(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
On Thanksgiving, the immigrant children held at the Dilley detention center gathered in the gym for what they thought was a holiday feast.
The kids salivated over a spread of turkey, sandwiches, pastries and pies, a family told me.
But the food wasn’t for detainees — it was for the staff.
The kids salivated over a spread of turkey, sandwiches, pastries and pies, a family told me.
But the food wasn’t for detainees — it was for the staff.
February 13, 2026 at 7:41 PM
On Thanksgiving, the immigrant children held at the Dilley detention center gathered in the gym for what they thought was a holiday feast.
The kids salivated over a spread of turkey, sandwiches, pastries and pies, a family told me.
But the food wasn’t for detainees — it was for the staff.
The kids salivated over a spread of turkey, sandwiches, pastries and pies, a family told me.
But the food wasn’t for detainees — it was for the staff.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
Insane, redditors find videos & audio hiding in plain sight in the DOJ’s online Epstein files due to .pdf files - congressional reps should check for the same ASAP before the DOJ scrubs them @chrismurphyct.bsky.social @reptedlieu.bsky.social
February 13, 2026 at 7:23 PM
Insane, redditors find videos & audio hiding in plain sight in the DOJ’s online Epstein files due to .pdf files - congressional reps should check for the same ASAP before the DOJ scrubs them @chrismurphyct.bsky.social @reptedlieu.bsky.social
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
I don't normally keep up with what the Army is reading these days, but I happened to click on this official recommended reading list for junior officers and it's appalling. 53 of 66 titles are corporate-style self-help books. This is a great way to hollow out and dumb down your military.
juniorofficer.army.mil
February 13, 2026 at 6:42 PM
I don't normally keep up with what the Army is reading these days, but I happened to click on this official recommended reading list for junior officers and it's appalling. 53 of 66 titles are corporate-style self-help books. This is a great way to hollow out and dumb down your military.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
Make these companies household names: Geo Group, CoreCivic. There's been a lot of crying about how their stock is down, but stock prices do not determine whether these profiteers get millions in government contracts. Geo Group's profits are up 800 percent. EIGHT HUNDRED
February 13, 2026 at 7:03 PM
Make these companies household names: Geo Group, CoreCivic. There's been a lot of crying about how their stock is down, but stock prices do not determine whether these profiteers get millions in government contracts. Geo Group's profits are up 800 percent. EIGHT HUNDRED
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
From today's CoreCivic earnings call: “One of the big questions, I think, concerns for investors has been the pace of detention by ICE, that it's been below what investors thought it was going to be,” one caller said. “I think people thought we'd be at that 100,000 level.”
February 12, 2026 at 5:20 PM
From today's CoreCivic earnings call: “One of the big questions, I think, concerns for investors has been the pace of detention by ICE, that it's been below what investors thought it was going to be,” one caller said. “I think people thought we'd be at that 100,000 level.”
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
There are very few Democrats that I will not vote for: I voted for and ENDORSED Kamala Harris, for instance, in the last election.
Gavin Newsom is one of them. His election would be an active threat to transgender people, and I lay out the case in my piece.
Gavin Newsom is one of them. His election would be an active threat to transgender people, and I lay out the case in my piece.
February 13, 2026 at 6:44 PM
There are very few Democrats that I will not vote for: I voted for and ENDORSED Kamala Harris, for instance, in the last election.
Gavin Newsom is one of them. His election would be an active threat to transgender people, and I lay out the case in my piece.
Gavin Newsom is one of them. His election would be an active threat to transgender people, and I lay out the case in my piece.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
There seems to be a lot of discussion about Gavin Newsom today.
I wanted to re-share this piece that I wrote, because I have a lot of center-to-left Dems that follow me that want to understand.
There are very good reasons transgender people do not like Gavin Newsom.
I wanted to re-share this piece that I wrote, because I have a lot of center-to-left Dems that follow me that want to understand.
