Ray Lavoie
@proporhistorian.bsky.social
Like the handle says: Medieval history PhD. Rugby player (still playing front row in old boys matches). LARPer/TTRPG player&GM. Avid reader (fantasy/sci-fi/history/mystery/historical fiction) Accordionist. NH born. Occasional political ranter.
Sharing to save; this will be helpful for my school’s AI policy committee.
The more you know about LLMs, the worse they get
I need everyone, esp anyone working in education or tech (but really everyone) to WATCH THIS CLIP of @drtanksley.bsky.social discussing the technologies infiltrating our schools & psyches and how she is addressing it with our young people. youtu.be/5mtcSL4S3HQ
November 22, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Sharing to save; this will be helpful for my school’s AI policy committee.
I really found this article thought-provoking. I have a longer set of thoughts about how this idea of civic virtue connects with the classical Greek notion of the idiot (not the same as our modern idea!) But that’s a post for when I have a bit more time.
Josh Marshall; gift link.
Civic virtue is incredibly important. People who study crime say: most people don’t commit crimes not because they’re scared of punishment, but because you just don’t do that. Imagine how awful it would be if that weren’t true; if we couldn’t rely on people’s decency.
Civic virtue is incredibly important. People who study crime say: most people don’t commit crimes not because they’re scared of punishment, but because you just don’t do that. Imagine how awful it would be if that weren’t true; if we couldn’t rely on people’s decency.
Fear, Greed, Civic Virtue and the Fall of the Elites
Members of America’s founding generation had an ambivalent and evolving understanding of...
talkingpointsmemo.com
October 24, 2025 at 10:31 PM
I really found this article thought-provoking. I have a longer set of thoughts about how this idea of civic virtue connects with the classical Greek notion of the idiot (not the same as our modern idea!) But that’s a post for when I have a bit more time.
The common thread in the
destruction of architectural symbols of our nation’s greatness, whether by murderous terrorists or would-be autocrats, is a hatred of our pluralistic way of life.
destruction of architectural symbols of our nation’s greatness, whether by murderous terrorists or would-be autocrats, is a hatred of our pluralistic way of life.
October 23, 2025 at 5:19 PM
The common thread in the
destruction of architectural symbols of our nation’s greatness, whether by murderous terrorists or would-be autocrats, is a hatred of our pluralistic way of life.
destruction of architectural symbols of our nation’s greatness, whether by murderous terrorists or would-be autocrats, is a hatred of our pluralistic way of life.
I feel like there’s a thread between Trump’s appalling destruction of the White House Rose Garden and the current demolition of the East Wing. Both are legacies of well-regarded Democratic presidents (JFK and FDR) whose popular historical reputations have always been resented by conservatives.
October 21, 2025 at 6:09 PM
I feel like there’s a thread between Trump’s appalling destruction of the White House Rose Garden and the current demolition of the East Wing. Both are legacies of well-regarded Democratic presidents (JFK and FDR) whose popular historical reputations have always been resented by conservatives.
I feel like the second part of this idea often gets overlooked by many well-meaning liberal and progressive people. The arc bends because people put pressure on it, both for justice and for injustice. And there are lots of folks pushing on the unjust side. We need to be active in opposing them.
Dad said the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. But he also reminded us that it doesn’t bend on its own.
Let’s get into good trouble—peacefully, persistently, and with love as our guide.
Let’s get into good trouble—peacefully, persistently, and with love as our guide.
October 21, 2025 at 6:06 PM
I feel like the second part of this idea often gets overlooked by many well-meaning liberal and progressive people. The arc bends because people put pressure on it, both for justice and for injustice. And there are lots of folks pushing on the unjust side. We need to be active in opposing them.
Aluminum Zeppelin
Slightly diminish a band: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Old
Slightly diminish a band:
The Thompson Only Child
The Thompson Only Child
August 13, 2025 at 4:11 AM
Aluminum Zeppelin
Happy Juneteenth!
Hat-tip to @shadowlandonline.bsky.social
June 19, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Happy Juneteenth!
I made it safely home from Disney Comcert Hall downtown after my school’s graduation, luckily avoiding the menace of… *checks notes* …some lunchtime office workers, two kids on bikes, and a guy filming a TikTok video.
