Pinned
mags
@ritavonbees.bsky.social
· Jan 19
The Second Law of Thermodynamics (Archived)
The magazine that published this poem seems to have disappeared into the void, which happens sometimes. It took me a while to get this published – I wrote the first draft when I was twenty an…
thepresenttenser.wordpress.com
i guess i should have the same pinned post on here as twitter so people have some idea of my political philosophy
thepresenttenser.wordpress.com/2019/03/13/t...
thepresenttenser.wordpress.com/2019/03/13/t...
Reposted by mags
SKULL OF THOMAS AQUINAS: TAKE A LEFT NOW
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
'Skull of St. Thomas Aquinas being transported to Fossanova Abbey.'
Photograph by Daniel Ibanez
Photograph by Daniel Ibanez
December 10, 2025 at 5:10 PM
SKULL OF THOMAS AQUINAS: TAKE A LEFT NOW
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
nm just doing some online shopping
December 7, 2025 at 9:00 AM
nm just doing some online shopping
Reposted by mags
I fucking love memes you can understand through the language barrier, holy shit
December 6, 2025 at 3:39 PM
I fucking love memes you can understand through the language barrier, holy shit
Reposted by mags
JFC - have they learned nothing
“Funding & support plans for NDIS participants will be generated by a computer program and staff will have no discretion to amend them, under a major overhaul of the NDIS to be rolled out next year, Guardian Australia can reveal.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
“Funding & support plans for NDIS participants will be generated by a computer program and staff will have no discretion to amend them, under a major overhaul of the NDIS to be rolled out next year, Guardian Australia can reveal.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
NDIS plans will be computer-generated, with human involvement dramatically cut under sweeping overhaul
Exclusive: Staff were told of major changes to the way NDIS funding and support plans will be made during a recent internal briefing
www.theguardian.com
December 2, 2025 at 10:19 PM
JFC - have they learned nothing
“Funding & support plans for NDIS participants will be generated by a computer program and staff will have no discretion to amend them, under a major overhaul of the NDIS to be rolled out next year, Guardian Australia can reveal.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
“Funding & support plans for NDIS participants will be generated by a computer program and staff will have no discretion to amend them, under a major overhaul of the NDIS to be rolled out next year, Guardian Australia can reveal.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Reposted by mags
"Much Ado About Nothing: Unmotivating "Gender Identity"" by Hernandez and Bell gives @floralashes.bsky.social a run for their money in the "best/funniest footnote in a paper on transness" category.
Paper: journals.publishing.umich.edu/ergo/article...
Paper: journals.publishing.umich.edu/ergo/article...
November 27, 2025 at 11:56 AM
"Much Ado About Nothing: Unmotivating "Gender Identity"" by Hernandez and Bell gives @floralashes.bsky.social a run for their money in the "best/funniest footnote in a paper on transness" category.
Paper: journals.publishing.umich.edu/ergo/article...
Paper: journals.publishing.umich.edu/ergo/article...
Reposted by mags
They're also responsible for one of the best emails I've ever received, when the college office sent out a plea for sightings of Professor Biscuit while conveniently forgetting to mention that he was a cat...(I won't comment on how often a similar email might have gone out about human Professors...)
November 21, 2025 at 1:01 PM
They're also responsible for one of the best emails I've ever received, when the college office sent out a plea for sightings of Professor Biscuit while conveniently forgetting to mention that he was a cat...(I won't comment on how often a similar email might have gone out about human Professors...)
Reposted by mags
It’s also fun because it’s both resonating and in tension with one of my previous papers.
(Free version: www.florenceashley.com/uploads/1/2/...)
(Free version: www.florenceashley.com/uploads/1/2/...)
What Is It like to Have a Gender Identity?
Abstract. By attending to how people speak about their gender, we can find diverse answers to the question of what it is like to have a gender identity. To
academic.oup.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:35 PM
It’s also fun because it’s both resonating and in tension with one of my previous papers.
(Free version: www.florenceashley.com/uploads/1/2/...)
(Free version: www.florenceashley.com/uploads/1/2/...)
Reposted by mags
This cool paper by my friends is finally officially out!
Much Ado About Nothing: Unmotivating "Gender Identity"
Recently, the concept of "gender identity" has enjoyed a great deal of attention in gender metaphysics. This seems to be motivated by the goal of creating trans-inclusive theory, by explaining trans p...
journals.publishing.umich.edu
November 20, 2025 at 6:35 PM
This cool paper by my friends is finally officially out!
