Joshua Kosman
@joshuakosman.bsky.social
Retired classical music critic for the San Francisco Chronicle. Co-constructor, Out of Left Field cryptic crossword. pacificaisle.substack.com. He/him
Louis C.K. was practicing masturbation the right way. — Ezra Klein
November 30, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Louis C.K. was practicing masturbation the right way. — Ezra Klein
my brother: “that guy is so deep in the closet he’s in Narnia”
November 29, 2025 at 5:45 AM
my brother: “that guy is so deep in the closet he’s in Narnia”
Reposted by Joshua Kosman
I’d add: the core of the case against the left 2015-2019 was that we all hated Israel irrationally, and that us believing they were gearing up to exterminate the Palestinians was the real world manifestation of our insane ideology. How is that looking now? Does it look like it’s us that fucked it.
November 28, 2025 at 10:11 PM
I’d add: the core of the case against the left 2015-2019 was that we all hated Israel irrationally, and that us believing they were gearing up to exterminate the Palestinians was the real world manifestation of our insane ideology. How is that looking now? Does it look like it’s us that fucked it.
New post at On a Pacific Aisle, with thoughts on the Redwood Symphony, "Sunday in the Park with George," and SF Opera's Adler Fellows.
(Not Thanksgiving-related, just delayed by Thanksgiving prep)
pacificaisle.substack.com/p/community-...
(Not Thanksgiving-related, just delayed by Thanksgiving prep)
pacificaisle.substack.com/p/community-...
Community service
For four decades, an all-volunteer orchestra in Redwood City has been punching above its weight
pacificaisle.substack.com
November 27, 2025 at 5:28 PM
New post at On a Pacific Aisle, with thoughts on the Redwood Symphony, "Sunday in the Park with George," and SF Opera's Adler Fellows.
(Not Thanksgiving-related, just delayed by Thanksgiving prep)
pacificaisle.substack.com/p/community-...
(Not Thanksgiving-related, just delayed by Thanksgiving prep)
pacificaisle.substack.com/p/community-...
Fully endorse.
You know what’s ripe for a comeback is the Wolves of Willoughby Chase series by Joan Aiken. Smart & non-condescending YA, fantastical without being fantasy, dark and Dickensian as hell, extremely lefty and anticapitalist, a full dozen sequels, amazing Edward Gorey covers.
November 27, 2025 at 5:27 AM
Fully endorse.
Reposted by Joshua Kosman
meanwhile blackjack is definitely right-coded because republicans love to hit anything under 21
November 26, 2025 at 1:49 AM
meanwhile blackjack is definitely right-coded because republicans love to hit anything under 21
Reposted by Joshua Kosman
No bailouts. The US should extort these companies when the crash happens so they get minimal compensation in return for nationalizing the entire panopticon industry and then destroying it once harvested for socially useful parts. It won’t happen but it should
November 25, 2025 at 4:22 PM
No bailouts. The US should extort these companies when the crash happens so they get minimal compensation in return for nationalizing the entire panopticon industry and then destroying it once harvested for socially useful parts. It won’t happen but it should
Reposted by Joshua Kosman
i’m not crying you’re crying
xkcd: Fifteen Years
xkcd: Fifteen Years
Fifteen Years
xkcd.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:58 AM
i’m not crying you’re crying
xkcd: Fifteen Years
xkcd: Fifteen Years
Solution: TSAR
Slander: TAR
involving: containing
debut of Saint: S
Nicholas, say: definition
New puzzle and clue on Thursday!
Slander: TAR
involving: containing
debut of Saint: S
Nicholas, say: definition
New puzzle and clue on Thursday!
Slander involving debut of Saint Nicholas, say (4)
In our latest Out of Left Field cryptic crossword, sent to subscribers this morning, @hpicciotto.bsky.social and I prep for Christmas by talking smack about this guy.
www.patreon.com/posts/puzzle...
