Ross Thompson

Ross Thompson

@wintermute115.bsky.social

Owner of a world-class dice collection. He/him

527 followers178 following9.7K posts

I genuinely don't think "Arabs were doing some really important work a thousand years ago" is a good rebuttal to RFK's racism. Tawakkol Karman won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011. Omar M. Yaghi won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2005. Maryam Mirzakhani won the Fields Medal in 1977.

Charlie Stross@cstross.bsky.social

RFK jr is an asshole (but we already knew that). Moreover, he's wrong. Why is algebra called that? Who gave us the digit 0 (zero)? And our current number system? Why is the star Betelgeuse called that, for that matter? And so on.

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The fact that these prizes go about 90% to white Europeans and Americans says more about the preferences of the awards committees than the abilities of people from the Middle East.

The contributions of the Arab world to science, mathematics and literature didn't stop when Fibonacci borrowed their numbering system, and pretending it did just plays into the hands of racists.

I genuinely don't think "Arabs were doing some really important work a thousand years ago" is a good rebuttal to RFK's racism. Tawakkol Karman won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011. Omar M. Yaghi won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2005. Maryam Mirzakhani won the Fields Medal in 1977.

Charlie Stross@cstross.bsky.social

RFK jr is an asshole (but we already knew that). Moreover, he's wrong. Why is algebra called that? Who gave us the digit 0 (zero)? And our current number system? Why is the star Betelgeuse called that, for that matter? And so on.

Racists don't give a shit about people who've been dead for centuries, unless they can put their hand up their arse and use them as a sock puppet. They're going to read this and say "yeah, but we're talking about Arabs *today*". It's important to stress that they're *still* doing the work.

Ross Thompson reposted

RFK talks about autistic and Arabic people the exact same way. He assumes they are not capable of ordinary or extraordinary achievements because of who they are. He considers them sub-human because they are not like him. This makes it plain that his is a white supremacist eugenicist project.

The Bulwark@thebulwark.com

RFK: "There's five hundred million Arabs in the world. And yet they don't produce science. They don't win the Nobel Prize. They don't win the Fields Prize. They don't win the Wolf Prize. They don't produce literature."

Ross Thompson reposted

The vile attacks on Amy Acton need to be seen in the context of a party that *needs* people to believe women fabricating sexual assaults is common as rainwater. Because it’s pretty much the only way to evade the conclusion that the president is a rapist.

Marisa Kabas@marisakabas.bsky.social

Beyond disgusted by even more rape allegations against the President of the United States. "In total, more than 25 different women...have independently accused Donald Trump of rape, sexual assault, or other sexual misconduct." Report w/ new details: democrats-judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-su...

Ross Thompson reposted

it feels truly insane that it’s not

Andy Craig@andycraig.bsky.social

I know there's a lot going on but I feel it should probably be more of an above-the-fold story that members of Congress released a thoroughly documented report directly accusing the president of the United States of being a serial rapist.

Ross Thompson reposted

Replying to @marisakabas.bsky.social

A serial rapist was elected twice as President, a fact we don't reckon with nearly enough. Now one of two major political parties has been molded in his image, run for and by violent sexual abusers who hate women.

Ross Thompson reposted

My pal Danielle Koenig shared that her father Walter Koenig passed away last night at age 90. A performer whose kindness and warmth shone through the screen. He will be well remembered.

Ross Thompson reposted

Lula: "We had to overcome foreign interference through digital platforms, which we will have to regulate. A crime in the digital world must be treated the same as a crime in the real world. We cannot have monstrous companies earning millions... not paying taxes... wanting to steer elections."

If they really thought trans votes were immaterial, they wouldn't be panicking every time a trans person skeets that they can't support an anti-trans democrat.

Erin Reed@erininthemorning.com

"Trans people are a tiny group with no power" This isn't true, and I hope my trans readers can internalize this. You are more powerful than you think. Trans and gender expansive people are 2.34% of the US population in the latest survey. That is more than enough to swing a race.

Ross Thompson reposted

please please vote before election day, and tell your circles to. Republican mayors and governors are watching this unfold and getting ideas.

Laura Bassett@lebassett.bsky.social

Bolsonaro-friendly mayors appear to be sabotaging public transport on Election Day. Buses aren’t running in Lula-friendly areas, flights and ferries mysteriously canceled. Traffic lights have gone out and people’s power cut in Salvador, indigenous people’s travel restricted

Ross Thompson reposted

On this date in 1415 the battle of Agincourt took place. A fascinating bit of history that also gave us Shakespeare's masterpiece 'Henry V' and several glorious films. Here are clips from 3 films showing the famous, delicious, rousing speech:

Ross Thompson reposted

In Michigan, Musk paid for calls targeting Muslims that painted Democrats as pro-Israel, and also paid for calls targeting Jews that painted Democrats as pro-Hamas.

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Ross Thompson reposted

Replying to @mtsw.bsky.social

the murder rate in tijuana increased 10x from 2014-2024! it became the most dangerous city in the entire world! This I think had a large impact on how people who live near the border think about security even tho afaict it had zero impact on how Democrats or Republicans approach the subject

Ross Thompson reposted

the core point of the pedocon theory article is that some people are looking for unequal relationships--people who are easier to control and manipulate--and one very reliable way of achieving that is to go after young people

liberalcurrents.comWe Need to Talk About Pedocon TheoryThe connection between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein is no accident, but reveals a deep logic at the heart of reactionary politics.
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Ross Thompson reposted

Stepped out of the restaurant with two friends, and a woman yells at us. HER: Hey! What band are you in? US: Eh? HER: What’s the name of your band? KEVIN: We’re not in a band? HER: You’re not? ME: We’re just weirdos. And then she began singing “Creep” at us.

I don't get what "first person view" is meant to mean here. Seeing them with your own eyes, as opposed to a second person view, which would be if someone else saw it and described it to you?

Ross Thompson reposted

OBAMA: He's got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory. It's gold everywhere.

Ross Thompson reposted

Replying to @mtsw.bsky.social

imprison all of the pardoned people illegally and pardon the people who jail them, you gotta hit them with the reverse calvinball

My first 5 RPGs played (probably): BECMI D&D Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Marvel Superheroes Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness Cyberpunk 2020

The Questionable Authority@questauthority.bsky.social

My first 5 RPGs played: 1. D&D 2. MERP 3. AD&D (2d edn) 4. Cyberpunk 2020 5. Vampire (1st edn)

Ross Thompson reposted

Today's date, 24/10/26 (or 10/24/26 to some), is the last time in our lives that those three numbers will make up a Pythagorean triple! In other words, 24²+10²=26², and that's the last such pattern of this century

Ross Thompson reposted

“At a rally in Berlin on Friday, Chancellor Hitler suggested that German troops returning from East Prussia could stop over in Poland on their way back, his latest suggestion of taking an interventionist approach to the nearby country.”

Chicago Tribune@chicagotribune.com

At a rally in South Florida on Friday, President Trump suggested that U.S. warships returning from the Middle East could stop over in Cuba on their way back, his latest suggestion of taking an interventionist approach to the nearby country.