JRafferty
@johnrafferty.bsky.social
Born 320ish CO2 ppm. Educational content creator / Earth and Life Sciences.
Weather, Climate, Biodiversity, Weather, Natural Hazards, Ecology, Verts, and the politics (unfortunately) that goes with them. Also: maps, dinos, telecasters, etc. My views.
Weather, Climate, Biodiversity, Weather, Natural Hazards, Ecology, Verts, and the politics (unfortunately) that goes with them. Also: maps, dinos, telecasters, etc. My views.
As sardonic journalism goes, there are few pieces better than this one.
The Onion is funny because it's fake. This article is funny because every single line is both true and ridiculous.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
The Onion is funny because it's fake. This article is funny because every single line is both true and ridiculous.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Trump wins his peace prize from Fifa – any chance of a VAR review?
At a gaudy and gauche World Cup draw, Gianni Infantino went all out to flatter the world’s most precious ego
www.theguardian.com
December 6, 2025 at 1:31 PM
As sardonic journalism goes, there are few pieces better than this one.
The Onion is funny because it's fake. This article is funny because every single line is both true and ridiculous.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
The Onion is funny because it's fake. This article is funny because every single line is both true and ridiculous.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by JRafferty
Spotify has laid off thousands in recent years, while reportedly paying artists $0.003 per stream.
Spotify profits rose 28% in Q3. Its CEO is worth $9.8 billion. It's making money off ICE recruitment ads.
Don't you think it's time put a wrap on corporate greed and exploitation?
Spotify profits rose 28% in Q3. Its CEO is worth $9.8 billion. It's making money off ICE recruitment ads.
Don't you think it's time put a wrap on corporate greed and exploitation?
December 4, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Spotify has laid off thousands in recent years, while reportedly paying artists $0.003 per stream.
Spotify profits rose 28% in Q3. Its CEO is worth $9.8 billion. It's making money off ICE recruitment ads.
Don't you think it's time put a wrap on corporate greed and exploitation?
Spotify profits rose 28% in Q3. Its CEO is worth $9.8 billion. It's making money off ICE recruitment ads.
Don't you think it's time put a wrap on corporate greed and exploitation?
You can impeach/remove or 25th for racism.
In 2019, Rep. Al Green of Texas introduced an impeachment resolution against Donald Trump over his open, unrepentant racism toward U.S. citizens who are or may look like immigrants, as well as toward members of Congress—including Ilhan Omar.
He cited the Andrew Johnson impeachment as precedent.
He cited the Andrew Johnson impeachment as precedent.
Trump: "It’s a hellhole right now. And those Somalians should be out of here. They've destroyed our country. And all they do is complain, complain, complain. You have her. She’s always talking about the Constitution provides me with – go back to your own country and figure out your constitution."
December 4, 2025 at 1:19 PM
You can impeach/remove or 25th for racism.
Reposted by JRafferty
Signal boost. I passed out about 100 whistles from them a few weeks ago!
If anyone in the cities (or MN in general) wants whistles to use for I C E alerts, message me. Chicago has been through this crap already, and we want to help y'all out. 🖤 (I have SO MANY whistles)
Why the hell do they keep complaining about Minnesota and saying horrible things about our governor and our Somali friends?
We’re freakin’ Minnesota.
Everyone else should think about us once or twice a year, tops.
Leave us alone.
We have a quarterback situation to worry about.
We’re freakin’ Minnesota.
Everyone else should think about us once or twice a year, tops.
Leave us alone.
We have a quarterback situation to worry about.
December 4, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Signal boost. I passed out about 100 whistles from them a few weeks ago!
Casten brings up something that is not immediately obvious:
Lower fuel standards = more gasoline used
This further enslaves drivers to the fossil fuel industry
It also makes commodities (transported by gas-dependent trucks) more sensitive to gas-price flux--since transport costs are passed on
Lower fuel standards = more gasoline used
This further enslaves drivers to the fossil fuel industry
It also makes commodities (transported by gas-dependent trucks) more sensitive to gas-price flux--since transport costs are passed on
Trump is an economic moron, part bazillion: Making people buy more gasoline is inflationary. www.reuters.com/world/white-...
White House to propose significant rollback in fuel economy standards, sources say
The Trump administration is set to propose a significant rollback of fuel economy standards finalized by former President Joe Biden last year, its latest push to make it easier for automakers to sell ...
www.reuters.com
December 3, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Casten brings up something that is not immediately obvious:
Lower fuel standards = more gasoline used
This further enslaves drivers to the fossil fuel industry
It also makes commodities (transported by gas-dependent trucks) more sensitive to gas-price flux--since transport costs are passed on
Lower fuel standards = more gasoline used
This further enslaves drivers to the fossil fuel industry
It also makes commodities (transported by gas-dependent trucks) more sensitive to gas-price flux--since transport costs are passed on
Reposted by JRafferty
Why become a geologist? Why get a degree in geology?
