Vikram Bath
@vikrambath.bsky.social
Former business school professor, current software engineer. Writes at ordinary-times.com
Pinned
Vikram Bath
@vikrambath.bsky.social
· Apr 5
Note that these are the years over which America first became the world’s economic superpower
Reposted by Vikram Bath
Want to build on this:
Yes, patronage systems are bad.
1) is that likely going to result here?
2) would that actually be worse than the current state of things?
I don't think you can credibly state either!
Abughazaleh is being both brave and campaigning on compassion. We need both those things.
Yes, patronage systems are bad.
1) is that likely going to result here?
2) would that actually be worse than the current state of things?
I don't think you can credibly state either!
Abughazaleh is being both brave and campaigning on compassion. We need both those things.
In a world where spousal haircuts and hors d'oeuvres and TikTok choreography are considered legitimate expenses, it’s okay to try buying 5000 tampons. The point is ~“this is the sort of people we are”~ rather than to say ~“we are replacing government services”~ bsky.app/profile/meel...
I think there's a pretty broad range of possible actions that could count as campaigning, and I'm not arrogant enough to claim I know better than a candidate and their staff what those are. If they want to experiment, why not let them cook?
December 27, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Want to build on this:
Yes, patronage systems are bad.
1) is that likely going to result here?
2) would that actually be worse than the current state of things?
I don't think you can credibly state either!
Abughazaleh is being both brave and campaigning on compassion. We need both those things.
Yes, patronage systems are bad.
1) is that likely going to result here?
2) would that actually be worse than the current state of things?
I don't think you can credibly state either!
Abughazaleh is being both brave and campaigning on compassion. We need both those things.
Reposted by Vikram Bath
Oh this is all Kat Abu's fault. Of course it is. Of course everyone is being totes normal about Kat Abu
December 27, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Oh this is all Kat Abu's fault. Of course it is. Of course everyone is being totes normal about Kat Abu
I am not. Here is why:
Whatever complaints I might have about campaign finance, I don’t tweet about it often, so I know it would be a bad look for me to swoop in to criticize a campaign for spending money on feminine hygiene products for the needy, especially when federal pardons are being sold
Whatever complaints I might have about campaign finance, I don’t tweet about it often, so I know it would be a bad look for me to swoop in to criticize a campaign for spending money on feminine hygiene products for the needy, especially when federal pardons are being sold
Are we really doing mutual aid discourse again?
December 27, 2025 at 2:29 PM
I am not. Here is why:
Whatever complaints I might have about campaign finance, I don’t tweet about it often, so I know it would be a bad look for me to swoop in to criticize a campaign for spending money on feminine hygiene products for the needy, especially when federal pardons are being sold
Whatever complaints I might have about campaign finance, I don’t tweet about it often, so I know it would be a bad look for me to swoop in to criticize a campaign for spending money on feminine hygiene products for the needy, especially when federal pardons are being sold
Despite claims that Congress Never Does Anything, they passed bipartisan legislation to outlaw TikTok
It wouldn't be hard to enforce a law against the possession or use of particular class of machine learning models? What?
December 26, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Despite claims that Congress Never Does Anything, they passed bipartisan legislation to outlaw TikTok
Reposted by Vikram Bath
*getting mounted every morning by a Malamute ready for their walk because you’re an alpha.*
December 26, 2025 at 5:50 PM
*getting mounted every morning by a Malamute ready for their walk because you’re an alpha.*
I’ve read basically all of Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s books and basically liked him, but he sometimes forces himself into illiteracy to try and support his ideas. 1/2
December 26, 2025 at 3:27 PM
I’ve read basically all of Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s books and basically liked him, but he sometimes forces himself into illiteracy to try and support his ideas. 1/2
why did something happen
![Tucker Carlson: "What's [AOC] like?"
Matt Gaetz: "Before Jan. 6 she was incredibly chummy with Republicans, she would regularly come over to our side, sit down, hang out... after Jan. 6 she treated us all like we had horns or something."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:jmhscbbqqnynpki3zvnvginp/bafkreihzhuocgtbenyllazmrg53j7g7746yhfsvhnikcbxnqhuhvyibduq@jpeg)
December 26, 2025 at 2:40 PM
why did something happen
80% of Menswear guy’s practical advice is one of the following:
1. stop wearing clothes that are too small for you
2. Only wear a suit jacket with matching pants, a tie and formal shoes
3. suck on deez nutz
1. stop wearing clothes that are too small for you
2. Only wear a suit jacket with matching pants, a tie and formal shoes
3. suck on deez nutz
The number of people who can actually distinguish between a $30, a $300, and a $3,000 dollar suit is vanishingly small
an easy way to understand this is that people make clothes cool and not the other way around. so our judgement of what looks "good" is often shaped by the cultural capital of various social groups. punks, skaters, hip hop heads, etc look stylish simply bc they are cool. thus money is not a barrier.
