@roguemathematician.bsky.social
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"the state is defined by its monopoly on violence, which--"
okay but does the state actually have a monopoly on violence
"well no, but it does have a monopoly on legitimate violence, which--"
okay but does the state actually have a monopoly on legitimate violence
"well no, but--"
okay but does the state actually have a monopoly on violence
"well no, but it does have a monopoly on legitimate violence, which--"
okay but does the state actually have a monopoly on legitimate violence
"well no, but--"
January 25, 2026 at 11:18 PM
"the state is defined by its monopoly on violence, which--"
okay but does the state actually have a monopoly on violence
"well no, but it does have a monopoly on legitimate violence, which--"
okay but does the state actually have a monopoly on legitimate violence
"well no, but--"
okay but does the state actually have a monopoly on violence
"well no, but it does have a monopoly on legitimate violence, which--"
okay but does the state actually have a monopoly on legitimate violence
"well no, but--"
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So to be clear we have actually reached the point where NATO states are deploying tripwire forces to deter *another NATO state* from invading *another NATO state.*
I struggle to communicate the strategic and just regular insanity of this moment.
I struggle to communicate the strategic and just regular insanity of this moment.
Sweden is over Trump's nonsense about Greenland and is sending in troops.
SWEDEN, PEOPLE.
SWEDEN, PEOPLE.
January 14, 2026 at 5:57 PM
So to be clear we have actually reached the point where NATO states are deploying tripwire forces to deter *another NATO state* from invading *another NATO state.*
I struggle to communicate the strategic and just regular insanity of this moment.
I struggle to communicate the strategic and just regular insanity of this moment.
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The last good thing Scott Adams can do for the world is to serve as a cautionary tale to everyone who’s sense of self rests on being one of the smart ones.
I don’t mean that unkindly. It’s genuinely tragic in a way I can appreciate more knowing he has no more bombs to drop.
I don’t mean that unkindly. It’s genuinely tragic in a way I can appreciate more knowing he has no more bombs to drop.
January 13, 2026 at 7:09 PM
The last good thing Scott Adams can do for the world is to serve as a cautionary tale to everyone who’s sense of self rests on being one of the smart ones.
I don’t mean that unkindly. It’s genuinely tragic in a way I can appreciate more knowing he has no more bombs to drop.
I don’t mean that unkindly. It’s genuinely tragic in a way I can appreciate more knowing he has no more bombs to drop.
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In my latest, I argue that the push for annexing Greenland is motivated by the logic of the flasher: proponents are interested in it to fuel a fantasy of power. For all the talk of strategy, it's more masturbation than Machiavellianism.
open.substack.com/pub/deadcarl...
open.substack.com/pub/deadcarl...
The Perverse Interest in Greenland
Proponents of Annexing Greenland Are Masking Their Fantasies in the Language of Strategy
open.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 8:18 PM
In my latest, I argue that the push for annexing Greenland is motivated by the logic of the flasher: proponents are interested in it to fuel a fantasy of power. For all the talk of strategy, it's more masturbation than Machiavellianism.
open.substack.com/pub/deadcarl...
open.substack.com/pub/deadcarl...
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anyway this thread is a wild ride through the mire of, to use a classic colbertism, truthiness
The curiosity was killing me. The guy said he found the ad on Instagram and that, as of today, the post is still up. So I spent an hour or so on a spreadsheet of every single bar, pub, or club I could find in Salt Lake City, almost 100.
None of them posted it
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
None of them posted it
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
January 13, 2026 at 8:53 PM
anyway this thread is a wild ride through the mire of, to use a classic colbertism, truthiness
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The curiosity was killing me. The guy said he found the ad on Instagram and that, as of today, the post is still up. So I spent an hour or so on a spreadsheet of every single bar, pub, or club I could find in Salt Lake City, almost 100.
None of them posted it
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
None of them posted it
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
January 13, 2026 at 6:56 AM
The curiosity was killing me. The guy said he found the ad on Instagram and that, as of today, the post is still up. So I spent an hour or so on a spreadsheet of every single bar, pub, or club I could find in Salt Lake City, almost 100.
