@socrates80.bsky.social
Certified nerd - Liverpool FC #YNWA, books, telly, history, economics and politics
(1/3) Interesting read from Profs Westad and Chen, and an apt reference to Polanyi’s Great Transformation to describe China’s opening up in the late 1970s. In this case the double movement consisted of retention of planning in some areas (eg the hukou) to cushion the transition to markets … 💙📚
January 20, 2026 at 2:50 AM
(1/3) Interesting read from Profs Westad and Chen, and an apt reference to Polanyi’s Great Transformation to describe China’s opening up in the late 1970s. In this case the double movement consisted of retention of planning in some areas (eg the hukou) to cushion the transition to markets … 💙📚
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Every time Trump breaks the clear letter of the law, the NYT and WaPo write a story about how he’s “pushing boundaries” or “testing the limits of his authority”
He's not Chuck Yeager, guys. He's a crook.
He's not Chuck Yeager, guys. He's a crook.
January 19, 2026 at 7:20 PM
Every time Trump breaks the clear letter of the law, the NYT and WaPo write a story about how he’s “pushing boundaries” or “testing the limits of his authority”
He's not Chuck Yeager, guys. He's a crook.
He's not Chuck Yeager, guys. He's a crook.
What an arresting, kinetic title for a novel, and it doesn’t disappoint - this is an engaging, genre bending read, with a nice twist in the end 💪💙📚
January 19, 2026 at 1:42 AM
What an arresting, kinetic title for a novel, and it doesn’t disappoint - this is an engaging, genre bending read, with a nice twist in the end 💪💙📚
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The first thing Virginia Spanberger did after being sworn in as Governor of Virginia was repeal Youngkin’s executive order requiring state and local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE.
This is the kind of leadership Democratic governors nationwide should be emulating.
This is the kind of leadership Democratic governors nationwide should be emulating.
January 18, 2026 at 11:35 AM
The first thing Virginia Spanberger did after being sworn in as Governor of Virginia was repeal Youngkin’s executive order requiring state and local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE.
This is the kind of leadership Democratic governors nationwide should be emulating.
This is the kind of leadership Democratic governors nationwide should be emulating.
Pretty much describes every Communist party that they once reviled (except perhaps those in India and Nepal, which have to compete in relatively fair elections)
one thing about every republican politician is that every last one of them is loyal to the party and disloyal to the republic. bill cassidy would knowingly murder american children to save the party. in fact, he did.
Also, if he's getting shivved by Trump anyway, why not return the favor and become one of the small group of Senators who can stop this nonsense.
January 18, 2026 at 6:13 AM
Pretty much describes every Communist party that they once reviled (except perhaps those in India and Nepal, which have to compete in relatively fair elections)
Wow I think this is pretty on the money 👌
Insights from Ben Affleck on AI:
• AI can help write scenes but can't create full movies.
• Job loss fears are overblown because adoption of new tech is slow; it's hype for startup valuations.
• ChatGPT v5 is ~25% better but costs 4x.
• Users actually preferred v4's sycophancy for companionship.
• AI can help write scenes but can't create full movies.
• Job loss fears are overblown because adoption of new tech is slow; it's hype for startup valuations.
• ChatGPT v5 is ~25% better but costs 4x.
• Users actually preferred v4's sycophancy for companionship.
January 18, 2026 at 6:10 AM
Wow I think this is pretty on the money 👌
I understand why folks might be frustrated with Slot but I can’t fathom why they’re so categorically certain that ousting him is the right move. He’s won the league in his first season and had solid cup performances, and as far as it is possible to tell he doesn’t seem like a toxic personality …
January 17, 2026 at 6:00 PM
I understand why folks might be frustrated with Slot but I can’t fathom why they’re so categorically certain that ousting him is the right move. He’s won the league in his first season and had solid cup performances, and as far as it is possible to tell he doesn’t seem like a toxic personality …
Just another game of needing to take your big chances. And stop conceding virtually the first decent chance the opposition had 🤦♂️
Crazy that it seems so difficult to achieve considering how dominant we used to be #LFC
Crazy that it seems so difficult to achieve considering how dominant we used to be #LFC
January 17, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Just another game of needing to take your big chances. And stop conceding virtually the first decent chance the opposition had 🤦♂️
Crazy that it seems so difficult to achieve considering how dominant we used to be #LFC
Crazy that it seems so difficult to achieve considering how dominant we used to be #LFC
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I absolutely do not expect this to be popular, but it’s important, and I don’t make things to be popular anyway. I’m making this because this has to stop, this is going to destroy our chances in November, and that is the point. Never lose track of the point.
