JesseK

JesseK

@vastin.bsky.social

Dad - GameDev - LARPer - Astronomy fan Someone who wishes the world could be a little nicer and more relaxed.

196 followers266 following536 posts

JesseK
@vastin.bsky.social

washingtonspectator.org/project-russ... This article (dec 2024) is very disturbing. It highlights a book that likely outlines Putin's plan for the future of the world, and it manages to predict the first several months of Trump's regime with startling accuracy.

washingtonspectator.org“Project Russia,” Reveals Putin’s Playbook | Washington SpectatorBetween 2005 and 2010, a set of books called “Project Russia” was distributed to high-ranking officials in the Russian government and other influential thought leaders. The books offered a detailed…

JesseK reposted

Melissa Caruso
@melissacaruso.bsky.social

OH HEY and this is apparently Get Melissa's Books Cheap day, because NOT ONLY is THE LAST HOUR BETWEEN WORLDS Audible's daily deal, but THE TETHERED MAGE ebook is a Kindle Daily Deal (US)! Mirrored at B&N and probably other places! Here's Amazon, more links in reply: www.amazon.com/Tethered-Mag...

amazon.comThe Tethered Mage (Swords and Fire Book 1)The Tethered Mage (Swords and Fire Book 1) - Kindle edition by Caruso, Melissa. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Tethered Mage (Swords and Fire Book 1).
JesseK
@vastin.bsky.social

Mixed feelings about Chuck Schumer's move. On the one hand, it would have been symbolically great for the democrats to be able to stand up together. On the other, it looks like if it is blocked, a huge amount of power then devolves to Trump by default, making DOGE more dangerous.

JesseK
@vastin.bsky.social

There's still this assumption that Dems can just wait 2 years to take back the House - that they will be allowed a legitimate election. Seems pollyannish. Transcript: Bad News for Trump as Brutal New Polls Show Musk Tanking newrepublic.com/article/1917... via @newrepublic.com

newrepublic.comTranscript: Bad News for Trump as Brutal New Polls Show Musk TankingAn interview with political scientist Julia Azari, who argues that new polls showing public backlash to Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s authoritarian overreach give Democrats an opening
JesseK
@vastin.bsky.social

The Guardian is largely on point in this article, but they also speak as if Zelensky made some strategic mistake in not groveling to Trump. He did not, as there was never any chance of the US continuing to support Ukraine under Trump - or Europe for that matter. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...

theguardian.comKyiv’s White House wooing implodes as Zelenskyy tells the truth about Trump | Julian BorgerAll America’s allies know that Trump is trapped in a disinformation bubble, but Zelenskyy said it out loud
JesseK
@vastin.bsky.social

To my fellow liberals and moderates. Please, for the love of god, stop waiting for the right to 'wake up' and realize their mistake. They didn't make a mistake. They didn't expect some other outcome. An autocratic, corrupt, brutal, and unfair society is EXACTLY what they truly desired.

JesseK
@vastin.bsky.social

The attitude of xenophobia and tribal glory is a very simple story that many of them have craved a return to for nearly a century now. It does not matter if it makes their lives harder, it's just what they want emotionally. It makes sense to them. They can understand it.

JesseK
@vastin.bsky.social

It won't matter if their children die of small pox, it won't matter if many go hungry, it won't matter if homelessness triples, test scores drop and planes fall out of the sky every Tuesday. As long as they see their 'tribe' in control and they are permitted to denigrate the rest, they're good.

JesseK
@vastin.bsky.social

This is not a moment that calls for concern, sadness, despair, or withdrawal. It calls for rage. We don't have time for any other emotion, because every minute we take to process or comprehend it will be used as a weapon against us. That is where we find ourselves.

JesseK
@vastin.bsky.social

Whelp, Trump flipped the table and scattered the federal government all over the carpet, and now in two days we've had two plane crashes. Guess we'd better get used to air safety being a thing of the past.

JesseK
@vastin.bsky.social

The stock market is no longer a mechanism for building prosperity - it's simply a pyramid scheme, full stop. The only reason there's any relationship to P/E whatsoever is force of dumb habit from old school investors. They're think they are playing a game that is no longer in progress. 2/

JesseK
@vastin.bsky.social

The mechanism that powers this seemingly unstoppable wealth extraction mechanism is the 401k system which forces most of us to invest our retirement funds into the market, so they can be skimmed by the billionaires and prop up the base of the pyramid. Good times.

JesseK
@vastin.bsky.social

Who would actually be stupid enough to open their infrastructure to a worker who - at any time - can be made the agent of a hostile government, and very likely would be from the day they gained access? Are US business executives really this stupid? (Apparently...) www.techradar.com/pro/security...

techradar.comFBI claims North Korean workers are hacking the US companies which hired themThe FBI’s campaign against the employment of state-sponsored threat actors rumbles on
JesseK
@vastin.bsky.social

I'm not even averse to the basic concept of tariffs - small ones (5%-10% max), across the board, implemented gradually to avoid trade disruptions. Why? Because there is such thing as economies becoming TOO interdependent, and unexpected events can easily break them. (eg: Pandemics)

JesseK
@vastin.bsky.social

/2 It's like having a custom Lamborghini, its performance is great - but its tolerances are so tightly set that it will break down or seize up due to minor issues. Just-in-time shipping around the world behaves similarly (eg: Suez Canal blockage).

JesseK
@vastin.bsky.social

/3 Unfortunately what we're contemplating now are full on trade barriers, erected towards our largest trade partners at little notice. That portends an economic disaster. Will be fascinating to see it play out, but I really wish I were a distant bystander.

JesseK reposted

Literary Pearls
@literarypearls.bsky.social

"One of the great tragedies of mankind is that morality has been hijacked by religion. So now people assume that religion and morality have a necessary connection. But the basis of morality is really very simple and doesn't require religion at all." Arthur C. Clarke

JesseK
@vastin.bsky.social

Really enjoyed War of the Rohirrim. Excellent writing & animation, highly engaging characters (both good guys & bad!). All around very well done. Oh, and no one let Peter Jackson break out his childhood action figure set to frame the battles, which was a big relief.

JesseK
@vastin.bsky.social

This is a surprise. Last I checked biologists seemed to be of the opinion that mirrored proteins would be incompatible with ours, and they'd just fail to interact. I guess they discovered some evidence to the contrary, and that's quite unsettling.

JesseK reposted

Melissa Caruso
@melissacaruso.bsky.social

(*Old thread recreated to save from Twitter*) OKAY I HAVE AN IMPORTANT THREAD FOR YOU about fighting in ballgowns! I will illustrate with Disney Princess gifs, because why not. First, you can absolutely swordfight in a dress. Some dresses are great to swordfight in, and some are not so great.

JesseK
@vastin.bsky.social

My SO's new book releasing today! It is seen here propped up against our dog, Lupa. A creature that given her own way would currently be turning said book into 'pulp' fiction.

Melissa Caruso@melissacaruso.bsky.social

Hey, welcome to all my new followers! It's so much nicer over here in Bluesky. I'm Melissa Caruso, author of assorted fantasy books of magic, murder, and mayhem (newest: THE LAST HOUR BETWEEN WORLDS). I also babble about writing craft, my dog, larping, & books. Welcome! I hope you stay awhile!

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