Tod Lauer
@todlauer.bsky.social
Extragalactic observer (black holes, galaxies, galaxy clusters, stellar pops) that also dabbles in planetary astronomy. Really, basically a pixel pusher.
Reposted by Tod Lauer
Roses are red,
But that's not quite true,
They absorb every wavelength of the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum,
*Except* for that hue.
But that's not quite true,
They absorb every wavelength of the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum,
*Except* for that hue.
February 14, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Roses are red,
But that's not quite true,
They absorb every wavelength of the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum,
*Except* for that hue.
But that's not quite true,
They absorb every wavelength of the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum,
*Except* for that hue.
Reposted by Tod Lauer
It’s so funny to think about the fact that there’s people out there deferring every life decision to this
February 14, 2026 at 9:53 AM
It’s so funny to think about the fact that there’s people out there deferring every life decision to this
Reposted by Tod Lauer
You can't... repeal... a scientific finding. At that point it's just called lying about it.
Breaking News: The Trump administration repealed the bedrock scientific finding that greenhouse gases threaten human life and well being, meaning that the EPA can no longer regulate them. nyti.ms/4rSszQu
February 12, 2026 at 8:38 PM
You can't... repeal... a scientific finding. At that point it's just called lying about it.
Nearly 50 years ago, Martin Schwarzschild as a retirement project took up the problem of how to construct realistic dynamical models of elliptical galaxies. "Schwarzschild's Method" is now THE tool for stellar dynamical detection of SMBH in galaxy centers. Note the citation history.
February 11, 2026 at 10:01 PM
Nearly 50 years ago, Martin Schwarzschild as a retirement project took up the problem of how to construct realistic dynamical models of elliptical galaxies. "Schwarzschild's Method" is now THE tool for stellar dynamical detection of SMBH in galaxy centers. Note the citation history.
Reposted by Tod Lauer
can we please not repeatedly shoot ourselves in the foot www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
FDA refuses to review Moderna's mRNA flu shot
Under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Food and Drug Administration has taken an aggressive stance against mRNA technology.
www.nbcnews.com
February 11, 2026 at 9:28 AM
can we please not repeatedly shoot ourselves in the foot www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
You know, J. S. Bach didn't write anything in English. I really wonder why we teach his music. www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdLC...
J.S. Bach: Mass in B minor "Agnus Dei" - Andreas Scholl
YouTube video by civileso
www.youtube.com
February 10, 2026 at 6:39 PM
You know, J. S. Bach didn't write anything in English. I really wonder why we teach his music. www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdLC...
Reposted by Tod Lauer
This is literally what CURRENT LAW requires. It’s in the Constitution! www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
February 10, 2026 at 3:18 AM
This is literally what CURRENT LAW requires. It’s in the Constitution! www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
Reposted by Tod Lauer
Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again.
#Pinks #ProudBlue
#Pinks #ProudBlue
February 5, 2026 at 11:50 AM
Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again.
#Pinks #ProudBlue
#Pinks #ProudBlue
‘They Couldn’t Break Me’: A Protester, the White House and a Doctored Photo
www.nytimes.com
February 3, 2026 at 9:48 PM
And that's that for the Kennedy Center.
Trump: "I have determined that the fastest way to bring The Trump Kennedy Center to the highest level of Success, Beauty, and Grandeur, is to cease Entertainment Operations for an approximately two year period of time, with a scheduled Grand Reopening that will rival and surpass anything."
February 2, 2026 at 12:45 AM
And that's that for the Kennedy Center.
Reposted by Tod Lauer
4 federal agents pull over an elderly US citizen for the suspected crime of being brown, break her car window, throw her to the ground, then drive off after they find her US Passport in her purse. The Salem Police, when called, say there’s nothing they can do. www.salemreporter.com/2026/01/31/u...
U.S. citizen injured by federal agents in Salem who demanded to see “papers,” union says - Salem Reporter
A home care worker and union worker was pulled from her car and injured by federal agents Thursday according to a statement by SEIU 503. To comment on this story, use the form at the end of the repor...
www.salemreporter.com
February 1, 2026 at 2:47 PM
4 federal agents pull over an elderly US citizen for the suspected crime of being brown, break her car window, throw her to the ground, then drive off after they find her US Passport in her purse. The Salem Police, when called, say there’s nothing they can do. www.salemreporter.com/2026/01/31/u...
