Brendan O’Kane
@bokane.org
Scrutable Occidental, erstwhile 北漂, quondam translator, Ming and Qing fiction enjoyer, congenital Philadelphian. Shitposty sinology. Cynicism makes you an easy mark. Signal: @bokane.1644.
http://www.burninghou.se
http://www.burninghou.se
Reposted by Brendan O’Kane
My own take on keju increasingly is that it motivated elites to acquire the reading and writing skills required by a bureaucracy that relied on documents, and selected ones who were really good at it, but our findings that many officials left office soon after appointment leads me to think... 3/5
December 27, 2025 at 3:22 AM
My own take on keju increasingly is that it motivated elites to acquire the reading and writing skills required by a bureaucracy that relied on documents, and selected ones who were really good at it, but our findings that many officials left office soon after appointment leads me to think... 3/5
Infinity Migrants from the Third World is the title of a 1950s sci-fi slasher flick produced by the John Birch Society
Imagine watching Sinatra, son of Dolly & Antonini born in Genoa & Sicily, respectively, and Martin, son of Gaetano & Angela, born in Montesilvano, Italy & Ohio respectively, (Angela to parents born in Monasterolo, Italy), and crusading against the value of children of immigrants to the U.S.
December 26, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Infinity Migrants from the Third World is the title of a 1950s sci-fi slasher flick produced by the John Birch Society
Reposted by Brendan O’Kane
The Drum and Bell Towers seen from Beihai Park in a snowy Beijing day c.1930s
December 25, 2025 at 9:08 AM
The Drum and Bell Towers seen from Beihai Park in a snowy Beijing day c.1930s
And Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, roams the vitrified surface of the Earth under a red Sun that no longer sets. He reckons time in mountain ranges now, not Christmases.
“God Bless Us,” he observes. “Almost Every One.”
“God Bless Us,” he observes. “Almost Every One.”
And Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, woke to find himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin.
And Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.
December 25, 2025 at 8:48 AM
And Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, roams the vitrified surface of the Earth under a red Sun that no longer sets. He reckons time in mountain ranges now, not Christmases.
“God Bless Us,” he observes. “Almost Every One.”
“God Bless Us,” he observes. “Almost Every One.”
Reposted by Brendan O’Kane
still my favorite christmas post
December 25, 2025 at 1:08 AM
still my favorite christmas post
Reposted by Brendan O’Kane
Merry Christmas, Mr. President!!
December 25, 2025 at 6:12 AM
Merry Christmas, Mr. President!!
Yojimbo is a Christmas movie
December 24, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Yojimbo is a Christmas movie
Reposted by Brendan O’Kane
New book! I have written a book, called Syntax: A cognitive approach, published by MIT Press.
This is open access; MIT Press will post a link soon, but until then, the book is available on my website:
tedlab.mit.edu/tedlab_websi...
This is open access; MIT Press will post a link soon, but until then, the book is available on my website:
tedlab.mit.edu/tedlab_websi...
tedlab.mit.edu
December 24, 2025 at 7:55 PM
New book! I have written a book, called Syntax: A cognitive approach, published by MIT Press.
This is open access; MIT Press will post a link soon, but until then, the book is available on my website:
tedlab.mit.edu/tedlab_websi...
This is open access; MIT Press will post a link soon, but until then, the book is available on my website:
tedlab.mit.edu/tedlab_websi...
Reposted by Brendan O’Kane
As the most seasoned Canada watchers have always said: the American mind thinks in quarters; the Canadian mind thinks in winters
December 24, 2025 at 5:52 AM
As the most seasoned Canada watchers have always said: the American mind thinks in quarters; the Canadian mind thinks in winters
people are clowning on this, but the Canadian mind is cunning, pitiless, steeped in boreal perfidy
The Atlantic suggesting, without evidence, that Canada's Global TV broadcasting the '60 Minutes' segment on CECOT that CBS distributed to it may have been an act of "treachery."
🔗: www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
🔗: www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
December 24, 2025 at 3:37 AM
people are clowning on this, but the Canadian mind is cunning, pitiless, steeped in boreal perfidy
Robert Putnam, _Bowling Alone_: "
December 24, 2025 at 3:26 AM
Robert Putnam, _Bowling Alone_: "
Thinking about watching Gremlins 2 tonight but worried we will be unable to follow it, not having seen Gremlins 1
December 24, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Thinking about watching Gremlins 2 tonight but worried we will be unable to follow it, not having seen Gremlins 1
Not, of all possible incarnations, the worst
December 23, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Not, of all possible incarnations, the worst
@louisevans.bsky.social saw your conversation with @theophite.bsky.social about the emergence of print under the Song vs in Europe. My impression (deep breath):
December 23, 2025 at 7:16 AM
@louisevans.bsky.social saw your conversation with @theophite.bsky.social about the emergence of print under the Song vs in Europe. My impression (deep breath):
Reposted by Brendan O’Kane
Congratulations to our respected colleague Bari Weiss on finally becoming a real journalist.
