Re: authentic & fake #Jews: the tragic #Gaza war has predictably led to bad #history going viral:. European Jews are descendants of medieval #Turkic converts--#Khazars-- thus have no #historical & #genetic connection to the land of #Israel
A myth, promoted by a combination of the cynical or stupid, sadly embraced by the naive & uninformed
Sadly relevant, as I will give a virtual talk about this at Indiana Uni this week.
Good to be cautious about that source (I am a fan of Wikipedia: it's just that one needs to know how to evaluate it, esp. when controversial subjects provoke editing wars). Anyway, I spend way too much time reading about genetics, but that is a basically accurate characterization. A prominent interpretation is that, although both males and females came to Europe, male intermarriage with local females created the genetic profile. Main point here, tho, is Mideast ancestry
@CitizenWald@Podophyllum@histodons though I will note a trend in recent years that when I do refer to the genetic data disproving the Khazar myth, the reply is along the lines of “so now you’re validating Hitler by using race science, huh?” #headsiwintailsyoulose
A post from February:
Charles Henry Turner was a pioneer in entomology - and he couldn't get a job in higher ed, so he taught high school biology.
"Across his distinguished 33-year career, Turner authored 71 papers and was the first African American to have his research published in the prestigious journal Science."
His simple but elegant experiments in public parks revolutionized understanding of bees.
I love this study. It emphasizes how vital written communication is to autistic people. (If your business or service requires a phone call or an in-person interaction, it's not accessible to us.)
Also, it's the kind of research we need more of: not about how to "fix" us, but about what we want, and who we are. There are still people out there who think that we can't even have our own opinions, that we're just parroting what we've been told. There are still people out there who believe autism is a learning disability or a disease!
Loved the British Library's 'Fantasy: Realms of Imagination' exhibition. Looks at different aspects of modern fantasy by contextualising them historically. See the handwritten notebook for Coraline by @neilhimself sitting next to C S Lewis's original ideas for The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. There is the manuscript of Beowulf, Gandalf's staff from the Lord of the Rings films, and much more. A great celebration of books and fantasy.
I wrote a short piece on safe #menstruation tracking apps, expanding on a few tweets I posted at the time #RoevWade was overturned. Incidents of testing women for abortion drugs in the UK prompted me to turn it into an article:
This coin was minted circa 206 CE, during the reign of Caracalla. The obverse depicts the laureate head of Caracalla facing right. The reverse type features #Mars, naked save for cloak hanging from his shoulder, holding a branch and spear.
@elonjet Berlin & Brandenburg are mutually exclusive, so "Berlin, Brandenburg, DE" doesn't exist. "Berlin Brandenburg" is the name of the airport, located in the state of Brandenburg, just outside of Berlin.
This Sunday, remember, remember...
(@neilhimself and Charles Vess, and I think Ben Elton should be paying them both royalties for ALL IS TRUE ;)) #guyfawkes
I usually have one writing book in my reading rotation. They vary based on what I need & the state of my writing. My reaction to Pressfield's The War of Art is always the most telling.
As a freelance writer pre-grad school, it resonated deeply. I needed that "get over yourself & get to work" message.
But during other periods, I'm really turned off by it. That usually means I need to slow down, think through tough ideas, and/or seek out guidance.
Currently I'm re-reading Howard Becker's Writing for Social Scientists.
The "Terrorized by the Literature" chapter is a little too spot on. And the Risk chapter (Pamela Richards) hits a lot harder than it did my first year of grad school.
"Arab 48" (عرب48) is an Arabic-language news site, considered a platform for national Palestinian intellectuals in #Israel -- often those identified with the "Balad" political party, which supports a two-state solution and advocates a more Democratic and inclusive Israel and equal rights for its Palestinian citizens.
Dr. Hassan Jabareen, General Director of #Adalah, an independent human rights organization and legal center.
Our dialogue with Dr. Jabareen uncovers the unsettling realities faced by these citizens, highlighting the institutionalized persecution intensifying amidst the war. We explore the stark consequences of expressing solidarity with the besieged civilians in #Gaza, revealing how such simple acts of empathy are met with drastic retaliations. From legal actions and academic exclusions to job terminations, the repercussions are tangible and terrifying, as hundreds face arrests and countless others suffer for their benign acts of compassion.