Fireflies by the Kinu River, 1930 by Kobayashi Kiyochika

Fireflies by the Kinu River, 1930 by Kobayashi Kiyochika (Japan 1847-1915) 

Click to enlarge.

History

He lost his squadron in the confusion of a dogfight, climbed back up, and found a formation of American bombers being torn apart by more than thirty German fighters.

There was no other Allied aircraft anywhere near them.

He could have waited for help. He attacked instead.

This… pic.twitter.com/4cxg8rO3HJ

— Untold War Stories (@UntoldWarFacts) August 8, 2026

 

Measurement by A.M. Sullivan

Measurement 

by A.M. Sullivan

Stars and atoms have no size,

They only vary in men's eyes.

Men and instruments will blunder

Calculating things of wonder.

A seed is just as huge a world

As any ball the sun has hurled.

Stars are quite picayune

As any splinter of the moon.

Time is but a vague device;

Space can never be precise;

Stars and atoms have a girth,

Small as zero, ten times Earth.

There is, by God's swift reckoning

A universe in everything.

I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world.

From Moby Dick or The Whale by Herman Melville.

Call me Ishmael. Some years ago — never mind how long precisely — having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen, and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off — then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings toward the ocean with me. 

 

An Insight

Stephen Kotkin explains the real reason Marxism keeps attracting intellectuals and young people, even after the body count.

It is not because the theory works. It is because it offers something far more seductive: total, rapid transformation and a special role for the… pic.twitter.com/H03ROpqH9c

— Commentary - Sowell Economics (@sowelleconomics) August 8, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

>A Catholic Bishop gets put on prime-time national television in the 1950s
>No script, no teleprompter, no celebrity guests, just him, a chalkboard, and the Gospel
>Hollywood completely writes him off as boring religious programming
>Proceeds to absolutely dominate the TV… pic.twitter.com/I7AFXHv7ha

— Trad West (@trad_west_) August 9, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

I ran into a “Republicans for Talarico” type lady here once, came into my replies talking about how she was a lifelong conservative Republican voter who’d been forced to support Democrats because of how radical the Republican Party had become, so I searched her history and found… https://t.co/9k6DEAjPBY

— Enguerrand VII de Coucy (@ingelramdecoucy) August 10, 2026

 

Data Talks

It is one of the most embarrassing replicated findings in the social sciences. Think of the most unpleasant stereotypes about either sex or any ethnic group, and if it has been studied rigorously, it almost certainly has some validity. That still means modest R-squares. But… https://t.co/lN9A4oEqKR

— Charles Murray (@charlesmurray) August 9, 2026

Summer Breeze, 1995 by Alice Dalton Brown

Summer Breeze, 1995 by Alice Dalton Brown (USA, 1939 - )  

Click to enlarge.

History

That was 10 years ago

Imagine 10 years from now pic.twitter.com/lVZSdBkLOS

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 9, 2026

 

An Insight

All the people promoting Arday seem to be women - agents, editors, co-authors, professors:

Arday’s book editors—Dawn Davis and Kris Doyle

Eve Claxton - co-wrote the book with Arday

Jennifer Gates - Arday’s book agent

Prof. Hilary Cremlin - called Arday's research, "the… https://t.co/epTZXikXSd

— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) August 7, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

People often get upset when turtles are released so far from the shoreline, But for those who don't know, There is a process involved; Although it might seem cruel to make them walk across the sand dragging their own weight, that trek is vital for their survival for three…

— Amazing Nature (@AmazingNature00) August 8, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

A woman and her pet dragon.

Illustration from 1912 by German/Czech artist, Anton Robert Leinweber (1845-1921). pic.twitter.com/cnzq45BtSf

— Archaeology & Art (@archaeologyart) August 10, 2026

 

Data Talks

Incredible 2022 thread of mathematician having a breakdown over the fact that when he put his lectures on YouTube, for free with zero barriers to entry, 90% of his audience was male ,"contributing to gender inequality in mathematics." pic.twitter.com/9jC4e10FHQ

— arctotherium (@arctotherium42) August 7, 2026

 

Shuffleton's Barbershop, 1950 by Norman Rockwell

Shuffleton's Barbershop, 1950 by Norman Rockwell (USA, 1894-1978)

Click to enlarge.

History

Wow, what an amazing performance!

