Larry Cebula
@larrycebula.bsky.social
"The Lightning Rod of Weirdness." Public historian, bicyclist, noted bon vivant. Taking a break from politics so if I unfollow you that's why.
Reposted by Larry Cebula
“Not to become one of the gods or heroes, but to transform into a tree, to grow for centuries, to harm no one.”
—Czesław Miłosz, “Longing”
“Nie żeby zaraz być jednym z bogów czy herosów. Zmienić się w drzewo, rosnąć wieki, nie krzywdzić nikogo.”
—Czesław Miłosz, “Tęsknota”
—Czesław Miłosz, “Longing”
“Nie żeby zaraz być jednym z bogów czy herosów. Zmienić się w drzewo, rosnąć wieki, nie krzywdzić nikogo.”
—Czesław Miłosz, “Tęsknota”
December 24, 2025 at 12:17 PM
“Not to become one of the gods or heroes, but to transform into a tree, to grow for centuries, to harm no one.”
—Czesław Miłosz, “Longing”
“Nie żeby zaraz być jednym z bogów czy herosów. Zmienić się w drzewo, rosnąć wieki, nie krzywdzić nikogo.”
—Czesław Miłosz, “Tęsknota”
—Czesław Miłosz, “Longing”
“Nie żeby zaraz być jednym z bogów czy herosów. Zmienić się w drzewo, rosnąć wieki, nie krzywdzić nikogo.”
—Czesław Miłosz, “Tęsknota”
Reposted by Larry Cebula
I had an interesting exchange with the chatbot issued to students by my university about the advisability of using it—at a university. It thought this was a terrible idea.
December 16, 2025 at 1:09 PM
I had an interesting exchange with the chatbot issued to students by my university about the advisability of using it—at a university. It thought this was a terrible idea.
Reposted by Larry Cebula
The other two are dead.
The third best Python speaks.
Wishing you all a merry day in the Universe with whatever you believe caused it. Be happy.
December 26, 2025 at 3:10 AM
The other two are dead.
Reposted by Larry Cebula
December 23, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Reposted by Larry Cebula
When I was on CNN's northeast desk, the first job at 6a every morning was to read the local papers. That guided some of what the massive CNN machine followed every day.
When those papers die, CNN doesn't hire new regional reporters. What you get instead is more panel shows, more punditry.
When those papers die, CNN doesn't hire new regional reporters. What you get instead is more panel shows, more punditry.
"The newspaper industry served as a feeder for our entire news media ecosystem. So when we lose those newspapers, we've lost that journalism. In the early 2000s, we had 40 journalists per 100,000 people. We're now down to 8 journalists per 100,000 people," says @victorpickard.bsky.social.
December 16, 2025 at 7:25 PM
When I was on CNN's northeast desk, the first job at 6a every morning was to read the local papers. That guided some of what the massive CNN machine followed every day.
When those papers die, CNN doesn't hire new regional reporters. What you get instead is more panel shows, more punditry.
When those papers die, CNN doesn't hire new regional reporters. What you get instead is more panel shows, more punditry.
Reposted by Larry Cebula
December 25th. The day the Fellowship departs Rivendell to destroy the One Ring.
Whatever you celebrate, may you have the courage to take the first steps to defy and endure against the dark, and rekindle light into the world.
Whatever you celebrate, may you have the courage to take the first steps to defy and endure against the dark, and rekindle light into the world.
December 25, 2025 at 3:52 PM
December 25th. The day the Fellowship departs Rivendell to destroy the One Ring.
Whatever you celebrate, may you have the courage to take the first steps to defy and endure against the dark, and rekindle light into the world.
Whatever you celebrate, may you have the courage to take the first steps to defy and endure against the dark, and rekindle light into the world.
A Merry Chicago Christmas from my family to all non-fascists.
December 25, 2025 at 7:01 PM
A Merry Chicago Christmas from my family to all non-fascists.
Reposted by Larry Cebula
they don’t tell you when you buy a christmas tree at the christmas tree farm that you could take it home, decorate it, and then be relaxing in your living room seven nights later when A BAT suddenly flies out and starts CRASHING AROUND YOUR HOUSE
December 24, 2025 at 11:43 PM
they don’t tell you when you buy a christmas tree at the christmas tree farm that you could take it home, decorate it, and then be relaxing in your living room seven nights later when A BAT suddenly flies out and starts CRASHING AROUND YOUR HOUSE
Reposted by Larry Cebula
An absolutely magnificent Freudian slip! 🤌🏼
December 21, 2025 at 12:10 PM
An absolutely magnificent Freudian slip! 🤌🏼
Reposted by Larry Cebula
When we say "no, everything hasn't been digitized," I need you to understand that we really mean is that virtually nothing has been digitized. This is because the realm of primary sources that historians use is incomprehensibly large.
Seems like it's worth posting this one again.
Why Do Historians Still Have To Go To Archives?
Why do historians go to archives? Hasn’t everything already been digitized?
contingentmagazine.org
December 22, 2025 at 1:40 AM
When we say "no, everything hasn't been digitized," I need you to understand that we really mean is that virtually nothing has been digitized. This is because the realm of primary sources that historians use is incomprehensibly large.
Reposted by Larry Cebula
Working on something about what Twitter meant to historians - what was good/not good about it for the profession, in relation to the general crisis of academic history / the profession, etc., the cratering of the university. What was #twitterhistory at its best? What were its failures? 🗃️
December 18, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Working on something about what Twitter meant to historians - what was good/not good about it for the profession, in relation to the general crisis of academic history / the profession, etc., the cratering of the university. What was #twitterhistory at its best? What were its failures? 🗃️
Reposted by Larry Cebula
Interesting that Susie Wiles confirmed that Miller "sleeps in a coffin" per Vanity Fair
December 19, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Interesting that Susie Wiles confirmed that Miller "sleeps in a coffin" per Vanity Fair
Reposted by Larry Cebula
I am reminded of Lincoln's famous letter to Joshua Speed in 1855
quod.lib.umich.edu/l/lincoln/li...
quod.lib.umich.edu/l/lincoln/li...
![Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that "all men are created equal." We now practically read it "all men are created equal, except negroes." When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read "all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and catholics." When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretence of loving liberty-to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocracy [sic].](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:kok4aqdr3qnsj6ktfkq76kqz/bafkreibv56orcjfhjc2czd5kkydlzapnuem3xkzbhna4fia27pyajprzvq@jpeg)
December 17, 2025 at 12:40 PM
I am reminded of Lincoln's famous letter to Joshua Speed in 1855
quod.lib.umich.edu/l/lincoln/li...
quod.lib.umich.edu/l/lincoln/li...
Reposted by Larry Cebula
this is a load bearing post for me
December 13, 2025 at 4:07 AM
this is a load bearing post for me
Is the comic strip Poorly Drawn Lines on BlueSky yet?
December 12, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Is the comic strip Poorly Drawn Lines on BlueSky yet?
Reposted by Larry Cebula
City snowfall isn't best for driving, but streets in Montreal look pretty tonight. #Montreal #Snow #Winter #photography Literally #streetphotography 🤓
December 10, 2025 at 11:08 PM
City snowfall isn't best for driving, but streets in Montreal look pretty tonight. #Montreal #Snow #Winter #photography Literally #streetphotography 🤓
There is a popular set of progressive critiques of Democrats that go: "Why didn't Democrats do this thing they do not have the votes for back when they also did not have the votes for it?"
December 9, 2025 at 8:22 PM
There is a popular set of progressive critiques of Democrats that go: "Why didn't Democrats do this thing they do not have the votes for back when they also did not have the votes for it?"
Reposted by Larry Cebula
If you need to be on the program for funding purposes and are planning to attend WHA in Portland next year, please let me know! I need to add a chair to our panel on religion, race, and labor.
December 9, 2025 at 5:50 PM
If you need to be on the program for funding purposes and are planning to attend WHA in Portland next year, please let me know! I need to add a chair to our panel on religion, race, and labor.
Reposted by Larry Cebula
Ok, let’s do this
A Warren Harding thread!!
Wherein I reveal
A. The coolest thing about him
B. The nickname he gave to his most favorite appendage (yes, that one)
Buckle up kids, Warren Harding was a real piece of work
(that’s what she said)
A Warren Harding thread!!
Wherein I reveal
A. The coolest thing about him
B. The nickname he gave to his most favorite appendage (yes, that one)
Buckle up kids, Warren Harding was a real piece of work
(that’s what she said)
December 7, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Ok, let’s do this
A Warren Harding thread!!
Wherein I reveal
A. The coolest thing about him
B. The nickname he gave to his most favorite appendage (yes, that one)
Buckle up kids, Warren Harding was a real piece of work
(that’s what she said)
A Warren Harding thread!!
Wherein I reveal
A. The coolest thing about him
B. The nickname he gave to his most favorite appendage (yes, that one)
Buckle up kids, Warren Harding was a real piece of work
(that’s what she said)
Reposted by Larry Cebula
I really can't emphasize enough that if you care about local politics, all you gotta do is show up. Just a regular schmegular person showing up. Literally just show up consistently in person and within a remarkably short amount of time, you will have a shocking amount of influence.
December 5, 2025 at 6:07 AM
I really can't emphasize enough that if you care about local politics, all you gotta do is show up. Just a regular schmegular person showing up. Literally just show up consistently in person and within a remarkably short amount of time, you will have a shocking amount of influence.
LOOK AT THIS TOYOTA PRIUS CAMPER HOLY SHIT PEOPLE.
December 5, 2025 at 4:08 AM
LOOK AT THIS TOYOTA PRIUS CAMPER HOLY SHIT PEOPLE.
I saw two female students in the cafeteria, I think they just came from a final exam. One of them proclaimed "No more math classes EVER!" They high fived and hugged, they were so happy.
#AcademicSky
#AcademicSky
December 3, 2025 at 11:20 PM
I saw two female students in the cafeteria, I think they just came from a final exam. One of them proclaimed "No more math classes EVER!" They high fived and hugged, they were so happy.
#AcademicSky
#AcademicSky
Reposted by Larry Cebula
This is a really phenomenal database, and the article is a very clear intro to its uses.
#History #DigitalHistory
#History #DigitalHistory
A blast from my past - the Medieval Soldier database takes nearly 300,000 military service records from 1369-1453 and makes them available as a searchable database.
An invaluable resource for understanding medieval warfare, society and the English medieval state. Learn more in the link. 🗃️
An invaluable resource for understanding medieval warfare, society and the English medieval state. Learn more in the link. 🗃️
We built a database of 290,000 English medieval soldiers – here’s what it reveals
We created the database in order to challenge assumptions about the lack of professionalism of everyday soldiers.
theconversation.com
December 2, 2025 at 12:41 PM
This is a really phenomenal database, and the article is a very clear intro to its uses.
#History #DigitalHistory
#History #DigitalHistory
Also bad from doctors and car mechanics.
It is never a good sign when your IT guy says "That's weird. I've never seen that before." #academicsky
December 2, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Also bad from doctors and car mechanics.
It is never a good sign when your IT guy says "That's weird. I've never seen that before." #academicsky
December 1, 2025 at 8:44 PM
It is never a good sign when your IT guy says "That's weird. I've never seen that before." #academicsky