TracingWoodgrains
@tracewoodgrains.bsky.social
Storyteller. Pragmatist. Pursue excellence.
New from me: It Takes a Village To Have a Child, on surrogacy.
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/it-takes-a...
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/it-takes-a...
It Takes a Village To Have a Child
Our surrogacy journey so far
www.tracingwoodgrains.com
August 24, 2025 at 12:28 PM
New from me: It Takes a Village To Have a Child, on surrogacy.
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/it-takes-a...
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/it-takes-a...
New article from me: No Retvrn, a meditation on what it means to embrace tradition when your ancestral tradition is to leave traditions that no longer work
asteriskmag.com/issues/11/no...
asteriskmag.com/issues/11/no...
No Retvrn—Asterisk
An American tradition of embracing modernity.
asteriskmag.com
August 5, 2025 at 12:12 AM
New article from me: No Retvrn, a meditation on what it means to embrace tradition when your ancestral tradition is to leave traditions that no longer work
asteriskmag.com/issues/11/no...
asteriskmag.com/issues/11/no...
There's something incredibly condescending about someone contrasting his own "gifted" kids with other "minority and disabled" kids to mock the idea of testing people and teaching to their levels.
Neither "minority" nor "disabled" is a monolith. All kids benefit from tailored instruction.
Neither "minority" nor "disabled" is a monolith. All kids benefit from tailored instruction.
July 19, 2025 at 6:50 PM
There's something incredibly condescending about someone contrasting his own "gifted" kids with other "minority and disabled" kids to mock the idea of testing people and teaching to their levels.
Neither "minority" nor "disabled" is a monolith. All kids benefit from tailored instruction.
Neither "minority" nor "disabled" is a monolith. All kids benefit from tailored instruction.
Reposted by TracingWoodgrains
master furry @tracewoodgrains.bsky.social hard at work
June 8, 2025 at 7:31 PM
master furry @tracewoodgrains.bsky.social hard at work
Recently, I had the pleasure of talking with @spencrgreenberg.bsky.social about the Center for Educational Progress on the Clearer Thinking podcast! Fun conversation - we covered a lot of ground.
podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/259/...
podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/259/...
How to unleash student potential in education (with Jack Despain Zhou) | Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg — the podcast about ideas that matter
How to unleash student potential in education (with Jack Despain Zhou) | Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg — the podcast about ideas that matter
podcast.clearerthinking.org
April 24, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Recently, I had the pleasure of talking with @spencrgreenberg.bsky.social about the Center for Educational Progress on the Clearer Thinking podcast! Fun conversation - we covered a lot of ground.
podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/259/...
podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/259/...
Thoroughly enjoyed this conversation.
Is there value in outsiders coming in and introducing a new paradigm or optimizations in education? @tracewoodgrains.bsky.social is hoping his Center for Educational Progress can do just that.
The ThoughtStretchers Education Podcast: Centering Educational Progress | Links to full episode below. 👇
The ThoughtStretchers Education Podcast: Centering Educational Progress | Links to full episode below. 👇
March 2, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Thoroughly enjoyed this conversation.
Ender's Game is nonfiction.
when I was younger I thought the subplot of Ender’s Game in which Ender’s siblings shitpost themselves into running the world was the least realistic part of the book
I am coming around to the idea that it was by far the most realistic
I am coming around to the idea that it was by far the most realistic
February 22, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Ender's Game is nonfiction.
This “it’s old, so why dredge it up?” line is both predictable and reprehensible. There is an ongoing lawsuit. People fought for years to piece the story together as the FAA resisted. And—what? We should ignore it, because the FAA successfully distracted people for a few years?
Actually, I do want to respond to this, because I think Eric has missed the subtext of my critique, and I want to make it explicit:
The critique is that the story reflects poor news and analysis judgement on the part of Eric and his editors at Vox.
The critique is that the story reflects poor news and analysis judgement on the part of Eric and his editors at Vox.
1) A few responses to these critiques from Jamelle and @davidaustinwalsh.bsky.social.
First, my piece does not treat "Trump's war on DEI as a legitimate policy difference." And I have trouble seeing how a fair read of this text could yield that interpretation. www.vox.com/politics/399...
First, my piece does not treat "Trump's war on DEI as a legitimate policy difference." And I have trouble seeing how a fair read of this text could yield that interpretation. www.vox.com/politics/399...
February 17, 2025 at 5:19 PM
This “it’s old, so why dredge it up?” line is both predictable and reprehensible. There is an ongoing lawsuit. People fought for years to piece the story together as the FAA resisted. And—what? We should ignore it, because the FAA successfully distracted people for a few years?
Reposted by TracingWoodgrains
People trying to defend the FAA here are being patently ridiculous. Reasonable people aren’t saying this was one singular reason that we’ve had ATC shortages — not even some of the people who pushed to bring this scandal to light are saying that.
Just that it happened, and it was bad.
Just that it happened, and it was bad.
Look, I'm hardly one to defend DEI, but this is an incredibly poorly-reasoned article that bases its prescriptive argument on *incredibly* flimsy grounds. www.vox.com/politics/399...
