Stephen West
@stephenwest.bsky.social
Historian of Civil War & Reconstruction. Bicyclist, baker, 3d favorite human of Banjo the dog. Views=mine, repost ≠endorsement
When did reading become so performative?
November 10, 2025 at 10:57 PM
When did reading become so performative?
Abe could be hanging his head in shame, or maybe averting his gaze from the reflection of all those gold-colored doodads
November 10, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Abe could be hanging his head in shame, or maybe averting his gaze from the reflection of all those gold-colored doodads
November 10, 2025 at 4:53 PM
AI: destroyer of jobs, creator of jobs
November 10, 2025 at 1:28 PM
AI: destroyer of jobs, creator of jobs
another for the list?
November 10, 2025 at 2:38 AM
another for the list?
It closely resembles the bicentennial coins - esp. the JFK half dollar, down to the placement of "In God We Trust" and how Trump's hair partially obscures several letters in "Liberty."
"Liberty," it occurs to me, is not the word you expect at the end of "Trump's hair obscures..."
"Liberty," it occurs to me, is not the word you expect at the end of "Trump's hair obscures..."
November 9, 2025 at 5:01 PM
It closely resembles the bicentennial coins - esp. the JFK half dollar, down to the placement of "In God We Trust" and how Trump's hair partially obscures several letters in "Liberty."
"Liberty," it occurs to me, is not the word you expect at the end of "Trump's hair obscures..."
"Liberty," it occurs to me, is not the word you expect at the end of "Trump's hair obscures..."
unsheathed Pike
(fencing was there last Saturday, so I guess it came down this week)
(fencing was there last Saturday, so I guess it came down this week)
November 9, 2025 at 4:13 PM
unsheathed Pike
(fencing was there last Saturday, so I guess it came down this week)
(fencing was there last Saturday, so I guess it came down this week)
dog contemplates chicken, suburban sidewalk edition
November 9, 2025 at 2:25 PM
dog contemplates chicken, suburban sidewalk edition
Note how the 1926 coin handled this.
The years 1776 and 1926 both appear, but on either side of the Liberty Bell.
In other words, they're not presented in the way often used in an obituary to mark someone's lifespan
The years 1776 and 1926 both appear, but on either side of the Liberty Bell.
In other words, they're not presented in the way often used in an obituary to mark someone's lifespan
November 9, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Note how the 1926 coin handled this.
The years 1776 and 1926 both appear, but on either side of the Liberty Bell.
In other words, they're not presented in the way often used in an obituary to mark someone's lifespan
The years 1776 and 1926 both appear, but on either side of the Liberty Bell.
In other words, they're not presented in the way often used in an obituary to mark someone's lifespan
Gutfeld is a professional bullshitter who knows how to avoid getting called on his bullshit.
Asked if he's being disingenuous, he cackles (the transcript omits "[laughs]" here), and answers a series of questions with questions.
Asked if he's being disingenuous, he cackles (the transcript omits "[laughs]" here), and answers a series of questions with questions.
November 9, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Gutfeld is a professional bullshitter who knows how to avoid getting called on his bullshit.
Asked if he's being disingenuous, he cackles (the transcript omits "[laughs]" here), and answers a series of questions with questions.
Asked if he's being disingenuous, he cackles (the transcript omits "[laughs]" here), and answers a series of questions with questions.
Having run through all the actual "like a dog" expressions, he is now making them up
November 8, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Having run through all the actual "like a dog" expressions, he is now making them up
Get a grip, back away from the keyboard, touch some grass
"A new era of class warfare has begun in New York, and no one is more excited than Generalissimo Zohran Mamdani."
"A new era of class warfare has begun in New York, and no one is more excited than Generalissimo Zohran Mamdani."
November 8, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Get a grip, back away from the keyboard, touch some grass
"A new era of class warfare has begun in New York, and no one is more excited than Generalissimo Zohran Mamdani."
"A new era of class warfare has begun in New York, and no one is more excited than Generalissimo Zohran Mamdani."
just imagining a world in which John Nicolay and John Hay went on to be podcasters
November 7, 2025 at 4:43 PM
just imagining a world in which John Nicolay and John Hay went on to be podcasters
the NYC mayor's election is over but the WaPo's whining definitely is not
November 7, 2025 at 12:56 AM
the NYC mayor's election is over but the WaPo's whining definitely is not
Scene from a dog walk
November 6, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Scene from a dog walk
"Have we fallen so much from the plane occupied by our ancestors that we cannot be trusted to handle the instrument that governs us? It is not only absurd, but it is morally wrong to instill the idea in the minds of the youth of the nation."
www.loc.gov/resource/sn8...
www.loc.gov/resource/sn8...
