Ryan Van Loan
@ryanvanloan.bsky.social
Former infantry NCO turned fantasy/scifi author repped by DongWon Song. Proud Girl Dad.
THE SIN IN THE STEEL, THE JUSTICE IN REVENGE, & THE MEMORY IN THE BLOOD out now from Tor Books!
Eat. Lift. Travel. WRITE.
(he/him)
https://bio.site/RyanVanLoan
THE SIN IN THE STEEL, THE JUSTICE IN REVENGE, & THE MEMORY IN THE BLOOD out now from Tor Books!
Eat. Lift. Travel. WRITE.
(he/him)
https://bio.site/RyanVanLoan
Pinned
Ryan Van Loan
@ryanvanloan.bsky.social
· Nov 13
Hey old friends from X & new followers! I'm a fantasy author. You can check out the link in my bio for my books which are about found friends overthrowing corrupt society along with magic, dead gods, & a lot of swashbuckling. I'm a former infantry NCO and polisci grad so politics comes up a lot 😅
Reposted by Ryan Van Loan
💯 will buy this shirt to donate to the cause.
it looks like missouri redistricting referendum folks (delivering 300k+ signatures to the state today) made an "informed plebeian" sweatshirt, in response to the state attorney who argued in court that redistricting shouldn't be subject to "uninformed plebiscites"
📸: @peoplenotpolsmo.bsky.social
📸: @peoplenotpolsmo.bsky.social
December 9, 2025 at 5:48 PM
💯 will buy this shirt to donate to the cause.
Not wrong.
Jimmy Fallon would host the Hunger Games.
December 9, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Not wrong.
Sam Altman needs a lifetime of therapy to figure out how to be a halfway normal human. Having skipped the therapy, he's fine with unloading a suicide machine on the young. I hope he takes his mouth off the intellectual tailpipe long enough for his child to have a chance to reshape his values.
Jimmy Fallon: "And do you use ChatGPT when raising your baby?"
Sam Altman: "I cannot imagine figuring out how to raise a newborn without ChatGPT."
Sam Altman: "I cannot imagine figuring out how to raise a newborn without ChatGPT."
December 9, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Sam Altman needs a lifetime of therapy to figure out how to be a halfway normal human. Having skipped the therapy, he's fine with unloading a suicide machine on the young. I hope he takes his mouth off the intellectual tailpipe long enough for his child to have a chance to reshape his values.
Reposted by Ryan Van Loan
Obviously this is not a defense of Greene, but it's clear that the secret sauce of Trump 2 is death threats and it's good when people who are receiving them start talking about it. That's the only way we get through this time.
Marjorie Taylor Greene: "I sent those deaths threats directly to him in a text message & informed him of what his name calling & words were doing - it was a direct assassination threat on my son. And he was extremely - I won't repeat what he said - but it was extremely unkind. No sympathy. No care"
December 9, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Obviously this is not a defense of Greene, but it's clear that the secret sauce of Trump 2 is death threats and it's good when people who are receiving them start talking about it. That's the only way we get through this time.
Reposted by Ryan Van Loan
Great response here. I'm losing my mind at all the drone proponent folks. Russia and Ukraine are using those bc they're poor and ill equipped relative to a super power. With modern air superiority, fires, unlimited ammunition, and mechanized assaults, drones are relegated to guerilla tactics.
Yeah, look, I realize I just wrote something, but the NYT has managed to annoy me enough to get me to write something else.
othermeans.io/p/reforms-of...
othermeans.io/p/reforms-of...
Reforms of the Reckless
On The New York Times Losing Their Minds
othermeans.io
December 9, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Great response here. I'm losing my mind at all the drone proponent folks. Russia and Ukraine are using those bc they're poor and ill equipped relative to a super power. With modern air superiority, fires, unlimited ammunition, and mechanized assaults, drones are relegated to guerilla tactics.