In our latest Out of Left Field cryptic crossword, sent to subscribers this morning, @hpicciotto.bsky.social and I prep for Christmas by talking smack about this guy.
www.patreon.com/posts/puzzle...
a man with a beard is wearing a red robe and a gold hat
Alt: St. Nicholas with white beard, red robe and gold mitre.
media.tenor.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Solution: TSAR
Slander: TAR
involving: containing
debut of Saint: S
Nicholas, say: definition
New puzzle and clue on Thursday!
Slander: TAR
involving: containing
debut of Saint: S
Nicholas, say: definition
New puzzle and clue on Thursday!
Reposted by Joshua Kosman
Twitter Conservatives finding out all the hot MAGA mom accounts they've been gooning to are actually run by men in developing nations
November 24, 2025 at 4:11 AM
Twitter Conservatives finding out all the hot MAGA mom accounts they've been gooning to are actually run by men in developing nations
can't believe you folks made me block all five great lakes individually just to keep my feed from being overrun by *current spam
November 23, 2025 at 4:30 PM
can't believe you folks made me block all five great lakes individually just to keep my feed from being overrun by *current spam
Reposted by Joshua Kosman
people are reading "catch-and-kill" in the journalistic sense but she was probably just finding raccoons for him to eat
November 22, 2025 at 3:04 PM
people are reading "catch-and-kill" in the journalistic sense but she was probably just finding raccoons for him to eat
Reposted by Joshua Kosman
Stevie Wonder releases “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” 60 yrs ago today.
At 15, the child star was in danger of being a has-been. His voice was changing. Motown execs “would give assignments to the various producers,” said songwriter Sylvia Moy. “No one wanted Stevie.”
The song saved his career.
At 15, the child star was in danger of being a has-been. His voice was changing. Motown execs “would give assignments to the various producers,” said songwriter Sylvia Moy. “No one wanted Stevie.”
The song saved his career.
November 22, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Stevie Wonder releases “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” 60 yrs ago today.
At 15, the child star was in danger of being a has-been. His voice was changing. Motown execs “would give assignments to the various producers,” said songwriter Sylvia Moy. “No one wanted Stevie.”
The song saved his career.
At 15, the child star was in danger of being a has-been. His voice was changing. Motown execs “would give assignments to the various producers,” said songwriter Sylvia Moy. “No one wanted Stevie.”
The song saved his career.
I've been summoned, as well as @pwallinga.bsky.social and @matthewcmiel.bsky.social.
Read the article or don't, but the headline was mine and I feel pretty proud of it.
www.sfchronicle.com/entertainmen...
Read the article or don't, but the headline was mine and I feel pretty proud of it.
www.sfchronicle.com/entertainmen...
November 21, 2025 at 8:02 PM
I've been summoned, as well as @pwallinga.bsky.social and @matthewcmiel.bsky.social.
Read the article or don't, but the headline was mine and I feel pretty proud of it.
www.sfchronicle.com/entertainmen...
Read the article or don't, but the headline was mine and I feel pretty proud of it.
www.sfchronicle.com/entertainmen...
Slander involving debut of Saint Nicholas, say (4)
In our latest Out of Left Field cryptic crossword, sent to subscribers this morning, @hpicciotto.bsky.social and I prep for Christmas by talking smack about this guy.
www.patreon.com/posts/puzzle...
In our latest Out of Left Field cryptic crossword, sent to subscribers this morning, @hpicciotto.bsky.social and I prep for Christmas by talking smack about this guy.
www.patreon.com/posts/puzzle...
a man with a beard is wearing a red robe and a gold hat
Alt: St. Nicholas with white beard, red robe and gold mitre.
media.tenor.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Slander involving debut of Saint Nicholas, say (4)
In our latest Out of Left Field cryptic crossword, sent to subscribers this morning, @hpicciotto.bsky.social and I prep for Christmas by talking smack about this guy.
www.patreon.com/posts/puzzle...
In our latest Out of Left Field cryptic crossword, sent to subscribers this morning, @hpicciotto.bsky.social and I prep for Christmas by talking smack about this guy.
www.patreon.com/posts/puzzle...
