Derek Fox
@partialobserver.bsky.social
Penn State Astronomer (he/him), personal account. “We went and made everything a computer without ever bothering to fix computers.”
Pinned
Derek Fox
@partialobserver.bsky.social
· Jan 28
Thinking about how we are living the devolution of John Adams’ pronouncement: Where we had thought ourselves at liberty to study mathematics and philosophy, we find ourselves instead obliged to study politics and war.
Reposted by Derek Fox
Why are planetary scientists, astrobiologists and and SETI scientists so negative (pissed off, even) about Avi Loeb’s repeated claims that 3I/Atlas may be an invading alien spaceship?
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November 10, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Why are planetary scientists, astrobiologists and and SETI scientists so negative (pissed off, even) about Avi Loeb’s repeated claims that 3I/Atlas may be an invading alien spaceship?
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Reposted by Derek Fox
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Flagstaff’s Lowell Observatory plans to cut nearly all its research funding and reduce the number of paid science staff to just two positions next year.
Lowell Observatory slashes research funding in the midst of financial struggle
Flagstaff’s Lowell Observatory plans to cut nearly all its research funding and reduce the number of paid science staff to just two positions next year.
buff.ly
November 11, 2025 at 1:02 AM
😢
Reposted by Derek Fox
Pretty much all affordability discourse could benefit from just posting this chart.
If you're in the better off America, all the luxury goods you want in excess are for the most part much cheaper. If you're in the poorer America, most of the shit you need to live/grow is more expensive.
If you're in the better off America, all the luxury goods you want in excess are for the most part much cheaper. If you're in the poorer America, most of the shit you need to live/grow is more expensive.
November 10, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Pretty much all affordability discourse could benefit from just posting this chart.
If you're in the better off America, all the luxury goods you want in excess are for the most part much cheaper. If you're in the poorer America, most of the shit you need to live/grow is more expensive.
If you're in the better off America, all the luxury goods you want in excess are for the most part much cheaper. If you're in the poorer America, most of the shit you need to live/grow is more expensive.
Reposted by Derek Fox
My ACA current plan is going from $385/mo to $821/mo.
November 11, 2025 at 12:21 AM
My ACA current plan is going from $385/mo to $821/mo.
Reposted by Derek Fox
Why is the "we must be united!" hectoring directed at people who are mad at the Cavers and not to the Cavers? Everyone who's mad was united, then the Cave Caucus walked across the aisle and betrayed what the public had been told was the Dem position.
The sooner we get past internal recriminations and back to fighting united, the better off we all are — the likelier our victory next November.
November 10, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Why is the "we must be united!" hectoring directed at people who are mad at the Cavers and not to the Cavers? Everyone who's mad was united, then the Cave Caucus walked across the aisle and betrayed what the public had been told was the Dem position.
Reposted by Derek Fox
"We’re done waiting for Dems to find their spine. We can’t afford a weak & cowardly Democratic Party while the authoritarians invade our cities, terrorize our communities, & threaten our democracy. We get the party we demand, & we intend to demand a Democratic Party that fights.” — @indivisible.org
Indivisible Launches its Largest Primary Program in Response to Senate Democrats Surrendering on the Shutdown Vote
indivisible.org
November 10, 2025 at 11:08 PM
"We’re done waiting for Dems to find their spine. We can’t afford a weak & cowardly Democratic Party while the authoritarians invade our cities, terrorize our communities, & threaten our democracy. We get the party we demand, & we intend to demand a Democratic Party that fights.” — @indivisible.org
Reposted by Derek Fox
The U.S. military is being used inside the United States. There's a lot we don't know about how, why, and under what authorities.
Today, Lawfare is launching a new project–which includes a tracker and a map–to follow where and how the military is being domestically deployed.
Today, Lawfare is launching a new project–which includes a tracker and a map–to follow where and how the military is being domestically deployed.
November 10, 2025 at 11:14 PM
The U.S. military is being used inside the United States. There's a lot we don't know about how, why, and under what authorities.
Today, Lawfare is launching a new project–which includes a tracker and a map–to follow where and how the military is being domestically deployed.
Today, Lawfare is launching a new project–which includes a tracker and a map–to follow where and how the military is being domestically deployed.
Reposted by Derek Fox
In the most predictable development ever, Mike Johnson is not committing to hold a House vote on ACA subsidies
November 10, 2025 at 10:19 PM
In the most predictable development ever, Mike Johnson is not committing to hold a House vote on ACA subsidies
Reposted by Derek Fox
Speaker Johnson has literally said he's "not promising anyone anything."
For once, I believe him.
For once, I believe him.
