Alison Smaalders
@vividwings.bsky.social
Archaeology major, currently working in P&C insurance. Gamer, LARPer, general nerd, cat lover. Occasionally known as Fun Fact. She/her.
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
OK - pie discourse - best pie story:
In 2016, we were living in Andover, in the UK. My wife was assigned as an exchange officer at the Army Air Corps base at Middle Wallop (yes, really).*
The US Army has a tradition: senior leaders, in dress uniform, serve junior troops Thanksgiving dinner.
/1
In 2016, we were living in Andover, in the UK. My wife was assigned as an exchange officer at the Army Air Corps base at Middle Wallop (yes, really).*
The US Army has a tradition: senior leaders, in dress uniform, serve junior troops Thanksgiving dinner.
/1
November 26, 2025 at 5:02 AM
OK - pie discourse - best pie story:
In 2016, we were living in Andover, in the UK. My wife was assigned as an exchange officer at the Army Air Corps base at Middle Wallop (yes, really).*
The US Army has a tradition: senior leaders, in dress uniform, serve junior troops Thanksgiving dinner.
/1
In 2016, we were living in Andover, in the UK. My wife was assigned as an exchange officer at the Army Air Corps base at Middle Wallop (yes, really).*
The US Army has a tradition: senior leaders, in dress uniform, serve junior troops Thanksgiving dinner.
/1
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
gone, and also forgotten
November 26, 2025 at 9:42 PM
gone, and also forgotten
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
Australia recorded ZERO cases of cervical cancer in women under 25 for the first time since they started tracking the cancer in the 80s.
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
newsGP - Australia set for world-first cervical cancer elimination
Vaccination programs have played a key role, and GPs remain ‘instrumental’ in boosting screening rates to reach the 2035 target.
www1.racgp.org.au
November 27, 2025 at 3:45 AM
Australia recorded ZERO cases of cervical cancer in women under 25 for the first time since they started tracking the cancer in the 80s.
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
"Imagine you stole all of the intellectual property in the world. And you're using it to help people write middling emails and make revenge porn about women, and also children. And you're powering this plagiarism and non-consensual porn machine by eating up what's left of humanity's carbon budget."
How to explain AI to your family this holiday season | CNN Business
Politics, football and movies are among the many topics that tend to come up around Thanksgiving. In 2025, a new question may arise at the table: Why the heck is everyone talking about AI, and what sh...
www.cnn.com
November 27, 2025 at 4:04 AM
"Imagine you stole all of the intellectual property in the world. And you're using it to help people write middling emails and make revenge porn about women, and also children. And you're powering this plagiarism and non-consensual porn machine by eating up what's left of humanity's carbon budget."
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
Dear foreign nationals in war-torn countries, terrorism hot-spots, and amidst our enemies:
If you help the United States, we’ll fuck you over and abandon you. Not the individual servicepeople or intelligence officers — they’ll fight for you. I mean the depraved, soulless leadership of the nation.
If you help the United States, we’ll fuck you over and abandon you. Not the individual servicepeople or intelligence officers — they’ll fight for you. I mean the depraved, soulless leadership of the nation.
So now they’re going to be doing individualized re-review of tens of thousands of Afghan evacuees’ cases on TOP of the re-review of 200,000+ refugees who entered under Biden?
November 27, 2025 at 5:42 AM
Dear foreign nationals in war-torn countries, terrorism hot-spots, and amidst our enemies:
If you help the United States, we’ll fuck you over and abandon you. Not the individual servicepeople or intelligence officers — they’ll fight for you. I mean the depraved, soulless leadership of the nation.
If you help the United States, we’ll fuck you over and abandon you. Not the individual servicepeople or intelligence officers — they’ll fight for you. I mean the depraved, soulless leadership of the nation.
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
A Butlerian… crusade?
Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’
Even God Is Worried About ChatGPT
Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’
www.vulture.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:31 PM
A Butlerian… crusade?
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
"Look, it was made very clear to me that this was a knife fight; I thought I was going to be the ONLY person bringing a gun, and I'm pretty sure it's cheating if other people did that." --the GOP, apparently.
The GOP entered this war under the rather childish delusion that they were going to gerrymander everyone else, and nobody was going to gerrymander them. In half a hundred places, they put their rather naive theory into operation. They sowed the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.
COOK POLITICAL: Republicans “may have had a blind spot: the extent to which Democrats could push .. in blue states to fight back.” 🤡
@cookpolitical.com #Redistrict
www.cookpolitical.com/analysis/hou...
