Nate Ledbetter
@nhledbetter.bsky.social
ABD, Princeton, East Asian Studies. Instructor, Asian History, Rider University. Perpetually writing my dissertation (warfare in 16th C. Kyushu, Japan). He/Him/あいつ/"That Nagashino Guy." At some point I'll start posting useful stuff here. Maybe.
Pinned
Since I've got double the followers from a week ago, guess it's time for an intro thread. A post per topic I habitually post about:
I'm a PhD candidate at Princeton, very slowly working on a dissertation on 16th C. warfare in southern Japan (centered around the Shimazu family). 1/
I'm a PhD candidate at Princeton, very slowly working on a dissertation on 16th C. warfare in southern Japan (centered around the Shimazu family). 1/
Joshua Tyler never watched the original.
February 8, 2026 at 9:12 PM
Joshua Tyler never watched the original.
Reposted by Nate Ledbetter
The shift in NBC's Olympic coverage model from broadcast to on-demand replays of particular events through the Peacock app is symptomatic of the atomization of formerly collective experience borne of hyperindividualism and demand for immediate satiation, splintering the commonweal. In this essay I w
February 7, 2026 at 6:01 PM
The shift in NBC's Olympic coverage model from broadcast to on-demand replays of particular events through the Peacock app is symptomatic of the atomization of formerly collective experience borne of hyperindividualism and demand for immediate satiation, splintering the commonweal. In this essay I w
"They mimic without understanding."
Yes, 100%.
Yes, 100%.
All of this to say, I believe we will win. The regime is flailing around in its hopeless efforts to effectuate their half-baked policy ideas.
They are cosplaying at dictatorship the same way they cosplay at manliness. They mimic without understanding.
They are cosplaying at dictatorship the same way they cosplay at manliness. They mimic without understanding.
It would appear that the administration is experiencing (learning is too strong of a word) something very similar to the governments of people bombed in WW2. That is, that a people under siege tend to have higher collective morale & sense of community during the "war" than those that aren't attacked
February 8, 2026 at 8:19 PM
"They mimic without understanding."
Yes, 100%.
Yes, 100%.
Between the Reverse Course of the second half of the Occupation and the LDP essentially co-opting the progressive social programs side of things to neuter the leftist parties off the bat, they really only get traction when people are fed up with the LDP.
The fundamental issue with leftist Japanese parties is they have nothing to stand on. They really have no vision of progressive economics that’s differentiated, and their messaging about gender equality/LGBT rights fall flat because the LDP isn’t *coded* as anti-those, fairly or unfairly.
I have to wonder what leftist parties in Japan are even doing to stop this.
February 8, 2026 at 8:12 PM
Between the Reverse Course of the second half of the Occupation and the LDP essentially co-opting the progressive social programs side of things to neuter the leftist parties off the bat, they really only get traction when people are fed up with the LDP.
Ok but also to be fair they have A POINT about the DPJ...
Indeed most normie Japanese will associate the LDP with “simple government competence” due to the disastrous time of the last non-LDP government. Combine this with lingering impressions of the violent leftist ANPO protests, this is just a tough mountain for any leftist parties to overcome.
February 8, 2026 at 8:07 PM
Ok but also to be fair they have A POINT about the DPJ...
Asian Art/History types:
See the thread for more pieces, but @kenwhite.bsky.social is going through his father's collection of Asian art, bought when in Korea/Japan in the military in the 1950s. This one is particularly interesting to me, clearly a couple of warrior monks in the bottom left....
See the thread for more pieces, but @kenwhite.bsky.social is going through his father's collection of Asian art, bought when in Korea/Japan in the military in the 1950s. This one is particularly interesting to me, clearly a couple of warrior monks in the bottom left....
/8 Some of the best and oldest ones he splurged on as a young man, including on leave to Japan while in the Army in Korea in 1958. Beloved, but intended for a display house, not a relatively modest modern ranch house.
