Josette Torres, MFA
@speedwaybeef.bsky.social
Poet for hire (Purdue BA / Virginia Tech MFA). Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network fan account. Basketball and the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race for life.
📍Blacksburg, Virginia
📍Blacksburg, Virginia
Pinned
My original account here is @sestinable.bsky.social but I’m locked out of it. My apologies for the inconvenience.
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
“To put it bluntly, you read the Times Book Review because you had to, but you read Book World because you wanted to.” @ghoward1950.bsky.social on the legacy of book coverage at the Washington Post.
In Praise of One of America’s All-Time Great Book Sections (RIP)
Here is what it felt like to work in publishing, particularly as an editor, from the mid-1970s until the advent of the internet. You lived, for the most part happily, under a daily avalanche of pri…
buff.ly
February 10, 2026 at 6:30 PM
“To put it bluntly, you read the Times Book Review because you had to, but you read Book World because you wanted to.” @ghoward1950.bsky.social on the legacy of book coverage at the Washington Post.
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
Actor-style headshots from the 80s of artists like Cindy Sherman, Jeff Koons, Jenny Holzer, and Robert Longo. [ironicsans.ghost.io]
80s Headshots of Famous Artists
Central Casting, but make it art
ironicsans.ghost.io
February 12, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Actor-style headshots from the 80s of artists like Cindy Sherman, Jeff Koons, Jenny Holzer, and Robert Longo. [ironicsans.ghost.io]
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
Yesterday the Washington Post rid itself of Publisher and Chief Executive Will Lewis. If you're interested in those events and their tumultuous background, I would recommend this detailed account from NPR's @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social
No paywall. www.npr.org/2026/02/07/n...
No paywall. www.npr.org/2026/02/07/n...
'Washington Post' CEO departs after going AWOL during massive job cuts
Washington Post chief executive and publisher Will Lewis has departed just days after the newspaper announced massive layoffs.
www.npr.org
February 8, 2026 at 4:35 PM
Yesterday the Washington Post rid itself of Publisher and Chief Executive Will Lewis. If you're interested in those events and their tumultuous background, I would recommend this detailed account from NPR's @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social
No paywall. www.npr.org/2026/02/07/n...
No paywall. www.npr.org/2026/02/07/n...
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
Starting Monday, 2/9, all routes will return to our Spring 2026 Full Service schedule with the exception of the CAS route. CAS will remain on a 15 minute frequency for the foreseeable future. See https://ridebt.org/news-alerts/591-monday-2-9-service-update for details.
February 8, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Starting Monday, 2/9, all routes will return to our Spring 2026 Full Service schedule with the exception of the CAS route. CAS will remain on a 15 minute frequency for the foreseeable future. See https://ridebt.org/news-alerts/591-monday-2-9-service-update for details.
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
Northern Indiana was dotted for decades with ski hills where Hoosiers hit the slopes. But the Pines Peak Family Ski Area in Valparaiso, Ski Valley in LaPorte and Bendix Woods in New Carlisle all shuttered, due in part to long-term declines in snowfall.
nwitimes.com/news/local/a...
nwitimes.com/news/local/a...
Skiing lodges that once dotted Northern Indiana no more amid long-term decline in snowfall
The Region has seen some of its heaviest snowfall in years this winter, but residents will have to drive to Michigan or southern Indiana if they want to go skiing.
nwitimes.com
February 8, 2026 at 9:21 PM
Northern Indiana was dotted for decades with ski hills where Hoosiers hit the slopes. But the Pines Peak Family Ski Area in Valparaiso, Ski Valley in LaPorte and Bendix Woods in New Carlisle all shuttered, due in part to long-term declines in snowfall.
nwitimes.com/news/local/a...
nwitimes.com/news/local/a...
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
Printing Films is a collection of vintage films that showcase the technologies and processes of printing, journalism, and typography. [printingfilms.com]
Printing Films Archive
A website dedicated to preserving the visual history of the printed word
printingfilms.com
February 6, 2026 at 8:26 PM
Printing Films is a collection of vintage films that showcase the technologies and processes of printing, journalism, and typography. [printingfilms.com]
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
Today's @status.news has this about the Washington Post:
The Post's chief executive Will Lewis, who was entirely MIA during the layoffs Wednesday and has not said a word about them, turned up at the NFL Honors red carpet in San Francisco on Thursday.
The Post's chief executive Will Lewis, who was entirely MIA during the layoffs Wednesday and has not said a word about them, turned up at the NFL Honors red carpet in San Francisco on Thursday.
February 6, 2026 at 3:22 PM
Today's @status.news has this about the Washington Post:
The Post's chief executive Will Lewis, who was entirely MIA during the layoffs Wednesday and has not said a word about them, turned up at the NFL Honors red carpet in San Francisco on Thursday.
The Post's chief executive Will Lewis, who was entirely MIA during the layoffs Wednesday and has not said a word about them, turned up at the NFL Honors red carpet in San Francisco on Thursday.
