Joseph Davis
@joseph-m-davis.bsky.social
Jewish Studies. Live in Bala Cynwyd (near Philly). Grew up in Providence. Wife, three kids, cat. "Do nothing, know nothing, be nothing.
Reposted by Joseph Davis
Jacob Frey: "To ICE -- get the fuck out of Minneapolis"
January 7, 2026 at 6:40 PM
Jacob Frey: "To ICE -- get the fuck out of Minneapolis"
Reposted by Joseph Davis
this is actually much more important video
NEW: Second video shows ICE shooting in Minneapolis. A woman, a U.S. citizen, was killed
January 7, 2026 at 6:36 PM
this is actually much more important video
Reposted by Joseph Davis
never too early to encourage a lifelong love of nonlinear storytelling and massive footnotes
January 4, 2026 at 5:35 PM
never too early to encourage a lifelong love of nonlinear storytelling and massive footnotes
The wild story of how the Israeli ffolk dance "Mayim Mayim" became embedded in Japanese culture. From "Unseen Japan" unseen-japan.com
short clip: youtube.com/clip/UgkxwV1...
full video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJgG...
short clip: youtube.com/clip/UgkxwV1...
full video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJgG...
The Jewish Folk Song Everyone in Japan Knows
YouTube video by Unseen Japan
www.youtube.com
January 4, 2026 at 10:33 PM
The wild story of how the Israeli ffolk dance "Mayim Mayim" became embedded in Japanese culture. From "Unseen Japan" unseen-japan.com
short clip: youtube.com/clip/UgkxwV1...
full video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJgG...
short clip: youtube.com/clip/UgkxwV1...
full video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJgG...
Reposted by Joseph Davis
In celebration of Mamdani's first day in office, the map from our 2016 NYC atlas celebrating Queens as the most linguistically diverse place on earth. (800 languages spoken in NYC, according to NY's Endangered Language Institute, which collaborated with us on this map.
January 3, 2026 at 3:21 AM
In celebration of Mamdani's first day in office, the map from our 2016 NYC atlas celebrating Queens as the most linguistically diverse place on earth. (800 languages spoken in NYC, according to NY's Endangered Language Institute, which collaborated with us on this map.
Reposted by Joseph Davis
This is a really nice analysis of the AI bubble, how we got here, and where we might be going. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
John Lanchester · King of Cannibal Island: Will the AI bubble burst?
Nvidia shares are the purest bet you can make on the impact of AI. The leading firms are lending money to one another in...
www.lrb.co.uk
December 27, 2025 at 12:16 PM
This is a really nice analysis of the AI bubble, how we got here, and where we might be going. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Reposted by Joseph Davis
NEW: This is a story that took months to pull together and broke my heart a million times writing it.
But this isnt a sad story.
This is about courage, compassion and survival. And the herculean efforts of a group of people who refuse to lay down and die.
www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...
But this isnt a sad story.
This is about courage, compassion and survival. And the herculean efforts of a group of people who refuse to lay down and die.
www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...
Trump Cut Their Lifeline. Months Later, They're Still Fighting Like Hell To Survive.
A small organization powered by the people who need it most has found a way to save lives abandoned by the Trump administration.
www.huffpost.com
December 27, 2025 at 11:24 AM
NEW: This is a story that took months to pull together and broke my heart a million times writing it.
But this isnt a sad story.
This is about courage, compassion and survival. And the herculean efforts of a group of people who refuse to lay down and die.
www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...
But this isnt a sad story.
This is about courage, compassion and survival. And the herculean efforts of a group of people who refuse to lay down and die.
www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...
Reposted by Joseph Davis
shel silverstein was a prophet
December 27, 2025 at 4:08 PM
shel silverstein was a prophet
Reposted by Joseph Davis
Reminded to post the wonderful comic describing what "sea lioning" is on social media.
Link: wondermark.com/c/1062/
Link: wondermark.com/c/1062/
November 10, 2024 at 7:27 PM
Reminded to post the wonderful comic describing what "sea lioning" is on social media.
Link: wondermark.com/c/1062/
Link: wondermark.com/c/1062/
Reposted by Joseph Davis
These declines are MASSIVE.
And the comparative silence in media coverage is absolutely DAMNING.
“Why are ppl always so afraid of crime?”
THIS is why. When crime goes up, media trips over itself to report it.
Falls to pre-war (!!) levels? Just CRICKETS.
And the comparative silence in media coverage is absolutely DAMNING.
“Why are ppl always so afraid of crime?”
THIS is why. When crime goes up, media trips over itself to report it.
Falls to pre-war (!!) levels? Just CRICKETS.
I count 10 cities in 2025 that are on track to have the fewest murders since at least 1970. Newark is on pace to have the fewest murders since 1956 (though only have data through Oct this year) and San Francisco is on pace to have the fewest murders since 1942.
December 23, 2025 at 10:03 PM
These declines are MASSIVE.
And the comparative silence in media coverage is absolutely DAMNING.
“Why are ppl always so afraid of crime?”
