Charles Roberts, a historian
@ckroberts.bsky.social
https://charleskennethroberts.wordpress.com/ read my blog if you want
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
I dont care enough to verify but in my memory all the ewoks are wearing jeans and jean jackets
September 26, 2024 at 11:30 PM
I dont care enough to verify but in my memory all the ewoks are wearing jeans and jean jackets
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
The Age of the Toddler
November 24, 2025 at 6:31 PM
The Age of the Toddler
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
Mechanic [sliding out from under Optimus Prime]: I think I see what the issue is. This truck is also a big guy somehow
November 18, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Mechanic [sliding out from under Optimus Prime]: I think I see what the issue is. This truck is also a big guy somehow
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
have i got news for you about normal cars
![Pop Crave & @PopCrave • 12h
Waymo co-CEO warns fatal crashes in self-driving cars are coming, and the company is already planning for them:
"We don't say "whether.' We say 'when.' And we plan for [fatal crashes]."
WAYMO](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ymipjgi2ebiptelhrw6zezas/bafkreicjmclzthikst76hsm4ntxz5qc44ixfgkbjlkteua4ld4clmethly@jpeg)
November 20, 2025 at 2:46 AM
have i got news for you about normal cars
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
79-year-old Paul Bojerski was born to Polish parents in a WWII German refugee camp. His family legally emigrated to the U.S. when he was 5.
He’s been taken by ICE in Florida.
www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/11/16/s...
He’s been taken by ICE in Florida.
www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/11/16/s...
Sanford grandfather, born in refugee camp, nabbed by ICE after 70 years in U.S.
Paul Bojerski never gained official residency, but he checked in regularly with ICE for years. Then in July, at age 79, he was detained and sent to Alligator Alcatraz.
www.orlandosentinel.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:18 PM
79-year-old Paul Bojerski was born to Polish parents in a WWII German refugee camp. His family legally emigrated to the U.S. when he was 5.
He’s been taken by ICE in Florida.
www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/11/16/s...
He’s been taken by ICE in Florida.
www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/11/16/s...
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
Babe did you want health insurance this year or are we good
November 13, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Babe did you want health insurance this year or are we good
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
"In 2025, 40% of women aged 15 to 44 say they would move abroad permanently if they had the opportunity. The current figure is four times higher than the 10% who shared this desire in 2014, when it was generally in line with other age and gender groups."
Record Numbers of Younger Women Want to Leave the U.S.
The percentage of younger women in the U.S. who express a desire to migrate permanently has surged in the past decade.
news.gallup.com
November 13, 2025 at 3:10 PM
"In 2025, 40% of women aged 15 to 44 say they would move abroad permanently if they had the opportunity. The current figure is four times higher than the 10% who shared this desire in 2014, when it was generally in line with other age and gender groups."
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
(Zoom meeting presenting a bar chart): any questions on Q3 before we move on to forecasts?
Me: uh, can we imagine the bars as skyscrapers where the data works? Or are they little smokestacks at a data factory?
Presenter:…they’re stelae, that the data can’t understand but worship regardless
Me: uh, can we imagine the bars as skyscrapers where the data works? Or are they little smokestacks at a data factory?
Presenter:…they’re stelae, that the data can’t understand but worship regardless
November 12, 2025 at 3:10 PM
(Zoom meeting presenting a bar chart): any questions on Q3 before we move on to forecasts?
Me: uh, can we imagine the bars as skyscrapers where the data works? Or are they little smokestacks at a data factory?
Presenter:…they’re stelae, that the data can’t understand but worship regardless
Me: uh, can we imagine the bars as skyscrapers where the data works? Or are they little smokestacks at a data factory?
Presenter:…they’re stelae, that the data can’t understand but worship regardless
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
like this is basically it, the melts melted under pressure
November 10, 2025 at 4:27 PM
like this is basically it, the melts melted under pressure
🎶 Just an old fashioned bird song
One I'm sure they wrote for chickadees
Just an old fashioned bird song
Coming from a crested canary 🎶
One I'm sure they wrote for chickadees
Just an old fashioned bird song
Coming from a crested canary 🎶
November 10, 2025 at 1:54 AM
🎶 Just an old fashioned bird song
One I'm sure they wrote for chickadees
Just an old fashioned bird song
Coming from a crested canary 🎶
One I'm sure they wrote for chickadees
Just an old fashioned bird song
Coming from a crested canary 🎶
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
There are too many apps and not enough websites
October 16, 2025 at 11:24 PM
There are too many apps and not enough websites
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
It's the weekend
August 23, 2025 at 5:03 PM
It's the weekend
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
"Asked to generate intervention plans for struggling students, AI teacher assistants recommended more-punitive measures for hypothetical students with Black-coded names and more supportive approaches for students the platforms perceived as white" www.chalkbeat.org/2025/08/06/a...
Annie and Lakeesha struggle in school. AI teacher assistants treated them very differently.
A Common Sense Media study found that prominent teacher assistants that use AI generated recommendations that appeared to be rooted in racial stereotypes based on students’ names. About a third of tea...
www.chalkbeat.org
August 6, 2025 at 7:25 PM
"Asked to generate intervention plans for struggling students, AI teacher assistants recommended more-punitive measures for hypothetical students with Black-coded names and more supportive approaches for students the platforms perceived as white" www.chalkbeat.org/2025/08/06/a...
