History

This magnificent 17th Century CE, Ottoman tent, captured during the Battle of Vienna in 1683, embodies the opulence and grandeur of the Ottoman Empire at its height.

Used by high-ranking commanders or possibly the Grand Vizier himself, it served as both a mobile residence and a… pic.twitter.com/5VZRYtJPsj

— ArchaeoHistories (@histories_arch) October 20, 2025

 

An Insight

I thought about writing something comparing New Jersey’s outcomes to Mississippi / Louisiana, but now I don’t have to, because @ChadAldeman knocked it out of the park.

When you look at disaggregated data, it’s a very clear that New Jersey’s high average test scores are primarily… pic.twitter.com/Nn4Rp2eZAz

— Karen Vaites (@karenvaites) October 20, 2025

 

I see wonderful things

The same side of the Moon always faces Earth, but not in exactly the same way. Due to its tilted axis and elliptical orbit, we see about 59% of its surface over time. This simulation compresses a year into 60 seconds, making the Moon's wobble, called libration, visible.
📽: NASA pic.twitter.com/SsgYXXIYSn

— Wonder of Science (@wonderofscience) October 19, 2025

 

Offbeat Humor

The wildest abstract I've read in awhile pic.twitter.com/Ge34fTH8F6

— Alex Strasser (@AStrasser116) October 20, 2025

 

Data Talks

The transmania that swept junior high schools during the Great Awokening is rapidly becoming cringe. https://t.co/yX3FYqHNx2

— Steve Sailer (@Steve_Sailer) October 20, 2025

 

The Sun by Edvard Munch

The Sun by Edvard Munch (Norway, 1863-1944)

Click to enlarge.

History

The border between Cantwara rīce (Kingdom of the Kentish) & Sūþseaxna rīce (South Saxons) is still the border between the counties of Kent & Sussex

A 1,400 year old ditch created to stop conflict, by marking the border to avoid confusion, is our southern woodland boundary pic.twitter.com/daoIqx3yMw

— The English Oak Project (@TheKentAcorn) October 19, 2025

 

An Insight

As I detail in An Abundance of Caution, American pediatricians—the “experts”—recommended *against* early exposure to peanuts; many did so for nearly 20 years, which was the opposite of what they should have said, causing great harm to untold numbers of kids. They did this despite… pic.twitter.com/mq1i1zG7z2

— David Zweig (@davidzweig) October 20, 2025

 

I see wonderful things

The blue-banded bee (Amegilla cingulata) is notable not only for its striking blue stripes but also for its 'buzz pollination' technique, where the bee vibrates to release pollen from flowers that other bees cannot access.

📽: Vishal Jadhavpic.twitter.com/tFV9Keojic

— Wonder of Science (@wonderofscience) October 17, 2025

 

Offbeat Humor

«Owls are just bird hardware running cat software»pic.twitter.com/Hct0qWic3s

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) October 19, 2025

 

Data Talks

The decline of traditional news websites isn’t great news per se. There is outrageously good stuff being published on Substack but it’s all done without editors. As a writer myself I appreciate how helpful editors are. Journalism is increasingly replaced by opinion pieces. The… pic.twitter.com/ks0jUh8Wna

— Simon Kuestenmacher (@simongerman600) October 20, 2025

 

Tiger in a Tropical Storm (Surprised!), 1891 by Henri Rousseau

Tiger in a Tropical Storm (Surprised!), 1891 by Henri Rousseau (France, 1844-1910)

Click to enalrge.

History

Spread of the Industrial Revolution pic.twitter.com/2DmMFCrtlI

— Vintage Maps (@vintagemapstore) October 20, 2025

 

An Insight

Call me old fashioned but I bet they would do a lot better if they told the truth for once https://t.co/h9OubpOibf

— Zero HP Lovecraft 🦅🐍 (@0x49fa98) October 19, 2025

 

I see wonderful things

To this day, the dome of Florence Cathedral remains the largest masonry dome ever constructed on planet Earth

pic.twitter.com/0sWY4z8wnh

— James Lucas (@JamesLucasIT) October 17, 2025

 

Offbeat Humor

In honor of No Kings today, here is my favorite interview of all time. 10 seconds of pure glory. pic.twitter.com/jypj2HfWsI

— Jeff Hunt (@jeffhunt) October 18, 2025

 

Data Talks

THREAD: The Four Laws of Behavior Genetics [links at end]

The 1st Law of Behavior Genetics: All psychological traits are partially heritable. [1/5] pic.twitter.com/ZaIL33q6GQ

— Steve Stewart-Williams (@SteveStuWill) October 20, 2025

 

The Papershop, Salford by Steven Scholes

The Papershop, Salford by Steven Scholes (England, 1952 - )

Click to enlarge.

History

5th century Constantinople pic.twitter.com/PYjNAt6cVD

— 🏛 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 🏛 (@nonregemesse) October 18, 2025

 

An Insight

Just read that Starbucks lost $30B after hiring a McKinsey consultant as CEO.
Guy spent his career advising founders how to build companies, but never built one himself.

