Charlie Sherpa
@fobhaiku.bsky.social
Read my books: http://amzn.to/36pzbf9 Freelance editor, writer, poet, humorist. OEF veteran by way of BFE. Admin: The Aiming Circle. Opinions & jokes my own. https://linktr.ee/randysherpabrown
Pinned
The best new & established voices from modern war eras! More than 60 prize-winning works of 21st century war poetry, fiction, and non-fiction!
PLUS: 60+ writing prompts & prize-winner perspectives
- Print: amzn.to/47kS45q
- Kindle: amzn.to/4gh34n7
Info:
www.middlewestpress.com/2025/11/now-...
PLUS: 60+ writing prompts & prize-winner perspectives
- Print: amzn.to/47kS45q
- Kindle: amzn.to/4gh34n7
Info:
www.middlewestpress.com/2025/11/now-...
Pleased to have helped deliver today this 340-page chorus of quality prose & poetry!
Congratulations to editor Christopher Lyke, the Line of Advance, the Col. Darron L. Wright Memorial Writing Awards, and the 50+ writer-veterans and mil-family members who crafted such stellar and timeless work!!!
Congratulations to editor Christopher Lyke, the Line of Advance, the Col. Darron L. Wright Memorial Writing Awards, and the 50+ writer-veterans and mil-family members who crafted such stellar and timeless work!!!
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
Obviously each artist is different and there have been wealthy artists. But art isn't frivolous, even when it isn't obviously political. The act of creating because you need to create is, in fact, very subversive of the status quo.
November 26, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Obviously each artist is different and there have been wealthy artists. But art isn't frivolous, even when it isn't obviously political. The act of creating because you need to create is, in fact, very subversive of the status quo.
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
AND supporting your local library is super important! If you actually DO want books to be available to everyone, the library *already exists* and is staffed by the people who are deep in the trenches of fighting censorship! Supporting the library is doing actual good for your community!
TAPS SCREEN
For like the zillionth time: Libraries are FREE for you, but WE still get compensated for our work!!
For like the zillionth time: Libraries are FREE for you, but WE still get compensated for our work!!
Just saw someone claim that authors who want to be paid for their work are "class traitors" because we "only let the wealthy" read our books, and I think I need to go into the woods to scream into the night for a bit.
It's $5, not your first-born child! I need that $5 for health insurance!
It's $5, not your first-born child! I need that $5 for health insurance!
November 26, 2025 at 8:01 PM
AND supporting your local library is super important! If you actually DO want books to be available to everyone, the library *already exists* and is staffed by the people who are deep in the trenches of fighting censorship! Supporting the library is doing actual good for your community!
Proud and thankful to have worked with such great poet-veteran-citizens!!!
"ON WARS ... & AFTER-WARS!"
For readers and writers of modern military life! Great reads & gifts for those who serve, and those whose lives are touched by military service!
Available worldwide via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, @bookshop.org, and indie booksellers!
Round-up link: amzn.to/3MbKf9X
For readers and writers of modern military life! Great reads & gifts for those who serve, and those whose lives are touched by military service!
Available worldwide via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, @bookshop.org, and indie booksellers!
Round-up link: amzn.to/3MbKf9X
November 26, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Proud and thankful to have worked with such great poet-veteran-citizens!!!
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
"Let me get this straight. Your lab has bred a dragon?"
"A wyvern, director. It has two legs, two wings, whereas a-"
"Which flies, breathes fire, and is intelligent?"
"About as intelligent as a border collie."
"So, intelligent. Why?"
"You asked us to invent measures to take down small drones."
"A wyvern, director. It has two legs, two wings, whereas a-"
"Which flies, breathes fire, and is intelligent?"
"About as intelligent as a border collie."
"So, intelligent. Why?"
"You asked us to invent measures to take down small drones."
November 26, 2025 at 2:41 PM
"Let me get this straight. Your lab has bred a dragon?"
"A wyvern, director. It has two legs, two wings, whereas a-"
"Which flies, breathes fire, and is intelligent?"
"About as intelligent as a border collie."
"So, intelligent. Why?"
"You asked us to invent measures to take down small drones."
"A wyvern, director. It has two legs, two wings, whereas a-"
"Which flies, breathes fire, and is intelligent?"
"About as intelligent as a border collie."
"So, intelligent. Why?"
