Richard Hoffman
@chelidon23.bsky.social
Advisor, analyst, writer, strategist, synthesist, heretic. Fixer of things, situations, places and people, sometime member of the 4th Estate, woods-walker, nature photographer, occasional tractor operator #LaughsMuch #NoBS
Refugee from that other place
Refugee from that other place
Pinned
Richard Hoffman
@chelidon23.bsky.social
· Nov 17
All - Bluesky Directory
A curated collection of all things relating to the Blue Sky social media platform.
blueskydirectory.com
A directory of Starter Packs and other useful-looking things for Bsky here:
blueskydirectory.com/starter-pack...
blueskydirectory.com/starter-pack...
Yep. The economic impacts are piling up. Spirit Air, the 7th-largest US carrier, just released a filing noting that there is a significant possibility they will not survive.
t.co/d9f4GJN8em
t.co/d9f4GJN8em
https://www.frommers.com/tips/miscellaneous/trumps-policies-are-making-travel-pricier-and-less-convenient/
t.co
August 19, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Yep. The economic impacts are piling up. Spirit Air, the 7th-largest US carrier, just released a filing noting that there is a significant possibility they will not survive.
t.co/d9f4GJN8em
t.co/d9f4GJN8em
Ah, such love. Yeesh.
July 6, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Ah, such love. Yeesh.
This is what sanity looks like -- also, by the will and wisdom of the Founders, Constitutionally-mandated separation of powers (no paywall):
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/28/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/28/b...
Trump Tariffs Ruled Illegal by Federal Judicial Panel
www.nytimes.com
May 29, 2025 at 12:23 AM
This is what sanity looks like -- also, by the will and wisdom of the Founders, Constitutionally-mandated separation of powers (no paywall):
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/28/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/28/b...
Reposted by Richard Hoffman
This is being overlooked. It’s a must read.
I wrote about some details that the Trump administration might not want to come to light when it comes to what kind of deal Trump has truck with Bukele asharangappa.substack.com/p/whats-the-...
What's the Real Quid Pro Quo with Bukele?
Hint: It's not about fighting "terrorism," or stopping illegal immigration.
asharangappa.substack.com
April 18, 2025 at 3:35 AM
This is being overlooked. It’s a must read.
Reposted by Richard Hoffman
"the plan to shrink IRS staff by up to 50% would — very conservatively — lead to a $400 billion increase in uncollected taxes over the next decade. It could easily mean more than $2 trillion in losses..."
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Opinion | DOGE says it’s saving $100 billion. It’s about to lose a lot more.
Cuts to the IRS will backfire by giving tax evaders a free pass.
www.washingtonpost.com
March 13, 2025 at 4:35 PM
"the plan to shrink IRS staff by up to 50% would — very conservatively — lead to a $400 billion increase in uncollected taxes over the next decade. It could easily mean more than $2 trillion in losses..."
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Reposted by Richard Hoffman
Reposted by Richard Hoffman
In light of everything happening, I wrote about how the KKK in the 1920s felt unstoppable, about the people that fought against them anyway, and about how fascism always fails. dansinker.com/posts/202…
February 24, 2025 at 1:07 AM
In light of everything happening, I wrote about how the KKK in the 1920s felt unstoppable, about the people that fought against them anyway, and about how fascism always fails. dansinker.com/posts/202…
As a language geek (including computational & cognitive psycholinguistics), I find this stuff fascinating. Humans are big-brained primates, and primate tribalism is quite "natural," if not always helpful. And "anti-wokeism" is largely virtue-signalling tribalism: www.nytimes.com/2025/02/20/o...
Opinion | How ‘Woke’ Became the ‘Woke Right’ (and Why It Shouldn’t Surprise Anyone) (Gift Article)
From pejoration to semantic broadening, the word has done it all.
www.nytimes.com
February 20, 2025 at 9:21 PM
As a language geek (including computational & cognitive psycholinguistics), I find this stuff fascinating. Humans are big-brained primates, and primate tribalism is quite "natural," if not always helpful. And "anti-wokeism" is largely virtue-signalling tribalism: www.nytimes.com/2025/02/20/o...
Reposted by Richard Hoffman
I don’t know who made this graphic but it’s pretty good.
November 14, 2024 at 12:05 AM
I don’t know who made this graphic but it’s pretty good.
China always plays the long game, and Russia is losing itself one piece at a time. The Chinese on Weibo call Russia 菜鹅 (“weak goose”), 鹅弱死 (“goose weakened to death”) and 大体老师 (“anatomy lab cadaver.”)