💯 will buy this shirt to donate to the cause.
it looks like missouri redistricting referendum folks (delivering 300k+ signatures to the state today) made an "informed plebeian" sweatshirt, in response to the state attorney who argued in court that redistricting shouldn't be subject to "uninformed plebiscites"
📸: @peoplenotpolsmo.bsky.social
📸: @peoplenotpolsmo.bsky.social
December 9, 2025 at 5:48 PM
💯 will buy this shirt to donate to the cause.
In which JVL casually eviscerates Ross Douhat...
"When you read about Schmitt’s ideas you see a lot of contemporary American politics prefigured. In his detestation of liberalism, he resembles a smarter and more honest Ross Douthat."
"When you read about Schmitt’s ideas you see a lot of contemporary American politics prefigured. In his detestation of liberalism, he resembles a smarter and more honest Ross Douthat."
"Do the Republican Good Immigrants finally understand that Trump and his administration want them gone, too?"
A deep dive on immigration politics in today's Triad from @jvl.bsky.social:
A deep dive on immigration politics in today's Triad from @jvl.bsky.social:
"Heritage Americans" and the Nazi Horse
Carl Schmitt comes to America.
lnk.thebulwark.com
December 9, 2025 at 5:46 PM
In which JVL casually eviscerates Ross Douhat...
"When you read about Schmitt’s ideas you see a lot of contemporary American politics prefigured. In his detestation of liberalism, he resembles a smarter and more honest Ross Douthat."
"When you read about Schmitt’s ideas you see a lot of contemporary American politics prefigured. In his detestation of liberalism, he resembles a smarter and more honest Ross Douthat."
Great response here. I'm losing my mind at all the drone proponent folks. Russia and Ukraine are using those bc they're poor and ill equipped relative to a super power. With modern air superiority, fires, unlimited ammunition, and mechanized assaults, drones are relegated to guerilla tactics.
Yeah, look, I realize I just wrote something, but the NYT has managed to annoy me enough to get me to write something else.
othermeans.io/p/reforms-of...
othermeans.io/p/reforms-of...
Reforms of the Reckless
On The New York Times Losing Their Minds
othermeans.io
December 9, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Great response here. I'm losing my mind at all the drone proponent folks. Russia and Ukraine are using those bc they're poor and ill equipped relative to a super power. With modern air superiority, fires, unlimited ammunition, and mechanized assaults, drones are relegated to guerilla tactics.
Funny how the bailout bill for farmers is also $12B 🤔
December 9, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Funny how the bailout bill for farmers is also $12B 🤔
Reposted by Ryan Van Loan
(can't help but notice who gets to be "young" and full of talent and who doesn't.)
December 8, 2025 at 9:29 PM
(can't help but notice who gets to be "young" and full of talent and who doesn't.)
Reposted by Ryan Van Loan
Movie you've watched more than six times with a Gif. Hard mode-no Star Wars, Marvel
December 8, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Movie you've watched more than six times with a Gif. Hard mode-no Star Wars, Marvel
Reposted by Ryan Van Loan
Movie you've watched more than six times with a Gif. Hard mode-no Star Wars, Marvel
December 8, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Movie you've watched more than six times with a Gif. Hard mode-no Star Wars, Marvel
Reposted by Ryan Van Loan
The hardest part is deciding which one.
December 8, 2025 at 3:06 PM
The hardest part is deciding which one.
Reposted by Ryan Van Loan
Movie you've watched more than six times with a Gif. Hard mode-no Star Wars, Marvel
December 8, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Movie you've watched more than six times with a Gif. Hard mode-no Star Wars, Marvel
Reposted by Ryan Van Loan
Found when sorting an old drive. I still, very occasionally, say 'not many badgers in the House of Lords' and this is why:
February 8, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Found when sorting an old drive. I still, very occasionally, say 'not many badgers in the House of Lords' and this is why:
Christmas version (easy mode).
December 8, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Christmas version (easy mode).
Movie you've watched more than six times with a Gif. Hard mode-no Star Wars, Marvel
December 8, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Movie you've watched more than six times with a Gif. Hard mode-no Star Wars, Marvel
Reposted by Ryan Van Loan
liberalism is going to require something martial and vicious and somewhat fanatic if we want it to survive. it won't be the liberalism we grew up with. it will be an uglier, harder thing for an uglier, harder world.
