themed ones, but here's this snap from when I was back on Htown for a funeral a couple months ago:
November 6, 2025 at 2:20 AM
The funniest thing happening in Houston is that the personal injury Pusch-Nguyen has broken up in spectacular fashion,and Pusch replaced Nguyen with a guy named Wynne.
Since I read @gretchenmcc.bsky.social and @superlinguo.bsky.social on lingcomm last year, I’ve been keeping an eye out for examples of curiosity in public discourse. This is nice one (McCulloch and Gawne link in reply)
I vascillated on sharing this. My grandma wouldn’t approve.
I am sharing it because Milo is a doll, I’ve had a rough few weeks, I never got a proper libra season and he describes me the one way that makes me feel seen: I am curious.
thehometownholler.substack.com/p/the-very-m...
I am sharing it because Milo is a doll, I’ve had a rough few weeks, I never got a proper libra season and he describes me the one way that makes me feel seen: I am curious.
thehometownholler.substack.com/p/the-very-m...
The Very Model of a Modern Public Intellectual
Choose Your Fighter! This week I pick Tressie McMillan Cottom.
thehometownholler.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Since I read @gretchenmcc.bsky.social and @superlinguo.bsky.social on lingcomm last year, I’ve been keeping an eye out for examples of curiosity in public discourse. This is nice one (McCulloch and Gawne link in reply)
Reposted by Mark Shea
"Tomas" shared this video from Madera County, CA. "The almond harvesting season is ending, but right now there is still work. We are paid minimum wage to chop up the trees that fell or broke due to the weather or the shaker machines." #WeFeedYou
November 3, 2025 at 9:00 PM
"Tomas" shared this video from Madera County, CA. "The almond harvesting season is ending, but right now there is still work. We are paid minimum wage to chop up the trees that fell or broke due to the weather or the shaker machines." #WeFeedYou
Reposted by Mark Shea
For any unfamiliar with the quality of journalism at Teen Vogue, it's well known for hard-hitting stories on "politically sensitive" topics including climate.
Then there's CBS: the only major network to increase climate coverage in the last few years. They just axed nearly their whole climate team.
Then there's CBS: the only major network to increase climate coverage in the last few years. They just axed nearly their whole climate team.
I was laid off from Teen Vogue today along with multiple other staffers, and today is my last day.
certainly more to come from me when the dust has settled more, but to my knowledge, after today, there will be no politics staffers at Teen Vogue.
certainly more to come from me when the dust has settled more, but to my knowledge, after today, there will be no politics staffers at Teen Vogue.
November 3, 2025 at 8:25 PM
For any unfamiliar with the quality of journalism at Teen Vogue, it's well known for hard-hitting stories on "politically sensitive" topics including climate.
Then there's CBS: the only major network to increase climate coverage in the last few years. They just axed nearly their whole climate team.
Then there's CBS: the only major network to increase climate coverage in the last few years. They just axed nearly their whole climate team.
Reposted by Mark Shea
For the record, Melissa's main targets of Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, and the Bahamas account for, respectively, 0.016%, 0.0089%, 0.064%, and 0.0038% of the global annual total of CO2 emissions.
October 28, 2025 at 8:31 PM
For the record, Melissa's main targets of Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, and the Bahamas account for, respectively, 0.016%, 0.0089%, 0.064%, and 0.0038% of the global annual total of CO2 emissions.
Reposted by Mark Shea
I feel validated and also this just made me hate the iPhone EVEN MORE
October 24, 2025 at 3:53 PM
I feel validated and also this just made me hate the iPhone EVEN MORE
Reposted by Mark Shea
"Joaquin" shared this pic from where he is harvesting olives in Tulare County. He earns $6.50 per bucket. “This is my 1st season and I find the work dangerous as I continuously need to go up and down a ladder rapidly to harvest the olives." #WeFeedYou
October 23, 2025 at 8:00 PM
"Joaquin" shared this pic from where he is harvesting olives in Tulare County. He earns $6.50 per bucket. “This is my 1st season and I find the work dangerous as I continuously need to go up and down a ladder rapidly to harvest the olives." #WeFeedYou
Reposted by Mark Shea
"He screams about you in his sleep ..." - a perfect spooky season interpretation of a classic that was already a little on the spooky side
This is a fantastic interpretation! In reward I send you…
Jolene (HP Lovecraft version) by Joliet4
YouTube video by Joliet4
youtu.be
October 23, 2025 at 11:38 AM
"He screams about you in his sleep ..." - a perfect spooky season interpretation of a classic that was already a little on the spooky side
Reposted by Mark Shea
As the bull market turns 3 years old and becomes ever more concentrated in a handful of companies building a speculative technology, the Trump administration is systematically removing guardrails in every major risk category. Fun.
www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/fragility-...
www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/fragility-...
