James A. Benn

#TalkAboutHumanities #TalkAboutSocialSciences October 26 through October 30, we invite members of academic institutions and societies to share how these communities support research in the humanities and social sciences. Sharing your story makes a difference! Learn more - https://bit.ly/4zdxtLG

Tonight in 1945 at the Los Angeles Coliseum, 100,000 people watched a star-studded spectacle reenacting the war with Japan, including kamikaze attacks on an aircraft carrier, firebombing Tokyo, and the atomic bombing of Hiroshima—all simulated by Hollywood SFX artists and Army explosives experts.

OTD 65 yrs ago, the Soviet Union conducted the first two of a series of five high-altitude nuclear tests, launching two missiles from Kapustin Yar across central Kazakhstan to detonate warheads (1.2 kt each) over Sary Shagan. The other three tests (300 kt each) were on Oct. 22, 28, and Nov. 1, 1962.

October 27, 1962, was arguably the most dangerous day of the Cuban Missile Crisis, a day when human error, rushed preparations, aggressive tactics, and sky-high tensions could have set off World War III intentionally or by accident at least four separate times. Here’s what happened (a long thread):

60 years ago today, China launched a Dong Feng-2 medium-range ballistic missile carrying a live 12-kiloton nuclear warhead from its Shuangchengzi Missile Test Center. The missile flew 556 miles west across China before detonating 1,867 feet above the Lop Nor Nuclear Test Base in Xinjiang Province.

45 yrs ago today, Soviet Whiskey-class coastal patrol diesel-electric submarine S-363 hit an underwater rock and ran aground about 6.2 miles from the large Swedish naval base at Karlskrona. This international incident—which wags dubbed “Whiskey on the Rocks”—occurred during a Swedish naval exercise.

Looking forward to conversation on 28/11 at Oxford China Centre with @jwassers.bsky.social, around "China and Its Rulers from the Days of the Ming to the Era of Xi Jinping: A Dialogue on the Perils, Pitfalls, and Pleasures of Writing for Broad Audiences" All are welcome www.ox.ac.uk/events/china...

The first personal computer for under $200.

Worn #onthisday in 1927 at the London #wedding of Capt. Drew and Honora Christian. Per the Evening Standard, the bride's ivory satin gown had "the new rouleaux trimming, a revival of a very old method of giving flair to the hem." The bridesmaids wore powder-blue dresses. #OTD @europeana.bsky.social

A1535.1 Origin of the potlatch.

I had no idea anyone was translating this! Way extremely mucho looking forward to checking it out; 新石頭記 is bonkers

I am now focused on the live blog updates here: thepublicrecord.ca/2026/10/live...

Chris Ofili, The Raising of Lazarus, 2007 https://botfrens.com/collections/14377/contents/1137672

The City of Hamilton has experienced a delay in transferring election results from ward voting locations to City Hall. The transfer of results is now underway and the City’s website is being updated as results are received. Thank you for your patience.

No updates on any of the City of Hamilton's social media accounts. They should be doing so - first results were supposed to be released by 9:00 p.m. #yhmvote #HamOnt

The Department of Religious Studies warmly invites you to attend an exciting roundtable hosted by the Graduate Students Association of Religious Studies (GSARS).

notice that when sun wukong wiped his name from the ledger of life and death he also wiped out the names of all his little monkey subjects too... taking his people up with him

Sign up for Renewal Reminders | Ontario.ca share.google/JMXrkuf0msjX...

it’s 2028, you ask sentient ChatGPT to check your calendar and get hit with this

Last week, my supervisor, Carine Defoort, became emeritus professor at KU Leuven. I feel honored to have studied under her and gotten feedback from this great scholar of Mozi 墨子, Kang Youwei 康有為, zhengming 正名, the Heguanzi 鶡冠子, and so many other topics. Thank you! #Sinology #ChinesePhilosophy

Today in 1962 at 4:00 AM PDT, as the Cuban Missile Crisis was entering its most dangerous phase, the Air Force test launched an Atlas D ICBM from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, as US military forces worldwide were at DEFCON 3 and forces under the Strategic Air Command were at DEFCON 2.

