Andrew Kydd
andrewkydd.bsky.social
Andrew Kydd
@andrewkydd.bsky.social

Political science, game theory, music, wooden boats, vintage airplanes and motorcycles.

Political science 68%
Sociology 14%

My daughter put on Laufey’s cover of “Seems like old times,” which reminded me of Dianne Keaton singing it in Annie Hall, in 1977. The song was written in 1939, so we are further from Keaton’s version than she was from the original.

This looks like a destroyer. Not even a cruiser, much less a battleship.
Trump Class battleship illustration, as released by the White House.
Trump Class battleship illustration, as released by the White House.

Reposted by Andrew Kydd

Motor Monday!
#motorcycle
Just did a Substack Live with Ukrainian General Volodomyr Havrylov. He gave a fascinating overview of the changes in the war. For instance, now Ukraine is close to inflicting 50% of the casualties on the Russians using only 10% of the Ukr military. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
Phillips O’Brien and Volodomyr Havrylov
A recording from Phillips P. OBrien's live video
open.substack.com

Happy shortest (longest) day in the northern (southern) hemisphere! Unfortunate that a more astronomically minded Pope did not declare today Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Reposted by Andrew Kydd

Or as Jerry put it, “took my $20 bill and vanished in the air.”

The Devil just isn’t paying much for souls these days.
Breaking news: Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik said she ended her campaign for New York governor, a move that comes weeks after she officially jumped into the race. The conservative congresswoman also said she will not run for reelection to the U.S. House.
Elise Stefanik ends bid for N.Y. governor and won’t run again for House
Stefanik’s move came after Trump ally Bruce Blakeman decided to enter the Republican primary for New York governor.
wapo.st
Breaking news: Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik said she ended her campaign for New York governor, a move that comes weeks after she officially jumped into the race. The conservative congresswoman also said she will not run for reelection to the U.S. House.
Elise Stefanik ends bid for N.Y. governor and won’t run again for House
Stefanik’s move came after Trump ally Bruce Blakeman decided to enter the Republican primary for New York governor.
wapo.st

Better not show it to him. His letters look lighter than JFKs.
Five years ago today, Trump summoned a mob to Washington, DC for a “protest” on Jan. 6, 2021, tweeting: “Be there, will be wild!”

Rightwing extremists began planning for violence almost immediately.

www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/...

Reposted by Andrew Kydd

#Beneš-Mráz #BE-60 Bestiola, #Private (OK-BEC) by F. Klacek (Catch The Plane) (#Mladá Boleslav) #Warbirds (WW2 and before) #aviation #photography #avgeeks
Beneš-Mráz BE-60 Bestiola photo by F. Klacek (Catch The Plane)
OK-BEC | Private | Beneš-Mráz | BE-60 Bestiola | LKMB Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic | Photo by F. Klacek (Catch The Plane)
airplane-pictures.net

In 41, after the assassination of Caligula, the Guard supported Claudius. Claudius gave them 150 gold pieces, to which the senators' 100 sesterces were added. The inevitable result of the custom of the donativum was the Guard's auctioning of the empire to Didius Julianus in 193.

The Indiana Dunes National Park is a lovely beach destination. Well worth a visit.

Great to see this threat endorsed by the leading private organization devoted to preserving our heritage, which includes federalism and checks and balances.
Authoritarianism does not tolerate genuine federalism.
Authoritarianism does not tolerate genuine federalism.
GLASHEEN: Antifa is our primary concern right now. That's the most immediate violent threat we're facing

BENNIE THOMPSON: Where is antifa headquartered?

GLASHEEN: ... ... ... we are building out the infrastructure right now

THOMPSON: What does that mean?

Reposted by Andrew Kydd

The one question Biden and his advisors should have asked themselves about every choice they faced was, which option will minimize the chance that Trump is reelected. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/07/u...
How Biden Ignored Warnings and Lost Americans’ Faith in Immigration
www.nytimes.com

Ok, but where are the sharks with lasers?
Let me introduce you to the very real executive boardroom at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.
Let me introduce you to the very real executive boardroom at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.

FIFA, the renaissance popes of sport.
Participation trophies for the One Special Boy from the most corrupt athletics organization in the world. Perfect.
Update on this story from a month ago.

The winner of the first FIFA Peace Prize is …

Donald J. Trump. What a surprise.
Participation trophies for the One Special Boy from the most corrupt athletics organization in the world. Perfect.
Update on this story from a month ago.

The winner of the first FIFA Peace Prize is …

Donald J. Trump. What a surprise.

Haven’t seen the video but I’ve flipped a lot of boats, and I don’t think you flip a large powerboat that’s just been hit with a Hellfire missile.
Q: What did you see in the second strike?

Cotton: "I saw two survivors trying to flip a boat -- loaded with drugs, bound for the United States -- back over, so they could stay in the fight."
Q: What did you see in the second strike?

Cotton: "I saw two survivors trying to flip a boat -- loaded with drugs, bound for the United States -- back over, so they could stay in the fight."

I wonder how much of Trump’s pardon spree is an explicit bribe and how much is just feeling that, “I did that” or “I could have done that,“ or “he reminds me of me.”
President Trump on Tuesday pardoned Timothy Leiweke, a real estate developer who had been charged by the president’s own Justice Department earlier this year with rigging the bidding process for a sports arena.
Trump Pardons Developer Prosecuted by His Administration
This summer, Trump administration officials had lauded the indictment of Timothy J. Leiweke as an effort to root out corruption and unfair business practices.
nyti.ms