Zohar Jacobs
@zoharjacobs.bsky.social
Migrant Jewish intellectual, writer, historian, mystic | Fiction in Sunday Morning Transport, Analog, Asimov's & Clarkesworld | Oxford, UK
Reposted by Zohar Jacobs
Enceladus in the E Ring - From Val Klavans (valklavans.bsky.social) - https://flic.kr/p/fpHjw2
November 28, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Enceladus in the E Ring - From Val Klavans (valklavans.bsky.social) - https://flic.kr/p/fpHjw2
Reposted by Zohar Jacobs
Well this is quite genuinely disturbing
Pointed out by my friend @carloshasanax.bsky.social . There's something weird and unsettling about a fairly homogeneous culture spread out across Europe that then collapses into an orgy of genocide.
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
Headless bodies hint at why Europe’s first farmers vanished
Wave of mass brutality accompanied the collapse of the first pan-European culture
www.science.org
November 27, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Well this is quite genuinely disturbing
New winter cheer concept.
November 27, 2025 at 3:07 PM
New winter cheer concept.
Reposted by Zohar Jacobs
I think this is an underrated source of the extent to which Bluesky is in a false consensus about public AI hatred. If you are a power user on a microblogging site you are basically by definition not going to see the "take the effort out of reading and writing" machine as being useful
I think more than anything else AI feels like a miracle to people with questionable literacy because it can read and write for you, and a lot of us who are highly literate underestimate how many of our society's leaders, esp in business, struggle with literacy.
It's pretty much mandatory at work that I appear to be using it, so I've doe a few functional things with it, and it's a moderate time-saver if used right. But nowhere near worth it's stock value, energy cost.
Then I realize there's a lot of people who simply can't write coherent paragraphs.
Then I realize there's a lot of people who simply can't write coherent paragraphs.
November 26, 2025 at 7:25 PM
I think this is an underrated source of the extent to which Bluesky is in a false consensus about public AI hatred. If you are a power user on a microblogging site you are basically by definition not going to see the "take the effort out of reading and writing" machine as being useful
Reposted by Zohar Jacobs
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
Reposted by Zohar Jacobs
Slept dreaming of, woke up thinking about the extraordinary What Resembles the Grave but Isn’t by Anne Boyer
November 24, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Slept dreaming of, woke up thinking about the extraordinary What Resembles the Grave but Isn’t by Anne Boyer
November 23, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Reposted by Zohar Jacobs
Came across this again by Ruth Lepson … must look for more of her work.
November 23, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Came across this again by Ruth Lepson … must look for more of her work.
Reposted by Zohar Jacobs
Your yearly reminder that “holiday” celebrations that only include Christian traditions are not, in fact, inclusive even if you don’t use the word Christmas, so tbh I’d rather you just say it’s Christmas.
Until a few years ago, ugly holiday sweaters didn’t exist. They’re ugly Christmas sweaters, with some generic Jewish iconography to be “inclusive.” But the truth is, when I have to buy one to wear to a work party, I feel like I’m in another culture’s drag.
November 22, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Your yearly reminder that “holiday” celebrations that only include Christian traditions are not, in fact, inclusive even if you don’t use the word Christmas, so tbh I’d rather you just say it’s Christmas.
Reposted by Zohar Jacobs
They're also responsible for one of the best emails I've ever received, when the college office sent out a plea for sightings of Professor Biscuit while conveniently forgetting to mention that he was a cat...(I won't comment on how often a similar email might have gone out about human Professors...)
November 21, 2025 at 1:01 PM
They're also responsible for one of the best emails I've ever received, when the college office sent out a plea for sightings of Professor Biscuit while conveniently forgetting to mention that he was a cat...(I won't comment on how often a similar email might have gone out about human Professors...)
Reposted by Zohar Jacobs
Today’s random find in the #ASPLibrary: a Russian book of Ephemerides of Minor Planets for 1994. 🔭
November 19, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Today’s random find in the #ASPLibrary: a Russian book of Ephemerides of Minor Planets for 1994. 🔭
Thrilled to finally be able to share this! Both because I'm happy for Erik and because I read this novel almost exactly 2 years ago now, loved it, and have been waiting impatiently to be able to recommend it to other people.
November 19, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Thrilled to finally be able to share this! Both because I'm happy for Erik and because I read this novel almost exactly 2 years ago now, loved it, and have been waiting impatiently to be able to recommend it to other people.
You may not realize it, but what you need in your life is an epic poem about the migration of eels. I'm serious, it's amazing. longbarrowblog.wordpress.com/2024/03/26/e...
November 19, 2025 at 2:07 PM
You may not realize it, but what you need in your life is an epic poem about the migration of eels. I'm serious, it's amazing. longbarrowblog.wordpress.com/2024/03/26/e...
Reposted by Zohar Jacobs
Excited for the time, around 30 years from now, when we start publishing people's DMs in lieu of the fact we don't write letters to each other anymore
November 18, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Excited for the time, around 30 years from now, when we start publishing people's DMs in lieu of the fact we don't write letters to each other anymore
What brilliant television.
The first episode of House of Cards was broadcast on this day in 1990.
November 18, 2025 at 9:13 PM
What brilliant television.
Reposted by Zohar Jacobs
Applications are open for the only non-NYU workshop I’m offering in 2026. It’s fully-funded, including transportation if you’re coming from the US. Link for more info: garthgreenwell.substack.com/p/a-conversa...
November 18, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Applications are open for the only non-NYU workshop I’m offering in 2026. It’s fully-funded, including transportation if you’re coming from the US. Link for more info: garthgreenwell.substack.com/p/a-conversa...