1/ Powerful figures in the Russian government apparatus are reportedly becoming increasingly unhappy with the government's subservient relationship with China, which is seen as "turning the country into a raw materials colony" and threatening an economic crisis. ⬇️
January 21, 2025 at 6:15 PM
China always plays the long game, and Russia is losing itself one piece at a time. The Chinese on Weibo call Russia 菜鹅 (“weak goose”), 鹅弱死 (“goose weakened to death”) and 大体老师 (“anatomy lab cadaver.”)
Excellent primer/overview. History matters, not because it repeats, but it rhymes -- patterns evolve, and fit into classes and types. The single best piece of constructive advice is to create, tend and strengthen communities of good (and useful) folks. This is always a good idea, and especially now.
as an anthropologist, one of my academic specialisations is authoritarianism & revolutionist practice in response to it
one of my research foci for 3+ years was the social processes of a society's descent into authoritarianism.
my historian mentor once told me:
it happens slowly, then all at once.
one of my research foci for 3+ years was the social processes of a society's descent into authoritarianism.
my historian mentor once told me:
it happens slowly, then all at once.
January 21, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Excellent primer/overview. History matters, not because it repeats, but it rhymes -- patterns evolve, and fit into classes and types. The single best piece of constructive advice is to create, tend and strengthen communities of good (and useful) folks. This is always a good idea, and especially now.
Reposted by Richard Hoffman
There are two real stories here.
1) What motivated these three (anonymous) officials to put forward ideas exonerating Russia and the ships concerned, ideas instantly dismissed by (named) shipping experts as nonsensical?
2) What led the Washington Post to lead on those ideas not the real story?
1) What motivated these three (anonymous) officials to put forward ideas exonerating Russia and the ships concerned, ideas instantly dismissed by (named) shipping experts as nonsensical?
2) What led the Washington Post to lead on those ideas not the real story?
(The willingness of some US officials to state that vessels in Russia's shadow fleet can drop anchor and then drag anchor and chain for 100 miles *by accident and without noticing* will be a gift to these campaigns to claim Russia is not at fault.)
[10/14]
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
[10/14]
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
Accidents, not Russian sabotage, behind undersea cable damage, officials say
An emerging consensus among U.S. and European security services holds that accidents were the cause of damage to Baltic seabed energy and communications lines.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 20, 2025 at 10:49 AM
There are two real stories here.
1) What motivated these three (anonymous) officials to put forward ideas exonerating Russia and the ships concerned, ideas instantly dismissed by (named) shipping experts as nonsensical?
2) What led the Washington Post to lead on those ideas not the real story?
1) What motivated these three (anonymous) officials to put forward ideas exonerating Russia and the ships concerned, ideas instantly dismissed by (named) shipping experts as nonsensical?
2) What led the Washington Post to lead on those ideas not the real story?
The original (Ukrainian) Carol of the Bells. Joy to all, in this blessed season.
youtu.be/GqeJ38DThVc?...
youtu.be/GqeJ38DThVc?...
Shchedryk / Щедрик. Carol of the Bells. Original Ukrainian Version with English and Ukrainian Lyrics
YouTube video by Eileen
youtu.be
December 31, 2024 at 3:19 AM
The original (Ukrainian) Carol of the Bells. Joy to all, in this blessed season.
youtu.be/GqeJ38DThVc?...
youtu.be/GqeJ38DThVc?...
He's on the job. www.noradsanta.org/en/map
Official NORAD Tracks Santa
www.noradsanta.org
December 25, 2024 at 1:05 AM
He's on the job. www.noradsanta.org/en/map
Gorgeous words. Happy solar new year — the days get longer in the northern hemisphere with each new day from now until midsummer! Welcome, Yule!
December 23, 2024 at 5:42 AM
Gorgeous words. Happy solar new year — the days get longer in the northern hemisphere with each new day from now until midsummer! Welcome, Yule!
Reposted by Richard Hoffman
This last election showed that not enough people know how tariffs work.
Share around so Americans know they will be the ones paying higher costs. Not China, Mexico or Canada.
Share around so Americans know they will be the ones paying higher costs. Not China, Mexico or Canada.
December 11, 2024 at 8:16 PM
This last election showed that not enough people know how tariffs work.
Share around so Americans know they will be the ones paying higher costs. Not China, Mexico or Canada.
Share around so Americans know they will be the ones paying higher costs. Not China, Mexico or Canada.
Reposted by Richard Hoffman
Markwayne Mullin on Hegseth’s drinking:
TAPPER: Drinking at 10 in the morning, that’s a drinking problem.
MULLIN: Yeah & there’s probably a lot of media that has a drinking problem too.
TAPPER: A drunk reporter who is drinking at 10 AM…is not in charge of the 3 million person defense department.💥
TAPPER: Drinking at 10 in the morning, that’s a drinking problem.
MULLIN: Yeah & there’s probably a lot of media that has a drinking problem too.
