Jacob Grier
@jacobgrier.bsky.social
I make books, drinks, and magic in Portland, Oregon. Founder at Seabird: https://seabirdreader.com/ Read my books: https://www.jacobgrier.com/blog/books-by-jacob-grier/
Pinned
Jacob Grier
@jacobgrier.bsky.social
· Nov 11
Huge influx of new people, so this seems like a good time to do an introduction. Hi! I'm a writer in Portland, Oregon. You probably followed me because of political posts but in happier times I write a lot about spirits and cocktails.
Some admirable exceptions obviously (Andy among them), but a full accounting of the libertarian movement in the Trump era has to acknowledge it's a story of a team with all the best coaches striking out in tee-ball.
For so many of us, the issue is not "ha ha see libertarians were right," it's how the hell did libertarians fail so badly at opposing such overt authoritarianism. And there are answers to why, I don't really care much to rehash it all at this point. But it sure ain't a mood of vindication.
February 9, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Some admirable exceptions obviously (Andy among them), but a full accounting of the libertarian movement in the Trump era has to acknowledge it's a story of a team with all the best coaches striking out in tee-ball.
Looks like the NYT opted to change the headline on this piece, for obvious reasons!
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/o...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/o...
February 9, 2026 at 6:28 PM
Looks like the NYT opted to change the headline on this piece, for obvious reasons!
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/o...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/o...
"meat and ferments" is a weird way to say "sausage and beer".
RFK Jr on what he'll eat during the Super Bowl: "I am on a carnivore diet so I just eat meat and ferments, and I'm very happy with that. So I'm probably going to have yogurt."
February 8, 2026 at 6:20 PM
"meat and ferments" is a weird way to say "sausage and beer".
As an American my only request is boo louder.
Vice President JD Vance gets roundly booed at the opening ceremony of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympics. "Those are a lot of boos for him, whistling jeering," says the presenter. US athletes receive a warm welcome from fans, though.
February 7, 2026 at 12:07 AM
As an American my only request is boo louder.
Wild take. My whole motivation for learning to cook in my early 20s was that I was ordering too much Chinese takeout and wanted to learn how to cook Chinese at home. It's very doable, even for a guy who could barely cook an egg at the time.
February 6, 2026 at 10:33 PM
Wild take. My whole motivation for learning to cook in my early 20s was that I was ordering too much Chinese takeout and wanted to learn how to cook Chinese at home. It's very doable, even for a guy who could barely cook an egg at the time.
If your news feed feels like all Trump, all the time, you'll find much else to check out in our weekly newsletter (which is just some Trump, some of the time).
Every Friday we send out a free newsletter curating the most interesting links shared on Seabird. Check out this week's edition here and subscribe to never miss an issue!
seabird.kit.com/posts/tiding...
seabird.kit.com/posts/tiding...
TIDINGS: Happy as a clam
seabird.kit.com
February 6, 2026 at 9:06 PM
If your news feed feels like all Trump, all the time, you'll find much else to check out in our weekly newsletter (which is just some Trump, some of the time).
Niche but amusing story I came across while writing the one below: how Wales lost a film shoot to England because the Welsh smoking ban forbids actors smoking on set, while England's allows an exception. www.bbc.com/news/article...
February 6, 2026 at 4:21 PM
Niche but amusing story I came across while writing the one below: how Wales lost a film shoot to England because the Welsh smoking ban forbids actors smoking on set, while England's allows an exception. www.bbc.com/news/article...
A highlight of seeing I'm With Her last year was their all-strings cover of Paul Simon's percussion-driven "The Obvious Child." It's out now as a single from an upcoming live album and really lovely: open.spotify.com/track/23CYxM...
The Obvious Child - Nashville
open.spotify.com
February 6, 2026 at 1:00 AM
A highlight of seeing I'm With Her last year was their all-strings cover of Paul Simon's percussion-driven "The Obvious Child." It's out now as a single from an upcoming live album and really lovely: open.spotify.com/track/23CYxM...
A break from doom and gloom from me today in @reason.com: on a few recent efforts to re-legalize cigar bars for consenting adults and buck the trend of prohibitionist tobacco policy.
reason.com/2026/02/05/l...
reason.com/2026/02/05/l...
Louisville just made it easier to smoke cigars indoors
A Kentucky proposal to legalize cigar bars bucks the trend of prohibitionist tobacco policy.
reason.com
February 5, 2026 at 8:04 PM
A break from doom and gloom from me today in @reason.com: on a few recent efforts to re-legalize cigar bars for consenting adults and buck the trend of prohibitionist tobacco policy.
reason.com/2026/02/05/l...
reason.com/2026/02/05/l...
If you're tasting a dish and think it needs a little something to complete it, a dash of fish sauce is often just the thing
you can use soy sauce, fish sauce, tahini and rice vinegar in all kinds of recipes for all kinds of cuisines
February 5, 2026 at 12:43 AM
If you're tasting a dish and think it needs a little something to complete it, a dash of fish sauce is often just the thing
Man, if I had to choose between only being able to keep fish sauce and chili peppers at home or olive oil and butter, the fish sauce and chilies win in a landslide.
fish sauce and chili peppers are her go-to for inflexible ingredients? really?
why are we like this in america
February 5, 2026 at 12:35 AM
Man, if I had to choose between only being able to keep fish sauce and chili peppers at home or olive oil and butter, the fish sauce and chilies win in a landslide.
I look forward to @liberalcurrents.com someday having cheerier reasons to write about Portland, but for now...
