Kazys Varnelis
@kazys.bsky.social
An exile. Samogitian. High modernist. Artist, writer about network culture, formerly architecture faculty.
So Trump wants a coin in his likeness for 2026, just like Calvin Coolidge in 1926. Now there was a great President, economic genius, right up there with Trump.
November 9, 2025 at 2:31 PM
So Trump wants a coin in his likeness for 2026, just like Calvin Coolidge in 1926. Now there was a great President, economic genius, right up there with Trump.
Wanted to buy a $1000 jacket on grailed, asked a basic question — "Hi, I notice you said it is gently used. Is there any delamination? Is there any staining from sweat or sunblock at the neckline or anywhere else? Any fraying at the wrists?" The seller rsil blocked me. Wow.
November 9, 2025 at 5:31 AM
Wanted to buy a $1000 jacket on grailed, asked a basic question — "Hi, I notice you said it is gently used. Is there any delamination? Is there any staining from sweat or sunblock at the neckline or anywhere else? Any fraying at the wrists?" The seller rsil blocked me. Wow.
If you are, like me, obsessed with the history of space flight, you cannot do better than Homemade Documentaries. I watched this week's ISS documentary on Nova. It was trash. Meanwhile the HD video on Apollo 17 or on the Gemini program are just epic. So well made. Why can't PBS be any good anymore?
November 9, 2025 at 3:09 AM
If you are, like me, obsessed with the history of space flight, you cannot do better than Homemade Documentaries. I watched this week's ISS documentary on Nova. It was trash. Meanwhile the HD video on Apollo 17 or on the Gemini program are just epic. So well made. Why can't PBS be any good anymore?
Decided to take @NJTRANSIT in. App did not work. People watching videos out loud. Screaming into phones. We are stuck on the track outside the tunnel under the Hudson and every minute they announce trains are stopped due to track work and there is no ETA. Why didn’t I drive?
November 7, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Decided to take @NJTRANSIT in. App did not work. People watching videos out loud. Screaming into phones. We are stuck on the track outside the tunnel under the Hudson and every minute they announce trains are stopped due to track work and there is no ETA. Why didn’t I drive?
My artist's statement on my work with AI is out. I completely rethought what I am doing. This has been a worthwhile journey, for me, and I hope, for you if you read it.
Stochastic Histories - varnelis.net
A position statement on producing fabricated histories with AI image and text generators to reveal the inner operations of culture.
varnelis.net
November 7, 2025 at 4:50 PM
My artist's statement on my work with AI is out. I completely rethought what I am doing. This has been a worthwhile journey, for me, and I hope, for you if you read it.
My latest essay, I will offiicially release it tomorrow morning, but in the meantime, here it is!
Stochastic Histories - varnelis.net
stochastic histories /stəˈkæstɪk ˈhɪstəriz/ n. pl. [from Gk. stokhastikos “capable of guessing,” from stokhazesthai “to aim at, guess at” + L. historia “narrative, account”] 1. Fabricated historical narratives generated through iterative probabilistic sampling with artificial-intelligence systems, producing documentation that appears authentic through the accumulation of plausible details. 2. A mode of artistic practice that exploits ... <a title="Stochastic Histories" class="read-more" href="https://varnelis.net/works_and_projects/stochastic-histories/" aria-label="Read more about Stochastic Histories">Read more</a>
varnelis.net
November 7, 2025 at 2:44 AM
My latest essay, I will offiicially release it tomorrow morning, but in the meantime, here it is!
Be careful what you wish for.
November 6, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Be careful what you wish for.
It would be the greatest challenge for our public intellectuals to write a single essay without using the word capitalism.
November 6, 2025 at 1:07 AM
It would be the greatest challenge for our public intellectuals to write a single essay without using the word capitalism.
