Paul Konstant
@progpk.bsky.social
Retired scientist/ technologist. Diverse interests, few of them mainstream, fewer overlap. I like to follow specialists. Rational, romantic, mystic, cynical, idealist. He/him.
📍València, España
📍València, España
Pinned
Paul Konstant
@progpk.bsky.social
· Nov 10
New folks on Bluesky, I *beg* you to fill out your profiles with enough info we can tell you're a real person.
I get dozens of new followers a day. At least half are scams and bots.
If your avatar isn't personalized, you never post, but follow thousands, you're getting blocked.
I get dozens of new followers a day. At least half are scams and bots.
If your avatar isn't personalized, you never post, but follow thousands, you're getting blocked.
Reposted by Paul Konstant
Since there are a lot of people insisting that protests don't matter and the Trumpists can simply ignore public opinion: I just wrote about why this idea that authoritarian regimes are impervious to public pressure is very wrong and basically just perpetuates the regime's assertion of inevitability:
The Limits of Violent Authoritarianism
Trump’s authoritarian desires are boundless. But the past year proves that his ability to impose them on America is not.
steady.page
January 21, 2026 at 1:48 PM
Since there are a lot of people insisting that protests don't matter and the Trumpists can simply ignore public opinion: I just wrote about why this idea that authoritarian regimes are impervious to public pressure is very wrong and basically just perpetuates the regime's assertion of inevitability:
Reposted by Paul Konstant
This is what I'm listening for this morning
Powell’s statement just considerably shifted the odds that Roberts and Barrett may join the liberals in refusing to give Trump the presumption of regularity over his bad faith firing of Lisa Cook.
Petty fascist who wants to illegally fire the white guy first trumps up charges to illegally fire the Black lady as a test run for the Roberts majority’s continued credulity
January 21, 2026 at 3:04 PM
This is what I'm listening for this morning
Reposted by Paul Konstant
Iceland or Greenland.. or both?
See, once you tolerate this, it gets worse.
Keep your head on a swivel. He knows exactly what he is doing. Now folks began talking about Iceland. Naturally. First as a joke.. remember Greenland was one of those jokes?
See, once you tolerate this, it gets worse.
Keep your head on a swivel. He knows exactly what he is doing. Now folks began talking about Iceland. Naturally. First as a joke.. remember Greenland was one of those jokes?
January 21, 2026 at 4:12 PM
Iceland or Greenland.. or both?
See, once you tolerate this, it gets worse.
Keep your head on a swivel. He knows exactly what he is doing. Now folks began talking about Iceland. Naturally. First as a joke.. remember Greenland was one of those jokes?
See, once you tolerate this, it gets worse.
Keep your head on a swivel. He knows exactly what he is doing. Now folks began talking about Iceland. Naturally. First as a joke.. remember Greenland was one of those jokes?
Reposted by Paul Konstant
You are looking at the calculated destruction of American science. Careers crushed. Labs stripped bare. Public safety butchered. Heritage Foundation project 2025.
January 21, 2026 at 12:53 AM
You are looking at the calculated destruction of American science. Careers crushed. Labs stripped bare. Public safety butchered. Heritage Foundation project 2025.
Reposted by Paul Konstant
Canada starts preparing for guerilla warfare, just in case
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
Military models Canadian response to hypothetical American invasion
Armed Forces envision insurgency tactics like those used by Afghan mujahedeen, sources say. But officials and experts stress a U.S. operation is unlikely, and the scenarios are conceptual
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 21, 2026 at 7:29 AM
Canada starts preparing for guerilla warfare, just in case
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
Reposted by Paul Konstant
Reposted by Paul Konstant
The president encounters a binder clip for the first time, then talks about it for a while.
Remember when Joe Biden had a raspy voice and every major news organization created a 10-person Biden Is Old investigative team?
Remember when Joe Biden had a raspy voice and every major news organization created a 10-person Biden Is Old investigative team?
Trump: "Whoo. I'm glad my finger wasn't in that sucker. That could've dome some damage but you know what? I wouldn't have shown the pain. I would've gone back. Boy did you hear that? That was nasty. But I would not have shown the pain. I would've acted like nothing happens as my finger fell off."
January 20, 2026 at 8:05 PM
The president encounters a binder clip for the first time, then talks about it for a while.
Remember when Joe Biden had a raspy voice and every major news organization created a 10-person Biden Is Old investigative team?
