Birb_at_Arms
@birblib.bsky.social
Skeets about history, politics, martial arts, birbs and post-Soviet space. He/Him
They would in the way that a medieval knight stumbling out of a time warp would recognize some of what he saw in a LARP game.
The imperial boomerang is a thing, but in the present moment the US is doing the stupidest, most completely avoidable version.
The imperial boomerang is a thing, but in the present moment the US is doing the stupidest, most completely avoidable version.
February 6, 2026 at 2:51 AM
They would in the way that a medieval knight stumbling out of a time warp would recognize some of what he saw in a LARP game.
The imperial boomerang is a thing, but in the present moment the US is doing the stupidest, most completely avoidable version.
The imperial boomerang is a thing, but in the present moment the US is doing the stupidest, most completely avoidable version.
To be fair, conflicts between criminals and cops are very often constests between the two dumbest groups of people you've ever met
February 5, 2026 at 7:26 PM
To be fair, conflicts between criminals and cops are very often constests between the two dumbest groups of people you've ever met
And a lot of their net worth comes from how good they are at persuading people of the value of their capital assets anyway.
Musk in particular has a way higher net worth than I think an objective tally of the stuff he actually owns would justify.
Musk in particular has a way higher net worth than I think an objective tally of the stuff he actually owns would justify.
February 5, 2026 at 6:06 PM
And a lot of their net worth comes from how good they are at persuading people of the value of their capital assets anyway.
Musk in particular has a way higher net worth than I think an objective tally of the stuff he actually owns would justify.
Musk in particular has a way higher net worth than I think an objective tally of the stuff he actually owns would justify.
Yeah and while the international forces in the three Baltic states aren't huge, they're not nothing either and every day they and the local regulars hold off the Russians probably means - at minimum - a few thousand more reservists joining the fight.
February 5, 2026 at 3:38 PM
Yeah and while the international forces in the three Baltic states aren't huge, they're not nothing either and every day they and the local regulars hold off the Russians probably means - at minimum - a few thousand more reservists joining the fight.
I also don't know how Russia would come up with 15,000 troops without either vastly compromising on quality or leaving their positions in Ukraine substantially understrength.
Ditto where they get the fires, air cover, etc. because sending a load of unsupported infantry after three fresh opponents.
Ditto where they get the fires, air cover, etc. because sending a load of unsupported infantry after three fresh opponents.
February 5, 2026 at 3:28 PM
I also don't know how Russia would come up with 15,000 troops without either vastly compromising on quality or leaving their positions in Ukraine substantially understrength.
Ditto where they get the fires, air cover, etc. because sending a load of unsupported infantry after three fresh opponents.
Ditto where they get the fires, air cover, etc. because sending a load of unsupported infantry after three fresh opponents.
Tbh even if your billionaire hobby is weird sex stuff, there are plenty of (consenting) (adult) prostitutes, porn stars, artists and animators out there who could construct the most lurid interactive experience you could imagine for (to you) pocket change.
But no, gotta diddle minors I guess.
But no, gotta diddle minors I guess.
February 5, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Tbh even if your billionaire hobby is weird sex stuff, there are plenty of (consenting) (adult) prostitutes, porn stars, artists and animators out there who could construct the most lurid interactive experience you could imagine for (to you) pocket change.
But no, gotta diddle minors I guess.
But no, gotta diddle minors I guess.
It's just this comic panel over and over again
February 5, 2026 at 2:52 PM
It's just this comic panel over and over again
One of the major differences between "abolish the police" and "abolish ICE" is that when you talked to experts about the former you got a whole bunch of questions about scope and scale, but when you talk to experts about the latter they're like "you could probably also get rid of DHS"
February 5, 2026 at 2:33 PM
One of the major differences between "abolish the police" and "abolish ICE" is that when you talked to experts about the former you got a whole bunch of questions about scope and scale, but when you talk to experts about the latter they're like "you could probably also get rid of DHS"
Also this is such a mind-blowingly far left argument that I'm pretty sure I've heard it from Tom Nichols and Bill Kristol at this point.
February 5, 2026 at 1:58 PM
Also this is such a mind-blowingly far left argument that I'm pretty sure I've heard it from Tom Nichols and Bill Kristol at this point.
The P-61 (which also became the F-61 after the creation of the USAF in 1947) was a radar-equipped night fighter. It was more heavily armed than the P-47 and carried half its guns in a remote-controlled turret, which was cutting edge technology at the time.
Seems like a much better namesake to me!
Seems like a much better namesake to me!
February 5, 2026 at 5:10 AM
The P-61 (which also became the F-61 after the creation of the USAF in 1947) was a radar-equipped night fighter. It was more heavily armed than the P-47 and carried half its guns in a remote-controlled turret, which was cutting edge technology at the time.
Seems like a much better namesake to me!
Seems like a much better namesake to me!
The NGAD concept envisioned a fairly big, multi-engine aircraft with state-of-the-art sensors and fire control systems and a very heavy armament.
The closest American WWII aircraft to this concept is not the P-47 Thunderbolt (left) but the P-61 Black Widow (right)
The closest American WWII aircraft to this concept is not the P-47 Thunderbolt (left) but the P-61 Black Widow (right)
February 5, 2026 at 5:10 AM
The NGAD concept envisioned a fairly big, multi-engine aircraft with state-of-the-art sensors and fire control systems and a very heavy armament.
