Benjamin de Groot
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blbdegroot.bsky.social
Benjamin de Groot
@blbdegroot.bsky.social
Art historian, cynic, camera monkey, mini ruiner
The average university student's email reminders for due dates are more securely protected than France's premier museum. That tracks, I suppose...
the password to the louvre surveillance server was "louvre"

www.thesocialpost.it/2025/11/02/f...
November 3, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Now that we have another insane story out there regarding Autism and Tylenol, it probably bears pointing out - especially for those hanging onto the disputed Harvard study - that AT BEST thatvis a highly disputed hypothesis suggesting it MAYBE plays a role in COMBINATION with a LOT of other factors.
September 23, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Zeer schizofreen stukje journalisme waarin Kirk worden geschaard onder "radicale vrijheid van meningsuiting" terwijl zijn uitspraken in NL wettelijk haatzaaien en discriminatie vallen, en Nollkaemper's opmerkingen over zelfcensuur uit hun verband getrokken lijken om een cryptofascist tot nut te zijn
'Nederlandse universiteiten schuwen debat met andersdenkenden'
Is er op Nederlandse universiteiten nog wel ruimte voor een open debat? "Radicale vrijheid van meningsuiting bestaat in Nederland niet."
nos.nl
September 16, 2025 at 7:44 AM
www.reuters.com/world/uk/new...

Few things underscore "tyranny" quite like a state institution fearfully and desperately suppressing the work of a world-renowned artist
New Banksy mural at London's High Court shows judge striking protester
British street artist Banksy has painted a mural on London's High Court depicting a judge beating a protester, possibly in reaction to the arrest of hundreds of demonstrators supporting banned group Palestine Action.
www.reuters.com
September 8, 2025 at 6:32 PM
www.reuters.com/world/americ...

Indiscriminate murder like this got Dutuerte on the ICC's wanted list, and Venezuela could probably just take this to the Maritime Tribunal as a violation of seafaring rights. If you aim to be cruel at every level, you *will* end up finding the one that punishes you.
US military kills 11 people in strike on alleged drug boat from Venezuela, Trump says
The U.S. military killed 11 people on Tuesday in a strike on a vessel from Venezuela allegedly carrying illegal narcotics, President Donald Trump said, in the first known operation since his administration's recent deployment of warships to the southern Caribbean.
www.reuters.com
September 3, 2025 at 5:40 AM
Ah yes, the *checks notes* 19th century unelected despotic ruler, 20th century fashist and 21st century neo-nazi and neo-tsarist school of architecture and city planning.
President Trump has signed an executive order that requires federal buildings in Washington to maintain a classical style of Greco-Roman architecture associated with the marble columns and austere hallways of the Supreme Court and U.S. Capitol.
Trump Signs Executive Order to Make ‘Federal Architecture Beautiful Again’
The order, which affects buildings like federal courthouses and agency headquarters, encourages classical styles rather than modernist aesthetics.
nyti.ms
August 29, 2025 at 6:49 AM
In an age of social media enshittification and the wave of AI slop, suddenly those words from 1930 art historian dissidents like #Horkheimer and #Adorno seem almost prophetic. Per Cothren and d'Alleva, Methods and Theories of Art History, 2005
August 27, 2025 at 5:18 PM
youtu.be/016ZJtdgiCs?...

All.systems.nominal.
Hired Steel: A Mech Machinima – Episode Four
YouTube video by TMC
youtu.be
August 22, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Some more #Battletech mini's "finished". My #periphery #magistracyofcanopus based mercenary unit is reinforced by a 'dedicated heavy recon lance' and very definitely not whatever they found in the bargain lots at Discount Dan's Pretty Okay Battlemechs and Bubba J's Mechoplex.
August 21, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Today we lost a photographer who was capable of capturing both the romance and the rawness of Italy and Venezia in particular. Addio signore Berengo Gardin. May your work forever stand as a testament and a legacy.

www.reuters.com/world/italia...
Italian black-and-white photographer Gianni Berengo Gardin dies at 94
Gianni Berengo Gardin, one of Italy's most celebrated photographers, whose black-and-white images chronicled social and cultural changes, has died at the age of 94, the Italian Photography Centre, where he served as president, said on Thursday.
www.reuters.com
August 7, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Day at the zoo
August 3, 2025 at 10:08 AM
bbc.com/news/article...

While non-binding, this is a rare spot of actual good news and a small ray of hope in holding nations accountable for their inaction on climate change.
Top UN court says countries can sue each other over climate change
The decision from the world's highest court has been welcomed by developing nations at most risk from climate change.
bbc.com
July 23, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Missing mornings like this at #luxortemple in #Egypt. Nothing beats the play of light and shaow created by the morning light.

#nikonzf #travelphotography #ancientegypt #ancientruins #ancienttemple
July 14, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Had a half second to sit down again and get some more #battletech minis done. A lance of #galedonregulars to join the coordinator under the #draconiscombine banner.
July 5, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Zouden ze zich tegenwoordig blind staren op het Oude Testament?
Vandaag zomaar een stukje uit Matteüs 25.
July 4, 2025 at 5:47 AM
The #amorphophallus in the #hortusbotanicus in #leiden is in bloom for the briefest of moments. Time for a trip through the gardens. #leidencity #botanicalgarden #tropicalgreenhouse #titanarum

📷: #Nikonzf
June 23, 2025 at 7:51 PM
#Felucca at dawn, moored up on the west bank of the #Nile at #Luxor.

📷 #NikonFE2 w. 50mm f/1.2
🎞 Kodak #Gold200

#egypt #analogphotography #filmphotography #colorfilm #filmisalive #shootfilmstaybroke
June 14, 2025 at 9:59 AM
"Nothing beside remains. Round the decay"

The Great Temple of Amun-Re or the #karnaktemple at #Karnak.
📷 Nikon FE2 w. 50mm f/1.2
🎞 Fuji #NeopanAcrossII
May 27, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Still missing Venice and all its characterfull little surprises. #venezia #filmphotography #shootfilmstaybroke #filmisalive

📷: Nikon FE2 w. 28mm f/2.8
🎞: JCH #streetpan400
April 26, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Cannaregio in 2022. I miss la Serenìsima #filmphotography #filmphoto #analogphotography #shotonfilm #filmisalive

📷: Nikon FE2 w 28mm f/2.8
🎞: JCH #Streetpan400
April 18, 2025 at 6:05 AM
I don't often get up to much with 'em, But I like to paint me some stompy robits for #battletech from time to time. Mostly satisfied by how these #1stsomersetstrikers turned out.
March 30, 2025 at 8:37 PM
February 4, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Lucky break at the store finding some (for now) OOP #jch #streetpan400 for sale. Guess I better shoot it wisely and don't keep it at the back of the fridge like my goblin brain wants me to.
January 31, 2025 at 1:41 PM
The #Prunksaale of the #Nationalbibliothek in #Vienna ranks high on the list of dream libraries. A room the size of a cathedral, decorated like one too, full of books, old globes and secret doors to reading rooms. It is on public display so unfortunately no sneaking off for an hour to read.
January 24, 2025 at 1:42 PM