December 26, 2025 at 2:19 PM
80% of Menswear guy’s practical advice is one of the following:
1. stop wearing clothes that are too small for you
2. Only wear a suit jacket with matching pants, a tie and formal shoes
3. suck on deez nutz
1. stop wearing clothes that are too small for you
2. Only wear a suit jacket with matching pants, a tie and formal shoes
3. suck on deez nutz
Y’all might not appreciate it, but it took him 87 moves and 14 hours to get here
December 26, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Y’all might not appreciate it, but it took him 87 moves and 14 hours to get here
Ladies can like what they like, but I would guess this would generally select for men who don’t cook rather than men who are clean and proactive on their chores
OK team, there is a debate in the girls chat, and I have absolutely no idea which side to join in with, if any
If you, a girl, go home with a guy, and he has dishes in his sink or dish drying rack, does that give you the ick
If you, a girl, go home with a guy, and he has dishes in his sink or dish drying rack, does that give you the ick
December 25, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Ladies can like what they like, but I would guess this would generally select for men who don’t cook rather than men who are clean and proactive on their chores
Eventually there’s going to be 500 people in the US buying or leasing new cars with everyone else driving them later in their lifespans
December 25, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Eventually there’s going to be 500 people in the US buying or leasing new cars with everyone else driving them later in their lifespans
What a terrible take. Christmas is inseparable from Paganism
Christmas is a non religious holiday. I stand by that.
December 25, 2025 at 12:25 AM
What a terrible take. Christmas is inseparable from Paganism
Weirdly, this guy is misusing the metaphor. The North Star should be a guiding principle. Here, he’s referring to a concrete goal (1 million lines of code)
So is there a new dipshit management book out or something? Because the worst people in the world are ALL using the phrase "our North Star" this week. This guy, Bari Weiss, the Firefox CEO.
December 25, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Weirdly, this guy is misusing the metaphor. The North Star should be a guiding principle. Here, he’s referring to a concrete goal (1 million lines of code)
Welcome, class. This year’s textbook will be a curated set of screenshots of Best Trousers and Ryan Radia tweets
For good citizenship, statistics is more important than calculus or geometry.
December 24, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Welcome, class. This year’s textbook will be a curated set of screenshots of Best Trousers and Ryan Radia tweets
Reposted by Vikram Bath
Trump was unpredictable, which is why no one predicted him.
Trumpism, OTOH, was highly predicable, even if no one would have guessed its eventual name. Every single conservative media outlet had been pointing (and pushing) towards it for at least a decade.
Trumpism, OTOH, was highly predicable, even if no one would have guessed its eventual name. Every single conservative media outlet had been pointing (and pushing) towards it for at least a decade.
Trump is the natural progression of the Democratic Party electing Barack Obama president, which triggered a realignment finishing the Civil Rights realignment between the parties. 1/3
NYT (1995): “Clinton Embraces a Proposal To Cut Immigration by a Third”: ordinary-times.com/2018/06/29/t...
NYT (1995): “Clinton Embraces a Proposal To Cut Immigration by a Third”: ordinary-times.com/2018/06/29/t...
December 24, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Trump was unpredictable, which is why no one predicted him.
Trumpism, OTOH, was highly predicable, even if no one would have guessed its eventual name. Every single conservative media outlet had been pointing (and pushing) towards it for at least a decade.
Trumpism, OTOH, was highly predicable, even if no one would have guessed its eventual name. Every single conservative media outlet had been pointing (and pushing) towards it for at least a decade.
Reposted by Vikram Bath
An interesting thread about political realignment. Because it’s been 30 years, a lot people have forgotten these things: (1) the political center used to be a lot larger, (2) fringe views are stubborn (even if not widely held)
Trump is the natural progression of the Democratic Party electing Barack Obama president, which triggered a realignment finishing the Civil Rights realignment between the parties. 1/3
NYT (1995): “Clinton Embraces a Proposal To Cut Immigration by a Third”: ordinary-times.com/2018/06/29/t...
NYT (1995): “Clinton Embraces a Proposal To Cut Immigration by a Third”: ordinary-times.com/2018/06/29/t...
December 24, 2025 at 1:39 PM
An interesting thread about political realignment. Because it’s been 30 years, a lot people have forgotten these things: (1) the political center used to be a lot larger, (2) fringe views are stubborn (even if not widely held)
Trump is the natural progression of the Democratic Party electing Barack Obama president, which triggered a realignment finishing the Civil Rights realignment between the parties. 1/3
NYT (1995): “Clinton Embraces a Proposal To Cut Immigration by a Third”: ordinary-times.com/2018/06/29/t...
NYT (1995): “Clinton Embraces a Proposal To Cut Immigration by a Third”: ordinary-times.com/2018/06/29/t...
December 24, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Trump is the natural progression of the Democratic Party electing Barack Obama president, which triggered a realignment finishing the Civil Rights realignment between the parties. 1/3
NYT (1995): “Clinton Embraces a Proposal To Cut Immigration by a Third”: ordinary-times.com/2018/06/29/t...