17 months later, he’s gone.
They bring in the Taco Bell CEO…
and the market cap jumps $20B overnight.

Turns… 

— sandra djajic (@TakoTreba) October 19, 2025

 

I see wonderful things

Ely Cathedral (1375), England pic.twitter.com/x5mf3oCe13

— Muse (@xmuse_) October 18, 2025

 

Offbeat Humor

The Babylon Bee nailed it.

A liberal activist goes back in time to kill Hitler…only to realize what they’ve become.

Irony at its finest. pic.twitter.com/XDoAFBKu26

— Jake (@JakeCan72) October 18, 2025

 

Data Talks

Declining fertility is an almost totally liberal problem. https://t.co/DYP9A87MgK

— Wilfred Reilly (@wil_da_beast630) October 19, 2025

 

A Wiltsire Landscape, 1928 by William Nicholson

A Wiltsire Landscape, 1928 by William Nicholson (England, 1872-1949)

Click to enlarge. 

River by Moonlight, 1886 by George Henry

River by Moonlight, 1886 by George Henry (England, 1858-1943)

Click to enlarge.

Stockholm Classics by Fredrik Axling

Stockholm Classics by Fredrik Axling (Sweden, 1979 - )

Click to enlarge.

History

'When Alexander lost his beloved dog Peritas, a companion he had raised and dearly cherished, he founded a city and bestowed upon it the dog's name.'

- Plutarch, Life of Alexander, 61. pic.twitter.com/HtfpzEhtrg

— Gareth Harney (@OptimoPrincipi) October 18, 2025

 

An Insight

I cannot shake this irony. Five years ago, government shut down society. Today the government itself is shut down, society is open, and the agencies that were most at fault for this outrage are themselves being gutted. Anyone else see the poetry in this?

— Jeffrey A Tucker (@jeffreyatucker) October 15, 2025

 

I see wonderful things

Old English scribes often used runes at random moments and seemingly sometimes just for fun.

Here the Beowulf scribe uses the eðel rune instead of the word <eðel> and therefore saves himself the gargantuan effort of writing four letters. pic.twitter.com/6lPQtV6POC

— Grǣġhama (@grahamscheper) October 16, 2025

Offbeat Humor

Tolkien: The orcs were savage and mindlessly violent

Progressives: This reminds me of non-white people https://t.co/OID7ogQffA

— Lauren Chen (@TheLaurenChen) October 17, 2025

 

Data Talks

Aboriginal Languages of Australia according to the 2021 Census pic.twitter.com/IGW6TD8rGh

— Vintage Maps (@vintagemapstore) October 18, 2025

 

The Viaduct, 1916 by John Nash

The Viaduct, 1916 by John Nash (England, 1893-1977)

Click to enlarge.

History

The Migration of the Goths pic.twitter.com/lSVkr7bRRh

— Vintage Maps (@vintagemapstore) October 18, 2025

 

An Insight

Vigilāte, stāte in fide, virīliter agite, et cōnfortāminī. — “Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong.” pic.twitter.com/YlpHHQy3pr

— Learn Latin (@latinedisce) October 17, 2025

 

I see wonderful things

Mackinac Island in Northern Michigan, where cars are banned and Amazon delivers by horse.pic.twitter.com/J1URGjs6My

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) October 18, 2025

 

Offbeat Humor

I’m sitting in one as it’s Representative.
You should know, I’m your colleague.

Stop with the race-baiting and tell your party to open the government. https://t.co/GweOrGL1UZ

— Wesley Hunt (@WesleyHuntTX) October 17, 2025

 

Data Talks

The end of Communism in Europe was wonderful in many ways, bringing freedom and prosperity.

But in terms of birthrates, the transition was disastrous. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, fertility collapsed in every single Eastern European country and has never recovered. Why? 🧵 pic.twitter.com/7YRenalCph

— More Births (@MoreBirths) October 18, 2025

 

Paddle Boat on Sea by Simeon Marcus Larson

Paddle Boat on Sea, 1860 by Simeon Marcus Larson (Sweden, 1825-1864)

Click to enlarge.

History

Rescued East African slaves taken from a dhow aboard HMS Racoon – a British naval ship used to prevent the transportation of enslaved people. They were freed from Arab slave traders between November 1st and 4th of 1868. pic.twitter.com/lbD15PrsrL

— Old England in Colour (@englandincolour) October 18, 2025

 

An Insight

Hayek: “Social institutions have never been designed and do much more than we know. They’ve grown up by a process of selection of the successful without people frequently knowing why they were successful.” pic.twitter.com/Fh6r3azYbO

— F. A. Hayek Quotes (@FAHayekSays) October 16, 2025

 

One more victimhood story with an unsympathetic storyline

Over the years I periodically post examples from NPR, the New York Time and the Washington Post where they write an article in which they are trying to create sympathy for some favored group but then the actual facts of the case completely undermine their position.