Fragility Is Getting Scary
The opposite of risk management.
www.hamiltonnolan.com
October 14, 2025 at 11:27 AM
As the bull market turns 3 years old and becomes ever more concentrated in a handful of companies building a speculative technology, the Trump administration is systematically removing guardrails in every major risk category. Fun.
www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/fragility-...
www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/fragility-...
Reposted by Mark Shea
Why do so many French words end in a silent x?
‘Cheveux’, ‘voix’, ‘paix’, ‘deux’, ‘mieux’, ‘faux’, ‘doux’ – the list is endless.
There’s a fascinating story behind this x’s – or actually two stories.
Click and zoom in on my new graphic to read about medieval abbreviations and imitating Latin:
‘Cheveux’, ‘voix’, ‘paix’, ‘deux’, ‘mieux’, ‘faux’, ‘doux’ – the list is endless.
There’s a fascinating story behind this x’s – or actually two stories.
Click and zoom in on my new graphic to read about medieval abbreviations and imitating Latin:
October 7, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Why do so many French words end in a silent x?
‘Cheveux’, ‘voix’, ‘paix’, ‘deux’, ‘mieux’, ‘faux’, ‘doux’ – the list is endless.
There’s a fascinating story behind this x’s – or actually two stories.
Click and zoom in on my new graphic to read about medieval abbreviations and imitating Latin:
‘Cheveux’, ‘voix’, ‘paix’, ‘deux’, ‘mieux’, ‘faux’, ‘doux’ – the list is endless.
There’s a fascinating story behind this x’s – or actually two stories.
Click and zoom in on my new graphic to read about medieval abbreviations and imitating Latin:
Reposted by Mark Shea
I just put online the chapter from my book that talks about all the myths and mysteries about QWERTY and Dvorak.
You can read it here: aresluna.org/the-primitiv...
You can read it here: aresluna.org/the-primitiv...
The primitive tortureboard
Untangling the myths and mysteries of Dvorak and QWERTY
aresluna.org
August 29, 2025 at 4:17 AM
I just put online the chapter from my book that talks about all the myths and mysteries about QWERTY and Dvorak.
You can read it here: aresluna.org/the-primitiv...
You can read it here: aresluna.org/the-primitiv...
Reposted by Mark Shea
Tonight’s dumb napkin cartoon…
August 14, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Tonight’s dumb napkin cartoon…
Reposted by Mark Shea
This is a terrible take, starting with the assumption that models based on *text* accurately reflect Language, snd that Language itself is an amodal, arbitrary, symbolic system, which it’s not. Language is inherently multimodal and polysemiotic, and text is not natural language production
July 26, 2025 at 7:22 PM
This is a terrible take, starting with the assumption that models based on *text* accurately reflect Language, snd that Language itself is an amodal, arbitrary, symbolic system, which it’s not. Language is inherently multimodal and polysemiotic, and text is not natural language production
Reposted by Mark Shea
In 1965, the government recruited thousands of strapping high-school boys to replace Mexican workers on farms in Texas and California.
A lot of the boys went on strike. Others quit. The program "was considered a giant failure and was never tried again."
www.npr.org/sections/the...
A lot of the boys went on strike. Others quit. The program "was considered a giant failure and was never tried again."
www.npr.org/sections/the...
When The U.S. Government Tried To Replace Migrant Farmworkers With High Schoolers
In 1964, a program that brought migrant Mexican laborers to the U.S. ended. So the U.S. recruited American students to pick crops instead. When they saw their living conditions, strikes ensued.
www.npr.org
July 15, 2025 at 9:32 PM
In 1965, the government recruited thousands of strapping high-school boys to replace Mexican workers on farms in Texas and California.
A lot of the boys went on strike. Others quit. The program "was considered a giant failure and was never tried again."
www.npr.org/sections/the...
A lot of the boys went on strike. Others quit. The program "was considered a giant failure and was never tried again."
www.npr.org/sections/the...