Valastrius
@valastrius.bsky.social
BRD specializing in ska and cackles, most often in the direction of Crumbling Muscovy.
Reposted by Valastrius
The old goliath of imperial British industry was, full offense, reliant on the de-industrialization of their periphery colonies so they would buy all of their industrial products from the UK. This was UK policy for generations.
December 5, 2025 at 9:00 PM
The old goliath of imperial British industry was, full offense, reliant on the de-industrialization of their periphery colonies so they would buy all of their industrial products from the UK. This was UK policy for generations.
Reposted by Valastrius
To say nothing about- yes- how much the international market (and government investment, to be fair) determines this. American factories got so strong in the 1950s-1960s because WWII literally destroyed every other alternative to American products.
December 5, 2025 at 9:00 PM
To say nothing about- yes- how much the international market (and government investment, to be fair) determines this. American factories got so strong in the 1950s-1960s because WWII literally destroyed every other alternative to American products.
Reposted by Valastrius
You want a modern Steel Belt? You need to transform thousands of mechanics into engineers. That is going to require universities and academies to *expand* not contract or even lower the bar into simple vocational training.
December 5, 2025 at 9:00 PM
You want a modern Steel Belt? You need to transform thousands of mechanics into engineers. That is going to require universities and academies to *expand* not contract or even lower the bar into simple vocational training.
Reposted by Valastrius
And it's completely idiotic to say Brexit is in the past when the UK could obviously rejoin the Customs Union should a future government have the courage to make the case to the electorate.
December 5, 2025 at 8:40 PM
And it's completely idiotic to say Brexit is in the past when the UK could obviously rejoin the Customs Union should a future government have the courage to make the case to the electorate.
Reposted by Valastrius
I bet they're leaving out that stuff about him fleeing Israel to serve as a general of the Palestinians against Israel, or him sending a man to death on the front likes because he wanted to bang the guy's wife.
December 7, 2025 at 5:54 AM
I bet they're leaving out that stuff about him fleeing Israel to serve as a general of the Palestinians against Israel, or him sending a man to death on the front likes because he wanted to bang the guy's wife.
Reposted by Valastrius
Particularly bleak given that foreign students were plugging a lot of holes created by demographic changes
December 7, 2025 at 5:42 AM
Particularly bleak given that foreign students were plugging a lot of holes created by demographic changes
Reposted by Valastrius
It's really depressing to see the United States pull up our inheritance and global comparative advantage like this
It's over.
Despite the fact that the academic council recommended against it, despite the fact that the program brought in more tuition than it cost, and despite the fact that Nebraskans need & deserve this expertise, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences will be cut.
www.dailynebraskan.com/news/adminis...
Despite the fact that the academic council recommended against it, despite the fact that the program brought in more tuition than it cost, and despite the fact that Nebraskans need & deserve this expertise, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences will be cut.
www.dailynebraskan.com/news/adminis...
BREAKING: ‘This hurts’: UNL eliminates 4 programs despite faculty, student pleas
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln eliminates the Earth and atmospheric sciences 8-0, educational administration 7-1, statistics 7-1, textiles, merchandising and fashion design 7-1 programs.
www.dailynebraskan.com
December 7, 2025 at 5:40 AM
It's really depressing to see the United States pull up our inheritance and global comparative advantage like this
Reposted by Valastrius
This article opens with a 3-year-old forced to represent herself in court. We live in a fundamentally sick country.
There is no sight that more efficiently puts the lie to immigration “court” than the common sight of children “representing themselves.” Children too small to climb into the chair, children in pajamas who don’t know where they are, children not yet old enough to speak.
Three-year-old child forced to serve as her own attorney in Tucson immigration court
More than a dozen undocumented minors were forced to make their case in front of an immigration judge as the Trump administration ramps up removal proceedings.
coppercourier.com
December 7, 2025 at 2:30 AM
This article opens with a 3-year-old forced to represent herself in court. We live in a fundamentally sick country.
Reposted by Valastrius
The very same day, offer every portco the ability to sell those firms’ stakes to the Pentagon for the fair market value of $1 on the secondary market pursuant to DPA Title III, after which operations continue as normal.
It doesn’t have to hurt for long.
Everybody wins.
Defense Tech Delenda Est
It doesn’t have to hurt for long.
Everybody wins.
Defense Tech Delenda Est
December 6, 2025 at 10:23 PM
The very same day, offer every portco the ability to sell those firms’ stakes to the Pentagon for the fair market value of $1 on the secondary market pursuant to DPA Title III, after which operations continue as normal.
It doesn’t have to hurt for long.
Everybody wins.
Defense Tech Delenda Est
It doesn’t have to hurt for long.
Everybody wins.
Defense Tech Delenda Est
Reposted by Valastrius
Remember after his first admin ended we found out the White House pharmacy was pumping out amphetamines and highly controlled substances like they were candy? Do we actually think things are better now?
White House pharmacist whistleblower where you at.
White House pharmacist whistleblower where you at.
December 7, 2025 at 3:28 AM
Remember after his first admin ended we found out the White House pharmacy was pumping out amphetamines and highly controlled substances like they were candy? Do we actually think things are better now?
White House pharmacist whistleblower where you at.
White House pharmacist whistleblower where you at.
Reposted by Valastrius
What I learned from Syria is that the idealists all die or flee right away, and then the monsters who are useful to other countries take over.
December 6, 2025 at 7:15 PM
What I learned from Syria is that the idealists all die or flee right away, and then the monsters who are useful to other countries take over.
Reposted by Valastrius
a billionaire who sees undermining political sovereignty as an alternative to paying a relatively minor fine is a problem that will have to be dealt with eventually
Elon Musk is against the European Union being the European Union —he posted this after X (fka Twitter) was fined for violations of the EU’s Digital Services Act.
December 6, 2025 at 8:53 PM
a billionaire who sees undermining political sovereignty as an alternative to paying a relatively minor fine is a problem that will have to be dealt with eventually
Reposted by Valastrius
A future D Secretary of Defense - should one ever come - will need to suspend the clearance of every last person affiliated with a16z, 8VC, Founders, & Sequoia and pull clearances from every portfolio company pending comprehensive drug testing, financial review, & CI screening.
It’s going to hurt.
It’s going to hurt.
December 6, 2025 at 10:23 PM
A future D Secretary of Defense - should one ever come - will need to suspend the clearance of every last person affiliated with a16z, 8VC, Founders, & Sequoia and pull clearances from every portfolio company pending comprehensive drug testing, financial review, & CI screening.
It’s going to hurt.
It’s going to hurt.
Reposted by Valastrius
what can i say, except that capitalism is too important to be left to the capitalists
December 6, 2025 at 7:09 PM
what can i say, except that capitalism is too important to be left to the capitalists
Reposted by Valastrius
Breaking bad was about a guy who had many opportunities for his healthcare to be paid for (his former business partners, jrs accidental money laundering go fund me), but he preferred selling meth because ruining other people's lives feels more manly than accepting gifts.
December 7, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Breaking bad was about a guy who had many opportunities for his healthcare to be paid for (his former business partners, jrs accidental money laundering go fund me), but he preferred selling meth because ruining other people's lives feels more manly than accepting gifts.
Reposted by Valastrius
Hell he says this explicitly at the end of the show!! youtu.be/Beu8eDYc0RM?...
December 7, 2025 at 4:47 AM
Hell he says this explicitly at the end of the show!! youtu.be/Beu8eDYc0RM?...
Reposted by Valastrius
Beyond the flagrantly anti-American, anti-human, vile fascist meaning behind it...
... I'm still having trouble pinning exactly what it is about Miller's specific "style" of invective. The shrill, snivelling Jafar-ness of it all is so... weirdly heightened.
He speaks/writes like a Disney villain.
... I'm still having trouble pinning exactly what it is about Miller's specific "style" of invective. The shrill, snivelling Jafar-ness of it all is so... weirdly heightened.
He speaks/writes like a Disney villain.
December 7, 2025 at 4:47 AM
Beyond the flagrantly anti-American, anti-human, vile fascist meaning behind it...
... I'm still having trouble pinning exactly what it is about Miller's specific "style" of invective. The shrill, snivelling Jafar-ness of it all is so... weirdly heightened.
He speaks/writes like a Disney villain.
... I'm still having trouble pinning exactly what it is about Miller's specific "style" of invective. The shrill, snivelling Jafar-ness of it all is so... weirdly heightened.
He speaks/writes like a Disney villain.
Reposted by Valastrius
By the way, we’re gonna need to do this fast. Everybody in Silicon Valley with a clearance needs to piss in a cup within 48 hours of the new Democratic administration taking office.
