Dan Libertz
@dlib24.bsky.social
Asst. Prof. of English & Assoc. Director of First-Year Writing @BaruchCollege, @CUNY | teaching, rhetoric, quant | wooder ice (lemon) | #firstgen | he/him
Reposted by Dan Libertz
With my collaborator Zachary Muhlbauer, our article on how public writers think about framing quantitative information has been published at Written Communication. Here is a free link: journals.sagepub.com/eprint/YRFI6... #teamrhetoric
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:44 PM
With my collaborator Zachary Muhlbauer, our article on how public writers think about framing quantitative information has been published at Written Communication. Here is a free link: journals.sagepub.com/eprint/YRFI6... #teamrhetoric
Reposted by Dan Libertz
Call your reps; it’s not futile to demand accountability: “Rep. Haley Stevens of Michigan, a Democrat running for Senate, filed articles of impeachment on Wednesday against Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., making an all but certainly futile bid to charge him with undermining public health”
House Democrat Seeks to Impeach Kennedy for Undercutting Public Health
www.nytimes.com
December 10, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Call your reps; it’s not futile to demand accountability: “Rep. Haley Stevens of Michigan, a Democrat running for Senate, filed articles of impeachment on Wednesday against Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., making an all but certainly futile bid to charge him with undermining public health”
Reposted by Dan Libertz
New: Pregnant immigrant women are showing up to deliver their babies w/ surveillance smart watches on their wrists as part of an ICE monitoring program. They’re too afraid of being detained to have the watch cut off even when it’s medically necessary. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
ICE is tracking pregnant women all the way to the delivery room: ‘She was so afraid they would take her baby’
Pregnant immigrants in ICE monitoring programs are avoiding care, fearing detention during labour and delivery
www.theguardian.com
December 10, 2025 at 1:36 PM
New: Pregnant immigrant women are showing up to deliver their babies w/ surveillance smart watches on their wrists as part of an ICE monitoring program. They’re too afraid of being detained to have the watch cut off even when it’s medically necessary. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Dan Libertz
The other main difference is that librarians generally get more deescalation training than cops.
For comparison To be a librarian in Seattle, you have to have a master's degree, and their starting salary is about $36,000 less than that of a a rookie cop with a high school education or GED.
December 9, 2025 at 11:19 PM
The other main difference is that librarians generally get more deescalation training than cops.
Reposted by Dan Libertz
More than a third of the roughly 220,000 people arrested by ICE officers in the first nine months of the Trump administration had no criminal histories, according to new data.
ICE has arrested nearly 75,000 people with no criminal records, data shows
The figures don't include arrests made by Border Patrol, which has launched aggressive immigration operations in several cities in recent months.
nbcnews.to
December 8, 2025 at 5:00 PM
More than a third of the roughly 220,000 people arrested by ICE officers in the first nine months of the Trump administration had no criminal histories, according to new data.
Reposted by Dan Libertz
ICE is kidnapping parents from outside of their children’s daycare centers.
This is not what going after the “worst of the worst” looks like. Trump is terrorizing families and traumatizing children.
www.seattletimes.com/education-la...
This is not what going after the “worst of the worst” looks like. Trump is terrorizing families and traumatizing children.
www.seattletimes.com/education-la...
Fear persists after mother detained outside of Issaquah preschool, deported
The detention and deportation of an Issaquah mother outside her 4-year-old son's preschool has sent shockwaves through Western Washington's child care sector.
www.seattletimes.com
December 7, 2025 at 7:04 PM
ICE is kidnapping parents from outside of their children’s daycare centers.
This is not what going after the “worst of the worst” looks like. Trump is terrorizing families and traumatizing children.
www.seattletimes.com/education-la...
This is not what going after the “worst of the worst” looks like. Trump is terrorizing families and traumatizing children.
www.seattletimes.com/education-la...
Reposted by Dan Libertz
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
December 7, 2025 at 5:17 PM
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
Reposted by Dan Libertz
ME: they shouldn't be able to say 'your order has shipped' when they've just created a label. That's not shipped.