None of them posted it
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
None of them posted it
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
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Today's my birthday! And I'm launching a new thing, which is a bit scary and I need your help to spread the word.
So! Today THE THIRTEENTH GOD, my new military progression fantasy magitech Mad Max x Final Fantasy x Gurren Lagann serial starts over at Royal Road!
www.royalroad.com/fiction/1472...
So! Today THE THIRTEENTH GOD, my new military progression fantasy magitech Mad Max x Final Fantasy x Gurren Lagann serial starts over at Royal Road!
www.royalroad.com/fiction/1472...
The Thirteenth God
Taking down a god isn’t easy…
In order to escape a prison at the edge of the world, con artist Kalsis Chiroptera agrees to do the impossible: overthrow the Princeps, the immortal ruler of all mankind...
www.royalroad.com
January 13, 2026 at 6:52 PM
Today's my birthday! And I'm launching a new thing, which is a bit scary and I need your help to spread the word.
So! Today THE THIRTEENTH GOD, my new military progression fantasy magitech Mad Max x Final Fantasy x Gurren Lagann serial starts over at Royal Road!
www.royalroad.com/fiction/1472...
So! Today THE THIRTEENTH GOD, my new military progression fantasy magitech Mad Max x Final Fantasy x Gurren Lagann serial starts over at Royal Road!
www.royalroad.com/fiction/1472...
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I had the chance to read the first arc of this and y'all are in for a TREAT, Django goes *hard* in this. Page-turner, just-one-more-chapter fun. Send him good energy in the views and currency form so he writes arc 2 /faster/
Today's my birthday! And I'm launching a new thing, which is a bit scary and I need your help to spread the word.
So! Today THE THIRTEENTH GOD, my new military progression fantasy magitech Mad Max x Final Fantasy x Gurren Lagann serial starts over at Royal Road!
www.royalroad.com/fiction/1472...
So! Today THE THIRTEENTH GOD, my new military progression fantasy magitech Mad Max x Final Fantasy x Gurren Lagann serial starts over at Royal Road!
www.royalroad.com/fiction/1472...
The Thirteenth God
Taking down a god isn’t easy…
In order to escape a prison at the edge of the world, con artist Kalsis Chiroptera agrees to do the impossible: overthrow the Princeps, the immortal ruler of all mankind...
www.royalroad.com
January 13, 2026 at 8:50 PM
I had the chance to read the first arc of this and y'all are in for a TREAT, Django goes *hard* in this. Page-turner, just-one-more-chapter fun. Send him good energy in the views and currency form so he writes arc 2 /faster/
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Ok this pisses me off because don’t they always invert the quote to “war is just how we accomplish our political goals“ from “if you’re thinking about war, please sit down and see if you can explain to a rubber duck what you actually hope to accomplish by getting people killed”
January 7, 2026 at 4:18 AM
Ok this pisses me off because don’t they always invert the quote to “war is just how we accomplish our political goals“ from “if you’re thinking about war, please sit down and see if you can explain to a rubber duck what you actually hope to accomplish by getting people killed”
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Because I'm always extremely behind in my podcasts, I just listened to Data Ghost by @marthawells.com on @pseudopod.org. What a story, what a reading! Fabulous stuff. pseudopod.org/2025/09/26/p...
PseudoPod 995: Data Ghost
When the station stats popped up on the screen, the Interface said, Anomalous. Deni batted at their ear and muttered, “No, no, quit it.” In the second cockpit seat, Winnie threw them a look. “What?”…
pseudopod.org
January 6, 2026 at 7:20 PM
Because I'm always extremely behind in my podcasts, I just listened to Data Ghost by @marthawells.com on @pseudopod.org. What a story, what a reading! Fabulous stuff. pseudopod.org/2025/09/26/p...
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“many angry posts should have been naps or little packets of crackers” is deep wisdom and you don’t need to reproduce to embrace it!
one unexpected outlook change from being a dad is taking the self care people 10x more seriously when it comes to dealing with weirdly directed anger and rage (including Online). many angry posts should have been naps or little packets of crackers
December 31, 2025 at 9:47 PM
“many angry posts should have been naps or little packets of crackers” is deep wisdom and you don’t need to reproduce to embrace it!