Today in 1969, President Nixon’s secret global nuclear alert escalated when the Strategic Air Command initiated GIANT LANCE, a nuclear show of force that involved flying 18 nuclear-armed B-52s from March AFB, California, and Fairchild AFB, Washington State, to Eielson AFB, Alaska, and from there …

It's Election Day in Hamilton! Find all the information you need to vote on HamiltonVotes.ca I've build a special site for today that allows you to enter any address and immediately get a listing of all the places to vote. Share it for those not sure where to vote. #HamOnt #yhmvote #yhmcc

A forgotten workforce in China’s economic history: Sichuan’s porters. Some carried loads of 100 kg or more. Since the Qing dynasty, they had been vital to regional trade. Paul Salopek documented their history in National Geographic. outofedenwalk.nationalgeographic.org/2022-10-250-...

Thinking about applying to grad school? Here are the upcoming deadlines you need to know about. Questions? Send us an email at askrs@mcmaster.ca

The Department of Religious Studies warmly invites you to attend an exciting roundtable hosted by the Graduate Students Association of Religious Studies (GSARS). 📆 Nov. 10 ⏰ 4:00 p.m. 📍 UH 122

An 18th-century treatise by coffee enthusiast Benjamin Moseley, arguing for the drink's multitude of benefits when it was still relatively new to Europe: https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/moseley-coffee

On this day in 1813, the Battle of Chateauguay was fought near present-day Ormstown, Quebec. A combined force of British, Canadian and Mohawk repelled an American force who were attempting to invade Lower Canada. 🎨 Henri Julien

19th century Austrian travel writer Ida Pfeiffer in China, 1840s, dressed for a collection foray with an insect net and a specimen container slung over her shoulder.

Data shows 12 names that completely flip genders across borders. For example, Jean is a boy's name in France (1.9M+) but a female name in the US. Kim is a boy's name in Norway but a girl's name everywhere else. Great fun! Source: buff.ly/jIaF3on

Feathered hats worn #onthisday in 1937 at the State Opening of Parliament in London by Col. Ulric Thyne (left ) and Mrs. Murray Smith. #OTD @europeana.bsky.social

Large Figure of a Lion Dog https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/20095

THE HEXHAM HEADS: In 1976, BBC early evening magazine show Nationwide aired a segment about a real-life folk horror story. Stone heads unearthed from a garden, paranormal activity and werewolves abound in this notorious report, thought lost until 2024...

▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░ 81.65%

[GANDHI] There is no trace of a point of view; the film feels as if it were directed by a committee. (1982)

This century could have been an email.

E155.6 King eaten every morning: revived daily.

Oct 25th 1960 - A check was made to Paul Varjak for $50, for his short story. The day he received it, Rusty Trawler, whom Holly Golightly was planning to Marry, was in the newspaper for marrying someone else, so Paul spent the day with Holly. 📽️📅 Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

Tonight in 1962, as the Cuban Missile Crisis escalated toward direct confrontation, a sentry on patrol at Duluth Air Force Base in Minnesota thought he saw someone climbing the perimeter fence. He shot at the intruder and activated the base sabotage alarm, which by design automatically triggered ...

Tripod Vessel (Li) https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/164693

Flashback to 2014

A736.3.2 Sun and moon brothers: sun clever, moon stupid.

Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio (1880) — 1st English translation of Pu Songling's collection of classical Chinese stories, including magical pear trees, thimble-sized babies, ghostly cities, and mean spirited daughters-in-law being turned into pigs: publicdomainreview.org/collection/s...

Identical twin gangsters: Ronald "Ronnie" Kray and Reginald "Reggie" Kray were born on October 24, 1933, in Haggerston, East London.

A796 Origin of the signs of the zodiac.