Stuart Semmel
@semmiotic.bsky.social
British history, political thought, history of consciousness, movies, snacks
Pinned
Just remembered that people used to talk about the “high tech” sector. “High” got dropped a long time ago, and now we act like it was never there.
November 17, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Just remembered that people used to talk about the “high tech” sector. “High” got dropped a long time ago, and now we act like it was never there.
Reposted by Stuart Semmel
last night at a bar I learned that they improved pinball by making machines that are entirely computers and they’re much better than what we had before
November 16, 2025 at 6:43 PM
last night at a bar I learned that they improved pinball by making machines that are entirely computers and they’re much better than what we had before
Reposted by Stuart Semmel
This is like you said one time you like corkscrews and then everyone gives you corkscrews for the rest of your life
Spike Lee just blessed Pope Leo with a custom Knicks jersey during his visit to the Vatican, just one week after the Pope was gifted a custom Chicago Bulls one.
Spike Lee Blesses Pope Leo with Knicks Jersey
Spike Lee just blessed Pope Leo with a custom Knicks jersey during his visit to the Vatican, just one week after the Pope was gifted a custom Chicago Bulls one.
www.vulture.com
November 16, 2025 at 1:44 PM
This is like you said one time you like corkscrews and then everyone gives you corkscrews for the rest of your life
Reposted by Stuart Semmel
so this is the key problem they are looking to fix at the next election
![“The PLP [Parliamentary Labour party] is in a very dangerous place,” a senior figure said. “The truth is, the majority is too big. People don’t think it matters if they rebel.”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:epfbbqxbmughayzg4b5tndxr/bafkreicuu2bgcbcmj2fla3nxz3ogt5j74vrbii7ydr5fpvk7rnf4e4mfmi@jpeg)
November 16, 2025 at 2:32 PM
so this is the key problem they are looking to fix at the next election
Reposted by Stuart Semmel
When I was researching my book on blackface throughout the British Empire, *several* Brits both insisted that blackface was a US thing *and* that they remembered the BBC’s Black and White Minstrel Show fondly.
My book Transoceanic Blackface: Empire, Race, Performance is available from Northwestern University Press.
It maps the global history of blackface, minstrelsy, and related forms of racialized performance such as brownface and yellowface.
💙📚
📚👀
It maps the global history of blackface, minstrelsy, and related forms of racialized performance such as brownface and yellowface.
💙📚
📚👀
November 16, 2025 at 10:50 PM
When I was researching my book on blackface throughout the British Empire, *several* Brits both insisted that blackface was a US thing *and* that they remembered the BBC’s Black and White Minstrel Show fondly.
Reposted by Stuart Semmel
i used to think the lyric was ‘i wanna rock and roll all night / and part of every day’ and i remember thinking, honestly that sounds reasonable
November 15, 2025 at 9:36 PM
i used to think the lyric was ‘i wanna rock and roll all night / and part of every day’ and i remember thinking, honestly that sounds reasonable
Reposted by Stuart Semmel
I once had a guy on Twitter get so mad that he sent me a screenshot of a donation he made to Goodwill of three shirts to prove he was a better person than me
November 15, 2025 at 4:51 AM
I once had a guy on Twitter get so mad that he sent me a screenshot of a donation he made to Goodwill of three shirts to prove he was a better person than me
“How does it work?” indeed
The app Text With Jesus uses artificial intelligence and chatbots to offer spiritual guidance to users who are looking to connect with a higher power: on.nbc10.com/7XM8xrf
People can text with Jesus on a controversial new app. How does it work?
Artificial intelligence app Text With Jesus lets users chat with biblical figures and it is raising debate over faith and technology.
on.nbc10.com
November 14, 2025 at 11:26 PM
“How does it work?” indeed
Reposted by Stuart Semmel
the only good accent work on earth is old money transatlantic american to make fun of rich people accent
November 13, 2025 at 4:06 PM
the only good accent work on earth is old money transatlantic american to make fun of rich people accent
Reposted by Stuart Semmel
Remembering how Biden revived the practice of releasing visitors logs and was rewarded by the press for his transparency with a front page story at his weakest possible moment about how he had Parkinson's based on a Parkinson's expert visiting the WH.
