Sean D. Johnson
@seanjohnson.bsky.social
Extragalactic astronomer; LSA Collegiate Fellow & Assistant Professor at @michiganastro. Dog lover. Pronouns: he/him/his 🏳️🌈
Of all the sort-of traditional Super Bowl foods to invoke in the middle of a racist tirade, meatloaf is quite the choice.
February 10, 2026 at 2:49 AM
Of all the sort-of traditional Super Bowl foods to invoke in the middle of a racist tirade, meatloaf is quite the choice.
Why didn’t anyone tell me Al Ameer opened a location in Canton?!? This is amazing news
February 7, 2026 at 8:50 PM
Why didn’t anyone tell me Al Ameer opened a location in Canton?!? This is amazing news
Same decision as the AG, despite ACLU’s history* and mission.
*It is actually consistent with their pre-1965ish history on gay rights
*It is actually consistent with their pre-1965ish history on gay rights
February 7, 2026 at 2:56 AM
Same decision as the AG, despite ACLU’s history* and mission.
*It is actually consistent with their pre-1965ish history on gay rights
*It is actually consistent with their pre-1965ish history on gay rights
The one that bothers/frightens me most is that, apparently, national ACLU decided not to back state branches filing lawsuits in state courts against the institutions on behalf of people with clear cases.
February 7, 2026 at 2:51 AM
The one that bothers/frightens me most is that, apparently, national ACLU decided not to back state branches filing lawsuits in state courts against the institutions on behalf of people with clear cases.
On these issues Nessel has actually been ok. Not as good as I’d like, but clearly taking the right side and working with those affected. I wish she’d put the AG’s office behind a suit against the institutions putting the policies in place. But she is at least suing the Trump admin about the EOs.
February 7, 2026 at 2:24 AM
On these issues Nessel has actually been ok. Not as good as I’d like, but clearly taking the right side and working with those affected. I wish she’d put the AG’s office behind a suit against the institutions putting the policies in place. But she is at least suing the Trump admin about the EOs.
Reposted by Sean D. Johnson
"Recent changes in the law did not force Texas A&M to eliminate entire fields of study related to race, gender and sexuality. That was a choice made by our regents. They are overachievers in their subservience to powerful politicians."
February 6, 2026 at 7:31 PM
"Recent changes in the law did not force Texas A&M to eliminate entire fields of study related to race, gender and sexuality. That was a choice made by our regents. They are overachievers in their subservience to powerful politicians."
Questions for UMich admin+Regents about its new policy on policing gender in intramural sports:
1) why discriminate against students, faculty, & staff in violation of MI law+MI Supreme Court precedent to comply with an EO, which is not law, & which you didn’t try to challenge?
2) UNO?… really?
1) why discriminate against students, faculty, & staff in violation of MI law+MI Supreme Court precedent to comply with an EO, which is not law, & which you didn’t try to challenge?
2) UNO?… really?
February 7, 2026 at 2:05 AM
Questions for UMich admin+Regents about its new policy on policing gender in intramural sports:
1) why discriminate against students, faculty, & staff in violation of MI law+MI Supreme Court precedent to comply with an EO, which is not law, & which you didn’t try to challenge?
2) UNO?… really?
1) why discriminate against students, faculty, & staff in violation of MI law+MI Supreme Court precedent to comply with an EO, which is not law, & which you didn’t try to challenge?
2) UNO?… really?
“Car to scale”???
February 6, 2026 at 4:29 AM
“Car to scale”???
Seriously! The pasta was done before I was ready for it
February 3, 2026 at 3:13 AM
Seriously! The pasta was done before I was ready for it
We’ve had an induction stove for five years and I’m still amazed by the low-end heat control. Made carbonara directly on the stovetop tonight, and it was downright easy.
That and some guanciale from Zingerman’s made it about as good as I’ve had in Italy.
That and some guanciale from Zingerman’s made it about as good as I’ve had in Italy.
a man in a chef 's hat is holding a spoon in his mouth
Alt: A muppet in a chef 's hat dancing while drumming with spoons
media.tenor.com
February 3, 2026 at 12:53 AM
We’ve had an induction stove for five years and I’m still amazed by the low-end heat control. Made carbonara directly on the stovetop tonight, and it was downright easy.
That and some guanciale from Zingerman’s made it about as good as I’ve had in Italy.
That and some guanciale from Zingerman’s made it about as good as I’ve had in Italy.
Reposted by Sean D. Johnson
This was a chilling email to receive tonight, the government's ethnic cleansing campaign continues and now (at least for the moment) it's happening in my oldest son's school district
Michigan folks: Ypsilanti Community Schools confirm several parents taken into custody by ICE.
Not in my fuckin town.
Not in my fuckin town.
January 28, 2026 at 1:45 AM
This was a chilling email to receive tonight, the government's ethnic cleansing campaign continues and now (at least for the moment) it's happening in my oldest son's school district
Yes, and even putting the content aside, his writing itself also sucks.
January 25, 2026 at 8:17 PM
Yes, and even putting the content aside, his writing itself also sucks.
Thomas Friedman continues to be incredibly bad at his job.
January 25, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Thomas Friedman continues to be incredibly bad at his job.
ICE agents are responsible for the majority of homicides committed in the Twin Cities so far this year.
In most US cities, homicides committed by armed police represent a significant fraction, but I can’t think of any prior examples where it was as high as 2/3.
In most US cities, homicides committed by armed police represent a significant fraction, but I can’t think of any prior examples where it was as high as 2/3.
January 24, 2026 at 8:10 PM
ICE agents are responsible for the majority of homicides committed in the Twin Cities so far this year.
In most US cities, homicides committed by armed police represent a significant fraction, but I can’t think of any prior examples where it was as high as 2/3.
