Cecile Richards, former Planned Parenthood president and feminist activist, has died Richards died Monday of an aggressive brain cancer. She was 67.

19thnews.org/2025/01/ceci...

A message from the teenaged boy.

Sigh. These people have learned nothing.

BREAKING: Gerry Connolly defeats AOC to become ranking member of the House Oversight Committee by a vote of 131-84.

Austin winter gardens. Everything is waking up after our long, hot season of drought. #gardening #Austingardening #raingardens #Texasnatives

I made these "grybukai" and they were a hit at the party. I almost bailed on them because I thought they were a disaster. But I was wrong! So, yeah. I guess that's something.

So, I like cats, but I'm not sure what to make of the fact that my "Discovery" feed is ALL CATS. I mean, I have other interests, Bluesky.

Ok, so now it seems that most of those whose sentences were commuted have been on home confinement since the pandemic. Not as bad as prison, but we're still punishing people for being gay...

[continuation...] Am I to understand that Biden is just now commuting the sentences of soldiers whose crime was, apparently, just being gay or queer? Why not commute such sentences on Day 1? How is it OK to have let those folks rot in prison for an additional 4 years?

So, here's my question. Some of those 1500 are ex-military, imprisoned for reasons 'related to their sexual orientation' -- paraphrasing, but this was reported on NPR this AM. [cont'd]

Would you attend a Zoom talk in which a doctoral student was discussing your work? Asking for a friend. (Ahem.) She's thinking about going...

In December, I will be an external PhD examiner for the first time. The power is pretty breathtaking: my one vote can tank the whole proceedings. It's small, in the grand scheme of things, but feels sobering nonetheless. [image: when in doubt, post a goat.]

Ah, yes. The famous Canadian drug and migrant route. Except that it's geriatric Americans heading north in buses to buy medicine.

E-News | ‘Small yet fierce’ WVU Press enters 25th year with new talent to continue legacy of excellence Recognized as “small yet fierce” by Raj Tawney of NBC News, the WVU Press is pleased to welcome the following to its editorial team: Kristen Bettcher, managing editor; Marguerite Avery, editorial dire...

We've entered copyediting! It's a new press for Book #4 and I couldn't be happier with my editorial experience thus far. Than Saffel, Marguerite Avery and colleagues are keeping WVUP small and fierce as heck. enews.wvu.edu/articles/202...

Son: I want to buy a book.
Me: Ok, what book?
Son: It's called "Infinite Jest." [enunciates for aging, out-of-touch mother]
Me: No need to buy that. We own Infinite Jest. [grabs book from shelf]

*See also: "Have you heard of a writer named Borges?" and "Do we have a copy of Plato's Republic?"

The next book will likely be about gardens.

Still in extreme drought here in Austin but the cooler temps and some handwatering have done my rain gardens good. Century plant, opuntia and agarita are holding strong. Aster, salvia greggii, and Mexican bush sage have all burst back into flower. #plantnatives #raingardens #droughtresistant