John Peters
@johnthejack.bsky.social
Unbeliever (political & religious), Wales rugby, #c4news, porridge, tea, #MEcfs
'Obvious but wrong'
Also JTJ on the other place
https://johnthejack.com
'Obvious but wrong'
Also JTJ on the other place
https://johnthejack.com
All that macho FAFO stuff from Hegseth and Rubio, but the fear is that they may well be the ones to find out, they and the poor Venezuelans. #c4news
January 4, 2026 at 6:18 PM
All that macho FAFO stuff from Hegseth and Rubio, but the fear is that they may well be the ones to find out, they and the poor Venezuelans. #c4news
Reposted by John Peters
King: "What is your idea, in infesting the sea?"
Pirate: "The same as yours, in infesting the earth! But because I do it with a tiny craft, I'm called a pirate; because you have a mighty navy, you're called an emperor."
--Augustine, City of God, 4.4
Pirate: "The same as yours, in infesting the earth! But because I do it with a tiny craft, I'm called a pirate; because you have a mighty navy, you're called an emperor."
--Augustine, City of God, 4.4
January 3, 2026 at 9:50 PM
King: "What is your idea, in infesting the sea?"
Pirate: "The same as yours, in infesting the earth! But because I do it with a tiny craft, I'm called a pirate; because you have a mighty navy, you're called an emperor."
--Augustine, City of God, 4.4
Pirate: "The same as yours, in infesting the earth! But because I do it with a tiny craft, I'm called a pirate; because you have a mighty navy, you're called an emperor."
--Augustine, City of God, 4.4
Illustration of the chilling effect on media of Trump's attacks on it, including nuisance legal claims.
My guess is that the motive was at least in part not about 'protecting US troops' but protecting themselves from retribution by the administration.
personally I think if a story about an illegal war and kidnapping leaks to you should publish it.
January 4, 2026 at 1:24 PM
Illustration of the chilling effect on media of Trump's attacks on it, including nuisance legal claims.
Reposted by John Peters
physiosforme.com/post/new-surve…
As requested - survey kept open for an add week. If you are #hcpcp wit#MEME o#lclc wit#pemem please complete this online survey of your experiences. It takes about 15 mins but you can stop and complete later to allow for pacing. Thanks @physiosforme.bsky.social
As requested - survey kept open for an add week. If you are #hcpcp wit#MEME o#lclc wit#pemem please complete this online survey of your experiences. It takes about 15 mins but you can stop and complete later to allow for pacing. Thanks @physiosforme.bsky.social
https://physiosforme.com/post/new-surve…
January 4, 2026 at 12:26 PM
physiosforme.com/post/new-surve…
As requested - survey kept open for an add week. If you are #hcpcp wit#MEME o#lclc wit#pemem please complete this online survey of your experiences. It takes about 15 mins but you can stop and complete later to allow for pacing. Thanks @physiosforme.bsky.social
As requested - survey kept open for an add week. If you are #hcpcp wit#MEME o#lclc wit#pemem please complete this online survey of your experiences. It takes about 15 mins but you can stop and complete later to allow for pacing. Thanks @physiosforme.bsky.social
In the US — where nearly 40% of people struggle to pay a $400 medical bill, one in three live with medical debt, about 26 million are uninsured and the average three-day hospital stay costs $30,000 — crowdfunding has become part of the health system.
(£) www.thetimes.com/us/american-...
(£) www.thetimes.com/us/american-...
For sick Americans, a slick GoFundMe is a matter of life and death
In a country where 26 million people are uninsured, emotional fundraising pleas can be the difference between hope and destitution
www.thetimes.com
January 4, 2026 at 12:17 PM
In the US — where nearly 40% of people struggle to pay a $400 medical bill, one in three live with medical debt, about 26 million are uninsured and the average three-day hospital stay costs $30,000 — crowdfunding has become part of the health system.
(£) www.thetimes.com/us/american-...
(£) www.thetimes.com/us/american-...
