john mnemonic
@johnmnemonic.bsky.social
Just some schmo, luftmensch, doing mah best. New England by way of the Midwest. Old enough to plan my morning coffee to avoid heartburn.
Chanukah celebrator. Future mayor of Chelm.
Chanukah celebrator. Future mayor of Chelm.
Pinned
As my jalopy, burping smoke, tumbles down a large hill in San Francisco I am struck by the irony of my “Ben Bag Bag is my co-pilot” bumper sticker.
Reposted by john mnemonic
When people read current writing on immigration a few decades from now, it'll hit the same as a reading the way people wrote about "the Jewish problem" in the 1930s. Just loads of well-educated and seemingly normal people accepting a monstrous normative frame as though it's natural.
really interesting to me how many professional political commentators have basically retconned the draconian immigration enforcement policies of Obama and Biden out of existence and have completely swallowed the right wing narrative of immigration enforcement
Not going to read them all because jesus fucking christ but this is nasty work from Friedersdorf
February 12, 2026 at 4:48 PM
When people read current writing on immigration a few decades from now, it'll hit the same as a reading the way people wrote about "the Jewish problem" in the 1930s. Just loads of well-educated and seemingly normal people accepting a monstrous normative frame as though it's natural.
Reposted by john mnemonic
I do not WANT to pivot to paper, dammit. There are accessibility issues for students AND for me. What I WANT is for the internet to be treated and regulated like the public good it is, and for us to quit systematically devaluing learning, writing, and thinking for their own sakes.
February 12, 2026 at 10:41 PM
I do not WANT to pivot to paper, dammit. There are accessibility issues for students AND for me. What I WANT is for the internet to be treated and regulated like the public good it is, and for us to quit systematically devaluing learning, writing, and thinking for their own sakes.
Reposted by john mnemonic
Purim will be here in a few short weeks. In accordance with the custom of our people, I have elected to don a jocund costume to mark the mirthful levity of this festive season.
February 12, 2026 at 5:35 PM
Purim will be here in a few short weeks. In accordance with the custom of our people, I have elected to don a jocund costume to mark the mirthful levity of this festive season.
Reposted by john mnemonic
I wrote about the first Yiddish talkie made in Poland, from 1936. Thanks to @evelyngfrick.bsky.social & Hey Alma for the opportunity. Thanks also to @filmlinc.bsky.social's New York Jewish Film Fest & the National Center for Jewish Film for celebrating & preserving these precious time capsules.
This Early Yiddish Film Is a Rare Piece of Jewish Cinematic History - Hey Alma
Through a feat of figurative time travel, I was able to attend the premiere of “Al Khet (I Have Sinned)”: the first Yiddish sound film to come out of Poland. In reality, it was the U.S. premiere of th...
www.heyalma.com
February 12, 2026 at 5:33 PM
I wrote about the first Yiddish talkie made in Poland, from 1936. Thanks to @evelyngfrick.bsky.social & Hey Alma for the opportunity. Thanks also to @filmlinc.bsky.social's New York Jewish Film Fest & the National Center for Jewish Film for celebrating & preserving these precious time capsules.
Reposted by john mnemonic
never thought I'd die fighting side by side with a moron.
how about with the average american voter
aye, I could do that.
how about with the average american voter
aye, I could do that.
Good news: there's no durable majority for fascism
Bad news: we are locked in a life or death struggle against fascism and our victory depends on people with less understanding of how the world functions than my 14-month old
Bad news: we are locked in a life or death struggle against fascism and our victory depends on people with less understanding of how the world functions than my 14-month old
New poll: In 2024, low-engagement voters went for Trump over Harris by 11 percentage points. But now they disapprove of the way he's handling the presidency by 13. They have moved 25 points against Trump — 2x as large as the shift for high-knowledge voters www.gelliottmorris.com/p/trump-lost...
February 12, 2026 at 4:35 PM
never thought I'd die fighting side by side with a moron.
how about with the average american voter
aye, I could do that.
how about with the average american voter
aye, I could do that.
Reposted by john mnemonic
My colleague at my institution wrote a good piece about Zionism and historical contingencies, and the possibility things could have gone differently. thehistoricizer.substack.com/p/beware-the...
Beware the Seductive Meta-Narrative! Lazy History and the Flattening of Zionism
By Matt
thehistoricizer.substack.com
February 11, 2026 at 10:14 PM
My colleague at my institution wrote a good piece about Zionism and historical contingencies, and the possibility things could have gone differently. thehistoricizer.substack.com/p/beware-the...
Reposted by john mnemonic
very banal comment but it is kinda incredible that the simpsons was that good for that long. like im watching a very mid-tier season 6 episode rn and its still so littered with bangers
February 11, 2026 at 11:34 AM
very banal comment but it is kinda incredible that the simpsons was that good for that long. like im watching a very mid-tier season 6 episode rn and its still so littered with bangers
Reposted by john mnemonic
the thing they don't tell you about working in the dead letter office
is you never really get used to the dying
is you never really get used to the dying
H1252.2
Quest
to other world
to take letters
to dead relatives.