NYT (1995): “Clinton Embraces a Proposal To Cut Immigration by a Third”: ordinary-times.com/2018/06/29/t...
his Cosa Nostra thing of never criticizing another journalist is something to see
Bari Weiss was right about how to improve the “60 Minutes” CECOT report, Graeme Wood argues—but her “drama-detector, so refined when seeking out news stories, seems to have failed her when avoiding it in her own newsroom.”
What Bari Weiss Got Right
And what she got wrong
bit.ly
December 23, 2025 at 6:47 PM
his Cosa Nostra thing of never criticizing another journalist is something to see
Reposted by Vikram Bath
we should do it
Examining what it would cost to end extreme poverty using direct income transfers finds an estimate of 0.3 percent of global GDP, from Roshni Sahoo, Joshua Blumenstock, Paul Niehaus, Leo Selker, and Stefan Wager www.nber.org/papers/w34583
December 23, 2025 at 6:01 PM
we should do it
Ah, well, nevertheless…
December 23, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Ah, well, nevertheless…
60 Minutes has run in my lifetime:
1. a story on aliens where 100% of the sources were US military personnel who wanted more funding to look for aliens
2. a story about George W Bush’s Vietnam-era service based on letters obviously made in Microsoft Word
3. a story about apples causing cancer
1. a story on aliens where 100% of the sources were US military personnel who wanted more funding to look for aliens
2. a story about George W Bush’s Vietnam-era service based on letters obviously made in Microsoft Word
3. a story about apples causing cancer
December 22, 2025 at 11:56 PM
60 Minutes has run in my lifetime:
1. a story on aliens where 100% of the sources were US military personnel who wanted more funding to look for aliens
2. a story about George W Bush’s Vietnam-era service based on letters obviously made in Microsoft Word
3. a story about apples causing cancer
1. a story on aliens where 100% of the sources were US military personnel who wanted more funding to look for aliens
2. a story about George W Bush’s Vietnam-era service based on letters obviously made in Microsoft Word
3. a story about apples causing cancer
“act of war”
non-zero chance we see a Free Press hitpiece on Canada because Bari's mad that Canada's networks released the episode
December 22, 2025 at 11:12 PM
“act of war”
Brazen lies both express and cement power.
Authoritarians worldwide understand this. E.g., it’s not that North Koreans believe lies about Kim. The lies demonstrate his power.
Same with the Trump’s hand being bandaged because he is “constantly shaking hands.” 1/2
Authoritarians worldwide understand this. E.g., it’s not that North Koreans believe lies about Kim. The lies demonstrate his power.
Same with the Trump’s hand being bandaged because he is “constantly shaking hands.” 1/2
The whole idea that Weiss spiked the CECOT story because there wasn't an on-the-record statement from the Trump administration is laughable, as Sharyn Alfonsi notes. It's regular journalistic practice to run a story without comment, as long as you've given the source a chance, which 60 Minutes did.
December 22, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Brazen lies both express and cement power.
Authoritarians worldwide understand this. E.g., it’s not that North Koreans believe lies about Kim. The lies demonstrate his power.
Same with the Trump’s hand being bandaged because he is “constantly shaking hands.” 1/2
Authoritarians worldwide understand this. E.g., it’s not that North Koreans believe lies about Kim. The lies demonstrate his power.
Same with the Trump’s hand being bandaged because he is “constantly shaking hands.” 1/2
Reposted by Vikram Bath
Several weeks into the Trump Administration, once it became clear I wouldn't get DOGE’d…and might end up in morally compromising positions as DOE’s lead on minerals financing, I wrote down my red lines.
And then kept reminding myself of them as the year progressed. Shit like this was among them.
And then kept reminding myself of them as the year progressed. Shit like this was among them.
"By dangling multibillion-dollar rare-earth and energy deals, Moscow could reshape the economic map of Europe—while driving a wedge between America and its traditional allies"
Read this excellent @wsj.com account of the business deals behind the "peace"negotiations
www.wsj.com/world/russia...
Read this excellent @wsj.com account of the business deals behind the "peace"negotiations
www.wsj.com/world/russia...
Make Money Not War: Trump’s Real Plan for Peace in Ukraine
The Kremlin pitched the White House on peace through business. To Europe’s dismay, the president and his envoy are on board.
www.wsj.com
November 29, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Several weeks into the Trump Administration, once it became clear I wouldn't get DOGE’d…and might end up in morally compromising positions as DOE’s lead on minerals financing, I wrote down my red lines.
And then kept reminding myself of them as the year progressed. Shit like this was among them.
And then kept reminding myself of them as the year progressed. Shit like this was among them.
People need to calm down about so many movies being based off existing IP. “Sinners” is quite clearly based on “From Dusk Till Dawn”(complimentary), but they would not benefit from branding it that way, so it’s categorized as original
Okay, “Sinners” was great. I know you all said it was great but I didn’t believe you because I didn’t expect you guys to actually like fun movies
December 20, 2025 at 12:03 PM
People need to calm down about so many movies being based off existing IP. “Sinners” is quite clearly based on “From Dusk Till Dawn”(complimentary), but they would not benefit from branding it that way, so it’s categorized as original