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Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 2h

So the amendment is useless?

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Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 10h

Virtue signaling, at best.

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Reposted by Matt Young

Glenn Branch @glennbranch.bsky.social · 1d

Lexicographic enshrinement for Eugenie C. Scott's coinage "Gish Gallop"! @eugeniescott.bsky.social

Gish gallop

Gish gallop (sometimes gish gallop or Gish/gish galloping) refers to a rhetorical technique or strategy by which a debater puts forth too many false arguments for their opponent to be able to refute i...

www.merriam-webster.com

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Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 2d

Just ran on Panda's Thumb: "Building Bridges [between Science and Religion] That Can Bear Scientific Scrutiny," by Jamie Jensen, a biology prof at BYU and self-described member of a "conservative Christian religion." Lots of good insight, good comments.

pandasthumb.org/archives/202...

Some of Jensen's team at the Ark Park last summer.

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Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 2d

The Colorado Sun this morning. No further comment necessary:

Former Republican election official buys Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems coloradosun.com/2025/10/09/d...

Former Republican election official buys Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems

The newly formed company, Liberty Vote, also vowed to follow the executive order Trump signed last spring seeking sweeping changes to election policies that multiple judges have put on hold for violat...

coloradosun.com

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Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 3d

What they do not understand (or pretend not to understand): You do not set out to prove; you set out to find out whether. Otherwise it is not science, but ideology.

Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 3d

2 good articles in Haaretz this morning. Not a peace plan but another cease fire....
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

A rushed Gaza cease-fire under Trump's pressure leaves the toughest questions unanswered

The Cease-fire Halts the War and Frees Hostages, Yet With No Roadmap for Gaza's Future – Its Borders, Leadership or Reconstruction – It Risks Becoming Another Short-lived Lull in a Conflict With No En...

www.haaretz.com

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Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 3d

It is a good column, and she pulls no punches. TYVM for adding the link to your Panda's Thumb post!
pandasthumb.org/archives/202...

Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 4d

Thanks for that! I thought the perp in the oval office was an interesting slip of the tongue.

Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 4d

The states do not collect taxes for the Federal government. I suppose they could refuse to forward the tax that the state itself withheld from its own employees (and maybe put it into an escrow account), but it seems to me that might be the rough equivalent of sticking your arm into a hornets' nest.

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Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 4d

No.

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Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 6d

Another perceptive article by Mike Littwin, in which he notes inter alia that concentrating on health insurance alone may be too slim a reed: A shutdown is dangerous, but for the Trump opposition, it's the only way coloradosun.com/2025/10/05/l...

Littwin: A shutdown is dangerous, but for the Trump opposition, it's the only way

Trump threatens to attack blue states and cities if the shutdown continues. Of course, he was assaulting them before the shutdown.

coloradosun.com

Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 10d

Yep, me too!

Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 11d

And you! May you be inscribed, etc.

Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 13d

Oops - a different picture from the one on PT, sent to me several years ago. Evidently my filing system has broken down. This picture is at least as good, and I am going to leave it up.

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Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 13d

Another photograph on Panda's Thumb, a sun dog (parhelion) by my cousin Nicky Turner, taken on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, near her house on the western coast of Italy. (Caused by hexagonal ice crystals; see Greenler, Rainbows, Halos, and Glories, Chap. 2.)
pandasthumb.org/archives/202...

Sun dog (parhelion) by my cousin Nicky Turner, taken on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, near her house on the western coast of Italy.

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Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 13d

I am sorry, but I dropped the Post when Bezos started meddling with the opinion section and firing columnists.

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Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 15d

He does not exactly lie: he bullshits, which is very different. He has not the slightest concern whether what he says is true or not, unlike a liar, who earnestly wants you to believe something that he knows is not true. Liars at least have to be consistent.
pandasthumb.org/archives/201...

On Bullshit

pandasthumb.org

Reposted by Matt Young

James Fallows @jfallows.bsky.social · 16d

Agree.

The current SCOTUS—openly corrupt (Thomas, Alito), nakedly unrepresentative (last Dem to appoint a Chief Justice=Harry Truman; GOP-appointed majority for 55+ years), cowering to Trump (John "Roger Taney" Roberts)—has failed to stand up for rule of law.

Needs to be central issue.

Murshed Zaheed @murshedz.bsky.social · 16d

If rebalancing and reforming this MAGA #SCOTUS is not at the top of the agenda of every Democratic candidates running for federal offices (including the big one) - not sure what are we even doing.

And it needs to be more than an issue page - they need to be campaigning on it.

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 16d

the question to ask the republican majority on the court is “what CAN’T trump do?”

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Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 16d

Researchers are relieved at Trump’s likely pick for National Cancer Institute | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...

Researchers are relieved at Trump’s likely pick for National Cancer Institute

Harvard physician-scientist Anthony Letai is poised to head world’s largest cancer research agency

www.science.org

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Reposted by Matt Young

Glenn Branch @glennbranch.bsky.social · 17d

Edward J. Larson offers a characteristically insightful review of a new history of the "intelligent design" movement.

The Flickering Flame of Intelligent Design - Christianity Today

A new study asks why the ID movement hasn’t left a more enduring mark on scientific or religious thought.

www.christianitytoday.com

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Reposted by Matt Young

Benjamin Mazer @mazer.us · 20d

To summarize: a study showing an autism odds ratio of 1.6-4.1 for Tylenol use in pregnancy finally explains why autism rates have gone from 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 31.

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Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 20d

This afternoon, on the eve of the New Year, we went to see Hamilton. Damme if it did not turn out to be a Disney property! Got home and read
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/b...
No idea what Kimmel may have given up, but good to see everyone backpedaling. Maybe freedom of speech hangs on after all.…

Jimmy Kimmel’s Show to Return to ABC on Tuesday Night

www.nytimes.com

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Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 21d

See also Mike Littwin, First they came for the comedians.
coloradosun.com/2025/09/21/l...

Littwin: First Trump came for the comedians — at a time when we desperately need the laughs

Don’t be surprised if network news anchors are the next targets on the Bully in Chief’s agenda for stifling free speech.

coloradosun.com

Matt Young @opticist.bsky.social · 21d

If you do not read the Colo Sun, you might consider it. Here is a story about council member Emily Tracy, who had the temerity to quote Charlie Kirk accurately.
Carman: The First Amendment is on life support in Cañon City coloradosun.com/2025/09/21/c...

Carman: The First Amendment is on life support in Cañon City

Cañon City councilwoman Emily Tracy has been fearless in standing up for her right to free speech after posting about Charlie Kirk

coloradosun.com

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