Did you catch the latest post in “A History of Western Art?” Getting closer to #Odysseus territory. open.substack.com/pub/annelead...

Ancient Aegean Painting

A view into daily life

open.substack.com

This was a great conversation. I do wish that the interlocutors and all non-nazis would delete their X accounts or, at a minimum, stop posting and replying.

The Bulwark@thebulwark.com · yesterday

"Elon Musk lost, in one trading day, more than Bill Gates' entire net worth.” @cwarzel.bsky.social tells @timmiller.bsky.social how Elon Musk turned his unprecedented wealth into unchecked political power.

Check out the latest in my series “A History of Western Art” open.substack.com/pub/annelead...

Ancient Aegean Painting

A view into daily life

open.substack.com

The cruelty and idiocy of Pete Hegseth knows no bounds. For an all-volunteer army to fire people who want to serve and have served well is the epitome of stupidity. Inside the Secretive Boards Deciding Trans Troops’ Fate www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/u...

Inside the Secretive Boards Deciding Trans Troops’ Fate

The Pentagon is relying on closed-door hearings to kick out transgender service members. An Army Reserve lawyer is one of the few who have seen how they really work.

nytimes.com

Surely Senators Cornyn and Tillis are familiar with Lucy and her football… Blanche Gives G.O.P. Senators Written Assurances on Trump’s I.R.S. Deal www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/u...

Blanche Gives G.O.P. Senators Written Assurances on Trump’s I.R.S. Deal

Todd Blanche’s confirmation as attorney general has been held up over concerns about a planned $1.8 billion fund for Trump allies and the president’s immunity from tax scrutiny.

nytimes.com

A nice object to ponder on a Sunday afternoon open.substack.com/pub/annelead...

Object 19 of 50: The Book of Kells (Hiberno-Saxon)

Meditative miniatures

open.substack.com

Saw the Odyssey. Loved it.

Would the Book of Kells be in your top 50? This post has animation! open.substack.com/pub/annelead...

Object 19 of 50: The Book of Kells (Hiberno-Saxon)

Meditative miniatures

open.substack.com

Half the planet is having a massive fight about how to correctly interpret an Ancient Greek poem but go ahead, close some more humanities departments.

If you haven’t yet deleted your X account, here is an excellent motivation to do so. Share widely. Why Do We Tolerate Elon Musk’s Racist Commentary? www.nytimes.com/2026/07/29/o...

Opinion | Why Do We Tolerate Elon Musk’s Racist Commentary?

Why does the owner of X get a pass for what he says and does there?

nytimes.com

Nothing like the seriousness and decorum of the Senate.

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · last wk.

Moreno to Fauci: "Who the fuck did you think you were?"

Don’t let the news get you down! Spend time with King Minos instead. open.substack.com/pub/annelead...

The world of King Minos

The art of prehistoric Crete

open.substack.com

It’s Tuesday! Time for the latest installment of “A History of Western Art.” Please enjoy and share! open.substack.com/pub/annelead...

The world of King Minos

The art of prehistoric Crete

open.substack.com

How did a fifteen-year-old get a gun? How did they get bullets? Prosecute the suppliers too. #Seattle

“Meta had a to-do list with three big items: Power, insurance and finding someone else to foot the bill.” If you haven’t found a reason yet to delete your Facebook and Instagram accounts, perhaps this will be it. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/27/t...

How Meta Got Everything It Wanted in a Secret Louisiana Data Center Deal (Gift Article)

A Times examination details how the Silicon Valley giant used private talks with local officials to start a project big enough to cover nearly six square miles.

nytimes.com

This makes me so very sad. For as long as I have been sentient there have been warnings about climate change. No one wants to be the person to say I told you so.

johnedwinmason@johnedwinmason.bsky.social · last wk.

"Climate data shows Europe is heating faster than anywhere else on earth. ...Record-breaking temperatures compounded low rainfall levels as the extreme heat drew moisture from vegetation, creating abundant fuel that allows flames to spread faster & burn more intensely." apnews.com/article/what...

Interrupt the doom with a little art history open.substack.com/pub/annelead...

Object 18 of 50: Christ as the Good Shepherd (Early Christian)

Magical mosaics

open.substack.com

A pause in the doom scroll for some Cycladic art. open.substack.com/pub/annelead...

The Confounding Cycladic Figurine

We have already spent some time with Cycladic female figurines, coming to understand their startlingly modern aesthetic and bumping up against uncertainty about their find spots and original meanings.

open.substack.com

Gross. Was this Trump or Infantino? Hate that they will give out the cup together on Sunday.

Fabrizio Romano (MIRROR)@fabrizioromano.yopro20.com · 3w ago

🚨💍 OFFICIAL: FIFA to award the winners of the World Cup with championship rings. It’s the first time in history, following some of the American sports. 30 rings will be made available to the world champions, with a further 1,996 rings going on sale to fans.

Would Santa Sabina be in your History of Western art in 50 objects? open.substack.com/pub/annelead...

Object 17 of 50: Santa Sabina (Early Christian)

A gem on the Aventine Hill

open.substack.com

Where xenophobia and anti-intellectualism meet. Hopefully we won’t have sustained irreparable damage by the time this rule can be changed by a sane administration. They don’t seem to understand how PhD programs work. It took me 7 years to get mine (including all the coursework), and I was fast!

AILA@aila.org · 3w ago

DHS has published its Final Rule to eliminate "duration of status" for F, J & I nonimmigrants. One of the most significant changes to international student, exchange visitor & foreign media programs in decades, it will be costly, cause chaos, and cut legal immigration.

I don’t believe in term limits, but Chuck Grassley is certainly making a strong case for age limits. #BlancheHearings

Moving in to a new culture in my series “A History of Western Art”. Enjoy! open.substack.com/pub/annelead...

The prehistoric Aegean

The Greeks before the Greeks

open.substack.com

I do not understand why data centers need so much water nor why the tech geniuses haven’t figured out a way to do this without it.

Niamh Ní Cheallaigh 🇮🇪 ♿️ 🇵🇸@niamhnicheallaigh.bsky.social · 4w ago

Just so you understand how much drinkable water that is, there are exactly 1,000,000 (one million) litres in one megalitre. Nature and wildlife need water to survive, so do data centres. Choose wisely.

If you don't want what happened to the #NEH in April 2025 to become codified, please make a public comment to OMB prior to 11:59PM EDT on Sunday, July 13. See the reposted article for more context. www.regulations.gov/commenton/OM...

Karin Wulf@kawulf.bsky.social · 4w ago

Public conversation about the OMB proposal has focused on science, but make no mistake: this is about ALL research and humanities are just as vulnerable. I'm back @scholarlykitchen.bsky.social w historian & @historians.org exec director Sarah Weicksel. scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2026/07/10/t...

Timeline cleanse: You're watching Mei & Kira, two sea otters (Enhydra lutris) at the Toba Aquarium in Japan, help clean the pool area after playtime. The reward is an ice treat. Enrichment activities like this promote mental wellness. Let's talk about the SUCCESS of sea otter conservation.

"Anyone who cannot rid himself of passions, who fears displeasing the powerful, who cares more about satisfying the ambitions and interests of friends than the truth, can ill-advisedly undertake a genealogy that is meant to serve history; for such a study requires independence..." L. Passerini 1853

Pop: Our Family Tree Is More Like A Shrub

ALT: Pop: Our Family Tree Is More Like A Shrub

static.klipy.com

Would the #Pantheon make your #Art #History in 50 objects? Read on to see why it made mine. #Skystorians

Object 16 of 50: The Pantheon (Roman)

The grandeur that was Rome

open.substack.com

This is so very dear.

Ansley Erickson@ansleyerickson.bsky.social · 4w ago

Good morning! This is the best cuteness + science.

Good morning! This is the best cuteness + science.

c0nc0rdance@c0nc0rdance.bsky.social · 4w ago

Timeline cleanse: You're watching Mei & Kira, two sea otters (Enhydra lutris) at the Toba Aquarium in Japan, help clean the pool area after playtime. The reward is an ice treat. Enrichment activities like this promote mental wellness. Let's talk about the SUCCESS of sea otter conservation.