(VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
@braak.bsky.social
It's me, braak, returned at long last from my social media exile.
I encourage you to purchase my book, RADHIKA RAAD AND THE TOWER INGENIUS, which is now available (for purchase).
https://a.co/d/1nix74W
I encourage you to purchase my book, RADHIKA RAAD AND THE TOWER INGENIUS, which is now available (for purchase).
https://a.co/d/1nix74W
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
I was wondering how this might all turn out to have been my fault
January 4, 2026 at 1:59 AM
I was wondering how this might all turn out to have been my fault
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Instead of whatever this is, we should have a government getting lots of new homes and apartments built, lots of clean energy built, lots of high speed rail and transit and bike lanes built, human rights for everyone, economic & healthcare opportunities for all, & innovation that leads the world.
January 4, 2026 at 2:12 AM
Instead of whatever this is, we should have a government getting lots of new homes and apartments built, lots of clean energy built, lots of high speed rail and transit and bike lanes built, human rights for everyone, economic & healthcare opportunities for all, & innovation that leads the world.
I think...probably maturity is understanding that not every story has a villain, and maybe especially FORREST GUMP doesn't have a villain.
I saw an unironic post that said "maturity is realizing Jenny is the villain in Forrest Gump," just a guy sitting around getting fuckin furious at the molestation victim from the 30-year-old movie and going "damn... I'm pretty mature for this"
January 4, 2026 at 3:03 AM
I think...probably maturity is understanding that not every story has a villain, and maybe especially FORREST GUMP doesn't have a villain.
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My whole life, advocating war has been fed to me as “the adult position,” akin to drinking your coffee black or reading the business section of the newspaper. Let’s be very clear — war is the childish nonsense of impulsive destructive idiots playing baby-brained video games with real human lives.
January 4, 2026 at 2:02 AM
My whole life, advocating war has been fed to me as “the adult position,” akin to drinking your coffee black or reading the business section of the newspaper. Let’s be very clear — war is the childish nonsense of impulsive destructive idiots playing baby-brained video games with real human lives.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
reminds me of a thing I read about the Roman Empire where they had to send a priest of Jupiter to the border of a territory and throw a vulture at them and do a little ritual so they could come back and say "oh yeah, they failed to answer for their crimes against us, gonna have to do a war"
January 3, 2026 at 10:37 PM
reminds me of a thing I read about the Roman Empire where they had to send a priest of Jupiter to the border of a territory and throw a vulture at them and do a little ritual so they could come back and say "oh yeah, they failed to answer for their crimes against us, gonna have to do a war"
This is true but also I still don't think any of this makes any sense? Yes,. Venezuela's reserves are bigger than ours, but so what? It's not like we're running out. We're a net exporter! And it's not like Venezuela is making a gazillion dollars on it or anything.
Also,
Also,
Just your occasional reminder that Venezuela’s oil reserves are greater than Saudi Arabia’s, and nearly 4X those of the United States
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/b...
January 3, 2026 at 10:24 PM
This is true but also I still don't think any of this makes any sense? Yes,. Venezuela's reserves are bigger than ours, but so what? It's not like we're running out. We're a net exporter! And it's not like Venezuela is making a gazillion dollars on it or anything.
Also,
Also,
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What do Greenland, Honduras, Venezuela, and Nigeria have in common? The “network state” cabal—which includes Peter Thiel, Marc Andreessen, & Joe Lonsdale—has been circling them like vultures. 1/
December 28, 2025 at 2:08 AM
What do Greenland, Honduras, Venezuela, and Nigeria have in common? The “network state” cabal—which includes Peter Thiel, Marc Andreessen, & Joe Lonsdale—has been circling them like vultures. 1/
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The government had long wanted @a transition of power” in Venezuela and kidnapping a president is a super simple way to do it - well done everyone - it’s Satan I feel sorry for , such company for eternity
January 3, 2026 at 9:56 PM
The government had long wanted @a transition of power” in Venezuela and kidnapping a president is a super simple way to do it - well done everyone - it’s Satan I feel sorry for , such company for eternity
okay, so. The argument by the US is that legitimate sitting heads of state are not subject to US jurisdiction, BUT the US is the sole arbiter of whether or not someone is a legitimate head of state?
“My guess is that the United States will argue that it's never recognized Maduro as a legitimate leader of Venezuela and therefore he doesn't receive immunity. And the courts are going to be in the position of having to decide…”
January 3, 2026 at 10:06 PM
okay, so. The argument by the US is that legitimate sitting heads of state are not subject to US jurisdiction, BUT the US is the sole arbiter of whether or not someone is a legitimate head of state?
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What makes Trump's bombing of Venezuela especially cruel is we already know how his administration treats Venezuelans who are displaced. Here in Chicago, masked federal agents have been kidnapping them from the streets, abducting them from barbershops, hiring sites, their homes.
January 3, 2026 at 4:24 PM
What makes Trump's bombing of Venezuela especially cruel is we already know how his administration treats Venezuelans who are displaced. Here in Chicago, masked federal agents have been kidnapping them from the streets, abducting them from barbershops, hiring sites, their homes.
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Especially since there’s not even the pretense of security enforcement at Mar A Lago. Anybody can pay the price of admission (or cake on enough makeup to get through the front door) and then log onto the WiFi and just surveil the war plans.