Remember when Joe Biden had a raspy voice and every major news organization created a 10-person Biden Is Old investigative team?
Reposted by Paul Konstant
Yes, Seattle schools are going into Shelter in Place protocols…
…*because* of federal authorities.
…*because* of federal authorities.
January 20, 2026 at 9:29 PM
Yes, Seattle schools are going into Shelter in Place protocols…
…*because* of federal authorities.
…*because* of federal authorities.
Reposted by Paul Konstant
If you're wondering what the rubes are being told about Venezuela ...
Fox misleadingly claims Venezuelan oil will lower gas prices in the US even while electricity rates continue to rise
Fox News has repeatedly framed President Donald Trump’s escalating military action against Venezuela around how it will impact prices of energy and gas for Americans, with Sunday Briefing anchor Peter...
www.mediamatters.org
January 20, 2026 at 9:37 PM
If you're wondering what the rubes are being told about Venezuela ...
Reposted by Paul Konstant
The design of everything right now is to get us all to turn on and decimate each other because of an ideological and spiritual belief in the righteousness of an end of the world, while abandoning ourselves and the hope of any collective sense-making within a cloud of make-believe.
January 20, 2026 at 9:38 PM
The design of everything right now is to get us all to turn on and decimate each other because of an ideological and spiritual belief in the righteousness of an end of the world, while abandoning ourselves and the hope of any collective sense-making within a cloud of make-believe.
Reposted by Paul Konstant
"If great powers abandon even the pretense of rules & values for the unhindered pursuit of their power & interest, the gains from transactionalism will become harder to replicate" -- Carney's speech at Davos is an extended criticism of the damage Trump is doing (though he's not mentioning his name)
January 20, 2026 at 3:52 PM
"If great powers abandon even the pretense of rules & values for the unhindered pursuit of their power & interest, the gains from transactionalism will become harder to replicate" -- Carney's speech at Davos is an extended criticism of the damage Trump is doing (though he's not mentioning his name)
Reposted by Paul Konstant
Carney: "We stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenland's future. Our commitment to NATO's Article 5 is unwavering ... Canada strongly opposes tariffs over Greenland"
January 20, 2026 at 3:55 PM
Carney: "We stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenland's future. Our commitment to NATO's Article 5 is unwavering ... Canada strongly opposes tariffs over Greenland"
Reposted by Paul Konstant
What an unbelievable clown.
Q: Can I bring you back to Greenland?
LUTNICK: No. It's not necessary. The Western Hemisphere is vital for the United States of America.
OTHER PANELISTS: 😬😬😬
LUTNICK: No. It's not necessary. The Western Hemisphere is vital for the United States of America.
OTHER PANELISTS: 😬😬😬
January 20, 2026 at 4:23 PM
What an unbelievable clown.
Reposted by Paul Konstant
Carney: "American hegemony in particular helped provide public goods, a stable financial system... this bargain no longer works. Let me be direct. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition... recently, great powers have begun using economic integration as a weapon. Tariffs as leverage ... "
January 20, 2026 at 3:50 PM
Carney: "American hegemony in particular helped provide public goods, a stable financial system... this bargain no longer works. Let me be direct. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition... recently, great powers have begun using economic integration as a weapon. Tariffs as leverage ... "
Reposted by Paul Konstant
RUSSIA'S LAVROV: WASHINGTON KNOWS THAT RUSSIA HAS NO PLANS TO CAPTURE GREENLAND
January 20, 2026 at 10:01 AM
RUSSIA'S LAVROV: WASHINGTON KNOWS THAT RUSSIA HAS NO PLANS TO CAPTURE GREENLAND
Reposted by Paul Konstant
Trump coming in strong again with the delusions. And I mean that in the most clinical sense of the word, as in “a false belief not based in reality.”
Trump on his message in Davos: "The primary message is how well the United States is doing. And I say it all the time -- a year and half ago we were a dead country, and now we have the hottest country in the world"
January 20, 2026 at 5:32 AM
Trump coming in strong again with the delusions. And I mean that in the most clinical sense of the word, as in “a false belief not based in reality.”
And it seems what they misunderstand about human nature could fill volumes
what they understand about authoritarianism they have gotten from movies and YA novels
How is it that so many people think that authoritarianism is a way to bypass completely public opinion?