November 10, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Speaker Johnson has literally said he's "not promising anyone anything."
For once, I believe him.
For once, I believe him.
Reposted by Derek Fox
history will ultimately decide this but i think joyce carol oates might have just landed the most devastating burn in human history. like the death star trench run of posting
November 10, 2025 at 7:03 PM
history will ultimately decide this but i think joyce carol oates might have just landed the most devastating burn in human history. like the death star trench run of posting
Reposted by Derek Fox
Thousands of EPA employees are furloughed. Some of those who remain are busy loosening pollution regulations, a key priority of the Trump admin.
Great reporting from @mollytaft.com
Great reporting from @mollytaft.com
The EPA Is in Chaos
“We learn who is furloughed when we send an email to someone and get the out-of-office message,” one employee tells WIRED.
www.wired.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Thousands of EPA employees are furloughed. Some of those who remain are busy loosening pollution regulations, a key priority of the Trump admin.
Great reporting from @mollytaft.com
Great reporting from @mollytaft.com
“All qualitative performance metrics are gendered in a sexist society,” take 4563
*Women receive substantially lower "potential" ratings despite receiving higher performance ratings
*Differences in potential ratings account for half of the gender promotion gap
*Women’s lower potential ratings do not reflect future performance: women subsequently outperform male colleagues
*Differences in potential ratings account for half of the gender promotion gap
*Women’s lower potential ratings do not reflect future performance: women subsequently outperform male colleagues
Forthcoming in the AER: "“Potential” and the Gender Promotion Gap" by Alan Benson, Danielle Li, and Kelly Shue. www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=...
November 10, 2025 at 4:53 PM
“All qualitative performance metrics are gendered in a sexist society,” take 4563
Reposted by Derek Fox
*Women receive substantially lower "potential" ratings despite receiving higher performance ratings
*Differences in potential ratings account for half of the gender promotion gap
*Women’s lower potential ratings do not reflect future performance: women subsequently outperform male colleagues
*Differences in potential ratings account for half of the gender promotion gap
*Women’s lower potential ratings do not reflect future performance: women subsequently outperform male colleagues
Forthcoming in the AER: "“Potential” and the Gender Promotion Gap" by Alan Benson, Danielle Li, and Kelly Shue. www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=...
“Potential” and the Gender Promotion Gap
(Forthcoming Article) - We show that subjective assessments of employee “potential” contribute to gender gaps
in promotion and pay. Using data on 29,809 management-track employees from a
large retail ...
www.aeaweb.org
November 10, 2025 at 2:54 PM
*Women receive substantially lower "potential" ratings despite receiving higher performance ratings
*Differences in potential ratings account for half of the gender promotion gap
*Women’s lower potential ratings do not reflect future performance: women subsequently outperform male colleagues
*Differences in potential ratings account for half of the gender promotion gap
*Women’s lower potential ratings do not reflect future performance: women subsequently outperform male colleagues
Reposted by Derek Fox
I received this email about Democrats caving to end the shutdown from one of the SNAP recipients I spoke to:
November 10, 2025 at 2:17 PM
I received this email about Democrats caving to end the shutdown from one of the SNAP recipients I spoke to:
Reposted by Derek Fox
Ghislane Maxwell is a person that should never be free again...
this account of Epstein and Maxwell victims is truly awful
www.wbur.org/onpoint/2025...
this account of Epstein and Maxwell victims is truly awful
www.wbur.org/onpoint/2025...
November 10, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Ghislane Maxwell is a person that should never be free again...
this account of Epstein and Maxwell victims is truly awful
www.wbur.org/onpoint/2025...
this account of Epstein and Maxwell victims is truly awful
www.wbur.org/onpoint/2025...
Reposted by Derek Fox
It’s such a bad idea, when one of his crimes was calling forth an insurrection, that he’s actually forbidden from holding the office by a constitutional provision, which a unanimous Supreme Court invented a way to turn off.
To repeat: Maybe electing a life-long criminal to an office where he can pardon other criminals wasn't such a good idea.
November 10, 2025 at 1:18 PM
It’s such a bad idea, when one of his crimes was calling forth an insurrection, that he’s actually forbidden from holding the office by a constitutional provision, which a unanimous Supreme Court invented a way to turn off.
Reposted by Derek Fox
These are the people who forged Electoral College vote certificates and tried to pass them off as real, right in front of the whole country.
Maybe the most insane crime of them all.
Maybe the most insane crime of them all.
BREAKING:
Trump has just issued pardons to dozens of conservatives who tried to overturn the 2020 election results, including: Mark Meadows, Kenneth Chesebro, Jeffrey Clark, Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, John Eastman, Boris Epshteyn, and more — per pardon attorney Ed Martin.
