Dr. Smurphy
@saramurphyphd.bsky.social
Former academic turned journalist. Words in NYT, WaPo, NatGeo, Ambrook Research, Assembly, and others.
Can’t hold me down / ‘cause you know I’m a writer. #ARMY #STAY #Atiny #MOA #BIWoC
Newsletter: Seeing Sh*t in Books (https://saramurphyphd.substack.com
Can’t hold me down / ‘cause you know I’m a writer. #ARMY #STAY #Atiny #MOA #BIWoC
Newsletter: Seeing Sh*t in Books (https://saramurphyphd.substack.com
In this week's newsletter, I talk broken toes and broken relationships to food.
open.substack.com/pub/saramurp...
open.substack.com/pub/saramurp...
Broken Again.
On how well I treat my body.
open.substack.com
June 15, 2025 at 11:08 PM
In this week's newsletter, I talk broken toes and broken relationships to food.
open.substack.com/pub/saramurp...
open.substack.com/pub/saramurp...
In this week's newsletter, I find Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot....adorable.
saramurphyphd.substack.com/p/my-search-...
saramurphyphd.substack.com/p/my-search-...
My Search for Scares: Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot
On finding the master of horror charmingly quaint.
saramurphyphd.substack.com
June 8, 2025 at 3:48 PM
In this week's newsletter, I find Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot....adorable.
saramurphyphd.substack.com/p/my-search-...
saramurphyphd.substack.com/p/my-search-...
Reposted by Dr. Smurphy
Every accusation is a confession
June 8, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Every accusation is a confession
A haiku about the nonfiction book proposal I'm working on for @jamiattenberg.bsky.social's #1000wordsofsummer challenge:
Hurricane Helene:
Neighbors helping neighbors, come
Hell and high water.
Join the challenge at 1000wordsofsummer.substack.com
Hurricane Helene:
Neighbors helping neighbors, come
Hell and high water.
Join the challenge at 1000wordsofsummer.substack.com
CRAFT TALK | Jami Attenberg | Substack
CRAFT TALK is a weekly newsletter about writing, creativity and productivity from author Jami Attenberg. This is also the home of #1000wordsofsummer, where, once a year, we write 1000 words a day toge...
1000wordsofsummer.substack.com
May 30, 2025 at 5:21 PM
A haiku about the nonfiction book proposal I'm working on for @jamiattenberg.bsky.social's #1000wordsofsummer challenge:
Hurricane Helene:
Neighbors helping neighbors, come
Hell and high water.
Join the challenge at 1000wordsofsummer.substack.com
Hurricane Helene:
Neighbors helping neighbors, come
Hell and high water.
Join the challenge at 1000wordsofsummer.substack.com
Reposted by Dr. Smurphy
this is a treasure
The first time I went down there, last week, I noticed something neon in a tote bag and pulled out $395 Balenciaga slides. Nearby were $980 Valentino sneakers—worn, but definitely wearable.
I Salvaged $6,000 of Luxury Items Discarded by Duke Students. Why Did It Make Me Feel So Terrible?
At the end of the school year, a lot gets tossed by Duke students at my downtown Durham apartment building. This year I decided to dive in.
indyweek.com
May 28, 2025 at 3:15 PM
this is a treasure
Reposted by Dr. Smurphy
At least 31 gender and sexuality based resource centers have shuttered across 23 college campuses.
Read the full story here ⤵️
Read the full story here ⤵️
These Colleges Are Shuttering Their Women’s and LGBTQ+ Centers
Here’s what to know.
www.teenvogue.com
May 29, 2025 at 6:26 PM
At least 31 gender and sexuality based resource centers have shuttered across 23 college campuses.
Read the full story here ⤵️
Read the full story here ⤵️
Reposted by Dr. Smurphy
nothing good has ever come from presenting disabled and sick people as a literal threat to the nation
Mehmet Oz just said on Fox News that:
“It is your patriotic duty to be as healthy as you can”.
“It is your patriotic duty to be as healthy as you can”.
May 9, 2025 at 11:14 AM
nothing good has ever come from presenting disabled and sick people as a literal threat to the nation
Reposted by Dr. Smurphy
A broken institution
Several Columbia Univ student journalists are suspended after covering protests (while wearing press ID) in the main library.