December 5, 2025 at 8:19 PM
liberalism is going to require something martial and vicious and somewhat fanatic if we want it to survive. it won't be the liberalism we grew up with. it will be an uglier, harder thing for an uglier, harder world.
Reposted by Ryan Van Loan
there is this idea that we've accepted in modern liberalism that we have to accept all viewpoints and give them their permitted space to compete, and that nothing is truly evil, nothing can demand genuine punishment.
we are learning this is quite wrong.
we are learning this is quite wrong.
December 5, 2025 at 8:18 PM
there is this idea that we've accepted in modern liberalism that we have to accept all viewpoints and give them their permitted space to compete, and that nothing is truly evil, nothing can demand genuine punishment.
we are learning this is quite wrong.
we are learning this is quite wrong.
Reposted by Ryan Van Loan
a while ago I was on the @sjshancoxli.liberalcurrents.com podcast and was challenged with the question "what kind of stories can liberals tell to defend their ideals?" and I struggled with it.
I feel like I'm developing an answer as the weeks go on. Namely, that liberalism doesn't mean peaceful.
I feel like I'm developing an answer as the weeks go on. Namely, that liberalism doesn't mean peaceful.
December 5, 2025 at 8:17 PM
a while ago I was on the @sjshancoxli.liberalcurrents.com podcast and was challenged with the question "what kind of stories can liberals tell to defend their ideals?" and I struggled with it.
I feel like I'm developing an answer as the weeks go on. Namely, that liberalism doesn't mean peaceful.
I feel like I'm developing an answer as the weeks go on. Namely, that liberalism doesn't mean peaceful.
Charlatans, cranks, and now - child killers.
The hepatitis B vaccine had been recommended for all newborns since 1991.
From 1990-2019, acute hepatitis B infections reported among children and teens fell 99 percent. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/w...
From 1990-2019, acute hepatitis B infections reported among children and teens fell 99 percent. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/w...
Breaking: After contentious debates and three failed attempts at a vote, a federal vaccine committee decided on Friday to end the decades-long recommendation that all newborns be immunized at birth against hepatitis B.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/h...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/h...
December 5, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Charlatans, cranks, and now - child killers.
Reposted by Ryan Van Loan
this manages to legitimately be way worse than all the leaks that were being fed to the papers last night
December 5, 2025 at 1:05 AM
this manages to legitimately be way worse than all the leaks that were being fed to the papers last night
Reposted by Ryan Van Loan
Hypothesis: people dumb enough to vote for the party that wants to eliminate them are going to be mind-numbingly, flat-earthily ignorant on just about any other issue you poll them about.
Oh this poll is fascinating
December 4, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Hypothesis: people dumb enough to vote for the party that wants to eliminate them are going to be mind-numbingly, flat-earthily ignorant on just about any other issue you poll them about.
Reposted by Ryan Van Loan
Unironically yes, build a sexbot AI that pushes people into feminism and emotional depth
we must build a progressive liberal sex robot to defeat grok
December 4, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Unironically yes, build a sexbot AI that pushes people into feminism and emotional depth
This thread up and down. I'm telling you, the sliver of folks on BS (who are the same you're FB and IG friends with) are not representative of everyone else.
They may chuckle when AI hallucinates, but they don't really question it. They think it's amazing.
We need to act accordingly.
They may chuckle when AI hallucinates, but they don't really question it. They think it's amazing.
We need to act accordingly.
Too many lefties/liberals still convinced that the things they want to be true are in fact true. Most people are not AI skeptics, and many consider AI to be pretty wondrous. Also (maybe most importantly) they consider it a neutral and authoritative source of information, including about politics.
December 5, 2025 at 1:24 AM
This thread up and down. I'm telling you, the sliver of folks on BS (who are the same you're FB and IG friends with) are not representative of everyone else.
They may chuckle when AI hallucinates, but they don't really question it. They think it's amazing.
We need to act accordingly.
They may chuckle when AI hallucinates, but they don't really question it. They think it's amazing.
We need to act accordingly.