THIS is why. When crime goes up, media trips over itself to report it.
Falls to pre-war (!!) levels? Just CRICKETS.
And the comparative silence in media coverage is absolutely DAMNING.
“Why are ppl always so afraid of crime?”
THIS is why. When crime goes up, media trips over itself to report it.
Falls to pre-war (!!) levels? Just CRICKETS.
Notice Providence: except the shooting at Brown, there have been only TWO murders during the entire year.
I count 10 cities in 2025 that are on track to have the fewest murders since at least 1970. Newark is on pace to have the fewest murders since 1956 (though only have data through Oct this year) and San Francisco is on pace to have the fewest murders since 1942.
December 23, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Notice Providence: except the shooting at Brown, there have been only TWO murders during the entire year.
Reposted by Joseph Davis
There's a lot of focus on how the dripping antisemitism on the right has created a useful rupture in various parts of Trump's support, and that's true.
But I really worry that EVEN those on the less hateful side of that split are ignoring how dangerous some of these terrorists are.
But I really worry that EVEN those on the less hateful side of that split are ignoring how dangerous some of these terrorists are.
A violent Neo Nazi organization with close ties to and funding from the Kremlin appears suddenly to get a green light from Kash Patel's FBI.
Neo-Nazi terror group steps up US operations as FBI pulls back
Online activity shows the Base, headed by alleged Russian asset Rinaldo Nazzaro, sees US and Ukraine as key centers
www.theguardian.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:07 PM
There's a lot of focus on how the dripping antisemitism on the right has created a useful rupture in various parts of Trump's support, and that's true.
But I really worry that EVEN those on the less hateful side of that split are ignoring how dangerous some of these terrorists are.
But I really worry that EVEN those on the less hateful side of that split are ignoring how dangerous some of these terrorists are.
Reposted by Joseph Davis
Our tribute to Natalie Zemon Davis, in the Archiv für Reformationsgeschichte. Please share widely!
www.degruyterbrill.com/journal/key/...
www.degruyterbrill.com/journal/key/...
Archiv für Reformationsgeschichte - Archive for Reformation History Volume 116 Issue 1
Volume 116, issue 1 of the journal Archiv für Reformationsgeschichte - Archive for Reformation History was published in 2025.
www.degruyterbrill.com
December 20, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Our tribute to Natalie Zemon Davis, in the Archiv für Reformationsgeschichte. Please share widely!
www.degruyterbrill.com/journal/key/...
www.degruyterbrill.com/journal/key/...
Reposted by Joseph Davis
December 14, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Reposted by Joseph Davis
One way to make Trump pay for trying to indict those who tried to hold him accountable is to make sure it backfires, to make sure his prosecutions make those targets rock stars.
So a good night to share this.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIbf...
So a good night to share this.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIbf...
"I will not break. I not bend. " Letitia James rallies with Zohran in Washington Heights.
YouTube video by Zohran Mamdani for NYC
www.youtube.com
December 11, 2025 at 11:55 PM
One way to make Trump pay for trying to indict those who tried to hold him accountable is to make sure it backfires, to make sure his prosecutions make those targets rock stars.
So a good night to share this.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIbf...
So a good night to share this.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIbf...
Happy Hanukah, one and all.
The D.C. Metro is selling these nonsense dreidels as part of the holiday merchandise collection — kind of love it?
December 11, 2025 at 4:07 AM
Happy Hanukah, one and all.
Reposted by Joseph Davis
This is very cool. The manipulation-busters of the future will be hacks like this one: reengineering the system to expose the algorithms beneath and how they trick us...
I wanted dinner recommendations so I scraped 13,000+ London restaurants and accidentally discovered Google Maps is running a shadow economy. Anyway here's a dashboard and a political economy thesis: open.substack.com/pub/laurenle...
How Google Maps quietly allocates survival across London’s restaurants - and how I built a dashboard to see through it
I wanted a dinner recommendation and got a research agenda instead. Using 13000+ restaurants, I rebuild its ratings with machine learning and map how algorithmic visibility actually distributes power.
open.substack.com
December 10, 2025 at 11:25 AM
This is very cool. The manipulation-busters of the future will be hacks like this one: reengineering the system to expose the algorithms beneath and how they trick us...
Reposted by Joseph Davis
We're half a decade into studies finding that improving airflow in classrooms will reduce disease transmission enormously, and that bleaching surfaces etc. does very little. And yet nothing changes. Waves of flu and colds wash over schools, and the schools pretend it's an act of God.
The relative contribution of close-proximity contacts, shared classroom exposure and indoor air quality to respiratory virus transmission in schools - Nature Communications
The relative importance of close-proximity interactions, shared space and air quality to the transmission of respiratory viruses is not well understood. Here, the authors investigate this question by ...
www.nature.com
December 8, 2025 at 4:23 AM
We're half a decade into studies finding that improving airflow in classrooms will reduce disease transmission enormously, and that bleaching surfaces etc. does very little. And yet nothing changes. Waves of flu and colds wash over schools, and the schools pretend it's an act of God.
