The American Civil War Podcast
@uscivilwar.bsky.social
Social page for the American Civil War podcast, located at: https://uscivilwar.substack.com/
Get in, loser. We're damning torpedoes!
Get in, loser. We're damning torpedoes!
Not just easier - orders of magnitude easier. It's conceivable that humanity could "grow into" the sea over time as we develop new technologies. But getting anything to Mars is extremely difficult, and not worth much.
Even Venus and the asteroid belt are more plausible colonization targets!
Even Venus and the asteroid belt are more plausible colonization targets!
December 6, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Not just easier - orders of magnitude easier. It's conceivable that humanity could "grow into" the sea over time as we develop new technologies. But getting anything to Mars is extremely difficult, and not worth much.
Even Venus and the asteroid belt are more plausible colonization targets!
Even Venus and the asteroid belt are more plausible colonization targets!
Hegseth: Through passion, dedication and sheer will he managed to become an even worse human being. Most thought this impossible, but he proved them all wrong.
December 5, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Hegseth: Through passion, dedication and sheer will he managed to become an even worse human being. Most thought this impossible, but he proved them all wrong.
Well, it's ethically wrong, but at least it's also morally disgusting and absurdly petty.
December 5, 2025 at 1:38 AM
Well, it's ethically wrong, but at least it's also morally disgusting and absurdly petty.
Our good Captain failed to take note of the small, but rather important point that on the high seas, international law becomes more rather than less important.
Seizing passengers from a neutral ship threatened the Lincoln admin's careful diplomacy and nearly up-ended the entire war.
Seizing passengers from a neutral ship threatened the Lincoln admin's careful diplomacy and nearly up-ended the entire war.
December 5, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Our good Captain failed to take note of the small, but rather important point that on the high seas, international law becomes more rather than less important.
Seizing passengers from a neutral ship threatened the Lincoln admin's careful diplomacy and nearly up-ended the entire war.
Seizing passengers from a neutral ship threatened the Lincoln admin's careful diplomacy and nearly up-ended the entire war.
The Captain came close to starting a war with Britain because he failed to use the proper procedure. It would actually have been best not to stop the ship, but having done so he ought to have taken it to a Prize Court for adjudication.
December 5, 2025 at 1:28 AM
The Captain came close to starting a war with Britain because he failed to use the proper procedure. It would actually have been best not to stop the ship, but having done so he ought to have taken it to a Prize Court for adjudication.
In 1862, a US Navy Captain decided to exercise his authority in a very, ah, questionable manner: the boarded a British civilian steamer and detained two passengers, who were Confederate dignitaries.
Why was this a problem? Well, not because he stopped the ship.
Why was this a problem? Well, not because he stopped the ship.
December 5, 2025 at 1:28 AM
In 1862, a US Navy Captain decided to exercise his authority in a very, ah, questionable manner: the boarded a British civilian steamer and detained two passengers, who were Confederate dignitaries.
Why was this a problem? Well, not because he stopped the ship.
Why was this a problem? Well, not because he stopped the ship.
Episode 49: The Trent Affair
Listen now | Or, Loose Cannons Shoot In All Directions
uscivilwar.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 1:28 AM
*As opposed to the IdiotBro version which lionizes muscle-y Spartans.
If we suspect ships are carrying illicit cargo, which absolutely includes illegal drugs. International institutions work to stop this "trade," not hamstring intervention. And it is the Coast Guard which does the heavy lifting.
If we suspect ships are carrying illicit cargo, which absolutely includes illegal drugs. International institutions work to stop this "trade," not hamstring intervention. And it is the Coast Guard which does the heavy lifting.
December 5, 2025 at 1:28 AM
*As opposed to the IdiotBro version which lionizes muscle-y Spartans.
If we suspect ships are carrying illicit cargo, which absolutely includes illegal drugs. International institutions work to stop this "trade," not hamstring intervention. And it is the Coast Guard which does the heavy lifting.
If we suspect ships are carrying illicit cargo, which absolutely includes illegal drugs. International institutions work to stop this "trade," not hamstring intervention. And it is the Coast Guard which does the heavy lifting.
There are well-established procedures to stop & search vessels on the high seas. Although the waters may be international, that doesn't mean anarchy. Indeed, one of the true success stories of actual* Western Civilization was the (slow) development of maritime law.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maritim...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maritim...
Maritime law - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
December 5, 2025 at 1:28 AM
There are well-established procedures to stop & search vessels on the high seas. Although the waters may be international, that doesn't mean anarchy. Indeed, one of the true success stories of actual* Western Civilization was the (slow) development of maritime law.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maritim...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maritim...
The decisive moment?
December 4, 2025 at 5:24 AM
The decisive moment?