My ★★★★ review of The Fantastic Four: First Steps on Letterboxd boxd.it/aGynBZ
A ★★★★ review of The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)
This is the first Marvel movie that hasn't been some combination of boring, forgettable, disappointing, or feels like homework since Avengers: Endgame. Some of it doesn't really work, but I like to se...
boxd.it
August 10, 2025 at 10:17 PM
My ★★★★ review of The Fantastic Four: First Steps on Letterboxd boxd.it/aGynBZ
My ★★★½ review of 28 Years Later on Letterboxd boxd.it/aAqRM9
August 3, 2025 at 2:42 PM
My ★★★½ review of 28 Years Later on Letterboxd boxd.it/aAqRM9
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
The narrowing of what we imagine as "the liberal arts" to a subset of humanities subjects (literature, philosophy, art, etc.) should be rejected.
The liberal arts in fact embrace *the whole range* of non-pre-professional subjects, including the natural sciences.
That's the vision we should defend.
The liberal arts in fact embrace *the whole range* of non-pre-professional subjects, including the natural sciences.
That's the vision we should defend.
July 18, 2025 at 4:33 PM
The narrowing of what we imagine as "the liberal arts" to a subset of humanities subjects (literature, philosophy, art, etc.) should be rejected.
The liberal arts in fact embrace *the whole range* of non-pre-professional subjects, including the natural sciences.
That's the vision we should defend.
The liberal arts in fact embrace *the whole range* of non-pre-professional subjects, including the natural sciences.
That's the vision we should defend.
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
KOKO THE GORILLA: Koko birkin bag. Practical Koko possession bag
RESEARCHER: No, Koko. You can’t have a Birkin bag.
KOKO: Good Birkin good Koko give beautiful Koko deserve gorilla
RESEARCHER: Koko, we simply can’t afford a Birkin bag. It is an unjustifiable expense.
KOKO: jealousy professor
RESEARCHER: No, Koko. You can’t have a Birkin bag.
KOKO: Good Birkin good Koko give beautiful Koko deserve gorilla
RESEARCHER: Koko, we simply can’t afford a Birkin bag. It is an unjustifiable expense.
KOKO: jealousy professor
July 17, 2023 at 3:57 AM
KOKO THE GORILLA: Koko birkin bag. Practical Koko possession bag
RESEARCHER: No, Koko. You can’t have a Birkin bag.
KOKO: Good Birkin good Koko give beautiful Koko deserve gorilla
RESEARCHER: Koko, we simply can’t afford a Birkin bag. It is an unjustifiable expense.
KOKO: jealousy professor
RESEARCHER: No, Koko. You can’t have a Birkin bag.
KOKO: Good Birkin good Koko give beautiful Koko deserve gorilla
RESEARCHER: Koko, we simply can’t afford a Birkin bag. It is an unjustifiable expense.
KOKO: jealousy professor
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
[through chopstick walrus tusks] divorth?
April 28, 2023 at 11:25 PM
[through chopstick walrus tusks] divorth?
My ★★★★½ review of Superman on Letterboxd boxd.it/aozQSF
July 19, 2025 at 8:41 PM
My ★★★★½ review of Superman on Letterboxd boxd.it/aozQSF
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
Here's a real "national emergency": College kids won't, and often can't, read a book from cover to cover. The rise of what one prof calls "functional illiteracy" in the iPhone Age is happening right when our imploding democracy needs critical thinkers
My new column www.inquirer.com/opinion/stud...
My new column www.inquirer.com/opinion/stud...
Young people won’t, or can’t, read a book. Now democracy is dying. Coincidence? | Will Bunch
A viral conversation about the near-death of reading by U.S. college students in the iPhone era reveals a threat to democracy.
www.inquirer.com
April 10, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Here's a real "national emergency": College kids won't, and often can't, read a book from cover to cover. The rise of what one prof calls "functional illiteracy" in the iPhone Age is happening right when our imploding democracy needs critical thinkers
My new column www.inquirer.com/opinion/stud...
My new column www.inquirer.com/opinion/stud...
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
It’s also let’s be clear cultural - in that it’s been drilled into students that our courses “don’t matter” and that college is a certification process, something to pass through on their way, so do it as quickly as possible
I've been teaching at Princeton over the same period and the drop-off in reading stamina has been staggering.
I'm not sure of the cause -- some blame K-12 shifts to "chunk reading" while others pin it on COVID -- but it's undeniable.
I'm not sure of the cause -- some blame K-12 shifts to "chunk reading" while others pin it on COVID -- but it's undeniable.
I'm entering my 25th year in the job, having taught for 4 years at Yale and 20 at Berkeley.
The clearest trendline in my experience (fwiw) is the *dramatically* diminished willingness or capacity of undergrads to read. I used to assign 150 pp./week. Closer to 40 now—and even that is aspirational.
The clearest trendline in my experience (fwiw) is the *dramatically* diminished willingness or capacity of undergrads to read. I used to assign 150 pp./week. Closer to 40 now—and even that is aspirational.
July 15, 2025 at 4:36 PM
It’s also let’s be clear cultural - in that it’s been drilled into students that our courses “don’t matter” and that college is a certification process, something to pass through on their way, so do it as quickly as possible
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
I'm stunned. ICE attorneys not identifying themselves in COURT?
July 15, 2025 at 4:55 PM
I'm stunned. ICE attorneys not identifying themselves in COURT?
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
Elite centrists are really obsessed with trans people in a profoundly unhealthy and weird way, like no one does more to raise the salience of trans people (almost always in a negative way) then like the most out of touch rich busy bodies you can think of
May 29, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Elite centrists are really obsessed with trans people in a profoundly unhealthy and weird way, like no one does more to raise the salience of trans people (almost always in a negative way) then like the most out of touch rich busy bodies you can think of
Reposted by Charles Roberts, a historian
aI iS cOmInG fOr YoUr JoBs
July 14, 2025 at 4:54 PM
aI iS cOmInG fOr YoUr JoBs