Leah Shaffer
@leahshaffer.bsky.social
Science writer, mostly puttering about the garden.
she/her
she/her
I love it when the plutocrats scheme about how much work they can squeeze out of our broken bodies. Honey, Ozzycakes, we need people picking kale in Arizona, why don't you go volunteer? You might make minimum wage if you are nimble with those fingers.
February 3, 2026 at 1:47 PM
I love it when the plutocrats scheme about how much work they can squeeze out of our broken bodies. Honey, Ozzycakes, we need people picking kale in Arizona, why don't you go volunteer? You might make minimum wage if you are nimble with those fingers.
Bitch, you get to work first! Chop, chop, you're on the clock! Got a measles outbreak if you haven't noticed, you worthless grifter swine.
Dr Oz: "If we could get the average American to start working a year earlier, right out of high school, or a year later -- not retire -- or work better during their lifetime because they're healthy, it would generate about $3 trillion to the US economy. That would more than remove the debt."
February 3, 2026 at 1:40 PM
Bitch, you get to work first! Chop, chop, you're on the clock! Got a measles outbreak if you haven't noticed, you worthless grifter swine.
Brently Gabbert, Gabber Slebhaver, Gilbert Bibbsgobber, f ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh...(gasping noises)
February 2, 2026 at 7:09 PM
Brently Gabbert, Gabber Slebhaver, Gilbert Bibbsgobber, f ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh...(gasping noises)
I still use checks to pay most of my bills. I'm doing the long game. enshittification will take down the whole internet until geocities rise again, in the mean time...
February 2, 2026 at 6:21 PM
I still use checks to pay most of my bills. I'm doing the long game. enshittification will take down the whole internet until geocities rise again, in the mean time...
harold, they're lisboans
February 2, 2026 at 6:16 PM
harold, they're lisboans
W.E.B. DeFraud alert #BlackSky
Shaun King aka Talcum X aka (insert your favorite moniker here) is Shaun Kinging again, on Substack, writing ICE-related stories. Please do not support him. He's a serial grifter. He promises he's 'working hard behind the scenes'. He's not. He's just taking your money.
February 2, 2026 at 5:40 PM
W.E.B. DeFraud alert #BlackSky
That's just crazy talk.
February 2, 2026 at 5:33 PM
That's just crazy talk.
I look forward to explaining the long storied history of a good cup of joe and the entire concept of "oat milk" to the drive-thru robot.
February 2, 2026 at 4:53 PM
I look forward to explaining the long storied history of a good cup of joe and the entire concept of "oat milk" to the drive-thru robot.
This is who runs this account
(Dead shark eyes have only gotten darker with age)
(Dead shark eyes have only gotten darker with age)
February 2, 2026 at 4:47 PM
This is who runs this account
(Dead shark eyes have only gotten darker with age)
(Dead shark eyes have only gotten darker with age)
Douglas Adams was writing satire, not a how-to guide, I am begging Silicon Valley to learn to read.
February 2, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Douglas Adams was writing satire, not a how-to guide, I am begging Silicon Valley to learn to read.
“So that’s it, is it?” said the Nutro-Matic when he had finished.
“You want the taste of dried leaves boiled in water?”
“Er, yes. With milk.”
“Squirted out of a cow?”
“Well in a manner of speaking, I suppose…”
“I’m going to need some help with this one.”
“You want the taste of dried leaves boiled in water?”
“Er, yes. With milk.”
“Squirted out of a cow?”
“Well in a manner of speaking, I suppose…”
“I’m going to need some help with this one.”
February 2, 2026 at 4:28 PM
“So that’s it, is it?” said the Nutro-Matic when he had finished.
“You want the taste of dried leaves boiled in water?”
“Er, yes. With milk.”
“Squirted out of a cow?”
“Well in a manner of speaking, I suppose…”
“I’m going to need some help with this one.”
“You want the taste of dried leaves boiled in water?”
“Er, yes. With milk.”
“Squirted out of a cow?”
“Well in a manner of speaking, I suppose…”
“I’m going to need some help with this one.”
He told the Nutro-Matic about India, he told it about China, he told it about Ceylon. He told it about broad leaves drying in the sun. He told it about silver teapots. He told it about summer afternoons on the lawn. He told it about putting the milk in before the tea so it wouldn’t get scalded.
February 2, 2026 at 4:26 PM
He told the Nutro-Matic about India, he told it about China, he told it about Ceylon. He told it about broad leaves drying in the sun. He told it about silver teapots. He told it about summer afternoons on the lawn. He told it about putting the milk in before the tea so it wouldn’t get scalded.
“No,” Arthur said, “look, it’s very, very simple…. All I want… is a cup of tea. You are going to make one for me. Now keep quiet and listen."
“The company is trialling an AI-powered chatbot, which can help match drinks with customer moods, and is introducing the ability to schedule orders in a bid to reduce customer waits.”
Starbucks bets on robots to brew a turnaround and win customers
Chief executive Brian Niccol explains why he thinks AI will help the coffee giant regain its buzz.
www.bbc.com
February 2, 2026 at 4:25 PM
“No,” Arthur said, “look, it’s very, very simple…. All I want… is a cup of tea. You are going to make one for me. Now keep quiet and listen."
