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Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 3h

Koonin is a brilliant physicist, former Caltech provost. Some of my friends and I were baffled when he went to BP. Not sure how much of their Koolaid he drank, versus homebrew, but he seems to have imbibed an unfortunate amount.

Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 8h

This guy proposes changes to the NPB playoff system that ultimately require expanding the leagues. He suggests Niigata, Hokuriku, Shikoku and Shizuoka. I'm in favor, but what about Okinawa?
クライマックスシリーズでぶっちぎり優勝チームに漂う不公平感と興行面での面白さを両立させる手段とは（坂東太郎） - エキスパート - Yahoo!ニュース share.google/rLuH7mIwgEfP...

クライマックスシリーズでぶっちぎり優勝チームに漂う不公平感と興行面での面白さを両立させる手段とは（坂東太郎） - エキスパート - Yahoo!ニュース

14日からプロ野球セ・パ両リーグの日本シリーズ出場権をかけた「クライマックスシリーズ」（ＣＳ）が始まります。　毎年、この時期になるとレギュラーシーズンで優勝したチームが２・３位チームに出場権を奪われ

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Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 8h

Sadly, I'm not there. Must be nice!

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Reposted by Rod Van Meter

James Wootton @decodoku.bsky.social · 9h

Anyone in Geneva for Swiss Quantum Week?

I'm around today and tomorrow if anyone wants to catch up.

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Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 19h

White guy, of course.

I asked my dad before he died where the Black men in town got their hair cut, and he didn't know.

Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 19h

You can get a 75-year-old barber in a classic old but clean barbershop stacked with Guns & Ammo and car mags and a glass bottle Coca Cola vending machine in southern West Virginia for twenty bucks.

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Reposted by Rod Van Meter

Tobias Wilson-Bates @phdhurtbrain.bsky.social · 1d

New live action Disney films where they put back all the stuff Disney pruned out of the original folk tales. Cinderella’s dad demands that she marry him, the Beast takes off his skin at night, Mowgli brutally arranges the death of Shere Khan, a passing king knocks up Sleeping Beauty.

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Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 1d

Don't sleep on Ella.

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Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 1d

Congratulations to her, and to you!

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Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 1d

WE WIN!!! 4.5 hours to play 11 innings. Sorry, @paulblustein.bsky.social.

Now I can make dinner...

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Reposted by Rod Van Meter

Patrick @atomicpopwi.bsky.social · 1d

Firing people for 24 hours is just another 4D chess maneuver, right?

Geoff Brumfiel @gbrumfiel.bsky.social · 1d

BREAKING: CDC is apparently reversing many of its layoffs. Letters seen by NPR indicate that many employees working with infectious diseases have had their RIFs revoked.

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Reposted by Rod Van Meter

USA TODAY @usatoday.com · 1d

The Education Department laid off nearly everyone at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

Education Department wipes out special ed office in shutdown layoffs, union says

The Education Department laid off nearly everyone at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

bit.ly

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Reposted by Rod Van Meter

Dr. SkySkull @drskyskull.bsky.social · 1d

This sounds pretty illegal, but who knows if that matters

Sam Halpert @samhalpert.bsky.social · 1d

www.politico.com/live-updates...

The Office of Management and Budget sent a notification to Congress about their intent to use research and development funds to pay members of the military, two sources with direct knowledge tell NBC News.
A spokesperson for the OMB confirmed to NBC
News that it plans to use the research and development funds and that there are two years' worth of funds available within the Department of Defense.

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Reposted by Rod Van Meter

Robert “The Bobby Yaga” McNees @mcnees.bsky.social · 1d

“Why is the night sky dark, if we live in an infinite universe?”

Kepler, Halley, and Cheseaux all pondered this apparent paradox, but the question is commonly attributed to Heinrich Olbers, who was born #OTD in 1758. 🧪 🔭

Images: hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Astro/..., Wellcome Collection

A diagram shows arrows radiating from a central point, indicating directions, with lots of white disks (stars) surrounding the central point.

An etching of Hans Olbers. He wears a heavy coat, vest, and high collared white shirt. His wispy hair is receding.

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Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 2d

Becoming a BayStars fan since moving to Kanagawa, I now know a little of what it was like being a Clippers fan in the 80s and 90s. But the 'Stars managed to pull off a championship last year...while I was in Dublin! And this year I'll be in Montreal.

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Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 2d

P.S. love Morticia and that GIF!

Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 2d

Doh, and yes, I forgot the alt text but I don't want to redo the whole thread. It's the cover of King Dollar: the Past and Future of the World's Dominant Currency.

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Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 2d

bsky.app/profile/rdvq...

For one.
Silmarillion for another.
Gonna pick up Heather Cox Richardson's Democracy Awakening and Mary Robinette Kowal's latest Lady Astronaut soon! Can't wait, but wanted to finish a couple of others first.

Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 2d

Finally finished @paulblustein.bsky.social's latest book, and it's a doozy!

Paul writes clearly and authoritatively, not to mention entertainingly. I've read most of his books, and I always learn so much about how the world works. I wish I could carry in my head a fraction of what Paul does.

Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 2d

As with all of Paul's books, highly recommended.

Disclosure: Paul is a good friend, so my opinion is biased. Nevertheless, I'm right!

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Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 2d

In particular, if you're curious how modern financial sanctions work (and why they don't have unlimited power), you'll love this.

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Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 2d

I love how Paul takes current events and ties them to history. In this one, the stories about the earliest clearing houses in New York and how money was handled in Saudi Arabia in the 1970s both stick with me.

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Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 2d

This one is, as you might guess, about how money flows internationally and why so much of it is done in dollars. A dizzying array of acronyms and obscure but critical organizations people this book. Who knew money was so complicated?

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Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 2d

Finally finished @paulblustein.bsky.social's latest book, and it's a doozy!

Paul writes clearly and authoritatively, not to mention entertainingly. I've read most of his books, and I always learn so much about how the world works. I wish I could carry in my head a fraction of what Paul does.

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Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 2d

youtu.be/r6mdOY1vYbs?...

What a trio.

Jeff Beck Live 2022 🡆 You Know You Know ⬘ Bass/Anika Nilles Drum Solo 🡄 Sept 25 ⬘ The Woodlands, TX

YouTube video by DeadMike.com

youtu.be

Rod Van Meter @rdvquantum.bsky.social · 2d

@paulblustein.bsky.social gotta say, I like today's result, though I'm sorry it will cause gloom on your home front.

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