ISAAC CHOTINER: so, you've never claimed to have a task underway when you've merely opened the file?
ME: that's not-
CHOTINER: in this Teams message to your boss, you said-
ISAAC CHOTINER: so, you've never claimed to have a task underway when you've merely opened the file?
ME: that's not-
CHOTINER: in this Teams message to your boss, you said-
December 5, 2025 at 3:25 PM
ME: they shouldn't be able to say 'your order has shipped' when they've just created a label. That's not shipped.
ISAAC CHOTINER: so, you've never claimed to have a task underway when you've merely opened the file?
ME: that's not-
CHOTINER: in this Teams message to your boss, you said-
ISAAC CHOTINER: so, you've never claimed to have a task underway when you've merely opened the file?
ME: that's not-
CHOTINER: in this Teams message to your boss, you said-
Reposted by Dan Libertz
I don't know. I've been teaching since 2006 and I have never seen someone pretend to be disabled to get accommodations. I mean that literally: I cannot think of a single instance where someone was trying to game the system.
Balancing "no person with a disability should be denied accommodations" with "it's important to discourage non-disabled people from pretending to be disabled to take advantage of these accommodations" is really difficult and I don't have a great answer for what anyone should do about it.
December 4, 2025 at 6:09 PM
I don't know. I've been teaching since 2006 and I have never seen someone pretend to be disabled to get accommodations. I mean that literally: I cannot think of a single instance where someone was trying to game the system.
Reposted by Dan Libertz
THIS is what real "news distortion" looks like: The president of the United States bullied CBS into selectively editing an interview with him. The FCC should repeal its news distortion policy as a dangerous weapon against the free press, but if it won't, it must open a docket here
@raskin.house.gov: "President Trump directed CBS to edit his own interview after suing the network for editing his opponent’s interview, and CBS complied with his requests and omitted its anchor’s questions about President Trump’s pardons." @poynterinstitute.bsky.social mailchi.mp/poynter/top-...
Top Democrat files complaint over '60 Minutes' interview with President Trump
Jamie Raskin wrote to CBS's ombudsman, a role created in an agreement with FCC during Paramount merger to address 'media bias'.
mailchi.mp
December 4, 2025 at 1:17 PM
THIS is what real "news distortion" looks like: The president of the United States bullied CBS into selectively editing an interview with him. The FCC should repeal its news distortion policy as a dangerous weapon against the free press, but if it won't, it must open a docket here
This reasoning about eugenics and gene editing applies to pretty much any scientific or technical change or idea! Very succinct and useful.
3. Although I think I see the point OP is trying to make, it's dangerous to simplify historical eugenics and we should never write off present day concerns over gene editing, etc. We should *always* question why we are doing something and explore all the potential ramifications of these decisions.
December 4, 2025 at 1:31 PM
This reasoning about eugenics and gene editing applies to pretty much any scientific or technical change or idea! Very succinct and useful.
Reposted by Dan Libertz
Historian of eugenics here. I don't normally like to retweet bad arguments, but this is such a fundamental misunderstanding of eugenics, I think it's important to point out. I don't have time to debunk all of the ways this is inaccurate, but I'll highlight a few things and then recommend some books🧵
December 4, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Historian of eugenics here. I don't normally like to retweet bad arguments, but this is such a fundamental misunderstanding of eugenics, I think it's important to point out. I don't have time to debunk all of the ways this is inaccurate, but I'll highlight a few things and then recommend some books🧵
Ah yes, the famously straightforward concept of “authenticity.” This is so revealing that faculty do not run universities. News to no faculty of course but can you imagine running this idea by a committee of faculty? Especially social scientists?
December 2, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Ah yes, the famously straightforward concept of “authenticity.” This is so revealing that faculty do not run universities. News to no faculty of course but can you imagine running this idea by a committee of faculty? Especially social scientists?