Reposted by Joseph Davis
there’s a 25 year old Canadian biopic called Eisenstein starring Simon McBurney in the title role by a director called Renny Bartlett who never made another feature
as far as I can tell almost no one but me ever saw it and the few people who did thought it was mid to meh, but I absolutel loved it
as far as I can tell almost no one but me ever saw it and the few people who did thought it was mid to meh, but I absolutel loved it
December 7, 2025 at 1:17 PM
there’s a 25 year old Canadian biopic called Eisenstein starring Simon McBurney in the title role by a director called Renny Bartlett who never made another feature
as far as I can tell almost no one but me ever saw it and the few people who did thought it was mid to meh, but I absolutel loved it
as far as I can tell almost no one but me ever saw it and the few people who did thought it was mid to meh, but I absolutel loved it
Reposted by Joseph Davis
This volume of Lithuanian Historical Studies includes an article, "The Yiddish Nation as an Imagined Community," on use of LLMs on #YIVO archival materials for study of pre-war E European #Yiddish - based #Jewish identity. Looks fascinating @dhjewish.bsky.social @mmargolis.bsky.social
December 4, 2025 at 2:23 PM
This volume of Lithuanian Historical Studies includes an article, "The Yiddish Nation as an Imagined Community," on use of LLMs on #YIVO archival materials for study of pre-war E European #Yiddish - based #Jewish identity. Looks fascinating @dhjewish.bsky.social @mmargolis.bsky.social
Reposted by Joseph Davis
The latest edition of Lithuanian Historical Studies is out, featuring an article by Mindaugas Šapoka on the question of how close the Stuarts came to moving to Poland-Lithuania brill.com/view/journal...
December 4, 2025 at 1:40 PM
The latest edition of Lithuanian Historical Studies is out, featuring an article by Mindaugas Šapoka on the question of how close the Stuarts came to moving to Poland-Lithuania brill.com/view/journal...
My Congressperson @repdean.bsky.social just emailed this.
Each year, I return to Conn. Gov. Wilbur Cross’s 1936 Thanksgiving message: www.jud.ct.gov/lawlib/histo... He wrote that the world had “brought us by a way that we did not know to the end of another year.”
By a way that we did not know.
Each year, I return to Conn. Gov. Wilbur Cross’s 1936 Thanksgiving message: www.jud.ct.gov/lawlib/histo... He wrote that the world had “brought us by a way that we did not know to the end of another year.”
By a way that we did not know.
Our Libraries - CT Judicial Branch Law Library Services
The official website of the Law Library Services Unit of the State of Connecticut Judicial Branch and provides public access to legal resources.
www.jud.ct.gov
December 4, 2025 at 11:31 PM
My Congressperson @repdean.bsky.social just emailed this.
Each year, I return to Conn. Gov. Wilbur Cross’s 1936 Thanksgiving message: www.jud.ct.gov/lawlib/histo... He wrote that the world had “brought us by a way that we did not know to the end of another year.”
By a way that we did not know.
Each year, I return to Conn. Gov. Wilbur Cross’s 1936 Thanksgiving message: www.jud.ct.gov/lawlib/histo... He wrote that the world had “brought us by a way that we did not know to the end of another year.”
By a way that we did not know.
Reposted by Joseph Davis
Which I think is a good sign they are really losing the cultural battle.
Also that last part is absolutely not true. Every artist hates a bunch of people sometimes including close friends of theirs.
Also that last part is absolutely not true. Every artist hates a bunch of people sometimes including close friends of theirs.
November 30, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Which I think is a good sign they are really losing the cultural battle.
Also that last part is absolutely not true. Every artist hates a bunch of people sometimes including close friends of theirs.
Also that last part is absolutely not true. Every artist hates a bunch of people sometimes including close friends of theirs.
Reposted by Joseph Davis
Indiana Senate Republican Greg Walker “said he would have reported the alleged violation to federal authorities “if I thought that there was anyone of integrity in Washington that would follow through on my accusation ..”
@adamwren.bsky.social #redistrict
dailyjournal.net/2025/11/26/s...
@adamwren.bsky.social #redistrict
dailyjournal.net/2025/11/26/s...
November 29, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Indiana Senate Republican Greg Walker “said he would have reported the alleged violation to federal authorities “if I thought that there was anyone of integrity in Washington that would follow through on my accusation ..”
@adamwren.bsky.social #redistrict
dailyjournal.net/2025/11/26/s...
@adamwren.bsky.social #redistrict
dailyjournal.net/2025/11/26/s...
Reposted by Joseph Davis
Someone else (probably Stephen Miller) obviously wrote this post. Not that it matters that much, since I’m sure Trump shares most of these vile opinions, but it’s a harsh reminder that Gramps isn’t actually running the country, and the people who are will still be around after he kicks the bucket.
November 28, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Someone else (probably Stephen Miller) obviously wrote this post. Not that it matters that much, since I’m sure Trump shares most of these vile opinions, but it’s a harsh reminder that Gramps isn’t actually running the country, and the people who are will still be around after he kicks the bucket.