February 16, 2025 at 4:28 PM
People trying to defend the FAA here are being patently ridiculous. Reasonable people aren’t saying this was one singular reason that we’ve had ATC shortages — not even some of the people who pushed to bring this scandal to light are saying that.
Just that it happened, and it was bad.
Just that it happened, and it was bad.
Reposted by TracingWoodgrains
1) A few responses to these critiques from Jamelle and @davidaustinwalsh.bsky.social.
First, my piece does not treat "Trump's war on DEI as a legitimate policy difference." And I have trouble seeing how a fair read of this text could yield that interpretation. www.vox.com/politics/399...
First, my piece does not treat "Trump's war on DEI as a legitimate policy difference." And I have trouble seeing how a fair read of this text could yield that interpretation. www.vox.com/politics/399...
February 16, 2025 at 4:03 AM
1) A few responses to these critiques from Jamelle and @davidaustinwalsh.bsky.social.
First, my piece does not treat "Trump's war on DEI as a legitimate policy difference." And I have trouble seeing how a fair read of this text could yield that interpretation. www.vox.com/politics/399...
First, my piece does not treat "Trump's war on DEI as a legitimate policy difference." And I have trouble seeing how a fair read of this text could yield that interpretation. www.vox.com/politics/399...
he's saying this because I keep replying to him with hard evidence of increased failure rates, but he's so set on a predetermined narrative that he doesn't want to interrupt himself to acknowledge that he's defending the indefensible
February 15, 2025 at 9:38 PM
he's saying this because I keep replying to him with hard evidence of increased failure rates, but he's so set on a predetermined narrative that he doesn't want to interrupt himself to acknowledge that he's defending the indefensible
If you're "hardly one to defend DEI," then you certainly wouldn't pick an indefensible hiring scandal as your hill to stand on.
The FAA explicitly and knowingly lowered their standards in a safety-critical profession, using absurd means. That's bad.
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/the-full-s...
The FAA explicitly and knowingly lowered their standards in a safety-critical profession, using absurd means. That's bad.
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/the-full-s...
February 15, 2025 at 9:23 PM
If you're "hardly one to defend DEI," then you certainly wouldn't pick an indefensible hiring scandal as your hill to stand on.
The FAA explicitly and knowingly lowered their standards in a safety-critical profession, using absurd means. That's bad.
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/the-full-s...
The FAA explicitly and knowingly lowered their standards in a safety-critical profession, using absurd means. That's bad.
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/the-full-s...
I'm thrilled to announce the next step in my career: building the Center for Educational Progress alongside Lillian Tara. For more than fifty years, education policy has been trapped in a one-size-fits-all mold.
It is time for schools to pursue excellence
www.educationprogress.org/p/schools-sh...
It is time for schools to pursue excellence
www.educationprogress.org/p/schools-sh...
Schools Should Pursue Excellence
The Education Progress Manifesto
www.educationprogress.org
February 11, 2025 at 12:04 AM
I'm thrilled to announce the next step in my career: building the Center for Educational Progress alongside Lillian Tara. For more than fifty years, education policy has been trapped in a one-size-fits-all mold.
It is time for schools to pursue excellence
www.educationprogress.org/p/schools-sh...
It is time for schools to pursue excellence
www.educationprogress.org/p/schools-sh...
New article from me. I'm very proud of this one—it took dozens of interviews and extensive trawling of the historical record. It should provide everything people need to know about the FAA's hiring scandal and the people who fought to bring it to light.
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/the-full-s...
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/the-full-s...
The Full Story of the FAA's Hiring Scandal
Inside a decade of struggle to bring a scandal to light
www.tracingwoodgrains.com
February 5, 2025 at 3:58 PM
New article from me. I'm very proud of this one—it took dozens of interviews and extensive trawling of the historical record. It should provide everything people need to know about the FAA's hiring scandal and the people who fought to bring it to light.
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/the-full-s...
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/the-full-s...
Today, after a tragic plane crash yesterday, members of the Trump admin mentioned that they are working to resolve this scandal.
I don't care to connect this to the tragedy, but I'm grateful they're taking action on this. It's years overdue.
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/the-faas-h...
I don't care to connect this to the tragedy, but I'm grateful they're taking action on this. It's years overdue.
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/the-faas-h...
The FAA's Hiring Scandal: A Quick Overview
An Air Traffic Control nightmare
www.tracingwoodgrains.com
January 30, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Today, after a tragic plane crash yesterday, members of the Trump admin mentioned that they are working to resolve this scandal.
I don't care to connect this to the tragedy, but I'm grateful they're taking action on this. It's years overdue.
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/the-faas-h...
I don't care to connect this to the tragedy, but I'm grateful they're taking action on this. It's years overdue.
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/the-faas-h...
one funny thing about AI becoming more prominent is the way it strips excuses away
before: if only I could draw—there’s so much I’d want to make
after: huh, I guess there wasn’t that much I wanted to draw after all
before: if only I could draw—there’s so much I’d want to make
after: huh, I guess there wasn’t that much I wanted to draw after all
January 27, 2025 at 7:58 PM
one funny thing about AI becoming more prominent is the way it strips excuses away
before: if only I could draw—there’s so much I’d want to make
after: huh, I guess there wasn’t that much I wanted to draw after all
before: if only I could draw—there’s so much I’d want to make
after: huh, I guess there wasn’t that much I wanted to draw after all
New from me: “The color of law is not what it was in 1960. When will our analysis, in turn, move beyond that decade’s frame?”
