Randall Stephens
@randalljstephens.bsky.social
American historian, religion, environment, pop culture, the South. Author: The Devil's Music (Harvard, 2018). Prof of Am & Brit Studies, Univ of Oslo. Fulbright alumnus.
"A Guide: How to Speak Reaganese..." Sam Rawls on Reagan's Orwellian use of language, October 1983. In one memorable episode 1981 the USDA proposed new regulations that counted condiments in school lunches, like pickle relish and ketchup, as vegetables.
February 13, 2026 at 1:39 PM
"A Guide: How to Speak Reaganese..." Sam Rawls on Reagan's Orwellian use of language, October 1983. In one memorable episode 1981 the USDA proposed new regulations that counted condiments in school lunches, like pickle relish and ketchup, as vegetables.
Ed Stein on Reagan's EPA, Sept 1983. EPA head Anne Gorsuch, and much of her staff, resigned in March 1983 after a contempt of Congress charge & general mismanagement. The NYT reported in Sept 83: "New rules proposed by the EPA to govern two environmental hazards would permit greater health risks..."
February 13, 2026 at 12:42 PM
Ed Stein on Reagan's EPA, Sept 1983. EPA head Anne Gorsuch, and much of her staff, resigned in March 1983 after a contempt of Congress charge & general mismanagement. The NYT reported in Sept 83: "New rules proposed by the EPA to govern two environmental hazards would permit greater health risks..."
"Cheer up, willya..? I heard we're already surging ahead and the nuclear rearmament race…" Sam Rawls, September 1983.
February 13, 2026 at 12:29 PM
"Cheer up, willya..? I heard we're already surging ahead and the nuclear rearmament race…" Sam Rawls, September 1983.
New song from the Brazilian Beatles, Banda AL9
Banda AL9 – She Can Do It All (Official Video)
YouTube video by Banda AL9
youtu.be
February 12, 2026 at 9:18 PM
New song from the Brazilian Beatles, Banda AL9
“Musk’s longtime fixation on a white racial majority is intensifying. The richest man in the world posted about how the white race was under threat, made allusions to race science or promoted anti-immigrant conspiracy content on 26 out of 31 days in January, according to the Guardian’s analysis…”
Elon Musk posted about race almost every day in January
Many social media posts by Tesla CEO on his platform are indiscernible from those of white supremacists, say experts
www.theguardian.com
February 12, 2026 at 6:16 PM
“Musk’s longtime fixation on a white racial majority is intensifying. The richest man in the world posted about how the white race was under threat, made allusions to race science or promoted anti-immigrant conspiracy content on 26 out of 31 days in January, according to the Guardian’s analysis…”
Was there a comedic actor on Hollywood Squares in the 70s named Dink Winklemore?
February 12, 2026 at 5:34 PM
Was there a comedic actor on Hollywood Squares in the 70s named Dink Winklemore?
“A big difference is that in the 1950s and 1960s, the federal government sometimes intervened to protect people subjected to violence by states and localities. Now, many Minnesotans are trying to protect people in their communities from agents of the federal government.”
Clergy protests against ICE turned to a classic – and powerful – American playlist
Clergy demonstrating against ICE in Minneapolis have turned to classic ‘freedom songs’ – the music associated with protests ever since the Civil Rights Movement.
theconversation.com
February 12, 2026 at 5:03 PM
“A big difference is that in the 1950s and 1960s, the federal government sometimes intervened to protect people subjected to violence by states and localities. Now, many Minnesotans are trying to protect people in their communities from agents of the federal government.”
Did Bondi really have an audience of one?
February 12, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Did Bondi really have an audience of one?
Just finding out about Look Around You (BBC Two). Some of the "new sports" in the Swansea Winter Olympics:
Boomerang
Moth Hunt
Calligraphy
Decision-Ball
Flicky
Sleep Marathon
Pinch 'n' Punch
Supermaths
Martin's Game
Bingo
Masquerade!
Judoball
Catfinkle
Mixed Stabbing
Universal Trapeze
Gift Wrap
Boomerang
Moth Hunt
Calligraphy
Decision-Ball
Flicky
Sleep Marathon
Pinch 'n' Punch
Supermaths
Martin's Game
Bingo
Masquerade!
Judoball
Catfinkle
Mixed Stabbing
Universal Trapeze
Gift Wrap
February 12, 2026 at 11:13 AM
Just finding out about Look Around You (BBC Two). Some of the "new sports" in the Swansea Winter Olympics:
Boomerang
Moth Hunt
Calligraphy
Decision-Ball
Flicky
Sleep Marathon
Pinch 'n' Punch
Supermaths
Martin's Game
Bingo
Masquerade!
Judoball
Catfinkle
Mixed Stabbing
Universal Trapeze
Gift Wrap
Boomerang
Moth Hunt
Calligraphy
Decision-Ball
Flicky
Sleep Marathon
Pinch 'n' Punch
Supermaths
Martin's Game
Bingo
Masquerade!
Judoball
Catfinkle
Mixed Stabbing
Universal Trapeze
Gift Wrap
Was this in the Book of Joshua or the Book of Judges?
February 11, 2026 at 6:19 PM
Was this in the Book of Joshua or the Book of Judges?
“Starmer has been forced, in order to try and defend his job, into supporting strong London Metropolitan Police criminal investigations into Peter Mandelson for his own political survival….Trump's instincts are quite the opposite—that he wants to move on, turn the page from the Epstein scandal…”
How the latest Epstein revelations are playing out in the U.K.