I dare you to give this a listen without dancing…

H/T to @ScottMcCreaWest for posting this gem. pic.twitter.com/kNouib1ybT

— The Ways of A Gentleman (@Gentleman_Ways) August 8, 2026

 

An Insight

This is the most to-the-point headline the West has ever faced, perhaps. https://t.co/aUBPBo9CHK

— James Lindsay, anti-Communist (@ConceptualJames) August 6, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

Roman marble sculpture of four puppies, curled up asleep together. Unearthed from the ruins of the House of the Faun in Pompeii pic.twitter.com/98Yr8DddKV

— 𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐄 (@ConsulofRome_) August 7, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

Polish pianist Waldemar Malicki seamlessly incorporating the interruption of a Nokia ringtone into his music during a live performance. pic.twitter.com/xru0KP3NHJ

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) August 8, 2026

 

Data Talks

This article is incredible.

America is so rich that its idiots out-earn average and somewhat above-average smarts Britons. https://t.co/FdwqYFRe9I pic.twitter.com/b26KjFQBoD

— Crémieux (@cremieuxrecueil) August 7, 2026

 

Lavender Bay Interior, 2024 by Richard Claremont

Lavender Bay Interior, 2024 by Richard Claremont (Australia, 1965 - )   

Click to enlarge.

History

Mosaic of the Archangel Michael (13th century)
from Church of Santa Maria dell' Ammiraglio pic.twitter.com/PrTXFC4D74

— Marysia (@marysia_cc) August 7, 2026

 

An Insight

The key to the successful counterattack is staying calm while your opponent gets frustrated and irritable.

— 33 Strategies of War (@33StrategiesBot) August 7, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

Vince Guaraldi was the brilliant composer and pianist behind the Peanuts cartoons.

It was quite controversial to use modern jazz in a kid's cartoon, networks hated it, but introduced many kids to jazz.

He was only 46 when he died in 1976, but left such a legacy! pic.twitter.com/eqXVEI3wMF

— Hollywood Horror Museum (@horrormuseum) August 8, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

doctor dog treating sick cat, 15th century pic.twitter.com/QAK0BNg17m

— weird medieval guys (@WeirdMedieval) August 8, 2026

 

Data Talks

FUN FACT: a toilet roll that looks half used has only 38% of the paper left pic.twitter.com/aHfbv17Vwv

— Fermat's Library (@fermatslibrary) August 7, 2026

 

Night Landscape 1943 by Thomas Hart Benton

Night Landscape 1943 by Thomas Hart Benton (USA, 1889-1975)

Click to enlarge.

History

I learned during my reporting years ago: The military are our vaccine guinea pigs.
They always have been.
The industry/military partnership can study adverse events without reporting them publicly or even telling the soldiers that’s what they may be suffering. (It’s… https://t.co/sPKQIvbOQB

— Sharyl Attkisson 🕵️‍♂️💼🥋 (@SharylAttkisson) August 7, 2026

 

An Insight

I needed my lawn mowed. I asked an American for the name of a company.

He said, "Get a kid."

A kid. Not a service. A child.

I asked which kid.

"Any of 'em."

I asked where one obtains a kid. There is no directory. There is no listing.

He said, "Ask around."

I asked around.…

— NOBUNAGA🇯🇵🏯_夏樹蒼依 (@japan_nobunaga) August 7, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

That hauntingly beautiful soprano voice soaring over Faramir's doomed charge on Osgiliath in Return of the King belongs to Ben Del Maestro, a young soprano whose vocals in Howard Shore's score turn one of the film's most tragic moments into pure poetry. pic.twitter.com/GIXGfWH2nD

— James Lucas (@JamesLucasIT) August 7, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

This same scene occurred on five continents. pic.twitter.com/h87zQVuvPV

— i/o (@avidseries) August 6, 2026

 

Data Talks

With some very minor exceptions, the data center buildout is happening in red states (historically some purple but on a go forward basis, red).

The data center question is entirely a red on red issue. It’s impossible to build in blues and power is expensive, hence no one is even… pic.twitter.com/mRbyO00ltD

— nic carter (@nic_carter) August 6, 2026

 

The West Wind Isle by Childe Hassam

The West Wind Isle by Childe Hassam (USA, 1859-1935)

Click to enlarge.

History

I read soooo many film scripts when I lived in Los Angeles in the 2010’s.

My husband worked in creative development so he’d send me scripts after he read them to get my “female perspective.”

As someone who’s read hundreds of scripts (and have very normie commercial taste), I… https://t.co/l7SBeI3E3y

— Brittany Hugoboom (@BritHugoboom) August 7, 2026

 

An Insight

"we tried avoiding the economy but ended up accidentally creating an economy in the process" is one of my favorite genres pic.twitter.com/HiPY3gXo7X

— Benjamin (@bschne) August 6, 2026

I see wonderful things

That fresh smell after rain is called petrichor.