It is certainly not a gateway to the easy life in the sciences. Never has been. Not sure such a path exists.
There are those who (through hard work and opportunity) land career making jobs (looking at you, USGS!) but even then…
It is certainly not a gateway to the easy life in the sciences. Never has been. Not sure such a path exists.
There are those who (through hard work and opportunity) land career making jobs (looking at you, USGS!) but even then…
November 30, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Why become a geologist? Why get a degree in geology?
It is certainly not a gateway to the easy life in the sciences. Never has been. Not sure such a path exists.
There are those who (through hard work and opportunity) land career making jobs (looking at you, USGS!) but even then…
It is certainly not a gateway to the easy life in the sciences. Never has been. Not sure such a path exists.
There are those who (through hard work and opportunity) land career making jobs (looking at you, USGS!) but even then…
Reposted by JRafferty
I have nothing against you or your regional culture but there is an unbreakable spiritual bond between anyone who has ever had to scrape ice off a windshield while hungover
the annual snowfall required for me to take your city seriously is like 11” minimum. nobody is using 300 days of sun to serve the lord
November 29, 2025 at 11:47 PM
I have nothing against you or your regional culture but there is an unbreakable spiritual bond between anyone who has ever had to scrape ice off a windshield while hungover
This. All day.
Also, Hernandez was the recently pardoned former Pres of Honduras.
If this was about drugs, why pardon Hernandez.
It's about oil---kinda like in Iraq back in 2003, except Orangie wants to use it to cover a multitude of his other sins.
Also, Hernandez was the recently pardoned former Pres of Honduras.
If this was about drugs, why pardon Hernandez.
It's about oil---kinda like in Iraq back in 2003, except Orangie wants to use it to cover a multitude of his other sins.
No war in Venezuela.
Americans don’t want it and launching one without Congress is illegal.
And spare us the “drug war” excuse.
If this were really about stopping traffickers, you wouldn’t have pardoned Juan Orlando Hernández.
This isn’t policy. It’s lawlessness.
Americans don’t want it and launching one without Congress is illegal.
And spare us the “drug war” excuse.
If this were really about stopping traffickers, you wouldn’t have pardoned Juan Orlando Hernández.
This isn’t policy. It’s lawlessness.
November 30, 2025 at 1:28 AM
This. All day.
Also, Hernandez was the recently pardoned former Pres of Honduras.
If this was about drugs, why pardon Hernandez.
It's about oil---kinda like in Iraq back in 2003, except Orangie wants to use it to cover a multitude of his other sins.
Also, Hernandez was the recently pardoned former Pres of Honduras.
If this was about drugs, why pardon Hernandez.
It's about oil---kinda like in Iraq back in 2003, except Orangie wants to use it to cover a multitude of his other sins.
Did you know that scientist don’t really use the Richter scale anymore? The most common magnitude scale used these days is called the “Moment Magnitude” scale. Here’s more info 🧪
November 29, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Yeah. What's with the weird 1930's Teutonic "Mein Kampf" font?
"Western civilization," the font, the 11 stars - 11 states in the confederacy, for the record.
Why is this never news? Why are we letting our government agencies do this sort of thing while the news agencies report on hallucinated trade deals and act like everything is normal
Why is this never news? Why are we letting our government agencies do this sort of thing while the news agencies report on hallucinated trade deals and act like everything is normal
November 29, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Yeah. What's with the weird 1930's Teutonic "Mein Kampf" font?
Northwestern, like Columbia University, has capitulated, paying the WH $75 million "not as an admission of guilt, but as a condition of the agreement."
---
If you are an alum who donates, consider stopping. Your hard-earned cash could be used for extortion payments.
www.forbes.com/sites/michae...
---
If you are an alum who donates, consider stopping. Your hard-earned cash could be used for extortion payments.
www.forbes.com/sites/michae...
Northwestern University Strikes A Deal With Trump Administration
Northwestern University has reached a $75 million deal with the Trump administration, ending a long dispute involving the freezing of $790 million in research funds.
www.forbes.com
November 29, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Northwestern, like Columbia University, has capitulated, paying the WH $75 million "not as an admission of guilt, but as a condition of the agreement."
---
If you are an alum who donates, consider stopping. Your hard-earned cash could be used for extortion payments.
www.forbes.com/sites/michae...
---
If you are an alum who donates, consider stopping. Your hard-earned cash could be used for extortion payments.
www.forbes.com/sites/michae...
This.
And this cruel buffoon of a president is also allergic to paragraph breaks.