December 22, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Congratulations to our respected colleague Bari Weiss on finally becoming a real journalist.
Reposted by Brendan O’Kane
(googling 'Island of Inchkeith') huh, three one-star ratings but nobody wrote a review
December 22, 2025 at 6:20 AM
(googling 'Island of Inchkeith') huh, three one-star ratings but nobody wrote a review
Reposted by Brendan O’Kane
What up everybody it’s Mr Beast and they said this experiment was forbidden but we’re about to find out which of these babies can speak the original language imparted by God to Adam and Eve so smash that like button and don’t forget to subscribe
Yo hey its your boy Mr Beast and we've rented out Angkor Wat for an evening so we can play THE WORLDS MOST OUTRAGEOUS AIRSOFT TOURNAMENT
December 20, 2024 at 6:33 AM
What up everybody it’s Mr Beast and they said this experiment was forbidden but we’re about to find out which of these babies can speak the original language imparted by God to Adam and Eve so smash that like button and don’t forget to subscribe
In which the late-Ming literary failson Zhang Dai has his transcendent moment of snowy solitude spoiled by tourists:
Fishing for Snow, and the Heart of the Lake
"...the only reflections in the lake were a slash of causeway, a dot of pavilion, a mustard seed of a boat and the two or three specks of ourselves aboard it."
www.burninghou.se
December 21, 2025 at 5:38 PM
In which the late-Ming literary failson Zhang Dai has his transcendent moment of snowy solitude spoiled by tourists:
Reposted by Brendan O’Kane
Typically lovely from @bokane.org. Also: nerd.
"...the only reflections in the lake were a slash of causeway, a dot of pavilion, a mustard seed of a boat and the two or three specks of ourselves aboard it."
Snow, and the Heart of the Lake
Like three and a half translations of Liu Zongyuan that I don't like, and one of Zhang Dai that I do.
www.burninghou.se
December 17, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Typically lovely from @bokane.org. Also: nerd.
the man continues to be ximen qing from Jin Ping Mei, a character so devoid of virtues and unbound by social relationships as to be only barely human. (he dies when he overdoses on an aphrodesiac and nuts so hard he turns inside out.)
the only things trump is now doing of his own will are renaming things and building himself a tomb. even his tariff enthusiasm has fallen off
December 20, 2025 at 7:24 AM
the man continues to be ximen qing from Jin Ping Mei, a character so devoid of virtues and unbound by social relationships as to be only barely human. (he dies when he overdoses on an aphrodesiac and nuts so hard he turns inside out.)
Reposted by Brendan O’Kane
NEW: Yuanxin Zheng, the 6-year-old boy from Queens whose separation from his father drew outrage in New York City, has been deported to China with his dad. With @haleaziz.bsky.social
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/n...
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/n...
Immigration Officials Deport Queens 6-Year-Old and Father Who Fled China
www.nytimes.com
December 19, 2025 at 11:44 PM
NEW: Yuanxin Zheng, the 6-year-old boy from Queens whose separation from his father drew outrage in New York City, has been deported to China with his dad. With @haleaziz.bsky.social
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/n...
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/n...
Reposted by Brendan O’Kane
A leaked video of the secret court-martial of Xu Qinxian, the Chinese general who refused an order to crush the Tiananmen protests in 1989, sheds new light on the tensions among China’s military leaders as Deng Xiaoping ordered a crackdown that would kill hundreds
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/w...
The Secret Trial of the General Who Refused to Attack Tiananmen Square
www.nytimes.com
December 20, 2025 at 12:57 AM
A leaked video of the secret court-martial of Xu Qinxian, the Chinese general who refused an order to crush the Tiananmen protests in 1989, sheds new light on the tensions among China’s military leaders as Deng Xiaoping ordered a crackdown that would kill hundreds
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/w...
I don’t believe Brooks did anything untoward, to be clear; I think he was sincerely impressed by the number of research assistants Epstein employed.
Correct.
In aviation, when making go/no-go decisions, question we always asked was: How would this look in the NTSB report?
In disclosure, question always is: If this came out, would people think we should have mentioned it?
If you're writing about this guy, need a "for the record" sentence.
In aviation, when making go/no-go decisions, question we always asked was: How would this look in the NTSB report?
In disclosure, question always is: If this came out, would people think we should have mentioned it?
If you're writing about this guy, need a "for the record" sentence.
December 18, 2025 at 9:07 PM
I don’t believe Brooks did anything untoward, to be clear; I think he was sincerely impressed by the number of research assistants Epstein employed.
David Brooks is in the Epstein dump and I just surprised a porch pirate on his way to steal my cats’ litter bags, the day just keeps getting better
December 18, 2025 at 8:56 PM
David Brooks is in the Epstein dump and I just surprised a porch pirate on his way to steal my cats’ litter bags, the day just keeps getting better
Reposted by Brendan O’Kane
and another thing: count me out. please dont put in the newspaper that i got counted in.
December 18, 2025 at 6:46 PM
and another thing: count me out. please dont put in the newspaper that i got counted in.