When raindrops hit dry soil, they release plant oils and geosmin from bacteria, creating that rich, earthy scent. pic.twitter.com/K3zKB45WZw

— Science girl (@sciencegirl) August 7, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

After being told that I care too much about ancient woodland & not enough about the economy, I have decided to cut back on the amount of idiots I listen to pic.twitter.com/Qfp1p1wdZY

— The English Oak Project (@TheKentAcorn) August 7, 2026

 

Data Talks

now remember how much harder it is for the white men to publish. it’s compounding https://t.co/cTgT6hkEPk

— zxy (@zelinarxy) August 7, 2026

 

Wide Lands of the Navajo by Maynard Dixon

Wide Lands of the Navajo, 1931 by Maynard Dixon (USA, 1875-196)

Click to enlarge.

History

Pectoral of Horus with Sun-disk, 1300's BC. From the Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62), Valley of the Kings, West Thebes. Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. pic.twitter.com/C4u2EfQKKU

— Archaeology & Art (@archaeologyart) August 7, 2026

 

An Insight

Sobering thought, but sometimes the future has to wait until a wayward older generation dies off.

Old Testament: after the Israelites escape from Egypt, they incur the Lord's wrath through their lack of faith (even though they had recently witnessed miracles). He responds, "Your…

— The Chivalry Guild (@ChivalryGuild) August 7, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

Hellenistic mosaic glass bowl, cobalt blue with yellow/green spirals, fire-polished, with diameter of 5in (13 cm), dating from 2nd/3rd century BC. Convincing 3-D effect of spirals when seen in detail (at R). For details of the ancient technique, see https://t.co/aiINmGda4p pic.twitter.com/39bEN3uj0e

— Journal of Art in Society (@artinsociety) August 7, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

How to distinguish Asian languages

[📹realromanvice] pic.twitter.com/Vz3E2naUhE

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) August 7, 2026

 

A Meeting by Wendell Berry

A Meeting

by Wendell Berry

In a dream I meet

my dead friend. He has,

I know, gone long and far,

and yet he is the same

for the dead are changeless.

They grow no older.

It is I who have changed,

grown strange to what I was.

Yet I, the changed one,

ask: "How you been?"

He grins and looks at me.

"I been eating peaches

off some mighty fine trees."

Data Talks

Did you know if you demoralize the populace, dismiss the importance of law enforcement, and reduce spending on police, people will give up on calling the cops and the statistics will then indicate crime is down and you can declare victory? A neat trick. https://t.co/UjJN7QTgca pic.twitter.com/w4BJ7DYVzS

— Rob Henderson (@robkhenderson) August 7, 2026

 

Pont-Neuf, 1872 by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Pont-Neuf, 1872 by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (France, 1841-1919)

Click to enlarge.

History

Antonio Vivaldi , the composer of "The Four Seasons" was a Catholic Priest!

Antonio Vivaldi was an ordained Catholic priest, known as "The Red Priest" because of his red hair.

He suffered from severe asthma, which prevented him from praying Mass, so he was given a dispensation… pic.twitter.com/XxRRkdO5EA

— Trad West (@trad_west_) July 24, 2026

 

An Insight

Funny. In Europe you have pro-Iran demonstrations without a single Iranian in them and anti-Iran demonstrations composed almost entirely of Iranians.

— Uri Kurlianchik (@VerminusM) July 24, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

A SpaceX intern once described eating lunch next to Elon Musk in the company cafeteria.

The intern said Elon sat down at a regular table with a regular tray of food. No entourage. No reserved section. He sat next to two junior engineers who were clearly terrified. One of them…

— Race 🕊️ (@multiplanet1) July 21, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

By far the funniest moment in Homer’s Odyssey is when Circe says, “Shall we have sex?” and Odysseus says, “You just turned all my men into pigs. You have the GALL to think I would sleep with you? Of course I will. Absolutely. But don’t do any weird spells” pic.twitter.com/RAAxqaZHEf

— Boze Herrington, Library Owl 😴🧙‍♀️ (@SketchesbyBoze) July 21, 2026

 

Data Talks

This fantastic figure by @jburnmurdoch is Exhibit 1 of what an aging society means for the political game: public investment, which is choosing future rewards over present consumption, gets squeezed out.

Still not convinced this is a first-order challenge? pic.twitter.com/MLyV3a7WCE

— Jesús Fernández-Villaverde (@JesusFerna7026) July 20, 2026

 

Oleanders in Bloom, Capri, 1896 by Peder Severin Krøyer

Oleanders in Bloom, Capri, 1896 by Peder Severin Krøyer (Denmark, 1851-1909)

Click to enlarge.