"These protesters endure gas, munitions, trauma, and violence in the name of the Constitution. In the most literal sense, these are patriots. And I discover that I am one of them." www.liberalcurrents.com/what-its-rea...
What It's Really Like: A First-Hand Account of the Portland ICE Facility Occupation
In Portland, members of the community have been standing up to ICE for most of Trump's second term so far.
www.liberalcurrents.com
February 4, 2026 at 10:58 PM
I look forward to @liberalcurrents.com someday having cheerier reasons to write about Portland, but for now...
Former balloon twister here, can confirm that this is correct.
Need a distraction from the 24-hour news cycle? Check out "Balloon Dog Anatomy" by the great Jason Freeny.
February 2, 2026 at 10:39 PM
Former balloon twister here, can confirm that this is correct.
This is who runs this account.
(The shirt says "entomologist." I have not grown up to be an entomologist, but I suppose there's still time.)
(The shirt says "entomologist." I have not grown up to be an entomologist, but I suppose there's still time.)
February 1, 2026 at 7:43 PM
This is who runs this account.
(The shirt says "entomologist." I have not grown up to be an entomologist, but I suppose there's still time.)
(The shirt says "entomologist." I have not grown up to be an entomologist, but I suppose there's still time.)
Reposted by Jacob Grier
It's hard to overstate how ell-organized the portland march that got gassed was... organizers made the crowd promise to be peaceful, said the march would slow in front of the ICE building but not stop, that we would stick to one chant (ICE Out). They did absolutely everything right and got gassed.
February 1, 2026 at 3:10 AM
It's hard to overstate how ell-organized the portland march that got gassed was... organizers made the crowd promise to be peaceful, said the march would slow in front of the ICE building but not stop, that we would stick to one chant (ICE Out). They did absolutely everything right and got gassed.
Selling e-cigarettes in Mexico now carries the risk of an 8-year prison sentence. And today, here's the AP reporting on the predictable outcome of handing the illicit market to violent cartels. apnews.com/article/mexi...
After Mexico bans vapes, cartels tighten their grip on a booming market
Organized crime in Mexico is tightening its grip on the vape market, a $1.5 billion industry. The country recently banned the sale of electronic cigarettes, though not their use.
apnews.com
January 31, 2026 at 9:27 PM
Selling e-cigarettes in Mexico now carries the risk of an 8-year prison sentence. And today, here's the AP reporting on the predictable outcome of handing the illicit market to violent cartels. apnews.com/article/mexi...
Long-lived Legolas is a Diedre McCloskey-style libertarian obsessed with ideas and institutions that lead to economic growth, this is canon.
i am happy to fight for freedom with the libertarians but also, we don’t really need to *talk*
January 31, 2026 at 1:38 AM
Long-lived Legolas is a Diedre McCloskey-style libertarian obsessed with ideas and institutions that lead to economic growth, this is canon.
How's everyone starting off the weekend? Out to theaters for Melania or cozied up at home for Whiskey Fridays with Tony Dokoupil?
January 30, 2026 at 11:07 PM
How's everyone starting off the weekend? Out to theaters for Melania or cozied up at home for Whiskey Fridays with Tony Dokoupil?
Reposted by Jacob Grier
Recommended reading for the weekend: tariffed cheeses, swift bricks, erotic typewriters, and more.
seabird.kit.com/posts/tiding...
seabird.kit.com/posts/tiding...
TIDINGS: Say cheese
seabird.kit.com
January 30, 2026 at 8:14 PM
Recommended reading for the weekend: tariffed cheeses, swift bricks, erotic typewriters, and more.
seabird.kit.com/posts/tiding...
seabird.kit.com/posts/tiding...
Uff da!
Chris Rufo is so upset about the Minneapolis protests that he is resorting to anti-Nordic racism christopherrufo.com/p/the-curse-...
January 30, 2026 at 5:49 PM
Uff da!
Gotta figure out how to get my hands on this Greenlandic gin. www.distillery.gl
January 29, 2026 at 1:21 AM
Gotta figure out how to get my hands on this Greenlandic gin. www.distillery.gl
Lunch for a wintry Portland day: red-braised beef with tofu bamboo and rice vermicelli, roasted sweet potatoes, kale namul.
January 28, 2026 at 9:40 PM
Lunch for a wintry Portland day: red-braised beef with tofu bamboo and rice vermicelli, roasted sweet potatoes, kale namul.
For the masses of fans eager to see this in Portland, it appears to be playing on one screen at the edge of town with zero tickets sold for opening weekend.
Boxoffice dot com projects $1 million to $2 million in opening weekend ticket sales for "Melania". Bezos' company MGM paid $40 million for the rights
January 26, 2026 at 7:38 PM
For the masses of fans eager to see this in Portland, it appears to be playing on one screen at the edge of town with zero tickets sold for opening weekend.
A couple new album recommendations from listening on a road trip to Seattle today: first, Lucinda Williams is back with a very politically inspired release that's still a pleasure to listen to.
www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...
www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...
Lucinda Williams on Trump-Bashing New Album: 'Should I Be Afraid?'
Lucinda Williams talks about meeting Bob Dylan and why people ask if she's afraid of bashing Trump on new album 'World's Gone Wrong.'
www.rollingstone.com
January 26, 2026 at 6:20 AM
A couple new album recommendations from listening on a road trip to Seattle today: first, Lucinda Williams is back with a very politically inspired release that's still a pleasure to listen to.
www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...
www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...