Sure glad we’re spending $150 million to bring in the National Guard. /sarcasm
Sure glad we’re spending $150 million to bring in the National Guard. /sarcasm
June 12, 2025 at 2:39 AM
I made it safely home from Disney Comcert Hall downtown after my school’s graduation, luckily avoiding the menace of… *checks notes* …some lunchtime office workers, two kids on bikes, and a guy filming a TikTok video.
Sure glad we’re spending $150 million to bring in the National Guard. /sarcasm
Sure glad we’re spending $150 million to bring in the National Guard. /sarcasm
Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”When he heard this, Jesus said, “Well, we’re all going to die! For heaven’s sake, folks!”
Joni 11:1,3-4
Joni 11:1,3-4
June 1, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”When he heard this, Jesus said, “Well, we’re all going to die! For heaven’s sake, folks!”
Joni 11:1,3-4
Joni 11:1,3-4
The Wire
Babylon 5
Hill Street Blues
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Taking suggestions for the fifth! Firefly is so short…
Babylon 5
Hill Street Blues
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Taking suggestions for the fifth! Firefly is so short…
Repost with the 5 shows you would be happy to rewatch over and over again for the rest of your life, as your sole TV diet
Hannibal
Burn Notice
Samurai Jack
Sherlock (Cumberbatch version)
Babylon 5
Hannibal
Burn Notice
Samurai Jack
Sherlock (Cumberbatch version)
Babylon 5
Repost with the 5 shows you would be happy to reqatch over and over again for the rest of your life, as your sole TV diet
Twin Peaks
MST3K
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Parks & Rec
Severance
Twin Peaks
MST3K
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Parks & Rec
Severance
May 26, 2025 at 3:39 AM
The Wire
Babylon 5
Hill Street Blues
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Taking suggestions for the fifth! Firefly is so short…
Babylon 5
Hill Street Blues
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Taking suggestions for the fifth! Firefly is so short…
In my defense, I spend a lot of time interacting with high school aged boys.
May 18, 2025 at 8:56 PM
In my defense, I spend a lot of time interacting with high school aged boys.
A heartwarming story to wrap up your weekend.
Thought I might share a life story from a few months ago to brighten your day. Back in March, I spotted a raccoon on the side of the interstate that had very clearly been run over. I pulled over thinking I’d have to put it out of its misery. We ended up becoming good friends.
May 18, 2025 at 8:07 PM
A heartwarming story to wrap up your weekend.
Posting to save for the future. It’s unclear whether OP teaches several 25-student classes or if 25 is his teaching load. But still a worthwhile post for Teacher Appreciation Week.
After the brutal reality of dealing with student papers in the ChatGPT era finally hit me, here are a few tactics that I've found at least somewhat effective in getting students to do their own writing: 🧵
May 7, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Posting to save for the future. It’s unclear whether OP teaches several 25-student classes or if 25 is his teaching load. But still a worthwhile post for Teacher Appreciation Week.
My wife works for a research institute at UCLA that studies Latino History. Her work on the origins of Cinco de Mayo is well worth repeating today. Threaded in the comments.
May 5, 2025 at 4:22 PM
My wife works for a research institute at UCLA that studies Latino History. Her work on the origins of Cinco de Mayo is well worth repeating today. Threaded in the comments.
This key fact is often lost in the right wing braying about privatizing the USPS - our postal service intentionally sacrifices efficiency for universal service. That’s the mission. Also overlooked: this is *constitutionally mandated*.
This message brought to
you by the son of a letter carrier.
This message brought to
you by the son of a letter carrier.
USPS’s universal service obligation means letter carriers keep every community & business in every zip code connected. Postal privatization threatens that service across America.
Tell Congress to ensure a strong, public USPS through H.Res. 70/S.Res. 147: nalc.org/action
Tell Congress to ensure a strong, public USPS through H.Res. 70/S.Res. 147: nalc.org/action
April 9, 2025 at 6:36 PM
This key fact is often lost in the right wing braying about privatizing the USPS - our postal service intentionally sacrifices efficiency for universal service. That’s the mission. Also overlooked: this is *constitutionally mandated*.
This message brought to
you by the son of a letter carrier.
This message brought to
you by the son of a letter carrier.
