Jeanne Reames

‘I wish I could push ChatGPT off a cliff’: professors scramble to save critical thinking in an age of AI As AI has upended the way students learn, academics worry about the future of the humanities - and society at large

I'm one of many professors quoted in this report from Alice Speri. I really appreciate The Guardian taking an angle which has basically eluded every other major outlet.

But Alexander didn't name himself that. ;-) The Romans did. Later.

Aristotle & Alexander the Great YouTube video by Let's Talk Alexander the Great & Ancient Macedonia

By request, a discussion of Aristotle's impact on Alexander the Great, with side speculation on Aristotle's background & perhaps some *spying* (or at least negotiating) for Philip II at the court of Hermias in Asia Minor. #classicsbluesky #ancientbluesky #blueskyancient #Aristotle #Alexanderthegreat

Pictures emerging from today’s heavy bombing of Isfahan. Damages to the mirror works, tiles, floors, and carved wooden doors of Safavid palaces of Aali Qapu and Chehelsotoon. Both of these are within the UNESCO Heritage complex of Naqsh-e Jahan Square. These are 16th-17th century bldgs.

NBC’s Richard Engel: “The White House meme campaign is outraging many former US military commanders… they say only someone who has never really seen combat would think it’s a joke and put out material like this.”

This has become a humanitarian and environmental disaster.

‘Dark, like our future’: Iranians describe scenes of catastrophe after Tehran’s oil depots bombed Residents report terror of smoke-filled city, from potentially toxic rain, air and water to food scarcity and difficulty of escape

“An activist and former political prisoner…said the situation was ‘apocalyptic’…[and] ‘The situation is so frightening it’s hard to describe. Smoke has covered the entire city. I have severe shortness of breath and burning in my eyes and throat, and many others feel the same.’”

I think a lot of us who teach have also lost this, for various reasons, from cynicism, to burnout, to some not liking teaching, etc etc. Every semester, I try for this, to instil that joy for learning in my students. Im not sure the world allows for/wants it any more, though. Even if students do.

THREAD: I got laid off from NYMag/Vulture after 14 years. The family lost 75% of income + medical. Now mzs.press bookstore, once a side project. is do-or-die for Judith & I. I feel weird telling you this because others are doing much worse. But if you could like or share this, we'd be so grateful!

And all 60 years' worth of NEH grants will be outspent in a week of attacks on Iran

This...

Picture of DOGE guy Nate Cavanaugh

Screenshot of my DOGE letter “Dr. Joseph Rezek Dear NEH Grantee, This letter provides notice that the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is terminating your federal grant (Grant Application No. FEL29509824) effective April 3, 2025, in accordance with the termination clause in your Grant Agreement. Your grant no longer effectuates the agency's needs and priorities and conditions of the Grant Agreement and is subject to termination due to several reasonable causes, as outlined in 2CFR§200.340. For instance, NEH has reasonable cause to terminate your grant in light of the fact that the NEH is repurposing its funding allocations in a new direction in furtherance of the President's agenda. The President's February 19, 2025 executive order mandates that the NEH eliminate all non-statutorily required activities and functions. See Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy, E.O. 14217 (Feb. 19, 2025). Your grant's immediate termination is necessary to safeguard the interests of the federal government, including its fiscal priorities. Any objections or appeals to this termination will be managed in strict accordance with the President's Executive Orders,

Last year, this guy (left) from DOGE used ChatGPT to find NEH grants that were too “DEI” for Trump, and canceled them, including mine, as shown by the letter I received last April (right). Huge new NYT article on the back story link below

As evidence, the filing notes a list Mr. Fox compiled of what he called the "craziest" and "other bad" grants, which he planned to highlight on DOGE's X account. He used three dozen keywords, including "L.G.B.T.Q.""BIPOC," "tribal, "ethnicity," "gender," "equality," "immigration "citizenship" and "melting pot." (A majority of the two dozen grants deemed "craziest" related to L.G.B.T.Q. subjects.) In the deposition, Mr. Fox said the list reflected his "subjective" judgment about whether a grant might be out of line with Mr. Trump's executive order. "Crazy' is one way of saying it," he said. "Most incriminating' is another way."

