Ken Mayer
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uwkenmayer.bsky.social
Ken Mayer
@uwkenmayer.bsky.social
Emeritus professor of political science UW Madison. Presidency, election administration, sifting and winnowing, the Wisconsin Idea, Golden Retrievers, and pineapple on pizza.

https://www.wisc.edu/
I was on an IRB at UW Madison for 6 years, and chair for 2. We would have run this proposal through a shredder, set fire to the detritus, mixed the ashes with concrete, and buried it in a salt mine. It's just outrageous.
December 17, 2025 at 7:03 PM
If I were still in the classroom, I'd add all kinds of text to my syllabi and course materials to get flagged: transcendental numbers, diversity jurisdiction, diamond inclusion, structural engineering, biased estimates, nonbinary star system, etc., etc.

Maybe hide it for extra fun for the AI.
December 15, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Some of their writers appear to have trouble counting past five.
December 12, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Early in my career, I had a student pull the "my parents are paying your salary" gambit while complaining about a grade.

It led to a nice conversation about how "that's not how this works."
December 9, 2025 at 10:45 PM
When the football team loses to Lafayette by only 9 touchdowns.
December 9, 2025 at 5:30 PM
She's the Gordon Gee of Carly Fiorinas.
December 9, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Yup.
December 9, 2025 at 2:01 AM
The business model is to create an unpleasant experience and then make people pay to get away from it.
December 9, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Not hard to see why his brother resigned from Parliament so he could spend less time with his family.
December 8, 2025 at 11:57 PM
JFC I wish Dorothy Parker were alive to write a review of this book.
December 8, 2025 at 7:07 PM
The question for the ages: Why a duck?
December 8, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Nope, you nailed it. Gotta call things by their correct names. Anyone objects, assign Politics and the English Language.
December 5, 2025 at 6:11 PM
The jokes kind of write themselves.

If only donors were as energetic when biology profs get outside offers.
December 5, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
December 5, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Coming soon to a theater near you:
a woman with black hair and bangs is sitting at a table with her mouth open .
ALT: a woman with black hair and bangs is sitting at a table with her mouth open .
media.tenor.com
December 4, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Yup. When we read, our brains correct errors as we go, so we don't notice them.

Still, the only *guaranteed* way to catch typos is hit "submit."
December 4, 2025 at 11:34 PM
I'd like to see her try to turn on the heel of her pink Gucci stilettos from where she was sitting.

That at least would be something.
December 4, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Kind of surprised he was able to find it.
December 2, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Another guy who made it totally on his own with no help from anyone, except for that $85,000 loan from dad.
December 1, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Roger should have just used OLS.
November 29, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Mr. Rogers?

Sorry, kinda new at this Catholic thing.
November 26, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Hooray!
November 25, 2025 at 8:29 PM