New post at On a Pacific Aisle, with thoughts on San Francisco Opera, Samuel Adams (again!), Gautier Capuçon, and more.
pacificaisle.substack.com/p/high-season
pacificaisle.substack.com/p/high-season
High season
The triumphant premiere of "The Monkey King" put a seal on the San Francisco Opera's splendid fall lineup
pacificaisle.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:29 PM
New post at On a Pacific Aisle, with thoughts on San Francisco Opera, Samuel Adams (again!), Gautier Capuçon, and more.
pacificaisle.substack.com/p/high-season
pacificaisle.substack.com/p/high-season
Reposted by Joshua Kosman
they’re forcing kids to read “the caine mutiny,” because of wouk
November 19, 2025 at 8:56 PM
they’re forcing kids to read “the caine mutiny,” because of wouk
— Have you lived in Blackpool your whole life?
— Not yet
— Not yet
November 17, 2025 at 8:39 PM
— Have you lived in Blackpool your whole life?
— Not yet
— Not yet
Reposted by Joshua Kosman
Great news. This is what an ICE agent looks like in a mugshot. Meet Gerardo Rodriguez, 45, of Temecula, courtesy of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. Arrested for "illegally detaining a minor at gunpoint while off duty last week." 🧵
November 17, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Great news. This is what an ICE agent looks like in a mugshot. Meet Gerardo Rodriguez, 45, of Temecula, courtesy of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. Arrested for "illegally detaining a minor at gunpoint while off duty last week." 🧵
Reposted by Joshua Kosman
brb, setting the big tent on fire with my jewish space lasers
Raskin: We are a big tent. We must be a huge, vast tent. I say this is a party that’s got room for Marjorie Taylor Greene if she wants to come over.
November 17, 2025 at 6:19 PM
brb, setting the big tent on fire with my jewish space lasers
Reposted by Joshua Kosman
full spectrum of writing on display the past 48 hours as the two highest profile excerpts released are "brigning 2 vans of girls 2 jacoozee" and "He resembled a frozen volcano erupting, a haunted carwash, both sandwich and bodega master. He wanted wanting. The circle. The square. Tiananmen Square."
November 17, 2025 at 5:15 PM
full spectrum of writing on display the past 48 hours as the two highest profile excerpts released are "brigning 2 vans of girls 2 jacoozee" and "He resembled a frozen volcano erupting, a haunted carwash, both sandwich and bodega master. He wanted wanting. The circle. The square. Tiananmen Square."
30 years after the fact, our hero finally listens to — and consequently cannot stop listening to — Jagged Little Pill.
Boy you folks weren't kidding all this time were you #belated
Boy you folks weren't kidding all this time were you #belated
November 17, 2025 at 4:21 PM
30 years after the fact, our hero finally listens to — and consequently cannot stop listening to — Jagged Little Pill.
Boy you folks weren't kidding all this time were you #belated
Boy you folks weren't kidding all this time were you #belated
Reposted by Joshua Kosman
Antisemitism is a lot like Qanon child abuse conspiracies in that there’s this real and bad phenomenon and, parallel to that, what can only be described as a large scale mass psychosis about a mostly fictional version of the same phenomenon
November 16, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Antisemitism is a lot like Qanon child abuse conspiracies in that there’s this real and bad phenomenon and, parallel to that, what can only be described as a large scale mass psychosis about a mostly fictional version of the same phenomenon
More extravagant praise for "The Monkey King" at @sfopera.bsky.social, and praise from me for the vividness and brilliance of @gmeline.bsky.social's writing here.
The reading of "Land of Bliss" as an 11 o'clock number in the Broadway tradition is pure gold.
The reading of "Land of Bliss" as an 11 o'clock number in the Broadway tradition is pure gold.
In World Premiere, ‘The Monkey King’ Is a Dazzling Triumph at SF Opera
Destined to be a modern classic, Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang's new opera is a thrilling, gorgeous work of art.
www.kqed.org
November 16, 2025 at 10:43 PM
More extravagant praise for "The Monkey King" at @sfopera.bsky.social, and praise from me for the vividness and brilliance of @gmeline.bsky.social's writing here.
The reading of "Land of Bliss" as an 11 o'clock number in the Broadway tradition is pure gold.
The reading of "Land of Bliss" as an 11 o'clock number in the Broadway tradition is pure gold.