And this cruel buffoon of a president is also allergic to paragraph breaks.
November 28, 2025 at 10:42 PM
This.
And this cruel buffoon of a president is also allergic to paragraph breaks.
And this cruel buffoon of a president is also allergic to paragraph breaks.
Black Friday once again (w/"cyber week" on the horizon)
Another chance for you to just plain skip it
I get that this is a social thing & a good chance to buy holiday gifts
Instead of benefitting some billionaire that oppresses his workers & trashes the planet--DARE to do something different🙂
1/
Another chance for you to just plain skip it
I get that this is a social thing & a good chance to buy holiday gifts
Instead of benefitting some billionaire that oppresses his workers & trashes the planet--DARE to do something different🙂
1/
November 28, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Black Friday once again (w/"cyber week" on the horizon)
Another chance for you to just plain skip it
I get that this is a social thing & a good chance to buy holiday gifts
Instead of benefitting some billionaire that oppresses his workers & trashes the planet--DARE to do something different🙂
1/
Another chance for you to just plain skip it
I get that this is a social thing & a good chance to buy holiday gifts
Instead of benefitting some billionaire that oppresses his workers & trashes the planet--DARE to do something different🙂
1/
Some of the best advice.
I'm old.
If you're not, listen to this.
Get a guitar or some drums, or a trumpet. Pick up a brush, a pencil, some clay or a welder.
Just make shit. It doesn't have to be good (eventually it will be) just make music, art or write or whatever.
It's literally never been more important.
If you're not, listen to this.
Get a guitar or some drums, or a trumpet. Pick up a brush, a pencil, some clay or a welder.
Just make shit. It doesn't have to be good (eventually it will be) just make music, art or write or whatever.
It's literally never been more important.
November 28, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Some of the best advice.
The White House is already looking to use the shooting as an excuse for more NG troops.
The prez kept the deployment going AFTER the courts ordered him to stop.
The White House is at fault
The shooter is at fault.
Neither D.C., the NG, nor the country at large should be punished for this.
The prez kept the deployment going AFTER the courts ordered him to stop.
The White House is at fault
The shooter is at fault.
Neither D.C., the NG, nor the country at large should be punished for this.
A sad irony in Washington, D.C., where West Virginia National Guardsmen were shot today. Six days ago, a court ruled their deployment was illegal, but stayed the order pending appeal. My heart goes out to these public servants and their families. oag.dc.gov/sites/defaul...
November 28, 2025 at 12:20 AM
The White House is already looking to use the shooting as an excuse for more NG troops.
The prez kept the deployment going AFTER the courts ordered him to stop.
The White House is at fault
The shooter is at fault.
Neither D.C., the NG, nor the country at large should be punished for this.
The prez kept the deployment going AFTER the courts ordered him to stop.
The White House is at fault
The shooter is at fault.
Neither D.C., the NG, nor the country at large should be punished for this.
Reposted by JRafferty
Biochemist Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn was born #OTD in 1948.
She shared the 2009 #Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of the enzyme telomerase & how chromosomes are protected by telomeres. This has 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 implications for the fields of #aging and #cancer research. #WomenInSTEM
She shared the 2009 #Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of the enzyme telomerase & how chromosomes are protected by telomeres. This has 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 implications for the fields of #aging and #cancer research. #WomenInSTEM
November 26, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Biochemist Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn was born #OTD in 1948.
She shared the 2009 #Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of the enzyme telomerase & how chromosomes are protected by telomeres. This has 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 implications for the fields of #aging and #cancer research. #WomenInSTEM
She shared the 2009 #Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of the enzyme telomerase & how chromosomes are protected by telomeres. This has 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 implications for the fields of #aging and #cancer research. #WomenInSTEM
Check out this awesome Brocken Spectre (also known as a glory) that I was able to snap as we descended into KC this AM.
The image you see is the shadow of our plane on the clouds. (If you're interested in the nerdy stuff of how this happens, check out the link.)
www.britannica.com/science/Broc...
The image you see is the shadow of our plane on the clouds. (If you're interested in the nerdy stuff of how this happens, check out the link.)
www.britannica.com/science/Broc...
November 27, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Check out this awesome Brocken Spectre (also known as a glory) that I was able to snap as we descended into KC this AM.
The image you see is the shadow of our plane on the clouds. (If you're interested in the nerdy stuff of how this happens, check out the link.)
www.britannica.com/science/Broc...
The image you see is the shadow of our plane on the clouds. (If you're interested in the nerdy stuff of how this happens, check out the link.)
www.britannica.com/science/Broc...
Reposted by JRafferty
⚒️ 🧪
A M6.6 earthquake just struck the subduction zone offshore Sumatra, causing some damage and injuries on Simeulue Island.
How does this event fit into the mosaic of large earthquakes that have occurred on this fault over the last few decades?
earthquakeinsights.substack.com/p/m66-earthq...
A M6.6 earthquake just struck the subduction zone offshore Sumatra, causing some damage and injuries on Simeulue Island.
How does this event fit into the mosaic of large earthquakes that have occurred on this fault over the last few decades?
earthquakeinsights.substack.com/p/m66-earthq...
M6.6 earthquake strikes Sunda subduction zone offshore Sumatra
Some building damage and injuries on Simeulue Island
earthquakeinsights.substack.com
November 27, 2025 at 3:19 PM
⚒️ 🧪
A M6.6 earthquake just struck the subduction zone offshore Sumatra, causing some damage and injuries on Simeulue Island.
How does this event fit into the mosaic of large earthquakes that have occurred on this fault over the last few decades?
earthquakeinsights.substack.com/p/m66-earthq...
A M6.6 earthquake just struck the subduction zone offshore Sumatra, causing some damage and injuries on Simeulue Island.
How does this event fit into the mosaic of large earthquakes that have occurred on this fault over the last few decades?
earthquakeinsights.substack.com/p/m66-earthq...
If you're awake this early (7:00 AM CST), you're either working, cooking, taking care of young kids, or your morning involves an airport.
Either way, you're getting it done today. Good luck, and maybe you can crash during Bengals/Ravens tonight.
Happy Thanksgiving!
🇺🇸
Either way, you're getting it done today. Good luck, and maybe you can crash during Bengals/Ravens tonight.
Happy Thanksgiving!
🇺🇸
November 27, 2025 at 1:10 PM
If you're awake this early (7:00 AM CST), you're either working, cooking, taking care of young kids, or your morning involves an airport.
Either way, you're getting it done today. Good luck, and maybe you can crash during Bengals/Ravens tonight.
Happy Thanksgiving!
🇺🇸
Either way, you're getting it done today. Good luck, and maybe you can crash during Bengals/Ravens tonight.
Happy Thanksgiving!
🇺🇸
I predict that Vegas is about to create a super-resignation pool.
PUNCHBOWL: “.. GOP members messaged us over the weekend saying that they, too, are considering retiring in the middle of the term. Here’s one particularly exercised senior House Republican:
@punchbowlnews.bsky.social
@punchbowlnews.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 12:38 AM
I predict that Vegas is about to create a super-resignation pool.
In these times, leakers are doing the Lord's work.
Cheers to the person who leaked the initial changes www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
In reversal, Coast Guard again classifies swastikas, nooses as hate symbols
The new order came hours after The Post reported the service would instead classify such symbols as “potentially divisive” under guidelines set for release next month.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:35 PM
In these times, leakers are doing the Lord's work.
Our fantastic new article on the Generation Z protests.
One could almost call it a "2025 explainer" since it touches on so many cultural, political, economic, and demographic factors.
#Britannica
#GenZ
#2025
www.britannica.com/event/Genera...
One could almost call it a "2025 explainer" since it touches on so many cultural, political, economic, and demographic factors.
#Britannica
#GenZ
#2025
www.britannica.com/event/Genera...
Generation Z protests | Context, Economics, Asia, Africa, Middle East, Latin America, & New York City | Britannica
In late 2025 mass youth protests filled the streets of capitals around the world, toppling national governments in several cases, while in New York City a self-described democratic socialist was elect...
www.britannica.com
November 20, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Our fantastic new article on the Generation Z protests.
One could almost call it a "2025 explainer" since it touches on so many cultural, political, economic, and demographic factors.
#Britannica
#GenZ
#2025
www.britannica.com/event/Genera...
One could almost call it a "2025 explainer" since it touches on so many cultural, political, economic, and demographic factors.
#Britannica
#GenZ
#2025
www.britannica.com/event/Genera...
Reposted by JRafferty
Because they need and want actual Nazis to enlist. Obviously.
November 20, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Because they need and want actual Nazis to enlist. Obviously.
Reposted by JRafferty
Heard this segment with @bradplumer.bsky.social on NPR this afternoon. It was very informative. Kudos also to @npr.org for broadcasting about climate and COP30 twice in two hours today!
The Future of Energy Has Arrived — Just Not in the U.S.
www.nytimes.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:43 AM
Heard this segment with @bradplumer.bsky.social on NPR this afternoon. It was very informative. Kudos also to @npr.org for broadcasting about climate and COP30 twice in two hours today!
Reposted by JRafferty
"I know you are, but what am I?"
Rich ≠ genius
Rich ≠ genius
November 17, 2025 at 1:36 PM
"I know you are, but what am I?"
Rich ≠ genius
Rich ≠ genius