Marc Edward Hoffman
@mehoffman.bsky.social
Writer, wit, and bon vivant; scholar manqué; or laconic recluse. Depends on my mood and whom you ask.
Based in Istanbul. Before that Russia, Philly, Hawaii, and more.
History, political economy, food
Buff 'n Blue, Boola Boola
Based in Istanbul. Before that Russia, Philly, Hawaii, and more.
History, political economy, food
Buff 'n Blue, Boola Boola
Pinned
As Big as Mount Ararat
Orhan Pamuk may be the face that Turkish literature turns to the West, but the novelist Yashar Kemal is its conscience and heart.
www.thenation.com
Since I'm new here, I thought I'd start with a thread of my work to give a sense of what I'm about.
Here's one of my personal favorites, a profile of the late Turkish novelist Yaşar Kemal. He was a great artist, and an even better man; he deserves wider attention.
www.thenation.com/article/arch...
Here's one of my personal favorites, a profile of the late Turkish novelist Yaşar Kemal. He was a great artist, and an even better man; he deserves wider attention.
www.thenation.com/article/arch...
Reposted by Marc Edward Hoffman
Absolutely delightful thread. Stick around for the nether regions discussion!
OK - pie discourse - best pie story:
In 2016, we were living in Andover, in the UK. My wife was assigned as an exchange officer at the Army Air Corps base at Middle Wallop (yes, really).*
The US Army has a tradition: senior leaders, in dress uniform, serve junior troops Thanksgiving dinner.
/1
In 2016, we were living in Andover, in the UK. My wife was assigned as an exchange officer at the Army Air Corps base at Middle Wallop (yes, really).*
The US Army has a tradition: senior leaders, in dress uniform, serve junior troops Thanksgiving dinner.
/1
November 26, 2025 at 5:46 AM
Absolutely delightful thread. Stick around for the nether regions discussion!
Reposted by Marc Edward Hoffman
"The day NYC elects a Muslim Mayor will be the day I die."
--Dick Cheney probably
--Dick Cheney probably
November 5, 2025 at 3:34 AM
"The day NYC elects a Muslim Mayor will be the day I die."
--Dick Cheney probably
--Dick Cheney probably
Ding dong, the Dick is dead.
November 4, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Ding dong, the Dick is dead.
"Neither divided nor corrupted," can you even imagine?
Oct. 24, 1775: “These Americans are a hundred times better soldiers and politicians than the English,” writes the Count of Guines, the French ambassador in London, to Foreign Minister Vergennes. He adds that Congress, “neither divided nor corrupted,” is superior to the British Parliament.
October 24, 2025 at 6:28 PM
"Neither divided nor corrupted," can you even imagine?
Reposted by Marc Edward Hoffman
Şimdi tüm kitapçılarda…
October 17, 2025 at 5:38 AM
Şimdi tüm kitapçılarda…
Reposted by Marc Edward Hoffman
after careful study, I believe only people born between 1975 and 1995 should be allowed to use the internet
October 9, 2025 at 7:30 PM
after careful study, I believe only people born between 1975 and 1995 should be allowed to use the internet
Reposted by Marc Edward Hoffman
GEM de Ste. Croix: “The Helot danger was the curse Sparta had brought upon herself, an admirable illustration of the maxim that a people which oppresses another cannot itself be free.”
Netanyahu's on Israel's growing international isolation: we are about to become "super Sparta"
September 15, 2025 at 2:00 PM
GEM de Ste. Croix: “The Helot danger was the curse Sparta had brought upon herself, an admirable illustration of the maxim that a people which oppresses another cannot itself be free.”
Reposted by Marc Edward Hoffman
The comparison of Israel to Sparta is literally what Hannah Arendt predicted would happen back in 1947.
September 15, 2025 at 7:09 PM
The comparison of Israel to Sparta is literally what Hannah Arendt predicted would happen back in 1947.
Gee, I wonder who the helots are in this schema.
Netanyahu's on Israel's growing international isolation: we are about to become "super Sparta"
September 15, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Gee, I wonder who the helots are in this schema.
Reposted by Marc Edward Hoffman
This reminds me of the hooding incident in Iraq that deeply scarred US-Turkish relations and was a footnote at most to the US public
korean reporting is nightmarish on the conditions Korean workers were contained in
September 14, 2025 at 8:58 PM
This reminds me of the hooding incident in Iraq that deeply scarred US-Turkish relations and was a footnote at most to the US public
I suspect this would play out differently than Giuliani having Yasser Arafat seized in the middle of a performance of Beethoven's Ninth at the Lincoln Center in 1995 during celebrations for he U.N.'s 50th anniversary.
Zohran Mamdani said that if elected New York City mayor, he would order the police to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he sets foot in the city. Legal experts suggested that having him arrested would be a practical impossibility, and some said it could violate federal law.
Mamdani, if Elected Mayor, Pledges to Order N.Y.P.D. to Arrest Netanyahu
Zohran Mamdani expanded on his vow to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying it would show that New York “stands up for international law.” Experts said the move would be impractical and likely illegal.
nyti.ms
September 12, 2025 at 9:24 PM
I suspect this would play out differently than Giuliani having Yasser Arafat seized in the middle of a performance of Beethoven's Ninth at the Lincoln Center in 1995 during celebrations for he U.N.'s 50th anniversary.
Strong Napoleon III vibes from Trump. Purports to be a restoration, actually more of a last gasp.
