Jurjen Smies
@clogsoveralabama.bsky.social
Originally from the Netherlands, now hip-deep in the Dirty South. History nerd, former UN staff member and Dutch army sergeant, socially liberal, dyed-in-the-wool skeptic and atheist, coffee enthusiast, decent cook. (He/him/his)
I'm rather surprised that they're even pretending a legal route to immigration exists.
November 20, 2025 at 2:42 PM
I'm rather surprised that they're even pretending a legal route to immigration exists.
The minimum requirement for "insubordination" is that both parties be part of a hierarchy in which both get paid by the same entity. Anyone who isn't a federal employee cannot by definition be insubordinate to the president. Unless the president thinks he's an absolutist king.
November 19, 2025 at 5:17 AM
The minimum requirement for "insubordination" is that both parties be part of a hierarchy in which both get paid by the same entity. Anyone who isn't a federal employee cannot by definition be insubordinate to the president. Unless the president thinks he's an absolutist king.
Congratulations on your well earned doctorate, *Dr. Turner.* We at Men™️ wish to apologize for the shockingly poor service provided by our representatives.
November 17, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Congratulations on your well earned doctorate, *Dr. Turner.* We at Men™️ wish to apologize for the shockingly poor service provided by our representatives.
Kakogerontocracy?
November 17, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Kakogerontocracy?
In the words of Antonio Cassese, first president of the ICTY, "a peace without justice is no peace at all."
November 16, 2025 at 10:15 PM
In the words of Antonio Cassese, first president of the ICTY, "a peace without justice is no peace at all."
One imagines Operation Just Cause inspired that one.
"Why are we invading Panama again?"
"Just 'cause."
"Why are we invading Panama again?"
"Just 'cause."
November 16, 2025 at 6:22 AM
One imagines Operation Just Cause inspired that one.
"Why are we invading Panama again?"
"Just 'cause."
"Why are we invading Panama again?"
"Just 'cause."
It's more like Granby and Telic with the British. During WWII they had a string of Mosquito precision bombing operations with names like Jericho and Carthage that sort of gave the game away with "oh, another op named for a legendary destroyed city, which Gestapo building are they going to bomb now?"
November 16, 2025 at 6:20 AM
It's more like Granby and Telic with the British. During WWII they had a string of Mosquito precision bombing operations with names like Jericho and Carthage that sort of gave the game away with "oh, another op named for a legendary destroyed city, which Gestapo building are they going to bomb now?"
Sorry, that should have been "muck," not "much."
November 16, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Sorry, that should have been "muck," not "much."
I'm spitballing here, but you have to find people who have the time and energy to run (and probably have day jobs if they're challengers) and aren't afraid of hostile media digging through their past to rake up whatever much can be raked. (Personally, I'd be terrified.)
November 16, 2025 at 5:35 AM
I'm spitballing here, but you have to find people who have the time and energy to run (and probably have day jobs if they're challengers) and aren't afraid of hostile media digging through their past to rake up whatever much can be raked. (Personally, I'd be terrified.)
Yet another reason to dissolve DHS and its daughter agencies.
November 16, 2025 at 5:22 AM
Yet another reason to dissolve DHS and its daughter agencies.
The British have some system where operational code names are generated in alphabetical order but otherwise sound entirely innocuous. IIRC, for the British "Desert Storm" was "Granby," and "Iraqi Freedom" was "Telic."
November 16, 2025 at 5:20 AM
The British have some system where operational code names are generated in alphabetical order but otherwise sound entirely innocuous. IIRC, for the British "Desert Storm" was "Granby," and "Iraqi Freedom" was "Telic."
I dunno about "overwhelming." Is ~60% (after voter suppression) "overwhelming"?
November 16, 2025 at 5:14 AM
I dunno about "overwhelming." Is ~60% (after voter suppression) "overwhelming"?
I was about to say, "it could be papier-mâché spray painted and he'd never know" but you were already there.
November 16, 2025 at 5:12 AM
I was about to say, "it could be papier-mâché spray painted and he'd never know" but you were already there.