Pretty unreal that the President launching a war from his private golf club is just a thing that happens now
They’ve got Twitter up on the big screens in Trump’s Mar-a-Lago makeshift “situation room.”
Photos from Trump’s Truth Social account.
Photos from Trump’s Truth Social account.
January 3, 2026 at 7:36 PM
Especially since there’s not even the pretense of security enforcement at Mar A Lago. Anybody can pay the price of admission (or cake on enough makeup to get through the front door) and then log onto the WiFi and just surveil the war plans.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
New Interview: www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
January 3, 2026 at 9:42 PM
New Interview: www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
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Dog ain’t gonna wag itself.
January 3, 2026 at 9:44 PM
Dog ain’t gonna wag itself.
The problem that I have with Demcorats' "laser-focus on affordability" is that it implies that the American people do not and cannot care about anything besides how much things cost.
January 3, 2026 at 9:41 PM
The problem that I have with Demcorats' "laser-focus on affordability" is that it implies that the American people do not and cannot care about anything besides how much things cost.
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"Congress...must do its duty, and begin an impeachment investigation in response to the administration’s attacks in Iran and Venezuela. A failure to do so only reinforces the anti-constitutional message that President Trump no longer requires Congressional authorization for war."
January 3, 2026 at 5:28 PM
"Congress...must do its duty, and begin an impeachment investigation in response to the administration’s attacks in Iran and Venezuela. A failure to do so only reinforces the anti-constitutional message that President Trump no longer requires Congressional authorization for war."
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Emergency protest, Times Square, right now:
"Hands off Venezuela!"
January 3, 2026 at 9:15 PM
Emergency protest, Times Square, right now:
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I’m at Times Square, where an emergency “No War On Venezuela” protest just took to the street. Easily a thousand people here in real-feel 20°F weather.
“No more coups, no more wars, Venezuela’s not yours!”
“No boots on the ground no bombs in the air, U.S. out of everywhere!”
“No more coups, no more wars, Venezuela’s not yours!”
“No boots on the ground no bombs in the air, U.S. out of everywhere!”
January 3, 2026 at 8:02 PM
I’m at Times Square, where an emergency “No War On Venezuela” protest just took to the street. Easily a thousand people here in real-feel 20°F weather.
“No more coups, no more wars, Venezuela’s not yours!”
“No boots on the ground no bombs in the air, U.S. out of everywhere!”
“No more coups, no more wars, Venezuela’s not yours!”
“No boots on the ground no bombs in the air, U.S. out of everywhere!”
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
The logic that "we can do what we want in our backyards" is also China's and Russia's justification for territorial expansion. It is based on no principle other than the most powerful countries can do what they want.
Trump is framing this as a law enforcement operation so he doesn’t need congressional authorization.
He’s not defending our country. He’s defending his grip on power with endless wars.
“American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again.”
He’s not defending our country. He’s defending his grip on power with endless wars.
“American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again.”
January 3, 2026 at 8:29 PM
The logic that "we can do what we want in our backyards" is also China's and Russia's justification for territorial expansion. It is based on no principle other than the most powerful countries can do what they want.
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a joke of an administration
January 3, 2026 at 8:12 PM
a joke of an administration
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People are going to try and lure you into debates about whether Maduro was a good guy or not and the thing is, it doesn’t matter for the purposes of discussing whether violent kidnappings and extrajudicial murders by the US government are ok. No, they aren’t! End of convo.
January 3, 2026 at 2:01 PM
People are going to try and lure you into debates about whether Maduro was a good guy or not and the thing is, it doesn’t matter for the purposes of discussing whether violent kidnappings and extrajudicial murders by the US government are ok. No, they aren’t! End of convo.
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ANOTHER THING: if you really wanna help venezuelans who are inside the country, specially in Caracas, DONATE DIRECTLY TO THEM
Many will need food and clean water while they stay at home cause of this situation. Even if, as family told me, its calm, they need monetary support in this.
HELP THEM
Many will need food and clean water while they stay at home cause of this situation. Even if, as family told me, its calm, they need monetary support in this.
HELP THEM
January 3, 2026 at 12:40 PM
ANOTHER THING: if you really wanna help venezuelans who are inside the country, specially in Caracas, DONATE DIRECTLY TO THEM
Many will need food and clean water while they stay at home cause of this situation. Even if, as family told me, its calm, they need monetary support in this.
HELP THEM
Many will need food and clean water while they stay at home cause of this situation. Even if, as family told me, its calm, they need monetary support in this.
HELP THEM
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I know this is a small thing that probably no one cares about but there is no "full wrath of American justice", justice isn't supposed to have wrath, justice is like the opposite of wrath.
To all heads of state with guns: The US may now kidnap and imprison you
January 3, 2026 at 8:05 PM
I know this is a small thing that probably no one cares about but there is no "full wrath of American justice", justice isn't supposed to have wrath, justice is like the opposite of wrath.
Reposted by (VFP) Strategic Gravitas Reserve
if you were in college during your first “No Blood For Oil” protest then now is a good time to discuss with your doctor which age-appropriate cancer screenings are right for you.
January 3, 2026 at 7:13 PM
if you were in college during your first “No Blood For Oil” protest then now is a good time to discuss with your doctor which age-appropriate cancer screenings are right for you.