There are very good reasons transgender people do not like Gavin Newsom.
Why Transgender People Are Not Feeling Gavin Newsom
We have seen this song and dance before.
www.erininthemorning.com
February 13, 2026 at 6:43 PM
There seems to be a lot of discussion about Gavin Newsom today.
I wanted to re-share this piece that I wrote, because I have a lot of center-to-left Dems that follow me that want to understand.
There are very good reasons transgender people do not like Gavin Newsom.
I wanted to re-share this piece that I wrote, because I have a lot of center-to-left Dems that follow me that want to understand.
There are very good reasons transgender people do not like Gavin Newsom.
Actually just believe that cities and/or states shouldn't be allowed to settle cases like this in order to prevent internal communications from coming out.
Seattle Police was willing to pay nearly 30 million in tax payer money to settle this vehicular murder in which officers then trash talked the victim they killed. Makes me wonder what else they didn’t want to come up if it was to go to court since what we already know is already terrible
February 13, 2026 at 6:34 PM
Actually just believe that cities and/or states shouldn't be allowed to settle cases like this in order to prevent internal communications from coming out.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
I’m just going to leave this here
February 13, 2026 at 5:54 PM
I’m just going to leave this here
wrong
I think most (not all) of the "I will never vote for Gavin Newsom" people are communists who are mad that Americans don't like communism and want to destroy the Democratic party out of revenge. They don't care how many elections Republicans win or how many trans people die as long as the Dems fall.
February 13, 2026 at 5:55 PM
wrong
yo wait that is supposed to be Jasmine Crockett???
You could've just used photographs if your artist was going to phone it in this badly.
You could've shown that artist what Jasmine Crockett looks like.
You also could've put focus on the two people who've actually won elections and are leading.
You also could've just left the Nazi tattoo guy off.
You could've shown that artist what Jasmine Crockett looks like.
You also could've put focus on the two people who've actually won elections and are leading.
You also could've just left the Nazi tattoo guy off.
A base that has long made pragmatic, sober decisions appears increasingly attracted to charismatic outsiders who promise to break from the party’s failures of the last decade. They see their party’s leaders as feckless and inept.
It’s the Democratic Tea Party, with a twist. trib.al/mC5cBDA
It’s the Democratic Tea Party, with a twist. trib.al/mC5cBDA
February 13, 2026 at 4:34 PM
yo wait that is supposed to be Jasmine Crockett???
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
Oh imagine that! Don’t give discord your face and certainly not your ID
February 12, 2026 at 8:34 PM
Oh imagine that! Don’t give discord your face and certainly not your ID
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
this is comically evil. brazenly anti-social. just absolute black-pilled nihilism. we will not have a republic, we will not be free, until we regulate these companies to the point where — at a bare minimum — they're too afraid to put stuff like this down on paper.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/t...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/t...
February 13, 2026 at 2:54 PM
this is comically evil. brazenly anti-social. just absolute black-pilled nihilism. we will not have a republic, we will not be free, until we regulate these companies to the point where — at a bare minimum — they're too afraid to put stuff like this down on paper.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/t...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/t...
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
mods on vacation. time to deep fry a turkey inside the house
Note: The social media person is taking a planned vacation next week. Recalls will go out on Thursday as is the custom but subscribe for recall emails so you don't miss them. The social media person will be *absolutely unreachable* and any content you see from our accounts will be pre-scheduled.
February 13, 2026 at 3:25 PM
mods on vacation. time to deep fry a turkey inside the house
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
When we were evaluating them at the hospital I worked at over a decade ago, surgeons tried them and the response was "I guess I could see how this could be useful with a lot of caveats, but it's a lot easier to see how it will be terrible and make us look like assholes and creeps" and that was that.
I keep bringing up Googleglass because it’s a reminder that widespread opprobrium is still a useful tool. If your friend says he plans on buying them, tell him they are for creeps. If someone shows up to your party with them, ask them to leave. Brand these as a product for losers and pervs.