We used to mock the French for being on their fifth constitution. Now who looks stupid.
September 4, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Strong Napoleon III vibes from Trump. Purports to be a restoration, actually more of a last gasp.
What did Melania find?
Somebody is throwing things out of a window of the White House
wtaf
wtaf
September 1, 2025 at 9:55 PM
What did Melania find?
Reposted by Marc Edward Hoffman
My increasingly close-held crank take is that we need to be way better about casting off childish things, or at the bare minimum recognizing they’re for children and feeling weird about that
Is Harry Potter mainly for kids?
Entirely/mostly for children: 43%
Equally for children and adults: 50%
Entirely/mostly for adults: 3%
yougov.co.uk/society/arti...
Entirely/mostly for children: 43%
Equally for children and adults: 50%
Entirely/mostly for adults: 3%
yougov.co.uk/society/arti...
August 29, 2025 at 3:26 PM
My increasingly close-held crank take is that we need to be way better about casting off childish things, or at the bare minimum recognizing they’re for children and feeling weird about that
Reposted by Marc Edward Hoffman
Imagine the NY Times headlines if Chinese authorities did the same at their border. www.theregister.com/2025/07/21/c...
Deleting social media presence before visiting the US
Column: In 2025, social media has moved from self-expression to self-entrapment
www.theregister.com
July 22, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Imagine the NY Times headlines if Chinese authorities did the same at their border. www.theregister.com/2025/07/21/c...
Awaiting report from the hereafter on whether fairies do indeed wear boots.
July 22, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Awaiting report from the hereafter on whether fairies do indeed wear boots.
Reposted by Marc Edward Hoffman
Ethiopian War Pigs cover!!!
Yes, that's pretty good. And I rarely disagree with you. But, really, this here is the best version and it ain't close:
youtu.be/8kVYdLjoyPE?...
youtu.be/8kVYdLjoyPE?...
uKanDanZ - WAR PIGS (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by ukandanz
youtu.be
July 22, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Ethiopian War Pigs cover!!!
Reposted by Marc Edward Hoffman
Yes, that's pretty good. And I rarely disagree with you. But, really, this here is the best version and it ain't close:
youtu.be/8kVYdLjoyPE?...
youtu.be/8kVYdLjoyPE?...
uKanDanZ - WAR PIGS (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by ukandanz
youtu.be
July 22, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Yes, that's pretty good. And I rarely disagree with you. But, really, this here is the best version and it ain't close:
youtu.be/8kVYdLjoyPE?...
youtu.be/8kVYdLjoyPE?...
If living in Istanbul has taught me anything, it's that animal "shelters" are a form of barbarism masquerading as civility.
The affordability crisis in New York City has expanded its reach to city animal shelters. Many New Yorkers have been surrendering their pets because they can no longer afford to keep them, outpacing animal shelters’ capacity. nyti.ms/3TSlIaI
July 22, 2025 at 2:31 PM
If living in Istanbul has taught me anything, it's that animal "shelters" are a form of barbarism masquerading as civility.
Let the cats run feral, to sleep in cafes and be fed off humanity's surplus, as they do in Istanbul. NYC's rodent problem will be gone in a month and communal life will acquire a certain extra sweetness.
The affordability crisis in New York City has expanded its reach to city animal shelters. Many New Yorkers have been surrendering their pets because they can no longer afford to keep them, outpacing animal shelters’ capacity. nyti.ms/3TSlIaI
July 22, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Let the cats run feral, to sleep in cafes and be fed off humanity's surplus, as they do in Istanbul. NYC's rodent problem will be gone in a month and communal life will acquire a certain extra sweetness.
Reposted by Marc Edward Hoffman
Subject for another time, but *living* outside the US, for at least 6 months at a stretch but preferably 1 -2 years or more, is incomparably enlightening. In many cases more "affordable," because longer stays usually involve some kind of job, an exchange program, etc.
(About 14 yrs total for us)
(About 14 yrs total for us)
July 6, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Subject for another time, but *living* outside the US, for at least 6 months at a stretch but preferably 1 -2 years or more, is incomparably enlightening. In many cases more "affordable," because longer stays usually involve some kind of job, an exchange program, etc.
(About 14 yrs total for us)
(About 14 yrs total for us)
Reposted by Marc Edward Hoffman
I remember almost 25 years ago hearing that Bush was going to start a "Department of Homeland Security" and thinking "that sounds like Nazi stuff, I hope we don't get into a bunch of Nazi stuff" and here we are
June 24, 2025 at 4:44 PM
I remember almost 25 years ago hearing that Bush was going to start a "Department of Homeland Security" and thinking "that sounds like Nazi stuff, I hope we don't get into a bunch of Nazi stuff" and here we are
Reposted by Marc Edward Hoffman
WASHINGTON—With the United States facing a daunting array of problems, leading historians reminded the nation that when making tough choices, it never hurts to stop, take a look at similar situations from the past, and then think about whether the decisions people made back then were good or bad.
Historians Politely Remind Nation To Check What's Happened In Past Before Making Any Big Decisions
WASHINGTON—With the United States facing a daunting array of problems at home and abroad, leading historians courteously reminded the nation Thursday that when making tough choices, it never hurts to ...
theonion.com
June 22, 2025 at 3:20 AM
WASHINGTON—With the United States facing a daunting array of problems, leading historians reminded the nation that when making tough choices, it never hurts to stop, take a look at similar situations from the past, and then think about whether the decisions people made back then were good or bad.