King Charles' brother lost his titles, the U.K. ambassador to the U.S. resigned, and there are calls for the prime minister to resign. Why does the Epstein fallout seem to be greater in the U.K.?
www.npr.org
February 10, 2026 at 2:43 PM
“Starmer has been forced, in order to try and defend his job, into supporting strong London Metropolitan Police criminal investigations into Peter Mandelson for his own political survival….Trump's instincts are quite the opposite—that he wants to move on, turn the page from the Epstein scandal…”
Reposted by Randall Stephens
Check out @nyupress.bsky.social's Black History Month 30% off sale, including my *Black Religion in the Madhouse* and Vaughn Booker's fantastic *Lift Every Voice and Swing.* #AmRel #AfAmReligion #AfricanaReligions
Black History Month 2026 - NYU Press
Black History Month Save 30% on All Titles This Black History Month, we’re centering those who’ve been marginalized by dominant historical narratives. Our authors share stories of communal resistance,...
nyupress.org
February 9, 2026 at 9:39 PM
Check out @nyupress.bsky.social's Black History Month 30% off sale, including my *Black Religion in the Madhouse* and Vaughn Booker's fantastic *Lift Every Voice and Swing.* #AmRel #AfAmReligion #AfricanaReligions
“It certainly wows ‘em.” Dan Dowling, Roanoke Times, 2/14/1964.
February 8, 2026 at 6:11 PM
“It certainly wows ‘em.” Dan Dowling, Roanoke Times, 2/14/1964.
“Moronic Look Latest Mania,” Roanoke Times, Feb 5, 1964.
February 8, 2026 at 5:22 PM
“Moronic Look Latest Mania,” Roanoke Times, Feb 5, 1964.
Trump’s Up with People message from the 2019 National Prayer Breakfast: "America's potential is unlimited because our extraordinary people are just something that is number one no matter where you go. We have people, they love our country, and they love their faith."
February 8, 2026 at 4:37 PM
Trump’s Up with People message from the 2019 National Prayer Breakfast: "America's potential is unlimited because our extraordinary people are just something that is number one no matter where you go. We have people, they love our country, and they love their faith."
“There were a couple of people who applauded at the end.
It kind of reminded me of when you've been on a really turbulent flight and the passengers clap for the pilot after he lands the plane. But, yeah, I just don't really understand who this documentary is for.”
It kind of reminded me of when you've been on a really turbulent flight and the passengers clap for the pilot after he lands the plane. But, yeah, I just don't really understand who this documentary is for.”
The “Melania” Documentary Offers an Intimate Look at Very Little
Podcast Episode · The Political Scene | The New Yorker · 05/02/2026 · 40m
podcasts.apple.com
February 8, 2026 at 11:43 AM
“There were a couple of people who applauded at the end.
It kind of reminded me of when you've been on a really turbulent flight and the passengers clap for the pilot after he lands the plane. But, yeah, I just don't really understand who this documentary is for.”
It kind of reminded me of when you've been on a really turbulent flight and the passengers clap for the pilot after he lands the plane. But, yeah, I just don't really understand who this documentary is for.”
“It had the lowest possible circulation for any newspaper in the world. Only one copy….Written a century ago, the papers are also intriguing historical documents in their own right…The South Polar Times was produced by the men of Robert Scott's two journeys to Antarctica [1901–04 and 1910–13].”
The South Polar Times: Captain Scott's newspaper revisited
Captain Scott's two Antarctic expeditions had their own newspaper, the South Polar Times, now reprinted for collectors, writes Robin McKie
www.theguardian.com
February 8, 2026 at 10:05 AM
“It had the lowest possible circulation for any newspaper in the world. Only one copy….Written a century ago, the papers are also intriguing historical documents in their own right…The South Polar Times was produced by the men of Robert Scott's two journeys to Antarctica [1901–04 and 1910–13].”
Hidden Norway
February 7, 2026 at 1:41 PM
Hidden Norway
Reposted by Randall Stephens
It's obvious but still striking to consider that we have a United States government driven solely by one man's emotional dysregulation and dysfunction.
February 6, 2026 at 9:51 PM
It's obvious but still striking to consider that we have a United States government driven solely by one man's emotional dysregulation and dysfunction.
I call this “Bird Dance No. 5.”
February 7, 2026 at 12:23 PM
I call this “Bird Dance No. 5.”
"The State of the Union." Paul Conrad, LA Times, 2/1/1974.
February 7, 2026 at 11:12 AM
"The State of the Union." Paul Conrad, LA Times, 2/1/1974.
Classic scene from The Detectorists
February 6, 2026 at 8:17 PM
Classic scene from The Detectorists
"Hillbilly Elvis Presley last night lost his coat, shirt and belt to over-enthusiastic fans as he made his way to a dressing room after his appearance at the Jacksonville baseball park....many fans were heard to laugh and brag about touching the hillbilly star." Jacksonville Journal, 7/29/1955.
February 6, 2026 at 2:40 PM
"Hillbilly Elvis Presley last night lost his coat, shirt and belt to over-enthusiastic fans as he made his way to a dressing room after his appearance at the Jacksonville baseball park....many fans were heard to laugh and brag about touching the hillbilly star." Jacksonville Journal, 7/29/1955.
"...51% say they strongly disapprove of the job that Trump is doing. That's tied for the worst score in the decade that Marist has been asking about strong approval & disapproval. The last time it was this high or this bad for Trump was in the days after the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol."
Trump approval is low, a new poll shows. Here's who's pulling away
The latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll shows what Americans think of President Trump and his policies.
www.npr.org
February 6, 2026 at 2:06 PM
"...51% say they strongly disapprove of the job that Trump is doing. That's tied for the worst score in the decade that Marist has been asking about strong approval & disapproval. The last time it was this high or this bad for Trump was in the days after the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol."