Venus Bivar
@vbivar.bsky.social
🇨🇦 Historian of capitalism, pollution, Marseille, farming, land use, plastics, climate, and economic growth; misanthrope; hockey player; expert baker; amateur gardener; works at St Anne's College at Oxford; lives in York (the old one).
Pinned
Please save me. Not a ray of sun in the next week. When I left Vancouver I vowed never to live in that grey again, and our first few years in York were pretty good. But the last two winters have been warmer, and therefore greyer, and it is getting perilously close to Vancouver levels of grey ...
January 17, 2026 at 1:33 PM
Please save me. Not a ray of sun in the next week. When I left Vancouver I vowed never to live in that grey again, and our first few years in York were pretty good. But the last two winters have been warmer, and therefore greyer, and it is getting perilously close to Vancouver levels of grey ...
Reposted by Venus Bivar
2026-01-16 - Rida Abu Rass
News from Israel, Palestine, and MENA: January 16, 2026
ridaaburass.com
January 16, 2026 at 5:42 PM
Hey Paris peeps!
I'm looking for a Paris apartment to rent for 3-4 weeks in late March - early April (preferably 2 bedrooms, although a bedroom plus a sofa bed would work). Two adults and a kid. Does anyone have any leads? Thanks!
January 15, 2026 at 8:42 PM
Hey Paris peeps!
Anyone know if there is a minimum word count for articles submitted to the REF? I have a few shorter pieces and can't tell from what I'm seeing online if they're REFable or not.
January 15, 2026 at 2:01 PM
Anyone know if there is a minimum word count for articles submitted to the REF? I have a few shorter pieces and can't tell from what I'm seeing online if they're REFable or not.
I kid you not, this tentacle shot up to the ceiling in less than two weeks. How? And why is it leaf-less?
January 15, 2026 at 11:54 AM
I kid you not, this tentacle shot up to the ceiling in less than two weeks. How? And why is it leaf-less?
A true Canadian hero: "Fuck AI, fuck it so hard, just fuck it to death."
January 14, 2026 at 7:43 PM
A true Canadian hero: "Fuck AI, fuck it so hard, just fuck it to death."
Afternoon reading. Research sabbatical is THE BEST.
January 14, 2026 at 3:21 PM
Afternoon reading. Research sabbatical is THE BEST.
I too engaged in therapeutic cooking today. Behold the vegan pasta tray bake! For the ecipe: livingplantfully.co.uk/wellness/ann...
January 14, 2026 at 1:40 PM
I too engaged in therapeutic cooking today. Behold the vegan pasta tray bake! For the ecipe: livingplantfully.co.uk/wellness/ann...
Very excited to be hosting @maxliboiron.bsky.social next week! Come join us for what promises to be a very cool workshop. No registration required and a light lunch will be served.
January 14, 2026 at 11:00 AM
Very excited to be hosting @maxliboiron.bsky.social next week! Come join us for what promises to be a very cool workshop. No registration required and a light lunch will be served.
I have such a big crush on this organisation.
🚨Common Wealth is hiring a Production Officer.
Find out more and apply 👇
Find out more and apply 👇
January 13, 2026 at 2:55 PM
I have such a big crush on this organisation.
Reposted by Venus Bivar
We have a great line up this term! Come join us at Oxford for some Environmental Humanities shenanigans.
January 12, 2026 at 11:42 AM
We have a great line up this term! Come join us at Oxford for some Environmental Humanities shenanigans.
Nice deconstruction of today's Guardian piece on the relationship between money and emissions.
1/ Yes the globally wealthy have outsized emissions, and yes that’s a massive problem
But it’s actually only a small part of their devastating influence on the conditions that support life
🧵
But it’s actually only a small part of their devastating influence on the conditions that support life
🧵
January 10, 2026 at 11:50 AM
Nice deconstruction of today's Guardian piece on the relationship between money and emissions.
Reposted by Venus Bivar
Roundups are back!
This week's under-reported news from Palestine, Israel the Middle East and North Africa:
ridaaburass.com/z_ridaaburas...
This week's under-reported news from Palestine, Israel the Middle East and North Africa:
ridaaburass.com/z_ridaaburas...
2026-01-09 - Rida Abu Rass
News from Israel, Palestine, and MENA: January 9, 2026
ridaaburass.com
January 9, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Roundups are back!
This week's under-reported news from Palestine, Israel the Middle East and North Africa:
ridaaburass.com/z_ridaaburas...
This week's under-reported news from Palestine, Israel the Middle East and North Africa:
ridaaburass.com/z_ridaaburas...
Easily the creepiest vintage plastic ad I've seen thus far.
