Guy Gavriel Kay
@guygavrielkay.bsky.social
Author, punster, baseball fan, whisky lover, cocktail maker. Limericks happen here. Written on the Dark now released, Canada, U.S., U.K. Print, ebook, audiobook.
The comparisons write themselves, don’t they?
Bolsonaro gets 27 years for his attempted coup to hold power in Brazil. Trump is acquitted by Republicans in impeachment & then re-elected so he can inflict more ego-driven destruction at home & around the world. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Jair Bolsonaro ordered to start 27-year prison term for plotting Brazil coup
Ex-president to start serving term in 12 sq metre bedroom in police base in Brasília after time for appeals elapses
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:35 PM
The comparisons write themselves, don’t they?
They are very, very clear as to their moral ugliness, aren’t they?
"The US government will not be commemorating World AIDS day this year".
Silence = Death
There are 1.1 million people living with HIV in the United States, 40 million globally
Silence = Death
There are 1.1 million people living with HIV in the United States, 40 million globally
November 25, 2025 at 8:33 PM
They are very, very clear as to their moral ugliness, aren’t they?
Did Hegseth think he was getting a Great Job? He can’t even go to a bar in peace any more. Nor, frankly, should he be permitted to.
November 25, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Did Hegseth think he was getting a Great Job? He can’t even go to a bar in peace any more. Nor, frankly, should he be permitted to.
Winner, among a lot of them for this account.
We wanted to understand how regular Americans feel about the Trump administration. So we talked to three Russia-funded content farmers at a tea house in Islamabad.
November 24, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Winner, among a lot of them for this account.
Reposted by Guy Gavriel Kay
Moving institutional press decision processes feels like a specialized area of influence that no one has really figured out. *Decades* of people repeatedly pointing to horrendous headline/subhed writing apparently hasn’t even dented editorial judgment. Is there any way to fix this?
Utterly ludicrous framing from @nytimes.com here, treating Pete Hegseth's arguments as if they're legitimate. The casual reader will be left with no inkling whatsoever of how unusual and corrupt an abuse of the process this truly is:
November 24, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Moving institutional press decision processes feels like a specialized area of influence that no one has really figured out. *Decades* of people repeatedly pointing to horrendous headline/subhed writing apparently hasn’t even dented editorial judgment. Is there any way to fix this?
‘a hijacked airplane’ feels accurate, and acute.
Earlier this week, a new page titled “Vaccines and Autism” appeared on the CDC website. The agency's employees are not happy about it.
“The best way I can put it is it feels like we’re on a hijacked airplane.”
“The best way I can put it is it feels like we’re on a hijacked airplane.”
“Embarrassing” and “horrifying”: CDC workers describe the new vaccines and autism page
"The best way I can put it is it feels like we're on a hijacked airplane."
www.motherjones.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:12 PM
‘a hijacked airplane’ feels accurate, and acute.
Frankly, spelling pyjamas as pajamas dishonours (sic, dammit) the country!
Duffy on his demand that air travelers not wear slippers or pajamas: "It honors our country ... don't take your shoes off and put your feet on the chair ahead of you"
November 24, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Frankly, spelling pyjamas as pajamas dishonours (sic, dammit) the country!
‘However common this tale and the depiction of swan-Zeus impregnating Lena was on Ancient Roman culture, the depiction discovered in Pompeii is pretty unique.’
Lena?
Lena and the Swad?
The assassination of all the Proofreaders is a tragic myth.
Lena?
Lena and the Swad?
The assassination of all the Proofreaders is a tragic myth.
November 24, 2025 at 7:12 PM
‘However common this tale and the depiction of swan-Zeus impregnating Lena was on Ancient Roman culture, the depiction discovered in Pompeii is pretty unique.’
Lena?
Lena and the Swad?
The assassination of all the Proofreaders is a tragic myth.
Lena?
Lena and the Swad?
The assassination of all the Proofreaders is a tragic myth.
Reposted by Guy Gavriel Kay
We are in a bizarre moment of diplomatic history. The purported "peace plan" that appeared a few days ago begins in Russian unreality and American weakness. Demanding everything of Ukraine and nothing of Russia, its purpose is imperialism and profiteering.
snyder.substack.com/p/russian-un...
snyder.substack.com/p/russian-un...
Russian Unreality and American Weakness
Notes from a bizarre moment of diplomatic history
snyder.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:41 PM
We are in a bizarre moment of diplomatic history. The purported "peace plan" that appeared a few days ago begins in Russian unreality and American weakness. Demanding everything of Ukraine and nothing of Russia, its purpose is imperialism and profiteering.
snyder.substack.com/p/russian-un...
snyder.substack.com/p/russian-un...