We started a unit on medieval Europe last week, and the appearance of another society featuring a warrior aristocracy got me thinking about Hegseth, his eye-rolling screed “War on Warriors” and the general conservative fixation on “warriors” and “warrior spirit” in our armed forces. (Thread)
March 25, 2025 at 9:33 PM
We started a unit on medieval Europe last week, and the appearance of another society featuring a warrior aristocracy got me thinking about Hegseth, his eye-rolling screed “War on Warriors” and the general conservative fixation on “warriors” and “warrior spirit” in our armed forces. (Thread)
Among the many ways you can categorize folks along the lines of “there are two kinds of people in the world”, I think one of the most important is: those who agree with Blackstone that it is better for ten guilty people to go free than for one innocent person to be punished, and…
March 20, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Among the many ways you can categorize folks along the lines of “there are two kinds of people in the world”, I think one of the most important is: those who agree with Blackstone that it is better for ten guilty people to go free than for one innocent person to be punished, and…
Starting our unit on medieval Europe today and I’m reminded yet again what a historically illiterate title Hayek’s Road to Serfdom is. Serfs must depend on wealthy private elites because the government does not provide them with the services they need. The free market fundamentalists advocating…
March 19, 2025 at 3:53 AM
Starting our unit on medieval Europe today and I’m reminded yet again what a historically illiterate title Hayek’s Road to Serfdom is. Serfs must depend on wealthy private elites because the government does not provide them with the services they need. The free market fundamentalists advocating…
Not an original thought, but a useful one in these times: it’s a helpful thought experiment to imagine what one’s reaction would be if the things the current US regime is doing were done by a foreign gov’t to American citizens. If the answer in one case is outrage, outrage should follow the other.
March 17, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Not an original thought, but a useful one in these times: it’s a helpful thought experiment to imagine what one’s reaction would be if the things the current US regime is doing were done by a foreign gov’t to American citizens. If the answer in one case is outrage, outrage should follow the other.
Here’s a great list for DMs always pressed for NPC names..:
Names of Merchant Adventurers that we like. A short list:
Suckling Spendlove.
Samuel Blackbeard.
Theophilus Davy Garrencieres.
Isabella Blaufront.
Marmaduke Sutheby.
Bartholomew Bannister.
Phynias Bell.
Lancelot Foster.
Walsingham Cooke.
Dyxson Darnton.
Lumley Kettlewell.
Suckling Spendlove.
Samuel Blackbeard.
Theophilus Davy Garrencieres.
Isabella Blaufront.
Marmaduke Sutheby.
Bartholomew Bannister.
Phynias Bell.
Lancelot Foster.
Walsingham Cooke.
Dyxson Darnton.
Lumley Kettlewell.
March 13, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Here’s a great list for DMs always pressed for NPC names..:
What a great list. Reposting to save and revisit.
February 28, 2025 at 3:12 PM
What a great list. Reposting to save and revisit.
Lots of gearing up for the economic blackout tomorrow. Please bear in mind that while “Buy Nothing!” is a great slogan, we’re trying to affect big corporations, not the corner store, independent bookshop, or local indie café. So skip Amazon, but not the little guys-they need our support too!
RE: February 28th's economic black out, here's what we want you to know.
WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE YOU.
A typical Friday here at the shop brings in about $1,000. That is about 1/8 of our monthly payroll, or 1/4 of our monthly mortgage.
WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE YOU.
A typical Friday here at the shop brings in about $1,000. That is about 1/8 of our monthly payroll, or 1/4 of our monthly mortgage.
February 28, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Lots of gearing up for the economic blackout tomorrow. Please bear in mind that while “Buy Nothing!” is a great slogan, we’re trying to affect big corporations, not the corner store, independent bookshop, or local indie café. So skip Amazon, but not the little guys-they need our support too!
There’s a lot of talk, mainly, but not exclusively, in conservative circles, about “common sense”. It’s usually deployed to dismiss expertise, or defend simplistic takes on complex issues. Here’s the thing. For millennia, it was common sense that the sun orbited the earth.
February 27, 2025 at 6:29 PM
There’s a lot of talk, mainly, but not exclusively, in conservative circles, about “common sense”. It’s usually deployed to dismiss expertise, or defend simplistic takes on complex issues. Here’s the thing. For millennia, it was common sense that the sun orbited the earth.