Painting of World War I Austrian army soldiers huddled around a small Christmas tree. Postcard from 1916.

Back of postcard. Original Czech text, followed by English translation. Odesílatel: Zugsf[ührer]Hrádek Jar. 2/94 Baukomp. 109 25/XII.1916 [Adresát] Slečně Anniče Hrádkové Dcerušce restaurateura Lázně Mlazovice, Böhmen Drahá Anničko! (malá) Též tobě Anničko přeji více štěstí v novém roce. 1917: Též to babičce to samé viřiď. Doufejme že příští Ježíšek šťastnější u nás dopadne, viď? Já už se začínám na to těšit od teďka. Líbá Tě a zdraví srdečně Tvuj tatíček English: Sender: Platoon l[eader] Hrádek Jar. 2/94 Engineering Comp. 109 December 25, 1916 [Addressee] To Annička Hrádková The little daughter of a restauranteur Spatown of Mlazovice, Bohemia Dear Annička! (the little one) Annička, I wish you, too, greater happiness in the New Year 1917. Wish the same to grandmother. Let's hope that the next Christ Child will end up happier at our house, you know? I am already beginning to look forward to it now. I'm sending you kisses and heartfelt greetings. Your Daddy

Happy 2026! What was the new year like 109 years ago for a Czech soldier serving in the Austro-Hungarian Army on the Italian Front during #WW1? Just posted a translation of postcard with short historical background sent by father to daughter on Christmas 1916. www.nicholasorsillo.com/christmas-on...

Graphic reading "You understand it perfectly. But why doesn't anyone else?"

The academic writer’s trap: When you know a topic too well, you can forget what it's like not to know anything about it. It’s the CURSE OF KNOWLEDGE. If you suffer from it, your ideas might not connect with readers. Check out new my new article about it: tinyurl.com/3rdxhtzb #acwri #amediting

17th century print depicting two wise-looking men outside pointing to sky. Text reads as follows (also includes Latin trasnlation): Philosophy. | Philosophia. The Naturalist, 1 vieweth all the works of God in the World. Physicus, 1 speculatur omnia Dei Opera in Mundo. The Supernaturalist, 2 searches out the Causes and Effects of things. Metaphysicus, 2 perscrutatur Causas, & rerum Effecta. The Arithmetician, 3 reckoneth numbers, by adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing; and that either by Cyphers, 3, on a Slate, or by Counters, 4, upon a Desk.

Happy World Philosophy Day!
Here is a lovely picture from Orbis Pictus, considered the first modern children’s textbook, by Czech educator and philosopher Comenius (Komenský), originally published in German in 1658. This English translation by Charles Hoole followed a year later.

Map from Second military survey of the Habsburg Empire from Moravia (1836–1842). Source: https://maps.arcanum.com/en/map/secondsurvey-moravia/

A strange heading I found in a published paper: "Landscape development and its preindustrial folder in the Czech Republic." I imagined lots of funny things, but it's a bad translation of Czech "složka," meaning "folder" or "component."
I help scholars find these kinds of errors before publication.

Copy editing: Medium to Heavy Sometimes called line editing or stylistic editing. Covers the same issues as light copy editing. Also improves clarity, style, and flow; often involves rewording and, in heavy edits, rewriting.

Developmental editing Big-picture issues. Putting the puzzle together. Analyzes a manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses. Suggests changes to structure to strengthen arguments.

“Checking English” or “improving writing” can mean different things to different people. Make sure you and your editor know what you expect — so you get exactly what you want!

You’re writing an academic paper, and you need someone to “check your English” or “fix your writing.” But what do you mean? Make sure your expectations match your editor’s!

Many people ask me for proofreading — but that’s not what they really want. Let’s take a look at the most common types of editing, starting from the simplest to the most complex.

Proofreading Essentially the final check before publication. Fixes typos, spelling, punctuation, and other minor errors, usually in PDF.

Copy editing: Light Focuses on mechanics (spelling, punctuation, consistency) and language (grammar, usage, syntax).

You need someone to polish your writing for publication and have decided to work with an academic editor. But do you know what you want from them? Make sure your expectations are clear. Check out the kinds of editing I offer. Want to improve your manuscript? Contact me: www.nicholasorsillo.com

Chatgpt conversation, I asked "how many lights do you see?" in reference to Star Trek: TNG episode "Chain of Command". Chatgpt response "ah. You're doing the classic tricky phrasing--like the Emperor's line in Star Wars!"

ChatGPT has an anti- #StarTrek bias! I used to, too. As a kid, I couldn't stand #TNG, but I've been watching it in its entirety over the past few months and am really enjoying it! It's funny that, unprompted, ChatGPT started talking about a sci-fi franchise... but the wrong one #starwars

Yikes, I made a spelling mistake. I guess editors need editors, too!

An old submarine on the surface with rust and peeling paint.

An old submarine on the surface with rust and peeling paint.

I think I found the Red October! It's in Peenemünde, Germany, and it's in rough shape! (Actually a convential Soviet submarine from the 1960s).