And here's another one.  It is a little more balanced but ultimately is morally unsound.  From Two Men. One Identity. They Both Paid the Price. by Eli Saslow.  The subheading is Thousands of undocumented workers rely on fraudulent Social Security numbers. One of them belonged to Dan Kluver.

A Guatemalan illegally enters the US and spends decades working illegally, accrues multiple DUI charges, starts a family, is deported and illegally returns multiple times, and kills an American and injures an American child in an auto accident.   In addition, he subjects an American citizen to 15 years of financial and legal turmoil because the Guatemalan stole the American's identity.  

Dan Kluver, the American, spends fifteen years and hundreds of hours trying to sort out the tax and financial consequences when two people are using the same Social Security number.  Kluver is in debt to the US because he was assessed by Social Security and the IRS to have earned more than he had.  He has been on a payment plan trying to payoff Social Security and IRS assessments that were never accurate in the first place.  Fifteen years of financial and legal uncertainty and risk.  All because of a stolen social security number used by an illegal immigrant.  Fifteen years.

The illegal immigrant in his later years cleaned up.  Hard worker, family man, church-going man.  

And illegal, dangerous, accidental death, and willing for an American citizen's life to be turned upside down in order for the illegal immigrant to continue enjoying his own life in the US.  

The reporter did his best to make the two men equally sympathetic but they simply aren't and even the New York Times readers are calling him out for it.  

Two Men. One Identity. They Both Paid the Price. - But one man was an innocent American who was the victim of the other's deeds.  The other man was an illegal immigrant causing an American fifteen years of time, money, legal and financial risk, debt and consequences he did not himself incur.  The American paid a price for the illegal immigrant's actions.  The illegal immigrant paid no price for the American's actions because there were no actions against him.  

As sympathetic as the illegal immigrant might be in his later years, he is essentially a predator of the life of the American and the reporter regards them as equally victimized.  

There is a tremendous story to be told here - the consequences not only to American federal and state budgets arising from illegal immigrant identity theft, but the consequences to all those Americans, usually in the bottom half of income quintiles, who cannot afford the hours and the professional legal and accounting services required to free oneself of the consequences when someone else is using your ID.  

That is a worthwhile story to tell, with a real underdog (those victimized by such theft), with the real potential to do good (the government needs to get serious about its own actions to secure and police the identities on which it relies.)  It is fine to empathize with others wanting to enjoy the extraordinary benefits of American freedom and prosperity.  It is not fine to assume that wanting American freedoms and prosperity is enough justify illegal actions that victimize Americans individually and collectively.

As even the NYT readers appear to believe.  Almost universally disturbed by the New York Times treating the American victim and the illegal alien perpetrator as equal victims.  

I see wonderful things

Mathematics may appear harsh in the beginning, but as you discover its inner beauty, it becomes a source of endless joy. pic.twitter.com/wK3lYKJEzw

— Ganesh Kumar (@Ganeshuor) October 17, 2025

 

Offbeat Humor

Yes Minister predicted this AOC blunder decades ago https://t.co/y7fx6aI8x6 pic.twitter.com/tlBd0S7mB6

— François Valentin (@Valen10Francois) October 18, 2025

 

Data Talks

Point Nemo, located in the South Pacific Ocean, is the most isolated place on Earth. Officially known as the oceanic pole of inaccessibility, it lies roughly 2,687 kilometers from the nearest landmass, including the coasts of Antarctica, Easter Island, and the Pitcairn Islands.… pic.twitter.com/YIZgAqVrNW

— ArchaeoHistories (@histories_arch) October 17, 2025

 

Nepal and Sagan? Maybe because it is closer to the stars

This weekend as part of a broader strategy to allow users to better screen accounts they follow, X began rolling out account nation of origin identification.  Whichever accounts you follow, you can now see where they are based, how they connect to X, how many times they change their handle, etc.  

Saturday onwards there was a flood of discoveries of accounts heavily involved in political discourse and various shades of activism which were based in Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Russia, etc.  There was a lot of crowing on the right because they have lately been dealing with seeming grassroots members of their coalition who were driving extremist positions and these were suddenly shown to be foreign accounts.  

The MSM has been making much of how extreme Republicans and MAGA were becoming by citing these hateful fringe accounts.  Now it has become apparent that most these accounts originate overseas from less than respectable locales.  Conservatives are delighted to be vindicated.  

Why these accounts are doing this remains unclear to me.  Certainly a viable hypothesis is that they are funded psyops by enemy nation states seeking to cause disruption in America but at first blush it is hard to see clear patterns.  They seem to come from all over and cover so many different discussions.  A possible hypothesis but competing with a variety of other plausible ones.  It might become clearer soon.

Of course, as soon as I saw that this feature had been turned on, I started vetting accounts I follow.  

I have always used X as a complement to books, magazines, newspapers and conversations.  It is a source of information, ideas, and aesthetics.  I follow some 2,000 accounts covering almost everything from maritime commerce to medieval cathedrals to paleo-rock art to applied economic theory to deep space photography.  I generally unfollow accounts which shift from content to rank opinions.  Ideas, information and aesthetics is what I am after.  

