Avery Kolers
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averykolers.bsky.social
Avery Kolers
@averykolers.bsky.social
330 followers 390 following 150 posts
Philosopher at the University of Louisville, specializing in applied ethics & political philosophy. Co-Editor of The Journal of Applied Philosophy.
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averykolers.bsky.social
53 Republican Senators and not a one of them represents the state of any of the universities on Trump's hit list. What a coincidence.
(Source: www.nytimes.com/2025/03/08/u...)
Screen shot of N.Y.T. article: "Harvard University, whose former president Claudine Gay resigned last year following a bruising appearance before a House committee, is also on the list. So are George Washington University; Johns Hopkins University; New York University; Northwestern University; the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of Minnesota; and the University of Southern California."
March 15, 2025 at 12:32 PM
averykolers.bsky.social
You are the weakest link. Good bye.
Screen shot of email confirming cancelation of my Washington Post subscription.
February 27, 2025 at 2:37 AM
averykolers.bsky.social
These people are such cretins. Who talks like this?
www.npr.org/2025/02/25/n...
From NPR story: "White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to the 21 DOGE workers resigning en masse, in a statement: "Don't let the door kick you on the way out," she said."
February 26, 2025 at 12:28 PM
averykolers.bsky.social
Social norms in animal societies!

Louisville folks: learn more about the social and moral lives of animals as Dr. @kristinandrews.bsky.social (@yorkuphil.bsky.social) delivers the keynote address for the 22nd annual Humphrey Colloquium this Friday, 2/28 at 4:00 p.m. in BAB 218 on the UofL campus!
22nd annual Steven Humphrey Undergraduate Philosophy Colloquium Philosophy Department, University of Louisville Date & Time: February 28, 2025. Sessions begin at 9:00 a.m. Location Belknap Academic Bldg. room 218 Keynote Address: Kristin Andrews (York University), “Wild Societies: Social norms in animal cultures”. 4:00 p.m. Free & open to the public. Refreshments provided
February 25, 2025 at 1:57 AM
averykolers.bsky.social
You keep using this word "freedom." I do not think it means what you think it means.
Quote from NPR story about budget resolutions: "In order to appease members of the Freedom Caucus, House GOP leaders made adjustments to their resolution that would direct up to $2 trillion in spending cuts, with a large chunk likely coming from Medicaid."
February 22, 2025 at 1:13 PM
averykolers.bsky.social
Super exciting virtual event Weds 12:00PM EST: Rabbi Elliot Kukla, "Honoring Disabled Grief in our Changing World"!
Part of our Disability Justice virtual speakers series.
Scan QR code or click links in the replies to register for the talk, and for Continuing Education credit (physicians & nurses).
Spring 2025 Disability Justice Speakers series: Rabbi Elliot Kukla, "Honoring Disabled Grief in our Changing World." Wednesday, 2/19 at 12:00 noon online. Rabbi Elliot Kukla (he/they) is a rabbi, author, artist, and activist. He has been tending to grief, dying, and becoming (more) ill or disabled since 2007 and he has been engaged in justice work since 1996. Links to register for the event and for continuing education credit as in the replies.
February 17, 2025 at 2:11 PM
averykolers.bsky.social
Shocker
from the NY Times story: "For example, blockchain records show that the $Trump token was “minted” at 9:01 a.m. Eastern time on Jan. 17, creating a so-called contract address. It was not announced by Mr. Trump for another 12 hours. "But the account behind the first large public purchase — the $1,096,109 bet — was created about three hours before Mr. Trump launched the coin, an analysis of public crypto transaction records found. It had been filled that evening with virtual currencies, seemingly ready to pounce on a new offering. "The well-timed trades, and the fact that the wallet received its funding shortly before Mr. Trump’s coin launched, immediately drew skepticism from crypto analysts, who speculated that a trader had been acting on inside information."
February 9, 2025 at 12:04 PM
averykolers.bsky.social
The truth is, the energy mix that LG&E/KU offers us, like the transportation infrastructure that Frankfort imposes, is beyond obsolete. Neither of them is fit for the 21st century.
Courier-Journal story quote: "Amid the planet's rapidly changing climate, Kentucky stands to experience more days of extreme heat, flooding, drought and other calamity. These changes will upend agriculture and other industries across the country, experts predict, and fuel disasters of insurmountable cost. "In 2022, 93% of Kentucky's electricity generation was derived from coal and gas, compared to 60% nationally. Advocates in Kentucky have pressured utilities to place more weight on renewable energy technologies, including solar, battery storage and hydropower, as solutions with long-term viability."
February 4, 2025 at 1:54 PM
averykolers.bsky.social
First Trump blamed the army pilot. Now he blames the FAA.

All else aside, if he now thinks the army helicopter pilot was not at fault, he should apologize for his previous accusation. It was an extremely serious accusation. 67 people are dead. To him they are nothing but PR footballs.
Washington Post update: "In a roughly 40-minute news conference, President Donald Trump claimed without evidence that the deadly airline collision was a result of diversity initiatives and the Federal Aviation Administration’s hiring of people with “severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities.” Trump took shots at former presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama and former transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg. Vice President JD Vance, newly confirmed Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also took to the podium to briefly address reporters."
