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/
Something something warfighters
Acive duty military are being ordered to buy a ticket to Melania and watch it, whether they want to, or not. www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/mil...
Military Pressured to See ‘Melania’ Against Their Will
A military group has evidence of troops being ordered into theater—the movie theater.
www.thedailybeast.com
February 7, 2026 at 7:18 AM
Something something warfighters
Reposted by Nate Ledbetter
It really pays to remind ourselves frequently that this whole immigration "crisis" is made up out of whole cloth. There was no emergency,danger or problem, only a demagogue stirring up racist grievances for political advantage.
February 7, 2026 at 3:38 AM
It really pays to remind ourselves frequently that this whole immigration "crisis" is made up out of whole cloth. There was no emergency,danger or problem, only a demagogue stirring up racist grievances for political advantage.
Fozzie as the Jon Favreau character in "Rudy"
OK, Link had an interesting twist on the standard Muppet prompt:
You can add one Muppet to an otherwise human live-action film. What movie and what Muppet?
You can add one Muppet to an otherwise human live-action film. What movie and what Muppet?
TIRED: Muppet Show with celeb special guest
INSPIRED: Muppet Show Inside The NBA.
INSPIRED: Muppet Show Inside The NBA.
February 7, 2026 at 2:57 AM
Fozzie as the Jon Favreau character in "Rudy"
Office Space.
Sam the Eagle as Lumbergh.
Sam the Eagle as Lumbergh.
OK, Link had an interesting twist on the standard Muppet prompt:
You can add one Muppet to an otherwise human live-action film. What movie and what Muppet?
You can add one Muppet to an otherwise human live-action film. What movie and what Muppet?
TIRED: Muppet Show with celeb special guest
INSPIRED: Muppet Show Inside The NBA.
INSPIRED: Muppet Show Inside The NBA.
February 7, 2026 at 2:51 AM
Office Space.
Sam the Eagle as Lumbergh.
Sam the Eagle as Lumbergh.
Reposted by Nate Ledbetter
2LT Snowbird “No, 1SG I’m not doing the cleaning detail, I don’t have to listen to you”.
We sprinted out of that room so fast.
We sprinted out of that room so fast.
February 7, 2026 at 1:08 AM
2LT Snowbird “No, 1SG I’m not doing the cleaning detail, I don’t have to listen to you”.
We sprinted out of that room so fast.
We sprinted out of that room so fast.
Some of y'all engaging with this lady's food takes again and I'm tapping the sign.
People with bad opinions have bad opinions across the spectrum.
February 7, 2026 at 12:30 AM
Some of y'all engaging with this lady's food takes again and I'm tapping the sign.
Make a warship mid:
IJN Shōkaku (小角, "little angle," vs.the actual characters 翔鶴, "soaring crane")
IJN Shōkaku (小角, "little angle," vs.the actual characters 翔鶴, "soaring crane")
Make a warship mid:
USS Microsoft Enterprise
USS Microsoft Enterprise
Make a warship mid:
HMS Strategic Victory
HMS Strategic Victory
February 6, 2026 at 10:55 PM
Make a warship mid:
IJN Shōkaku (小角, "little angle," vs.the actual characters 翔鶴, "soaring crane")
IJN Shōkaku (小角, "little angle," vs.the actual characters 翔鶴, "soaring crane")
Reposted by Nate Ledbetter
Guffo, Le Monde
February 6, 2026 at 10:31 PM
Guffo, Le Monde
Ok but to be fair, who is to say that Ted Nugent *didn't*?
Kid Rock looks like if Ted Nugent mated with a Coors Light
February 6, 2026 at 10:24 PM
Ok but to be fair, who is to say that Ted Nugent *didn't*?
Reposted by Nate Ledbetter
"traditional Eurocentric perspectives .. have tended to focus primarily on empires & imperial agency as the dominant analytical category. [This book argues] instead that environmental factors played a much greater role in influencing the formation of trade routes." link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
Long-Distance Trade in the Ancient World
This book presents a novel perspective on long-distance trade in the ancient world that integrates network theory and environmental analysis
link.springer.com
February 6, 2026 at 9:33 PM
"traditional Eurocentric perspectives .. have tended to focus primarily on empires & imperial agency as the dominant analytical category. [This book argues] instead that environmental factors played a much greater role in influencing the formation of trade routes." link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
Reposted by Nate Ledbetter
the experience of having a dance spectacle narrated by the sports team always makes me want an option to go to a ballet where you have, like, John McEnroe in an ear saying “I’m being told that this is Drossel… Drosselmeyer? ominous cape there! watch how he jumps on the clock! no capes in my day”
February 6, 2026 at 7:37 PM
the experience of having a dance spectacle narrated by the sports team always makes me want an option to go to a ballet where you have, like, John McEnroe in an ear saying “I’m being told that this is Drossel… Drosselmeyer? ominous cape there! watch how he jumps on the clock! no capes in my day”
JD Vance is VERY confused at the IOC president being an African blonde woman.