I am reasonably pleased with the curated garden of ideas and information but it always needs tending as accounts evolve their focus and new accounts come on line.

Most accounts I follow are people I know to be in the US.  A good number are people I know to be in specific other countries such as Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, Australia, etc.  

After a day and a half of vetting I have not come up with any of the rage bot accounts others are finding or accounts which are clear manipulators of others (beyond the benchmark of all human interaction.)

Until this morning.  Not an account I follow but not unreasonable that I might have.  

Robin Hanson is an economics professor at George Mason and an author.  I have read and enjoyed his books and I follow his X account.

He responds to someone else's account.

@ProfCarlSagan account seems innocuous.  

There are lots of accounts which post quotes or excerpts from well known individuals.  I follow several which respectively keep me routinely supplied with material from Shakespeare, Adam Smith, Hayek, Machiavelli, P.G. Wodehouse, Sun Tzu, Immanuel Kant, Aristotle, and the like.

But the supposed quote from Sagan seemed too glib and pat to be credible.  In terms of an argument, seemingly on the wrong end of a nuanced stick.  Aristotle should not have served Philip II of Macedon or taught Alexander the Great?  

The role of intellectuals is to challenge authority, not to serve it.

Doesn't quite sound like Sagan.  Sure enough, it is not a quote by Sagan but is usually attributed to Noam Chomsky (and while reasonably consonant with Chomsky's work, I can't find a source for that attribution either.)  

Hanson responds with the far better claim:

The role of intellectuals is to tell the truth whether that opposes or supports authority.  

But in terms of investing time?  The whole thread seemed anemic.  An exercise in algorithmic manipulation to attract attention without constructive effort or goals.  

But since I am vetting accounts and do like Sagan, I took a look at @ProfCarlSagan. About 45,000 followers so a moderate sized following.  Seemingly more than enough to raise red flags if there is anything nefarious going on.

If the goal is gain attention, then mission accomplished.  

45,000 followers but 750,000 views and 17,000 likes, 5,000 shares and a lively engagement among 275 commenters.  

Grok's characterization of @ProfCarlSagan:

Overview

The X account @ProfCarlSagan is a tribute and educational profile dedicated to the legacy of astronomer, cosmologist, and science communicator Carl Sagan (1934–1996). It positions itself as a modern extension of Sagan's work, emphasizing scientific literacy, rational inquiry, and humanistic values. With a focus on inspiration rather than original content, the account has cultivated a niche following among science enthusiasts, skeptics, and fans of Sagan's books like Cosmos and The Demon-Haunted World. As of November 24, 2025, it boasts nearly 45,000 followers and maintains steady engagement through visually appealing, quotable posts.

Key Profile Details

Username: @ProfCarlSagan

Display Name: Prof. Carl Sagan

User ID: 1433755540505595907

Bio: "Science is more than a body of knowledge. It is a way of thinking. Tweets about Scientific Wonder, Skepticism, Critical thinking and Carl Sagan's Legacy." (Directly echoes Sagan's famous definition of science from his writings.)

Avatar: A black-and-white portrait of Carl Sagan in a thoughtful pose, evoking his iconic scholarly demeanor (viewable at: https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1558633224447766528/-nEMbaOU.jpg).

Verification: Blue Verified (X Premium subscriber, lending credibility to its educational bent).

Followers: 44,795 (moderate influence, primarily organic growth from science and philosophy communities).

Account Creation: September 2021, shortly after a resurgence in interest in Sagan's work amid global discussions on science denial and existential risks.

Content Style and Themes

Tone: Poetic, reflective, and urgent—blending Sagan's awe for the cosmos with calls to action against misinformation, authoritarianism, and environmental neglect. Posts are concise, often under 280 characters, prioritizing impact over verbosity.

Primary Topics: 

 

Skepticism and Critical Thinking: Warnings about "unchallenged ideas" becoming "dangerous myths" @ProfCarlSagan  or the perils of credulity in a high-stakes world. @ProfCarlSagan

Humanism and Ethics: Quotes on intellectual responsibility, like "It is the responsibility of intellectuals to speak the truth and expose lies," @ProfCarlSagan  or challenging authority. @ProfCarlSagan

Scientific Wonder and Legacy: Tributes to Sagan's life, such as a 1981 photo of him playing cards with his wife Ann Druyan, @ProfCarlSagan  or critiques of societal priorities echoing his views on government spending. @ProfCarlSagan

Broader Philosophy: Inspirational lines from thinkers like Tolstoy ("Your whole life should be lived as a heroic deed") @ProfCarlSagan  or Voltaire, often paired with cosmic imagery.

Posting Habits: 1–3 posts daily, mostly original quotes or Sagan excerpts, frequently with high-quality images (e.g., starry skies, archival photos) or short videos. No heavy promotion; engagement spikes on timely or viral themes like AI ethics or climate action.

Engagement: Solid interaction—posts average 200–500 likes, with outliers reaching 5,000+ (e.g., a Einstein quote on inaction garnered 1,912 likes). 

