TrishEM
@pematson.bsky.social
Award-winning journalism editor and writer, speculative fiction reviewer and podcaster, lover of games, music, audiodramas, wordplay and more. (She/her)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciamatson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciamatson
Pinned
TrishEM
@pematson.bsky.social
· Oct 23
Note: Due to trolls and bots, I'm blocking anyone with no posting history who follows me without ever interacting with me first (e.g. liking or replying to one of my posts) and anyone who direct-messages me out of the blue. Sorry if you're just new, but I need a sign that you're real and not evil.
Reposted by TrishEM
The Star-Tribune (once jokingly called The Red Star and Tribune) is much less left than it used to be.
So this is significant.
So this is significant.
"Battalions of armed federal agents are moving thru neighborhoods, transit hubs, malls & parking lots & staging near churches, mosques & schools. Strangers w/guns have metastasized in spaces where daily life should be routine & safe... like a military occupation."
www.startribune.com/editorial-mi...
www.startribune.com/editorial-mi...
January 20, 2026 at 1:24 PM
The Star-Tribune (once jokingly called The Red Star and Tribune) is much less left than it used to be.
So this is significant.
So this is significant.
Reposted by TrishEM
We've remembered our purpose and our background. Can we use our newfound skills to save the gnomes and escape a dark and dangerous place? Find out at 12:10 p.m. EST, as @taritoons.bsky.social illustrates our Lost in the Dark gamebook playthrough, where CHAT decides! www.twitch.tv/arvaneleron
January 20, 2026 at 4:59 PM
We've remembered our purpose and our background. Can we use our newfound skills to save the gnomes and escape a dark and dangerous place? Find out at 12:10 p.m. EST, as @taritoons.bsky.social illustrates our Lost in the Dark gamebook playthrough, where CHAT decides! www.twitch.tv/arvaneleron
Reposted by TrishEM
museums are cool because the people who work there are like look at this neat thing and you're like wow that is neat and you just do it over and over again until it is time to go
January 20, 2026 at 3:03 AM
museums are cool because the people who work there are like look at this neat thing and you're like wow that is neat and you just do it over and over again until it is time to go
Reposted by TrishEM
The Danes answered our call after 9/11 and lost 43 soldiers in Afghanistan, which is a casualty rate equal to our own relative to their population.
The whole thing isn’t just enraging, it’s dishonorable in the extreme
The whole thing isn’t just enraging, it’s dishonorable in the extreme
January 20, 2026 at 2:02 AM
The Danes answered our call after 9/11 and lost 43 soldiers in Afghanistan, which is a casualty rate equal to our own relative to their population.
The whole thing isn’t just enraging, it’s dishonorable in the extreme
The whole thing isn’t just enraging, it’s dishonorable in the extreme
Reposted by TrishEM
🧪🛟 sociology 📈 demography
Dr. Gladys West, the pioneering mathematician whose work laid the foundation for modern GPS technology, has died. She was 95.
Dr. Gladys West, Mathematician Whose Work Made GPS Possible, Dies at 95
ALEXANDRIA, VA — Dr. Gladys West, the pioneering mathematician whose work laid the foundation for modern GPS technology, has died. She passed away
thezebra.org
January 19, 2026 at 8:22 PM
🧪🛟 sociology 📈 demography
Reposted by TrishEM
“When researchers at the Center for AI Safety tested AI agents’ ability to complete remote work tasks, not a single model was able to complete more than three percent of their assignments.”
“One notable MIT study found that 95 percent of companies that integrated AI saw zero meaningful growth in revenue. For coding tasks, one of AI’s most widely hyped applications, another study showed that programmers who used AI coding tools actually became slower at their jobs.”
AI Completely Failing to Boost Productivity, Says Top Analyst
AI may or may not excel at a lot of things, but from an economic standpoint, it's definitely not making us more productive.
futurism.com
January 20, 2026 at 1:54 AM
“When researchers at the Center for AI Safety tested AI agents’ ability to complete remote work tasks, not a single model was able to complete more than three percent of their assignments.”