Previous protests have ended in repression, and there is little assurance that the current unrest will unfold differently. External threats of regime change are likely to worsen internal violence rather than empower Iranian society.
(£) www.thetimes.com/world/middle...
By @sanamvakil.bsky.social
(£) www.thetimes.com/world/middle...
By @sanamvakil.bsky.social
Three crises hang over Iran — even middle classes are on the brink
Hardship and years of discontent fuel protests against Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime. The threat of war with Israel is looming too
www.thetimes.com
January 4, 2026 at 11:52 AM
Previous protests have ended in repression, and there is little assurance that the current unrest will unfold differently. External threats of regime change are likely to worsen internal violence rather than empower Iranian society.
(£) www.thetimes.com/world/middle...
By @sanamvakil.bsky.social
(£) www.thetimes.com/world/middle...
By @sanamvakil.bsky.social
Reposted by John Peters
It wasn't Malaria that defended Africans against colonialism
Portugal colonised Mombasa and the East African coast for 105 years in the 17th century; that was 37 years longer than the British lasted in 19th-20th cent. Kenya
The disease barrier is a myth
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/guns-germs...
Portugal colonised Mombasa and the East African coast for 105 years in the 17th century; that was 37 years longer than the British lasted in 19th-20th cent. Kenya
The disease barrier is a myth
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/guns-germs...
December 29, 2025 at 7:01 PM
It wasn't Malaria that defended Africans against colonialism
Portugal colonised Mombasa and the East African coast for 105 years in the 17th century; that was 37 years longer than the British lasted in 19th-20th cent. Kenya
The disease barrier is a myth
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/guns-germs...
Portugal colonised Mombasa and the East African coast for 105 years in the 17th century; that was 37 years longer than the British lasted in 19th-20th cent. Kenya
The disease barrier is a myth
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/guns-germs...
Reposted by John Peters
Portugal did not need quinine to occupy Angola and Benguela for nearly 500 years
It wasn't armies of mosquitoes that stopped them from colonizing the rest of central Africa;
They invaded and were beaten back; it's not very complicated
It wasn't armies of mosquitoes that stopped them from colonizing the rest of central Africa;
They invaded and were beaten back; it's not very complicated
December 29, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Portugal did not need quinine to occupy Angola and Benguela for nearly 500 years
It wasn't armies of mosquitoes that stopped them from colonizing the rest of central Africa;
They invaded and were beaten back; it's not very complicated
It wasn't armies of mosquitoes that stopped them from colonizing the rest of central Africa;
They invaded and were beaten back; it's not very complicated
Reposted by John Peters
Manuscript cultures in West Africa's frontier regions.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/texts-from...
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/texts-from...
December 31, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Manuscript cultures in West Africa's frontier regions.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/texts-from...
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/texts-from...
Reposted by John Peters
The West African scholar al-Wālī (fl. 1688) was a rationalist whose writings combined classical/Greek philosophy and local oral traditions to challenge the ‘blind acceptance’ of religious authority
www.patreon.com/posts/17th-c...
www.patreon.com/posts/17th-c...
December 31, 2025 at 5:28 PM
The West African scholar al-Wālī (fl. 1688) was a rationalist whose writings combined classical/Greek philosophy and local oral traditions to challenge the ‘blind acceptance’ of religious authority
www.patreon.com/posts/17th-c...
www.patreon.com/posts/17th-c...
Reposted by John Peters
When you’re super secure and in no way trying to compensate for anything.
January 4, 2026 at 12:56 AM
When you’re super secure and in no way trying to compensate for anything.
Reposted by John Peters
“What appears to be a newly created account appeared to invest $30,000 Friday in Maduro's exit. After Maduro went into custody Saturday morning, that same investor netted $436,759.61.”
Someone made $400K by predicting Maduro's capture. Here's what happened
The winnings come as the rules governing prediction markets are still evolving.
www.axios.com
January 3, 2026 at 7:29 PM
“What appears to be a newly created account appeared to invest $30,000 Friday in Maduro's exit. After Maduro went into custody Saturday morning, that same investor netted $436,759.61.”