November 6, 2025 at 12:31 PM
"Have we fallen so much from the plane occupied by our ancestors that we cannot be trusted to handle the instrument that governs us? It is not only absurd, but it is morally wrong to instill the idea in the minds of the youth of the nation."
www.loc.gov/resource/sn8...
www.loc.gov/resource/sn8...
Lincoln as touchstone, Bernie Sanders edition
November 6, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Lincoln as touchstone, Bernie Sanders edition
I live in the DC area and - in the before times - visited in person 1-2x a week. I still go to the website 3-4x a week, and I am so tired of seeing this banner.
This is far from the worst consequence of the government shutdown. But it is bad.
This is far from the worst consequence of the government shutdown. But it is bad.
November 4, 2025 at 11:51 AM
I live in the DC area and - in the before times - visited in person 1-2x a week. I still go to the website 3-4x a week, and I am so tired of seeing this banner.
This is far from the worst consequence of the government shutdown. But it is bad.
This is far from the worst consequence of the government shutdown. But it is bad.
I was initially puzzled, decades ago, when I first heard the expression, "all his taste is in his mouth."
But it comes to mind, now.
But it comes to mind, now.
November 3, 2025 at 2:28 AM
I was initially puzzled, decades ago, when I first heard the expression, "all his taste is in his mouth."
But it comes to mind, now.
But it comes to mind, now.
Enjoyed this episode - especially @jamellebouie.net's Reconstruction analogy to explain why Congress needs to rediscover its authority
November 2, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Enjoyed this episode - especially @jamellebouie.net's Reconstruction analogy to explain why Congress needs to rediscover its authority
"Questions the company hoped the seminars would answer for the fellows included: What is the West? What are its challenges and how do we think through them? And, perhaps most important, is the West worth defending?—which Palantir sought to answer in the affirmative."
November 2, 2025 at 12:32 PM
"Questions the company hoped the seminars would answer for the fellows included: What is the West? What are its challenges and how do we think through them? And, perhaps most important, is the West worth defending?—which Palantir sought to answer in the affirmative."
What is today the "Lincoln Bedroom" was at least a room that Lincoln used - not as a bedroom, but as an office.
The "Lincoln Bathroom" wasn't even a bathroom in Lincoln's day. It was created in the 20C, in part of the space labeled "Private Tel'gh Office" in the upper left of this 1901 floor plan
The "Lincoln Bathroom" wasn't even a bathroom in Lincoln's day. It was created in the 20C, in part of the space labeled "Private Tel'gh Office" in the upper left of this 1901 floor plan
November 1, 2025 at 2:46 PM
What is today the "Lincoln Bedroom" was at least a room that Lincoln used - not as a bedroom, but as an office.
The "Lincoln Bathroom" wasn't even a bathroom in Lincoln's day. It was created in the 20C, in part of the space labeled "Private Tel'gh Office" in the upper left of this 1901 floor plan
The "Lincoln Bathroom" wasn't even a bathroom in Lincoln's day. It was created in the 20C, in part of the space labeled "Private Tel'gh Office" in the upper left of this 1901 floor plan
Feeding hungry people is the right thing to do.
So it's regrettable that, with the new Washington Post editorial page, you have to wonder if there's an ulterior motive.
So it's regrettable that, with the new Washington Post editorial page, you have to wonder if there's an ulterior motive.
October 31, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Feeding hungry people is the right thing to do.
So it's regrettable that, with the new Washington Post editorial page, you have to wonder if there's an ulterior motive.
So it's regrettable that, with the new Washington Post editorial page, you have to wonder if there's an ulterior motive.
"When General Grant became President Grant, he put false elaborate timbers across the ceiling and furnished the [East] Room in a style crossing ancient Greece with what someone call Mississippi Riverboat."
youtu.be/pjlu-4VZZkc?...
youtu.be/pjlu-4VZZkc?...
October 31, 2025 at 12:16 PM
"When General Grant became President Grant, he put false elaborate timbers across the ceiling and furnished the [East] Room in a style crossing ancient Greece with what someone call Mississippi Riverboat."
youtu.be/pjlu-4VZZkc?...
youtu.be/pjlu-4VZZkc?...