the answer to the trolley problem is that we have to blow up the fucking trolley i think
the answer to the trolley problem is that we have to blow up the fucking trolley i think
AI scraping breaks libraries 📚📜
Go twine
And all 60 years' worth of NEH grants will be outspent in a week of attacks on Iran
At least this is how I learned (just now, to be clear) that Michael Stipe was a producer on Being John Malkovich
New classical reception just dropped...
Lord, put me in with the termites
Peloponnesian. Always two p’s on the first try
🏺 Today was Khytroi (Χύτροι, “The pots”), the third day of the Anthesteria (Ἀνθεστήρια)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthesteria
Today (2026-Mar-02) is Anthestēriṓn 13, τρίτῃ ἐπὶ δέκα Ἀνθεστηριῶνος, day 250 of 384 in the year 2025/2026.
Not metaphorically. Schachermeyr was a card-carrying member of the Nazi party when he wrote this in 1938
German text from Paulys Realencyclopädie (XIX,1 159) reading "P. vor der Machtübernahme. P. war adliger Herkunft (Aristot. Ath. pol. 28, 2) und blutmäßig zweifellos in sehr beträchtlichem Maße nordisch bestimmt". Translated: P[eisistratos] before taking power. P was of noble origin (Aristotle Athenaion Politeia 28.2) and undoubtedly with a considerable amount of Nordic blood
Ugh. The Pauly-Wissowa article on Peisistratos is, as you'd expect, really thorough overview of all the sources but the author, Fritz Schachermeyr, keeps reminding you that he was a Nazi: "Peisistratos was of noble birth, undoubtedly with a considerable amount of Nordic blood"
This is 100% my strongest Star Wars opinion. What kid wants to build a protocol droid? You'd think he'd want to build a kill-Watto droid. I was perfectly happy when C3PO and R2D2 just happened to be on Leia's ship when she needed some way to get Death Star plans off
Hi friends. As I previously noted, the U. of Iowa is planning to get rid of African American studies; Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies, & the Classical Languages major—along with others. If you wish, please sign the classics petition: www.change.org/p/keep-the-c.... I will add more as I find out.
🏺 Today was Khoes (Χόες, “Pouring”) the second day of the Anthesteria (Ἀνθεστήρια)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthesteria
Today (2026-Mar-01) is Anthestēriṓn 12, δωδεκάτῃ Ἀνθεστηριῶνος, day 249 of 384 in the year 2025/2026.
Happy Anthesteria, the most chill of ancient Greek festivals
This was so worth clicking through the entire context 🪱🪱🪱
Screenshot from Twin Peaks, caption reads "Diane, 11:30 am, February 24th. Entering the town of Twin Peaks."
It's a national holiday
It is not (I've never gotten a captcha worldcat though, so that's curious)
One more thing ruined by AI, I'd guess. We're all getting crushed by the volume of irresponsible bot traffic
Photo of the first page of Donald Barthelme's short story "The Explanation", which begins with a roughly 3"x3" black square, followed by the text: "Q. Do you believe that this machine could be helpful in changing the government? A: Changing the government... Q: Making it more responsive to the needs of the people? A: I don't know what it is. What does it do? Q: Well, look at it."
Photo of the top of the second page of Donald Barthelme's short story "The Explanation", which begins with a roughly 3"x3" black square, followed by the text: "A: It offers no clues. Q: It has a certain... reticence. A: I don't know what it does. Q: A lack of confidence in the machine?"
Why does the left hate tech 🙃 (from Donald Barthelme's Forty Stories)
I can't remember whose memoir said it, but Motown Records existed because of the Detroit public school system and their commitment to musical arts through the 70s.
(whispers) "Actual Intelligence Data Center"
I regularly see people wondering how it's possible that there are so many musicians and writers and film makers and artists from a tiny nation like Iceland.
And the answer is really simple: State funding for art education and artists. I literally get a salary from the government to write books.
Today (2026-Feb-18) is Anthestēriṓn 1, νουμηνίᾳ Ἀνθεστηριῶνος, day 238 of 384 in the year 2025/2026.
499 BC:
Ionians: Hey Sparta, we hear you guys are wArRiOrs. Wanna help us with a war?
Sparta: Maybe. Is is close by? Like three day march?
Ionians: Across the sea. Here's a map.
Sparta: WHOA! Sorry, we're not really into *expeditionary warfare.*
Athens: FUCK YEAH. GET SOME GET SOME.
Molly Lambert @mollylambert I respect the moon's unwillingness to be photographed on a phone 12:31 PM • 12/12/19 • Twitter Web App 59.5K Retweets 294K Likes
Lance St. Laurent @LanceStLaurent When you see this blatant anti-moon propaganda, consider the source The Sun @TheSun • Jan 18, 2019 'Super blood wolf moon' may trigger end of the world this weekend thesun.co.uk/news/8223896/s. 8:32 PM • Jan 20, 2019 • Twitter for iPhone 49.9K Retweets 493 Quote Tweets 238.7K Likes
Paul Ford v @ftrain When the moon hits your knees And you mispronounce trees Sycamore 5:14 AM • 2/27/18 • Twitter for Android 13.6K Retweets 37.3K Likes
dustin Couch @Dustinkcouch nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back early astronaut: moon's haunted nasa employee: what? astronaut: *loading a pistol and getting back on the rocket-ship* moon's haunted 10:18 PM - 29 Oct 2018
please enjoy these classic Moon Tweets™
"humanity is made distinct, mostly, by its love of making little guys."