Reposted by TrishEM
I found out today that one of the forces pushing Trump the hardest for this Greenland shit is… the owner of Estée Lauder.
Sharing this here because they own SO MANY makeup brands and I bet a lot of you might like to join me in not repurchasing anything from this makeup brand family!
Sharing this here because they own SO MANY makeup brands and I bet a lot of you might like to join me in not repurchasing anything from this makeup brand family!
How a billionaire with interests in Greenland encouraged Trump to acquire the territory
US president’s friend Ronald Lauder – who first proposed Arctic expansion – is now making deals in the island
www.theguardian.com
January 19, 2026 at 3:49 AM
I found out today that one of the forces pushing Trump the hardest for this Greenland shit is… the owner of Estée Lauder.
Sharing this here because they own SO MANY makeup brands and I bet a lot of you might like to join me in not repurchasing anything from this makeup brand family!
Sharing this here because they own SO MANY makeup brands and I bet a lot of you might like to join me in not repurchasing anything from this makeup brand family!
Reposted by TrishEM
And I thought the ballet lifts my kids are learning were pinnacles of athleticism and trust. This is astonishing. A commenter on the original thread declares that cheer should be an Olympic sport, and yeah, manifestly so.
Weber State with a "WTF did I just watch? (Complimentary)" to win the partner stunt competition at nats
www.instagram.com/reel/DTmAnJx...
www.instagram.com/reel/DTmAnJx...
January 20, 2026 at 6:56 AM
And I thought the ballet lifts my kids are learning were pinnacles of athleticism and trust. This is astonishing. A commenter on the original thread declares that cheer should be an Olympic sport, and yeah, manifestly so.
Reposted by TrishEM
When I was a child, this was a major part of what we meant by the American Dream. We were proud that people from all over the world eagerly came here to improve their lives. I want to bring that back, to make America a beacon of hope again.
It's a small thing, but it fills me with civic pride to walk through the giant park near my house and see Hmong families having cookouts, Somali parents pushing their laughing kids on the swings.
Like, here are people who've endured horrors, and my city has welcomed them in to build peaceful lives.
Like, here are people who've endured horrors, and my city has welcomed them in to build peaceful lives.
Yes. My theory of the moment is Miller/Vance thought their view that immigrants threaten social solidarity would be widely shared. But ICE raids are driving native-born Americans to show solidarity with immigrants quite courageously. Now Miller is trying to disrupt that alliance with state violence.
January 20, 2026 at 7:15 AM
When I was a child, this was a major part of what we meant by the American Dream. We were proud that people from all over the world eagerly came here to improve their lives. I want to bring that back, to make America a beacon of hope again.
Reposted by TrishEM
Thread. (Cheerful disclosure: Started out writing fanfic, more than 50 years ago. Haven’t stopped.) 😄
I actually had a discussion about this yesterday. The hate for fanfiction has 4 components:
1) It directly defies capitalism. Capitalism tells us that only things that are profitable are of worth. Most fanfic is free and so people equate free to bad. 🧵 #fanfiction
1) It directly defies capitalism. Capitalism tells us that only things that are profitable are of worth. Most fanfic is free and so people equate free to bad. 🧵 #fanfiction
January 20, 2026 at 9:24 AM
Thread. (Cheerful disclosure: Started out writing fanfic, more than 50 years ago. Haven’t stopped.) 😄
Reposted by TrishEM
This is especially amazing because the base barely wobbles a millimeter on some of those wildly difficult catches!
Weber State with a "WTF did I just watch? (Complimentary)" to win the partner stunt competition at nats
www.instagram.com/reel/DTmAnJx...
www.instagram.com/reel/DTmAnJx...
January 20, 2026 at 9:26 AM
This is especially amazing because the base barely wobbles a millimeter on some of those wildly difficult catches!
Reposted by TrishEM
This was a great campaign.