@cookpolitical.com #Redistrict
www.cookpolitical.com/analysis/hou...
November 26, 2025 at 8:42 PM
"Look, it was made very clear to me that this was a knife fight; I thought I was going to be the ONLY person bringing a gun, and I'm pretty sure it's cheating if other people did that." --the GOP, apparently.
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
There are currently TWENTY THREE Great Pyr mixes at the Oregon Humane Society available for adoption, rescued from a huge neglect case out in Polk County. If you’ve ever wanted a LORG fren for your family, you can’t do much better than Pyrs.
Animal Details
Details about each animal available at the Oregon Humane Society.
www.oregonhumane.org
November 26, 2025 at 5:10 PM
There are currently TWENTY THREE Great Pyr mixes at the Oregon Humane Society available for adoption, rescued from a huge neglect case out in Polk County. If you’ve ever wanted a LORG fren for your family, you can’t do much better than Pyrs.
This article collects the figures in one place that show something that has been clear to many on an instinctual level for a long time: you need to make a LOT of money to live a comfortable but modest lifestyle.
We have a “poverty trap” and it’s driving the destruction of social cohesion.
The “poverty line” is’t 35,000, it’s $150,000, and making more than one, and less than the other is worse than being “poor”.
Which is why the rage.
www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-...
The “poverty line” is’t 35,000, it’s $150,000, and making more than one, and less than the other is worse than being “poor”.
Which is why the rage.
www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-...
Part 1: My Life Is a Lie
How a Broken Benchmark Quietly Broke America
www.yesigiveafig.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:56 PM
This article collects the figures in one place that show something that has been clear to many on an instinctual level for a long time: you need to make a LOT of money to live a comfortable but modest lifestyle.
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
Wow — Senators Van Hollen, Smith, Murphy, Sanders, Warren, Markey, Merkley, Heinrich have created an official internal "Fight Club."
They're challenging Schumer & Gillibrand's leadership, arguing the party is using an old, corporate-friendly playbook insufficient to take on Trump or win elections.
They're challenging Schumer & Gillibrand's leadership, arguing the party is using an old, corporate-friendly playbook insufficient to take on Trump or win elections.
Chuck Schumer Faces Pushback From a ‘Fight Club’ of Senate Democrats
www.nytimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:39 AM
Wow — Senators Van Hollen, Smith, Murphy, Sanders, Warren, Markey, Merkley, Heinrich have created an official internal "Fight Club."
They're challenging Schumer & Gillibrand's leadership, arguing the party is using an old, corporate-friendly playbook insufficient to take on Trump or win elections.
They're challenging Schumer & Gillibrand's leadership, arguing the party is using an old, corporate-friendly playbook insufficient to take on Trump or win elections.
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
"It is against the TOS to be talked into suicide by our LLM" is possibly the most evil tech bro thing I've ever read
Additionally, OpenAI argues its not liable because Raine, by using ChatGPT for self-harm, broke its terms of service
November 26, 2025 at 12:29 AM
"It is against the TOS to be talked into suicide by our LLM" is possibly the most evil tech bro thing I've ever read
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
I’m sure these two things have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with each other.
November 24, 2025 at 7:38 PM
I’m sure these two things have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with each other.
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
The new age method of battling against those racist, bigot, sexist online people is not to help them seek reason. It's to tell them to fuck off and make them feel isolated in their thinking to where they have no one to talk to. Maybe they will find a group but as long as it's way over there.
March 22, 2025 at 1:53 PM
The new age method of battling against those racist, bigot, sexist online people is not to help them seek reason. It's to tell them to fuck off and make them feel isolated in their thinking to where they have no one to talk to. Maybe they will find a group but as long as it's way over there.
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
my private memo is raising a lot of questions already answered by my private memo
In the memo, “Nvidia also responds to claims that the ‘current situation is analogous to historical accounting frauds (Enron, WorldCom, Lucent) that featured vendor financing and SPVs [special purpose vehicles.)’”
@barrons.com $NVDA
@firstadopter.bsky.social
www.barrons.com/articles/nvi...
@barrons.com $NVDA
@firstadopter.bsky.social
www.barrons.com/articles/nvi...
November 24, 2025 at 7:11 PM
my private memo is raising a lot of questions already answered by my private memo
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
I cannot imagine what could possibly go wrong in trying to court-martial an astronaut and pilot decorated multiple times for valor and exceptional service, who is also a sitting senator, for correctly making the point that service members are obliged not to follow unlawful orders
Hegseth is now threatening to recall Sen. Mark Kelly to active duty in order to court martial him.
