Morgan Robertson
@morganrobertson.bsky.social
Geographer at UW-Madison. Political ecologist, policy nerd, plant noticer, union member, Iowan, 🔱. Wetlands restoration, ecology and history are my jam. Also Australia and roller derby. USEPA HQ alum 2004-07.
Reposted by Morgan Robertson
People who fancy quoting the Melian Dialogue ("the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must") ignore the fact that Thucydides was clearly portraying this as the kind of hubris that squandered Athens' primacy and paved the way for a devastating peer war that it ultimately lost.
January 7, 2026 at 3:36 AM
People who fancy quoting the Melian Dialogue ("the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must") ignore the fact that Thucydides was clearly portraying this as the kind of hubris that squandered Athens' primacy and paved the way for a devastating peer war that it ultimately lost.
Reposted by Morgan Robertson
THUCYDIDES: In my book I described the Sicilian Expedition where you invade a basically random and sort of distant country to try to loot it as a cautionary tale
DIPSHITS: At long last, we have done the Sicilian Expedition from the classic of military history Don't Do The Sicilian Expedition
DIPSHITS: At long last, we have done the Sicilian Expedition from the classic of military history Don't Do The Sicilian Expedition
THUCYDIDES: In my book I invented the Melian Dialogue as a cautionary tale
DIPSHITS TALKING ABOUT IR WHO WANT TO SOUND SMART: At long last, we have done the Melian Dialogue from the classic book Don't Do the Melian Dialogue
DIPSHITS TALKING ABOUT IR WHO WANT TO SOUND SMART: At long last, we have done the Melian Dialogue from the classic book Don't Do the Melian Dialogue
The Melian Dialogue has a similar role to the Clausewitz quote about “politics by other means” - it exists to give a bit of frisson and even sexual pleasure to morons who have never read those quotes in context but who are still desperate to sound smart.
January 7, 2026 at 5:05 AM
THUCYDIDES: In my book I described the Sicilian Expedition where you invade a basically random and sort of distant country to try to loot it as a cautionary tale
DIPSHITS: At long last, we have done the Sicilian Expedition from the classic of military history Don't Do The Sicilian Expedition
DIPSHITS: At long last, we have done the Sicilian Expedition from the classic of military history Don't Do The Sicilian Expedition
Reposted by Morgan Robertson
man that Seahawks defense really beats you with metal bats for 60 minutes, don’t they
January 4, 2026 at 3:23 AM
man that Seahawks defense really beats you with metal bats for 60 minutes, don’t they
Reposted by Morgan Robertson
A judge has tossed the racketeering charges filed by the Georgia attorney general against activists who protested against Atlanta's Cop City facility.
Fulton judge dismisses RICO charges against training center protesters
In his order issued Tuesday, the judge said Attorney General Chris Carr did not have the authority to bring RICO charges.
www.ajc.com
January 1, 2026 at 7:00 PM
A judge has tossed the racketeering charges filed by the Georgia attorney general against activists who protested against Atlanta's Cop City facility.
Season’s greetings
December 30, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Season’s greetings
Reposted by Morgan Robertson
In 2005 Benedict became Pope and the Seahawks won 13 games and went to the Super Bowl
In 2013 Francis became Pope and the Seahawks won 13 games and went to the Super Bowl
In 2025 Leo became Pope and the Seahawks have won 13 games...
In 2013 Francis became Pope and the Seahawks won 13 games and went to the Super Bowl
In 2025 Leo became Pope and the Seahawks have won 13 games...
December 29, 2025 at 6:13 AM
In 2005 Benedict became Pope and the Seahawks won 13 games and went to the Super Bowl
In 2013 Francis became Pope and the Seahawks won 13 games and went to the Super Bowl
In 2025 Leo became Pope and the Seahawks have won 13 games...
In 2013 Francis became Pope and the Seahawks won 13 games and went to the Super Bowl
In 2025 Leo became Pope and the Seahawks have won 13 games...
Gotta love Seahawks fans — count on us to find every grey cloud even when Sam throws no picks and we win by three scores.
Lotta hand wringing for a Seahawks win where the losing team is kneeling at the end 😂
December 28, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Gotta love Seahawks fans — count on us to find every grey cloud even when Sam throws no picks and we win by three scores.
Reposted by Morgan Robertson
The bloody ghost of my ancestor Lt. John Bacon, shot dead by a redcoat musket during the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19th, 1775, appeared at the side of my bed last night and said anyone can be American as long as they aren’t English
December 26, 2025 at 8:42 PM
The bloody ghost of my ancestor Lt. John Bacon, shot dead by a redcoat musket during the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19th, 1775, appeared at the side of my bed last night and said anyone can be American as long as they aren’t English
Reposted by Morgan Robertson
Buttons are back. Knobs are back. Dumb devices are back. Own-it-forever software is back. Print is back. Personal websites and chronological feeds are back. Touching grass is back. People keep saying 2015, but it’s not far enough. The entire 2010s were a mistake. We must retvrn to… 2009.
Amazingly, reaction times using screens while driving are worse than being drunk or high—no wonder 90 percent of drivers hate using touchscreens in cars. Finally the auto industry is coming to its senses.
Rejoice! Carmakers Are Embracing Physical Buttons Again
Amazingly, reaction times using screens while driving are worse than being drunk or high—no wonder 90 percent of drivers hate using touchscreens in cars. Finally the auto industry is coming to its…
wrd.cm
December 28, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Buttons are back. Knobs are back. Dumb devices are back. Own-it-forever software is back. Print is back. Personal websites and chronological feeds are back. Touching grass is back. People keep saying 2015, but it’s not far enough. The entire 2010s were a mistake. We must retvrn to… 2009.
Reposted by Morgan Robertson
When you think GenAI is Socrates rather than a fancier and fawning version of autocorrect.
In that frame, education should be actively engaging with AI, but not in "write me my essay" mode or an "assistant" type posture. Instead as a thinking space which expands rather than shortcuts cognition when done right.
December 27, 2025 at 8:59 PM
When you think GenAI is Socrates rather than a fancier and fawning version of autocorrect.
I see that we’re posting our favorite Xmas presents from our childhood
December 27, 2025 at 6:16 PM
I see that we’re posting our favorite Xmas presents from our childhood
Allegory for our time
another robot highlight for 2025: man wearing humanoid mocap suit kicks himself in the balls
December 27, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Allegory for our time
Reposted by Morgan Robertson
As Hannah Arendt put it: "The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists." Undermining that distinction will be a lasting legacy of generative AI.
December 27, 2025 at 12:16 PM
As Hannah Arendt put it: "The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists." Undermining that distinction will be a lasting legacy of generative AI.
Reposted by Morgan Robertson
He ys ridinge a horse
He ys emerald and svelte
He will get reallye weirde
If you lie about beltes
The Greene Knighte
Ys Cominge
To Toun
He ys emerald and svelte
He will get reallye weirde
If you lie about beltes
The Greene Knighte
Ys Cominge
To Toun
December 25, 2025 at 9:08 PM
He ys ridinge a horse
He ys emerald and svelte
He will get reallye weirde
If you lie about beltes
The Greene Knighte
Ys Cominge
To Toun
He ys emerald and svelte
He will get reallye weirde
If you lie about beltes
The Greene Knighte
Ys Cominge
To Toun
Whew. Looks like a solid majority for the principle that deploying the national guard to enforce federal law requires exhaustion of the permitted uses of the regular military, which are very few under Posse Comitatus.
NEW: By a 6-3 vote, the Supreme Court blocks Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to Chicago to assist immigration agents. A majority holds that he likely lacks authority to do so. Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch dissent. www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25p...
![The Government asked this Court to stay the District Court's order. After the response and reply were filed, JUSTICE BARRETT referred the application to the Court. We directed the parties to file supplemental letter briefs on an issue that the District Court had addressed but the parties' initial briefs had not: the meaning of the term "regular forces" in §12406(3). In its supplemental brief, the Government argues that the term refers to civilian law enforcement officers, such as those employed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement or the Federal Protective Service.
Respondents, echoing the District Court, maintain that the term refers to the regular forces of the United States mili-tary.
We conclude that the term "regular forces" in §12406(3) likely refers to the regular forces of the United States mili-tary. This interpretation means that to call the Guard into active federal service under §12406(3), the President must be "unable" with the regular military "to execute the laws of the United States." Because the statute requires an assessment of the military's ability to execute the laws, it likely applies only where the military could legally execute the laws. Such circumstances are exceptional: Under the Posse Comitatus Act, the military is prohibited from "execut[ing] the laws" "except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress."
18 U. S. C. §1385. So before the President can federalize the Guard under §12406(3), he likely must have statutory or constitutional authority to execute the laws with the regular military and must be "unable" with those forces to perform that function.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:6h7b2i6ttw3l4t7pvbvxdith/bafkreiftbhzwvn3vgwhqsi7k2paizvdw4t26ailljvovso3chqupnmj364@jpeg)
December 23, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Whew. Looks like a solid majority for the principle that deploying the national guard to enforce federal law requires exhaustion of the permitted uses of the regular military, which are very few under Posse Comitatus.
