Chris Brockett
@chrisbrockett.bsky.social
5.2K followers 7.2K following 1.9K posts
Data janitor and leftover linguist (retired). Tsundoku expert. Language & Cognition. NLP. Japanese literature. Anti-authoritarian. Pro-science.
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Reposted by Chris Brockett
helenkennedy.bsky.social
This was my first thought too. When the military became reliant on the leader and not the state, the republic died.
kjephd.bsky.social
Many historians of Rome identify Roman generals becoming the personal sources of payment for their armies as a key step in the downfall of the Republic, since it personalized military authority and freed armies to fight for their immediate leader, who paid them, instead of for the Republic
Reposted by Chris Brockett
rebeccasear.bsky.social
“More than half of the work done by women in the period between the 16th and 18th centuries took place outside of the home, and around half of all housework and three-quarters of care work was conducted professionally for other households” [England]

phys.org/news/2025-10...
A woman's place was not in the home: Challenging the assumptions about women's work in early modern history
New research has revealed that women played a fundamental role in the development of England's national economy before 1700.
phys.org
Reposted by Chris Brockett
samhalpert.bsky.social
Dems floated a narrow bill to fund the military, which can’t move because the House isn’t in session. Meanwhile, DoD is now going to spend funds not appropriated by Congress to ensure military paychecks continue.

POTUS now both commands and provisions the military. Unconstitutional and SO dangerous
The Office of Management and Budget sent a notification to Congress about their intent to use research and development funds to pay members of the military, two sources with direct knowledge tell NBC News.
A spokesperson for the OMB confirmed to NBC
News that it plans to use the research and development funds and that there are two years' worth of funds available within the Department of Defense.
chrisbrockett.bsky.social
The inflatable Antifa dancers should bill ICE for their services providing entertainment for the troops.
Reposted by Chris Brockett
kenwhite.bsky.social
Also: if you work for ICE, even if you’re not one of the ones arresting citizens or tackling 15-year-olds or zip-tying kids together and segregating them by race, you’re part of the mechanism making it happen, and you should suffer long-term social and post-regime-change consequences.
aricohn.com
Some weirdo on Twitter has been absolutely melting down for like 36 straight hours because I posted:

When this is over, do not forget what ICE did, and what ICE is. And do not make room for them in society. Make sure they know that they are, and will continue to be, reviled and beneath contempt.
chrisbrockett.bsky.social
They understand that their job is to reestablish and enforce the color-coded caste system--a hierarchy of violence--the boundaries of which have eroded since the end of World War II.
chrisbrockett.bsky.social
I am not going to post a screenshot lest I be accused of fomenting insurrection. But for some reason I have started getting spam mail from a company purporting to sell European automatic rifles online. I suspect a honeypot.
chrisbrockett.bsky.social
Forwarded to me by a friend who prefers to remain anonymous for obvious reasons. Source unknown. Once we have reclaimed ownership of Pepe, we can take back ownership of 🇺🇸 !
A green frog head on a black flag in a circle. The text reads AMPHIFA: amphibians against fascism
Reposted by Chris Brockett
brendannyhan.bsky.social
Unprecedented corruption
robertscotthorton.bsky.social
Trump said he deserved a cut for brokering the TikTok deal, and at once there was agreement that his son Baron would have a top executive slot... though he hasn't asked for it, and has no apparent qualifications to hold it. This is how Trump 2.0 works. www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025...
Barron Trump tipped for top TikTok job
US president’s 19-year-old son could be appointed to the app’s board
www.telegraph.co.uk
Reposted by Chris Brockett
ericcolumbus.bsky.social
“After Trump got his.”

A useful, replicable phrase.
warren.senate.gov
After Trump got his Covid shot, he chose to fire the scientists protecting the rest of us from diseases.
Reposted by Chris Brockett
prchovanec.bsky.social
They keep arresting people for giving them dirty looks, make up accusations that they did something violent, then are forced to release them when the video footage comes out - if they weren’t shot in the meantime.
jsweetli.bsky.social
WGN, this woman’s employer, is now reporting she was not charged with any crimes and was released.

DHS said earlier she was arrested for assault for throwing objects at agents.
chrisbrockett.bsky.social
So what happens to all the resources in the library? Are they going to be tossed into dumpsters in the street so that the building can be sold off to one of Trump's cronies?
altcdc.altgov.info
RIFed:
Office of Science - CDC Library

They have helped SO many of us with their expertise & guidance so we can do efficient & quick research.

You don’t need us toiling in Pubmed for days at a time during an outbreak. The library helps us get what we need quickly so we can continue our work.
About Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library
The CDC library provides resources and services to support research, communication, and learning.<br></br>
www.cdc.gov
Reposted by Chris Brockett
publichealthguy1.bsky.social
as someone who worked at the CDC, the way they’ve targeted these illegal firings are pretty much what i would do to inflict maximum damage to what remains of our nation’s federal public health infrastructure. a hostile takeover of the agency
adamkeiper.com
You would not fire these people—including the staff of the hugely, HUGELY important 'Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report'—if you cared at all about public health, if you wanted people to live.

And you would not let your thuggish henchmen fire people like this if you were a responsible president.
sherylnyt.bsky.social
BREAKING: Friday night massacre underway at CDC. Doznes of "disease detectives," high-level scientists, entire Washington staff and editors of the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) have all been RIFed and received the following notice:
Reposted by Chris Brockett
maaloufmd.bsky.social
So this IL Hospital Association memo describes an incident where ICE detained a US citizen, gave them HEART PROBLEMS, took them to a hospital where the fought with medical personnel, then left when they realized they detained a CITIZEN.
Reposted by Chris Brockett
altcdc.altgov.info
RIFed:
Office of Science - CDC Library

They have helped SO many of us with their expertise & guidance so we can do efficient & quick research.

You don’t need us toiling in Pubmed for days at a time during an outbreak. The library helps us get what we need quickly so we can continue our work.
About Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library
The CDC library provides resources and services to support research, communication, and learning.<br></br>
www.cdc.gov
Reposted by Chris Brockett
chrisbrockett.bsky.social
TikTok censorship of inconvenient political information is starting to kick in.
premthakker.bsky.social
Huh: TikTok took down my 8-second video featuring this image of Debbie Brockman — the news producer just detained by Trump’s CBP agents — saying it violates the “joy of TikTok”
chrisbrockett.bsky.social
This is bad. Destruction of the national disease monitoring system. The Project 2025 are trying to get people killed.
sherylnyt.bsky.social
BREAKING: Friday night massacre underway at CDC. Doznes of "disease detectives," high-level scientists, entire Washington staff and editors of the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) have all been RIFed and received the following notice:
Reposted by Chris Brockett
gregpak.net
This is the way. Never cut deals with fascists.
histoftech.bsky.social
The Virginia Senate just told UVA it’s not getting state funding if it accepts the compact since UVA exists to serve Virginia, its residents, & their interests—not be a tool of the federal govt. Scoop from our student newspaper, who’ve been doing vital reporting www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2025...