February 13, 2026 at 2:45 PM
When we were evaluating them at the hospital I worked at over a decade ago, surgeons tried them and the response was "I guess I could see how this could be useful with a lot of caveats, but it's a lot easier to see how it will be terrible and make us look like assholes and creeps" and that was that.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
The Project 2025 author is using millions of dollars in USAID money for his own security detail.
It is estimated that 762,000 people have *already died* as a result of Elon Musk and Russell Vought’s obscene murder of USAID, including more than 500,000 children.
Vought is a mass murderer.
It is estimated that 762,000 people have *already died* as a result of Elon Musk and Russell Vought’s obscene murder of USAID, including more than 500,000 children.
Vought is a mass murderer.
Exclusive: White House uses USAID funds for budget director Vought's security, documents show
The White House budget office is using millions of dollars from the former U.S. foreign aid agency to pay for the security detail of Russell Vought, President Donald Trump's budget chief and an archit...
www.reuters.com
February 13, 2026 at 2:46 PM
The Project 2025 author is using millions of dollars in USAID money for his own security detail.
It is estimated that 762,000 people have *already died* as a result of Elon Musk and Russell Vought’s obscene murder of USAID, including more than 500,000 children.
Vought is a mass murderer.
It is estimated that 762,000 people have *already died* as a result of Elon Musk and Russell Vought’s obscene murder of USAID, including more than 500,000 children.
Vought is a mass murderer.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
"Racist people are firing and laying off Black women at three times the rate of other women."
😬Yikes! It sounds bad when you say it like that!
"Black women are losing jobs at 3 times the rate."
Much better! Makes it sound like the Black women just need to be more careful or better at their jobs!
😬Yikes! It sounds bad when you say it like that!
"Black women are losing jobs at 3 times the rate."
Much better! Makes it sound like the Black women just need to be more careful or better at their jobs!
Black Women Are Losing Jobs At Three Times The Rate Of Other Women | Essence
New labor data shows Black women accounted for a disproportionate share of job losses across 2025, especially in federal, education, and care-sector roles.
www.essence.com
February 13, 2026 at 12:01 PM
"Racist people are firing and laying off Black women at three times the rate of other women."
😬Yikes! It sounds bad when you say it like that!
"Black women are losing jobs at 3 times the rate."
Much better! Makes it sound like the Black women just need to be more careful or better at their jobs!
😬Yikes! It sounds bad when you say it like that!
"Black women are losing jobs at 3 times the rate."
Much better! Makes it sound like the Black women just need to be more careful or better at their jobs!
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
This is worth reading, but read it with both your eyes open: it’s clearly coming from ICE’s Lyons, CPB’s Scott and Tom Homan to preserve their secret police while marginalizing their bureaucratic rivals
Firing a pilot for leaving Kristi Noem's blanket behind. Berating staff when she's not on TV enough. Inside the constant chaos at DHS.
A Pilot Fired Over Kristi Noem’s Missing Blanket and the Constant Chaos Inside DHS
Secretary faces fire for confrontational immigration crackdown and self-promotional style; White House to wind down Minnesota operations.
on.wsj.com
February 13, 2026 at 12:46 PM
This is worth reading, but read it with both your eyes open: it’s clearly coming from ICE’s Lyons, CPB’s Scott and Tom Homan to preserve their secret police while marginalizing their bureaucratic rivals
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
the hell bluesky puts palestinians through has finally broken containment
and they still won’t change.
NOTE: it’s primarily geoblocking, but they nuked emad’s accounts and he was posting from london to get support for his family in gaza. mohamed’s IP address hasn’t been in MENA for months. AND YET
and they still won’t change.
NOTE: it’s primarily geoblocking, but they nuked emad’s accounts and he was posting from london to get support for his family in gaza. mohamed’s IP address hasn’t been in MENA for months. AND YET
somehow there's an update... and it's not a great look. it shouldn't be the case that the admin react when there's an outcry then just don't change whatever system they've got in place anyway.