Why did I think they simply canceled all of them. Nope it was discriminatory

1) This is beyond horrific; 2) this does not encourage me to visit the US; 3) I don't think ticket sales for the World Cup and the Olympics in LA will do very well as more people hear about stuff like this.

In the last 14 months of Biden's term, 1,740,000 total jobs were created. In the first 14 months of Trump's current term, 150,000 jobs were created. That's a ratio of 11.6 to 1 ...

The idea that "Republicans do better on the economy" is and has always been BS.

As more GiveToGain posts appear a reminder that it is a made-up theme by a for-profit company which makes money from theme based goods but has no charitable donations on its accounts for the past 10yrs

The UN #IWD2026 theme this is: Rights. Justice. Action.

www.unwomen.org/en/get-invol...

Scottish Government's New Guidance Counters the Myth of "Irreversible Damage" Scottish Government and NHS Scotland have published new patient information for trans and non-binary patients considering fertility preservation by egg freezing.

"This new guidance by the Scottish government highlights how much the gender critical use hyperbole, fear and a distortion of facts to terrify other parents into preventing their child from receiving the healthcare they need."

sophie-molly-reports.beehiiv.com/p/scottish-g...

'Heated Rivalry's Jacob Tierney Sets Up Alexander the Great Series at Netflix Heated Rivalry creator Jacob Tierney will write and direct Alexander, a new drama based on Annabel Lyon’s The Golden Mean.

I'll be blunt that I have real issues with this novel's portrayal of Macedonia (quite dated) and of Alexander as a budding little psychopath. She does know Aristotle. I rarely speak negatively about another ATG novel, but this one bugs me.

Image of the book covers with the text "The story of Alexander before he became 'The Great'" Available at Riptide Publishing

Gonna be shameless & promote myself. Alexander the Great novels including his time w/ Aristotle from an Alexander/Macedonian specialist. Yes, Netflix, there's an alternative from somebody who knows the country/history + 4-star Goodreads ratings. #classicsbluesky #ancientbluesky #alexanderthegreat

Blah.

Alexander never said that.

A budget is a moral document.

*cough* I feel this. I was online before public internet existed. So were many of my writer friends. GEnie SFF roundtable. And my brother (older than me) sold modems before anybody knew what a modem was: "They let computers talk to each other." Inevitable reply: "Why would anybody want that...?" Ha.

I cry no tears over Noem's firing and understand Bondi is also be vulnerable. Good. They're awful human beings. BUT I must also underscore that they're vulnerable *because they're women*. So before you cheer, think about that. Trump plans to replace Noem with a guy. Bondi, if she goes...the same.

One coal miner on my side too. Rest were farmers.

This certainly violates the "wall of separation" between church and state. I don't think bombing Iran and starting a war in the Middle East to bring about the "end times" as described in the Book of Revelation is something that Congress should permit.

Trump declared war without supporting the evacuation of vulnerable American populations abroad AND without hardening diplomatic or military targets in the region.

An incredible act of incompetence and hubris that will cost billions in reconstruction and will almost certainly cost lives.

Targeting & bombing a girls school is a war crime.
Trump & Netanyahu are terrorists.
While Trump drags our young men & women into harms way, their kids are living the high life with all the comforts provided by the billions that they’ve stolen from American Taxpayers.
#ProudBlue #OneV1 #Pinks

Years ago our admin did a red and black report. It took salaries & how much $ each instructor made in tuition $ for classes we taught-you were in the red or black. They released numbers once & shut it down bc humanities were producing huge $ for uni & engineers, business and scientists were losing $

A children's hospital is renamed for Dolly Parton and hopes to transform pediatric care in Tennessee Dolly Parton’s name might inspire full-throated sing-a-longs to her working woman’s anthem “9 to 5,” or evoke memories of thrilling days spent at her Dollywood theme park.

“Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital did not share how much Parton donated as part of the naming announcement. But Matt Schaefer, its president and CEO, said her support would ensure ‘every child who walks through our doors receives the treatment they deserve.’”

GOD BLESS DOLLY PARTON