Reposted by Morgan Robertson
I dunno who needs to hear this but using AI at your Early Concept phase, or for ideation, is literally the worst place to deploy it
It isn't creative, what it does is hand back tropes. That's what the model does: sift for likely responses to an input
It's like building your foundation out of memes
It isn't creative, what it does is hand back tropes. That's what the model does: sift for likely responses to an input
It's like building your foundation out of memes
December 22, 2025 at 4:19 AM
I dunno who needs to hear this but using AI at your Early Concept phase, or for ideation, is literally the worst place to deploy it
It isn't creative, what it does is hand back tropes. That's what the model does: sift for likely responses to an input
It's like building your foundation out of memes
It isn't creative, what it does is hand back tropes. That's what the model does: sift for likely responses to an input
It's like building your foundation out of memes
This is the opposite of inquiry. Anyone who does this is needs to stop pretending to be a researcher.
What about this is controversial? Beginning an inquiry by using AI to survey material is a very normal and appropriate use.
December 22, 2025 at 3:03 PM
This is the opposite of inquiry. Anyone who does this is needs to stop pretending to be a researcher.
The best skater I ever saw as a derby ref was a guy who used to come to open skate and spend the entire time pretending to fall down in increasingly acrobatic ways. He always looked like he was on the verge of catastrophe, but just kept going.
This is a post about the Seattle Seahawks.
This is a post about the Seattle Seahawks.
December 19, 2025 at 1:12 PM
The best skater I ever saw as a derby ref was a guy who used to come to open skate and spend the entire time pretending to fall down in increasingly acrobatic ways. He always looked like he was on the verge of catastrophe, but just kept going.
This is a post about the Seattle Seahawks.
This is a post about the Seattle Seahawks.
God damn that Seahawks win was good enough to reset the timeline
December 19, 2025 at 5:43 AM
God damn that Seahawks win was good enough to reset the timeline
Reposted by Morgan Robertson
The Seahawks are elite because they spend most of the game beating themselves.
Only then they turn their attention to their opponents.
Only then they turn their attention to their opponents.
December 19, 2025 at 5:08 AM
The Seahawks are elite because they spend most of the game beating themselves.
Only then they turn their attention to their opponents.
Only then they turn their attention to their opponents.
Reposted by Morgan Robertson
I could not give a single shit about him complaining about refs. This image is *very literally* an IRL representation of the ALT right Jew cartoon meme and it is making my SICK TO MY STOMACH to look at it. This man needs to face immediate consequences.
December 17, 2025 at 8:59 PM
I could not give a single shit about him complaining about refs. This image is *very literally* an IRL representation of the ALT right Jew cartoon meme and it is making my SICK TO MY STOMACH to look at it. This man needs to face immediate consequences.
Reposted by Morgan Robertson
The Old Man and The Seahawks
December 14, 2025 at 8:23 PM
The Old Man and The Seahawks
My high school football coach was also the European History teacher and he kept comparing combatants in world wars to local football rivals. So Nazi Germany was Dubuque Wahlert and the Russians were Cedar Rapids Prairie. I think Italy was Bettendorf.
Anyway good luck out there Phil.
Anyway good luck out there Phil.
“When we finally saw it, we're like, 'Oh my God, this is real.’ ”
Imagine your HS football coach flying to Indy for a secret workout… only to morph into the Colts starting QB 6 days later.
My story on Philip Rivers’ wild week:
Imagine your HS football coach flying to Indy for a secret workout… only to morph into the Colts starting QB 6 days later.
My story on Philip Rivers’ wild week:
Philip Rivers' HS football team excited for QB's start: 'Going to be awesome to watch'
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport spoke to members of Philip Rivers' high school football team in Alabama ahead of the quarterback's climactic return to the NFL as the Indianapolis Colts' starter versu...
www.nfl.com
December 14, 2025 at 6:36 PM
My high school football coach was also the European History teacher and he kept comparing combatants in world wars to local football rivals. So Nazi Germany was Dubuque Wahlert and the Russians were Cedar Rapids Prairie. I think Italy was Bettendorf.
Anyway good luck out there Phil.
Anyway good luck out there Phil.
This is hilarious. Look, whatever is allowing them to go 9-4 in this year’s NFC West, most other teams want it. Ideology doesn’t give CMC that kind of run blocking.
NEW: A legal group founded by Stephen Miller filed a federal complaint this week against the NFL's San Francisco 49ers, calling for investigation into discrimination arising from DEI. The complaint names Head Coach Kyle Shanahan and says "merit is apparently tossed aside for woke ideology."
December 13, 2025 at 8:48 PM
This is hilarious. Look, whatever is allowing them to go 9-4 in this year’s NFC West, most other teams want it. Ideology doesn’t give CMC that kind of run blocking.
Coming soon: Verbinski’s “All art is Propaganda” and “Burmese Days” by Wes Anderson
December 13, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Coming soon: Verbinski’s “All art is Propaganda” and “Burmese Days” by Wes Anderson