 

History

This is a (true) story that goes around alot in the circles.

You really have to imagine it. The entire mission control is stunned as Apollo 12 is about to come crashing down with all the astronauts aboard. (Think Challenger explosion but worse.)

A junior engineer says 'Try… https://t.co/ntD9EImu11

— John Ringo SF Author (@Jringo1508) July 24, 2026

 

An Insight

This map is actually an important teaching tool.

You may notice that the countries listed as "most diverse" are all one-race African or Stani states. Congo and Afghanistan are "more diverse" than the USA...so is Mexico, for that matter.

This is nonsensical, in any normal… https://t.co/HfUbmZYboy

— Wilfred Reilly (@wil_da_beast630) July 10, 2025

I see wonderful things

Red sky at night, sailor's delight?

A vibrant sunset envelops the skies of Starbase, Texas as the full stack of Booster 20 and Ship 40 beds down for potentially their last night on Pad 2.

Spot the workers on the chopsticks?

📸- @NASASpaceflight pic.twitter.com/fsoRTzg7xg

— Max Evans (@_MaxQ_) July 23, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

In short this is not a women's sports league. It's a joyless, angry, violent, race obsessed non-stop 2018 Oberlin struggle session filled with entitled lunatics unable to survive without someone else picking up the bill. They whine when they don't get attention, and whine 10x…

— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) July 23, 2026

 

Data Talks

32/35 students failed this professor's midterm using AI because he secretly hid some white font in his text. pic.twitter.com/yjcsVND4aT

— Boochie is the Name (@stoppfeenin) July 23, 2026

 

Twilight of the Idols, 2006 by Vincent Desiderio

Twilight of the Idols, 2006 by Vincent Desiderio (America, 1955 - ) 

Click to enlarge.

History

On This Day in 1851: The Window Tax Abolished: The British government officially repealed the highly controversial Window Tax. Originally introduced in 1696, the tax assessed property values based on the number of windows a house had. To avoid the fee, many London residents… pic.twitter.com/1a5qepjv1V

— Knowledge of London (@Knowledgepoint) July 24, 2026

 

An Insight

My students sometimes ask why they should memorise things in the age of Google and LLMs. But internalised facts are your bullshit filters and your raw material for creative association. Facts outside your head are inert.

— Henry Shevlin (@dioscuri) July 23, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

Sound of hail falling on rocks. pic.twitter.com/mDXm5lna3R

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) July 23, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

And he was just about to start his 16th year of college. This is devastating. https://t.co/t481wzxYLD

— Lee Kuan Yimby (@LeeKuanYimby) July 21, 2026

 

Data Talks

ZERO percent of education papers were replicable, by my discipline's (dark blue) standard. https://t.co/oziCSbI4y5

— Wilfred Reilly (@wil_da_beast630) July 22, 2026

 

Romantic Landscape with a Temple, 1834 by Thomas Doughty

Romantic Landscape with a Temple, 1834 by Thomas Doughty (America, 1793-1856)

Click to enlarge.

History

Office life before the invention of AutoCAD and other drafting software.

Prior to the release of AutoCAD in 1982, engineering drawings were all done by hand using different grade pencils, erasers, T-squares and set squares. pic.twitter.com/eO7jlEBxWi

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) July 23, 2026

 

An Insight

Shouldn't we all be eternally thankful to Christopher Nolan that, thanks to his new movie, a large part of the world population now knows there is a great story from antiquity called The Odyssey?
And know the key story beats?
(Might even - gasp - check out the book?) pic.twitter.com/RCDpshmU5x

— Eduard Habsburg (@EduardHabsburg) July 23, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

Call of the cassowary 🦖🔊

📽: suryantoraptor/igpic.twitter.com/HOYCWakHtE

— Wonder of Science (@wonderofscience) July 23, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

Dogs and their skill of befriending literally everything. pic.twitter.com/pUqwoVamkK

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) July 23, 2026

 

Data Talks

People with advanced degrees, but mid to lower incomes are most likely to vote Democrat.

People without college degrees, but mid to higher incomes are least likely to vote Democrat.

Tells you everything you need to know. https://t.co/68nAavKFSk

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) July 21, 2026

 

Boats Returning Home by William Frederick Ritschel (America, 1864-1949)

Click to enlarge.

