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Ada Palmer

@adapalmer.bsky.social

29K followers 3.8K following 8.2K posts

Daily #ShareGoodNewsToo Novelist (SF fantasy), historian (UChicago Renaissance, Enlightenment, Italy, classical reception), composer (filk, Norse myth), disability (chronic pain), manga/anime (Tezuka), food, history pics #SomethingBeautiful Blog exurbe.com

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Ada Palmer @adapalmer.bsky.social · Jan 28

“Inventing the Renaissance” is a history of histories of this (not so) golden age. Much of making history is simply adding new POVs to the braid as historians ask new & more diverse questions w/ each generation. I hope you’ll enjoy my effort to show the process at work! 25/25 https://buff.ly/4j6qkoS

The Vasari corridor bending around the Mannelli tower, whose tall stone edifice blocks its otherwise gentle descent. Last week my story about this building made it a celebration of resistance against conquerors, as the bend in the corridor shows the citizens of the city defying the tyrant who wanted to blast his corridor through the ancient tower that was the birthright of an old respected family, and was forced to go around, leaving this bend which has stood ever since as a symbol of resistance against the tyrant. From the inside, it's a super awkward narrow twisty space where you have to turn, and anyone with a walker or a scooter struggles to make the turns. Looks very different depending on your point of view, literally and figuratively!

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jfoy.bsky.social @jfoy.bsky.social · 7h

Maybe with the "To Cogitate and to Solve" shield on the front, and the back reading THE FOLLOWING IS A FIB, BUT IT'S SHORT

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Rouroboros @rouroboros.bsky.social · 6h

I'd go with "The names are made up, but the problems are real."

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Lauren Schiller @leschiller.bsky.social · 8h

We're thinking of printing this out to put up in the kitchen next to the sink. Or maybe getting a needlepoint.

Tumblr user miseria-fortes-viros Jun 14 they don't tell you this but like half of adulthood is just washing the same FUCKING pan.
Tumblr user miseria-fortes-viros Jun 15 WASHING THE FUCKING PAN AGAIN!!!!
replies: 30 reblogs: 30,246 likes: 41,477

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Jesse "Pecke in the Crowne" Locker @jessemlocker.bsky.social · 15h

On his election in 1655, Pope Alexander VII commissioned Gian Lorenzo Bernini to sculpt a skull in marble, which he kept on his desk as a reminder of death's omnipresence. The sculpture was rediscovered in 2021 at Schloss Pillnitz, Dresden

Guido Ubaldo Abbatini, Pope Alexander VII with Bernini's skull (1655-56), Art Collection of the Sovereign Order of Malta, Rome. Pope Alexander VII sits in an elaborately carved chair, carved with the Chigi coat of arms, and rests his hands on a carved skull on the desk in front of him and looks out at the viewer

A realistic, life-size marble skull with teeth missing, carved out of marble by Gian Lorenzo Bernini(1655)

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keri @keristars.bsky.social · 9h

sorry to tangent at you, but are you able to watch movies/with subtitles?

because i was reminded of the French movie LOURDES this week, and I feel like you would appreciate it, too? if you've seen it? (it's one of my favorite movies ever) (the way it depicts Catholicism is 🔥, also disability)

The Kanopy listing for the movie Lourdes, from 2009. The top photo is of a woman in a red bucket hat in front of a row of prayer candles. She has a neutral expression, maybe even resting bitch face.

The synopsis:
Afflicted with multiple sclerosis, Christine makes a pilgrimage to the holy site of Lourdes in hopes of a miracle. Among thousands of ailed visitors, she proceeds through the well-oiled machinery of the religious tourist destination until the unbelievable happens: she is suddenly able to walk. As Christine becomes the object of wonder and envy, bolstering and testing the faith of her fellow pilgrims, the question remains whether all is as it seems.

A personal favorite of Martin Scorsese, Jessica Hausner's acclaimed third feature distills the central theme of her filmography: the contentious gray area between faith and fact.

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🦋 Carmen G., PhD (🪖"Prima" to One)🌻 @tcrg2012.bsky.social · 1d

#WorldHomelessDay

#ONEV1
#Pinks 🌸
#Voices4Victory

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Ada Palmer @adapalmer.bsky.social · 8h

So enraged to heat you’re having to lean that way, Preeme, you’re brilliant.

We all need what Iceland has: UBI for authors. It’s win win since authors generate so much value (economic and cultural) for a nation.

I mean, we need UBI generally for everyone, but super for authors/arts/theater/etc!

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Ada Palmer @adapalmer.bsky.social · 8h

Within Italy, individual historic city states are recognizing Palestine; I was there for the Florentine Republic recognizing it this September, announced from the Palazzo Vecchio. Powerful seeing the old granular polities still using their strength. Cities are REAL in a powerful way. (See Alt Text)

Photo of Florence’s historic Palazzo Vecchio, seat of the republic. You can see Michelangelo’s David standing in front of it. Gathered in front are people in the historic red & white livery of the city, and many men in the red T-shirts of the “Republic of 1530” the organization that runs our city Florence’s historic festivals, named for the last pre-ducal/conquest iteration of Florence’s republic. I wish I had a pic with the Mayor and the pro-Palestine banner they hung on the balcony but I don’t. I forget if the Archbishop was there in person or just some priests, but the solidarity was big. I think the Parte Guelfa was there too.

