Noah Grand
@noahgrand.bsky.social
Social science PhD. 3x ENnie nominee D&D designer. They/He. Bi.
Pinned
Noah Grand
@noahgrand.bsky.social
· Aug 25
kermit the frog is typing on a typewriter in a dark room .
Alt: kermit the frog is typing on a typewriter in a dark room.
media.tenor.com
Getting ready for my last gaming convention of the year, it's worth looking at what I did since the last convention:
* Wrote an adventure for the con.
* Project manaaged and edited 9 other adventures for the con.
* Wrote a first draft of a novel. Yes, a whole novel.
* Wrote an adventure for the con.
* Project manaaged and edited 9 other adventures for the con.
* Wrote a first draft of a novel. Yes, a whole novel.
Reposted by Noah Grand
This is *not* the sort of thing you see in this era, which makes it all the better that we are seeing it this weekend.
UPDATE: I added in the congressional response to the boat-strike section once I saw we had bipartisan, matching statements from both House and Senate Armed Services Committees. www.lawdork.com/p/trump-admi...
November 30, 2025 at 3:19 AM
This is *not* the sort of thing you see in this era, which makes it all the better that we are seeing it this weekend.
Reposted by Noah Grand
"Never spread the lie in the headline" should be a hard rule of 21st century journalism.
Research shows that repeating lies helps to spread them, and people read headlines more than they read stories.
Research shows that repeating lies helps to spread them, and people read headlines more than they read stories.
News media has to do better with headlines that present false and unverified public health claims.
November 30, 2025 at 1:10 AM
"Never spread the lie in the headline" should be a hard rule of 21st century journalism.
Research shows that repeating lies helps to spread them, and people read headlines more than they read stories.
Research shows that repeating lies helps to spread them, and people read headlines more than they read stories.
A Bruin is forever but a Trojan is only good once.
November 30, 2025 at 1:39 AM
A Bruin is forever but a Trojan is only good once.
Reposted by Noah Grand
Remember when Amazon held a sale during Independent Bookstore Day in an effort to undercut indie bookstores?
We didn’t forget. Support local bookstores during Small Business Saturday and beyond.
We didn’t forget. Support local bookstores during Small Business Saturday and beyond.
November 29, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Remember when Amazon held a sale during Independent Bookstore Day in an effort to undercut indie bookstores?
We didn’t forget. Support local bookstores during Small Business Saturday and beyond.
We didn’t forget. Support local bookstores during Small Business Saturday and beyond.
Reposted by Noah Grand
The death of browsing is part of the reason art is the way it is now. Our opinions are largely fed to us by algorithms. Spending a spare 15 minutes wandering around a bookstore or comic shop or video rental place was how you found stuff you wouldn't ordinarily pick up and thereby expanded your taste
Bookselling is like the most "people go to the store and buy what looks cool to them without a particular agenda" type business left, and your purchases have a huge influence on what is ordered, what is displayed, and what is recommended.
November 29, 2025 at 6:44 PM
The death of browsing is part of the reason art is the way it is now. Our opinions are largely fed to us by algorithms. Spending a spare 15 minutes wandering around a bookstore or comic shop or video rental place was how you found stuff you wouldn't ordinarily pick up and thereby expanded your taste
Reposted by Noah Grand
Not coincidentally this is a pretty good list of Most Important Companies to Unionize.
The Boston Globe identified the companies in Massachusetts that employ the most SNAP recipients. A key stat: "In Massachusetts, 74% of working-age recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are employed, half of them full-time."
Full article: www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/28/m...
Full article: www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/28/m...
November 29, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Not coincidentally this is a pretty good list of Most Important Companies to Unionize.
Reposted by Noah Grand
At a time when the food-stamp system is under fire & more strict work requirements are starting to kick in, a review of companies with the most SNAP recipients in the state shows many are employed by high-profile companies in retail, health care & the gig economy. www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/28/m...
‘The government is subsidizing corporate profits’: Who employs the most SNAP recipients in Massachusetts? - The Boston Globe
In Massachusetts, 74 percent of working-age SNAP recipients have jobs.
www.bostonglobe.com
November 29, 2025 at 5:36 PM
At a time when the food-stamp system is under fire & more strict work requirements are starting to kick in, a review of companies with the most SNAP recipients in the state shows many are employed by high-profile companies in retail, health care & the gig economy. www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/28/m...
Reposted by Noah Grand
If your business model doesn’t work without breaking the law, you’re not in business.
You’re in organized crime.
You’re in organized crime.
The OpenAI ruling writers should know about 👀 (if your work was scraped for LLM training, this affects you). www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/bus...
OpenAI Loses Key Discovery Battle as It Cedes Ground to Authors in AI Lawsuits
The issue has been a major battleground in discovery. OpenAI could be on the hook for hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars if it was aware it was infringing on copyrighted material.
www.hollywoodreporter.com
November 29, 2025 at 7:43 PM
If your business model doesn’t work without breaking the law, you’re not in business.