A future D Secretary of Defense - should one ever come - will need to suspend the clearance of every last person affiliated with a16z, 8VC, Founders, & Sequoia and pull clearances from every portfolio company pending comprehensive drug testing, financial review, & CI screening.
It’s going to hurt.
It’s going to hurt.
December 7, 2025 at 4:45 AM
By the way, we’re gonna need to do this fast. Everybody in Silicon Valley with a clearance needs to piss in a cup within 48 hours of the new Democratic administration taking office.
Reposted by Valastrius
Resistance libs welcomed South Park into the anti-Trump fold with open arms. Our founder Evan Urquhart was a bit less joyous to see the anti-woke edgelords of South Park recognize, at last, the dreadful pandora's box that widespread anti-wokeness opened up.
www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-new...
www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-new...
South Park Mourns the Death of Woke — Assigned
An adult cartoon that reveled in the anti-woke backlash reckons with its impact.
www.assignedmedia.org
December 6, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Resistance libs welcomed South Park into the anti-Trump fold with open arms. Our founder Evan Urquhart was a bit less joyous to see the anti-woke edgelords of South Park recognize, at last, the dreadful pandora's box that widespread anti-wokeness opened up.
www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-new...
www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-new...
Reposted by Valastrius
It's a good thing when a transit system is expanding so quickly I can barely squeeze all the new routes into one chart!
December 6, 2025 at 8:56 PM
It's a good thing when a transit system is expanding so quickly I can barely squeeze all the new routes into one chart!
Reposted by Valastrius
Congratulations to Seattle's Sound Transit, America's fastest-growing train network, which is opening an 8-mile, 3-station extension to Federal Way today!
This is the system's 4th new segment opened in less than 2 years, continually pushing ridership up to new record highs!
This is the system's 4th new segment opened in less than 2 years, continually pushing ridership up to new record highs!
December 6, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Congratulations to Seattle's Sound Transit, America's fastest-growing train network, which is opening an 8-mile, 3-station extension to Federal Way today!
This is the system's 4th new segment opened in less than 2 years, continually pushing ridership up to new record highs!
This is the system's 4th new segment opened in less than 2 years, continually pushing ridership up to new record highs!
Reposted by Valastrius
One of the "better" portrayals of humanoid robot infantry is arguably Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, where in the first level a platoon of humanoid robots renders the player character hors de combat and then proceeds to rip your arms off depicts this in the first person
fwiw I think lethal robot infantry, if/when we get there, will be uniquely bad because it’s much easier to make them do things human soldiers won’t do consistently
December 6, 2025 at 8:57 PM
One of the "better" portrayals of humanoid robot infantry is arguably Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, where in the first level a platoon of humanoid robots renders the player character hors de combat and then proceeds to rip your arms off depicts this in the first person
Reposted by Valastrius
“let’s pack some snacks and raw milk and go watch daddy shoot some libs”-ass shit
you’d think they would know a tiny little bit about the conflict they fetishize but nah
you’d think they would know a tiny little bit about the conflict they fetishize but nah
What's sad is this is history repeating. They literally thought the same in the Civil War and hundreds of people showed up to the Battle of Bull Run to have a picnic and watch the battle. Including several members of Congress.
They had to flee from cannon fire and a few politicians were captured.
They had to flee from cannon fire and a few politicians were captured.
December 6, 2025 at 7:25 PM
“let’s pack some snacks and raw milk and go watch daddy shoot some libs”-ass shit
you’d think they would know a tiny little bit about the conflict they fetishize but nah
you’d think they would know a tiny little bit about the conflict they fetishize but nah
Reposted by Valastrius
The cowardice is over the top.
December 6, 2025 at 8:21 PM
The cowardice is over the top.
Reposted by Valastrius
I think we dramatically overstate the effectiveness of mass-influence operations (foreign, domestic, legal, and illegal) and neglect various kind of elite influence operations, essentially to the point of extinction.
Study after study shows campaign ads barely move the needle. So where does money’s real power come from? I ranked the five ways money corrupts politics—from least to most corrosive. What I’ve learned from 15 years of tracking political money:
Money Doesn't Buy Elections. It Does Something Worse.
Campaign ads barely move the needle. The real influence is hiding in plain sight.
open.substack.com
December 6, 2025 at 8:48 PM
I think we dramatically overstate the effectiveness of mass-influence operations (foreign, domestic, legal, and illegal) and neglect various kind of elite influence operations, essentially to the point of extinction.