Elaine McGirr
@emmcgirr.bsky.social
Eighteenth-century & theatre historian; cat & child wrangler; immigrant.
They brought a plane of food ... to ITALY
one plane full of food?
Not only did they bring a small private army, but among the waste of taxpayer money was BRINGING A FULL PLANE OF FOOD.
To *Italy*.
To *Italy*.
February 7, 2026 at 10:18 PM
They brought a plane of food ... to ITALY
Reposted by Elaine McGirr
As Google Books starts to sink, it's worth remembering how Google organised a separate class of employees to do the actual labour of the book scanning, and kept them in a separate building on the Google campus with none of the privileges of regular Google staff.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0RT...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0RT...
Workers Leaving the Googleplex
YouTube video by Andrew Norman Wilson
www.youtube.com
February 4, 2026 at 9:45 AM
As Google Books starts to sink, it's worth remembering how Google organised a separate class of employees to do the actual labour of the book scanning, and kept them in a separate building on the Google campus with none of the privileges of regular Google staff.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0RT...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0RT...
Can I get away with describing the 'Eliza' section of _The Dunciad_ as an authorial piss-up? #amwriting
February 4, 2026 at 11:08 AM
Can I get away with describing the 'Eliza' section of _The Dunciad_ as an authorial piss-up? #amwriting
Reposted by Elaine McGirr
The defection of Suella Braverman, who was sacked twice from Government in disgrace, spent £700m of taxpayers' money to send four volunteers to Rwanda on a deportation scheme that was then scrapped and has a public approval rating of minus 32 is currently being described as a "major coup" for Reform
January 26, 2026 at 2:39 PM
The defection of Suella Braverman, who was sacked twice from Government in disgrace, spent £700m of taxpayers' money to send four volunteers to Rwanda on a deportation scheme that was then scrapped and has a public approval rating of minus 32 is currently being described as a "major coup" for Reform
Reposted by Elaine McGirr
Wise words from WEB DuBois to gird us today: "It would be shame and cowardice to surrender this glorious land and its opportunities for civilization and humanity to the thugs and lynchers, the mobs and profiteers, the monopolists & gamblers who today choke its soul and steal its resources."
January 22, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Wise words from WEB DuBois to gird us today: "It would be shame and cowardice to surrender this glorious land and its opportunities for civilization and humanity to the thugs and lynchers, the mobs and profiteers, the monopolists & gamblers who today choke its soul and steal its resources."
Mistead this as "cheese piece" and am now slightly disappointed
Chess Piece of a Queen
Spanish 12th century
Walrus ivory, which was cheaper than the elephant kind. (Walters Art Museum)
Spanish 12th century
Walrus ivory, which was cheaper than the elephant kind. (Walters Art Museum)
January 23, 2026 at 1:59 PM
Mistead this as "cheese piece" and am now slightly disappointed
Reposted by Elaine McGirr
great readings for our students to understand what 'generative AI' is.
I take the approach of bringing AI into our course work as an object of inquiry--to study it, to understand what it is, its myriad contexts.
And my students are hungry for this information. I bet yours are, too.
I take the approach of bringing AI into our course work as an object of inquiry--to study it, to understand what it is, its myriad contexts.
And my students are hungry for this information. I bet yours are, too.
My course syllabi now contain a link to this document, "why Professor Holliday Doesn't Use Generative AI". Feel free to share/repurpose or just check out the links for your own reference. It won't stop some of them, but I want students to know why. docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Why Professor Holliday Doesn’t Use Generative “AI”
Why Professor Holliday Doesn’t Use Generative “AI” This is a (very) incomplete list of journalistic and scholarly sources that provide information about limitations and documented drawbacks of variou...
docs.google.com
January 21, 2026 at 5:57 PM
great readings for our students to understand what 'generative AI' is.
I take the approach of bringing AI into our course work as an object of inquiry--to study it, to understand what it is, its myriad contexts.
And my students are hungry for this information. I bet yours are, too.
I take the approach of bringing AI into our course work as an object of inquiry--to study it, to understand what it is, its myriad contexts.
And my students are hungry for this information. I bet yours are, too.
Things are terrible so here's a cat enjoying Wild London.
January 10, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Things are terrible so here's a cat enjoying Wild London.
So the Teens did let me sleep and largely managed themselves while I was ill. But they also made sure to let me know that I'm still needed (I'm on the mend, but still sound like Iggy Pop on a bad day)
January 9, 2026 at 9:50 AM
So the Teens did let me sleep and largely managed themselves while I was ill. But they also made sure to let me know that I'm still needed (I'm on the mend, but still sound like Iggy Pop on a bad day)
And the curse of research leave lurgy strikes again. Have been too sick to work (or even drink coffee) for days. Feeling better enough now to mostly feel sorry for myself.
January 8, 2026 at 6:21 PM
And the curse of research leave lurgy strikes again. Have been too sick to work (or even drink coffee) for days. Feeling better enough now to mostly feel sorry for myself.
🎶on the first day of research leave, my true love gave to me... a Smeg bean-to-cup coffee🎶 [maker - in the sales!]
January 6, 2026 at 9:09 AM
🎶on the first day of research leave, my true love gave to me... a Smeg bean-to-cup coffee🎶 [maker - in the sales!]
It's my first day of research leave. & while I have a truly terrifying number of things that must be written in the next 6 months, today I'm settling down to read, because *research*
January 5, 2026 at 9:58 AM
It's my first day of research leave. & while I have a truly terrifying number of things that must be written in the next 6 months, today I'm settling down to read, because *research*
Reposted by Elaine McGirr
2025 has been a rotten year for most early career postdoctoral researchers, especially in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
For a better 2026, check out (or repost) this short thread on a free resource for UK-based SHAPE PhDs within 10 years (excluding career breaks) of the doctorate. 1/3
For a better 2026, check out (or repost) this short thread on a free resource for UK-based SHAPE PhDs within 10 years (excluding career breaks) of the doctorate. 1/3
Early Career Researcher Network
An inclusive, researcher-led network for UK-based early career researchers working in the humanities and social sciences
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk
December 31, 2025 at 2:47 PM
2025 has been a rotten year for most early career postdoctoral researchers, especially in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
For a better 2026, check out (or repost) this short thread on a free resource for UK-based SHAPE PhDs within 10 years (excluding career breaks) of the doctorate. 1/3
For a better 2026, check out (or repost) this short thread on a free resource for UK-based SHAPE PhDs within 10 years (excluding career breaks) of the doctorate. 1/3
Happy Boxing Day to all who celebrate
December 26, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Happy Boxing Day to all who celebrate
Reposted by Elaine McGirr
Before essay mills were banned in 2022, advertising for essay mills were all like ‘students, get help with your ideas’ and *everyone* knew it was bullshit. EVERYONE!
And now universities themselves are encouraging students to ‘get help with their ideas’ from ChatGPT - and it’s STILL bullshit!
And now universities themselves are encouraging students to ‘get help with their ideas’ from ChatGPT - and it’s STILL bullshit!
December 21, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Before essay mills were banned in 2022, advertising for essay mills were all like ‘students, get help with your ideas’ and *everyone* knew it was bullshit. EVERYONE!
And now universities themselves are encouraging students to ‘get help with their ideas’ from ChatGPT - and it’s STILL bullshit!
And now universities themselves are encouraging students to ‘get help with their ideas’ from ChatGPT - and it’s STILL bullshit!
Out of office is ON. I am on annual and/research leave from now until September 2026. 🎉🎉
December 19, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Out of office is ON. I am on annual and/research leave from now until September 2026. 🎉🎉
Reposted by Elaine McGirr
Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.
December 15, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.
The remains of end-of-term bounty
December 15, 2025 at 10:10 AM
The remains of end-of-term bounty
Reposted by Elaine McGirr
Unfortunately the HE 2025 ballot failed at 39% turnout. I have written about why and about what desperately needs to change in UCU's national structures off the back of this result. Some HEC members need to chi up and understand their role in all this, and how disconnected they are from members.
The HE Ballot failed, now what?
If you’re reading this it is because today the UCU’s 2025 national ballot over pay and conditions in universities has failed. The last time…
hitchcockian.medium.com
December 2, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Unfortunately the HE 2025 ballot failed at 39% turnout. I have written about why and about what desperately needs to change in UCU's national structures off the back of this result. Some HEC members need to chi up and understand their role in all this, and how disconnected they are from members.
Because the world is too much with us of late, I give you this pure unadulterated joy:
youtu.be/OZqz94ODz18?...
youtu.be/OZqz94ODz18?...
Miracle on 42nd Street
YouTube video by TheYahsInitiative
youtu.be
December 2, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Because the world is too much with us of late, I give you this pure unadulterated joy:
youtu.be/OZqz94ODz18?...
youtu.be/OZqz94ODz18?...
Kittens holding paws for your evening palate cleanser.
November 24, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Kittens holding paws for your evening palate cleanser.
The children & the cat also had v different reactions to the end of the snow flurry
The children & the cat had v different reactions to the snow.
November 19, 2025 at 8:11 AM
The children & the cat also had v different reactions to the end of the snow flurry
The children & the cat had v different reactions to the snow.
November 19, 2025 at 7:36 AM
The children & the cat had v different reactions to the snow.