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I used to manage wine programs for movie theaters and I am in the extremely unique position to say with professional certainty that the answer here is a crisp Albariño.
asking the sommelier which wine pairs best with swedish fish
December 29, 2025 at 4:53 AM
I used to manage wine programs for movie theaters and I am in the extremely unique position to say with professional certainty that the answer here is a crisp Albariño.
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ADHD is when you have to “pay attention” but you can’t “pay,” because you’re broke. But, on the plus side, you have a million dollars in gift cards to the one thing you feel like doing.
August 17, 2025 at 9:41 PM
ADHD is when you have to “pay attention” but you can’t “pay,” because you’re broke. But, on the plus side, you have a million dollars in gift cards to the one thing you feel like doing.
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PRO TIP ALT TEXT
I think the best way to do it when you're writing alt text, is to describe the image as you would if talking to a friend on the phone who can't see the image.
So, if the image is someone applauding and that's the point of the image...
I think the best way to do it when you're writing alt text, is to describe the image as you would if talking to a friend on the phone who can't see the image.
So, if the image is someone applauding and that's the point of the image...
December 27, 2025 at 3:07 AM
PRO TIP ALT TEXT
I think the best way to do it when you're writing alt text, is to describe the image as you would if talking to a friend on the phone who can't see the image.
So, if the image is someone applauding and that's the point of the image...
I think the best way to do it when you're writing alt text, is to describe the image as you would if talking to a friend on the phone who can't see the image.
So, if the image is someone applauding and that's the point of the image...
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Gotta post the 4chan meme, sorry:
December 26, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Gotta post the 4chan meme, sorry:
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December 25th. The day the Fellowship departs Rivendell to destroy the One Ring.
Whatever you celebrate, may you have the courage to take the first steps to defy and endure against the dark, and rekindle light into the world.
Whatever you celebrate, may you have the courage to take the first steps to defy and endure against the dark, and rekindle light into the world.
December 25, 2025 at 3:52 PM
December 25th. The day the Fellowship departs Rivendell to destroy the One Ring.
Whatever you celebrate, may you have the courage to take the first steps to defy and endure against the dark, and rekindle light into the world.
Whatever you celebrate, may you have the courage to take the first steps to defy and endure against the dark, and rekindle light into the world.
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September 12, 2024 at 9:54 PM
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Now would be a good time to re-up my “War on Christmas” tales from my long defunct old blog.
“Ambushing Christmas” appafortwo.wordpress.com/2019/12/16/a...
And
“The Deliberate Attack on Christmas” appafortwo.wordpress.com/2017/12/12/t...
“Ambushing Christmas” appafortwo.wordpress.com/2019/12/16/a...
And
“The Deliberate Attack on Christmas” appafortwo.wordpress.com/2017/12/12/t...
Ambushing Christmas
2nd post in the War on Christmas series, Task Force Crazyhorse hunting for a high value target in Galilee.
appafortwo.wordpress.com
December 25, 2025 at 1:20 AM
Now would be a good time to re-up my “War on Christmas” tales from my long defunct old blog.
“Ambushing Christmas” appafortwo.wordpress.com/2019/12/16/a...
And
“The Deliberate Attack on Christmas” appafortwo.wordpress.com/2017/12/12/t...
“Ambushing Christmas” appafortwo.wordpress.com/2019/12/16/a...
And
“The Deliberate Attack on Christmas” appafortwo.wordpress.com/2017/12/12/t...
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AMERICA! "Nine Goblins" by @tkingfisher.com is on sale for $2.99 for Kindle today! (possibly also for Nook and Apple Books)
Nine Goblins: A Tale of Low Fantasy and High Mischief
Amazon.com: Nine Goblins: A Tale of Low Fantasy and High Mischief eBook : Kingfisher, T.: Kindle Store
www.amazon.com
December 20, 2025 at 9:34 AM
AMERICA! "Nine Goblins" by @tkingfisher.com is on sale for $2.99 for Kindle today! (possibly also for Nook and Apple Books)
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I've seen some responses to this dismissing the idea that doing Roman military history could be a disadvantage in the job market because it is so popular with the public.