You’re in organized crime.
You’re in organized crime.
Reposted by Noah Grand
A story Stoppard told several times, in several places:
November 29, 2025 at 6:10 PM
A story Stoppard told several times, in several places:
Reposted by Noah Grand
As Stoppard wrote, and as I contemplate often: “I don't think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little or make a poem which children will speak for you when you're dead.”
November 29, 2025 at 7:33 PM
As Stoppard wrote, and as I contemplate often: “I don't think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little or make a poem which children will speak for you when you're dead.”
Disgaea 5. Grinding helps me relieve blood pressure.
Probably Master of Orion 2 over the decades.
Probably Master of Orion 2 over the decades.
Name a videogame you've played for 1250+ hours.
November 29, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Disgaea 5. Grinding helps me relieve blood pressure.
Probably Master of Orion 2 over the decades.
Probably Master of Orion 2 over the decades.
Reposted by Noah Grand
Morale at paypros call centers is in the toilet right now. It’s not just normal Black Friday stress, they’re being pounded. Corporate is pressuring bosses to end the paypros call campaigns. Source familiar w/ internals at MC stressed that folks should stand their ground but be kind to agents (1)
November 29, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Morale at paypros call centers is in the toilet right now. It’s not just normal Black Friday stress, they’re being pounded. Corporate is pressuring bosses to end the paypros call campaigns. Source familiar w/ internals at MC stressed that folks should stand their ground but be kind to agents (1)
Reposted by Noah Grand
Michigan’s 7th district has a chance to do the funniest thing ever
""I'd heard of furries, but to be honest, I didn't think they were real. Then one filed to run against me for Congress," stated the email. "Samuel Smeltzer, whose furry name is Elyon Badger, announced he's running against me, in costume, on a far left progressive platform.""
'The furries are coming for me!' GOP lawmaker turns heads with odd fundraising pitch
Rep. Tom Barrett (R-MI) sent out a bizarre fundraising call to action for his supporters on Friday, headlined, "the furries are coming for me.""I'd heard of furries, but to be honest, I didn't think t...
www.rawstory.com
November 29, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Michigan’s 7th district has a chance to do the funniest thing ever
Reposted by Noah Grand
The thing that people need to realize is that, on the state level, a lot of Republican lawmakers don't act or think like Congressional Republicans and don't perform as pure toadies for Trump.
Some do. Many don't. I see both in Mississippi.
You can't view state politics through the lens of D.C.
Some do. Many don't. I see both in Mississippi.
You can't view state politics through the lens of D.C.
Another Indiana Republican Senator makes it clear he’s still opposing the GOP push to re-gerrymander the state. dailyjournal.net/2025/11/26/s...
November 29, 2025 at 4:11 AM
The thing that people need to realize is that, on the state level, a lot of Republican lawmakers don't act or think like Congressional Republicans and don't perform as pure toadies for Trump.
Some do. Many don't. I see both in Mississippi.
You can't view state politics through the lens of D.C.
Some do. Many don't. I see both in Mississippi.
You can't view state politics through the lens of D.C.
Reposted by Noah Grand
If universities would prioritize smaller classes and fewer bells and whistles like third-party technology contracts, a significantly bigger number of PhDs would find a position in higher education.
November 29, 2025 at 1:47 AM
If universities would prioritize smaller classes and fewer bells and whistles like third-party technology contracts, a significantly bigger number of PhDs would find a position in higher education.
Reposted by Noah Grand
I do strongly suspect that the pattern of hit jobs, and capitulations, is almost entirely explained by activists on university boards who want to collaborate with Trump against their own researchers and students.
BREAKING: Northwestern University has agreed to pay the U.S. Treasury $75 million, over the course of three years as part of an agreement with the federal government to restore funding and end investigations into the university
Full statement from NU below:
Full statement from NU below:
November 29, 2025 at 2:12 AM
I do strongly suspect that the pattern of hit jobs, and capitulations, is almost entirely explained by activists on university boards who want to collaborate with Trump against their own researchers and students.
Reposted by Noah Grand
👀 when it comes to "harassment" and student protest, northwestern has given the trump administration what appears to be a veto over changes in policy: "Northwestern shall not revise or modify these policies and procedures without the consent of the Assistant Attorney General".
horrible.
horrible.
You've heard of the Friday night news dump. Here's the Friday night of Thanksgiving wknd dump. For special circumstances, like when the faculty assembly votes 595-4 against paying to end a shakedown and you do it anyway. Link to agreement here: bulkmail.northwestern.edu/trk/click?re...
BREAKING: Northwestern University has agreed to pay the U.S. Treasury $75 million, over the course of three years as part of an agreement with the federal government to restore funding and end investigations into the university
Full statement from NU below:
Full statement from NU below:
November 29, 2025 at 1:24 AM
👀 when it comes to "harassment" and student protest, northwestern has given the trump administration what appears to be a veto over changes in policy: "Northwestern shall not revise or modify these policies and procedures without the consent of the Assistant Attorney General".
horrible.
horrible.