"You asked us to invent measures to take down small drones."
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
Admiral of the Fleet John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher, GCM, OM, GCVO.
Oversaw the development of the first all modern battleship HMS Dreadnought.
Oversaw the development of the first battlecruiser HMS Invincible.
And the first known human to use "OMG" as shorthand for "Oh my God" in a letter.
Oversaw the development of the first all modern battleship HMS Dreadnought.
Oversaw the development of the first battlecruiser HMS Invincible.
And the first known human to use "OMG" as shorthand for "Oh my God" in a letter.
November 26, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Admiral of the Fleet John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher, GCM, OM, GCVO.
Oversaw the development of the first all modern battleship HMS Dreadnought.
Oversaw the development of the first battlecruiser HMS Invincible.
And the first known human to use "OMG" as shorthand for "Oh my God" in a letter.
Oversaw the development of the first all modern battleship HMS Dreadnought.
Oversaw the development of the first battlecruiser HMS Invincible.
And the first known human to use "OMG" as shorthand for "Oh my God" in a letter.
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
'There is no peace process. This is not negotiations over peace: it is the transmission of surrender demands from Russia with the active facilitation of the United States.'
Read @keirgiles.bsky.social analysis on the Trump administration's proposed 28-point peace plan for Ukraine⤵️
Read @keirgiles.bsky.social analysis on the Trump administration's proposed 28-point peace plan for Ukraine⤵️
Trump pressures Ukraine to accept peace deal: Early analysis from Chatham House experts
Chatham House analysts give their initial analysis after Zelenskyy was pressured by Trump to accept a White House plan to end the war with Russia.
www.chathamhouse.org
November 26, 2025 at 7:00 AM
'There is no peace process. This is not negotiations over peace: it is the transmission of surrender demands from Russia with the active facilitation of the United States.'
Read @keirgiles.bsky.social analysis on the Trump administration's proposed 28-point peace plan for Ukraine⤵️
Read @keirgiles.bsky.social analysis on the Trump administration's proposed 28-point peace plan for Ukraine⤵️
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
Good @thenation.com piece by @benschwartz.bsky.social that lays bare Trump's agenda to transform our entire media system into a far right-wing echo chamber that never questions Trump.
Trump’s Quest for Total Media Control
Look beyond the petty celebrity feuds, and you'll see a plan to transform American media companies into outlets for MAGA agitprop.
www.thenation.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Good @thenation.com piece by @benschwartz.bsky.social that lays bare Trump's agenda to transform our entire media system into a far right-wing echo chamber that never questions Trump.
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
Not his job.
EXCLUSIVE: US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff advised Russia on how to pitch Ukraine plans to Trump, in audio files reviewed by Bloomberg
Witkoff Advised Russia on How to Pitch Ukraine Plan to Trump
US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, fresh from the triumph of the Gaza peace deal, held a phone call last month with a senior Kremlin official to suggest they work together on a similar plan for Ukraine — and that Vladimir Putin should raise it with Donald Trump.
bloom.bg
November 25, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Not his job.
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
"An increase in beef imports from Brazil, like President Donald Trump encouraged last week by slashing tariffs on the South American country, may help insulate consumers while ranchers and feedlots struggle with high costs and falling prices."
Tyson Foods' decision to close a beef plant in Lexington, Nebraska, could devastate the small city and undermine the profits of ranchers nationwide.
Tyson's beef plant closure in Nebraska will impact a reliant town and ranchers nationwide
Tyson Foods’ decision to close a beef plant in Lexington, Nebraska, could devastate the small city and undermine the profits of ranchers nationwide.
bit.ly
November 25, 2025 at 5:12 PM
"An increase in beef imports from Brazil, like President Donald Trump encouraged last week by slashing tariffs on the South American country, may help insulate consumers while ranchers and feedlots struggle with high costs and falling prices."
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
This is your reminder that if you live in #Chicago we have a free bookstore. YES, free bookstore. You can get free books here.
I donate all of my books here. So, they generally have a solid horror section because I keep them well-stocked.
www.books4cause.com/free-booksto...
I donate all of my books here. So, they generally have a solid horror section because I keep them well-stocked.
www.books4cause.com/free-booksto...
