Superannuated evolutionary biologist, writer, humanist, atheist, secularist and ailurophile. On Bluesky at https://xitter.gq/t.co/Ny3Z1XXT8n
The University of Chicago
Joined March 2010
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A lovely way to disarm the haters--from today's attempted "boycott of Zionists" at Philadelphia's Rittenhouse square.
In today's political discourse, especially on the Left, in the West, and among young people, "Zionist" has become a euphemism for "Jew", a polite way to demonize Jews without seeming to be antisemitic. Below is the poster that the Philadelphia boycott of Jewish-owned restaurants used.
whyevolutionistrue.com/2026/…
All the news that's fit to post on National Cappuccino Day, and, in Dobrzyn, Hili sleeps under the pear tree.
whyevolutionistrue.com/2026/…
This Dutch Jewish boy and his sister were gassed as soon as they arrived in Auchwitz (note the stars). He was eight years old and would be 92 today had he lived.
8 November 1934 | A Dutch Jewish boy, Benjamin Raphaël Pais, was born in Harlingen.
In November 1942, he was deported to #Auschwitz with his sister Jansje. After the selection, they were murdered in a gas chamber together with their mother Roosje.
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A short video about the first two gas chambers created near Auschwitz II-Birkenau: youtu.be/Rr6lF75fDmU
ALT Vintage black and white photo of two children standing in a garden, both wearing Jewish stars badges.
It's heartening that the Governor, the state Attorney General, the Mayor of Philadelphia, and the head of the City Council have also experessed similar sentiments. Peaceful protests, yes, but even if this one remains peaceful it's still an expression of Jew hatred.
The planned bike ride boycott of Jewish-owned restaurants in and around Rittenhouse Square on the eve of the anniversary of Kristallnacht is deeply unsettling.
By explicitly targeting businesses because their owners are Jewish, the organizers are engaging in a form of discrimination that falls back on some of the oldest antisemitic tropes and tactics in history.
This is not simply a protest directed at the policies of Israel, rather it singles out our fellow Pennsylvanians based on their Jewish identity, targeting them for policies they have nothing to do with and no ability to affect because of their faith.
That is unconscionable in our Commonwealth which was founded on religious tolerance and unacceptable in a city that prides itself on brotherly love.
Six restaurants targeted, with three having given support to Israel, and none of them Zionist" in the sense of making public statements about the right of Israel to exist. One has never said anything about Israel at all. This shows clearly that "Zionist" is now a euphemism for "Jew", and "anti-Zionist" is really "antisemitic." It's time for us to call out the "Z-word" when it's used.
Bill Maher on the midterms, and on the need for both parties to compromise if we want anything done.
whyevolutionistrue.com/2026/…
youtube.com/watch?v=30qDuCBc…
Today's Caturday trifecta also features a bonus: the song "Hili and Cyrus" composed by Carol Piller. Three other items plus lagniappe.
whyevolutionistrue.com/2026/…
All the news that's fit to post, and, in Dobrzyn, Hili sleeps beneath the pear tree. It's also National Hug a Bear day, so Toasty get a squeeze:
whyevolutionistrue.com/2026/…
This Dutch Jewish girl was gassed as soon as she arrived in Auschwitz. She was 6 years old and would be 89 today had she lived.
7 November 1937 | A Dutch Jewish girl, Bertha Leser, was born in Amsterdam.
She was deported to #Auschwitz from #Theresienstadt ghetto on 28 October 1944. She was murdered in a gas chamber after the selection.
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A short video showing the ruins of gas chamber and crematorium III: youtube.com/shorts/ipQmBPAlJ…
ALT A vintage black and white photo of a young girl with curled hair and a serious expression, wearing a light-colored outfit.
ALT Vintage black and white photo of a young girl smiling and standing against a textured backdrop, dressed in a long coat with lace details.
Antisemitism is growing in our "friendly" northern neighbor. This antisemitic attack destroyed the bakery.
algemeiner.com/2026/11/05/je…
All the news that's fit to post, and, in Dobrzyn, Hili lies buried beneath the pear tree she loved to climb when she was young.
whyevolutionistrue.com/2026/…
This Hungarian Jewih girl was gassed to death as soon as she arrived in Auschwitz. She was one year old and would be 84 today had she lived.
6 November 1942 | A Hungarian Jewish girl, Valeria Heiman, was born in Satoraljaujhely to Géza and Sári.
In May 1944 she was deported to #Auschwitz and murdered in a gas chamber.
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Watch our webinar about deportations of Jews from Hungary to Auschwitz: youtu.be/M42znxofU5Q
ALT Vintage black and white photo of a baby wearing a hooded outfit, looking directly at the camera.
Four ballot initiatives (Arizona, Colorado, Washington, and Nebraska) all passed, prohibiting the participation of biological men in women's school sports. Two blue states, one purple state, and one red state, reflecting the general sentiment of Americans in polls over the last five years.
whyevolutionistrue.com/2026/…
All the news that's fit to post and, in Dobrzyn, Hili was buried beneath the pear tree she loved to climb when she was young.
whyevolutionistrue.com/2026/…
This Dutch Jewish boy was gassed as soon as he arrived in Auschwitz. He was four years old, and would have been 86 today had he lived.
5 November 1940 | A Dutch Jewish boy, Martijn Franklin Altmann, was born in The Hague.
In March 1944, he was deported to #Auschwitz and murdered in a gas chamber after the selection.
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A short video about gas chambers and crematoria of the Auschwitz camp: youtu.be/-A05i25j9Ck
ALT Vintage sepia-toned photo of a smiling young boy with curly hair.