February 8, 2026 at 6:34 PM
Asian Art/History types:
See the thread for more pieces, but @kenwhite.bsky.social is going through his father's collection of Asian art, bought when in Korea/Japan in the military in the 1950s. This one is particularly interesting to me, clearly a couple of warrior monks in the bottom left....
See the thread for more pieces, but @kenwhite.bsky.social is going through his father's collection of Asian art, bought when in Korea/Japan in the military in the 1950s. This one is particularly interesting to me, clearly a couple of warrior monks in the bottom left....
Reposted by Nate Ledbetter
Well, let's give it a shot again and see what we get.
Adjunct pay/working conditions AY25-26
This form is part of a project to crowd-source pay and working conditions for people who teach and research in colleges and universities during AY2025-2026. This form is for people paid by the course ...
forms.gle
February 8, 2026 at 5:53 PM
Well, let's give it a shot again and see what we get.
Reposted by Nate Ledbetter
60 years ago today, mild-mannered jim bowl was bitten by a radioactive spider
February 8, 2026 at 5:47 PM
60 years ago today, mild-mannered jim bowl was bitten by a radioactive spider
Reposted by Nate Ledbetter
AI boosters keep getting interviewed as regular people instead of the soulless cultural barnacles they really are.
February 8, 2026 at 4:43 PM
AI boosters keep getting interviewed as regular people instead of the soulless cultural barnacles they really are.
Reposted by Nate Ledbetter
It's Superbowl Sunday! So here's our traditional, and predictable Superb Owl.
🏈🦉
#SuperbOwl #SuperbOwl2026
🏈🦉
#SuperbOwl #SuperbOwl2026
February 8, 2026 at 2:57 PM
It's Superbowl Sunday! So here's our traditional, and predictable Superb Owl.
🏈🦉
#SuperbOwl #SuperbOwl2026
🏈🦉
#SuperbOwl #SuperbOwl2026
Ah yes, the grass roots, not at all astro-turfed protests for *checks notes* billionaire rights.
nO!! no!!
February 8, 2026 at 2:54 PM
Ah yes, the grass roots, not at all astro-turfed protests for *checks notes* billionaire rights.
Historically consistent.
The CRA is up to...three SMDs. Hello new opposition stronghold of Kyushu.
February 8, 2026 at 2:52 PM
Historically consistent.
Kind of excited for the Super Bowl halftime show because I honestly couldn't tell you if I've ever heard a Bad Bunny song but I'm sure I actually have, I don't live in a cave I'm just 49 and don't pay attention. So I anticipate it will be "OH, THAT SONG, GOT IT" all show.
February 8, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Kind of excited for the Super Bowl halftime show because I honestly couldn't tell you if I've ever heard a Bad Bunny song but I'm sure I actually have, I don't live in a cave I'm just 49 and don't pay attention. So I anticipate it will be "OH, THAT SONG, GOT IT" all show.
Reposted by Nate Ledbetter
It's to simulate running away from each Russian you didn't kill.
I love that the penalty in biathlon for missing your shots is more skiing.
February 8, 2026 at 2:07 PM
It's to simulate running away from each Russian you didn't kill.
Reposted by Nate Ledbetter
Taxing billionaires out of existence may be the most critical domestic policy fight of our lifetimes.
Former Washington Post journalists have launched a GoFundMe to help repatriate fired staff members who are effectively stranded in foreign countries.
One of the richest men in the world fired them from the paper and didn’t even pay to ensure they got home.
Abolish the billionaire class:
One of the richest men in the world fired them from the paper and didn’t even pay to ensure they got home.
Abolish the billionaire class:
Donate to Support for Washington Post international employees, organized by Michelle Lee
Among the hundreds of journalists laid off by The Washington Post on … Michelle Lee needs your support for Support for Washington Post international employees
www.gofundme.com
February 8, 2026 at 4:40 AM
Taxing billionaires out of existence may be the most critical domestic policy fight of our lifetimes.