Major achievement of the day: finally opening a jar of M&S vegan n'duja paste (highly recommended) after days of wailing and gnashing of teeth every time I wanted to eat pasta. I don't know why that lid was on so tight, but it was worth it.
November 18, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Major achievement of the day: finally opening a jar of M&S vegan n'duja paste (highly recommended) after days of wailing and gnashing of teeth every time I wanted to eat pasta. I don't know why that lid was on so tight, but it was worth it.
Reposted by Zohar Jacobs
happy On the Calculation of Volume Day to all who celebrate. i’m wearing my shirt to mark it
November 18, 2025 at 4:43 PM
happy On the Calculation of Volume Day to all who celebrate. i’m wearing my shirt to mark it
Reposted by Zohar Jacobs
why can they not just fix it
![[Scene is MCcDONALDS PICKUP POINT but for the most part we can only see the close up faces of tha CUSTOMER and the McDONALDS EMPLOYEE at the serving point].
1
CUSTOMER:
Hi - I’m afraid this isn’t what I ordered
2
McDONALDS EMPLOYEE:
Number 187?
CUSTOMER:
Yes
3
CUSTOMER:
Maybe I pressed the wrong thing?
I just ordered one strawberry milkshake.
4
EMPLOYEE:
Oh - yeah sorry
5
EMPLOYEE:
The milkshake machine’s not working.
6
EMPLOYEE:
The only flavours we can do are vanilla, banana, and Labour Leader Pretending to be Nigel Farage.
7
CUSTOMER:
Is that a new flavour?
EMPLOYEE:
Yeah
8
[We now see that the employee has placed a gigantic milkshake cup on the counter]
EMPLOYEE:
If you look inside, there’s a Labour leader pretending to be Nigel Farage.
9
[Customer looks inside the cup]
10
[Show Keir Starmer dressed as Nigel Farage inside the cup]
CUSTOMER:
So there is
11
CUSTOMER:
Is that something people want, then?
EMPLOYEE:
No! No, not at all.
12
EMPLOYEE:
It just keeps happening when we press banana.
[ends]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4m3we4apbjayclzcnhwe3pfp/bafkreibbip5v2gcsv5j7kp6qm7lp6hpmaqcsanoobea2dxms7gxgrqk4qy@jpeg)
November 18, 2025 at 11:16 AM
why can they not just fix it
Reposted by Zohar Jacobs
Lots of folks captioning aurora photos like "for a few minutes we didn't think about politics"
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
November 13, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Lots of folks captioning aurora photos like "for a few minutes we didn't think about politics"
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
For some reason I'm envisioning an @mjohnharrison.bsky.social novel 😂
This week, I was sent a proof from one of the big publishers. In their pack, they described it as an "anti romantasy".
An anti romantasy.
I have so many thoughts about this, I honestly don't know where to begin.
An anti romantasy.
I have so many thoughts about this, I honestly don't know where to begin.
November 17, 2025 at 11:24 AM
For some reason I'm envisioning an @mjohnharrison.bsky.social novel 😂
And the two science fiction titles in the 2025 bestsellers list were "Dune" and "Project Hail Mary."
"This analysis has, so far, neglected the Science Fiction category as it is now by far SFF’s junior partner with just two titles in the 2025 Top 50." www.thebookseller.com/bestsellers/...
November 17, 2025 at 10:28 AM
And the two science fiction titles in the 2025 bestsellers list were "Dune" and "Project Hail Mary."
And I now apparently have 1001 followers?? What should I do to celebrate?
November 16, 2025 at 8:48 PM
And I now apparently have 1001 followers?? What should I do to celebrate?
Top 5 movie genres are:
Apollo 13
The One With the Whales
Biopic
Gay historical
Musicals? Maybe? idk that's all the movies I know
Apollo 13
The One With the Whales
Biopic
Gay historical
Musicals? Maybe? idk that's all the movies I know
Top 5 movie genres are:
People being shits at a dinner party
Rotting mansion, faded starlet/society beauty, high-camp fuckdown
Either nothing or everything happened, glacially slowly & visually stunningly
Woman is being haunted or maybe there’s actually a gross guy
Tilda Swinton hears a weird noise
People being shits at a dinner party
Rotting mansion, faded starlet/society beauty, high-camp fuckdown
Either nothing or everything happened, glacially slowly & visually stunningly
Woman is being haunted or maybe there’s actually a gross guy
Tilda Swinton hears a weird noise
Top 5 movie genres are:
Breathtakingly beautiful magic realism that represents grief
Buncha fuckin losers decide to become a family instead of going to therapy
Yikes a ghost! Oh it's just sad.
Bright colours, singing, dancing, gay subtext/text
Whatever the fuck Star Trek First Contact is
Breathtakingly beautiful magic realism that represents grief
Buncha fuckin losers decide to become a family instead of going to therapy
Yikes a ghost! Oh it's just sad.
Bright colours, singing, dancing, gay subtext/text
Whatever the fuck Star Trek First Contact is
November 16, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Top 5 movie genres are:
Apollo 13
The One With the Whales
Biopic
Gay historical
Musicals? Maybe? idk that's all the movies I know
Apollo 13
The One With the Whales
Biopic
Gay historical
Musicals? Maybe? idk that's all the movies I know
Reposted by Zohar Jacobs
Frustrating to read the (Guardian-prompted) discourse around David Szalay's Flesh. It isn't a novel about being a man but a novel about being human. How do I know? Because I asked him in front of witnesses.
November 16, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Frustrating to read the (Guardian-prompted) discourse around David Szalay's Flesh. It isn't a novel about being a man but a novel about being human. How do I know? Because I asked him in front of witnesses.