"By not dying they were aiding and abetting a illegal conspiracy to not be dead, therefore the frigate fired a second missile," is certainly... an argument... that I still would not to try in a law court, the court of public opinion or even a basketball court.
December 4, 2025 at 5:24 AM
"By not dying they were aiding and abetting a illegal conspiracy to not be dead, therefore the frigate fired a second missile," is certainly... an argument... that I still would not to try in a law court, the court of public opinion or even a basketball court.
Get him a Locke Cole thingy.
December 4, 2025 at 5:18 AM
Get him a Locke Cole thingy.
My, "We're not looking for Bagholders" shirt is causing people to ask a lot of questions already answered by the shirt."
December 4, 2025 at 5:17 AM
My, "We're not looking for Bagholders" shirt is causing people to ask a lot of questions already answered by the shirt."
Yes, but it's a pattern with the Trump administration (more in Trump2, but present in 1) to pre-emptively deny and erase crucial information.
December 4, 2025 at 4:08 AM
Yes, but it's a pattern with the Trump administration (more in Trump2, but present in 1) to pre-emptively deny and erase crucial information.
When it becomes this public, yes.
I don't know if there's a good explanation why this was the line, finally. But like many people who F Around, the Finding Out was somewhat inevitable because he couldn't stop himself from escalating.
I don't know if there's a good explanation why this was the line, finally. But like many people who F Around, the Finding Out was somewhat inevitable because he couldn't stop himself from escalating.
December 4, 2025 at 2:52 AM
When it becomes this public, yes.
I don't know if there's a good explanation why this was the line, finally. But like many people who F Around, the Finding Out was somewhat inevitable because he couldn't stop himself from escalating.
I don't know if there's a good explanation why this was the line, finally. But like many people who F Around, the Finding Out was somewhat inevitable because he couldn't stop himself from escalating.
They can't do otherwise; there's no other way to measure utility. That said, one part of every single economics course I've taken has been to point out the *limitations* of economic measurement and that it is, at best, a very vague proxy for human wellbeing. Economist are well aware of this.
December 3, 2025 at 11:31 PM
They can't do otherwise; there's no other way to measure utility. That said, one part of every single economics course I've taken has been to point out the *limitations* of economic measurement and that it is, at best, a very vague proxy for human wellbeing. Economist are well aware of this.
He keeps saying it's "unbelievable" because he doesn't actually have any points at all.
I guess when you're a complete lunatic you don't even need imaginary offenses; you can just rave incoherently.
I guess when you're a complete lunatic you don't even need imaginary offenses; you can just rave incoherently.
December 3, 2025 at 11:26 PM
He keeps saying it's "unbelievable" because he doesn't actually have any points at all.
I guess when you're a complete lunatic you don't even need imaginary offenses; you can just rave incoherently.
I guess when you're a complete lunatic you don't even need imaginary offenses; you can just rave incoherently.
Interesting. I don't know recent Chinese history nearly that well, but I would actually venture a guess that the second item worked out great for all involved. Well, not the public, but the criminals and politicians (well, other criminals).
December 3, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Interesting. I don't know recent Chinese history nearly that well, but I would actually venture a guess that the second item worked out great for all involved. Well, not the public, but the criminals and politicians (well, other criminals).
Watching them flail around is kind of amusing in a grim sort of way.
But what on Earth is he doing with his hands? I keep expecting "swoosh" sound effects.
But what on Earth is he doing with his hands? I keep expecting "swoosh" sound effects.
December 3, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Watching them flail around is kind of amusing in a grim sort of way.
But what on Earth is he doing with his hands? I keep expecting "swoosh" sound effects.
But what on Earth is he doing with his hands? I keep expecting "swoosh" sound effects.
I'm not sure I can support him given he apparently did not refuse the orders, but you understand the situation clearly.
December 3, 2025 at 12:49 AM
I'm not sure I can support him given he apparently did not refuse the orders, but you understand the situation clearly.
Honestly if he would spend the rest of his term doodling it would be a huge improvement.
December 3, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Honestly if he would spend the rest of his term doodling it would be a huge improvement.
Well I suppose there is no "conflict" if you had bad intentions from the beginning.
December 3, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Well I suppose there is no "conflict" if you had bad intentions from the beginning.
Anyway, that's just a silly comic book movie. Nothing to do with real life.
December 3, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Anyway, that's just a silly comic book movie. Nothing to do with real life.
"This isn't freedom," Cap says, "This is fear". - When speaking to a man who spent his life honorably fighting against terrorists and international criminals and is being manipulated by the aforementioned secret fascists.
December 3, 2025 at 12:19 AM
"This isn't freedom," Cap says, "This is fear". - When speaking to a man who spent his life honorably fighting against terrorists and international criminals and is being manipulated by the aforementioned secret fascists.