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/book-revie...
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/book-revie...
Book Review: The Color of Law
Housing policy three generations after the Civil Rights movement
www.tracingwoodgrains.com
January 21, 2025 at 1:15 PM
New from me: “The color of law is not what it was in 1960. When will our analysis, in turn, move beyond that decade’s frame?”
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/book-revie...
www.tracingwoodgrains.com/p/book-revie...
that barrier between people who learn languages as children and those who learn it as adults? realistically, it exists in many more fields. we're not culturally equipped to understand what native-level proficiency even looks like on most topics.
January 11, 2025 at 7:59 AM
that barrier between people who learn languages as children and those who learn it as adults? realistically, it exists in many more fields. we're not culturally equipped to understand what native-level proficiency even looks like on most topics.
most times I have conversations with Claude, I ask it to pattern-match my demographics, and literally every time it pegs me as a slate star codex reader
and when I ask about politicians I like it always says Lee Kuan Yew.
always funny to see how many different tells indicate a very specific Type
and when I ask about politicians I like it always says Lee Kuan Yew.
always funny to see how many different tells indicate a very specific Type
December 23, 2024 at 2:59 PM
most times I have conversations with Claude, I ask it to pattern-match my demographics, and literally every time it pegs me as a slate star codex reader
and when I ask about politicians I like it always says Lee Kuan Yew.
always funny to see how many different tells indicate a very specific Type
and when I ask about politicians I like it always says Lee Kuan Yew.
always funny to see how many different tells indicate a very specific Type
Good reminder: There is no excuse for doxxing someone's address online. Regardless of how bad Fuentes is, nobody deserves this.
Someone showed up to Nick Fuentes' home fairly well-armed and likely looking to kill him.
December 19, 2024 at 11:19 PM
Good reminder: There is no excuse for doxxing someone's address online. Regardless of how bad Fuentes is, nobody deserves this.
one reason it’s fun to talk to Claude is because it starts conversations by repeating conventional platitudes but as soon as you press with “is that real” it’ll go “haha, no, you caught me” and then ruthlessly mock entire disciplines for being built on foundations of sand
December 17, 2024 at 4:18 PM
one reason it’s fun to talk to Claude is because it starts conversations by repeating conventional platitudes but as soon as you press with “is that real” it’ll go “haha, no, you caught me” and then ruthlessly mock entire disciplines for being built on foundations of sand
just experienced this IRL trying to explain to a journalist the extent to which he could trust an online contact about a news event, and why
“so like yes he trolls people and has esoteric right-wing views and is edgy and etc but no, he’s telling the truth here”
“so like yes he trolls people and has esoteric right-wing views and is edgy and etc but no, he’s telling the truth here”
December 16, 2024 at 10:19 PM
just experienced this IRL trying to explain to a journalist the extent to which he could trust an online contact about a news event, and why
“so like yes he trolls people and has esoteric right-wing views and is edgy and etc but no, he’s telling the truth here”
“so like yes he trolls people and has esoteric right-wing views and is edgy and etc but no, he’s telling the truth here”
The first time I tried Turkish Delight, I was devastated
I still feel betrayed by it tbh
I still feel betrayed by it tbh
the all time winner here, for every child who grew up on the Chronicles of Narnia, is Turkish Delight
which is absolutely nothing like the sugary taste explosion you imagine when you hear that Edmund was willing to sell out his entire family for it
which is absolutely nothing like the sugary taste explosion you imagine when you hear that Edmund was willing to sell out his entire family for it
Was there any representation of food, cartoon or otherwise that, in reality, tasted way different than you thought it would? For me, I think it was honey…
December 15, 2024 at 7:02 PM
The first time I tried Turkish Delight, I was devastated
I still feel betrayed by it tbh
I still feel betrayed by it tbh
Insightful thread. "The 2010s have turned the Dems, and liberal elites more generally, into this hybrid party of 'Respecters of Norms' + 'Skeptical of Law Enforcement.'"
December 15, 2024 at 4:56 PM
Insightful thread. "The 2010s have turned the Dems, and liberal elites more generally, into this hybrid party of 'Respecters of Norms' + 'Skeptical of Law Enforcement.'"
there's an odd trend where people well to my left try to convince me that Kamala Harris represented me because they know she didn't represent them.
it's simpler than that: the empty triangulation of the Harris campaign left them devoid of substance, representing neither the left nor the center.
it's simpler than that: the empty triangulation of the Harris campaign left them devoid of substance, representing neither the left nor the center.
December 15, 2024 at 4:21 PM
there's an odd trend where people well to my left try to convince me that Kamala Harris represented me because they know she didn't represent them.
it's simpler than that: the empty triangulation of the Harris campaign left them devoid of substance, representing neither the left nor the center.
it's simpler than that: the empty triangulation of the Harris campaign left them devoid of substance, representing neither the left nor the center.