Reposted by mags
💔 Alice Wong’s last words: “Don’t let the bastards grind you down.”
We can never thank Alice enough for fighting all the good fights and especially all the hard fights. We all learned so much from your brilliance, your courage, and your indefatigable leadership. We will never forget you.
We can never thank Alice enough for fighting all the good fights and especially all the hard fights. We all learned so much from your brilliance, your courage, and your indefatigable leadership. We will never forget you.
November 15, 2025 at 6:53 PM
💔 Alice Wong’s last words: “Don’t let the bastards grind you down.”
We can never thank Alice enough for fighting all the good fights and especially all the hard fights. We all learned so much from your brilliance, your courage, and your indefatigable leadership. We will never forget you.
We can never thank Alice enough for fighting all the good fights and especially all the hard fights. We all learned so much from your brilliance, your courage, and your indefatigable leadership. We will never forget you.
Reposted by mags
One of the great heartbreaks of being in the disability community is how often we lose people and how many of our most powerful voices have gone silent. We must live our lives loudly and joyously in their honor and remember that our very existence is resistance.
Oh no I just heard we lost Alice. This is terribly sad. She was an incredible, talented, powerful voice of the disability community. She stood strong for herself and for all of us. She will be missed immensely.
‘Death remains my intimate shadow partner. It has been with me since birth, always hovering close by. I understand one day we will finally waltz together into the ether. I hope when that time comes, I die with the satisfaction of a life well-lived, unapologetic, joyful, & full of love.’
—Alice Wong
—Alice Wong
November 15, 2025 at 4:45 PM
One of the great heartbreaks of being in the disability community is how often we lose people and how many of our most powerful voices have gone silent. We must live our lives loudly and joyously in their honor and remember that our very existence is resistance.
Reposted by mags
"I insist on resisting with joy and finding pleasure where I can such as with my friends and two cats, Bert and Ernie. Yes, life is a complete dumpster fire, but I am reminded that I am not alone, that I am in this with many others." — Alice Wong, January 2025: www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Disability advocate Alice Wong on resistance in the new year: ‘Life is a dumpster fire, but I’m not alone’
The activist, who received a 2024 MacArthur ‘genius’ grant, reflects on a moment that changed her life – and why she finds hope in sci-fi
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 7:42 PM
"I insist on resisting with joy and finding pleasure where I can such as with my friends and two cats, Bert and Ernie. Yes, life is a complete dumpster fire, but I am reminded that I am not alone, that I am in this with many others." — Alice Wong, January 2025: www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reposted by mags
HOLY SHIT. They found the genes for fibromyalgia - and it's *not* autoimmune, it's the central nervous system. It's very cool to see some progress made on the thing that's ruined my life since late teenage years!
Medical Republic: 'Fibromyalgia finally gets a genetic fingerprint'
'Additionally, certain risk loci overlapped with long covid (BPTF) and ME/CFS (OLFM4, RABGAP1L/GPR52), two poorly characterised disorders, albeit with different lead variants.'
www.medicalrepublic.com.au/fibromyalgia...
'Additionally, certain risk loci overlapped with long covid (BPTF) and ME/CFS (OLFM4, RABGAP1L/GPR52), two poorly characterised disorders, albeit with different lead variants.'
www.medicalrepublic.com.au/fibromyalgia...
Fibromyalgia finally gets a genetic fingerprint - Medical Republic
A massive global study links the chronic pain condition to 26 genes associated with brain signalling, marking a turning point in understanding its biological roots.
www.medicalrepublic.com.au
November 14, 2025 at 4:09 AM
HOLY SHIT. They found the genes for fibromyalgia - and it's *not* autoimmune, it's the central nervous system. It's very cool to see some progress made on the thing that's ruined my life since late teenage years!
Reposted by mags
Lots of folks captioning aurora photos like "for a few minutes we didn't think about politics"
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
November 13, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Lots of folks captioning aurora photos like "for a few minutes we didn't think about politics"
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
Reposted by mags
i love this for everyone their mom has interacted with since the 90s
My mum just said to me "You should be hung like a horse". When I challenged her over saying such a thing, it transpires she thought it was a punishment horses got. Turns out she's been incorrectly using the phrase since the 90s in various settings
November 7, 2025 at 7:38 PM
i love this for everyone their mom has interacted with since the 90s
Reposted by mags
I checked my settings and a lot of these had been set to hide content. I changed them all to “warn” (or equivalent) so I can see the dynamics and make my own decisions.
