Xenocrypt
@xenocryptsite.bsky.social
Politics, math, culture, whatever.
Reposted by Xenocrypt
Not at all surprised to learn that Bad Bunny has a historical adviser. His halftime show was a reminder that our history and culture are deeply intertwined with the rest of the western hemisphere. We should think of his performance as part of #America250. #SuperBowl
news.wisc.edu/pop-star-bad...
news.wisc.edu/pop-star-bad...
Pop star Bad Bunny needed a Puerto Rican history scholar. UW–Madison had just the one.
Bad Bunny collaborated with UW–Madison history professor Jorell Meléndez-Badillo on Puerto Rican narratives that accompany the new album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.”
news.wisc.edu
February 9, 2026 at 11:38 AM
Not at all surprised to learn that Bad Bunny has a historical adviser. His halftime show was a reminder that our history and culture are deeply intertwined with the rest of the western hemisphere. We should think of his performance as part of #America250. #SuperBowl
news.wisc.edu/pop-star-bad...
news.wisc.edu/pop-star-bad...
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Actually, it's a glove on the player character.
February 9, 2026 at 4:33 AM
Actually, it's a glove on the player character.
Reposted by Xenocrypt
When the NFL goes to 18 games and the game becomes synonymous with President's Day weekend, we'll see this fully born out. People will just refer to it as Super Bowl weekend
February 9, 2026 at 4:31 AM
When the NFL goes to 18 games and the game becomes synonymous with President's Day weekend, we'll see this fully born out. People will just refer to it as Super Bowl weekend
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It’s a holiday.
a genuine actual US holiday with built
In traditions and experiences unrelated to the quality or makeup of the game itself
a genuine actual US holiday with built
In traditions and experiences unrelated to the quality or makeup of the game itself
February 9, 2026 at 4:27 AM
It’s a holiday.
a genuine actual US holiday with built
In traditions and experiences unrelated to the quality or makeup of the game itself
a genuine actual US holiday with built
In traditions and experiences unrelated to the quality or makeup of the game itself
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my guess is unironically ads even though they almost all suck now, even talking about how bad they are is still talking about them and it feels like the last bit of remaining monoculture
February 9, 2026 at 4:25 AM
my guess is unironically ads even though they almost all suck now, even talking about how bad they are is still talking about them and it feels like the last bit of remaining monoculture
Essay question, why is the Super Bowl alone (?) in being immune to rating decay.
February 9, 2026 at 4:23 AM
Essay question, why is the Super Bowl alone (?) in being immune to rating decay.
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Hey we only did that once! 😂
February 9, 2026 at 3:40 AM
Hey we only did that once! 😂
Reminds me of video game systems where the trains are actually giant hats on NPCs.
February 9, 2026 at 3:30 AM
Reminds me of video game systems where the trains are actually giant hats on NPCs.
Reposted by Xenocrypt
@xenocryptsite.bsky.social If this is right and there are ~660k elected then in one sense that's a lot, but also still probably less elected municipal officials than in France with 4x the pop?
You're always curious about descriptive work on how many elected officials there are.
You're always curious about descriptive work on how many elected officials there are.
January 30, 2026 at 5:30 PM
@xenocryptsite.bsky.social If this is right and there are ~660k elected then in one sense that's a lot, but also still probably less elected municipal officials than in France with 4x the pop?
You're always curious about descriptive work on how many elected officials there are.
You're always curious about descriptive work on how many elected officials there are.
Reposted by Xenocrypt
Also features a lot of gay guys so that’s cool
January 21, 2026 at 9:27 PM
Also features a lot of gay guys so that’s cool
Reposted by Xenocrypt
I'd guess you can fine French stuff that's earlier? Death in Venice?
Nonfiction, but in Goodbye to All That, Graves talks about dalliances with male friends at school, iirc?
Nonfiction, but in Goodbye to All That, Graves talks about dalliances with male friends at school, iirc?
January 21, 2026 at 9:28 PM
I'd guess you can fine French stuff that's earlier? Death in Venice?
Nonfiction, but in Goodbye to All That, Graves talks about dalliances with male friends at school, iirc?
Nonfiction, but in Goodbye to All That, Graves talks about dalliances with male friends at school, iirc?
Read "Tour De Force", pretty good mystery by Christianna Brand, and moreover, possibly the earliest book I've ever read (1955!) where there is an explicitly gay character treated totally casually.
January 21, 2026 at 9:08 PM
Read "Tour De Force", pretty good mystery by Christianna Brand, and moreover, possibly the earliest book I've ever read (1955!) where there is an explicitly gay character treated totally casually.
Trying to rush through "Born In Flames" because Libby is a cruel mistress when a book is popular.
January 4, 2026 at 10:33 PM
Trying to rush through "Born In Flames" because Libby is a cruel mistress when a book is popular.
The legendary sophistication of the British royal family.
December 26, 2025 at 7:42 PM
The legendary sophistication of the British royal family.
Absolute banger.
Thanks to @xenocryptsite.bsky.social for putting In a Lonely Place in my feed, I would highly recommend it
December 26, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Absolute banger.
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It’s intuitive to me that stories about achieving status and recognition within a system while also having misgivings or desiring to change or destroy that system are currently popular.
December 7, 2025 at 6:02 PM
It’s intuitive to me that stories about achieving status and recognition within a system while also having misgivings or desiring to change or destroy that system are currently popular.
Reposted by Xenocrypt
Moses being adopted into the pharaoh's family
December 7, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Moses being adopted into the pharaoh's family
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This is oddly enough much more positive on the Empire at least; it just be refreshed by its core principles (elites taking responsibility) rather than demolished
December 7, 2025 at 5:53 PM
This is oddly enough much more positive on the Empire at least; it just be refreshed by its core principles (elites taking responsibility) rather than demolished
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Tbf that series does a tremendous job of combining that trope with the “very special boy gets discovered and goes to special school” trope.
Though in that book the prodigy from the hinterlands was [redacted redacted] but it still counts.
Though in that book the prodigy from the hinterlands was [redacted redacted] but it still counts.
December 7, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Tbf that series does a tremendous job of combining that trope with the “very special boy gets discovered and goes to special school” trope.
Though in that book the prodigy from the hinterlands was [redacted redacted] but it still counts.
Though in that book the prodigy from the hinterlands was [redacted redacted] but it still counts.
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Cahokia Jazz kind of subverts this dynamic.
December 7, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Cahokia Jazz kind of subverts this dynamic.
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A Memory Called Empire gestures at this.
December 7, 2025 at 5:48 PM
A Memory Called Empire gestures at this.
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The Strength of the Few came out last week!
I feel like in the past few years I've read about a million different fantasy books about, specifically, "a prodigy from the hinterlands who is absorbed into some kind of colonial imperial bureaucracy that they ultimately decide must be burned down". But it's probably only 3-5 different books.
December 7, 2025 at 5:47 PM
The Strength of the Few came out last week!
I feel like in the past few years I've read about a million different fantasy books about, specifically, "a prodigy from the hinterlands who is absorbed into some kind of colonial imperial bureaucracy that they ultimately decide must be burned down". But it's probably only 3-5 different books.
December 7, 2025 at 5:45 PM
I feel like in the past few years I've read about a million different fantasy books about, specifically, "a prodigy from the hinterlands who is absorbed into some kind of colonial imperial bureaucracy that they ultimately decide must be burned down". But it's probably only 3-5 different books.