Reposted by Guy Gavriel Kay
Although the scale of this is still to be assessed, this is the inevitable outcome of the monetization of the algorithm. Rage-bait becomes a personal revenue model. Nothing about this should be a surprise.
NEWS: I spent the past 24 hours going through major MAGA accounts on Twitter, and a bombshell development has become clear: most of the right-wing ecosphere is being fed propaganda from foreign actors.
This impacts elections. This impacts discourse. This is major. Subscribe to support my work:
This impacts elections. This impacts discourse. This is major. Subscribe to support my work:
NEWS: Major MAGA Accounts on Twitter Exposed as Foreign Actors
A stunning development over the past 24 hours.
open.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Although the scale of this is still to be assessed, this is the inevitable outcome of the monetization of the algorithm. Rage-bait becomes a personal revenue model. Nothing about this should be a surprise.
Trump’s Revenge Tour indictment of Comey has been dismissed. Decent time to note again the bitter irony there’s a good case that Comey got him elected by fatuously (or worse) leaving criminal issues for Hillary open just before the 2016 election.
November 24, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Trump’s Revenge Tour indictment of Comey has been dismissed. Decent time to note again the bitter irony there’s a good case that Comey got him elected by fatuously (or worse) leaving criminal issues for Hillary open just before the 2016 election.
It is a time of Too Much Going On and so I am unable to ratchet up the Dudgeon Level to High as to Variety's list of top 100 comedies. These lists are just made for arguments, and they were long before monetized clickbait arrived to torment us.
November 24, 2025 at 6:04 PM
It is a time of Too Much Going On and so I am unable to ratchet up the Dudgeon Level to High as to Variety's list of top 100 comedies. These lists are just made for arguments, and they were long before monetized clickbait arrived to torment us.
Relayed (with a graphic, even!) from my US house. On sale this week on BookBub for those who use it, Or might decide to. $3 for Written on the Dark is the cost (adjusted for centuries passing) of a flask of wine in a tavern in Ferrieres…
November 24, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Relayed (with a graphic, even!) from my US house. On sale this week on BookBub for those who use it, Or might decide to. $3 for Written on the Dark is the cost (adjusted for centuries passing) of a flask of wine in a tavern in Ferrieres…
‘Train Dreams’ is quite moving and really beautifully shot, a quietly lovely film. I almost wrote ‘lovely little film’ but it isn’t small, really, it encompasses too much. Recommended.
November 24, 2025 at 2:27 AM
‘Train Dreams’ is quite moving and really beautifully shot, a quietly lovely film. I almost wrote ‘lovely little film’ but it isn’t small, really, it encompasses too much. Recommended.
Reposted by Guy Gavriel Kay
CASSIDY: I know it's titillating, but I think we need to move beyond the titillation
TAPPER: This isn't about titillation. This is about the fact that you are the chairman of the health committee and you voted to confirm somebody that by all accounts is actually making America less healthy
TAPPER: This isn't about titillation. This is about the fact that you are the chairman of the health committee and you voted to confirm somebody that by all accounts is actually making America less healthy
November 23, 2025 at 2:42 PM
CASSIDY: I know it's titillating, but I think we need to move beyond the titillation
TAPPER: This isn't about titillation. This is about the fact that you are the chairman of the health committee and you voted to confirm somebody that by all accounts is actually making America less healthy
TAPPER: This isn't about titillation. This is about the fact that you are the chairman of the health committee and you voted to confirm somebody that by all accounts is actually making America less healthy
Celan renounced the poem that is most meaningful to most people, most powerful. His ‘Death Fugue’ is harrowing and heartbreaking, and he later felt, by report, that it was *too* much so, too direct in addressing the Holocaust.
A shattering work, and a complex rejection. I think about both, often.
A shattering work, and a complex rejection. I think about both, often.
Remembering Paul Celan on his birthday 🎂
📷 Gisèle Freund, 1970
"It was the peculiar genius of Paul Celan to be able to strip language of its normal socioeconomic occasions without cutting the lines that lead language to the heart."
- Robert Kelly
📷 Gisèle Freund, 1970
"It was the peculiar genius of Paul Celan to be able to strip language of its normal socioeconomic occasions without cutting the lines that lead language to the heart."