Reposted by Nate Ledbetter
I’m Dan Kim & I approve this message.
Taxing billionaires out of existence may be the most critical domestic policy fight of our lifetimes.
Former Washington Post journalists have launched a GoFundMe to help repatriate fired staff members who are effectively stranded in foreign countries.
One of the richest men in the world fired them from the paper and didn’t even pay to ensure they got home.
Abolish the billionaire class:
One of the richest men in the world fired them from the paper and didn’t even pay to ensure they got home.
Abolish the billionaire class:
February 8, 2026 at 5:35 AM
I’m Dan Kim & I approve this message.
Viking Berserker costume idea
February 8, 2026 at 4:08 AM
Viking Berserker costume idea
Reposted by Nate Ledbetter
"if we abolish ICE how will we handle undocumented immigrants" well I'm ineligible to run for office for so, so many reasons but I've got a step-by-step plan for anyone who needs it:
1. help them get some documents
1. help them get some documents
February 7, 2026 at 10:55 PM
"if we abolish ICE how will we handle undocumented immigrants" well I'm ineligible to run for office for so, so many reasons but I've got a step-by-step plan for anyone who needs it:
1. help them get some documents
1. help them get some documents
This SHOULD be the question every journalist is asking.
Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) reacted to Trump personal attorney-turned Deputy AG Todd Blanche discussing the DOJ's intention to appeal the judges decision releasing Liam Ramos.
"Why is the Trump Administration fighting harder to arrest 5-year-old children than pedophiles in the Epstein files?" he posted
"Why is the Trump Administration fighting harder to arrest 5-year-old children than pedophiles in the Epstein files?" he posted
February 8, 2026 at 3:27 AM
This SHOULD be the question every journalist is asking.
Reposted by Nate Ledbetter
not to mention that the "greeks winning" depends on your time horizon, and whether you count those barbarian Macedonians as Greek or not.
February 8, 2026 at 3:10 AM
not to mention that the "greeks winning" depends on your time horizon, and whether you count those barbarian Macedonians as Greek or not.
Yeah, uh, that Kalshi commercial.
They...they know the Spartans LOST at Thermopylae, right?
Yes, the Greeks eventually won the war, but the Spartans LOST.
So much wrong in that commercial. And THAT's who you want to give your money?
They...they know the Spartans LOST at Thermopylae, right?
Yes, the Greeks eventually won the war, but the Spartans LOST.
So much wrong in that commercial. And THAT's who you want to give your money?
February 8, 2026 at 3:09 AM
Yeah, uh, that Kalshi commercial.
They...they know the Spartans LOST at Thermopylae, right?
Yes, the Greeks eventually won the war, but the Spartans LOST.
So much wrong in that commercial. And THAT's who you want to give your money?
They...they know the Spartans LOST at Thermopylae, right?
Yes, the Greeks eventually won the war, but the Spartans LOST.
So much wrong in that commercial. And THAT's who you want to give your money?
I know we say this every 4 years, but luge is INSANE.
February 8, 2026 at 2:37 AM
I know we say this every 4 years, but luge is INSANE.
This site is wondrous sometimes.
should be dildoes, it's a much older word than people realise, 16thC.
February 8, 2026 at 1:24 AM
This site is wondrous sometimes.
I low key love imagining that some editor had to stop and thing "~os? ~oes? Which is it? Ugh. I don't think this is in the style guide."
🚨Minneapolis Police gather up DILDOS to throw back at protesters from the street after they were thrown into the street to protest ICE, creating quite the scene.
LIVE NOW ⬇️
LIVE NOW ⬇️
February 8, 2026 at 1:06 AM
I low key love imagining that some editor had to stop and thing "~os? ~oes? Which is it? Ugh. I don't think this is in the style guide."
They finally turned ice skating into gymnastics (in terms of scoring with team events), huh.
February 8, 2026 at 12:09 AM
They finally turned ice skating into gymnastics (in terms of scoring with team events), huh.