Yesterday, I was on @sobremesapod.bsky.social, hosted by the wonderful @eoghangilmartin.bsky.social, to talk about why Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez seems to be loved everywhere but in his own country.

(Link in the thread, which includes other related links.)

God's work reading that one so others don't have to, Jane. 🙏
I'm left wondering if you are quiet reader, or rather, a demonstrative huffer and puffer with a propensity to put the book down to vent about it to anyone unlucky enough to be in the vicinity, or in one of my WhatsApp groups. 😅

Oh gosh, he looks so happy. Beautiful pic, Bodie. I'm glad it's brought you happiness in difficult times.

Nice! Congratulations. Volume looks great.

I was was just about to write 'now finish pushing out the transphobes' 😅

I note the signature of a researcher at the CSIC's AI Research Institute in Barcelona and can't help thinking that it's precisely these researchers we need to connect with and learn from (ie. rather than the cynical acolytes churning out SoTL publications like they're PR briefs.)

Really interested to hear what Australian educators/ academics think about the framing of this open letter.

An open letter from educators who refuse the call to adopt GenAI in education

openletter.earth/an-open-lett...

Something is rotten in Australia’s tertiary education. And UTS’s suspension of teaching courses is one of its biggest disgraces | Isobel Crealy If preparing teachers for NSW during an ongoing teacher shortage isn’t a public good, what is?

"This is more than shortsighted – it’s self-sabotage. When we hollow out the teaching profession, we undermine our children’s future. When we strip away specialist programs like Tesol [..] we deepen inequality, leaving the most vulnerable students further behind."
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Liberalism is in Trouble | Aaron Bastani meets Francis Fukuyama | Downstream YouTube video by Novara Media

I didn't rush out to buy but listed with interest when he gives the gist of it in Novara interview. www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGo8...

Bahaha. Ouch. Have you looked at his more recent 'uh oh, liberalism is in trouble' book?

Happy Antifascist Pasta Day to all who observe the holiday! 🍝✊

Police aren’t properly trained for mental health crises – but they’re often the first responders. Here’s what works better People who are in distress and need support are often met with handcuffs, detention and are sent to hospital emergency departments.

Good piece on co-responder model for mental health call outs.

theconversation.com/police-arent...

Música para muñecas! 🙌
Como burguesa arruinada transfeminista, cómo no voy a apoyar este proyecto?

From what we know of him, I think he'll be grand with the 'titled' Sevillanos. Give him some pastel linens, good quality brown leather, an expensive cardy over the shoulders; and the business he knows best... - He and the new fam will be uña y carne in no time!

‘We open our eyes despite the pain it causes’: a role for historians in these genocidal times Published in History Australia (Ahead of Print, 2025)

My sincere thanks to @jordanas.bsky.social @zorasimic.bsky.social and Ben Silverstein for this important piece.

Full article: ‘We open our eyes despite the pain it causes’: a role for historians in these genocidal times www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Also paging @srishti-g.bsky.social @alexhedt.bsky.social
@gillianpolack.bsky.social @elisabethrolston.bsky.social
@micaelapattison.bsky.social
Are any of you up for a #RemoteRetreatAUS again??

Absolutely! (apologies for late reply)

Siete veces en que las grandes potencias se confabularon para negociar nuevas fronteras sin contar con los afectados Ucrania sin los ucranianos. No es la primera vez que países poderosos, como hacen ahora Estados Unidos y Rusia con Ucrania, negocian nuevas fronteras o esferas de influencia sin contar con la opinión ...

Mi compañero @kilderbenhauser.bsky.social y la cuestión de negociar nuevas fronteras... sin contar con los habitantes y afectados.

theconversation.com/siete-veces-...

Friedrich Merz has won Germany’s election. But as the far right soars, forming a government may be difficult Friedrich Merz’s party has won the most seats in Germany’s election. But after ridiculing the left and embracing far right issues, he may struggle to form a coalition.

@kilderbenhauser.bsky.social on the German election:

Friedrich Merz has won Germany’s election. But as the far right soars, forming a government may be difficult theconversation.com/friedrich-me...

By @javitxuela.bsky.social

This one made me think of Cristina. 🦄🦕🐀🧚

Updates on National Endowment for the Arts FY 2026 Grant Opportunities The National Endowment for the Arts is updating its FY 2026 grant guidelines, with deadlines in March and July 2025. These changes impact organizations applying in the Grants for Arts Projects or Chal...

So, the National Endowment for the Arts announced today that they are reworking the guidelines for all 2026 grants and will be prioritizing projects that center the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It's now just a propaganda fund.

www.arts.gov/news/press-r...

The AHA strongly opposes Minister Jason Clare's call for the ARC to investigate Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah's grant. Such political interference, which the Minister promised to end, undermines the integrity of the ARC and its independent, peer-review processes.

Wow! Back with a bang 😂

Well at least one of them's got the stones. #JoshWilsonMP
@albomp.bsky.social

It truly was. Though we were later given insights into some responses the leadership team offered when given the same exercise and I couldn't help noticing that the nature of my group's optimism was somewhat different to theirs. Oddly enough.

Black poster reads: Extinction Era Universities: Climate disaster is well underway, resulting in global food and water insecurity, uprisings and mass movements of people. Universities lead the global response. They no longer compete for funding or prestige, but work through global research networks focused on coordinated responses to planetary crises. The internet persists, enabled by green power, but it is restricted to research, education, community and government uses only. Borders are erased to support mass migration. Money no longer exists: collective assets are redistributed to empower sustainable local management. All activity operates according to an ‘eco bottom line’ in which value accumulates to individuals, organisations and regions on the basis of the work they do to support survival and enable renewability. University teaching is transformed into mass public survival education and is conducted through open education networks and local learning collectives.

At a faculty planning meeting we were placed into groups and asked to discuss various 'apocalyptic' scenarios. I can't be the only one who thinks this all sounds kinda amazing. 🤔
#Goals

She relocated to Spain in 2022, but after struggling to adapt, this American woman has packed up and returned home | CNN After vacationing in Spain a few times, Cristina Martinez, from the US, felt enamoured with the European country and was eager to return – for good. She left Miami for Spain in 2022, but decided to re...

This is hilarious. They go to Spain twice for vacation, decide to relocate to live the “European lifestyle,” they move to Santander (of all places) and then complains about the weather being too rainy, the siesta time because she can’t shop..Where do you think you are??🤣🤣 www.cnn.com/travel/ameri...

100% Lol. Though I won't pretend I don't somewhat relish the image of someone so irritating being driven out by all those the hordes of okupas running around *checks notes again to be sure* Santander! 🤣