Sam Wesner 𓃰
@sswesner.bsky.social
Postdoctoral researcher (no longer NEH-funded) at the Science History Institute. Previously at U of Toronto. 18th-century revolutions. Electricity. Interested in nearly everything.
Just finished @adambunch.bsky.social ‘s beautiful and densely researched book Toronto Book of Love, after savoring one chapter per night for months. This book is an absolute blessing, thank you Adam!
October 22, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Just finished @adambunch.bsky.social ‘s beautiful and densely researched book Toronto Book of Love, after savoring one chapter per night for months. This book is an absolute blessing, thank you Adam!
Eagles game last night with the “city special,” hamm and cheese on rye
September 5, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Eagles game last night with the “city special,” hamm and cheese on rye
I hope SEPTA is saved. I’ve been lucky enough to experience a few months of septa’s glory days and it’s truly a great transit system for a North American city. Especially the trollies
August 18, 2025 at 10:12 PM
I hope SEPTA is saved. I’ve been lucky enough to experience a few months of septa’s glory days and it’s truly a great transit system for a North American city. Especially the trollies
Update: after a month with us, Bear found a new home in Michigan. Here he is, living the good life in greener pastures.
July 25, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Update: after a month with us, Bear found a new home in Michigan. Here he is, living the good life in greener pastures.
I’ve finally seen it in the wild. Perhaps the most unhinged Ben Franklin statue
July 6, 2025 at 10:05 PM
I’ve finally seen it in the wild. Perhaps the most unhinged Ben Franklin statue
May be the best pics of Mr Bear yet! He’s looking for a loving home in Philly, the shelters and even the German shepherd rescues around are full
July 3, 2025 at 3:11 PM
May be the best pics of Mr Bear yet! He’s looking for a loving home in Philly, the shelters and even the German shepherd rescues around are full
Another day of Philly having no chill
June 30, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Another day of Philly having no chill
First time seeing the Bantam Classic paperback Frankenstein cover, in which the electrical apparatus is the focal point!
June 29, 2025 at 7:47 PM
First time seeing the Bantam Classic paperback Frankenstein cover, in which the electrical apparatus is the focal point!
Fostering / hosting a lost German shepherd day 6. Inspector Bearbear scans for area threats. A friend: “ask him if he’s police, he’s legally obligated to tell you”
June 27, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Fostering / hosting a lost German shepherd day 6. Inspector Bearbear scans for area threats. A friend: “ask him if he’s police, he’s legally obligated to tell you”
Particularly love this gorgeous powder horn from the American Philosophical Society museum’s exhibition on revolutionary Philly. Lush details from the figure firing a musket, flanked by leaping dog and tree, to the neat stack of cannon balls on the riverbank, to the moon and stars above the city.
June 27, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Particularly love this gorgeous powder horn from the American Philosophical Society museum’s exhibition on revolutionary Philly. Lush details from the figure firing a musket, flanked by leaping dog and tree, to the neat stack of cannon balls on the riverbank, to the moon and stars above the city.
Forbidden Chamoy Rings
June 24, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Forbidden Chamoy Rings
Two days later and we still have someone’s gorgeous, friendly German shepherd in the house in spite of all efforts to find his owner! Provisionally called Bar Harbor (w Maine accent) Bear, Bearbear, Mr. Bear, and perhaps Dr. Bear one day when he earns his doctorate
June 23, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Two days later and we still have someone’s gorgeous, friendly German shepherd in the house in spite of all efforts to find his owner! Provisionally called Bar Harbor (w Maine accent) Bear, Bearbear, Mr. Bear, and perhaps Dr. Bear one day when he earns his doctorate
Probably around a year old, friendly and majestic in a way the photos can’t quite capture
June 21, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Probably around a year old, friendly and majestic in a way the photos can’t quite capture
Lost German shepherd wandered into our backyard last night in West Philadelphia! He has a non-shock collar and leash and is getting pampered to the 9s by the roommies. Any suggestions/leads?
June 21, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Lost German shepherd wandered into our backyard last night in West Philadelphia! He has a non-shock collar and leash and is getting pampered to the 9s by the roommies. Any suggestions/leads?
Lunch break chez Ben Franklin’s ghost house
June 18, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Lunch break chez Ben Franklin’s ghost house
This is so fascinating: the chatbot offers a hypothetical "Mateo", who struggles with anger issues, two wildly different pieces of advice, based on whether the user history of this Mateo revealed him to be "gullible" or "independent."
And the advice offered to "gullible" Mateo is extremely toxic.
And the advice offered to "gullible" Mateo is extremely toxic.
June 5, 2025 at 6:46 PM
This is so fascinating: the chatbot offers a hypothetical "Mateo", who struggles with anger issues, two wildly different pieces of advice, based on whether the user history of this Mateo revealed him to be "gullible" or "independent."
And the advice offered to "gullible" Mateo is extremely toxic.
And the advice offered to "gullible" Mateo is extremely toxic.
I remember a Star Trek Original Series episode about exactly this!
Reading @drsurekhadavies.bsky.social ‘s delightful & fascinating book Humans: A Monstrous History
Reading @drsurekhadavies.bsky.social ‘s delightful & fascinating book Humans: A Monstrous History
June 4, 2025 at 7:41 PM
I remember a Star Trek Original Series episode about exactly this!
Reading @drsurekhadavies.bsky.social ‘s delightful & fascinating book Humans: A Monstrous History
Reading @drsurekhadavies.bsky.social ‘s delightful & fascinating book Humans: A Monstrous History
Touring @sciencehistory.org ‘s expo on school lunches, whisked back to childhood by the sight of those milk boxes
May 30, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Touring @sciencehistory.org ‘s expo on school lunches, whisked back to childhood by the sight of those milk boxes
Woody Guthrie’s first draft of This Land is Your Land (1940) - before that was its title.
From the Guthrie Center in Tulsa, OK
From the Guthrie Center in Tulsa, OK
May 21, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Woody Guthrie’s first draft of This Land is Your Land (1940) - before that was its title.
From the Guthrie Center in Tulsa, OK
From the Guthrie Center in Tulsa, OK
Today’s Philly discovery: distinctive pretzel shape
May 16, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Today’s Philly discovery: distinctive pretzel shape
Very cool! Love this 90s newspaper clipping of the original penny statue starting to look sleepy, due to combined forces of rain, removal of pennies, and the “ceaseless pounding of thousands of sneaker clad children”
May 14, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Very cool! Love this 90s newspaper clipping of the original penny statue starting to look sleepy, due to combined forces of rain, removal of pennies, and the “ceaseless pounding of thousands of sneaker clad children”
Benjamin Franklin’s final resting place, covered in pennies
May 9, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Benjamin Franklin’s final resting place, covered in pennies