(Turns out, Biden did not have Parkinson's)
(Turns out, Biden did not have Parkinson's)
Would we? www.courthousenews.com/white-house-...
White House, Mar-a-Lago Visitor Logs Off-Limits for Public
The Second Circuit upheld a ruling Monday that records of who has visited President Donald Trump’s White House and private Florida resort are exempt from government watchdog groups’ Freedom of Informa...
www.courthousenews.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:32 AM
Remembering how Biden revived the practice of releasing visitors logs and was rewarded by the press for his transparency with a front page story at his weakest possible moment about how he had Parkinson's based on a Parkinson's expert visiting the WH.
(Turns out, Biden did not have Parkinson's)
(Turns out, Biden did not have Parkinson's)
Reposted by Stuart Semmel
I used to have this organ, left it somewhere when I moved because it was way too heavy 🤦♂️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgPt...
Baba O'Riley (sort of) on the Lowrey TBO-1 organ with bass pedals. Teenage Wasteland
YouTube video by Bill Blake
www.youtube.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:53 PM
I used to have this organ, left it somewhere when I moved because it was way too heavy 🤦♂️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgPt...
Reposted by Stuart Semmel
"Teenage Wasteland" is maybe the best two-word phrase in rock history and frickin Pete Townshend had to name the song "Baba O'Riley"
November 13, 2025 at 6:58 PM
"Teenage Wasteland" is maybe the best two-word phrase in rock history and frickin Pete Townshend had to name the song "Baba O'Riley"
Reposted by Stuart Semmel
“Ah, Q, I see you’ve put Bond back together…”
November 11, 2025 at 10:06 AM
“Ah, Q, I see you’ve put Bond back together…”
James Bond, Author of the Quixote
In the opening scene of the next Bond film, he should be performatively reading a James Bond novel
November 12, 2025 at 12:00 AM
James Bond, Author of the Quixote
Reposted by Stuart Semmel
In the opening scene of the next Bond film, he should be performatively reading a James Bond novel
November 11, 2025 at 5:48 PM
In the opening scene of the next Bond film, he should be performatively reading a James Bond novel
Reposted by Stuart Semmel
barista: can i take your name
james bond: the name's bond
barista: ok
james bond: james bond
barista: well i've written bond now
james bond: it's ok don't
barista: i can get a new cup
james bond: no it's fine
barista: it's not a problem
james bond: just go with bond
james bond: the name's bond
barista: ok
james bond: james bond
barista: well i've written bond now
james bond: it's ok don't
barista: i can get a new cup
james bond: no it's fine
barista: it's not a problem
james bond: just go with bond
November 11, 2025 at 3:49 PM
barista: can i take your name
james bond: the name's bond
barista: ok
james bond: james bond
barista: well i've written bond now
james bond: it's ok don't
barista: i can get a new cup
james bond: no it's fine
barista: it's not a problem
james bond: just go with bond
james bond: the name's bond
barista: ok
james bond: james bond
barista: well i've written bond now
james bond: it's ok don't
barista: i can get a new cup
james bond: no it's fine
barista: it's not a problem
james bond: just go with bond
Reposted by Stuart Semmel
La jubilación de Bond, James Bond 🔫.
November 8, 2025 at 9:52 PM
La jubilación de Bond, James Bond 🔫.
Reposted by Stuart Semmel
people are worried about the continuity in bond movies when every bond movie opens with you, the viewer, getting shot by james bond
Wait… do the writers think that we think that the Daniel Craig bond and the Sean Connery bond are… the exact same person?
James Bond’s death in No Time to Die is causing a nightmare for the next film. Writers are stuck because Bond “was blown to pieces.”
Anthony Horowitz, author of three 007 novels, says:
“You can't have him wake up in shower and saying it was all a dream."
radaronline.com/p/james-bond...
