Jillian Foley
@jillianefoley.com
historian of cryptography, computers, and information; doing mom stuff and writing in chicago
occasional newsletter @ jillianefoley.com
occasional newsletter @ jillianefoley.com
Pinned
Jillian Foley
@jillianefoley.com
· Mar 28
I’m thrilled to announce my book will be published by @harvardpress.bsky.social! Less thrilled for democracy that it gets alarmingly more relevant by the day!
Reposted by Jillian Foley
Still seething that my former sainted editor cut my long couple paragraphs about all the ways Andreessen misunderstood the economics of 18th-century whaling. He was so wrong, y’all. Whaling was not like venture capital.
November 11, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Still seething that my former sainted editor cut my long couple paragraphs about all the ways Andreessen misunderstood the economics of 18th-century whaling. He was so wrong, y’all. Whaling was not like venture capital.
Reposted by Jillian Foley
Also I did not ruin the workplace with feminism but by pouring maple syrup on every conceivable surface in your office, get it right
November 6, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Also I did not ruin the workplace with feminism but by pouring maple syrup on every conceivable surface in your office, get it right
Reposted by Jillian Foley
i’m at damen/belle plaine in chicago’s north center neighborhood for an emergency anti-ice rally.
around 7 a.m. this morning, masked federal agents chased a preschool teacher *into* nearby rayito del sol and abducted her—in front of traumatized children, parents, and coworkers.
around 7 a.m. this morning, masked federal agents chased a preschool teacher *into* nearby rayito del sol and abducted her—in front of traumatized children, parents, and coworkers.
November 6, 2025 at 12:39 AM
i’m at damen/belle plaine in chicago’s north center neighborhood for an emergency anti-ice rally.
around 7 a.m. this morning, masked federal agents chased a preschool teacher *into* nearby rayito del sol and abducted her—in front of traumatized children, parents, and coworkers.
around 7 a.m. this morning, masked federal agents chased a preschool teacher *into* nearby rayito del sol and abducted her—in front of traumatized children, parents, and coworkers.
Reposted by Jillian Foley
Here is a link to the print: www.emilyk.art/product/tzef...
Tzefarde'a Tzedek - Frog of Righteousness - Emily K • Cartoonist & Illustrator
A calligraphic representation of the Rabbinical commentary on the Plague of Frogs, with Hebrew and English in the shape of the Portland Frog.
www.emilyk.art
October 26, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Here is a link to the print: www.emilyk.art/product/tzef...
a big chunk of the book I'm currently writing is unpacking the crypto-anarchy piece of this.
🎯 "extreme vision of individual freedom and decentralized money" accompanied by "authoritarianism and criminality"
🎯 "extreme vision of individual freedom and decentralized money" accompanied by "authoritarianism and criminality"
October 24, 2025 at 7:06 PM
a big chunk of the book I'm currently writing is unpacking the crypto-anarchy piece of this.
🎯 "extreme vision of individual freedom and decentralized money" accompanied by "authoritarianism and criminality"
🎯 "extreme vision of individual freedom and decentralized money" accompanied by "authoritarianism and criminality"
Reposted by Jillian Foley
in general more people should read Finn Brunton
Opinion | How a Fringe Movement of Gun Nuts, Backwoodsmen and Free Marketers Paved the Way for Autocracy
www.nytimes.com
October 24, 2025 at 6:47 PM
in general more people should read Finn Brunton
in general more people should read Finn Brunton
Opinion | How a Fringe Movement of Gun Nuts, Backwoodsmen and Free Marketers Paved the Way for Autocracy
www.nytimes.com
October 24, 2025 at 6:47 PM
in general more people should read Finn Brunton
yes yes this is a great write-up and is almost exactly the same thoughts I had after I read this book!!
This week on Seeds of Story, I get excited about political imagination and seasonal governance: reactormag.com/wengrow-and-...
Wengrow and Graeber’s The Dawn of Everything Isn’t Always Right, But Is Always Interesting - Reactor
Problematic, controversial, and full of amazing worldbuilding and story ideas...
reactormag.com
October 24, 2025 at 2:25 PM
yes yes this is a great write-up and is almost exactly the same thoughts I had after I read this book!!
it's me
they’re doing construction at my office at on the one hand it’s noisy and annoying and on the other hand I’m five and I still love looking at huge construction equipment up close
October 23, 2025 at 7:11 PM
it's me
Reposted by Jillian Foley
i'm sorry excuse me what
October 23, 2025 at 4:59 PM
i'm sorry excuse me what
historians: what's the most sources you've had to consult in order to write one paragraph? right now I'm up to probably ten, including two different redactions of the same source
October 23, 2025 at 4:54 PM
historians: what's the most sources you've had to consult in order to write one paragraph? right now I'm up to probably ten, including two different redactions of the same source
they appear to have dug giant holes to remediate an old oil leak and then filled it in with bricks?? now the giant excavator is just driving back and forth around the site (to flatten it??)
clearly I don't understand construction
clearly I don't understand construction
There's a construction site near my house where a team painstakingly demolished a building and then carefully scooped up and carted off all the debris.