Books4Free - Free Book Exchange in Skokie - Books4Cause - Chicago
All of the books in our Free Bookstore are free for you to take and read. These books have been donated and we are passing them on for the love of reading.
www.books4cause.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:26 PM
This is your reminder that if you live in #Chicago we have a free bookstore. YES, free bookstore. You can get free books here.
I donate all of my books here. So, they generally have a solid horror section because I keep them well-stocked.
www.books4cause.com/free-booksto...
I donate all of my books here. So, they generally have a solid horror section because I keep them well-stocked.
www.books4cause.com/free-booksto...
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
Meet “Charlie Sherpa” @fobhaiku.bsky.social, the GWOT mil-blogger who originated the “Sherpatudes”!
Part lessons-learned guy & unit historian, part war poet, part “brigade staff jester”! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry—you just might learn something to boot!
FIND ALL HIS BOOKS:
amzn.to/3Kd6kUU
Part lessons-learned guy & unit historian, part war poet, part “brigade staff jester”! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry—you just might learn something to boot!
FIND ALL HIS BOOKS:
amzn.to/3Kd6kUU
November 25, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Meet “Charlie Sherpa” @fobhaiku.bsky.social, the GWOT mil-blogger who originated the “Sherpatudes”!
Part lessons-learned guy & unit historian, part war poet, part “brigade staff jester”! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry—you just might learn something to boot!
FIND ALL HIS BOOKS:
amzn.to/3Kd6kUU
Part lessons-learned guy & unit historian, part war poet, part “brigade staff jester”! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry—you just might learn something to boot!
FIND ALL HIS BOOKS:
amzn.to/3Kd6kUU
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
Annual shameless self-promotion! This book is for anyone who has ever wanted to leave civilization behind for a spell of personal growth & refreshment by a stream in the mountains far from town. Makes a great gift!
Breaking Into the Backcountry Book Review
Breaking Into the Backcountry (University of Nebraska Press, 2010), is a memoir of solitude, anxiety, and beauty. It is the story of Edwards’s 2001 experience with the famed Boyden Wilderness Residenc...
www.trailgroove.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Annual shameless self-promotion! This book is for anyone who has ever wanted to leave civilization behind for a spell of personal growth & refreshment by a stream in the mountains far from town. Makes a great gift!
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
Just send the National Guard troops home. Where is the irreparable harm in letting them see their families for the holiday?
Does DC break out into riots without tired NG troops doing the jobs the fired National Park Service employees did?!?
Does DC break out into riots without tired NG troops doing the jobs the fired National Park Service employees did?!?
BREAKING: Judge Cobb rules that the Pentagon's National Guard deployment into D.C. was illegal.
However, she has stayed the effect of her order until Dec. 11 to prevent disorder while the matter is under appeal.
ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show...
However, she has stayed the effect of her order until Dec. 11 to prevent disorder while the matter is under appeal.
ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show...
November 25, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Just send the National Guard troops home. Where is the irreparable harm in letting them see their families for the holiday?
Does DC break out into riots without tired NG troops doing the jobs the fired National Park Service employees did?!?
Does DC break out into riots without tired NG troops doing the jobs the fired National Park Service employees did?!?
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
Hegseth responded to Kelly telling the military not to obey illegal orders by . . . illegally ordering the military to investigate Kelly.
apnews.com/article/pent...
apnews.com/article/pent...
Pentagon says it's investigating Sen. Mark Kelly for video urging troops to defy 'illegal orders'
The Pentagon says that it is investigating Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona for possible breaches of military law after Kelly joined a handful of other lawmakers in a video that called for U.S. t...
apnews.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Hegseth responded to Kelly telling the military not to obey illegal orders by . . . illegally ordering the military to investigate Kelly.
apnews.com/article/pent...
apnews.com/article/pent...
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
I struggle with how this was not blindingly obvious from at least 10 years back and also how those of us who identified the pattern and called it out were called conspiracy theorists.
“Wake up sheeple!”, cried the sheeple.
“Wake up sheeple!”, cried the sheeple.
“This is total armageddon for the online right. It’s looking like half of their large accounts were foreigners posing as Americans all along.”
Top MAGA Influencers Accidentally Unmasked as Foreign Actors
A new feature on Elon Musk’s X has given deeper insight into the online “America First” movement.
www.thedailybeast.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:12 PM
I struggle with how this was not blindingly obvious from at least 10 years back and also how those of us who identified the pattern and called it out were called conspiracy theorists.