Reposted by John Peters
finally, we're living through precedented times
January 4, 2026 at 6:56 AM
finally, we're living through precedented times
Reposted by John Peters
ExxonMobil and Chevron are about to bestow Donald Trump with a Peace Prize momentarily.
January 3, 2026 at 7:18 PM
ExxonMobil and Chevron are about to bestow Donald Trump with a Peace Prize momentarily.
Reposted by John Peters
There are 250 species of turtle in Order Testudines. They are among the most ancient lines of reptiles.
"Turtles" as a group includes terrapins/tortoises, sea turtles, & freshwater turtles.
Early in their evolution. a split occurred around what to with their neck.
"Turtles" as a group includes terrapins/tortoises, sea turtles, & freshwater turtles.
Early in their evolution. a split occurred around what to with their neck.
March 31, 2025 at 12:48 PM
There are 250 species of turtle in Order Testudines. They are among the most ancient lines of reptiles.
"Turtles" as a group includes terrapins/tortoises, sea turtles, & freshwater turtles.
Early in their evolution. a split occurred around what to with their neck.
"Turtles" as a group includes terrapins/tortoises, sea turtles, & freshwater turtles.
Early in their evolution. a split occurred around what to with their neck.
Thought @philgunson.bsky.social was good on #c4news
January 3, 2026 at 7:19 PM
Thought @philgunson.bsky.social was good on #c4news
Schoolchildren smoking
Neat that all the marketing photos and videos are meant to communicate what serious shit is being done by these serious guys when in fact the exact opposite message is sent.
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 7:19 PM
Schoolchildren smoking
For Trump she's a non-starter.
She won, what he considers, his Nobel Peace Prize.
That and the whole woman thing.
She won, what he considers, his Nobel Peace Prize.
That and the whole woman thing.
January 3, 2026 at 7:13 PM
Reposted by John Peters
Venezuela has oil.
Greenland has rare Earth minerals.
Luckily Iceland has only volcanoes, glaciers, and very average cricketers.
Greenland has rare Earth minerals.
Luckily Iceland has only volcanoes, glaciers, and very average cricketers.
January 3, 2026 at 3:45 PM
Venezuela has oil.
Greenland has rare Earth minerals.
Luckily Iceland has only volcanoes, glaciers, and very average cricketers.
Greenland has rare Earth minerals.
Luckily Iceland has only volcanoes, glaciers, and very average cricketers.
'Venezuela has a homogeneous population.' Elliott Abrams on #c4news
'About 51% of the population is mestizo; Europeans and Arabs (whites) make up 43% of the population, Africans 3.6%, Amerindian people 2%, and other races, mostly Asians, make up 1.2%.'
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demogra...
'About 51% of the population is mestizo; Europeans and Arabs (whites) make up 43% of the population, Africans 3.6%, Amerindian people 2%, and other races, mostly Asians, make up 1.2%.'
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demogra...
Demographics of Venezuela - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
January 3, 2026 at 7:03 PM
'Venezuela has a homogeneous population.' Elliott Abrams on #c4news
'About 51% of the population is mestizo; Europeans and Arabs (whites) make up 43% of the population, Africans 3.6%, Amerindian people 2%, and other races, mostly Asians, make up 1.2%.'
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demogra...
'About 51% of the population is mestizo; Europeans and Arabs (whites) make up 43% of the population, Africans 3.6%, Amerindian people 2%, and other races, mostly Asians, make up 1.2%.'
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demogra...
Reposted by John Peters
Reposted by John Peters
Been waiting for this - it’s as good as I expected.
First thoughts on events in Venezuela - with a look back at exactly 35 years ago when something similar happened in Panama. Another bold first military move with little idea about the second, except Trump claims that the aftermath is already sorted. (£/free trial) open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...?
Trump, Maduro and the Panama Precedent
Once again the US has undertaken a military operation that was effectively executed in support of an uncertain political objective.
open.substack.com
January 3, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Been waiting for this - it’s as good as I expected.