Mike Boylan-Kolchin
@mbkplus.bsky.social
Dad, husband, astrophysicist, dog herder. Samuel T. and Fern Yanagisawa Regents Professor in Astronomy at UT Austin. This is a personal account and the views expressed in my posts here are mine. https://mrbk.github.io
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Mike Boylan-Kolchin
@mbkplus.bsky.social
· Sep 13
Mike Boylan-Kolchin
mrbk.github.io
New (academic) year, new me — well, new title, anyway. I promise to uphold the standards you’ve come to expect from the Samuel T. and Fern Yanagisawa Regents Professor in Astronomy.
People sometimes make fun of Democrats for the thinness of their CVs (e.g., the 'community organizer' type jabs) but Jennings has really done nothing except flatter power and talk to the media his entire career. He has no expertise whatsoever except in being a conservative pundit.
You're a pundit. CNN wants to put you on a panel with Scott Jennings.
Discuss.
Discuss.
January 16, 2026 at 2:58 PM
People sometimes make fun of Democrats for the thinness of their CVs (e.g., the 'community organizer' type jabs) but Jennings has really done nothing except flatter power and talk to the media his entire career. He has no expertise whatsoever except in being a conservative pundit.
I'll take one Whiskey Friday With Tony Dokoupil, hold the Tony Dokoupil
January 16, 2026 at 2:55 PM
I'll take one Whiskey Friday With Tony Dokoupil, hold the Tony Dokoupil
In fairness, showing up late with material that's already been covered in detail is probably a signature of Whiskey Friday with Tony Dokoupil
Logged on here to make a Whiskey Friday with Tony Dokoupil joke and for better or worse this is the website for me because there are already 900 jokes about Whiskey Friday with Tony Dokoupil
January 16, 2026 at 2:33 PM
In fairness, showing up late with material that's already been covered in detail is probably a signature of Whiskey Friday with Tony Dokoupil
I think this is key in the context of 'Trump will cancel elections' discourse. He may want to, but the fact that he's turning people strongly against him — and shows no evidence of wanting to take concrete actions that could reverse this trend — makes it nearly impossible for him to pull it off.
a year in and trump is in free fall with the public across every conceivable issue
CNN poll finds majority of Americans say Trump is focused on the wrong priorities | CNN Politics
Public opinion on nearly every aspect of President Donald Trump’s first year back in the White House is negative, a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS finds, with a majority of Americans saying Trump is f...
www.cnn.com
January 16, 2026 at 2:23 PM
I think this is key in the context of 'Trump will cancel elections' discourse. He may want to, but the fact that he's turning people strongly against him — and shows no evidence of wanting to take concrete actions that could reverse this trend — makes it nearly impossible for him to pull it off.
Reposted by Mike Boylan-Kolchin
Good morning from the 40 acres. Let’s get after it today. 🤘
January 16, 2026 at 1:39 PM
Good morning from the 40 acres. Let’s get after it today. 🤘
Turns out that Bluesky, the official app of sports, is also the app for good political writing. Truly we contain multitudes.
Democrats' tone-deaf posts about the cost of groceries during an all-out constitutional crisis are driving you insane. I get it.
There's a reason they're doing it though.
badfaithtimes.com/the-normies-...
There's a reason they're doing it though.
badfaithtimes.com/the-normies-...
The Normies Care About Inflation More Than You Know
The Trump regime's fake populism has been exposed and people are looking elsewhere for help
badfaithtimes.com
January 16, 2026 at 1:13 PM
Turns out that Bluesky, the official app of sports, is also the app for good political writing. Truly we contain multitudes.
They really don’t have any ideas other than “let’s put an old white guy who used to be in charge back in charge”. (No shade to Shatner, who’s great in Star Trek; I’m guessing that, at 94, he just wants people like Miller to leave him in peace.)
Stephen Miller is upset about Star Trek, one of the most socially progressive franchises in TV history
January 16, 2026 at 12:06 PM
They really don’t have any ideas other than “let’s put an old white guy who used to be in charge back in charge”. (No shade to Shatner, who’s great in Star Trek; I’m guessing that, at 94, he just wants people like Miller to leave him in peace.)
Reposted by Mike Boylan-Kolchin
Wow, I *really* do not like reading recommendation letters where the writer spends a LONG paragraph tooting their own horn under the guise of providing context for the letter
January 16, 2026 at 3:23 AM
Wow, I *really* do not like reading recommendation letters where the writer spends a LONG paragraph tooting their own horn under the guise of providing context for the letter
Reposted by Mike Boylan-Kolchin
Is it about enforcing laws? They seem to be breaking just as many of them. Is it about apprehending violent criminals? They seem to be focusing on people who are Outside While Non-white. The whole effort is bullshit, and it's a stain on our country that won't come out easily.
January 16, 2026 at 3:39 AM
Is it about enforcing laws? They seem to be breaking just as many of them. Is it about apprehending violent criminals? They seem to be focusing on people who are Outside While Non-white. The whole effort is bullshit, and it's a stain on our country that won't come out easily.
Wasn't one of the key MAGA talking points that we shouldn't be handing out participation trophies? And now he's celebrating a Nobel Prize that someone else won and put in his hands (and he looked happier than he's been in years)?!?
I mean I *knew* that the whole plan was for Machado to go to the White House and physically give Trump her Nobel Prize and yet I still feel like I’m disassociating that it happened.