Tony Romm of the New York Times shows just how out of touch they are. They think that a narrower victory in New York City then in New Jersey is somehow a mandate for their extreme agenda? I don’t want Trumpen America any more but socialism is not going to fly in most of America
November 5, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Tony Romm of the New York Times shows just how out of touch they are. They think that a narrower victory in New York City then in New Jersey is somehow a mandate for their extreme agenda? I don’t want Trumpen America any more but socialism is not going to fly in most of America
In the 90s, I lived in a town with a Democratic socialist mayor and trust me when I say it was no better or worse than any other mayor. He was in bed with a developers, just like every other mayor, and the town struggled on as it does today.
November 5, 2025 at 3:14 PM
In the 90s, I lived in a town with a Democratic socialist mayor and trust me when I say it was no better or worse than any other mayor. He was in bed with a developers, just like every other mayor, and the town struggled on as it does today.
Mamdani has nice John Lindsay vibes.
November 5, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Mamdani has nice John Lindsay vibes.
Both Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciaattarelli ran against the wrong candidate. She should have run against Phil Murphy and he should have run against Donald Trump. These campaigns were boneheaded.
November 5, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Both Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciaattarelli ran against the wrong candidate. She should have run against Phil Murphy and he should have run against Donald Trump. These campaigns were boneheaded.
Both candidates for governor in New Jersey have run historically bad campaigns. It will be a wonder if either wins.
November 4, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Both candidates for governor in New Jersey have run historically bad campaigns. It will be a wonder if either wins.
Once again, the tyranny of the early risers descends on our land and their moralistic hubris takes away precious sunlight from the afternoon and evening hours that we could be spending in blissful idleness.
November 2, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Once again, the tyranny of the early risers descends on our land and their moralistic hubris takes away precious sunlight from the afternoon and evening hours that we could be spending in blissful idleness.
My hotel room for the night.
November 2, 2025 at 3:05 AM
My hotel room for the night.
Remember the excitement about the Peripheral and how the result was so, so profoundly bad.
October 29, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Remember the excitement about the Peripheral and how the result was so, so profoundly bad.
Reading Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs by Camilla Townsend, I ran across a surprise. The 17th century Nahua historian Chimalpahin hypothesized that the Aztecs came from the Baltic countries.
October 23, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Reading Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs by Camilla Townsend, I ran across a surprise. The 17th century Nahua historian Chimalpahin hypothesized that the Aztecs came from the Baltic countries.
The headline begins innocently enough and the spirit rises a little but as one reads on, it swiftly turns to horror. By the gods, this is madness!
Plans to reopen Tolkien and Lewis pub in Oxford approved
Planning permission and listed building consent is granted to restore The Eagle and Child in Oxford.
www.bbc.com
October 20, 2025 at 1:07 PM
The headline begins innocently enough and the spirit rises a little but as one reads on, it swiftly turns to horror. By the gods, this is madness!
Wow, the case against Bolton is so much worse than the case against Trump or Biden for that matter.
October 17, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Wow, the case against Bolton is so much worse than the case against Trump or Biden for that matter.
Experiments with Sora 2
October 17, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Experiments with Sora 2
What’s the Polymarket on how long Markel has before she is arrested for being a Russian proxy?
October 16, 2025 at 10:06 PM
What’s the Polymarket on how long Markel has before she is arrested for being a Russian proxy?
Jack Ciattareli’s pal Trump just terminated the Gateway Project just like Chris Christie did beforehand. It’s time to terminate his candidacy! Let them run real republicans who care about New Jersey not MAGA cultists of they want to win.
October 16, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Jack Ciattareli’s pal Trump just terminated the Gateway Project just like Chris Christie did beforehand. It’s time to terminate his candidacy! Let them run real republicans who care about New Jersey not MAGA cultists of they want to win.
We should start a political movement to either make the schwa the 27th letter of the alphabet or eliminate it without prejudice.
October 16, 2025 at 6:31 PM
We should start a political movement to either make the schwa the 27th letter of the alphabet or eliminate it without prejudice.