Two days ago was our final session of Beowulf: Age of Heroes. I wanna thank my wonderful DM @gregoryawilson.com for an excellent job, and everyone who came to watch, especially those who showed up to every session. It was a wonderful ride.
See y'all for Dragonbane next!
#beowulf #beowulfageofheroes
See y'all for Dragonbane next!
#beowulf #beowulfageofheroes
January 18, 2026 at 4:09 AM
This was a great campaign.
Reposted by TrishEM
fun fact: A Multiple Hugo award winning writer can be seen in the crowd in this shot at the Art Sled rally in Powderhorn (that would be @naomikritzer.bsky.social ).
January 18, 2026 at 4:34 AM
fun fact: A Multiple Hugo award winning writer can be seen in the crowd in this shot at the Art Sled rally in Powderhorn (that would be @naomikritzer.bsky.social ).
Reposted by TrishEM
So scabies is on the rise? Measles is back? TB cases are increasing? What the hell is this 19th-century shit, is cholera going to get the band back together next?
Scabies is on the increase. These mites are rather infectious and it can be a while before symptoms manifest! If infected then seek treatment but also tackle all bedding, soft toys, clothes etc- wash or seal in plastic bag for 3 days.
The sudden rise of scabies: ‘I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy’
These microscopic mites, which burrow under your skin and cause ferocious itching, are incredibly hard to get rid of – and cases in the UK have soared. What is causing the outbreak, and is there anyth...
www.theguardian.com
January 19, 2026 at 11:17 AM
So scabies is on the rise? Measles is back? TB cases are increasing? What the hell is this 19th-century shit, is cholera going to get the band back together next?
Timeline cleanser: raven cuddles
youtube.com/shorts/pasxx...
youtube.com/shorts/pasxx...
Raven cuddles
YouTube video by Ravenology
youtube.com
January 20, 2026 at 9:33 AM
Timeline cleanser: raven cuddles
youtube.com/shorts/pasxx...
youtube.com/shorts/pasxx...
Reposted by TrishEM
What can history teach us about what happens when a populist strongman with an idiosyncratic taste for low interest rates undermines central bank independence?
January 12, 2026 at 1:44 AM
What can history teach us about what happens when a populist strongman with an idiosyncratic taste for low interest rates undermines central bank independence?
Reposted by TrishEM
Regarding that, "Spanberger ends relationship between ICE and Virginia State Police" article:
Went back and actually read the article. This headline is misleading at best, and at worst, it’s a lie.
January 18, 2026 at 1:13 AM
Regarding that, "Spanberger ends relationship between ICE and Virginia State Police" article:
Reposted by TrishEM
it’s almost too obvious to say, but the implicit threat of seizure—ownership rather than rental—violates the core principle of the UN’s Charter—a legally binding arrangement the US must uphold as a matter of its own law. Respecting sovereignty is the basic qualification for a US ambassador to the UN
UN Ambassador Mike Waltz on Greenland: "Denmark just doesn't have the resources or capacity to do what needs to be done in the northern region. And to the Democrats who say 'they're giving you full access,' everybody knows if you're renting a place you treat it differently than if you own it."
January 17, 2026 at 7:28 PM
it’s almost too obvious to say, but the implicit threat of seizure—ownership rather than rental—violates the core principle of the UN’s Charter—a legally binding arrangement the US must uphold as a matter of its own law. Respecting sovereignty is the basic qualification for a US ambassador to the UN
Reposted by TrishEM
Now the actual military has to dress like it’s not the military cuz federal law enforcement agencies dress too much like the military
January 17, 2026 at 11:01 PM
Now the actual military has to dress like it’s not the military cuz federal law enforcement agencies dress too much like the military
Reposted by TrishEM
Update to the update. We're all talking about UVA but don't sleep on the changes at George Mason and VMI.
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
January 17, 2026 at 1:27 AM
Update to the update. We're all talking about UVA but don't sleep on the changes at George Mason and VMI.