1/
1/
January 16, 2026 at 11:23 PM
I absolutely do not expect this to be popular, but it’s important, and I don’t make things to be popular anyway. I’m making this because this has to stop, this is going to destroy our chances in November, and that is the point. Never lose track of the point.
1/
1/
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every single successful general strike in US history has had union backing through the local AFL-CIO
this is the first time it’s been called for since the 1940s
this is the first time it’s been called for since the 1940s
January 16, 2026 at 9:24 PM
every single successful general strike in US history has had union backing through the local AFL-CIO
this is the first time it’s been called for since the 1940s
this is the first time it’s been called for since the 1940s
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Union, union, union.
January 15, 2026 at 1:02 AM
Union, union, union.
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scott adams accepting jesus christ at the last minute, saying he looks forward to spending eternity with him, opening his eyes and learning that jesus is black
January 14, 2026 at 4:02 AM
scott adams accepting jesus christ at the last minute, saying he looks forward to spending eternity with him, opening his eyes and learning that jesus is black
Despite its geographical and cultural sprawl this novel feels very intimate as it tightly centered on an (ironically) fissiparous family, but it also seems somewhat unbalanced in not filling out the backstory of the matriarch as richly as the other family members 💙📚
January 14, 2026 at 2:22 AM
Despite its geographical and cultural sprawl this novel feels very intimate as it tightly centered on an (ironically) fissiparous family, but it also seems somewhat unbalanced in not filling out the backstory of the matriarch as richly as the other family members 💙📚
Wirtz and Ekitiké seem to have considerable chemistry. Charming to watch two really skilful players combine like that. Love to see more of the one-two combinations in close quarters
Tbh I think Jones or Don could really combine well with them too in passing triangles #LFC
Tbh I think Jones or Don could really combine well with them too in passing triangles #LFC
January 12, 2026 at 9:43 PM
Wirtz and Ekitiké seem to have considerable chemistry. Charming to watch two really skilful players combine like that. Love to see more of the one-two combinations in close quarters
Tbh I think Jones or Don could really combine well with them too in passing triangles #LFC
Tbh I think Jones or Don could really combine well with them too in passing triangles #LFC
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Original sane washed edition, left, transcript which reveals it is even more a confession of psychological illness than NYT tried to sane wash, right.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/11/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/11/u...
January 12, 2026 at 4:58 PM
Original sane washed edition, left, transcript which reveals it is even more a confession of psychological illness than NYT tried to sane wash, right.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/11/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/11/u...
This is an interesting read and I never expected the genesis of “the West” to be found in Comte but Prof Varouxakis makes a good case. On the other hand he may have been too quick to dismiss Said’s Orientalism (mentioned only in a footnote) though I found the two works shared many similarities 💙📚
January 12, 2026 at 1:29 PM
This is an interesting read and I never expected the genesis of “the West” to be found in Comte but Prof Varouxakis makes a good case. On the other hand he may have been too quick to dismiss Said’s Orientalism (mentioned only in a footnote) though I found the two works shared many similarities 💙📚
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In some ways the fact that Trump was able to imitate this criminal probe of the Fed is a bigger deal than the impulse itself. This isn’t just retaliation angst a foe like Comey or James. It’s a direct attack on key institution of the American Republic. As I said, it’s not a surprise but it shows …
January 12, 2026 at 2:24 AM
In some ways the fact that Trump was able to imitate this criminal probe of the Fed is a bigger deal than the impulse itself. This isn’t just retaliation angst a foe like Comey or James. It’s a direct attack on key institution of the American Republic. As I said, it’s not a surprise but it shows …
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Holy shit moment. Good statement. The corrupt authoritarians and oligarchs are at the gates. There’s no alternative to fierce resistance and putting down their lawless crusade against the American Republic. x.com/federalreser...
x.com
January 12, 2026 at 1:23 AM
Holy shit moment. Good statement. The corrupt authoritarians and oligarchs are at the gates. There’s no alternative to fierce resistance and putting down their lawless crusade against the American Republic. x.com/federalreser...
