(VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
@braak.bsky.social
It's me, braak, returned at long last from my social media exile.
I encourage you to purchase my book, RADHIKA RAAD AND THE TOWER INGENIUS, which is now available (for purchase).
https://a.co/d/1nix74W
I encourage you to purchase my book, RADHIKA RAAD AND THE TOWER INGENIUS, which is now available (for purchase).
https://a.co/d/1nix74W
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
They raided the jailed children to steal their letters.
The problem, in federal officials' minds, wasn't confining children in prison-camp conditions; it was that the children could tell the public about it.
The problem, in federal officials' minds, wasn't confining children in prison-camp conditions; it was that the children could tell the public about it.
“I don’t want to be in this place I want to go to my school.”
- 7 year old imprisoned by ICE for 70 days in a concentration camp in Texas.
Today, after @propublica.org published this story, the camp was raided to confiscate letters from the children.
www.propublica.org/article/ice-...
- 7 year old imprisoned by ICE for 70 days in a concentration camp in Texas.
Today, after @propublica.org published this story, the camp was raided to confiscate letters from the children.
www.propublica.org/article/ice-...
February 17, 2026 at 8:01 PM
They raided the jailed children to steal their letters.
The problem, in federal officials' minds, wasn't confining children in prison-camp conditions; it was that the children could tell the public about it.
The problem, in federal officials' minds, wasn't confining children in prison-camp conditions; it was that the children could tell the public about it.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
The difference between a judicial warrant and an administrative warrant is the difference between a $20 bill and a napkin that a fascist wrote "twenty dollars" on.
February 17, 2026 at 6:56 PM
The difference between a judicial warrant and an administrative warrant is the difference between a $20 bill and a napkin that a fascist wrote "twenty dollars" on.
I think one of the things about this, and one of the things that makes me revisit the deranged slang from like the beatnik and flapper era, is that the people who talk like this also to some degree understand that they're taking the piss.
February 17, 2026 at 7:45 PM
I think one of the things about this, and one of the things that makes me revisit the deranged slang from like the beatnik and flapper era, is that the people who talk like this also to some degree understand that they're taking the piss.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
February 17, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
In other news, Firm Tied to Kristi Noem Secretly Got Money From $220 Million DHS Ad Contracts. The company is run by Tricia McLaughlin’s husband. www.propublica.org/article/kris...
February 17, 2026 at 7:26 PM
In other news, Firm Tied to Kristi Noem Secretly Got Money From $220 Million DHS Ad Contracts. The company is run by Tricia McLaughlin’s husband. www.propublica.org/article/kris...
Henry David Thoreau's brother died after cutting himself shaving.
Historian of medicine here. Yes. Yes, they did.
before antibiotics did people just die all the time from everything?
February 17, 2026 at 7:35 PM
Henry David Thoreau's brother died after cutting himself shaving.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
Historian of medicine here. Yes. Yes, they did.
before antibiotics did people just die all the time from everything?
February 17, 2026 at 5:47 PM
Historian of medicine here. Yes. Yes, they did.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
Reupping this because I can't stop thinking about it in light of USAID, ICE, Epstein, and the seeming total disinclination of our elite institutions to do anything about any of it.
Sometimes I think about the family get-together where I said I was afraid the plan was for the ultra-wealthy to reverse climate change simply by letting billions of people die, and I expected my climate expert brother-in-law to explain why that wasn't true, but he just said "Huh" and got real quiet.
February 17, 2026 at 7:27 PM
Reupping this because I can't stop thinking about it in light of USAID, ICE, Epstein, and the seeming total disinclination of our elite institutions to do anything about any of it.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
There's actually only two kinds of divination: augury, which is learning the language of birds and snakes (&c), and necromancy, which is communicating with the dead. A lot of divination like cartomancy, i ching, tea leaves, pyromancy, these are all actually a form of necromancy. How?
Meta has patented AI that can run a dead person's account, continuing to post and chat on their behalf
It can message and video call by replicating a user's online behavior using their past data
It can message and video call by replicating a user's online behavior using their past data
February 17, 2026 at 2:42 PM
There's actually only two kinds of divination: augury, which is learning the language of birds and snakes (&c), and necromancy, which is communicating with the dead. A lot of divination like cartomancy, i ching, tea leaves, pyromancy, these are all actually a form of necromancy. How?