November 24, 2025 at 6:45 PM
I cannot imagine what could possibly go wrong in trying to court-martial an astronaut and pilot decorated multiple times for valor and exceptional service, who is also a sitting senator, for correctly making the point that service members are obliged not to follow unlawful orders
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
YOU COME FOR ME LIKE THIS ON MY OWN FEED?!? *attempts to close cupboard over mountain of rustic pottery*
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
November 23, 2025 at 10:12 PM
YOU COME FOR ME LIKE THIS ON MY OWN FEED?!? *attempts to close cupboard over mountain of rustic pottery*
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
Because people keep asking, the Story of The Lizard In That Dude's Leg. Some caveats:
1. This happened more than twenty years ago. There are no pictures. There was a small article in a local paper with, again, no pictures (I'm assuming that's what the producers of 9-1-1: LONE STAR found).
1. This happened more than twenty years ago. There are no pictures. There was a small article in a local paper with, again, no pictures (I'm assuming that's what the producers of 9-1-1: LONE STAR found).
September 30, 2024 at 4:01 PM
Because people keep asking, the Story of The Lizard In That Dude's Leg. Some caveats:
1. This happened more than twenty years ago. There are no pictures. There was a small article in a local paper with, again, no pictures (I'm assuming that's what the producers of 9-1-1: LONE STAR found).
1. This happened more than twenty years ago. There are no pictures. There was a small article in a local paper with, again, no pictures (I'm assuming that's what the producers of 9-1-1: LONE STAR found).
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
There is a post circulating on Bluesky encouraging the moving of a frozen turkey straight into a pot of hot oil. We are combating this misinformation the best way we know how - through the power of dance music.
November 23, 2025 at 1:31 PM
There is a post circulating on Bluesky encouraging the moving of a frozen turkey straight into a pot of hot oil. We are combating this misinformation the best way we know how - through the power of dance music.
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
Well, we've found the song for the Vatican City's first Eurovision entry
He said "Amen" straight into the drop
Lmao Pope Leo threw a rave for an archbishop's 75th birthday this is kind of incredible
Lmao Pope Leo threw a rave for an archbishop's 75th birthday this is kind of incredible
November 21, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Well, we've found the song for the Vatican City's first Eurovision entry
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
"Greeks living in Afghanistan were Buddhist 500 years before China and a thousand years before Southeast Asia" is one of those things that sounds made up but is in fact true
November 20, 2025 at 3:25 PM
"Greeks living in Afghanistan were Buddhist 500 years before China and a thousand years before Southeast Asia" is one of those things that sounds made up but is in fact true
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
Cervical Cancer Vaccine Push Has Saved 1.4 Million Lives: Gavi www.barrons.com/news/cervica... via @barrons.com
Cervical Cancer Vaccine Push Has Saved 1.4 Million Lives: Gavi
A three-year campaign to bring vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) to low-income countries has prevented 1.4 million cervical cancer deaths, the vaccine alliance Gavi said Monday.
www.barrons.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Cervical Cancer Vaccine Push Has Saved 1.4 Million Lives: Gavi www.barrons.com/news/cervica... via @barrons.com
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
made this for your sharing convenience
November 21, 2025 at 4:53 PM
made this for your sharing convenience
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
Outside of Chicago, on the grounds of a former armory, decades ago an alliance of various orgs began restoring the prairie, and at Midewin Tallgrass Prairie they imported bison to roam the prairie once more. I love to visit my very large bi sons 💚🦬
November 21, 2025 at 3:08 AM
Outside of Chicago, on the grounds of a former armory, decades ago an alliance of various orgs began restoring the prairie, and at Midewin Tallgrass Prairie they imported bison to roam the prairie once more. I love to visit my very large bi sons 💚🦬
Reposted by Alison Smaalders
Unpopular opinion: I'd like journalists to go back to doing reporting, and leave the big "think pieces" to people who have PhDs and can distinguish between historical/scientific fact and a bumper-sticker.
This is an Ezra Klein subtweet not limited at all to Ezra Klein.
This is an Ezra Klein subtweet not limited at all to Ezra Klein.
November 21, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Unpopular opinion: I'd like journalists to go back to doing reporting, and leave the big "think pieces" to people who have PhDs and can distinguish between historical/scientific fact and a bumper-sticker.
This is an Ezra Klein subtweet not limited at all to Ezra Klein.
This is an Ezra Klein subtweet not limited at all to Ezra Klein.