Birb_at_Arms
@birblib.bsky.social
Skeets about history, politics, martial arts, birbs and post-Soviet space. He/Him
This is an interesting thread about violent crime in the UK, but I think there's a broader point to make about the limitations of civilian marksmanship. It is common to assume that populations in possession of large numbers of firearms will be good at shooting, but this often isn't the case.
in fairness a lot of this is that even when they do have guns UK gangsters are really shit at shooting.
November 4, 2025 at 2:38 PM
This is an interesting thread about violent crime in the UK, but I think there's a broader point to make about the limitations of civilian marksmanship. It is common to assume that populations in possession of large numbers of firearms will be good at shooting, but this often isn't the case.
Reposted by Birb_at_Arms
̶n̶o̶ ̶g̶o̶d̶s̶ ̶n̶o̶ ̶m̶a̶s̶t̶e̶r̶s̶
no bedtimes no tradeoffs
no bedtimes no tradeoffs
November 2, 2025 at 7:06 PM
̶n̶o̶ ̶g̶o̶d̶s̶ ̶n̶o̶ ̶m̶a̶s̶t̶e̶r̶s̶
no bedtimes no tradeoffs
no bedtimes no tradeoffs
I think my favorite animals are the ones that:
A) are very small
B) absolutely do not consider this fact before picking a fight
A) are very small
B) absolutely do not consider this fact before picking a fight
November 2, 2025 at 10:24 PM
I think my favorite animals are the ones that:
A) are very small
B) absolutely do not consider this fact before picking a fight
A) are very small
B) absolutely do not consider this fact before picking a fight
Reposted by Birb_at_Arms
Bluesky Discourse Alignment Compass
September 11, 2024 at 10:38 PM
Bluesky Discourse Alignment Compass
A really nerdy reading of this is to see Hornet as a very compelling portrayal of a warrior-aristocrat. She is a member of the elite whose status is justified by her skill at arms as well as her ancestry, like a knight or samurai in our world.
I've been pleasantly surprised by the writing in Silksong. Hornet has some great lines, most of which involve her telling NPCs in beautiful prose that she intends to kill their God. It's the kind of short, punchy writing that directs the player's imagination without getting bogged down in details.
October 28, 2025 at 2:31 PM
A really nerdy reading of this is to see Hornet as a very compelling portrayal of a warrior-aristocrat. She is a member of the elite whose status is justified by her skill at arms as well as her ancestry, like a knight or samurai in our world.
I've been pleasantly surprised by the writing in Silksong. Hornet has some great lines, most of which involve her telling NPCs in beautiful prose that she intends to kill their God. It's the kind of short, punchy writing that directs the player's imagination without getting bogged down in details.
October 28, 2025 at 5:25 AM
I've been pleasantly surprised by the writing in Silksong. Hornet has some great lines, most of which involve her telling NPCs in beautiful prose that she intends to kill their God. It's the kind of short, punchy writing that directs the player's imagination without getting bogged down in details.
I think it codes as naive to modern people when they read about pre-modern value systems that emphasize personal morality and virtue in politicians and public figures.
We understand now that no amount of personal virtue can balance out the cruelty of an unfair system.
But is that the whole story?
We understand now that no amount of personal virtue can balance out the cruelty of an unfair system.
But is that the whole story?
October 25, 2025 at 6:14 PM
I think it codes as naive to modern people when they read about pre-modern value systems that emphasize personal morality and virtue in politicians and public figures.
We understand now that no amount of personal virtue can balance out the cruelty of an unfair system.
But is that the whole story?
We understand now that no amount of personal virtue can balance out the cruelty of an unfair system.
But is that the whole story?
I really wish more people could deal with this in a healthy way (take up a combat sport, become poor, have bruises all the time)
like 80% of the current political landscape is explained by (primarily men in) the pmc thinking their lives are too soy and bourgeois
October 24, 2025 at 3:00 AM
I really wish more people could deal with this in a healthy way (take up a combat sport, become poor, have bruises all the time)
"I like the idea of being a dictator, don't get me wrong. I used to think being a king would be cool, but I got talking to Charles and apparently a Kings has to give the crown to their firstborn son? Couldn't be me."