Reposted by Noah Grand
Fuck, Northwestern just caved. Reading the deal now. ( www.northwestern.edu/president/do... )
www.northwestern.edu
November 29, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Fuck, Northwestern just caved. Reading the deal now. ( www.northwestern.edu/president/do... )
Excellent thread.
I noticed a decline in D&D players’ story cognition in 2021. Stress and trauma reduces cognition. (Serious illness zapped me through 2024.)
Since then, I’ve seen some folks bounce back, but also some real declines in critical thinking in 2025.
I noticed a decline in D&D players’ story cognition in 2021. Stress and trauma reduces cognition. (Serious illness zapped me through 2024.)
Since then, I’ve seen some folks bounce back, but also some real declines in critical thinking in 2025.
And I don't know if the answer is: everyone is too traumatized to do work and we need to reinvent society. Or if it's more like: generations are losing their cognitive abilities and willpower due to destructive technologies. Or: we all have post-viral brain damage. Or: all of the above.
November 29, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Excellent thread.
I noticed a decline in D&D players’ story cognition in 2021. Stress and trauma reduces cognition. (Serious illness zapped me through 2024.)
Since then, I’ve seen some folks bounce back, but also some real declines in critical thinking in 2025.
I noticed a decline in D&D players’ story cognition in 2021. Stress and trauma reduces cognition. (Serious illness zapped me through 2024.)
Since then, I’ve seen some folks bounce back, but also some real declines in critical thinking in 2025.
Reposted by Noah Grand
New Mexico should make the turquoise permanent homes.
November 28, 2025 at 9:04 PM
New Mexico should make the turquoise permanent homes.
Reposted by Noah Grand
given how unpopular Trump is, it’s insane that civil society/universities/law firms are still asking themselves “how do I stay on Trump’s good side” rather than “how do I avoid facing consequences for complying with Trump’s illegal demands”
New Gallup poll shows Trump's approval hit a new low for his second term:
-36% approve
-60% disapprove
His approval among Republicans went from 91% in January to 84% in November
news.gallup.com/poll/699221/...
-36% approve
-60% disapprove
His approval among Republicans went from 91% in January to 84% in November
news.gallup.com/poll/699221/...
Trump's Approval Rating Drops to 36%, New Second-Term Low
President Donald Trump's job approval rating has slipped to a new second-term low point and is approaching his all-time low of 34%.
news.gallup.com
November 28, 2025 at 5:01 PM
given how unpopular Trump is, it’s insane that civil society/universities/law firms are still asking themselves “how do I stay on Trump’s good side” rather than “how do I avoid facing consequences for complying with Trump’s illegal demands”
Reposted by Noah Grand
Want to boycott megabiz without spending money?
Grab a copy of my trans Pied Piper retelling for FREE (which you can do any day bc it’s always free)
Also free: The Last Solstice Gift and Under Cerulean Skies
danifinn.itch.io/the-witchs-f...
Grab a copy of my trans Pied Piper retelling for FREE (which you can do any day bc it’s always free)
Also free: The Last Solstice Gift and Under Cerulean Skies
danifinn.itch.io/the-witchs-f...
The Witch's Flute by danifinn
A trans Pied Piper retelling
danifinn.itch.io
November 28, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Want to boycott megabiz without spending money?
Grab a copy of my trans Pied Piper retelling for FREE (which you can do any day bc it’s always free)
Also free: The Last Solstice Gift and Under Cerulean Skies
danifinn.itch.io/the-witchs-f...
Grab a copy of my trans Pied Piper retelling for FREE (which you can do any day bc it’s always free)
Also free: The Last Solstice Gift and Under Cerulean Skies
danifinn.itch.io/the-witchs-f...
Never expected to see the phenomena I spent five years of my life researching for my PhD get mansplained on social media to end Thanksgiving.
Of course these dudes get it wrong, preferring to be angry and ignorant, blaming the less powerful for their “moral” failings.
Of course these dudes get it wrong, preferring to be angry and ignorant, blaming the less powerful for their “moral” failings.
November 28, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Never expected to see the phenomena I spent five years of my life researching for my PhD get mansplained on social media to end Thanksgiving.
Of course these dudes get it wrong, preferring to be angry and ignorant, blaming the less powerful for their “moral” failings.
Of course these dudes get it wrong, preferring to be angry and ignorant, blaming the less powerful for their “moral” failings.
Thankful for option football on Thanksgiving and the ability to block pundits who make their money from trying to make me angry.
November 28, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Thankful for option football on Thanksgiving and the ability to block pundits who make their money from trying to make me angry.
Even on Thanksgiving. Abolish and prosecute is the moderate position.
November 27, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Even on Thanksgiving. Abolish and prosecute is the moderate position.