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
People get all Manichean about this stuff, like the only options are complete naivete and giving up the ship. "Maybe they'll try but we won't let them" is an option.
February 17, 2026 at 6:54 PM
People get all Manichean about this stuff, like the only options are complete naivete and giving up the ship. "Maybe they'll try but we won't let them" is an option.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
ICE agents are still out there this morning, photographing schools from unmarked vehicles and then quickly leaving after being confronted. Keep your heads up.
February 17, 2026 at 4:22 PM
ICE agents are still out there this morning, photographing schools from unmarked vehicles and then quickly leaving after being confronted. Keep your heads up.
I understand why they do it but I wish the news sites that I subscribe to did not charge me all at once for the year, instead of on a month-to-month basis.
February 17, 2026 at 6:50 PM
I understand why they do it but I wish the news sites that I subscribe to did not charge me all at once for the year, instead of on a month-to-month basis.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
I want to further say that the Twin Cities has raised FIVE MILLION FUCKING DOLLARS to pay the rent of our neighbors over the last three months.
That's five million dollars we all NEEDED, but our neighbors needed it more.
And why? Why??
Because people could not work for fear of KIDNAPPING.
That's five million dollars we all NEEDED, but our neighbors needed it more.
And why? Why??
Because people could not work for fear of KIDNAPPING.
February 17, 2026 at 5:18 PM
I want to further say that the Twin Cities has raised FIVE MILLION FUCKING DOLLARS to pay the rent of our neighbors over the last three months.
That's five million dollars we all NEEDED, but our neighbors needed it more.
And why? Why??
Because people could not work for fear of KIDNAPPING.
That's five million dollars we all NEEDED, but our neighbors needed it more.
And why? Why??
Because people could not work for fear of KIDNAPPING.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
“The playing field is poised to become a lot more competitive, and businesses that don’t deploy cocaine to help them innovate in everything they do will be at a disadvantage,” says Paul Daugherty, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Accenture.
Hey, it works!
Hey, it works!
February 17, 2026 at 4:44 AM
“The playing field is poised to become a lot more competitive, and businesses that don’t deploy cocaine to help them innovate in everything they do will be at a disadvantage,” says Paul Daugherty, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Accenture.
Hey, it works!
Hey, it works!
I will say, there were two groups that do the Lion Dance for Lunar New Year in Philadelphia's Chinatown, one is the Philadelphia Suns who are still around and I believe *only* do Lion Dance, but the other was Cheung Shu Pui's Hung Gar Kung Fu school.
White people online are really excited about Lunar New Year: defector.com/white-people...
White People Online Are Really Excited About Lunar New Year | Defector
I’m sure I’m telling on myself by revealing this, but Western astrological readings are a staple of my social feeds. (To tell on myself further: Scorpio sun, Gemini rising, Cancer moon.) I don’t…
defector.com
February 17, 2026 at 6:15 PM
I will say, there were two groups that do the Lion Dance for Lunar New Year in Philadelphia's Chinatown, one is the Philadelphia Suns who are still around and I believe *only* do Lion Dance, but the other was Cheung Shu Pui's Hung Gar Kung Fu school.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
one of the most interesting things about the viral lookmaxxing influencer, which none of the coverage seems to mention (but is hinted at here), is that at the end of all his 8+ hour streams he takes a girl "home" and they just sit there and gamble at the online casino that sponsors him
February 17, 2026 at 5:42 PM
one of the most interesting things about the viral lookmaxxing influencer, which none of the coverage seems to mention (but is hinted at here), is that at the end of all his 8+ hour streams he takes a girl "home" and they just sit there and gamble at the online casino that sponsors him
Fetterman / Emmanuel
Most Cursed Ticket go
Buttigieg/Bennett
Buttigieg/Bennett
Pre-litigating 2028 so that I'm ready when I'd disappointed
February 17, 2026 at 5:55 PM
Fetterman / Emmanuel
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
we are doing team building by imagining worst fucking campaigns imaginable, this is the only good primary discourse
Most Cursed Ticket go
Buttigieg/Bennett
Buttigieg/Bennett
Pre-litigating 2028 so that I'm ready when I'd disappointed
February 17, 2026 at 5:54 PM
we are doing team building by imagining worst fucking campaigns imaginable, this is the only good primary discourse
moreover, the point of public debate is *not* to create a *logical, persuasive argument*; the point of public debate is to perform your opponent as not worth listening to.
The drunk uncle theory.