February 6, 2026 at 9:46 PM
JD Vance is VERY confused at the IOC president being an African blonde woman.
@cjzero.bsky.social By any chance did you get the Mongolia walk-in? If not no worries.
Googled, and no pics yet from the actual walk but found an article about them and yeah, this is going in my slide deck for Monday.
February 6, 2026 at 9:43 PM
@cjzero.bsky.social By any chance did you get the Mongolia walk-in? If not no worries.
Reposted by Nate Ledbetter
even if you don't care about sports you gotta admit it's awesome that this guy had to hear to his face how the world feels about him
I'm at the Olympics and the entire stadium booed JD Vance. 😌
February 6, 2026 at 9:27 PM
even if you don't care about sports you gotta admit it's awesome that this guy had to hear to his face how the world feels about him
This, plus the now-deleted "talent is unfair gatekeeping!" post are 2 sides of the same coin.
This is really crucial in understanding today's right wing: it is an arena in which you can get attention, and become famous, without any skill or insight or knowledge. All you have to do is say outrageous shit.
So it's become a collection bin for all these failed, flailing narcissists.
So it's become a collection bin for all these failed, flailing narcissists.
Learned from the Posting Through It podcast just how many MAGA-era influencers turned to politics after failing at more glamorous pursuits — theater, comedy, fashion, TV, movies, music. Knowles, if I’m not mistaken, had dreams of Broadway.
February 6, 2026 at 9:27 PM
This, plus the now-deleted "talent is unfair gatekeeping!" post are 2 sides of the same coin.
Not especially relevant to my teaching interests at this time, but a heck of an entry so worth a reskeet. Wow.
The Mongolian team looks amazing 🇲🇳
But my God the Haitians! 🇭🇹
Works of art, simple stunning 😍
But my God the Haitians! 🇭🇹
Works of art, simple stunning 😍
February 6, 2026 at 9:24 PM
Not especially relevant to my teaching interests at this time, but a heck of an entry so worth a reskeet. Wow.
THEY'RE MONGOLIAN CASHMERE AND CAMEL WOOL.
Googled, and no pics yet from the actual walk but found an article about them and yeah, this is going in my slide deck for Monday.
February 6, 2026 at 9:21 PM
THEY'RE MONGOLIAN CASHMERE AND CAMEL WOOL.
[In Italian}:
AND NOW.....THE STARTING LINEUP....FOR YOUR ITALIAN OLYMPIC TEAM...
AND NOW.....THE STARTING LINEUP....FOR YOUR ITALIAN OLYMPIC TEAM...
February 6, 2026 at 9:12 PM
[In Italian}:
AND NOW.....THE STARTING LINEUP....FOR YOUR ITALIAN OLYMPIC TEAM...
AND NOW.....THE STARTING LINEUP....FOR YOUR ITALIAN OLYMPIC TEAM...
@bubbaprog.xyz Any chance you have good shots of the Mongolian athlete contingent walking in?
Googled, and no pics yet from the actual walk but found an article about them and yeah, this is going in my slide deck for Monday.
February 6, 2026 at 9:11 PM
@bubbaprog.xyz Any chance you have good shots of the Mongolian athlete contingent walking in?
Talk about Portugal without it being about Ronaldo challenge: failed.
February 6, 2026 at 8:51 PM
Talk about Portugal without it being about Ronaldo challenge: failed.
Really? Not only do we skip Mongolia in the commercial break, you rub it in to tell me how awesome their outfits were and don't show me? WTF, NBC? Literally only watching this to peep cool central/Steppe Asian countries. Come on.
February 6, 2026 at 8:46 PM
Really? Not only do we skip Mongolia in the commercial break, you rub it in to tell me how awesome their outfits were and don't show me? WTF, NBC? Literally only watching this to peep cool central/Steppe Asian countries. Come on.
I mean, just wait.
Israel gets booed at the opening ceremony of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Presenter makes note of it, too, says it's the first time they've heard booing all night.
February 6, 2026 at 8:39 PM
I mean, just wait.
It's funny to see USian reactions to the Olympics Opening Ceremonies in a European country as if the Europeans don't do this every year with Eurovision.
February 6, 2026 at 7:21 PM
It's funny to see USian reactions to the Olympics Opening Ceremonies in a European country as if the Europeans don't do this every year with Eurovision.
Some of y'all are quoting this and I WAS WRONG please don't quote it. I would delete it but I don't want to delete all the convos that branch off of it.
I did not know that Ken Burns had done a North Korea documentary, but gonna watch it now.
February 6, 2026 at 6:22 PM
Some of y'all are quoting this and I WAS WRONG please don't quote it. I would delete it but I don't want to delete all the convos that branch off of it.
This is such a good feeling.
I am holding one of two surviving copies of Theodore Frielinghuysen Jr's "Wars and rumors of wars, heavens decree over the world: A sermon, preached in the camp of the New-England forces, On occasion of the expedition to remove the encroachments of the French" and I am freaking the fuck out.
February 6, 2026 at 5:48 PM
This is such a good feeling.