In most US cities, homicides committed by armed police represent a significant fraction, but I can’t think of any prior examples where it was as high as 2/3.
Broke out my mittens for the first time since leaving Chicago 10 years ago. Exciting!
a man in a hooded jacket is being held by a woman in a grey sweater
Alt: a boy in a heavy hooded jacket, so puffy he is unable to put his arms down. His mother is wrapping a scarf over his face
media.tenor.com
January 24, 2026 at 3:09 PM
Broke out my mittens for the first time since leaving Chicago 10 years ago. Exciting!
Reposted by Sean D. Johnson
@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 Jan 24 AOL: Under increasing pressure from the Trump admin. CA's largest pediatric hospital system will stop providing GAC for minors. Rady Children's Health including Children's Hospital of Orange Cty, Children's Hospital San Diego & Rady Children's in Riverside Cty.
California's largest pediatric healthcare system to halt transgender care amid Trump administration threats
Rady Children's Health, the largest pediatric healthcare system in California, will stop providing gender-affirming medical care to transgender youth amid pressure from the federal government.
www.aol.com
January 24, 2026 at 11:21 AM
@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 Jan 24 AOL: Under increasing pressure from the Trump admin. CA's largest pediatric hospital system will stop providing GAC for minors. Rady Children's Health including Children's Hospital of Orange Cty, Children's Hospital San Diego & Rady Children's in Riverside Cty.
From UM-GPT’s image generating version. You see, the real problem with geocentric models is that they didn’t realize the Sun regularly transforms into the moon.
January 19, 2026 at 12:43 AM
From UM-GPT’s image generating version. You see, the real problem with geocentric models is that they didn’t realize the Sun regularly transforms into the moon.
Chat, if the Moon is rising at midnight, what phase is the moon? Draw a diagram.
UMGPT:
Sunlight
|
V
[Sun]---->[Earth]---->[Moon]
| midnight | (midnight rise)
Chat, where does sunlight come from? WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?!?
UMGPT:
Sunlight
|
V
[Sun]---->[Earth]---->[Moon]
| midnight | (midnight rise)
Chat, where does sunlight come from? WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?!?
January 18, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Chat, if the Moon is rising at midnight, what phase is the moon? Draw a diagram.
UMGPT:
Sunlight
|
V
[Sun]---->[Earth]---->[Moon]
| midnight | (midnight rise)
Chat, where does sunlight come from? WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?!?
UMGPT:
Sunlight
|
V
[Sun]---->[Earth]---->[Moon]
| midnight | (midnight rise)
Chat, where does sunlight come from? WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?!?
The azimuth drive failed, so we went from guiding one second to an unexpected halt.
Mauricio likes to use dramatic language: "telescope crashed", "mirror dropped", etc
Mauricio likes to use dramatic language: "telescope crashed", "mirror dropped", etc
January 18, 2026 at 4:20 AM
The azimuth drive failed, so we went from guiding one second to an unexpected halt.
Mauricio likes to use dramatic language: "telescope crashed", "mirror dropped", etc
Mauricio likes to use dramatic language: "telescope crashed", "mirror dropped", etc
Back on sky!
“Fuck, the telescope crashed”—Mauricio
Definitely not a good way to start the night, but grateful to everyone at LCO who rushed to Baade to try and get it working tonight.
Definitely not a good way to start the night, but grateful to everyone at LCO who rushed to Baade to try and get it working tonight.
January 18, 2026 at 3:28 AM
Back on sky!
“Fuck, the telescope crashed”—Mauricio
Definitely not a good way to start the night, but grateful to everyone at LCO who rushed to Baade to try and get it working tonight.
Definitely not a good way to start the night, but grateful to everyone at LCO who rushed to Baade to try and get it working tonight.
January 18, 2026 at 2:00 AM
“Fuck, the telescope crashed”—Mauricio
Definitely not a good way to start the night, but grateful to everyone at LCO who rushed to Baade to try and get it working tonight.
Definitely not a good way to start the night, but grateful to everyone at LCO who rushed to Baade to try and get it working tonight.
Reposted by Sean D. Johnson
He told the UofC Chronicle: “My mother raised three children on Social Security and part-time employment.. The chance I have had in life is rare, so my involvement in the public schools is payback, if you will.. Public schools are really the only vehicle that reaches into all corners of society.”
January 16, 2026 at 4:26 AM
He told the UofC Chronicle: “My mother raised three children on Social Security and part-time employment.. The chance I have had in life is rare, so my involvement in the public schools is payback, if you will.. Public schools are really the only vehicle that reaches into all corners of society.”
Reposted by Sean D. Johnson
Most people know Don's work on the SDSS; but at he was also deeply engaged in community education projects. He co-founded the Chicago Public Schools/University of Chicago Internet Project, which brought the Internet to 24 schools in the University's neighborhood.
January 16, 2026 at 4:23 AM
Most people know Don's work on the SDSS; but at he was also deeply engaged in community education projects. He co-founded the Chicago Public Schools/University of Chicago Internet Project, which brought the Internet to 24 schools in the University's neighborhood.
Reposted by Sean D. Johnson
Don was an exceptional scientist and mentor, and one of the best humans I've ever known. He had a profoundly positive impact on my life, and I'm really going to miss him. news.uchicago.edu/story/donald...
Donald G. York, co-founder of Sloan Digital Sky Survey and ‘visionary’ astronomer, 1944-2025
UChicago professor emeritus helped transform modern astronomy, mapped interstellar medium
news.uchicago.edu
January 16, 2026 at 4:20 AM
Don was an exceptional scientist and mentor, and one of the best humans I've ever known. He had a profoundly positive impact on my life, and I'm really going to miss him. news.uchicago.edu/story/donald...