Reposted by Tod Lauer
the White House's official X account gloats over the arrest of Don Lemon with a chains emoji
January 30, 2026 at 3:10 PM
the White House's official X account gloats over the arrest of Don Lemon with a chains emoji
Reposted by Tod Lauer
I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
Stay free
Stay free
Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio)
YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen
youtu.be
January 28, 2026 at 5:02 PM
I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
Stay free
Stay free
Well, now that we know that Renee Good's parents were Trump supporters, gosh that makes her death unfortunate then.
Trump on Renee Good: "I know her parents were big Trump fans. Makes me feel bad anyway, but I mean I guess you could say even worse. They were tremendous Trump people."
January 28, 2026 at 12:09 AM
Well, now that we know that Renee Good's parents were Trump supporters, gosh that makes her death unfortunate then.
I am really, really looking forward to this!
January 27, 2026 at 5:04 PM
I am really, really looking forward to this!
Reposted by Tod Lauer
Even when there’s no accountability, the record matters. Credit to the Wikipedia editors maintaining this page.
Deaths, detentions and deportations of American citizens in the second Trump administration - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
January 25, 2026 at 3:09 AM
Even when there’s no accountability, the record matters. Credit to the Wikipedia editors maintaining this page.
Reposted by Tod Lauer
@lickobservatory.bsky.social update: the dome is now sealed! Thanks to the summit staff, contractors, and main-campus staff for an amazing amount of work over the past four months. Now we can catch our breath and plan how to checkout/repair the telescope and the dome.
January 22, 2026 at 6:26 PM
@lickobservatory.bsky.social update: the dome is now sealed! Thanks to the summit staff, contractors, and main-campus staff for an amazing amount of work over the past four months. Now we can catch our breath and plan how to checkout/repair the telescope and the dome.
When I was doing my PhD, I would often walk over to this vista on the UC Santa Cruz campus to clear my head. The space and scale gave me place to breath, and better yet to imagine.
Santa Cruz sunset, looking out at the Monterey Peninsula, last night
January 17, 2026 at 6:00 PM
When I was doing my PhD, I would often walk over to this vista on the UC Santa Cruz campus to clear my head. The space and scale gave me place to breath, and better yet to imagine.
As New Horizons heads out of the Solar System into interstellar space: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp8U...
JPOLND - The End (Official Lyric Video)
YouTube video by JPOLNDVEVO
www.youtube.com
January 16, 2026 at 8:46 PM
As New Horizons heads out of the Solar System into interstellar space: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp8U...
This is beyond sick.
This video shows ICE holding children hostage to bait parents out of their homes.
Just unspeakable levels of cruelty and inhumanity.
Just unspeakable levels of cruelty and inhumanity.
January 16, 2026 at 3:20 PM
This is beyond sick.
Here's a US senator fully endorsing bringing criminal charges against Jerome Powell for the express purpose of getting him to resign from the Fed. The charges would go away once he resigns.
Sen. Kevin Cramer: "Maybe the point should be if you're the attorney for Jay Powell and you want to avoid an indictment, how about you go to Jeanine Pirro and say, 'I'll make a deal. I'll step down today if you drop the investigation today.' To me, that would be a win win for everybody."
January 13, 2026 at 9:59 PM
Here's a US senator fully endorsing bringing criminal charges against Jerome Powell for the express purpose of getting him to resign from the Fed. The charges would go away once he resigns.
Reposted by Tod Lauer
Do his initials begin with J & D?
This is appalling: Top DOJ officials are actively pushing for a criminal investigation into the widow of Renee Good, leading prosecutors to quit en masse, NYT is reporting.
Who in the White House ordered DOJ to do this? That's the next thing to establish.
Who in the White House ordered DOJ to do this? That's the next thing to establish.
January 13, 2026 at 6:50 PM
Do his initials begin with J & D?
Reposted by Tod Lauer
Video message from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KckG...
www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/s...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KckG...
www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/s...
Statement by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell
YouTube video by Federal Reserve
www.youtube.com
January 12, 2026 at 12:35 AM
Video message from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KckG...
www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/s...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KckG...
www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/s...
Standing out in the street taking my earlier full Moon image, a neighbor, Steve Kite, drove by, stopped and showed me the image that he had just taken with *his* phone. Tucson has incredible Moon rises. As I demonstrated to @bsryden.bsky.social , sometimes it even rises twice in the same night!
January 3, 2026 at 5:10 AM
Standing out in the street taking my earlier full Moon image, a neighbor, Steve Kite, drove by, stopped and showed me the image that he had just taken with *his* phone. Tucson has incredible Moon rises. As I demonstrated to @bsryden.bsky.social , sometimes it even rises twice in the same night!