Tom Swanson
@swansontea.bsky.social
Retired clockmaker of the atomic persuasion. Formerly at the US Naval Observatory.
Bad weather again!
February 8, 2026 at 4:11 PM
Bad weather again!
We need folks to put up “JD Vance was booed here” memorial plaques
LOL.... i wanted to hear JD getting booed at the Olympics and when i searched for it on YouTube i got this
February 8, 2026 at 12:52 PM
We need folks to put up “JD Vance was booed here” memorial plaques
Now that I have successfully navigated us into an iceberg, it is the right time for me to step down as Captain of the Titanic.
Breaking — Will Lewis out at the Washington Post. He just sent this email to staff (shared with me by staffer):
February 8, 2026 at 2:18 AM
Now that I have successfully navigated us into an iceberg, it is the right time for me to step down as Captain of the Titanic.
My dad took us to see The Magic Show on Broadway ca 1975. I remember nothing about the performance other than Henning. I vaguely remember riding in a big yellow cab with jump seats.
On this day in 2000, Doug Henning died.
Born in Winnipeg in 1947, he became famous for his World of Magic specials in the 1970s and 1980s. An acclaimed magician, he later ran in the 1993 election for the Natural Law Party, finishing sixth.
Born in Winnipeg in 1947, he became famous for his World of Magic specials in the 1970s and 1980s. An acclaimed magician, he later ran in the 1993 election for the Natural Law Party, finishing sixth.
February 8, 2026 at 2:09 AM
My dad took us to see The Magic Show on Broadway ca 1975. I remember nothing about the performance other than Henning. I vaguely remember riding in a big yellow cab with jump seats.
Reposted by Tom Swanson
Reposted by Tom Swanson
LOL.... i wanted to hear JD getting booed at the Olympics and when i searched for it on YouTube i got this
February 7, 2026 at 6:59 AM
LOL.... i wanted to hear JD getting booed at the Olympics and when i searched for it on YouTube i got this
Reposted by Tom Swanson
ok. does anyone know if it's twice per athlon or every two athlons
February 7, 2026 at 2:44 PM
ok. does anyone know if it's twice per athlon or every two athlons
I hope at least one is named “Bismuth”
#Caturday 🐱:
#Cat Studies with Straight Lines
Fig. 81 from _Design in Theory and Practice_ (NY, USA, 1910) by Ernest Allen Batchelder, p. 157:
archive.org/details/desi...
ℹ️ Ernest Allen Batchelder was a key figure in the American #ArtsAndCraftsMovement.
#CatsInArt
#Cat Studies with Straight Lines
Fig. 81 from _Design in Theory and Practice_ (NY, USA, 1910) by Ernest Allen Batchelder, p. 157:
archive.org/details/desi...
ℹ️ Ernest Allen Batchelder was a key figure in the American #ArtsAndCraftsMovement.
#CatsInArt
February 7, 2026 at 6:53 PM
I hope at least one is named “Bismuth”
This is prohibited by the Geneva Conventions
MAGA-aligned military commanders are pressuring enlisted service members to go to the Melania movie and bring their families. Troops at 8 different bases have complained. www.businessinsider.com/us-military-...
February 7, 2026 at 6:02 PM
This is prohibited by the Geneva Conventions
Further? On the contrary.
This is tellin' my whole life with his wurst
This is tellin' my whole life with his wurst
![Strumming my pain with his fingers, Singing my life with his words... [pic of a guy's food cart that is called 'grilling me softly...with his tongs [pic of hotdog in a tongue]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:lxm3v43kiuo4gdun45a4zivh/bafkreie4zrjhiajt2eotzm5eozqko7yxj7fsqioryvx7oy6moyh5ggn4da@jpeg)
February 7, 2026 at 1:39 PM
Further? On the contrary.
This is tellin' my whole life with his wurst
This is tellin' my whole life with his wurst
I prefer freshly-baked honey wheat bread. Half a loaf is better then naan.
update
February 7, 2026 at 1:36 PM
I prefer freshly-baked honey wheat bread. Half a loaf is better then naan.
Reposted by Tom Swanson
GM: Charisma check.
Mamdani: [rolls natural 20]
GM: that’s a d6 how did you
Mamdani: [direct to camera] Did you know you can check out board games at your local public library? 😊
Mamdani: [rolls natural 20]
GM: that’s a d6 how did you
Mamdani: [direct to camera] Did you know you can check out board games at your local public library? 😊
February 7, 2026 at 5:01 AM
GM: Charisma check.
Mamdani: [rolls natural 20]
GM: that’s a d6 how did you
Mamdani: [direct to camera] Did you know you can check out board games at your local public library? 😊
Mamdani: [rolls natural 20]
GM: that’s a d6 how did you
Mamdani: [direct to camera] Did you know you can check out board games at your local public library? 😊
Some good news for a change
I'm at the Olympics and the entire stadium booed JD Vance. 😌
February 7, 2026 at 12:13 AM
Some good news for a change
Reposted by Tom Swanson
When you think you’ve won the war, chest bumping and all puffed out, and then a strong woman enters the arena with a case of beer for you to hold.
I give you Hilary R. Clinton.
#Pinks
#Voices4Victory
#SheShed
#DemVoice1
I give you Hilary R. Clinton.
#Pinks
#Voices4Victory
#SheShed
#DemVoice1
February 6, 2026 at 2:00 PM
When you think you’ve won the war, chest bumping and all puffed out, and then a strong woman enters the arena with a case of beer for you to hold.
I give you Hilary R. Clinton.
#Pinks
#Voices4Victory
#SheShed
#DemVoice1
I give you Hilary R. Clinton.