History

This is one of the most remarkable surviving treasures of early English Christianity. A silver pectoral cross, discovered in the Galloway Hoard and buried around AD 900, was almost certainly worn by a senior churchman. Experts believe it was likely made in Northumbria, reflecting… pic.twitter.com/yg0d92LzGx

— Mark Lambert (@sitsio) July 22, 2026

 

An Insight

Orwell's most brilliant observation in "Nineteen Eighty-Four" was that reducing a person's vocabulary also reduces his capacity to think.

Reading old or difficult literature will unleash the full potential of your mind.

Great video 👇 https://t.co/RTyN8glRbX

— Athenaeum Book Club (@athenaeumbc) July 17, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

Umberto Eco owned around 50,000 books between his two libraries. He once said about buying books:

"It is foolish to think that you have to read all the books you buy, as it is foolish to criticize those who buy more books than they will ever be able to read. It would be like… pic.twitter.com/23sxjgFRXn

— Barbarian Herodotus (@BBHerodotus) July 22, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

Following a standard workplace safety check, I have just received an email from a university administrator in which my custom of keeping books on the shelves in my office is described as "the unnecessary storing of combustible materials". pic.twitter.com/0f7z2OLsSS

— Christopher Fear (@ChristopherF198) July 22, 2026

 

Data Talks

A majority of judges are women in all EU countries except Ireland pic.twitter.com/bqN46nxPyd

— Stefan Schubert (@StefanFSchubert) July 17, 2026

 

Ossian receiving the Ghosts of the French Heroes

Ossian receiving the Ghosts of the French Heroes by Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson (France, 1767-1824)

Click to enlarge.

History

Captain Edward Fogarty Fegen might be the purest example of self-sacrifice in the whole war at sea during WW2.

On 5 November 1940, Fegen was escorting Convoy HX84, thirty-seven merchant ships crawling across the Atlantic from Halifax to Britain, loaded with the food, fuel, and… pic.twitter.com/DWqU2SyKB7

— Hidden History (@HiddenHistoryYT) July 21, 2026

 

An Insight

An extreme commitment to the truth makes relationships acutely dysfunctional but systems chronically functional (think Elon Musk).

An extreme commitment to kindness makes relationships acutely functional but systems chronically dysfunctional (think Sweden, UK) pic.twitter.com/FShs8icvJW

— William Meijer (@williameijer) October 27, 2025

 

I see wonderful things

Antler shedding 🦌🪸🍂pic.twitter.com/wSL7CvGhX5

— Cosmic Gaia (@CosmicGaiaX) July 22, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

Sunny Hostin: "No one is above the law"

Sunny Hostin now: "How dare you arrest my son? My name is Sunny Hostin!" pic.twitter.com/MOS41bOOvs

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) July 19, 2026

 

Data Talks

The Flow of American Religion from childhood to adulthood.

70% of Protestants stay.
3% become Catholic
4% become another faith group.
23% become none.

56% of Catholics stay.
13% become Protestants.
4% become another faith group.
26% become nones. pic.twitter.com/hFcmC75E9X

— Ryan Burge 📊 (@ryanburge) July 16, 2026

 

Into the Blue by Katherine Quinn

Into the Blue by Katherine Quinn (New Zealnad)

Click to enlarge.

History

Ask most people to name the best British general of World War Two and they will say Montgomery. Ask the historians who study it closely and a lot of them will quietly tell you the real answer is a man most people have never heard of. His name was William Slim, and his soldiers… pic.twitter.com/xBUO9zYcr4

— Voices of WW2 (@VoicesofWW2) July 19, 2026

 

An Insight

Richard Nixon's brutal truth on happiness that hits harder in 2026:

"The unhappiest people in the world are those in the watering places—south coast of France, Newport, Palm Springs, Palm Beach—parties every night, golf every afternoon, bridge, too much drinking, too much… pic.twitter.com/MDDH4Vs2n2

— Teddy - PolyBackTest.com (@Bitcoin_Teddy) July 16, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

Karl Marx & Frederick Douglass were both born in 1818. Marx grew up in comfort, Douglass in chains. Marx thought the world owed him more comfort; Douglass only demanded liberty, & he'd do the rest. https://t.co/jRy659r5mT

— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) July 21, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

Relevant: https://t.co/QaL7Fos8Oa pic.twitter.com/1zcSCblD2T

— Chris Freiman (@cafreiman) July 17, 2026

 

Data Talks

Gender equality is the most potent contraceptive (r ≈ 0.81) pic.twitter.com/lCvlOMKk51

— William Meijer (@williameijer) June 18, 2026

 

Death on the Nile by Andrew Davidson

Death on the Nile by Andrew Davidson (England, 1960 - ) 

Click to enlarge.

History

Today is the 90th anniversary of the start of the Spanish Civil War.