TAPPER: A drunk reporter who is drinking at 10 AM…is not in charge of the 3 million person defense department.💥
December 8, 2024 at 6:58 PM
Markwayne Mullin on Hegseth’s drinking:
TAPPER: Drinking at 10 in the morning, that’s a drinking problem.
MULLIN: Yeah & there’s probably a lot of media that has a drinking problem too.
TAPPER: A drunk reporter who is drinking at 10 AM…is not in charge of the 3 million person defense department.💥
TAPPER: Drinking at 10 in the morning, that’s a drinking problem.
MULLIN: Yeah & there’s probably a lot of media that has a drinking problem too.
TAPPER: A drunk reporter who is drinking at 10 AM…is not in charge of the 3 million person defense department.💥
Reposted by Richard Hoffman
This is the most-read piece on @theatlantic.com. It should be the most-read piece. You should all read it, even though it may make you sad. Here’s a gift link so you can read it.
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
The Sound of Fear on Air
It is an ominous sign that Morning Joe felt it had to apologize for something I said.
www.theatlantic.com
December 5, 2024 at 2:29 AM
This is the most-read piece on @theatlantic.com. It should be the most-read piece. You should all read it, even though it may make you sad. Here’s a gift link so you can read it.
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
These are the same folks who drink their own urine and get their medical advice from YouTube, TikTok and “influencers“ selling quack-medicine supplements. Trump has tapped a Moonbat Coalition of incel cryptobros, angry cranks and crazed cultists.
Just FYI evidently the vaccine has antennas and is about to be activated.
2024 would make the dark ages jealous
2024 would make the dark ages jealous
December 4, 2024 at 2:57 PM
These are the same folks who drink their own urine and get their medical advice from YouTube, TikTok and “influencers“ selling quack-medicine supplements. Trump has tapped a Moonbat Coalition of incel cryptobros, angry cranks and crazed cultists.
So, the whiny old felon can lay claim to two of the five smallest election wins in U.S. history, and combining the two, still has an overall net loss in popular vote margin. Gosh.
Trump won the Electoral College, but winning with less than 50% of the vote is not a landslide, and it certainly doesn’t give him a mandate, especially when he had one of the smallest wins in history.
We can’t let anyone forget that.
We can’t let anyone forget that.
November 30, 2024 at 5:15 AM
So, the whiny old felon can lay claim to two of the five smallest election wins in U.S. history, and combining the two, still has an overall net loss in popular vote margin. Gosh.
I did not know I needed this today, but it seems I did. The day is now complete.
November 30, 2024 at 5:10 AM
I did not know I needed this today, but it seems I did. The day is now complete.
Reposted by Richard Hoffman
BREAKING: Trump threatens tariffs on Scotland unless they immediately outlaw their national pastime of hurling insults at him.
In particular:
"Mangled apricot hellbeast"
"Clueless numpty"
"Weapons-grade plum"
"Toupeed fucktrumpet"
"Witless cocksplat"
In particular:
"Mangled apricot hellbeast"
"Clueless numpty"
"Weapons-grade plum"
"Toupeed fucktrumpet"
"Witless cocksplat"
November 27, 2024 at 3:15 PM
BREAKING: Trump threatens tariffs on Scotland unless they immediately outlaw their national pastime of hurling insults at him.
In particular:
"Mangled apricot hellbeast"
"Clueless numpty"
"Weapons-grade plum"
"Toupeed fucktrumpet"
"Witless cocksplat"
In particular:
"Mangled apricot hellbeast"
"Clueless numpty"
"Weapons-grade plum"
"Toupeed fucktrumpet"
"Witless cocksplat"
Reposted by Richard Hoffman
Bluesky now has over 20M people!! 🎉
We've been adding over a million users per day for the last few days. To celebrate, here are 20 fun facts about Bluesky:
We've been adding over a million users per day for the last few days. To celebrate, here are 20 fun facts about Bluesky:
November 19, 2024 at 6:51 PM
Bluesky now has over 20M people!! 🎉
We've been adding over a million users per day for the last few days. To celebrate, here are 20 fun facts about Bluesky:
We've been adding over a million users per day for the last few days. To celebrate, here are 20 fun facts about Bluesky:
Reposted by Richard Hoffman
Reposted by Richard Hoffman
11 years ago, Ukrainians stood up to defend their European dream. For three months, under rain and snow, they refused to bow to putin’s will.
Just take 19 seconds to listen to this man’s pledge of allegiance to freedom.
Just take 19 seconds to listen to this man’s pledge of allegiance to freedom.
November 21, 2024 at 9:59 AM
11 years ago, Ukrainians stood up to defend their European dream. For three months, under rain and snow, they refused to bow to putin’s will.
Just take 19 seconds to listen to this man’s pledge of allegiance to freedom.
Just take 19 seconds to listen to this man’s pledge of allegiance to freedom.