Trump on No Kings: "This is not a king. They're referring to me as a king. I'm not a king."
October 17, 2025 at 1:19 PM
"I like the idea of being a dictator, don't get me wrong. I used to think being a king would be cool, but I got talking to Charles and apparently a Kings has to give the crown to their firstborn son? Couldn't be me."
I dunno about that, chief
October 15, 2025 at 2:13 PM
I dunno about that, chief
When your boss says you definitely have to watch the entirety of a video and must not, under any circumstances, make fun of it, you just know it's a really important and not at all ridiculous video.
NEW: Pentagon officials are forcing staff to watch Pete Hegseth's "Warrior" speech he forced generals to listen to.
Officials are even "testing" staff to see if they watched — and are threatening consequences if they lie about watching it or if they mock it, sources tell @swin24.bsky.social and I.
Officials are even "testing" staff to see if they watched — and are threatening consequences if they lie about watching it or if they mock it, sources tell @swin24.bsky.social and I.
The Pentagon Is Ordering Staff to Watch Hegseth’s ‘MAGA Garbage’ Speech… Or Else
Defense Department sources tell Zeteo that staff have been warned that if they don’t watch or read the speech, or if they speak negatively of it, they could face severe consequences.
zeteo.com
October 15, 2025 at 1:48 AM
When your boss says you definitely have to watch the entirety of a video and must not, under any circumstances, make fun of it, you just know it's a really important and not at all ridiculous video.
It's hard to think of reasonably well-known Italian public figures *less* deserving tbh. Mussolini and Cadorna are the only ones who come to mind.
name an italian more worthy of an american holiday than columbus
October 13, 2025 at 1:56 PM
It's hard to think of reasonably well-known Italian public figures *less* deserving tbh. Mussolini and Cadorna are the only ones who come to mind.
Paulus Hector Mair, who was hanged for stealing money to pay for elaborately illustrated books about sword fighting (look, whomst among us...) also appears to have known at least one black person.
October 10, 2025 at 4:23 AM
Paulus Hector Mair, who was hanged for stealing money to pay for elaborately illustrated books about sword fighting (look, whomst among us...) also appears to have known at least one black person.
I think Norway should lean into this by creating a Nobel War Prize, nominating Trump for it, and then giving it to someone else.
The Guardian- The US president may impose tariffs, demand higher NATO contributions or even declare Norway an enemy, analyst says, if on Friday he is not awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. www.theguardian.com/world/202...
Norway braces for Trump’s reaction if he does not win Nobel peace prize
US president may impose tariffs, demand higher Nato contributions or even declare Norway an enemy, analyst says
www.theguardian.com
October 10, 2025 at 3:30 AM
I think Norway should lean into this by creating a Nobel War Prize, nominating Trump for it, and then giving it to someone else.
It is sort of encouraging to me that the general expectations of autism have gone from the Rainman-era "non-functional adult with a slight chance of super powers" to a much more reasonable "sometimes awkward, likes trains, puts a ton of effort into niche hobbies."
I don’t exactly how to phrase this, but like… is autism that bad???? Like, why is it such a source of fear??? Of course there are challenges but you can be autistic and have a rich, fulfilling life! Many people do! I don’t understand the preoccupation.
October 9, 2025 at 8:53 PM
It is sort of encouraging to me that the general expectations of autism have gone from the Rainman-era "non-functional adult with a slight chance of super powers" to a much more reasonable "sometimes awkward, likes trains, puts a ton of effort into niche hobbies."
I need to remember to do an April Fools bit where I pretend a new edition of Ledall Roll's manuscript was found that had "4/5, ask for Bess" next to every play.
On the other hand, Ledall Roll wrote his book in English, but I have no idea what he's talking about. Put a woman's name and a rating out of five next to any of his "chases" and he could be reviewing his favorite brothel for all anyone knows.