“Wake up sheeple!”, cried the sheeple.
“Wake up sheeple!”, cried the sheeple.
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
Military Families—we see you! @lisasticepoet.bsky.social is a poet, editor, literary activist, mother, military spouse, and the author of multiple full-length poetry collections!
FIND ALL HER BOOKS HERE:
amzn.to/48gYrpu
FIND ALL HER BOOKS HERE:
amzn.to/48gYrpu
November 24, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Military Families—we see you! @lisasticepoet.bsky.social is a poet, editor, literary activist, mother, military spouse, and the author of multiple full-length poetry collections!
FIND ALL HER BOOKS HERE:
amzn.to/48gYrpu
FIND ALL HER BOOKS HERE:
amzn.to/48gYrpu
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
This should enrage everyone.
Kelly didn’t do anything wrong here, and he certainly didn’t do anything worthy of a court martial
Kelly didn’t do anything wrong here, and he certainly didn’t do anything worthy of a court martial
Hegseth is now threatening to recall Sen. Mark Kelly to active duty in order to court martial him.
November 24, 2025 at 5:56 PM
This should enrage everyone.
Kelly didn’t do anything wrong here, and he certainly didn’t do anything worthy of a court martial
Kelly didn’t do anything wrong here, and he certainly didn’t do anything worthy of a court martial
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
DOGE did not fail in any way to accomplish its goals.
Its goals were never efficiency or saving money.
Its goals were to destroy as much of government as possible forever, and to steal data for the Space Nazi.
DOGE is fading away like bank robbery gangs fade away after the robberies are done.
Its goals were never efficiency or saving money.
Its goals were to destroy as much of government as possible forever, and to steal data for the Space Nazi.
DOGE is fading away like bank robbery gangs fade away after the robberies are done.
Exclusive: DOGE 'doesn't exist' with eight months left on its charter reut.rs/4abeTdx
Exclusive: DOGE 'doesn't exist' with eight months left on its charter
The Department of Government Efficiency claimed to have slashed tens of billions of dollars in expenditures, but it was impossible for outside financial experts to verify that because the unit did not provide detailed public accounting of its work.
reut.rs
November 23, 2025 at 12:26 PM
DOGE did not fail in any way to accomplish its goals.
Its goals were never efficiency or saving money.
Its goals were to destroy as much of government as possible forever, and to steal data for the Space Nazi.
DOGE is fading away like bank robbery gangs fade away after the robberies are done.
Its goals were never efficiency or saving money.
Its goals were to destroy as much of government as possible forever, and to steal data for the Space Nazi.
DOGE is fading away like bank robbery gangs fade away after the robberies are done.
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
THREAD: Judge Ellis is the first federal judge to review extensive body cam video of DHS's actions in Chicago. She finds that DHS *repeatedly* misled the public and made claims that were disproven by agents' own videos.
I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.
I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.
![II. Credibility
The Court next addresses the credibility of the parties’ evidence and witnesses. After reviewing all the evidence submitted to the Court and listening to the testimony elicited at the preliminary injunction hearing, during depositions, and in other court proceedings, the Court finds Defendants’ evidence simply not credible. [FN 6]
Plaintiffs submitted a mountain of evidence, providing the Court with over eighty declarations, numerous videos and articles, and other evidence. Defendants did not rebut anything that Plaintiffs set forth in their declarations or testimony, even with BWC footage.
[FN 6] In another case considering some of the same evidence presented to this Court, another court in this district also found that the perceptions of certain of Defendants’ declarants, such as Hott and Parra, were not reliable. See Illinois v. Trump, No. 25-cv-12174, 2025 WL 2886645, at *5 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 10, 2025) (noting a “troubling trend of Defendants’ declarants equating protests with riots and a lack of appreciation for the wide spectrum that exists between citizens who are observing, questioning, and criticizing their government, and those who are obstructing, assaulting, or doing violence”), motion to stay denied in part, 155 F.4th 929 (7th Cir. 2025).](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2vtbmhmrwzbqcfv4we4uxzzt/bafkreifpyry2il5toxbr3iejgrsxs6kmnwve75qwnhebfp44ieyjrfpsdu@jpeg)
November 20, 2025 at 11:04 PM
THREAD: Judge Ellis is the first federal judge to review extensive body cam video of DHS's actions in Chicago. She finds that DHS *repeatedly* misled the public and made claims that were disproven by agents' own videos.