The nationalist coup started in the Morocco protectorate and encountered little resistance there.

Three year later, Franco defeated the last elements of the Republican forces in their last hold-out in SE Spain pic.twitter.com/ZfGNREm3Qs

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) July 17, 2026

 

An Insight

“In true liberal education, the essential activity of the student is to relate the facts learned into a unified, organic whole, to assimilate them as the rose assimilates food from the soil and increases in size, vitality, and beauty.”

— Sister Miriam Joseph pic.twitter.com/ytOGxPThh9

— Learn Latin (@latinedisce) July 16, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

Lee Kuan Yew on the Communist threat to Singapore. Sit your ass down and listen to this. pic.twitter.com/HFfB8ctgkH

— Lee Kuan Yimby (@LeeKuanYimby) July 18, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

He’ll be telling his friends about this forever pic.twitter.com/AoNUl2EBji

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) July 17, 2026

 

Data Talks

For more https://t.co/3KHTIrjuMf

— William Meijer (@williameijer) October 27, 2025

 

One Eleven Diner, 1980 by Ralph Goings

One Eleven Diner, 1980 by Ralph Goings (America, 1928-2016)

Click to enlarge.

History

Sweden got rich under laissez-faire and nearly wrecked itself trying to forget it. Between 1870 and 1970, Sweden ran one of the freest economies in Europe: low taxes, open trade, sound money, and entrepreneurs like the Wallenbergs and Ingvar Kamprad building world-class firms. By… pic.twitter.com/VFaWtOaFW2

— Handre (@Handre) July 17, 2026

 

An Insight

Agatha Christie once remarked that she had never expected to grow rich enough to own a car or poor enough not to have servants.

The reason this strikes us as bizarre today boils down to two names that you hear invoked a lot in the tech industry: Jevons and Baumol. One is… https://t.co/4uGZh2NtZ4

— Matt Ridley (@mattwridley) July 16, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

Life cycle of a strawberry pic.twitter.com/UR6JKaM0uV

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) July 17, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

In Georgia I entered a Chick-fil-A drive-thru line of forty cars.

I turned off my engine. I prepared to wait the way my ancestors waited out a siege.

Six minutes later I was holding chicken.

I do not know what happened to the other thirty-nine cars. The line moved like water…

— NOBUNAGA🇯🇵🏯_夏樹蒼依 (@japan_nobunaga) July 17, 2026

 

 

Data Talks

This is so cool!!! The power of social media🇺🇸🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/cHRokpozPm

— Freddy🇩🇪 (@FreddyLA7) July 16, 2026

 

The Road by Maurice de Vlaminck

The Road by Maurice de Vlaminck (France, 1876-1958)

Click to enlarge.

History

You know the pamphlet "Common Sense," the one that convinced America to break from Britain. You know Thomas Paine wrote it. Here's what you probably don't know. Another man talked Paine into writing it, and gave it that title. Meet Dr. Benjamin Rush.

Rush is arguably the most… pic.twitter.com/uTM7q7HGD2

— Echoes of War (@EchoesofWarYT) July 16, 2026

 

An Insight

"Why Industrial Policy Fails," by Lindsay Graham
https://t.co/u6aCGI0us2 pic.twitter.com/dXYfADnyQw

— Scott Lincicome (@scottlincicome) July 16, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

Amazing Physics pic.twitter.com/kTtEZkMzsQ

— Amazing Physics (@amazing_physics) July 17, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

the most confusing part of the odyssey is how this took 10 years pic.twitter.com/WQxnpx1xzB

— Matt Slotnick (@matt_slotnick) July 16, 2026

 

Data Talks

Encore un scandale.

On accuse Elon Musk sans arrêt de se servir de Grok pour faire passer ses idées.

Pourtant, le @neutralityorg vient de sortir The Neutrality Project : une étude indépendante qui prouve l’inverse.

Sur 18 modèles IA testés, 54 positions sur 60 atterrissent à… pic.twitter.com/Fb30BjtgpB

— Brivael Le Pogam (@brivael) July 11, 2026

 

Paddler's Reward, 2019 by Anna Clarey

Paddler's Reward, 2019 by Anna Clarey (Canada) 

Click to enlarge.

History

This is a statue of the only man in Troy who saw the trap. He tried to warn everyone, and this is what the gods did to him because of it...

His name was Laocoön, a Trojan priest. When the Greek army vanished and left a giant wooden horse outside the city gates, all of Troy… pic.twitter.com/ei6gB8pS6B

— James Lucas (@JamesLucasIT) July 16, 2026

 

An Insight

You often hear “why don’t the IDF allow journalists into Gaza”. Here’s an interesting perspective.