Oooh yea, oooh yea!
November 15, 2025 at 7:13 AM
Oooh yea, oooh yea!
Well, as an atheist, I'll grant him that that's one useful thing clergy can do, if it gets believers to understand there's something horrible going on. For the most part, "tits on a bull," though.
November 15, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Well, as an atheist, I'll grant him that that's one useful thing clergy can do, if it gets believers to understand there's something horrible going on. For the most part, "tits on a bull," though.
Churchill and FDR had some severe differences, and yet.
November 15, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Churchill and FDR had some severe differences, and yet.
I actually just dug my original copy out of a box after moving house...
November 14, 2025 at 4:36 AM
I actually just dug my original copy out of a box after moving house...
Reading those tweets as a naturalized immigrant made me oscillate between derisive amusement and incandescent rage.
November 13, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Reading those tweets as a naturalized immigrant made me oscillate between derisive amusement and incandescent rage.
That was in fact what they were doing until 1940-41, while Goering was still in charge of handling the "Jewish question" (note that he was fleecing them on the way out). Himmler muscled in on his territory in '41.
November 13, 2025 at 11:18 PM
That was in fact what they were doing until 1940-41, while Goering was still in charge of handling the "Jewish question" (note that he was fleecing them on the way out). Himmler muscled in on his territory in '41.
The SS Head Office for Economics and Administration certainly tried to get the Holocaust to pay for itself, by selling off inmates' possessions, renting out slave labor to industry, etc. Wiping out Jews was the end goal, but they wanted to at least break even doing it.
November 13, 2025 at 11:12 PM
The SS Head Office for Economics and Administration certainly tried to get the Holocaust to pay for itself, by selling off inmates' possessions, renting out slave labor to industry, etc. Wiping out Jews was the end goal, but they wanted to at least break even doing it.
... which was used for financial arrangements in connection with the emigration of poor Jews and was imposed according to wealth.
[...]
Up to October 30, 1941, these foreign Jews donated a total of $9,500,000."
-- Wannsee Protocol
[...]
Up to October 30, 1941, these foreign Jews donated a total of $9,500,000."
-- Wannsee Protocol
November 13, 2025 at 11:06 PM
... which was used for financial arrangements in connection with the emigration of poor Jews and was imposed according to wealth.
[...]
Up to October 30, 1941, these foreign Jews donated a total of $9,500,000."
-- Wannsee Protocol
[...]
Up to October 30, 1941, these foreign Jews donated a total of $9,500,000."
-- Wannsee Protocol
"The Jews themselves, or their political organizations, financed the emigration. In order to avoid impoverished Jews remaining behind, the principle was followed that wealthy Jews had to finance the emigration of poor Jews; this was arranged by imposing a suitable tax, that is, an emigration tax ...
November 13, 2025 at 11:04 PM
"The Jews themselves, or their political organizations, financed the emigration. In order to avoid impoverished Jews remaining behind, the principle was followed that wealthy Jews had to finance the emigration of poor Jews; this was arranged by imposing a suitable tax, that is, an emigration tax ...
True, but prior to... well at least 1940, Goering's object was to get Jews to leave "voluntarily" and fleece them on the way out (by forcing them to sell their property for pfennigs on the Reichsmark, restricting how much money they could take with them, charging fees to emigrate, etc.).
November 13, 2025 at 10:58 PM
True, but prior to... well at least 1940, Goering's object was to get Jews to leave "voluntarily" and fleece them on the way out (by forcing them to sell their property for pfennigs on the Reichsmark, restricting how much money they could take with them, charging fees to emigrate, etc.).
The best feature about CoPilot is that you can turn it off.
November 12, 2025 at 1:59 PM
The best feature about CoPilot is that you can turn it off.
It was my understanding that they could sue. That doesn't necessarily mean they'll win. It's still ludicrous, though.
November 11, 2025 at 11:24 PM
It was my understanding that they could sue. That doesn't necessarily mean they'll win. It's still ludicrous, though.