![Tamer Nahed 𓂆🇵🇸
@Tamer_Alnoaizy
The Bluesky platform has truly become a strange and deeply frustrating experience for me. At 3 a.m., I received an email on my official address from them explaining that what happened was merely a technical error, and that my account had been closed due to a platform glitch after the tweet spread very widely and created significant pressure on their system.
I was genuinely happy when I read the message. I thought the issue had finally been resolved and that I would regain access to my account normally. But the moment I logged in, I was shocked to find that my account had been suspended again.
It was extremely painful… like a door that opened for a brief moment only to be shut harshly once more. Honestly, I no longer feel any desire to use this platform. It feels like there is no real freedom of expression, and that our voices are only allowed to exist as long as they don’t disturb anyone.
[the poster uploaded two screenshots, one of an email telling him that bluesky reviewed their decision and restored his account. the second screenshot shows his account has been suspended again]
11:42 AM · Feb 12, 2026
https://twitter.com/Tamer_Alnoaizy/status/2021912820057509913](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2l6seozmjsqc4kfukjejat77/bafkreibhacmj4yhhfaq5jd7bgungrpahz2xzavabcsxgghwrvxh2onhnom@jpeg)
February 13, 2026 at 12:33 PM
the hell bluesky puts palestinians through has finally broken containment
and they still won’t change.
NOTE: it’s primarily geoblocking, but they nuked emad’s accounts and he was posting from london to get support for his family in gaza. mohamed’s IP address hasn’t been in MENA for months. AND YET
and they still won’t change.
NOTE: it’s primarily geoblocking, but they nuked emad’s accounts and he was posting from london to get support for his family in gaza. mohamed’s IP address hasn’t been in MENA for months. AND YET
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
The WSJ story on Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski has a lot of bombshells. But if anyone happens to know anything more about this particular section, please reach out. I am sure there is more to this story.
My Signal is annakramer.54
My Signal is annakramer.54
February 13, 2026 at 12:42 PM
The WSJ story on Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski has a lot of bombshells. But if anyone happens to know anything more about this particular section, please reach out. I am sure there is more to this story.
My Signal is annakramer.54
My Signal is annakramer.54
is this actually the first instance of a reverse Superbowl ad
Ring cancels its partnership with Flock Safety after surveillance backlash
Ring cancels its partnership with Flock Safety after surveillance backlash
Flock off
buff.ly
February 13, 2026 at 1:33 AM
is this actually the first instance of a reverse Superbowl ad
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
“The Constitution does not permit the government to arrest thousands of individuals and then disregard their constitutional rights because it would be too challenging to honor those rights.”
BREAKING: Judge Nancy Brasel, a Trump appointee, has issued a TRO in the Minnesota access-to-counsel case about treatment at Whipple.
"It appears that in planning for Operation Metro Surge, the government failed to plan for the constitutional rights of its civil detainees."
"It appears that in planning for Operation Metro Surge, the government failed to plan for the constitutional rights of its civil detainees."
February 13, 2026 at 12:24 AM
“The Constitution does not permit the government to arrest thousands of individuals and then disregard their constitutional rights because it would be too challenging to honor those rights.”
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
here is the book. highly recommend it. wwnorton.com/books/978132...
Savings and Trust
Winner of the 2025 Frederick Douglass Book Prize<br />A <em>Publishers Weekly</em> Best Nonfiction Book of 2024<br /><br />A leading historian exposes how the rise and tragic failure of the Freedman&#...
wwnorton.com
February 13, 2026 at 12:12 AM
here is the book. highly recommend it. wwnorton.com/books/978132...
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
Brandy Jensen on the cheating Norwegian biathlete: defector.com/adulterous-n...
February 12, 2026 at 11:55 PM
Brandy Jensen on the cheating Norwegian biathlete: defector.com/adulterous-n...