About a month ago, the IDF offered the chance of a visit to a captured Hezbollah tunnel. Amongst those who accepted were me and a small pack of journalists from Israel, Greece, the… pic.twitter.com/vKg1OPQk2r

— Andrew Fox (@Mr_Andrew_Fox) November 26, 2024

 

I see wonderful things

Amazing Nature
A camera recorded from start to finish how a bird built its nest and had its chicks.pic.twitter.com/y0Feuh3Hiw

— Amazing Nature (@AmazingNature00) July 16, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

The chances of a rabbit kicking you off your scooter are incredibly low… but never zero 😭 pic.twitter.com/DZ5HXs9nPz

— 🚘Brutal Cams🎥 (@brutalcams) July 30, 2026

 

Punch and Judy, 1952 by Douglas Mays

Punch and Judy, 1952 by Douglas Mays (England, 1900-1991)

Click to enlarge.

History

Fun fact: The man who popularized and designed the Playground in America, Joseph Lee, financed the Immigration Restriction League.

Lee promoted the strictest immigration laws in U.S. history, and believed if a people did not make a good playmate, they were not fit to assimilate. pic.twitter.com/9zfKIJd3qW

— Prowler (@derzum_) July 13, 2026

 

An Insight

Whoa.@CynicalPublius @infantrydort @RobManess https://t.co/TncrFj0Ji0

— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) July 12, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

I finally have all 1.2 million raw image files from my latest mission to ISS! Here is a sample of one of my favorite Milky Way photos, taken from the Cupola with Nikon Z9, Arri Zeiss 15mm lens, T1.8 with custom sidereal drive that cancelled out star motion relative to our orbit. pic.twitter.com/Sjm4UFgOs6

— Don Pettit (@astro_Pettit) July 31, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

It keeps getting more wild pic.twitter.com/soYb1Jge1a

— NO CONTEXT HUMANS (@HumansNoContext) July 13, 2026

 

Data Talks

This is dire.

Just had a meeting with our insurance brokers to discuss strategy for our company plan next year. Our carrier wants to ramp up premiums by 18%.

We are big enough that we are probably going to self-fund, to try controlling costs better.

But the system is broken. https://t.co/AEMqomlk41

— Caleb (OSH Cut) (@CalebChamberla6) July 13, 2026

 

Walking Briskly East, 2021 by Kenton Nelson

Walking Briskly East, 2021 by Kenton Nelson (America, 1954 - )

Click to enlarge.

History

Near Basingstoke are the faint traces of the Roman road running from #Silchester to #Chichester on the coast. If the troops of Constantius Chlorus marched inland in 296 it would have been along this route. This detachment of troops was lead by the Prefect Asclepiodotus pic.twitter.com/fFdYEep6AH

— Pete Savin (@pete_savin) July 13, 2026

 

An Insight

“Until quite recently, Christians could assume the goodwill, if not the active belief, of the powerful in society. That assumption can no longer be made. Our beliefs are under attack from influential & militant atheists on one hand & Muslim extremists on the other”

Charles Moore pic.twitter.com/0ghoZ22yzd

— Mark W. (@DurhamWASP) July 13, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

The crow solved a brand new three-step puzzle in 30 seconds to get a bedtime snack! He even had time to make sure he didn't miss any cashews. That's really amazing! 🐦‍⬛👏 pic.twitter.com/scPn2mZfre

— Nature is Phenomenal (@AnimalGeoLife) July 31, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

If one can get it on Amazon by 7pm tomorrow, its not banned. These people drive me insane. https://t.co/DQjoAtta6T

— KenFarmer ⒶⓋ (@KenFarmer) July 12, 2026

 

Data Talks

It's notable in every chart which has mental health + political ideology, you see people on the left having more problems (and it wasn't always like this). Truly one side of the political spectrum has succeeded in pathologizing the population and making mental illness a virtue pic.twitter.com/ZPYIpCDqEO

— Adam Singer (@AdamSinger) July 13, 2026

 

Night Feeling, 2024 by Andrii Frolov

Night Feeling, 2024 by Andrii Frolov (Ukraine, 1977 - )

Click to enlarge.