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
Dan Sinker writes about the transformative experience of seeing a work by Jenny Holzer when he was 14. “Truisms was a revelation. Art could be just words. Art could be just at home slapped on a POST NO BILLS wall as it could in a gallery.” [dansinker.com]
Foundational Texts: Jenny Holzer's Truisms | dansinker.com
Foundational Texts is a new monthly essay series for 2026 looking at some of the culture that shaped me and how it still resonates today. This is the first of 12 monthly installments.
dansinker.com
February 6, 2026 at 6:16 PM
Dan Sinker writes about the transformative experience of seeing a work by Jenny Holzer when he was 14. “Truisms was a revelation. Art could be just words. Art could be just at home slapped on a POST NO BILLS wall as it could in a gallery.” [dansinker.com]
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
"When you cut your sports section, it’s because you actually don’t want the paper to exist anymore." —Josh Marshall
talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/do-yo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/do-yo...
‘Do You Speak Billionaire?’ and Other Stories From the Fall of the Washington Post
I think I can say with little fear of contradiction that I...
talkingpointsmemo.com
February 5, 2026 at 10:54 PM
"When you cut your sports section, it’s because you actually don’t want the paper to exist anymore." —Josh Marshall
talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/do-yo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/do-yo...
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
We are exploring alternative solutions to resolve the ongoing issues with electric bus chargers that we continue to face. Adjustments to service will affect the BMR, CAS, and HXP routes throughout the day. See https://ridebt.org/news-alerts/590-friday-2-6-service-changes for details.
February 6, 2026 at 1:32 AM
We are exploring alternative solutions to resolve the ongoing issues with electric bus chargers that we continue to face. Adjustments to service will affect the BMR, CAS, and HXP routes throughout the day. See https://ridebt.org/news-alerts/590-friday-2-6-service-changes for details.
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
The CIA has deleted the CIA World Factbook (a popular almanac about the countries of the world) from the web. Fuck this. All these assholes do is pillage & destroy. [apnews.com]
CIA ends publication of its popular World Factbook reference tool
The CIA is ending the publication of its popular World Factbook reference manual. The agency announced the decision Wednesday but gave no reason for it.
apnews.com
February 5, 2026 at 2:42 AM
The CIA has deleted the CIA World Factbook (a popular almanac about the countries of the world) from the web. Fuck this. All these assholes do is pillage & destroy. [apnews.com]
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
INBOX: Washington Post Ukraine Correspondent Lizzie Johnson announces that she has been laid off in the middle of a below-freezing war zone without power, heat, or running water.
February 4, 2026 at 5:11 PM
INBOX: Washington Post Ukraine Correspondent Lizzie Johnson announces that she has been laid off in the middle of a below-freezing war zone without power, heat, or running water.
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
When horrible people make bad art, the reviews are fun to read. Melania doc review: “Trump film is a gilded trash remake of The Zone of Interest” and “it’s one of those rare, unicorn films that doesn’t have a single redeeming quality”. [theguardian.com]
Melania review – Trump film is a gilded trash remake of The Zone of Interest
Dispiriting, deadly and unrevealing – there is a decent documentary to be made about the former model from Slovenia, but this one is unredeemable
www.theguardian.com
February 1, 2026 at 6:32 PM
When horrible people make bad art, the reviews are fun to read. Melania doc review: “Trump film is a gilded trash remake of The Zone of Interest” and “it’s one of those rare, unicorn films that doesn’t have a single redeeming quality”. [theguardian.com]
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
"When in doubt, draw a distinction."
Not sure where he got it, but in grad school one of my teachers taught me that.
This (long) thread is about the key distinctions I rely on as a critic. There's a Twitter version from 2021. This one builds on that one.
I will post them one at a time. Ready?
Not sure where he got it, but in grad school one of my teachers taught me that.
This (long) thread is about the key distinctions I rely on as a critic. There's a Twitter version from 2021. This one builds on that one.
I will post them one at a time. Ready?
February 1, 2026 at 4:31 PM
"When in doubt, draw a distinction."
Not sure where he got it, but in grad school one of my teachers taught me that.
This (long) thread is about the key distinctions I rely on as a critic. There's a Twitter version from 2021. This one builds on that one.
I will post them one at a time. Ready?
Not sure where he got it, but in grad school one of my teachers taught me that.
This (long) thread is about the key distinctions I rely on as a critic. There's a Twitter version from 2021. This one builds on that one.
I will post them one at a time. Ready?