Quest
to other world
to take letters
to dead relatives.
February 10, 2026 at 2:51 PM
the thing they don't tell you about working in the dead letter office
is you never really get used to the dying
is you never really get used to the dying
Reposted by john mnemonic
Standing up to the far right is good, actually
🚨 WATCH: Jewish activists heckle Nigel Farage during the launch of Reform UK's Jewish alliance
"My grandmother fled Germany, you would deport her!"
"My grandmother fled Germany, you would deport her!"
February 10, 2026 at 10:54 PM
Standing up to the far right is good, actually
Reposted by john mnemonic
advance roofing shuttle sign, mims, florida, 1990
February 10, 2026 at 11:36 AM
advance roofing shuttle sign, mims, florida, 1990
Reposted by john mnemonic
Genuinely gives me a lot of hope that the NFL is a cynical, cash-motivated organization and they're betting on this being the future
February 9, 2026 at 1:38 AM
Genuinely gives me a lot of hope that the NFL is a cynical, cash-motivated organization and they're betting on this being the future
Reposted by john mnemonic
nfl trying to explain to conservatives that they hired the #1 most streamed artist on spotify "in order to make money"
February 10, 2026 at 1:26 AM
nfl trying to explain to conservatives that they hired the #1 most streamed artist on spotify "in order to make money"
Reposted by john mnemonic
no one can watch these commercials and conclude america is having a good time rn
February 9, 2026 at 12:35 AM
no one can watch these commercials and conclude america is having a good time rn
Reposted by john mnemonic
This looks so good:
Sun Ra: Do The Impossible | Official Trailer | American Masters | PBS
YouTube video by American Masters PBS
youtu.be
February 8, 2026 at 12:55 AM
This looks so good:
Reposted by john mnemonic
I'd watch a muppet show movie where the muppets infiltrate an academic conference.
February 7, 2026 at 2:45 PM
I'd watch a muppet show movie where the muppets infiltrate an academic conference.
Reposted by john mnemonic
“the epstein class” is a fine phrase that - i’ll just be honest - i am going to have a knee jerk response to that depends a lot on who is using it and which of those three words they emphasize when they do so
February 7, 2026 at 10:05 PM
“the epstein class” is a fine phrase that - i’ll just be honest - i am going to have a knee jerk response to that depends a lot on who is using it and which of those three words they emphasize when they do so
Reposted by john mnemonic
It's been 15 years since the viral exchange between the mayor of Detroit and a "random dude in Massachussets" which ultimately led to this 11-foot tall bronze RoboCop statue that finally debuted two months ago!
February 6, 2026 at 10:52 PM
It's been 15 years since the viral exchange between the mayor of Detroit and a "random dude in Massachussets" which ultimately led to this 11-foot tall bronze RoboCop statue that finally debuted two months ago!
Reposted by john mnemonic
The only way you can treat video games consistently is if you say everything outside the cutscenes is a metaphorical record, which means -- say it with me -- video games and musicals are the same thing
February 6, 2026 at 11:02 PM
The only way you can treat video games consistently is if you say everything outside the cutscenes is a metaphorical record, which means -- say it with me -- video games and musicals are the same thing
The mad parachutist, from Vasily Grossman’s Life and Fate. A character that really sticks with you.
February 6, 2026 at 11:16 PM
The mad parachutist, from Vasily Grossman’s Life and Fate. A character that really sticks with you.
What if The Glass Bead Game just ended with the dude revealing that the game was just Root Beer Tapper before kicking it haha
February 6, 2026 at 11:12 PM
What if The Glass Bead Game just ended with the dude revealing that the game was just Root Beer Tapper before kicking it haha
Reposted by john mnemonic
Reposted by john mnemonic
My spouse is not on Bluesky, X, etc., so every time I send him a link or screenshot of a quote tweet &c., he gets confused, and I have to explain, “it’s like the Talmud; it’s like the Talmud”
February 2, 2026 at 2:07 PM
My spouse is not on Bluesky, X, etc., so every time I send him a link or screenshot of a quote tweet &c., he gets confused, and I have to explain, “it’s like the Talmud; it’s like the Talmud”
Reposted by john mnemonic
Tired: Die Hard is technically a Christmas movie.
Wired: Yoda is technically a muppet.
Inspired: The Nazi-crushing, ice golem is technically a Rube Goldberg machine.
Wired: Yoda is technically a muppet.
Inspired: The Nazi-crushing, ice golem is technically a Rube Goldberg machine.
February 5, 2026 at 2:28 PM
Tired: Die Hard is technically a Christmas movie.
Wired: Yoda is technically a muppet.
Inspired: The Nazi-crushing, ice golem is technically a Rube Goldberg machine.
Wired: Yoda is technically a muppet.
Inspired: The Nazi-crushing, ice golem is technically a Rube Goldberg machine.
Reposted by john mnemonic
I’d never really experienced it much before but holy shit now I know what people mean when they say the SCP Foundation has a mass surveillance problem
February 5, 2026 at 7:00 PM
I’d never really experienced it much before but holy shit now I know what people mean when they say the SCP Foundation has a mass surveillance problem