Their access to campus is blocked, and they can't take final exams.
Also: Columbia's acting president is a former ABC journalist
www.columbiaspectator.com/news/2025/05...
Their access to campus is blocked, and they can't take final exams.
Also: Columbia's acting president is a former ABC journalist
www.columbiaspectator.com/news/2025/05...
Barnard suspends WKCR and Spectator reporters who covered Butler Library protest
Barnard and Columbia issued interim suspensions Thursday afternoon to four student journalists who covered a Wednesday pro-Palestinian protest in Butler Library, citing “information received” from Pub...
www.columbiaspectator.com
May 9, 2025 at 1:41 PM
A broken institution
Reposted by Dr. Smurphy
man, there is some serious egg on my face right now
May 8, 2025 at 9:53 PM
man, there is some serious egg on my face right now
Reposted by Dr. Smurphy
In the 1980s, the US experienced one billion-plus dollar extreme weather disaster on average every 4 months.
Today? There’s one every 2 weeks, and 9 in 10 Americans say they’ve felt the impacts.
Clearly, this is the record to cut—if you don’t want to show how climate change is hitting home.
Today? There’s one every 2 weeks, and 9 in 10 Americans say they’ve felt the impacts.
Clearly, this is the record to cut—if you don’t want to show how climate change is hitting home.
May 8, 2025 at 9:28 PM
In the 1980s, the US experienced one billion-plus dollar extreme weather disaster on average every 4 months.
Today? There’s one every 2 weeks, and 9 in 10 Americans say they’ve felt the impacts.
Clearly, this is the record to cut—if you don’t want to show how climate change is hitting home.
Today? There’s one every 2 weeks, and 9 in 10 Americans say they’ve felt the impacts.
Clearly, this is the record to cut—if you don’t want to show how climate change is hitting home.
Reposted by Dr. Smurphy
we will never let you edit posts. you must wear each typo as an albatross. you will bear the weight of your hubris
April 25, 2025 at 9:33 PM
we will never let you edit posts. you must wear each typo as an albatross. you will bear the weight of your hubris
I have a Titanic-induced fear of being buried under miles of water, so this video gave me major creeps.
A depth comparison of shipwrecks around the world, from the Mary Rose (~40 feet deep) to the WWII warship USS Johnston (~21,200 feet) and everything in-between (Andrea Doria, German u-boats, Lusitania, Titanic (12.5K ft)). [youtube.com]
⚓ SHIPWRECKS Depth Comparison ⚓ (3D)
🔱 How deep are some of the best known sunken ships?
Some of them are shown in this 3D animation, including some submarines and airplanes.
🢂MY WEBSITES🢀
🔓JOIN: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQwFuQLnLocj5F7ZcmcuWYQ/join
📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/metaballstudios_official
🐦Twitter: http
www.youtube.com
April 21, 2025 at 3:58 PM
I have a Titanic-induced fear of being buried under miles of water, so this video gave me major creeps.
This week's newsletter is for all the freelancers.
saramurphyphd.substack.com/p/where-i-ge...
saramurphyphd.substack.com/p/where-i-ge...
Where I Get My Story Ideas
On deciding what to write about.
saramurphyphd.substack.com
April 20, 2025 at 2:42 PM
This week's newsletter is for all the freelancers.
saramurphyphd.substack.com/p/where-i-ge...
saramurphyphd.substack.com/p/where-i-ge...
Reposted by Dr. Smurphy
This feels like blackmail
Trump rescinds executive order after law firm agrees to provide $40m in free services.
Trump rescinds executive order after law firm agrees to provide $40m in free services
US president reverses threat to suspend security clearances and cancel federal contracts after meeting with chair of Paul, Weiss
www.theguardian.com
March 21, 2025 at 1:48 PM
This feels like blackmail
Reposted by Dr. Smurphy
OPINION: "The “false lessons” were actually the exact uncomfortable truth; down was up as we’re seeing now," Donna Ladd writes.
Democracy | Little Makes Me Angrier Than Lies About History
Donna Ladd reflects on the times she discovered the hidden racist pasts of institutions and towns that did all they could to downplay that history.
buff.ly
March 7, 2025 at 3:45 PM
OPINION: "The “false lessons” were actually the exact uncomfortable truth; down was up as we’re seeing now," Donna Ladd writes.