If you aren't seeing skeets from some of your fave people, they might have been labeled "Rude" by bsky mods. Idk what they are thinking, I don't need a mommy to tell me who to be buddies with. Anyway, go into Settings > moderation > bluesky moderation (advanced) and turn Rude off.
November 6, 2025 at 3:57 PM
I checked my settings and a lot of these had been set to hide content. I changed them all to “warn” (or equivalent) so I can see the dynamics and make my own decisions.
Reposted by mags
I was just leafing through 1725 occult tome The Secret Magic of Abramelin the Mage in search of scary invocations for the BOOK, and I came across this list of subordinate spirits to the princes of Hell.
November 5, 2025 at 5:19 PM
I was just leafing through 1725 occult tome The Secret Magic of Abramelin the Mage in search of scary invocations for the BOOK, and I came across this list of subordinate spirits to the princes of Hell.
ok but do commandos actually not wear underpants or
October 31, 2025 at 8:29 AM
ok but do commandos actually not wear underpants or
Reposted by mags
neurotypical fuckers are always like "autistic people have trouble following directions" and then hand me a form that asks if I have a history of bike helmet
October 24, 2025 at 7:23 PM
neurotypical fuckers are always like "autistic people have trouble following directions" and then hand me a form that asks if I have a history of bike helmet
Reposted by mags
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched this TikTok since yesterday. Sherman was stressing those ladies out.
October 10, 2025 at 11:04 AM
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched this TikTok since yesterday. Sherman was stressing those ladies out.
Reposted by mags
oh, right. a few years ago, i made a game about experiencing executive dysfunction.
you can play it in your browser here: xkeeper.net/dys.html have fun
you can play it in your browser here: xkeeper.net/dys.html have fun
October 8, 2025 at 12:05 AM
oh, right. a few years ago, i made a game about experiencing executive dysfunction.
you can play it in your browser here: xkeeper.net/dys.html have fun
you can play it in your browser here: xkeeper.net/dys.html have fun
Reposted by mags
Fun fact: GWAR spoke out against the defunding of orgs like PBS. Lead singer Mike Bishop, who holds a PhD in music, stopped in the middle of a show to point out that defunding public institutions is horrible and said it'd lead to worse. Dude was not wrong.
September 23, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Fun fact: GWAR spoke out against the defunding of orgs like PBS. Lead singer Mike Bishop, who holds a PhD in music, stopped in the middle of a show to point out that defunding public institutions is horrible and said it'd lead to worse. Dude was not wrong.
Reposted by mags
it's funny how they'll just give a date for the rapture but not a time zone. is it a "well, it's still 23/09 somewhere" situation, or a "rolling raptures east grom greenwich" situation? does the rapture observe daylight savings?
September 23, 2025 at 7:16 AM
it's funny how they'll just give a date for the rapture but not a time zone. is it a "well, it's still 23/09 somewhere" situation, or a "rolling raptures east grom greenwich" situation? does the rapture observe daylight savings?
Reposted by mags
Dear friends,
As have become a habit, I mark each #autumnequinox by sharing a small poem by Xin Qiji. I also start my translation cycle of Chinese and Japanese poems and prose that mark the twenty-four lunisolar micro-seasons. Translation notes blogged here:
#everynightapoem
As have become a habit, I mark each #autumnequinox by sharing a small poem by Xin Qiji. I also start my translation cycle of Chinese and Japanese poems and prose that mark the twenty-four lunisolar micro-seasons. Translation notes blogged here:
#everynightapoem
September 24, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Dear friends,
As have become a habit, I mark each #autumnequinox by sharing a small poem by Xin Qiji. I also start my translation cycle of Chinese and Japanese poems and prose that mark the twenty-four lunisolar micro-seasons. Translation notes blogged here:
#everynightapoem
As have become a habit, I mark each #autumnequinox by sharing a small poem by Xin Qiji. I also start my translation cycle of Chinese and Japanese poems and prose that mark the twenty-four lunisolar micro-seasons. Translation notes blogged here:
#everynightapoem