Me going door to door in my hood. Can I introduce you to the wonders of @jcsalterego.bsky.social ? Would you like some Bluesky dot com pamphlets?
February 2, 2026 at 4:03 PM
Me going door to door in my hood. Can I introduce you to the wonders of @jcsalterego.bsky.social ? Would you like some Bluesky dot com pamphlets?
have you heard the good news about ATproto?
(whispers) you control your data
Please enjoy some pamphlets.
(whispers) you control your data
Please enjoy some pamphlets.
Key advantage of atproto to fight enshittification (by @masnick.com ) : when users can easily move their identity, content, and connections between hosts, platforms lose the leverage that drives enshittification, because "turning the screws" just makes users migrate with a click.
ATproto: The Enshittification Killswitch That Enables Resonant Computing
Disclosure: I’m on the board of Bluesky, which was inspired by my “Protocols, Not Platforms” paper. But this post isn’t about Bluesky the app. It’s about the underlyin…
www.techdirt.com
February 2, 2026 at 4:01 PM
have you heard the good news about ATproto?
(whispers) you control your data
Please enjoy some pamphlets.
(whispers) you control your data
Please enjoy some pamphlets.
I would start giggling and then, run!
a man in a suit sits at a table with a pitcher of water and a bowl of french fries
Alt: Dave Chappelle as "Black Bush" makes a run for it
media.tenor.com
February 2, 2026 at 3:18 PM
I would start giggling and then, run!
It's #BlackHistoryMonth. I'm going to dig up some lost history about Black scientists. Starting with Missouri's own Charles Henry Turner: Carpenter bee whisperer, huge proponent of public education, a little bit a mad ecologist in the best way possible. 🐝
thecincinnatiherald.com/2025/02/11/c...
thecincinnatiherald.com/2025/02/11/c...
Charles Henry Turner: The Black pioneer in studying bees and insect cognition - The Cincinnati Herald
Discover the contributions of Charles Henry Turner, a pioneering African American entomologist, who first proved insects could remember, learn, and feel.
thecincinnatiherald.com
February 2, 2026 at 2:50 PM
It's #BlackHistoryMonth. I'm going to dig up some lost history about Black scientists. Starting with Missouri's own Charles Henry Turner: Carpenter bee whisperer, huge proponent of public education, a little bit a mad ecologist in the best way possible. 🐝
thecincinnatiherald.com/2025/02/11/c...
thecincinnatiherald.com/2025/02/11/c...
ha ha, hey now, someone has to take a closer look at that weird mushroom 🌱 🐜 🍄
You want to go fast: go alone. You want to go far: go with others. You want neither: go with ecologists 😜
📸 @eatgrowlearn.withsophie on IG
#ecology #naturelovers #earthygirl #hiking #ecologists
📸 @eatgrowlearn.withsophie on IG
#ecology #naturelovers #earthygirl #hiking #ecologists
February 2, 2026 at 2:39 PM
ha ha, hey now, someone has to take a closer look at that weird mushroom 🌱 🐜 🍄
Aw, Chotiner got us some chocolates, what a sweetie.
February 2, 2026 at 2:13 PM
Aw, Chotiner got us some chocolates, what a sweetie.
So many others in need of rescue. Please donate, if you can.
Fund raising to bail for a north Minneapolis asylum seeker. It’s insane that ICE is abducting asylum seekers, but here we are. Please help bring a father home.
www.gofundme.com/f/bring-our-...
www.gofundme.com/f/bring-our-...
Donate to Bring Our Neighbor Home from ICE Detention, organized by Maggie Koerth
Earlier this month, one of my neighbors — a legal asylum seeker doing everyth… Maggie Koerth needs your support for Bring Our Neighbor Home from ICE Detention
www.gofundme.com
February 1, 2026 at 9:52 PM
So many others in need of rescue. Please donate, if you can.
Exactly, it would be much better to get some new concepts in pop culture about who actually protects and cares for communities.
February 1, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Exactly, it would be much better to get some new concepts in pop culture about who actually protects and cares for communities.
Yep, there's some solid cop cinema that grapples with it, but TV cop shows? I suppose this one is about reform so that's a step in the right direction. But I am skeptical, for now.
February 1, 2026 at 7:14 PM
Yep, there's some solid cop cinema that grapples with it, but TV cop shows? I suppose this one is about reform so that's a step in the right direction. But I am skeptical, for now.
Ah, I see it's about a white cop (Jess from Gilmore Girls) trying to reform his hometown force. Boring. I think my idea makes for better tv.
February 1, 2026 at 7:11 PM
Ah, I see it's about a white cop (Jess from Gilmore Girls) trying to reform his hometown force. Boring. I think my idea makes for better tv.
Maybe American Blue will be about a Black cop who gets snatched by ICE and then tries to reform his dept to fight an invading military force. But, when has any police story revolved around the "good apple" trying to fix the rotten barrel? I'll be damned if I can think of any.
February 1, 2026 at 7:09 PM
Maybe American Blue will be about a Black cop who gets snatched by ICE and then tries to reform his dept to fight an invading military force. But, when has any police story revolved around the "good apple" trying to fix the rotten barrel? I'll be damned if I can think of any.