You don’t argue with the casually homophobic uncle at Thanksgiving dinner to change his mind; you argue so that the closeted cousin at the kids table knows there’s safe people and better possibilities out there
You don’t argue with the casually homophobic uncle at Thanksgiving dinner to change his mind; you argue so that the closeted cousin at the kids table knows there’s safe people and better possibilities out there
agree with this (hah) but also think a particular mistake the left made for a long time online, and still makes to an extent, is failing to understand that the person whose mind you may actually change is the one reading the argument you're having, not the one you're arguing with
February 17, 2026 at 5:33 PM
moreover, the point of public debate is *not* to create a *logical, persuasive argument*; the point of public debate is to perform your opponent as not worth listening to.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
Letters sent by @epic.org yesterday calling on the FTC and nine states to investigate and block Meta's plan to add facial recognition to its Ray-Ban smart glasses.
A privacy, safety, and civil liberties disaster in the making—unless enforcers step up.
epic.org/epic-urges-f...
A privacy, safety, and civil liberties disaster in the making—unless enforcers step up.
epic.org/epic-urges-f...
February 14, 2026 at 3:39 PM
Letters sent by @epic.org yesterday calling on the FTC and nine states to investigate and block Meta's plan to add facial recognition to its Ray-Ban smart glasses.
A privacy, safety, and civil liberties disaster in the making—unless enforcers step up.
epic.org/epic-urges-f...
A privacy, safety, and civil liberties disaster in the making—unless enforcers step up.
epic.org/epic-urges-f...
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
This is also part of an effort to remove personal ownership from the computing market and force people into expensive and surveillance-heavy cloud subscriptions to replace the concept of a home computer, gaming machine, or tablet.
I understand framing the AI bubble RAM supply crisis in terms of stuff like video game consoles because nerds can conceptualize that but the framing does really undersell the sheer magnitude of how it's going to fuck up everything that even touches a computer.
February 17, 2026 at 5:13 PM
This is also part of an effort to remove personal ownership from the computing market and force people into expensive and surveillance-heavy cloud subscriptions to replace the concept of a home computer, gaming machine, or tablet.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
There is no drawdown. There is no retreat. ICE is just redistributing their assets to better avoid accountability.
The same day DHS announced the surge would end in Minnesota, ICE activity increased in small towns
The less densely populated areas outside the Twin Cities make it harder for protesters and observers to organize.
www.theverge.com
February 17, 2026 at 4:26 PM
There is no drawdown. There is no retreat. ICE is just redistributing their assets to better avoid accountability.
in the arts people will always talk about how "having the ideas" is actually the easy part but it seems like maybe that part is also pretty hard
AI filmmaking is completely unserious.
You've got people with $30k begging the internet for ideas by next week because they have nothing of their own to say, it's just slop for the sake of slop. Embarrassing state of affairs.
You've got people with $30k begging the internet for ideas by next week because they have nothing of their own to say, it's just slop for the sake of slop. Embarrassing state of affairs.
February 17, 2026 at 4:58 PM
in the arts people will always talk about how "having the ideas" is actually the easy part but it seems like maybe that part is also pretty hard
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
I don't believe I've ever seen Ted Levine speak so candidly about his regrets of portraying Buffalo Bill in THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. He and some of the crew on the film were asked about the film's cultural transphobia by The Hollywood Reporter.
www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie...
www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie...
February 17, 2026 at 4:46 PM
I don't believe I've ever seen Ted Levine speak so candidly about his regrets of portraying Buffalo Bill in THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. He and some of the crew on the film were asked about the film's cultural transphobia by The Hollywood Reporter.
www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie...
www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie...
there was a good bit in the Highlander TV show when his girlfriend finds out he's immortal and keeps asking him about famous historic figures and he has to be like, "yeah I didn't know that guy, I was in France then" and I think that's funny, too.
imagine if you were a vampire that lived for 100s of years but you just had a regular guy's memory. Like a normal person. "What was Venice like in the 14th century" Ahhh, I don't...I don't fucking remember. There was a guy, Vincenzo? Maybe that was the 15th century. Wait, did I live in Venice?
February 17, 2026 at 4:46 PM
there was a good bit in the Highlander TV show when his girlfriend finds out he's immortal and keeps asking him about famous historic figures and he has to be like, "yeah I didn't know that guy, I was in France then" and I think that's funny, too.