God, this annoys me. If you “don’t know” then the precautionary principle applies. You either accept that it’s possible and behave as if you’ve created a novel consciousness with rights, and your company is now essentially a nature reserve/maternity ward… OR…

One of my favorite motifs, the medieval toothache

Despite Scots weather (medieval), past and present @durhammemsa.bsky.social members @areforbes.bsky.social & @aucointaylor.bsky.social swelled @medievaljay.bsky.social's merry band for tonight's talk @cmrsedinburgh.bsky.social. Well worth the trip, which did not disappoint the Indiana Jones setup.

Le Monde on The Vanishing Kind: "It takes a certain audacity,a certain talent,or perhaps both,to return to the well-trodden soil of the alternate history genre...Tidhar lacks neither, and he subtly shifts the genre's center of gravity...constant tension [leads to] to a final twist of rare elegance."

Yes, I have. And often.

You no longer have to download Perspectives and scroll to page 46. My "appreciation" piece for the great Peggy Brown, an amazing historian and much-missed friend, has its own URL. I hope she would have liked it, and I hope you will, too. www.historians.org/perspectives...

Years ago I saw this sign at Vaux-le-Vicomte, a 17th-century château outside Paris, and have wondered what it meant. Are visitors encouraged to prune topiary? Are they warned against it? Or warned against too severe a pruning? Or not severe enough? And why is this sign in English? So many mysteries.

You no longer have to download Perspectives and scroll to page 46. My "appreciation" piece for the great Peggy Brown, an amazing historian and much-missed friend, has its own URL. I hope she would have liked it, and I hope you will, too. www.historians.org/perspectives...

Yes, I have. And often.

To my fanatical and loyal Oxford fan base, I will be in town next Monday February 16 to speak at the medieval seminar at All Souls College on the topic of "Queen Melisende of Jerusalem and the Wages of Sin." Bring your cowbells and cigarette lighters. It'll be crazy.

Post a banger that’s not in English youtu.be/6w5vWHqU3uM?...

Happy Carmen Miranda's birthday!

A very rough draft of Chapter 41 is in the bag. I wanted to title it "Babylon Rising," in reference to one of the books in the Expanse series by James S. A. Corey (viz @abraham.bsky.social ), but I was mashing up "Babylon's Ashes" (vol 6) and "Persepolis Rising" (vol 7).

My cat, always ready for her closeup.

My cat, always ready for her closeup.

I’m not gonna lie. As I walk the water logged Heath beneath these morbidly heavy gray skies, I’m starting to miss California

“The work had reached a point where the almost incessant blows of the hammer permitted those inside no rest.” A description of a 12th-century siege or of life in my London apartment?

It was a privilege for @cmrsedinburgh.bsky.social to have @medievaljay.bsky.social in town yesterday - thanks Jay for such a terrific paper.

I do love Edinburgh. Even blanketed in intense gloom, which is the only way I have ever seen it. One of three cities in the world I’d move to in a heartbeat.

My cat Lizzie, at the window, welcomes me home after my morning walk

How did I forget the link to this? youtu.be/-dtr4Z0PllI?...

My cat Lizzie, at the window, welcomes me home after my morning walk

The rainy weather is producing epically good views from the Heath.

Some of the best dialogue ever written in this film

Never off topic!

“A small vice-like object.” For me, one of the funniest lines ever delivered. I do love Catherine O’Hara

SCTV was the funniest ensemble comedy show ever. Its cast included the great Catherine O’Hara. As sad as I am, this one still makes me laugh. m.youtube.com/watch?v=TFDX...

Brian Di Palma’s “Black Dahlia” came out in 2006 and David Fincher’s “Zodiac” came out in 2007. Who knew they had a recurring character? killerinthecode.com

I was saying, "Shop Around the Corner."Lubitsch directing Margaret Sullivan and holy shit can you believe how young he is Jimmy Stewart.

Everyone should know Ernst Lubitsch. On a related note, it's almost never mentioned during the annual holiday debate, but the answer to the question of greatest X-Mas movie ever is, without question, "Shop Around the Corner."

My first thought every time I see the cover for the book Romanas. I’m not proud.

For those members of Jay's loyal army of followers south of the border, I'll making the pilgrimage from @durhammemsa.bsky.social to @cmrsedinburgh.bsky.social next week. You should join, if only for the plot twists, which from experience, will be excellent. #DeusVult

To my vast, loyal army of followers in Scotland, I am giving a talk at the University of Edinburgh next Tuesday 3 February on the discovery and veneration of the bodies of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob in 12th-century crusader Hebron. There will be plot twists. Gratitude to @pseudo-isidore.bsky.social

To my vast, loyal army of followers in Scotland, I am giving a talk at the University of Edinburgh next Tuesday 3 February on the discovery and veneration of the bodies of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob in 12th-century crusader Hebron. There will be plot twists. Gratitude to @pseudo-isidore.bsky.social

40 chapters down; 10 to go.

A rare sunny morning on the Heath

I’m late to the party I know, but I’ll throw my hat in: Tyler Childers is the real deal. Oneida is one of the great country tear jerkers of all time. “Pleadin’ my case with the bro at the door.” youtu.be/gR_ihUk6VFk?...

A rare sunny morning on the Heath

The Newport Arch - the remains of the north gateway to Roman Lincoln (Lindum Colonia). Built in around 200 AD, the arch is the only Roman gateway in the UK still used by traffic. 📸 My own. #RomanSiteSaturday #RomanBritain #Lincoln

I’m late to the party I know, but I’ll throw my hat in: Tyler Childers is the real deal. Oneida is one of the great country tear jerkers of all time. “Pleadin’ my case with the bro at the door.” youtu.be/gR_ihUk6VFk?...

🚨NEW EPISODE! This week on BBC You’re Dead To Me, we explore the extraordinary life of Lena Horne — jazz singer, Hollywood musical icon, Black pin-up girl, and civil rights campaigner Our guests are fab comedian Desiree Burch and musicals expert Dr Hannah Thuraisingam Robbins 👂On BBC SOUNDS

The correct answer is: Lawyers/solicitors' office.

Cal State University’s deal with OpenAI — providing ChatGPT to all faculty, students, and staff — will expire in June 2026. Amid the prospect of layoffs in the CSU, we’re asking the chancellor not to renew this costly and demoralizing contract. Link below and anyone can sign:

What kind of business establishment would you guess has this in its front window? Take your best shot.

What kind of business establishment would you guess has this in its front window? Take your best shot.

Devastating news of the passing of an absolutely brilliant historian.

London this morning, looking more and more to me like Mordor. Probably speaks to the evolution of my relationship with the city.

London this morning, looking more and more to me like Mordor. Probably speaks to the evolution of my relationship with the city.

I’ve taken the paywall off this piece I wrote, triggered by AI deciding that my cat was an actual human celebrity (it decided briefly to give her a human face, too). It’s also a bit of a love letter to good old-fashioned human thinking using our messy creative brains. www.tom-cox.com/thinking-abo...

Such an insanely beautiful place