History

You sent your kid to cuneiform school to learn to read and he sends you back a letter guilt-tripping you into buying him stuff:

"you have made me poor clothes. The son of Adad-iddinam, whose father is only an assistant of my father, (has) two new sets of clothes while you fuss… https://t.co/6SJsGZcE5l

— LiorLefineder (@lefineder) July 12, 2026

 

An Insight

What Gramsci couldn't wrap his head around is that the culture produced by communism is not organically accepted because it is untethered from biological reality. That is why he was so hell-bent on educating the children among others to achieve his "oppositional culture." https://t.co/53uWlClZsa pic.twitter.com/GFOTkFeyLd

— J.D. Haltigan, PhD 🏒👨‍💻 (@JDHaltigan) July 13, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

Pacific Swallow looks like a jet fighter. pic.twitter.com/xqwAye5tOt

— World's Amazing Things (@Hana_b30) July 31, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

This story about the leftist consultants who discovered Graham Platner is full of absolutely wild tidbits pic.twitter.com/YKZtYoFDQL

— Noah Smith 🐇🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼 (@Noahpinion) July 13, 2026

 

Data Talks

What people consider a "mental illness" has shifted dramatically. Fifteen years ago, only 20% of young Americans thought that normal, temporary mood changes (like occasionally feeling sad, worried, or having trouble sleeping) counted as a mental illness. Today, more than half of…

— Marian L Tupy (@Marian_L_Tupy) July 11, 2026

 

From Cap d'Antibes, 1926 by Herbert James Gunn

From Cap d'Antibes, 1926 by Herbert James Gunn (Scotland, 1893 - 1964)

Click to enlarge.

Mongol terror and birthrate constrained militaries

I want to capture the thought before I lose it.  Just saw this and I focused in on "in a birthrate constrained Western military."  Today I see:

Where are the palletized load/unload features and trailer?

It also has to tow things as well as be towable to be a true logistical asset in a birthrate constrained Western military. https://t.co/ajHD6ndSaI

— Trent Telenko (@TrentTelenko) August 17, 2026

Last night I was reading Storm from the East by Robert Marshall and he is discussing the savagery of the Mongols (slaughter of civilian populations) and hypothesizing that it was based in part on their need to inspire terror.  They wanted people to surrender without fighting as the only means of survival.  And this strategy was based on the fact that they were constrained by the small Mongol population.  The terror from mass slaughter was about the only way they could conquer.

When I read it, it also brought to mind the ultimate downfall of the Spartans.  An entire martial culture, individually and collectively among the best trained and effective warriors in history.  And they ultimately fell because there were a "birthrate constrained Western military."

And now virtually all nations, developing and developed are birthrate constrained in ways that are novel in our militaries rapidly shifting to new ways of fighting based on new technologies.  We are seeing some rehearsal of this in the Russia-Ukraine war where Russia is behaving as if it is not birthrate constrained when it is.

But if everyone is becoming increasingly birthrate constrained, does that mean we are at greater risk of contestants resurrecting population elimination as a compensating strategy? Sure hope not but the idea is in my mind now.

History

SMS Emden was heading for the Cocos Islands (Keeling Islands) to destroy the important British radio station located there. When the ship arrived on November 9, 1914, the station crew managed to send a radio message in time, revealing the exact position of the German warship. The… pic.twitter.com/TEX6MtQcXk

— Hidden History (@HiddenHistoryYT) July 13, 2026

 

An Insight

One of my longest-standing arguments is that we are not living in Orwell’s 1984, where truth is centrally suppressed and censored by force (that’s former communist societies, modern-day China, Russia, North Korea).

We are living in something much closer to Huxley’s Brave New… pic.twitter.com/7XSnJ8vae9

— Бианка (@BiankaB12) July 11, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

All women are the same, no matter what kind they are. 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/RyxcZl6duO

— The Figen (@TheFigen_) July 31, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

Graves disturbios en Suiza tras quedar eliminados pic.twitter.com/7yA3C8yAQ0

— Andy Olivera (@soyandyolivera) July 12, 2026

 

Data Talks

LOL, people just say anything they want without even looking at the data. Americans commute less than Europeans or Asians. Here's data from the OECD. https://t.co/r0aNadD3Fq pic.twitter.com/DDst02Hj7i

— Noah Smith 🐇🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼 (@Noahpinion) July 12, 2026

 

Night Tram (or Lost Fields) by Paul Delvaux

Night Tram (or Lost Fields) by Paul Delvaux (Belgium, 1897-1994)

Click to enlarge.

History

On this day in 1944, Theodore Roosevelt Jr. died in his sleep in a stone farmhouse in Normandy. He was 56 years old, and he had spent almost his entire adult life trying to be worthy of a famous last name.

He was the eldest son of President Theodore Roosevelt. In the First World… pic.twitter.com/PKn7BpsAhI

— Voices of WW2 (@VoicesofWW2) July 12, 2026