Trump has just issued pardons to dozens of conservatives who tried to overturn the 2020 election results, including: Mark Meadows, Kenneth Chesebro, Jeffrey Clark, Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, John Eastman, Boris Epshteyn, and more — per pardon attorney Ed Martin.
November 10, 2025 at 5:21 AM
These are the people who forged Electoral College vote certificates and tried to pass them off as real, right in front of the whole country.
Maybe the most insane crime of them all.
Maybe the most insane crime of them all.
Reposted by Derek Fox
Awesome procedurally generated 3D printed marble track.
willmorrison.net/posts/marble...
willmorrison.net/posts/marble...
November 10, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Awesome procedurally generated 3D printed marble track.
willmorrison.net/posts/marble...
willmorrison.net/posts/marble...
Reposted by Derek Fox
How about we shut down the government for this very popular and specific goal and then, hear me out, we hold out for like a month and a half and then, ok this part is important, after a watershed election where we ran the table, ONLY THEN, fold and don't get the one thing we said we wanted.
November 10, 2025 at 2:31 AM
How about we shut down the government for this very popular and specific goal and then, hear me out, we hold out for like a month and a half and then, ok this part is important, after a watershed election where we ran the table, ONLY THEN, fold and don't get the one thing we said we wanted.
Reposted by Derek Fox
Democrats won't create the lasting change or tap into the rage of the majority with Schumer and Jeffries in the lead. Centrists won't get it done, no matter how the establishment wills it. The country has radically shifted. The last 10 years is your evidence.
November 10, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Democrats won't create the lasting change or tap into the rage of the majority with Schumer and Jeffries in the lead. Centrists won't get it done, no matter how the establishment wills it. The country has radically shifted. The last 10 years is your evidence.
Reposted by Derek Fox
Caving for nothing means that Democrats are the ones responsible for the shutdown because they could have taken this shit deal weeks ago.
November 10, 2025 at 3:21 AM
Caving for nothing means that Democrats are the ones responsible for the shutdown because they could have taken this shit deal weeks ago.
Reposted by Derek Fox
This is not what they actually say. This is what they used to say, in the long ago before times when Shaheen learned to do politics. There is no kumbaya median voter anymore. The question you get knocking doors is not "why can't you all just work together?" it's "why didn't / will you fight harder?
Shaheen: "When I talk to my constituents in New Hampshire, you know what they say to me? They say, 'Why can't you all just work together to address the problems that are facing this country?'"
November 10, 2025 at 3:15 AM
This is not what they actually say. This is what they used to say, in the long ago before times when Shaheen learned to do politics. There is no kumbaya median voter anymore. The question you get knocking doors is not "why can't you all just work together?" it's "why didn't / will you fight harder?
Reposted by Derek Fox
If the rest don’t oust Schumer immediately, then the entire U.S. Senate sold us out. They think we’re stupid. It’s insulting.
These 8 Senators sold us out to Trump:
Hassan
King
Cortez-Masto
Shaheen
Kaine
Fetterman
Durbin
Rosen
Understand This Fact: Chuck Schumer is behind this. None of these 8 are up for reelection in 2026. Schumer asked them vote yes—they agreed. He's such a coward that he folded and won't even own it.
Hassan
King
Cortez-Masto
Shaheen
Kaine
Fetterman
Durbin
Rosen
Understand This Fact: Chuck Schumer is behind this. None of these 8 are up for reelection in 2026. Schumer asked them vote yes—they agreed. He's such a coward that he folded and won't even own it.
November 10, 2025 at 3:43 AM
If the rest don’t oust Schumer immediately, then the entire U.S. Senate sold us out. They think we’re stupid. It’s insulting.
Reposted by Derek Fox
I don’t think I’ll get over how this is probably the literal worst outcome possible from the shutdown, and it’s entirely from the Senate Democrats own choice
November 10, 2025 at 3:10 AM
I don’t think I’ll get over how this is probably the literal worst outcome possible from the shutdown, and it’s entirely from the Senate Democrats own choice
Reposted by Derek Fox
With Cornyn MIA & still not voting, votes can still be changed. An effective leader would be burning up phone lines trying to flip one of the Dems who voted yes to kill this deal.
So, what’s Schumer doing right now?
So, what’s Schumer doing right now?
November 10, 2025 at 3:11 AM
With Cornyn MIA & still not voting, votes can still be changed. An effective leader would be burning up phone lines trying to flip one of the Dems who voted yes to kill this deal.
So, what’s Schumer doing right now?
So, what’s Schumer doing right now?