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
Reposted by TrishEM
On the one hand, this reinforces the treatment of university board members as essentially political appointees.
On the other hand, that is the role they have played. They have ignored faculty and students, especially in UVA, where they conspired with the DOJ to remove the university president.
On the other hand, that is the role they have played. They have ignored faculty and students, especially in UVA, where they conspired with the DOJ to remove the university president.
In addition to pushing out board members at UVA, Virginia's new governor has fired the lead attorneys at VMI and George Mason. Things are happening quickly as political control fully flips to Democrats.
U-Va. board leaders resign as Spanberger and Democrats take power
The dismissals are another sign that Virginia Democrats plan to quickly unwind changes made at public colleges during Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 17, 2026 at 6:33 PM
On the one hand, this reinforces the treatment of university board members as essentially political appointees.
On the other hand, that is the role they have played. They have ignored faculty and students, especially in UVA, where they conspired with the DOJ to remove the university president.
On the other hand, that is the role they have played. They have ignored faculty and students, especially in UVA, where they conspired with the DOJ to remove the university president.
Reposted by TrishEM
I'm gently mystified by the people (I've run into them myself!) who are surprised, even shocked, to find anger buried under warm easygoingness. In the northern midwest, the northern Great Lakes, our weather teaches us FAFO from the cradle.
Hygge built on a steel core.
Hygge built on a steel core.
January 18, 2026 at 12:04 AM
I'm gently mystified by the people (I've run into them myself!) who are surprised, even shocked, to find anger buried under warm easygoingness. In the northern midwest, the northern Great Lakes, our weather teaches us FAFO from the cradle.
Hygge built on a steel core.
Hygge built on a steel core.
Reposted by TrishEM
So far, about 4,000 antiquities have been counted missing in Sudan. 700 pieces disappeared from museums in the cities of Nyala and El GeneinaI, where the museum’s curator was killed when the building was shelled
www.reuters.com/world/africa...
www.reuters.com/world/africa...
Sudan preservationists struggle to restore country's shattered cultural treasures
The shattered remains of antique pottery and shards of ancient statues lie among broken glass and bullet casings at Sudan’s National Museum, not far from where the Blue and White Nile meet in the capital Khartoum.
www.reuters.com
October 1, 2025 at 4:08 AM
So far, about 4,000 antiquities have been counted missing in Sudan. 700 pieces disappeared from museums in the cities of Nyala and El GeneinaI, where the museum’s curator was killed when the building was shelled
www.reuters.com/world/africa...
www.reuters.com/world/africa...
Reposted by TrishEM
You may have heard of Enheduanna, the princess, priestess, and poet who is also the earliest named author in history.
Well, a tiny broken artefact made of lapis lazuli preserves the name of Ilum-pālil, her hairdresser. It is a fragmentary cylinder seal, excavated from a tomb in the city of Ur.
Well, a tiny broken artefact made of lapis lazuli preserves the name of Ilum-pālil, her hairdresser. It is a fragmentary cylinder seal, excavated from a tomb in the city of Ur.
January 13, 2026 at 2:23 PM
You may have heard of Enheduanna, the princess, priestess, and poet who is also the earliest named author in history.
Well, a tiny broken artefact made of lapis lazuli preserves the name of Ilum-pālil, her hairdresser. It is a fragmentary cylinder seal, excavated from a tomb in the city of Ur.
Well, a tiny broken artefact made of lapis lazuli preserves the name of Ilum-pālil, her hairdresser. It is a fragmentary cylinder seal, excavated from a tomb in the city of Ur.
Reposted by TrishEM
Over the holidays I was part of arranging for another science box for a nibling. I guess I was feeling alliterative, because I told their mom that if I could help foster in them compassion, creativity, curiosity, & community, I would have done something good in the world. +
January 18, 2026 at 1:02 AM
Over the holidays I was part of arranging for another science box for a nibling. I guess I was feeling alliterative, because I told their mom that if I could help foster in them compassion, creativity, curiosity, & community, I would have done something good in the world. +