I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.
I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
Periodic PSA, the only currently licensed Murderbot merch is at Worldbuilders Market, where it's sold as part of a charity fundraiser. You may want to sign up for their new product notices because they should have a new Murderbot thing coming up: worldbuildersmarket.com/collections/...
Martha Wells
Worldbuilders Market is the official online shop of Worldbuilders, a geek-centered nonprofit supporting humanitarian efforts worldwide. We carry a wide variety of officially licensed merchandise from ...
worldbuildersmarket.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Periodic PSA, the only currently licensed Murderbot merch is at Worldbuilders Market, where it's sold as part of a charity fundraiser. You may want to sign up for their new product notices because they should have a new Murderbot thing coming up: worldbuildersmarket.com/collections/...
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
I was banging this drum especially with concern to Disney+ earlier in the year - *especially* when they erased an entire episode about trans solidarity from Moon Girl and then another from Win or Lose - and was repeatedly told I was overreacting.
bsky.app/profile/dani...
bsky.app/profile/dani...
Reminder that Disney has leaned so hard into outright censorship that they've not only scrubbed plotlines from several projects, they've erased whole characters from their shows and deleted entire finished episodes just to ensure queer characters are never seen.
I'm no longer shocked when the truths come out but my heart still breaks every time. Queer youth are attacked at every turn and they can’t even have the respite of feeling seen by a movie, all so regressive bigots don’t have to feel discomfort for two hours.
www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie...
www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie...
November 20, 2025 at 2:47 AM
I was banging this drum especially with concern to Disney+ earlier in the year - *especially* when they erased an entire episode about trans solidarity from Moon Girl and then another from Win or Lose - and was repeatedly told I was overreacting.
bsky.app/profile/dani...
bsky.app/profile/dani...
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
Hi. I just have a very basic question.
When one of my fellow citizens has a few too many and posts their deepest, most violent thoughts regarding elected officials on SM, usually someone knocks on their door soon after, puts them in cuffs, and escorts them to jail.
Are there 2 standards?
When one of my fellow citizens has a few too many and posts their deepest, most violent thoughts regarding elected officials on SM, usually someone knocks on their door soon after, puts them in cuffs, and escorts them to jail.
Are there 2 standards?
Trump follows up this post by calling for these Democratic lawmakers to be put to death
November 20, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Hi. I just have a very basic question.
When one of my fellow citizens has a few too many and posts their deepest, most violent thoughts regarding elected officials on SM, usually someone knocks on their door soon after, puts them in cuffs, and escorts them to jail.
Are there 2 standards?
When one of my fellow citizens has a few too many and posts their deepest, most violent thoughts regarding elected officials on SM, usually someone knocks on their door soon after, puts them in cuffs, and escorts them to jail.
Are there 2 standards?
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
Quite the lede: "The U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify the swastika, an emblem of fascism and white supremacy inextricably linked to the murder of millions of Jews and that more than 400,000 U.S. troops died fighting against in World War II, as a hate symbol, according to a new policy..."
U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses as hate symbols
The military service, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, has drafted a new policy that classifies such items “potentially divisive.”
www.washingtonpost.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Quite the lede: "The U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify the swastika, an emblem of fascism and white supremacy inextricably linked to the murder of millions of Jews and that more than 400,000 U.S. troops died fighting against in World War II, as a hate symbol, according to a new policy..."
Reposted by Charlie Sherpa
"an email from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Thursday canceled 'all local Tompkins County scheduled naturalization ceremonies' and announced that none would be held 'until further notice.'...no reasoning had been given in the letter."
ithacavoice.org/2025/11/feds...
ithacavoice.org/2025/11/feds...
Feds tell county to cease naturalization ceremonies - The Ithaca Voice
ITHACA, N.Y. — Tompkins County officials received a directive from federal immigration officials to cease all local naturalization ceremonies. Naturalization ceremonies are typically held throughout t...
ithacavoice.org
November 20, 2025 at 2:12 PM
"an email from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Thursday canceled 'all local Tompkins County scheduled naturalization ceremonies' and announced that none would be held 'until further notice.'...no reasoning had been given in the letter."
ithacavoice.org/2025/11/feds...
ithacavoice.org/2025/11/feds...