There absolutely is a hiring bias against military history in the field, but it has nothing to do with being white or male.
There absolutely is a hiring bias against military history in the field, but it has nothing to do with being white or male.
This is 100% incorrect as the explanation for why someone obsessed with Roman *military* history is not being hired.
December 17, 2025 at 5:30 PM
I've seen some responses to this dismissing the idea that doing Roman military history could be a disadvantage in the job market because it is so popular with the public.
There absolutely is a hiring bias against military history in the field, but it has nothing to do with being white or male.
There absolutely is a hiring bias against military history in the field, but it has nothing to do with being white or male.
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Horses' only sin is that its broad themes don't entirely pay off its loaded imagery. Otherwise, it's an effectively uncomfortable games that turns life's mundane humiliations into surreal horror. If anything, its bans fill in its thematic gaps for it. My review. www.polygon.com/horses-banne...
Horses review - the banned Steam game doesn't deserve its ban
Horses tackles life's daily humiliations with surreal horror that will make you squirm
www.polygon.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Horses' only sin is that its broad themes don't entirely pay off its loaded imagery. Otherwise, it's an effectively uncomfortable games that turns life's mundane humiliations into surreal horror. If anything, its bans fill in its thematic gaps for it. My review. www.polygon.com/horses-banne...
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This is the stupidest possible angle to take about the very real problem that people want to role play in lots of ways that D&D isnt suited for but D&D has such crushing market share that people shoehorn their games into a system that actively resists them
A game where you can do anything and they’re mad that people are doing anything.
November 30, 2025 at 3:01 PM
This is the stupidest possible angle to take about the very real problem that people want to role play in lots of ways that D&D isnt suited for but D&D has such crushing market share that people shoehorn their games into a system that actively resists them
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Senator Kelly is correct.
Plus a Public Service Announcement:
KEY section of Department of Defense's Law of War Manual is 18.3.2.1.
The VERY rule on the "requirement" to refuse illegal orders gives as its paradigmatic example of what is "clearly illegal:
"orders to fire upon the shipwrecked."
Plus a Public Service Announcement:
KEY section of Department of Defense's Law of War Manual is 18.3.2.1.
The VERY rule on the "requirement" to refuse illegal orders gives as its paradigmatic example of what is "clearly illegal:
"orders to fire upon the shipwrecked."
November 30, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Senator Kelly is correct.
Plus a Public Service Announcement:
KEY section of Department of Defense's Law of War Manual is 18.3.2.1.
The VERY rule on the "requirement" to refuse illegal orders gives as its paradigmatic example of what is "clearly illegal:
"orders to fire upon the shipwrecked."
Plus a Public Service Announcement:
KEY section of Department of Defense's Law of War Manual is 18.3.2.1.
The VERY rule on the "requirement" to refuse illegal orders gives as its paradigmatic example of what is "clearly illegal:
"orders to fire upon the shipwrecked."
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"There's a famous story-"
"Nine billion names of god. Yes, the fundamental premise is true. Once we find the name of God and enough of us speak it with gratitude, all will be bliss."
"With gratitude? So computers won't solve it?"
"No. But we have a promising scheme."
"What?"
"Medication names."
"Nine billion names of god. Yes, the fundamental premise is true. Once we find the name of God and enough of us speak it with gratitude, all will be bliss."
"With gratitude? So computers won't solve it?"
"No. But we have a promising scheme."
"What?"
"Medication names."
August 21, 2025 at 5:05 PM
"There's a famous story-"
"Nine billion names of god. Yes, the fundamental premise is true. Once we find the name of God and enough of us speak it with gratitude, all will be bliss."
"With gratitude? So computers won't solve it?"
"No. But we have a promising scheme."
"What?"
"Medication names."
"Nine billion names of god. Yes, the fundamental premise is true. Once we find the name of God and enough of us speak it with gratitude, all will be bliss."
"With gratitude? So computers won't solve it?"
"No. But we have a promising scheme."
"What?"
"Medication names."