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
As part of their coursework, students at UC Berkeley are contributing edits to Wikipedia about “LGBTQ+ history, with an emphasis on queer and trans people of color”. They’ve added 300,000+ edits and 3,000+ citations. [them.us]
Berkeley Students Make 300,000 Wikipedia Edits to Preserve Queer History Against Trump
Their work has already racked up nearly 100 million views.
www.them.us
February 2, 2026 at 6:37 PM
As part of their coursework, students at UC Berkeley are contributing edits to Wikipedia about “LGBTQ+ history, with an emphasis on queer and trans people of color”. They’ve added 300,000+ edits and 3,000+ citations. [them.us]
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
Volleyball Player Does Sliding Dogeza Apology. "The most extravagant form [of apology] in Japanese culture is the dogeza, which can also be used to express deep respect." Love this. [kottke.org]
Volleyball Player Does Sliding Dogeza Apology
During an exhibition, Japanese volleyball player Yuji Nishida hit a courtside judge in the back with an errant serve. He immediately sprinted across the court and dove prostrate in apology. The gesture was a sort of slid
kottke.org
February 2, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Volleyball Player Does Sliding Dogeza Apology. "The most extravagant form [of apology] in Japanese culture is the dogeza, which can also be used to express deep respect." Love this. [kottke.org]
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
State Line Pizza closes original location after 69 years
nwitimes.com/news/local/a...
nwitimes.com/news/local/a...
State Line Pizza closes original location after 69 years
State Line Pizza, one of the Region's oldest and best-known purveyors of tavern-style square-cut pizza, closed two locations.
nwitimes.com
February 2, 2026 at 9:40 PM
State Line Pizza closes original location after 69 years
nwitimes.com/news/local/a...
nwitimes.com/news/local/a...
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
I learned two important pieces of news in this post: 1) Frozen OJ from concentrate as a product is being discontinued by major producers. 2) Beverage analysts refer to market share as “share of throat.” And I think that’s just lovely. [cbc.ca]
So long, frozen juice from concentrate. The once-popular canned drink leaves shelves this year | CBC News
Attention, lemonade stand vendors: You'll have to squeeze the fresh stuff this summer. Minute Maid is discontinuing its line of frozen juices as consumers turn to healthier beverages, and it was potentially the last company selling the concentrated cans in the Canadian market.
www.cbc.ca
January 31, 2026 at 2:24 PM
I learned two important pieces of news in this post: 1) Frozen OJ from concentrate as a product is being discontinued by major producers. 2) Beverage analysts refer to market share as “share of throat.” And I think that’s just lovely. [cbc.ca]
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
the gradual convergence of all Formula E liveries is happening again but this time instead of all being red or turquoise every car is gradually going acid green
January 31, 2026 at 3:00 PM
the gradual convergence of all Formula E liveries is happening again but this time instead of all being red or turquoise every car is gradually going acid green
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
people are so disinterested in Melania that the bootleg groups aren't even bothering to release it
January 31, 2026 at 8:25 PM
people are so disinterested in Melania that the bootleg groups aren't even bothering to release it
Yes, yes, no
January 31, 2026 at 9:06 PM
Yes, yes, no
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
In one of his final on-camera interviews, David Lynch recounts going to the very first Beatles concert in the US in 1964. “Music is one of the most fantastic things. Almost like fire and water and air.” [kottke.org]
David Lynch Went to the First Beatles Concert in the US (1964)
In one of his final on-camera interviews, David Lynch recounts going to the very first Beatles concert in the US in 1964.
I ended up going to this concert. I didn’t really have any idea that it was the first concert.
kottke.org
January 28, 2026 at 6:26 PM
In one of his final on-camera interviews, David Lynch recounts going to the very first Beatles concert in the US in 1964. “Music is one of the most fantastic things. Almost like fire and water and air.” [kottke.org]
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
The mighty Thames on a gentle day.
Sound ON.
[AD= gentle waves break between small rocks and pebbles on the foreshore of the Thames in London.]
Sound ON.
[AD= gentle waves break between small rocks and pebbles on the foreshore of the Thames in London.]
January 29, 2026 at 12:16 PM
The mighty Thames on a gentle day.
Sound ON.
[AD= gentle waves break between small rocks and pebbles on the foreshore of the Thames in London.]
Sound ON.
[AD= gentle waves break between small rocks and pebbles on the foreshore of the Thames in London.]
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
Vimeo was recently acquired by a private equity firm and you know what comes next: Vimeo Lays Off ‘Most’ of Its Staff, Allegedly Includes ‘the Entire Video Team’. [gizmodo.com]
Vimeo Lays Off ‘Most’ of Its Staff, Allegedly Includes ‘the Entire Video Team’
Employees reported major job cuts this week, just months after the video hosting site was bought by Bending Spoons.
gizmodo.com
January 29, 2026 at 4:06 PM
Vimeo was recently acquired by a private equity firm and you know what comes next: Vimeo Lays Off ‘Most’ of Its Staff, Allegedly Includes ‘the Entire Video Team’. [gizmodo.com]
Reposted by Josette Torres, MFA
Street artist Mathieu Tremblin paints over graffiti tags and makes them more legible. (Think converting scrawled tags to Arial.) [kottke.org]
Prettifying Graffiti
For a project called Tag Clouds, street artist Mathieu Tremblin paints over graffiti tags and makes them more legible.
The result looks like when Word says that the Hardkaze and Aerosol fonts are used in the documen
kottke.org
January 29, 2026 at 5:26 PM
Street artist Mathieu Tremblin paints over graffiti tags and makes them more legible. (Think converting scrawled tags to Arial.) [kottke.org]