@ProfCarlSagan  Views range from 4,000 to over 700,000, driven by shares in science Twitter circles.

Influence and Role

@ProfCarlSagan  serves as a digital "pale blue dot" reminder of Sagan's message: humanity's fragility and potential in an indifferent universe. It's not an official estate account but a passionate homage, fostering discussions on X about pseudoscience, social justice, and cosmic perspective. Compared to broader science accounts (e.g., @NASA or @neiltyson), it stands out for its literary, quote-driven format, appealing to readers over visual spectacle. Its growth reflects enduring demand for Sagan's voice in polarized times, encouraging users to "think for yourselves." 

OK.  Reasonable enough.  Still seems reasonably legit other than posting at least the occasional falsely attributed quote.  Legitimate quotes being its raison d'etre.  

But with the new location feature, what does that tell us? 

Well, well, well, who's that a-callin'?  

Based in Nepal?  

The plot thickens.  Could there be some Sagan enthusiast camped out in the mountains and valleys of Nepal busily finding and posting Sagan content everyday for the world's edification?  Obviously - possible.

But probable?  Once you move into the world of probabilities the probability that this is some real person in Nepal posting because of a heart felt interest in Sagan seems low.

Some Bot driving attention harvesting seems much more likely.

Still, doesn't seem nefarious but now we are in much different territory than when we started.  If you want real content from real people with real interests, then definitely not the account to follow.  

In the meanwhile, I will keep my eyes open for anything among the accounts I actually do follow.  So far, nothing but I am guessing there will be at least a surprise or two among the 2,000.

Time Out by Ollie Le Brocq

Time Out by Ollie Le Brocq (England, 1972 - )

Click to enlarge.

The limerick packs laughs anatomical by Anonymous

The limerick packs laughs anatomical

by Anonymous

The limerick packs laughs anatomical

Into space that is quite economical.

But the good ones I've seen

So seldom are clean--

And the clean ones so seldom are comical.

History

The Charioteer of Delphi (Heniokhos) — head detail. Culture: Greek. Place of origin: Delphi. Date: c. 470 BC. Medium: Bronze with inlaid eyes. Collection: Delphi Archaeological Museum. Photographer: Lefteris Papaulakis. pic.twitter.com/FByDXt5MdI

— Ghost of Hellas (@ghostofhellas) October 17, 2025

 

An Insight

How I came to see the “Great Feminization” as the most significant event of our century—and a potential threat to civilization. https://t.co/6R9wwGvUVh

— Helen Andrews (@herandrews) October 16, 2025

 

I see wonderful things

The largest dinosaur weighed around 85 tons.

Some male blue whales weigh as much as 200 tons.

A blue whale's heart is 6 feet wide and weighs 400 lbs.

The largest animal that ever lived.pic.twitter.com/Evadt0JZWT

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) October 18, 2025

 

Offbeat Humor

Marco Rubio realizing he’s going to have to coach Penn State pic.twitter.com/4QeYixrbsS

— The Drunk Republican (@DrunkRepub) October 12, 2025

 

Data talks

Now it's easier to see what is going on.

We can see there are three phases of immigration to the U.S.:

1. Mass immigration from Europe
2. A large decline in immigration
3. Mass immigration from the rest of the world. https://t.co/9qtfXEFqPj pic.twitter.com/68AFdWJg83

— Jonatan Pallesen (@jonatanpallesen) October 18, 2025

 

Mother and Daughter, 1898 by Fritz Syberg

Mother and Daughter, 1898 by Fritz Syberg (Denmark, 1862-1939)

Click to enlarge.

[What Frenzy Has of Late Possess’d the Brain!] by Samuel Garth

[What Frenzy Has of Late Possess’d the Brain!]

by Samuel Garth

What frenzy has of late possess’d the brain!

Though few can write, yet fewer can refrain.

History

Today 33AD Agrippina the Elder, dies of starvation at 47, Roman noblewoman & wife of the general and statesman Germanicus. Also the mother of Caligula and was the granddaughter of the Emperor Augustus pic.twitter.com/NqaYLVyiK7

— Roman History (@romanhistory1) October 17, 2025

 

An Insight

Gonna keep shouting this from the rooftops: The point of civil disobedience—blocking traffic, throwing paint on art, what have you—is that you believe in your cause so deeply that you're willing to be punished for it. It does not mean we all have to indulge you breaking the law. https://t.co/MFsaXm8db4

— Billy Binion (@billybinion) September 24, 2025

 

I see wonderful things

As a fan of Edward Hopper I couldn’t help but take this photo in Greenwich tonight. pic.twitter.com/WtOyuZ4vwW

— richard (@OSM_Photography) October 15, 2025

 

Offbeat Humor

“Louisiana man” pic.twitter.com/QoIDRIkxX9

— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) October 17, 2025

 

Data Talks

So all the eco fanatics on here claiming our energy costs are high because of gas are… how can I put this politely?

Wrong/ lying / gaslighting/ profiteering (delete as appropriate) https://t.co/Jr7KhsgaT4

— Annunziata Rees-Mogg (@zatzi) October 16, 2025

 

Data Talks

The downfall of tech jobs in California will be studied for years to come.

The % of US tech jobs located in California is now below 2008 levels. pic.twitter.com/DoE3v9JbDV

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) November 3, 2025

 

Cobb's Barns and Distant Houses,1930-33 by Edward Hopper

Cobb's Barns and Distant Houses,1930-33 by Edward Hopper (America, 1882-11967)

Click to enlarge.

A Man Can Complain Can't He? by Ogden Nash

A Man Can Complain Can't He?

(A Lament for Those Who Think Old)

by Ogden Nash

Pallid and moonlike in the smog,

Now feeble Phoebus ‘gins arise;

The upper floors of Empire State

Have vanished into sooty skies.

Half missing, like the shrouded tower,

Lacklustre, like the paten solar,

I draw reluctant waking breath;

Another day, another dolor.

That breath I draw was first exhaled

By diesel and incinerator;

I should have wakened not at all,

Or, were it feasible, even later.

Walls of the world close in on me,

Threats equatorial and polar;

Twixt pit and pendulum I lie;

Another day, another dolor.

Here’s news about the current strike,

The latest, greatest test of fission,

A fatal mugging in the park,

An obit of the Geneva mission.

One envelope yields a baffling form

Submitted by the tax comptroller;

A jury summons completes my mail;

Another day, another dolor.

Once eager for, I’ve come to dread,

The nimble fingers of my barber;

He’s training strands across my scalp

Like skimpy vines across an arbor.

The conversation at the club

Is all intestinal or molar;

What dogs the Class of ‘24?

Another day, another dolor.

Between the dotard and the brat

My disaffection veers and varies;

Sometimes I’m sick of clamoring youth,

Sometimes of my contemporaries.

I’m old too soon, yet young too long;

Could Swift himself have planned it droller?

Timor vitae conturbat me;

Another day, another dolor.

History

In the aftermath of the slaughter at the Battle of Hastings, the 14 year old Edgar Ætheling was declared King of England!

This is a thread on the long adventurous life of the last Ætheling of the Anglo-Saxon world.

[Thread]🧵 pic.twitter.com/1tZQFvR0mG

— 🏛 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 🏛 (@nonregemesse) October 15, 2025

 

An Insight

"And if you cut [the laws} down...do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then?" Sir Thomas More in "A Man For All Seasons" (1966) as written by the great Robert Bolt. https://t.co/l980yOiOXT

— James P. Pinkerton (@JamesPPinkerton) October 16, 2025

I see wonderful things

Grey weather continues — this was my walk this morning pic.twitter.com/ylDQz4f0A1

— Barendina Smedley (@fugitiveink) October 17, 2025

 

Offbeat Humor

Sam is trying to frame it as a bad thing, but those outlets were actually the ones who exposed the Russiagate hoax, the Covid origin cover up, and the Ukraine impeachment scam. If that’s supposed to be a problem, I’ll take more of it. Finally some actual journalists in the mix. https://t.co/1c1h7vl22e

— Hans Mahncke (@HansMahncke) October 17, 2025

 

Data Talks

Let's not forget...Pew Research found that of the fewer than 50 million US adults on Twitter only 6% of those Twitter users account for 73% of tweets about national politics. That means fewer than 1% of Americans are frequently weighing in about politics on this platform.

— Sarah Isgur (@whignewtons) August 26, 2020

Data Talks

Daily reminder that the British pension system is set up to guarantee the state eventually goes bankrupt.

The "triple lock" requires that pensions go up by whichever is highest: inflation, earnings, or 2.5%.

This is one of the most insane policies that actually exists. pic.twitter.com/hbhY4OBRcc

— Crémieux (@cremieuxrecueil) November 3, 2025

 

White Barn, 1935 by Ben Norris

White Barn, 1935 by Ben Norris (America, 1910-2006)

Click to enlarge.

Hairless by Samuel Hoffenstein

Hairless

by Samuel Hoffenstein

Babies haven’t any hair;

Old men’s heads are just as bare;

Between the cradle and the grave

Lies a haircut and a shave.

History

#OnThisDay 80 yrs ago in 1945 the last 'service' launch from an RN carrier by a Fairey Swordfish took place from HMS OCEAN. Though HMS CENTAUR launched 2 in 1959 during the filming of Sink The Bismarck. In WW2 it destroyed more enemy maritime tonnage than any allied aircraft. pic.twitter.com/5kyXSWyiRl

— On This Day RN (@OnthisdayRN) October 15, 2025

 

An Insight

Epictetus wrote this like he knew exactly what I’d need to hear. pic.twitter.com/yO2WRH269d

— Seneca the Younger (@SenecaQuote) October 15, 2025

 

I see wonderful things

This praying mantis embedded in amber is about 30 million years old. pic.twitter.com/f6oulnBh6u

— Curiosity (@MAstronomers) October 16, 2025

 

Offbeat Humor

A witty saying proves nothing.

— Voltaire (@VoltaireQuote) October 16, 2025

 

Data Talks

"things don't last as long as they used to" https://t.co/R1sg7md3BL

— Jeremy Horpedahl 🥚📉 (@jmhorp) October 15, 2025

 

In the Shadow of Plane Trees, Domains Souviou, Provence by Raynald Leclerc

In the Shadow of Plane Trees, Domains Souviou, Provence by Raynald Leclerc (Canada, 1961 - )

Click to enlarge.

In Answer to Your Query by Naomi Lazard

In Answer to Your Query

by Naomi Lazard

We are sorry to inform you

the item you ordered

is no longer being produced.

It has not gone out of style

nor have people lost interest in it.

In fact, it has become

one of our most desired products.

Its popularity is still growing.

Orders for it come in

at an ever increasing rate.

However, a top-level decision

has caused this product

to be discontinued forever.

Instead of the item you ordered

we are sending you something else.

It is not the same thing,

nor is it a reasonable facsimile.

It is what we have in stock,

the very best we can offer.

If you are not happy

with this substitution

let us know as soon as possible.

                        As you can imagine

we already have quite an accumulation

of letters such as the one

you may or may not write.

To be totally fair

We respond to these complaints

as they come in.

Yours will be filed accordingly,

answered in its turn.

History

These deep differences still exist. pic.twitter.com/doxytw9Hps

— Jon Harris 🌲 (@jonharris1989) October 14, 2025

 

An Insight

Don’t just look for patterns; look for the reasons why the patterns are broken.

— Prof. Feynman (@ProfFeynman) October 15, 2025

 

I see wonderful things

The beautiful male pin-tailed whydah performing dramatic hovering dance to impress the female pic.twitter.com/XxzfvciLt0

— Nature is Amazing ☘️ (@AMAZlNGNATURE) October 15, 2025

 

Offbeat Humor

What’s up Europe? You don’t believe in prescribing painkillers after surgery, you don’t believe in air conditioning, and you continue to import hostile and expensive low-IQ, clannish migrants. Do you people just enjoy suffering? pic.twitter.com/PoFHb5JcAN

— JayMan (@JayMan471) October 15, 2025

 

Data Talks

🐦 Travel routes of different migratory birds. pic.twitter.com/GMg1uv1Qfy

— Civixplorer (@Civixplorer) October 15, 2025

 

The Kitchen, 1925 by Nora Cundell

The Kitchen, 1925 by Nora Cundell (England, 1889-1948)

Click to enlarge.

Insomnia The Gem of the Ocean by John Updike

Insomnia The Gem of the Ocean

by John Updike

When I lay me down to sleep

My waterbed says, “Gurgle gleep,”

And when I readjustment crave

It answers with a tidal wave

And lifts me like a bark canoe

Adrift in breakers off Peru.

Neap to my spring, ebb to my flow,

It turns my pulse to undertow,

It turns my thoughts to bubbles, it

Still undulates when I would quit;

Two bags of water, it and I

In restless sympathy here lie.

History

There's nothing better against stress and ennui, than to work with your hands. Louis XVI was a talented carpenter and a professional level locksmith. He had a private forge at Versailles and eventually instructed his jailers in how to change the lock to his own cell. #LearnATrade pic.twitter.com/8qLin7f0Oy

— Wrath Of Gnon (@wrathofgnon) April 23, 2020

 

An Insight

The other thing is that this actually has to work. That is, to actually get major energy infra built in the real world, permitting reform can’t just nibble around the edges.

Otherwise we’re just talking about another “round down to zero problem,” as Dan Palken puts it. pic.twitter.com/2qhUX6T9Lt

— Thomas Hochman (@ThomasHochman) October 14, 2025

 

I see wonderful things

The "Duck" in Avenida Place hotel, Barcelona, Spain. pic.twitter.com/PQgzPZjmkk

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) October 14, 2025

 

Offbeat Humor

This notice has appeared in The Hastings Observer every 14 October since 1067 https://t.co/Z5hl31JnMQ

— Dr Francis Young (@DrFrancisYoung) October 14, 2025

 

Data Talks

Many/most Euro states are 3rd world countries.

The Black or Appalachian US income would be top-five or so in Europe. https://t.co/8q3kZakmnd

— Wilfred Reilly (@wil_da_beast630) October 14, 2025

 

Wild Flowers Shadow by Mike Hall

Wild Flowers Shadow by Mike Hall (English, 1937 - )

Click to enlarge.

Doggerel by a Senior Citizen by W.H. Auden

Doggerel by a Senior Citizen

(for Robert Lederer)

by W.H. Auden

Our earth in 1969

Is not the planet I call mine,

The world, I mean, that gives me strength

To hold off chaos at arm's length.

My Eden landscapes and their climes

Are constructs from Edwardian times,

When bath-rooms took up lots of space,

And, before eating, one said Grace.

The automobile, the aeroplane,

Are useful gadgets, but profane:

The enginry of which I dream

Is moved by water or by steam.