The closest American WWII aircraft to this concept is not the P-47 Thunderbolt (left) but the P-61 Black Widow (right)
The closest American WWII aircraft to this concept is not the P-47 Thunderbolt (left) but the P-61 Black Widow (right)
The P-47 (or F-47 after... uh... 1947) was an underperforming air superiority fighter pressed into the ground attack role after the USAAF unfucked the P-51.
As much as I'd like to make fun of them for this, everything I know about NGAD suggests that the plane they had in mind is nothing like P-47.
As much as I'd like to make fun of them for this, everything I know about NGAD suggests that the plane they had in mind is nothing like P-47.
February 5, 2026 at 5:10 AM
The P-47 (or F-47 after... uh... 1947) was an underperforming air superiority fighter pressed into the ground attack role after the USAAF unfucked the P-51.
As much as I'd like to make fun of them for this, everything I know about NGAD suggests that the plane they had in mind is nothing like P-47.
As much as I'd like to make fun of them for this, everything I know about NGAD suggests that the plane they had in mind is nothing like P-47.
Reposted by Birb_at_Arms
Love when things line up
February 4, 2026 at 10:12 PM
Love when things line up
I came away thinking that while it was probably realistic to show that British lawyers understand the UK's legal system better than an American academic, it was weird from a storytelling standpoint to have a protagonist who basically doesn't do anything to drive the plot.
February 4, 2026 at 4:26 AM
I came away thinking that while it was probably realistic to show that British lawyers understand the UK's legal system better than an American academic, it was weird from a storytelling standpoint to have a protagonist who basically doesn't do anything to drive the plot.
Yeah, she loses the argument on the survivor testimony (and the lawyers end up being right). She also gets really upset at one point because Irving manages to get a long, lie-heavy monologue in before a recess that ends up not mattering.
Then there's her principled stance on not bowing in court IG.
Then there's her principled stance on not bowing in court IG.
February 4, 2026 at 4:22 AM
Yeah, she loses the argument on the survivor testimony (and the lawyers end up being right). She also gets really upset at one point because Irving manages to get a long, lie-heavy monologue in before a recess that ends up not mattering.
Then there's her principled stance on not bowing in court IG.
Then there's her principled stance on not bowing in court IG.
It's subtle, but every time she comes up with some new legal strategy, her British lawyers shut her down and turn out to be right
February 4, 2026 at 4:15 AM
It's subtle, but every time she comes up with some new legal strategy, her British lawyers shut her down and turn out to be right
I remember finding that movie weirdly critical of Lipstadt given the context. She was the protagonist and it was a true story about her legal victory against a literal holocaust denier, yet the movie ended up being about how her British lawyers were smarter than her.
I see now how that happened.
I see now how that happened.
February 4, 2026 at 3:54 AM
I remember finding that movie weirdly critical of Lipstadt given the context. She was the protagonist and it was a true story about her legal victory against a literal holocaust denier, yet the movie ended up being about how her British lawyers were smarter than her.
I see now how that happened.
I see now how that happened.
Yeah, but *even then* if you interact with women consistently, you will eventually either learn to mask or find someone deranged enough that you don't need to.
To keep yourself permanently unfuckable, you need to make sure your only interactions with women are at the checkout counter and on PornHub
To keep yourself permanently unfuckable, you need to make sure your only interactions with women are at the checkout counter and on PornHub
February 4, 2026 at 3:49 AM
Yeah, but *even then* if you interact with women consistently, you will eventually either learn to mask or find someone deranged enough that you don't need to.
To keep yourself permanently unfuckable, you need to make sure your only interactions with women are at the checkout counter and on PornHub
To keep yourself permanently unfuckable, you need to make sure your only interactions with women are at the checkout counter and on PornHub
I still can't help but remember that the hagiographic movie about her legal victory against a literal holocaust denier still couldn't quite help but imply that she was an idiot.
I suspect it's because the writers talked to her at some point in the production.
I suspect it's because the writers talked to her at some point in the production.
February 4, 2026 at 3:43 AM
I still can't help but remember that the hagiographic movie about her legal victory against a literal holocaust denier still couldn't quite help but imply that she was an idiot.
I suspect it's because the writers talked to her at some point in the production.
I suspect it's because the writers talked to her at some point in the production.
I don't even know if it takes skill; lots of men are dumb and unpleasant, but so are lots of women and any man who doesn't shut himself in his apartment and interact with women exclusively at the supermarket checkout and on PornHub will *eventually* find a woman with low enough standards.
February 4, 2026 at 3:15 AM
I don't even know if it takes skill; lots of men are dumb and unpleasant, but so are lots of women and any man who doesn't shut himself in his apartment and interact with women exclusively at the supermarket checkout and on PornHub will *eventually* find a woman with low enough standards.
One of the most admirable qualities of anarchists is a proportionally high degree of physical bravery. A substantial portion of them are willing to get into fist fights with actual cops sometimes.
This guy punched Will Stancil.
This guy punched Will Stancil.
February 4, 2026 at 3:07 AM
One of the most admirable qualities of anarchists is a proportionally high degree of physical bravery. A substantial portion of them are willing to get into fist fights with actual cops sometimes.
This guy punched Will Stancil.
This guy punched Will Stancil.
It's also a public group chat, AFAIK.
February 4, 2026 at 2:57 AM
It's also a public group chat, AFAIK.