January 19, 2026 at 10:38 PM
And it seems what they misunderstand about human nature could fill volumes
Reposted by Paul Konstant
what they understand about authoritarianism they have gotten from movies and YA novels
How is it that so many people think that authoritarianism is a way to bypass completely public opinion?
January 19, 2026 at 8:15 PM
what they understand about authoritarianism they have gotten from movies and YA novels
The well-publicized treaty that seems to be unknown to some people
More than half the US was acquired through purchases including the USVI which they bought from Denmark. But that actually undermines Trump's claims, because in the 1917 Treaty of the Danish West Indies the USA ruled out any claims to Greenland. More here👇 open.substack.com/pub/arthursn...
When Denmark sells an island
Trump might think that buying a country is normal
open.substack.com
January 19, 2026 at 8:45 PM
The well-publicized treaty that seems to be unknown to some people
Reposted by Paul Konstant
And even more interesting given DOJ has made clear he too is under investigation.
BREAKING: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will attend the Supreme Court's hearing on Trump's attempted firing of Fed governor Lisa Cook, an unusual show of support by the central bank chair.
AP Source: Fed Chair Powell to attend Supreme Court argument on Cook case
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will attend the Supreme Court’s oral arguments Wednesday in a case involving the attempted firing of Fed governor Lisa Cook, an unusual show of support by the central bank chair.
bit.ly
January 19, 2026 at 8:41 PM
And even more interesting given DOJ has made clear he too is under investigation.
Reposted by Paul Konstant
murder
Catastrophe: Florida's Department of Health is stopping coverage for antivirals to 10,000 low-income people with HIV infection, blaming impending federal cuts to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. 12.5% of Americans with HIV live in Florida.
Thousands to lose access to HIV drugs with new cuts
An estimated 10,000 people are about to lose access to their HIV medication as the Florida Department of Health makes cuts to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP).
www.fox13news.com
January 19, 2026 at 8:03 PM
murder
Reposted by Paul Konstant
😵💫 Putin has received an invitation to join Trump's "Board of Peace" on Gaza, and the Kremlin is currently studying this proposal, Peskov said.
😬 Kremlin: It’s hard to disagree with experts who say that if Trump resolves Greenland’s accession, he will go down in history.
😬 Kremlin: It’s hard to disagree with experts who say that if Trump resolves Greenland’s accession, he will go down in history.
January 19, 2026 at 9:39 AM
😵💫 Putin has received an invitation to join Trump's "Board of Peace" on Gaza, and the Kremlin is currently studying this proposal, Peskov said.
😬 Kremlin: It’s hard to disagree with experts who say that if Trump resolves Greenland’s accession, he will go down in history.
😬 Kremlin: It’s hard to disagree with experts who say that if Trump resolves Greenland’s accession, he will go down in history.
Reposted by Paul Konstant
Cops at her front door, holding a phone to her face, asking if that's her Facebook account.
What the fuck are we doing here?
What the fuck are we doing here?
A woman left a comment on Facebook criticizing the Mayor of Miami Beach,.
The Mayor of Miami Beach then sent the cops to her home.
The Mayor of Miami Beach then sent the cops to her home.
January 19, 2026 at 4:37 PM
Cops at her front door, holding a phone to her face, asking if that's her Facebook account.
What the fuck are we doing here?
What the fuck are we doing here?
Reposted by Paul Konstant
Senior White House official says local and state police in Minneapolis “have been ordered to stand down and surrender.”
What?
What?
January 19, 2026 at 5:14 PM
Senior White House official says local and state police in Minneapolis “have been ordered to stand down and surrender.”
What?
What?
Reposted by Paul Konstant
This is very good. And if the presidency doesn't exist, to go along with a Congress that doesn't really exist, & a Supreme Court that no longer exists (in the sense that it no longer follows the law or the Constitution), then we find ourselves with a constitutional order that has totally collapsed.
Wrote a thing about whether the American presidency even exists anymore. No reason. open.substack.com/pub/goodpoli...
Does the American presidency exist anymore?
Last week Donald Trump flipped off a worker at a Ford plant for yelling “pedophile protector” at him.
open.substack.com
January 19, 2026 at 5:59 PM
This is very good. And if the presidency doesn't exist, to go along with a Congress that doesn't really exist, & a Supreme Court that no longer exists (in the sense that it no longer follows the law or the Constitution), then we find ourselves with a constitutional order that has totally collapsed.