January 9, 2026 at 11:08 AM
Easily the creepiest vintage plastic ad I've seen thus far.
Reposted by Venus Bivar
Why did no one tell me that Heated Rivalry was a Jacob Tierney jam??!!!!? I'm looking at you @jakobburnham.bsky.social ....
a hockey player says let 's go while wearing his helmet
ALT: a hockey player says let 's go while wearing his helmet
media.tenor.com
January 8, 2026 at 7:47 PM
Why did no one tell me that Heated Rivalry was a Jacob Tierney jam??!!!!? I'm looking at you @jakobburnham.bsky.social ....
The energy I'm bringing into 2026. Watch to the end ....
a baby is playing with a yellow toy that has shapes in it
ALT: a baby is playing with a yellow toy that has shapes in it
media.tenor.com
January 8, 2026 at 4:03 PM
The energy I'm bringing into 2026. Watch to the end ....
People who write about France in English: What do you with 'departmental' and 'communal'? English readers who don't know the French administrative system make false assumptions what they mean. I have tried various things but am never happy with the result.
January 8, 2026 at 11:02 AM
People who write about France in English: What do you with 'departmental' and 'communal'? English readers who don't know the French administrative system make false assumptions what they mean. I have tried various things but am never happy with the result.
While ya'll were watching The Traitors I watched The Mastermind instead, and it was magnificent.
www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-so...
www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-so...
The Mastermind review: Reichardt’s perfect slow heist
Josh O’Connor stars as a wannabe criminal who fumbles a small-time art robbery in Reichardt’s ingenious evocation of 1970s suburban Massachusetts.
www.bfi.org.uk
January 8, 2026 at 10:00 AM
While ya'll were watching The Traitors I watched The Mastermind instead, and it was magnificent.
www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-so...
www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-so...
Okay. So I was tired of missing out on the cultural conversation about The Traitors, which seemingly everyone in the UK is watching, even my friends who don't really watch television. I watched the first three episodes of the new season and I just can't. How is everyone so into this???? HOW????
a woman in a black hood holds her finger to her lips in front of bbc
ALT: a woman in a black hood holds her finger to her lips in front of bbc
media.tenor.com
January 7, 2026 at 4:15 PM
Okay. So I was tired of missing out on the cultural conversation about The Traitors, which seemingly everyone in the UK is watching, even my friends who don't really watch television. I watched the first three episodes of the new season and I just can't. How is everyone so into this???? HOW????
Reading vintage Elle magazines for research is where it's at. I am straight-up OBSESSED with the 'all-plastic house' of 1956. If anyone has any intel on what happened to it after the Salon I'd be grateful. Bonus Formica ad just for fun.
January 7, 2026 at 11:25 AM
Reading vintage Elle magazines for research is where it's at. I am straight-up OBSESSED with the 'all-plastic house' of 1956. If anyone has any intel on what happened to it after the Salon I'd be grateful. Bonus Formica ad just for fun.
Reposted by Venus Bivar
Applications now open. Find out more at birmingham.ac.uk/gender-ma
January 6, 2026 at 4:05 PM
Applications now open. Find out more at birmingham.ac.uk/gender-ma
It'a time to re-up the Dad Jokes Series.
How does Darth Vader like his toast?
On the dark side.
How does Darth Vader like his toast?
On the dark side.
a black and white drawing of a person playing drums
ALT: a black and white drawing of a person playing drums
media.tenor.com
January 6, 2026 at 2:28 PM
It'a time to re-up the Dad Jokes Series.
How does Darth Vader like his toast?
On the dark side.
How does Darth Vader like his toast?
On the dark side.
I saw a kingfisher while out walking Loki and holy cow - that unexpected flash of bright blue in the middle of winter is enough to get me thinking that maybe it's time to become a birder ....
a blue bird is perched on a tree branch with a blue frame around it
ALT: a blue bird is perched on a tree branch with a blue frame around it
media.tenor.com
January 5, 2026 at 4:05 PM
I saw a kingfisher while out walking Loki and holy cow - that unexpected flash of bright blue in the middle of winter is enough to get me thinking that maybe it's time to become a birder ....
I've managed to do a bunch of reading in the last two weeks, working my way through half of the pile on my desk. The two stand-outs are these, from @inquiline.myatproto.social and Matthew Klingle. Thank you @appuhn.bsky.social for the Klingle rec.
January 5, 2026 at 3:17 PM
I've managed to do a bunch of reading in the last two weeks, working my way through half of the pile on my desk. The two stand-outs are these, from @inquiline.myatproto.social and Matthew Klingle. Thank you @appuhn.bsky.social for the Klingle rec.