#Pinks
#Voices4Victory
#SheShed
#DemVoice1
Reposted by Tom Swanson
To all the non-academics who don't understand the point of academic freedom and don't care to learn about it, let me give you a factor you might care about:
Tenure is the biggest reason you get my services at a steep discount over my private sector value.
Tenure is the biggest reason you get my services at a steep discount over my private sector value.
No Tenure for Oklahoma.
Instead, faculty will be on "renewable contracts “tied to teaching effectiveness, student completion, job placement, and economic alignment.”
#academicsky
Instead, faculty will be on "renewable contracts “tied to teaching effectiveness, student completion, job placement, and economic alignment.”
#academicsky
Tenure Will Be Eliminated at Most of Oklahoma’s Public Colleges, Governor Says
Gov. J. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, directed the state’s two-dozen regional universities and community colleges to phase out the practice. Existing faculty members will be grandfathered in.
www.chronicle.com
February 6, 2026 at 3:16 AM
To all the non-academics who don't understand the point of academic freedom and don't care to learn about it, let me give you a factor you might care about:
Tenure is the biggest reason you get my services at a steep discount over my private sector value.
Tenure is the biggest reason you get my services at a steep discount over my private sector value.
I wouldn’t mind the “We’re a christian nation” drivel quite so much if the people saying it were actually promoting the associated ideals, like helping the downtrodden, the poor, and the sick, etc.
February 6, 2026 at 7:44 PM
I wouldn’t mind the “We’re a christian nation” drivel quite so much if the people saying it were actually promoting the associated ideals, like helping the downtrodden, the poor, and the sick, etc.
Reposted by Tom Swanson
Oh FFS and on my frickin birthday no less. Trump announces May 17 ceremony to "rededicate" America to God boingboing.net/2026/02/05/t...
Trump announces May 17 ceremony to "rededicate" America to God
The National Prayer Breakfast this morning was a full blown Christian Nationalist political rally.
boingboing.net
February 6, 2026 at 2:08 PM
Oh FFS and on my frickin birthday no less. Trump announces May 17 ceremony to "rededicate" America to God boingboing.net/2026/02/05/t...
Reposted by Tom Swanson
Good morning, cute little exploding sprinkles. 🧪✨🎊
When sprinkles are submerged in liquid nitrogen, they rapidly cool to −196 °C, causing the trapped moisture and air inside them to contract and the sugar structure to become brittle. cen.acs.org/education/Ch...
#CENChemPics #chemsky 🧪
#CENChemPics #chemsky 🧪
February 6, 2026 at 2:08 PM
Good morning, cute little exploding sprinkles. 🧪✨🎊
I think the fact that he can ad-lib puts him a leg up on most politicians. Much better than the defaulting to memorized talking points we often see when they are served a curveball
No one has yet talked in depth about Mamdani's play- as in, a childlike wonder and ceaseless fun and joy. That is rooted in what he learned from his mom about acting, which is pure play. Everything he does is rooted in encouraging US to be more playful, too. It's wonderful.
Child at the podium: “A woo woo woo.”
Mamdani: That’s how I felt when we came up with this plan. Together, we will expand the idea of what is possible in our city—and what sounds and noises we can make at a press conference.
Mamdani: That’s how I felt when we came up with this plan. Together, we will expand the idea of what is possible in our city—and what sounds and noises we can make at a press conference.
February 6, 2026 at 7:34 PM
I think the fact that he can ad-lib puts him a leg up on most politicians. Much better than the defaulting to memorized talking points we often see when they are served a curveball
“I was knowingly sending a student into harm’s way and enabling the predator” is a helluva defense.
February 6, 2026 at 7:28 PM
“I was knowingly sending a student into harm’s way and enabling the predator” is a helluva defense.
NBC’s web page for the olympic broadcast is a clusterfuck
All I want is a grid that shows what channels are showing which events, when
Their page defaults to showing what’s streaming first (an endorsement of how much they hate casual TV viewers) and it doesn’t fucking scroll properly in my iPad.
All I want is a grid that shows what channels are showing which events, when
Their page defaults to showing what’s streaming first (an endorsement of how much they hate casual TV viewers) and it doesn’t fucking scroll properly in my iPad.
February 6, 2026 at 6:12 PM
NBC’s web page for the olympic broadcast is a clusterfuck
All I want is a grid that shows what channels are showing which events, when
Their page defaults to showing what’s streaming first (an endorsement of how much they hate casual TV viewers) and it doesn’t fucking scroll properly in my iPad.
All I want is a grid that shows what channels are showing which events, when
Their page defaults to showing what’s streaming first (an endorsement of how much they hate casual TV viewers) and it doesn’t fucking scroll properly in my iPad.
If there’s one person who can’t ever be considered responsible for their actions, surely it’s POTUS
The New York Times has finally covered the Trump video of Obama as an ape — and they are still providing cover for him. Fuck the Times.
February 6, 2026 at 5:58 PM
If there’s one person who can’t ever be considered responsible for their actions, surely it’s POTUS
Reposted by Tom Swanson
ski jump penis doping story only underscores the advantages of shape and drape over slim fit clothing
www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/f...
www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/f...
February 6, 2026 at 3:03 AM
ski jump penis doping story only underscores the advantages of shape and drape over slim fit clothing
www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/f...
www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/f...
Also better than Hegseth at opsec. Not surprising Fox News is impressed by it.
February 6, 2026 at 12:58 PM
Also better than Hegseth at opsec. Not surprising Fox News is impressed by it.
Reposted by Tom Swanson
one thing i always look for in a currency is the capacity to lose 15% of its value in response to nothing in particular
February 6, 2026 at 12:48 AM
one thing i always look for in a currency is the capacity to lose 15% of its value in response to nothing in particular