My latest newsletter post about vicarious trauma and Hurricane Helene:
open.substack.com/pub/saramurp...
open.substack.com/pub/saramurp...
Stuck.
On realizing what felt like burnout might actually be trauma.
open.substack.com
March 7, 2025 at 3:24 PM
My latest newsletter post about vicarious trauma and Hurricane Helene:
open.substack.com/pub/saramurp...
open.substack.com/pub/saramurp...
Reposted by Dr. Smurphy
The author lamenting charter schools' strained budgets fails to note how her organization failed to endorse the Leandro Plan, which would have increased charter budgets by about 45%. It's not too late. Charter students deserve constitutionally funded schools, too!
#ncpol
#ncpol
March 7, 2025 at 2:58 PM
The author lamenting charter schools' strained budgets fails to note how her organization failed to endorse the Leandro Plan, which would have increased charter budgets by about 45%. It's not too late. Charter students deserve constitutionally funded schools, too!
#ncpol
#ncpol
Question:
Western North Carolina?
or
western North Carolina?
Western North Carolina?
or
western North Carolina?
March 6, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Question:
Western North Carolina?
or
western North Carolina?
Western North Carolina?
or
western North Carolina?
Reposted by Dr. Smurphy
Reposted by Dr. Smurphy
These slides are a great introductory resource for scientists (and others) wanting to know more about what is currently happening to science during MAGA-2025.
The text/prose on the last slide hit me like a ton of bricks.
The text/prose on the last slide hit me like a ton of bricks.
January 31, 2025 at 9:01 PM
These slides are a great introductory resource for scientists (and others) wanting to know more about what is currently happening to science during MAGA-2025.
The text/prose on the last slide hit me like a ton of bricks.
The text/prose on the last slide hit me like a ton of bricks.
Reposted by Dr. Smurphy
there are simply too many stories and not enough paid journalists to write them all. this is by design.
January 31, 2025 at 4:52 PM
there are simply too many stories and not enough paid journalists to write them all. this is by design.
Reposted by Dr. Smurphy
Here’s the original version of the OpEd that reflects my actual arguments.
drive.google.com/file/d/1mNFm...
drive.google.com/file/d/1mNFm...
Reinhart_Populist Public Health OpEd_1.29.24.pdf
drive.google.com
January 31, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Here’s the original version of the OpEd that reflects my actual arguments.
drive.google.com/file/d/1mNFm...
drive.google.com/file/d/1mNFm...
Reposted by Dr. Smurphy
There are 2 OpEds on Kennedy in the LA Times today. One (by Lee Fang) is a glowing endorsement. This one had any Kennedy criticism stripped by the editors.
Manufacturing Consent.
Manufacturing Consent.
My first and definitely last time working with the Los Angeles Times. Editing out the most urgent point of an OpEd in the minutes before sending to press while then also assigning a title and image that suggest an argument entirely opposite to the author’s clear intent is pretty shitty.
January 31, 2025 at 4:59 PM
There are 2 OpEds on Kennedy in the LA Times today. One (by Lee Fang) is a glowing endorsement. This one had any Kennedy criticism stripped by the editors.
Manufacturing Consent.
Manufacturing Consent.
Reposted by Dr. Smurphy
January 29, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Reposted by Dr. Smurphy
Fire Poppy Project is an emergency response to the 2025 Eaton Fire in LA County, started by Enji Chung, Amita Swadhin & Mimi Kim. It will support renters who are Black, Indigenous, of color, and/or low-income whose homes were either burned down or contaminated by toxic smoke & ash in the Eaton Fire.
Donate to Fire Poppy Project: Support Renters Affected By Eaton Fire, organized by Amita Swadhin
Fire Poppy Project is an emergency response to the 2025 Eaton… Amita Swadhin needs your support for Fire Poppy Project: Support Renters Affected By Eaton Fire
www.gofundme.com
January 16, 2025 at 12:58 AM
Fire Poppy Project is an emergency response to the 2025 Eaton Fire in LA County, started by Enji Chung, Amita Swadhin & Mimi Kim. It will support renters who are Black, Indigenous, of color, and/or low-income whose homes were either burned down or contaminated by toxic smoke & ash in the Eaton Fire.