- Robert Kelly
November 23, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Celan renounced the poem that is most meaningful to most people, most powerful. His ‘Death Fugue’ is harrowing and heartbreaking, and he later felt, by report, that it was *too* much so, too direct in addressing the Holocaust.
A shattering work, and a complex rejection. I think about both, often.
A shattering work, and a complex rejection. I think about both, often.
If this is correct, and Rubio’s comment seems to confirm it is, this is a degree of blundering incompetence that is not only extreme, but frightening. Lives and global order are on the line here, and Trump and his WH seem utterly lost.
Been driving for a couple hours. Just got online. Lemme see if I understand. US has been pushing a Ukraine plan for a few days. After some pushback, US Secy of State reveals that in fact it's a Russian plan that was presented to the US. Helluva a misunderstanding.
November 23, 2025 at 2:48 AM
If this is correct, and Rubio’s comment seems to confirm it is, this is a degree of blundering incompetence that is not only extreme, but frightening. Lives and global order are on the line here, and Trump and his WH seem utterly lost.
This is a lovely story. A thank you to @derrylm.bsky.social for relaying to me.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
How to Fix a Typewriter and Your Life (Gift Article)
This is the story of how a man traded steady, grinding corporate security for a dying craft and, in the process, found his soul.
www.nytimes.com
November 23, 2025 at 2:28 AM
This is a lovely story. A thank you to @derrylm.bsky.social for relaying to me.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Recommended, if you can access The Atlantic. This gift link should work.
A very good piece. “The fact that many men believe they no longer even have to pretend to respect women in order to participate in public life makes it unlikely that anything will change anytime soon.”
President Piggy
This is what consequence-free misogyny looks like.
www.theatlantic.com
November 22, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Recommended, if you can access The Atlantic. This gift link should work.
Because we were just in Vienna I re-re-rewatched The Third Man this afternoon … and what a *stupendous* film it is. So many elements, so many moments, to note and celebrate. One of the all-time great movies, for me.
November 22, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Because we were just in Vienna I re-re-rewatched The Third Man this afternoon … and what a *stupendous* film it is. So many elements, so many moments, to note and celebrate. One of the all-time great movies, for me.
Makes one consider subscribing again in order to unsubscribe again.
This used to be, not that long ago, an important newspaper.
This used to be, not that long ago, an important newspaper.
The Washington Post editorial board decided the Epstein files have “no public interest” before even seeing them. That’s a stunning position for any newsroom to take. Praising Clay Higgins as the lone ‘no’ vote, too? No wonder no one trusts legacy media. Absolutely disgusting.
November 22, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Makes one consider subscribing again in order to unsubscribe again.
This used to be, not that long ago, an important newspaper.
This used to be, not that long ago, an important newspaper.
Reposted by Guy Gavriel Kay
Zelenskyy has huge pressure on him, and unbelievable responsibilities and decisions to make... but what he needs more than anything during this time, is the support of Europe and the UK. Steadfast and reliable. He needs to know that if he chooses the hard path, we have his back.
November 22, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Zelenskyy has huge pressure on him, and unbelievable responsibilities and decisions to make... but what he needs more than anything during this time, is the support of Europe and the UK. Steadfast and reliable. He needs to know that if he chooses the hard path, we have his back.
Friend: In 2 years MTG will be Sarah Palin.
Me: ‘I can see Macon from my house!’
(Accepting cookies for that one.)
Me: ‘I can see Macon from my house!’
(Accepting cookies for that one.)
November 22, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Friend: In 2 years MTG will be Sarah Palin.
Me: ‘I can see Macon from my house!’
(Accepting cookies for that one.)
Me: ‘I can see Macon from my house!’
(Accepting cookies for that one.)
Reposted by Guy Gavriel Kay
Massive shoutout out to whoever handles the Royal Canadian Air Force’s social media account. They responded to every single comment on their already very solid Trans Day of Remembrance post and they responded like this…
November 22, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Massive shoutout out to whoever handles the Royal Canadian Air Force’s social media account. They responded to every single comment on their already very solid Trans Day of Remembrance post and they responded like this…
This, for several I know (my generation) is crazy-making. yes. The degree to which the current deranged, deadly asshole RFK destroys the memory of his father, the earlier RFK.
funniest thing for me abt rfk, funny and sad, is that whenever i'm driving and see signs for the RFK bridge my instinctive reaction is 'ahhh nahh fuck that dude'
November 22, 2025 at 2:22 PM
This, for several I know (my generation) is crazy-making. yes. The degree to which the current deranged, deadly asshole RFK destroys the memory of his father, the earlier RFK.