Real loser behavior whoever takes time out of their day to do something like this. I’m as deranged an eagles fan as you might find but this is so stupid
Police confirmed Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo’s house was vandalized early Saturday morning, two days before a viral video surfaced Monday depicting objects being thrown in the direction of a home.
Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo’s house was vandalized after Bears loss, police confirm
www.inquirer.com
December 1, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Real loser behavior whoever takes time out of their day to do something like this. I’m as deranged an eagles fan as you might find but this is so stupid
The OU essay: probably bad faith effort by student, assignment prompt could have been designed better, student essay was of poor quality, essay shows evidence that student is likely not learning what they should be, instructor response reasonable in general and things student needs to hear, (1)
December 1, 2025 at 7:34 PM
The OU essay: probably bad faith effort by student, assignment prompt could have been designed better, student essay was of poor quality, essay shows evidence that student is likely not learning what they should be, instructor response reasonable in general and things student needs to hear, (1)
Reposted by Dan Libertz
So many of these nods to ethics in the AI discourse and AI policies and training in schools and corporations treat ethics like something simply to be mentioned, not to be acted on. Mention it and move on doing whatever you want.
December 1, 2025 at 11:35 AM
So many of these nods to ethics in the AI discourse and AI policies and training in schools and corporations treat ethics like something simply to be mentioned, not to be acted on. Mention it and move on doing whatever you want.
Reposted by Dan Libertz
the last 24 hours on X, summed up:
November 23, 2025 at 2:26 PM
the last 24 hours on X, summed up:
Reposted by Dan Libertz
In Monrovia, California, protesters are purchasing 17¢ ICE scrapers from Home Depot and immediately returning them to create long lines and slow down the entire store. Their aim is to disrupt sales and convey a message opposing ICE raids occurring in their neighborhood.
November 23, 2025 at 11:37 AM
In Monrovia, California, protesters are purchasing 17¢ ICE scrapers from Home Depot and immediately returning them to create long lines and slow down the entire store. Their aim is to disrupt sales and convey a message opposing ICE raids occurring in their neighborhood.
Reposted by Dan Libertz
i'm just walking around my house muttering "jesus nailed the miracle without venture capital" over and over
November 23, 2025 at 2:58 AM
i'm just walking around my house muttering "jesus nailed the miracle without venture capital" over and over
Reposted by Dan Libertz
We spent a year investigating billionaires for @washingtonpost.com.
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
November 21, 2025 at 2:56 PM
We spent a year investigating billionaires for @washingtonpost.com.
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
Wrath of God
Finally, Magic the Gathering quit congress.
November 22, 2025 at 2:59 AM
Wrath of God
I’ve never seen anything like this press conference. Trump is smitten with Mamdani. Constant compliments, just totally charmed
November 21, 2025 at 9:04 PM
I’ve never seen anything like this press conference. Trump is smitten with Mamdani. Constant compliments, just totally charmed
With my collaborator Zachary Muhlbauer, our article on how public writers think about framing quantitative information has been published at Written Communication. Here is a free link: journals.sagepub.com/eprint/YRFI6... #teamrhetoric
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:44 PM
With my collaborator Zachary Muhlbauer, our article on how public writers think about framing quantitative information has been published at Written Communication. Here is a free link: journals.sagepub.com/eprint/YRFI6... #teamrhetoric
Reposted by Dan Libertz
This is going to be THE case study in how aligning a model to be too positive about a brand can backfire.
I say "THE" because I seriously doubt a brand this large will ever screw it up this bad again.
I say "THE" because I seriously doubt a brand this large will ever screw it up this bad again.
whatever the Xai people did to make grok speak more positively about its owner seems to be backfiring
November 20, 2025 at 11:52 PM
This is going to be THE case study in how aligning a model to be too positive about a brand can backfire.
I say "THE" because I seriously doubt a brand this large will ever screw it up this bad again.
I say "THE" because I seriously doubt a brand this large will ever screw it up this bad again.