Reason requires that I approve

The light-bulb which I cannot love:

To me more reverence-commanding

A fish-tail burner on the landing.

My family ghosts I fought and routed,

Their values, though, I never doubted:

I thought the Protestant Work-Ethic

Both practical and sympathetic.

When couples played or sang duets,

It was immoral to have debts:

I shall continue till I die

To pay in cash for what I buy.

The Book of Common Prayer we knew

Was that of 1662:

Though with-it sermons may be well,

Liturgical reforms are hell.

Sex was of course -- it always is --

The most enticing of mysteries,

But news-stands did not then supply

Manichean pornography.

Then Speech was mannerly, an Art,

Like learning not to belch or fart:

I cannot settle which is worse,

The Anti-Novel or Free Verse.

Nor are those Ph.D's my kith,

Who dig the symbol and the myth:

I count myself a man of letters

Who writes, or hopes to, for his betters.

Dare any call Permissiveness

An educational success?

Saner those class-rooms which I sat in,

Compelled to study Greek and Latin.

Though I suspect the term is crap,

There is a Generation Gap,

Who is to blame? Those, old or young,

Who will not learn their Mother-Tongue.

But Love, at least, is not a state

Either en vogue or out-of-date,

And I've true friends, I will allow,

To talk and eat with here and now.

Me alienated? Bosh! It's just

As a sworn citizen who must

Skirmish with it that I feel

Most at home with what is Real.

History

The Evolution of the British Gentlemen 🇬🇧

🎥 : Credit to the Owner pic.twitter.com/0E8ZybTaQu

— Sarahh (@Sarahhuniverse) October 14, 2025

 

An Insight

We’ve dumbed down everything in the name of universalism. The curriculum is dumbed down, the things people see & hear on the TV & radio are dumbed down, the things people read, especially on social media, are dumbed down. As you universalise things you inevitably dumb them down. https://t.co/ZZ2hBt2YLB

— Taz (@ItsTaz1989) October 14, 2025

 

I see wonderful things

Bobcats can leap horizontally up to 20 feet and clear fences over 6 feet high.

📽: Ryan Olivierpic.twitter.com/Ilkdx7ZuKf

— Wonder of Science (@wonderofscience) October 14, 2025

 

Offbeat Humor

Trust science. pic.twitter.com/1CoYwLBTt3

— JOHN (@John_Vanture) October 14, 2025

 

Data Talks

1/ NEW: trans identification is in free fall among the young

(h/t @FIRE data in particular) pic.twitter.com/i0Z1BNcWG8

— Eric Kaufmann (@epkaufm) October 14, 2025

 

Girl with Doll, 1935 by Maria Luiko

Girl with Doll, 1935 by Maria Luiko (Germany, 1904 - 1941)

Click to enlarge.

The intention of the gods towards their civilization

from Certain Maxims of Archy

by Don Marquis

i once heard the survivors 

of a colony of ants 

that had been partially 

obliterated by a cow’s foot 

seriously debating 

the intention of the gods 

towards their civilization.

Anyone unwilling to work should not eat

A Reading from The Second Letter of Paul to Thessalonians.  2 Thessalonians 3:16-13, New Revised Standard Version, Anglicized.  

Warning against Idleness

6 Now we command you, beloved,[a] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are[b] living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they[c] received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, 8 and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labour we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. 9 This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. 11 For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 Brothers and sisters,[d] do not be weary in doing what is right.

History

This can be extended, as Sam Huntington did in his last book, Who Are We? The percentage of ethnically non-British white colonists was minuscule. The American Experiment was British in its origins, traditions, political values, and its version of the Enlightenment. You won't… https://t.co/VQx8L8NXSI

— Charles Murray (@charlesmurray) October 14, 2025

 

An Insight

The Anglosphere is like a city centre, and we outside are the suburbs: we know much about them, but they know little about us.

It's an inescapable consequence of English being the lingua franca. https://t.co/m5btfI7Zfu

— Stefan Schubert (@StefanFSchubert) October 14, 2025

 

I see wonderful things

Graph of the first nine harmonics and an x-ray of a conch shell's inner structure pic.twitter.com/Fuj3iOcRdH

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) October 15, 2025

 

I see wonderful things

A cat’s meat man outside a poor home in the East End, 1901. These men travelled the streets with their barrows, selling leftover scraps of meat from slaughterhouses as cat food. It was often horsemeat and therefore unfit for human consumption. The lettering on the side of the… pic.twitter.com/bNqccG0N1u

— Archaeo - Histories (@archeohistories) November 1, 2025

 

Offbeat Humor

The meaning of being a pointerpic.twitter.com/F3z9WEOD9O

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) October 15, 2025

 

Data Talks

A sense of purpose in life significantly lowers the risk of cognitive impairment in later life.

Even in those with a genetic risk for dementia. pic.twitter.com/DC9aC9HFke

— Nicholas Fabiano, MD (@NTFabiano) October 13, 2025

 

A road to the ranges by Arthur Streeton

A road to the ranges by Arthur Streeton (1867-1943)

Click to enlarge.