January 16, 2026 at 3:47 AM
Wasn't one of the key MAGA talking points that we shouldn't be handing out participation trophies? And now he's celebrating a Nobel Prize that someone else won and put in his hands (and he looked happier than he's been in years)?!?
Is it about enforcing laws? They seem to be breaking just as many of them. Is it about apprehending violent criminals? They seem to be focusing on people who are Outside While Non-white. The whole effort is bullshit, and it's a stain on our country that won't come out easily.
January 16, 2026 at 3:39 AM
Is it about enforcing laws? They seem to be breaking just as many of them. Is it about apprehending violent criminals? They seem to be focusing on people who are Outside While Non-white. The whole effort is bullshit, and it's a stain on our country that won't come out easily.
Did he do the capitalization himself on the message?
January 16, 2026 at 3:24 AM
Did he do the capitalization himself on the message?
Wow, I *really* do not like reading recommendation letters where the writer spends a LONG paragraph tooting their own horn under the guise of providing context for the letter
January 16, 2026 at 3:23 AM
Wow, I *really* do not like reading recommendation letters where the writer spends a LONG paragraph tooting their own horn under the guise of providing context for the letter
I guess it's a testament to how quickly the news moves, but it feels like this epic (non-complimentary) substack adventure — which was always a bit discomforting — is a relic from a different era.
Part 9 is finally here! But ... open.substack.com/pub/telos/p/...
January 16, 2026 at 2:59 AM
I guess it's a testament to how quickly the news moves, but it feels like this epic (non-complimentary) substack adventure — which was always a bit discomforting — is a relic from a different era.
Reposted by Mike Boylan-Kolchin
if you try to focus on Trump’s authoritarianism, Schumer will deflect and say people want us to focus on affordability. but when Zohran Mamdani made affordability the heart of his campaign Schumer refused to endorse him because they disagree about Israel. it’s all mealy mouthed bullshit.
January 15, 2026 at 6:50 PM
if you try to focus on Trump’s authoritarianism, Schumer will deflect and say people want us to focus on affordability. but when Zohran Mamdani made affordability the heart of his campaign Schumer refused to endorse him because they disagree about Israel. it’s all mealy mouthed bullshit.
Thinking, for no reason, of that clip where the guy had a robot mimicking him and got kicked square in the nether regions, then doubled over in pain while the robot continued to faithfully mimick him.
the number of people over on the child porn nazi site who believe that this is a real video of elon dancing with a robot is shocking. grok is the greatest brain-smoother ever invented. he invented touchless lead poisoning.
January 16, 2026 at 1:40 AM
Thinking, for no reason, of that clip where the guy had a robot mimicking him and got kicked square in the nether regions, then doubled over in pain while the robot continued to faithfully mimick him.
“Yeah, it’s don’t tread on *me*, I’m very happy to tread on you”
So, if I'm following all this correctly, a bunch of internet shitposters who spent years screaming "don't tread on me" and warning about federal agents stomping out people's rights... have been hired as ICE agents to go around breaking into people's homes, kidnapping & shooting them
January 16, 2026 at 1:34 AM
“Yeah, it’s don’t tread on *me*, I’m very happy to tread on you”
It’s also not coincidental that the “do your own research” movement exploded at the same time that enshittification severely hampered people’s ability to do independent research via vetted, reputable sources.
Its very telling here is that his "do your own research" examples are consumer goods, like cars or baby carriages. The MAHA movement is a consumption movement, one that prefers yelp reviews rather than science evaluating their products.
HHS Secretary RFK Jr: "This idea that you should trust the experts, a good mother doesn't do that"
January 16, 2026 at 1:22 AM
It’s also not coincidental that the “do your own research” movement exploded at the same time that enshittification severely hampered people’s ability to do independent research via vetted, reputable sources.
President Trump: Bored of Peace
January 16, 2026 at 12:52 AM
President Trump: Bored of Peace
There are pretty unsubtle connections between thin-skinned megalomaniacs who can’t accept criticism and arguing that uncritical adoration is a precondition for patriotism
January 15, 2026 at 11:44 PM
There are pretty unsubtle connections between thin-skinned megalomaniacs who can’t accept criticism and arguing that uncritical adoration is a precondition for patriotism
ICE agents are pointing (and firing) their guns at protestors.
Leavitt complains that protesters are pointing their middle fingers at ICE vehicles
January 15, 2026 at 10:33 PM
ICE agents are pointing (and firing) their guns at protestors.
Reposted by Mike Boylan-Kolchin
Invoking the insurrection act would be a major and insanely dangerous escalation, of course, but it's also not a magic wand for getting what he wants. It would take an enormous force and set of logistics to occupy even one mid-sized city & the military's composition is much different from ICE & CBP
January 15, 2026 at 2:40 PM
Invoking the insurrection act would be a major and insanely dangerous escalation, of course, but it's also not a magic wand for getting what he wants. It would take an enormous force and set of logistics to occupy even one mid-sized city & the military's composition is much different from ICE & CBP
Reposted by Mike Boylan-Kolchin
Reminder: even if we accepted this — which, to be clear, we shouldn't — proof won't protect you. They'll say your passport isn't enough, they need your birth certificate. Brought that? No, it's a copy, we need the original. Have the original? Sorry, can't be sure it's not a forgery.
January 15, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Reminder: even if we accepted this — which, to be clear, we shouldn't — proof won't protect you. They'll say your passport isn't enough, they need your birth certificate. Brought that? No, it's a copy, we need the original. Have the original? Sorry, can't be sure it's not a forgery.