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Ada Palmer @adapalmer.bsky.social · 8h

Just arrived! Andrea Horbinski’s “Manga’s First Century.” Can’t wait to dig in!!! #manga #BookSky

Book cover of “Manga’s First Century: How Creators and Fans Made Japanese Comics, 1905-1989” by Andrea Horbinski. The cover shows three different styles & genres of early-to-mid century manga.

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Lena Sun @lenasun.bsky.social · 9h

BREAKING: Some of the layoffs at CDC are being REVERSED.
Here is my updated story.
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

More than 1,000 CDC staff receive layoff notices during government shutdown

Another round of mass layoffs has struck CDC. The agency had already been cut during a reorganization this year, and more employees are now being shed amid the government shutdown.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Ada Palmer @adapalmer.bsky.social · 9h

I super want a Square One shirt, especially Mathnet!

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Sarah J. Jackson @sjjphd.bsky.social · 10h

I’m not trying to give @pbs.org ideas for raising money—but I am. I would buy women’s fit T-shirts of all my favorite childhood shows. Reading rainbow, 321 contact, square one, zoobiliee zoo. I feel like two generations will run to donate even more money for shirts with Levar Burton on them…

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Cameron McGrath @camgottaplan.bsky.social · 16h

Good news for your week

Ada Palmer @adapalmer.bsky.social · 18h

A decade after the Paris Agreement, global greenhouse gas emissions are barely rising, up just 0.3% a year since 2015, compared with 1.7% before. buff.ly/JXM4dIv
#ShareGoodNewsToo

Paris Agreement at ten – ‘brakes slammed on’ emissions growth, finds…

Annual increase slowed fivefold to just 0.32% since agreement signed

buff.ly

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Sonia Spookyman @soniasulaiman.bsky.social · 9h

I’ve finished writing a one page solo journaling game, and I’m looking for play testers!

Once Upon a Time in Palestine is a utopian (?) narrative game about returning home. Write your testament of how the world changed and changed you.

Lmk if you’re interested in testing it!

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Ada Palmer @adapalmer.bsky.social · 9h

Yes, it’s a great book, that section especially. And it then becomes more common nn english comics after the mid-90s translation boom. Across and back again.

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James DeWalt @jdphoto8500.bsky.social · 1d

Watching the precision, accuracy and success of these stunning birds is enough to drive the most avid human fisherman to weep.

#WildlifePhotography #BirdPhotography #Raptors #Osprey #ForTheWin #MasterAngler #LifeInNature

An osprey extracting a fish from the water

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Kathleen E. Kennedy @themedievaldrk.bsky.social · 10h

Like the Pope grew up here or something.

Rich Raho @richraho.bsky.social · 11h

Chicago priest Fr. Larry Dowling describes procession to ICE facility: “No one had the courage to speak directly to us. No one from Homeland Security could stand in the presence of the Monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament. No wonder. Evil is repelled, recoils in the presence of Christ.”

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Bevis Musson @bevismusson.bsky.social · 12h

And last but definitely not least, it's Mr Vietnam who has managed to combine the traditional and beautiful look with wearing a tree on his back, which is something that I very much appreciate (especially in a year with a very low level of insanely large looks)

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Bevis Musson @bevismusson.bsky.social · 12h

Mr Thailand. Traditional, LOOK AT MY TITS *and* a sword. Very nice for such a simple look (comparatively). Also I know I said I wasn't going to comment on the contestant's looks, but my gods that's a breathtakingly beautiful man right there

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Bevis Musson @bevismusson.bsky.social · 12h

Mr Sri Lanka. This is a rare case where I think the outfit would be better without the giant gold snakes around his head. Maybe add a cape, but I think the rest of the outfit (what little of it there is) is so great that he doesn't need the snakes.

A photo of a contestant at Mister Global 2025

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Bevis Musson @bevismusson.bsky.social · 12h

Mr Poland shows us that not *everyone* in Europe fucked it badly this year. It's not the most thrilling look but it is clean, well done and interesting. If only the rest of Europe had taken note (and believe me, we're not done on that front yet...)

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Bevis Musson @bevismusson.bsky.social · 12h

Mr Philippines is the only one this year that even comes close to Mr Laos in terms of the giant amazing outfit. It's a very different approach to that kind of look but it's spectacular.

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Bevis Musson @bevismusson.bsky.social · 12h

Mr Myanmar gets points for the bow and arrow or weapon or whatever it he's holding but otherwise this isn't the most exciting look

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Bevis Musson @bevismusson.bsky.social · 12h

Mr Macau is another one that I think isn't being served best by the photo, although the huge musical instrument (sorry, I don't know what it actually is) covering most of him up isn't helping. I feel like this is a look that's saying a lot I don't have the context for as well

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Bevis Musson @bevismusson.bsky.social · 12h

Mr Laos. Just when you though this year was a bit quiet on the insanely huge, bedazzled, symbolic costumes along comes Mr Laos and blows everyone else out of the water. This is insane, but it's also *so* good.

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