Man carrying two heavy stones on field as part of farmer's walk race

Man trying to pick up caber

Little did I know that when I went to watch the #HighlandGames in Brno, Czech Rep, that I'd end up competing, too! I didn't get the caber toss technique at all, but did ok at the sheaf toss, and apparently had a blisteringly fast speed in the farmer's walk.

Haven't had much time for social media, too busy #editing/#translating all kinds of interesting #acwriting: #litcrit papers for a volume on transoceanic imaginations, studies about interwar Czech journalism, #Byzantine lit, use of #machinetranslation in language classroms. What a great job!

Cover of Book "Paul Rudolph: Designs of Architecture"

Illustration of design of Boston Government Service Center complex

Illustration of design of Boston Government Service Center complex

Illustration of design of Boston Government Service Center complex

Found this gem in one of those "Leave a Book / Take a Book" shelves you see in public places. I must admit, I didn't know who Rudolph was at first, but then I realized I knew his work in Boston. And I'd sworn I'd only be leaving books! I have too many! #modernarchitecture #brutalism #paulrudolph

Hungarian Orange YouTube video by Urgeborbe Varrva

Eastern Bloc countries tried to be self-sufficient in agriculture, leading to environmental destruction and laughable attempts to grow unsuitable crops. (Czech rice, anyone?) Maybe Trump can ask his pal Orban about the "Hungarian orange". Let's see how far the isolationist USA gets. #envhist

If you are a university researcher NOT paid on soft money, and federal grant cancellations or disruptions are impacting your personal income (e.g., via summer salary losses or other direct-compensation disruptions), I would like to speak with you: ibogost@theatlantic.com or Signal ibogost.47.

It's amazing to see the crowds all over the USA in my feed! Unfortunately, there were no protests in my neck of the woods, but in spirit, I'm somewhere in New England today! #HandsOff

It wasn't so bad. There were plenty of funny parts, but thin on plot.

I'm taking the kids to see A Minecraft Movie. I've done tons of work in #AdaptationStudies and #intermedial studies, so maybe I'll watch with a critical eye. But mostly I hope it won't be 100 minutes of suffering.

This feels like the defining image from this year’s Midwest Political Science Association annual meeting.

The National Science Foundatipn paid for a booth in the exhibit hall. But the booth sits empty, because NSF has been DOGE’d, and there is no one left to send.

Das Capital-ization: Should You Be Writing about Communism or communism? :: Orsillo Language Services When writing about the political system established in the Soviet Union, which was adopted by and imposed on countries throughout Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, and beyond after World War II, shoul...

A communist society? Or a Communist society? Knowing how to capitalize this key term in 20th-cent. #history can be a nightmare. There are no hard and fast rules, but in a new blog post, I cover several approaches you can take. #acwri #coldwar #skystorians #copyediting

I'm gonna be a movie star! Ok, maybe not, but I'm just on lunch break now, working as an extra on a Czech miniseries. I get to walk all around a crowded movie theater lobby. I'm sure I'll be in lots of shots!

I see the US has sent one of its "little green men" to Greenland.

This higher-ed-is-liberal- indoctrination is such BS. All the younger members of Trump's circle went to college, some quite elite. I guess they just resisted the Communist mind tricks, or what?

Orbis Pictus Sensualium (The visible world) by Johann Amos Comenius was the first true illus… | Childrens books illustrations, Children's literature, Teaching latin Orbis Pictus Sensualium (The visible world) by Johann Amos Comenius was the first true illustrated book for children. Published in 1658 and intended to teach Latin, it did this with illustrations in w...

Today is Teachers' Day in the #CzechRepublic. Comenius, the father of modern #education, was born #OnThisDay in 1592. This Czech thinker was the first to create an illustrated textbook for children - Orbis Pictus. Thanks to all #teachers all over the world for your hard work!

Not only "truth" but sanity, too!

Are these from Wroclaw?

Noem’s video is bait for non-Trumpers because it invites us to do just what my wife & I have done: discuss her looks instead of her ideas. “See?” fascists say. “Who’s the sexist now? Hypocrites!” It’s a trap, because for fascism the aesthetic *is* the “idea.” 6/

When I visited Vienna's Schönbrunn Zoo a few years ago, I was amazed to discover that it dated to the 1750s and the oldest part still featured what seemed to be late Baroque buildings and a corresponding overall symmetrical layout/design. Did they have monkeys then? #envhist #envhum #animalstudies

I don't know the answer to your question, but I was at Vienna's Schönbrunn Zoo a few years back and was amazed to see that the historical center of the zoo, dating to the 1700s featured Baroque buildings and on overall Baroque layout. I have no idea if they had monkeys then t
hough.

Cool dog name!

Hi ! I'm a French journalist and I'm doing a TV report about the #teslatakedown. I'm looking for Americans who lost their job in the US administration because of Elon Musk and who will protest in NYC or Washington DC on saturday. Please share !! Thank you so much !