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There is no attitude for which legacy journalists are more often rewarded by their bosses than "Everybody needs to calm down." It is a preening announcement that you are the adult in the room, immune from emotion or overreaction or "hysteria." And it is the worst imaginable priority for this era. >
January 11, 2026 at 5:23 PM
There is no attitude for which legacy journalists are more often rewarded by their bosses than "Everybody needs to calm down." It is a preening announcement that you are the adult in the room, immune from emotion or overreaction or "hysteria." And it is the worst imaginable priority for this era. >
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This week is a good example.
“Was Renee Good a domestic terrorist who tried to run over an ICE agent?” is a completely fake argument.
The real argument is “should ICE under Trump be allowed to kill anyone they wish with impunity in service of ethnic cleansing initiatives?”
“Was Renee Good a domestic terrorist who tried to run over an ICE agent?” is a completely fake argument.
The real argument is “should ICE under Trump be allowed to kill anyone they wish with impunity in service of ethnic cleansing initiatives?”
January 11, 2026 at 5:42 PM
This week is a good example.
“Was Renee Good a domestic terrorist who tried to run over an ICE agent?” is a completely fake argument.
The real argument is “should ICE under Trump be allowed to kill anyone they wish with impunity in service of ethnic cleansing initiatives?”
“Was Renee Good a domestic terrorist who tried to run over an ICE agent?” is a completely fake argument.
The real argument is “should ICE under Trump be allowed to kill anyone they wish with impunity in service of ethnic cleansing initiatives?”
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I wrote abt sane washing of Trump's confession he wants to take Greenland bc of his psychological neediness. But the sane washing had its desired effect.
We should all be screaming that this--Trump confessed h wants to take an action that will destroy NATO entirely bc of his psychological needs.
We should all be screaming that this--Trump confessed h wants to take an action that will destroy NATO entirely bc of his psychological needs.
January 11, 2026 at 12:50 PM
I wrote abt sane washing of Trump's confession he wants to take Greenland bc of his psychological neediness. But the sane washing had its desired effect.
We should all be screaming that this--Trump confessed h wants to take an action that will destroy NATO entirely bc of his psychological needs.
We should all be screaming that this--Trump confessed h wants to take an action that will destroy NATO entirely bc of his psychological needs.
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"An Elegy for My Neighbor, Renee Nicole Good" - by Danez Smith
"Neighbor, you should have made it home to your child, to the bright warmth of his laughter, but our country is at war with its people, and your goodness makes you an enemy, a citizen insurgent."
www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/feat...
"Neighbor, you should have made it home to your child, to the bright warmth of his laughter, but our country is at war with its people, and your goodness makes you an enemy, a citizen insurgent."
www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/feat...
An Elegy for My Neighbor, Renee Nicole Good
Fellow poet Danez Smith memorializes the Minneapolis mother's call to witness
www.harpersbazaar.com
January 9, 2026 at 11:04 PM
"An Elegy for My Neighbor, Renee Nicole Good" - by Danez Smith
"Neighbor, you should have made it home to your child, to the bright warmth of his laughter, but our country is at war with its people, and your goodness makes you an enemy, a citizen insurgent."
www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/feat...
"Neighbor, you should have made it home to your child, to the bright warmth of his laughter, but our country is at war with its people, and your goodness makes you an enemy, a citizen insurgent."
www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/feat...
Honestly Dom stopped there waiting for a foul to be called (which never came) when he could’ve passed the ball into a promising position 😩 #LFC
January 8, 2026 at 9:45 PM
Honestly Dom stopped there waiting for a foul to be called (which never came) when he could’ve passed the ball into a promising position 😩 #LFC