Anthony Horowitz, author of three 007 novels, says:
“You can't have him wake up in shower and saying it was all a dream."
radaronline.com/p/james-bond...
November 11, 2025 at 12:23 PM
people are worried about the continuity in bond movies when every bond movie opens with you, the viewer, getting shot by james bond
Reposted by Stuart Semmel
How to reboot Bond—
Announce 5 finalists for casting. Don't announce a winner, don't show his face in trailers.
COLD OPEN: Casino. Pan around poker table, looking down at cards as we hear finalists' voices bet, call, etc. Reveal their faces… Attack! 4 die in action sequence. #5 winks at us… CREDITS!
Announce 5 finalists for casting. Don't announce a winner, don't show his face in trailers.
COLD OPEN: Casino. Pan around poker table, looking down at cards as we hear finalists' voices bet, call, etc. Reveal their faces… Attack! 4 die in action sequence. #5 winks at us… CREDITS!
If only audiences had decades of experience where, when they put on the new Bond film, it's some other guy without explanation.
James Bond’s death in No Time to Die is causing a nightmare for the next film. Writers are stuck because Bond “was blown to pieces.”
Anthony Horowitz, author of three 007 novels, says:
“You can't have him wake up in shower and saying it was all a dream."
radaronline.com/p/james-bond...
Anthony Horowitz, author of three 007 novels, says:
“You can't have him wake up in shower and saying it was all a dream."
radaronline.com/p/james-bond...
November 11, 2025 at 6:54 PM
How to reboot Bond—
Announce 5 finalists for casting. Don't announce a winner, don't show his face in trailers.
COLD OPEN: Casino. Pan around poker table, looking down at cards as we hear finalists' voices bet, call, etc. Reveal their faces… Attack! 4 die in action sequence. #5 winks at us… CREDITS!
Announce 5 finalists for casting. Don't announce a winner, don't show his face in trailers.
COLD OPEN: Casino. Pan around poker table, looking down at cards as we hear finalists' voices bet, call, etc. Reveal their faces… Attack! 4 die in action sequence. #5 winks at us… CREDITS!
I mean, this solves the problem. Set them in the past and it doesn’t matter if he died a few years ago.
Now is the perfect time to reboot Bond back to his Fleming novel roots. Casino Royale should be set in 1950s France.
November 11, 2025 at 11:41 PM
I mean, this solves the problem. Set them in the past and it doesn’t matter if he died a few years ago.
Valuable thread about journalism and how most of us non-journalists reflexively think wrong about it.
Respect for anyone who feels they need to cancel a sub for any reason. That said, it seems *some* are viewing news orgs as far more monolithic than they are. That’s a failure of secondary & higher ed, which teach little about how journalism works and breaks down.
November 11, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Valuable thread about journalism and how most of us non-journalists reflexively think wrong about it.
Just a reminder that the Boomers were the Gen alpha of their day, and the Lost Generation were the millennials.
November 10, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Just a reminder that the Boomers were the Gen alpha of their day, and the Lost Generation were the millennials.
Reposted by Stuart Semmel
Waiting for it to turn out the 15-year old in a 27-year old in a fedora and an old timey detective suit-suit is actually a 7-year old and an 8-year old in a 15-year old in a 27-year old in a fedora and an old-timey detective suit-suit-suit.
Loving today's news that the mysterious "fedora man" outside the Louvre heist was actually a 15-year-old museum visitor who dresses like a 1940s French detective all the time, just because. apnews.com/article/louv...
Fedora man unmasked: Meet the teen behind the Louvre mystery photo
Fifteen-year-old Pedro Elias Garzon Delvaux has become an internet sensation after an Associated Press photo captured him outside the Louvre on the day of a crown jewels heist.
apnews.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Waiting for it to turn out the 15-year old in a 27-year old in a fedora and an old timey detective suit-suit is actually a 7-year old and an 8-year old in a 15-year old in a 27-year old in a fedora and an old-timey detective suit-suit-suit.