October 9, 2025 at 6:33 PM
I need to remember to do an April Fools bit where I pretend a new edition of Ledall Roll's manuscript was found that had "4/5, ask for Bess" next to every play.
Today in historical hot takes: a well-supported argument that the straight punch was invented in early-modern Venice and likely didn't exist before that. hemamisfits.com/2025/10/05/a...
A paucity of punches: why was punching so rare in pre-modern martial arts
by Maxime Chouinard To most people, punching seems like one of the most natural ways of fighting when unarmed. Most movies will show protagonists and villains alike dealing numerous punches, and kn…
hemamisfits.com
October 8, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Today in historical hot takes: a well-supported argument that the straight punch was invented in early-modern Venice and likely didn't exist before that. hemamisfits.com/2025/10/05/a...
Warfighter shit right there
Pete Hegseth accidentally flipping a skateboard into his nuts on live TV
September 29, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Warfighter shit right there
Extremely tangential story: This girl on my (Canadian) Basic Military Officer's Qualification course in 2010 was able to *perfectly* mimic the whistling noise that an artillery simulator makes before it explodes.
This did not make her very popular on exercises.
This did not make her very popular on exercises.
Per Jean Norton Cru, the problem with the trenches wasn't so much that they were uncomfortable (though they could be).
It was that once you'd been there for a while, you understood that you could be killed at literally any time, typically with minimal warning.
Maybe you'd hear a whistling noise.
It was that once you'd been there for a while, you understood that you could be killed at literally any time, typically with minimal warning.
Maybe you'd hear a whistling noise.
September 25, 2025 at 3:56 AM
Extremely tangential story: This girl on my (Canadian) Basic Military Officer's Qualification course in 2010 was able to *perfectly* mimic the whistling noise that an artillery simulator makes before it explodes.
This did not make her very popular on exercises.
This did not make her very popular on exercises.
Transphobes trying to defend excluding trans women from sports: "imagine a monetary transaction"
What it sounds like when philosophers who are also anti-trans activists submit an amicus brief to a US court where they argue for banning trans girls and women from women's sports.
September 23, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Transphobes trying to defend excluding trans women from sports: "imagine a monetary transaction"
So, Syria's situation is really complicated but the basic problem is pretty easy to understand. See if you can follow me here: they just fought a decade-long civil war.
US Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack:
Peace is an illusion. There has never been peace.
There will probably never be peace.
Somebody wants dominance, which means somebody has to submit. There is no Arabic word for submit. They can't wrap their head around submit.
Peace is an illusion. There has never been peace.
There will probably never be peace.
Somebody wants dominance, which means somebody has to submit. There is no Arabic word for submit. They can't wrap their head around submit.
September 23, 2025 at 12:07 PM
So, Syria's situation is really complicated but the basic problem is pretty easy to understand. See if you can follow me here: they just fought a decade-long civil war.
GOP blackmailers going through their Gmail calendars to make sure they were not present for any of the events they plan to leak to the media
September 23, 2025 at 5:02 AM
GOP blackmailers going through their Gmail calendars to make sure they were not present for any of the events they plan to leak to the media
Today in random bitching about judging calls in historical fencing/HEMA: my most recent bronze medal sabre match.
So, my opponent and I were at match point. My opponent attempted to stab me in the belly. I parried, but his point still grazed my left hip. Then I riposted and hit him in the head.
So, my opponent and I were at match point. My opponent attempted to stab me in the belly. I parried, but his point still grazed my left hip. Then I riposted and hit him in the head.
September 20, 2025 at 2:24 AM
Today in random bitching about judging calls in historical fencing/HEMA: my most recent bronze medal sabre match.
So, my opponent and I were at match point. My opponent attempted to stab me in the belly. I parried, but his point still grazed my left hip. Then I riposted and hit him in the head.
So, my opponent and I were at match point. My opponent attempted to stab me in the belly. I parried, but his point still grazed my left hip. Then I riposted and hit him in the head.