January 30, 2025 at 6:10 PM
averykolers.bsky.social
On top of everything else, the reign of terror is a jobs program for Republican lobbyists.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/29/u...
NY Times article: "Several major universities have responded by hiring lobbyists whom Republican leaders might view favorably. Harvard University has turned to a Capitol Hill heavyweight, Ballard Partners, the former firm of both Mr. Trump’s attorney general-designate, Pam Bondi, and his chief of staff, Susie Wiles. Columbia University signed up with BGR Government Affairs, which counts Haley Barbour, a former Mississippi governor and Republican National Committee chairman, among its co-founders. Duke University, which has an in-house government relations effort, brought in DLA Piper as an adviser. One of the firm’s executives is Richard Burr, a Republican who represented North Carolina (where Duke is located) in the Senate for 18 years. The University of Notre Dame recently registered its own lobbyists for the first time since Mr. Trump’s previous term. And Yale University is beginning its own theater of operations in Washington."
January 30, 2025 at 1:16 AM
averykolers.bsky.social
The felon whose cabinet includes Hegseth and Noem is demanding "enhanced standards of suitability and conduct" from civil service professionals.
This is what @apnews.com calls an "offer".
apnews.com/article/trum...
AP story about civil service purge: " memo from the Office of Personnel Management, the government’s human resources agency, also said it would begin subjecting all federal employees to “enhanced standards of suitability and conduct” and ominously warned of future downsizing. The email sent to millions of employees said those who leave their posts voluntarily will receive about eight months of salary, but they have to chose to do so by Feb 6. "
January 29, 2025 at 2:04 AM
averykolers.bsky.social
People don't just magically get locked out of a system or lose access to a building. Someone revoked their privileges. Who? And who told that person to do it? Who sent emails telling IGs they were fired?
@nytimes.com Lazy complicit passive voice throughout.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/27/u...
Quote from NY Times story about the purged inspectors general. "But, underscoring the confusion, at least one of those inspectors, Krista A. Boyd of the Office of Personnel Management, found herself locked out of the system even though she had not received an email informing her that she was fired, according to people familiar with the matter. The inspector general community is assuming that she is terminated, too. In response to the purge, Mr. Ware, in a letter to the White House late Friday, suggested that the firings were illegal because they violated a law that requires giving Congress 30 days’ advance notice with the reason for any removal of an inspector general. He said on Monday that even though he was not removed in accordance with the law, he was effectively fired given that he no longer had access to the building and computer systems."
January 28, 2025 at 3:44 AM
averykolers.bsky.social
"US, Colombia avert trade war."
Thank you to our wise leaders for averting this trade war, which was coming from who-knows-where, all on its own, completely without anyone ginning it up for the sake of coercion.
Washington Post headline: "U.S., Colombia avert trade war as Bogotá agrees to accept deportation flights"
January 27, 2025 at 4:53 PM
averykolers.bsky.social
If a president attempts to do something, but doing it would violate the law, then the president did not successfully do it. @nytimes.com and @washingtonpost.com should report this in a way that affirms the rule of law rather than autocracy.
NY Times: Trump fires 17 Inspectors General in Late-Night Purge Washington Post: Trump ousts at least 12 independent inspectors general in late-night purge. The dismissals appeared to violate federal law, which requires Congress to receive 30 days' notice of any intent to fire a Senate-confirmed inspector general.
January 25, 2025 at 1:45 PM
averykolers.bsky.social
Woah. KY kissing goodbye to almost $12M of NIH funding in FY25.
Map showing where in Kentucky the NIH spends $12 million. Three Congressional districts.
January 23, 2025 at 1:44 AM
averykolers.bsky.social
Just taking the dog out. 🧊☃️ Hope I don't get fined or imprisoned for violating the mayor's mask ban.
Me wearing a balaclava and other winter gear.
January 20, 2025 at 3:05 PM
averykolers.bsky.social
Surgeon General's "Parting Prescription for America": Community.
The "triad" of elements are Relationships, Service, and Purpose; the associated virtues are Love, Kindness, Courage, Grace, Generosity, and Hope. Link: www.hhs.gov/sites/defaul...
Illustration of "The Triad of Fulfillment"
January 9, 2025 at 12:36 PM
averykolers.bsky.social
Nice example of one way propaganda works.
Plant a thought as a presumption that needs no defense, then proceed to a discussion that responds to or explains the truth of that presumption. Get people wrapped up in the discussion, taking the presumption for granted.
"Why does food taste infinitely better when cooked by someone else? "A food scientist and two chefs explain why food tastes better at restaurants or when prepared by other people versus when..."
December 19, 2024 at 11:54 AM
averykolers.bsky.social
Update. Finished this book. Highly recommended!
Nothing the Same, Everything Haunted: The Ballad of Motl the Cowboy, by Gary Barwin
December 15, 2024 at 6:12 PM
averykolers.bsky.social
Philosophers! If your undergrads have written excellent papers, please encourage them to submit for the 22nd annual Steven Humphrey Undergrad Philosophy Colloquium. Thanks to Dr. Humphrey's generosity, presenters' travel costs will be covered. Deadline Jan. 10. #philosophy
December 9, 2024 at 2:42 PM