Two weeks later a dozen dump trucks came and each dumped a giant load of bricks and rocks and debris? What is happening
Two weeks later a dozen dump trucks came and each dumped a giant load of bricks and rocks and debris? What is happening
October 23, 2025 at 3:21 PM
they appear to have dug giant holes to remediate an old oil leak and then filled it in with bricks?? now the giant excavator is just driving back and forth around the site (to flatten it??)
clearly I don't understand construction
clearly I don't understand construction
Reposted by Jillian Foley
Twice a year I hold a workshop on writing a nonfiction book proposal. It’s organized to lead you through exercises that results in a draft or revision (or just learn about the genre) Next one starts in January
How To Write A Nonfiction Book Proposal January 5-15 2026
In this course, you will learn the basics of non-fiction trade book proposals, receive feedback on your proposals and queries, and become part of a...
thinkingwriter.bigcartel.com
October 22, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Twice a year I hold a workshop on writing a nonfiction book proposal. It’s organized to lead you through exercises that results in a draft or revision (or just learn about the genre) Next one starts in January
absolutely none of my (c/o ‘06, “good” public school) high school teachers or extracurriculars communicated with parents ever. I had to keep track of all of my stuff in a paper planner. I signed myself up for every AP and SAT test. feeling a little insane reading this
I'm sure this has been written about somewhere, but as a parent I am struck by how much greater my high school kid's executive function is expected to be versus what was expected of me - and it's entirely because all his work is online. He has to not only do the work but submit... 1/8
October 22, 2025 at 4:42 PM
absolutely none of my (c/o ‘06, “good” public school) high school teachers or extracurriculars communicated with parents ever. I had to keep track of all of my stuff in a paper planner. I signed myself up for every AP and SAT test. feeling a little insane reading this
Reposted by Jillian Foley
love to see my exact conundrum in this NYT article about heat pumps: "While it is possible for very poorly insulated homes in cold climates to be heated solely with cold-climate air-source heat pumps...it may be more cost-effective in these specific cases to supplement with other forms of heating."
Do Heat Pumps Work When It Gets Really Cold?
www.nytimes.com
October 22, 2025 at 1:55 AM
love to see my exact conundrum in this NYT article about heat pumps: "While it is possible for very poorly insulated homes in cold climates to be heated solely with cold-climate air-source heat pumps...it may be more cost-effective in these specific cases to supplement with other forms of heating."
love to see my exact conundrum in this NYT article about heat pumps: "While it is possible for very poorly insulated homes in cold climates to be heated solely with cold-climate air-source heat pumps...it may be more cost-effective in these specific cases to supplement with other forms of heating."
Do Heat Pumps Work When It Gets Really Cold?
www.nytimes.com
October 22, 2025 at 1:55 AM
love to see my exact conundrum in this NYT article about heat pumps: "While it is possible for very poorly insulated homes in cold climates to be heated solely with cold-climate air-source heat pumps...it may be more cost-effective in these specific cases to supplement with other forms of heating."
I have a theory that Josh Naylor is actually a pirate who accidentally ended up on a baseball team while on the lam and was good at it so he stayed. I have seen nothing so far this series that goes against this theory.
October 21, 2025 at 12:35 AM
I have a theory that Josh Naylor is actually a pirate who accidentally ended up on a baseball team while on the lam and was good at it so he stayed. I have seen nothing so far this series that goes against this theory.
Easily 500+ people at our local park’s kid protest this morning. Great vibes. Great signs.
October 18, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Easily 500+ people at our local park’s kid protest this morning. Great vibes. Great signs.
Hmm, is it a good sign to see Gilded Age political cartoons go up in the neighborhood?
October 16, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Hmm, is it a good sign to see Gilded Age political cartoons go up in the neighborhood?
important national history
So uhh...I just impulsively decided to fact-check the official origin story for the pumpkin spice latte and it is A LIE or at least incorrect.
Starbucks claims to have invented it in 2003
But a coffee shop in Portland was selling them in 2001 (the earliest mention I can find)
Starbucks claims to have invented it in 2003
But a coffee shop in Portland was selling them in 2001 (the earliest mention I can find)
![Starbucks began developing the pumpkin spice latte in January 2003, following the success of winter beverages such as the peppermint mocha and eggnog latte. Peter Dukes, the company's Director of Espresso for the Americas, explained that developers recognized the appeal of pumpkin flavor, noting, "there wasn't anything around pumpkin at the time."[5] During development, Starbucks' team collaborated with food scientists to create four potential seasonal beverages...](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:pkjt2otk4svponrxpxbphl4h/bafkreidjia67rat6zwoewfp7fsb4xyeg772fao46wvbbflicrr36zvbb4i@jpeg)
October 16, 2025 at 1:20 AM
important national history
The most chaotic part of my writing process is doing research *while* writing. It's always a nearly instantaneous fractal explosion of tabs and PDFs and rediscovering thing I saved ages ago and never read.
At least when I'm doing initial research there is some kind of attempt at organization?
At least when I'm doing initial research there is some kind of attempt at organization?
October 15, 2025 at 7:19 PM
The most chaotic part of my writing process is doing research *while* writing. It's always a nearly instantaneous fractal explosion of tabs and PDFs and rediscovering thing I saved ages ago and never read.
At least when I'm doing initial research there is some kind of attempt at organization?
At least when I'm doing initial research there is some kind of attempt at organization?
In honour of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.
“where’s this quote from?”
“where’s this quote from?”
In honour of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.
rm -rf ~/
rm -rf ~/
"The chancellor approved it"
October 12, 2025 at 2:48 PM
In honour of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.
“where’s this quote from?”
“where’s this quote from?”
making yet another little timeline for myself because time is difficult
October 10, 2025 at 8:45 PM
making yet another little timeline for myself because time is difficult
Americans' love affair with confectioners-sugar-based frostings continues to baffle me. There are other options!!! That have flavors other than unadulterated sweet!!!
October 10, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Americans' love affair with confectioners-sugar-based frostings continues to baffle me. There are other options!!! That have flavors other than unadulterated sweet!!!