Dirck de Lint
@dirck.bsky.social
Intermittently clever writer of horror and SF, he/him (won't get salty about they/them). Find me hither and yon at https://linktr.ee/dirckdelint
Recalling some of my dad's stories of his childhood in the Netherlands in the first half of the 1940s, and I have to say that I agree with the spirit and most of the letter* of the below.
*I don't have a particular hobby in mind as I say this.
*I don't have a particular hobby in mind as I say this.
It seems my #TTRPG work is still drawing "eastern front enthusiasts"* RE killing Nazis.
So, Nazis and other assorted Fascists, this is just to say:
I hate you with every fiber of my being.
I don't want your money.
Fuck off.
This hobby has room for everyone...except you.
*Nazis
So, Nazis and other assorted Fascists, this is just to say:
I hate you with every fiber of my being.
I don't want your money.
Fuck off.
This hobby has room for everyone...except you.
*Nazis
November 21, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Recalling some of my dad's stories of his childhood in the Netherlands in the first half of the 1940s, and I have to say that I agree with the spirit and most of the letter* of the below.
*I don't have a particular hobby in mind as I say this.
*I don't have a particular hobby in mind as I say this.
Reposted by Dirck de Lint
Help our FAVORITE comics store keep the wolf from the door!
Books with Pictures is a treasure; let’s show them how much *we* treasure all they offer us!
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
Books with Pictures is a treasure; let’s show them how much *we* treasure all they offer us!
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
Keep Books with Pictures Alive: Donate Now, organized by Katie Pryde
Dear friends: I need your help.
I’m proud of everything Books with Pictures… Katie Pryde needs your support for Keep Books with Pictures Alive: Donate Now
www.gofundme.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Help our FAVORITE comics store keep the wolf from the door!
Books with Pictures is a treasure; let’s show them how much *we* treasure all they offer us!
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
Books with Pictures is a treasure; let’s show them how much *we* treasure all they offer us!
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
Reposted by Dirck de Lint
lol just saw a business defending itself by saying they "HAD to use AI to keep up with the competition," which is like saying you HAVE to eat that big pile of horse shit because the guy next to you just put TWO scoops on his plate and now there's hardly any left
Saw some gig posters using Ai and that’s no good. Gig posters are a lot of artists first gig, they’re fucking with the ecosystem of students getting £20 so I’m making stickers because thermal label printers are our cheapest propaganda tool
November 19, 2025 at 4:31 PM
lol just saw a business defending itself by saying they "HAD to use AI to keep up with the competition," which is like saying you HAVE to eat that big pile of horse shit because the guy next to you just put TWO scoops on his plate and now there's hardly any left
The only real selling point for Carney in the last election was "Better for Canada in general than Skippy would be", which is a lamentably low bar.
When the Prime Minister of Canada (supposedly a Liberal party member) does the same thing as the Premier of Alberta (an alt-right conspiracy wingnut), within two months, that's a sign.
Carney to woo foreign investment in trip to United Arab Emirates
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
November 20, 2025 at 5:15 PM
The only real selling point for Carney in the last election was "Better for Canada in general than Skippy would be", which is a lamentably low bar.
I'm not a Christian of any kind, but living in North America as I do I haven't been able to avoid a certain amount of blather about this "Mark of The Beast" the Evangelicals are so concerned about. Visible marks of corruption. That sort of thing.
As of January, plastic surgeons in Washington DC have seen a “surge in ‘Mar-a-Lago face’ requests from Trump insiders”...Surgeons told the outlet that more Washingtonians want their procedures to be not unnoticed but obvious and overdone." www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Plastic surgeons wrestle with requests for ‘Mar-a-Lago face’: ‘You’re going to look like Maleficent’
The puffy, artificial look is rising in popularity - thanks to Maga elite such as Kristi Noem and Matt Gaetz
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:38 PM
I'm not a Christian of any kind, but living in North America as I do I haven't been able to avoid a certain amount of blather about this "Mark of The Beast" the Evangelicals are so concerned about. Visible marks of corruption. That sort of thing.
Reposted by Dirck de Lint
Today in Days I Did Not Know Today Was: International Men's Day. I appreciate you, my dudes.
Today is the day to repost this meme about International Men's Day, one of the most unironically wholesome memes that has ever been made.
Shoutout to all my fellow champs, chiefs, and kings. ✊
Shoutout to all my fellow champs, chiefs, and kings. ✊
November 19, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Today in Days I Did Not Know Today Was: International Men's Day. I appreciate you, my dudes.
Reposted by Dirck de Lint
A new state-by-state evaluation of the projected energy and water use of "AI" data centers in the US. Looks… real bad. Like, "undoing tech sector climate gains" bad.
Strongly recommends immediately ensuring any & all new "AI" data centers to run on existing & expanded renewables grids. Which… yeah.
Strongly recommends immediately ensuring any & all new "AI" data centers to run on existing & expanded renewables grids. Which… yeah.
Environmental impact and net-zero pathways for sustainable artificial intelligence servers in the USA - Nature Sustainability
The rapid expansion of AI server installations in the United States poses sustainability challenges in terms of water usage and carbon emissions. A study now quantifies these potential impacts and out...
www.nature.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:06 AM
A new state-by-state evaluation of the projected energy and water use of "AI" data centers in the US. Looks… real bad. Like, "undoing tech sector climate gains" bad.
Strongly recommends immediately ensuring any & all new "AI" data centers to run on existing & expanded renewables grids. Which… yeah.
Strongly recommends immediately ensuring any & all new "AI" data centers to run on existing & expanded renewables grids. Which… yeah.
Reposted by Dirck de Lint
Wishing our friends at Subterranean Press the best of luck while they work with Amazon to get this straightened out. You can also buy their ebooks direct from them at subterraneanpress.com. (Cutting Amazon out of the picture.)
November 12, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Wishing our friends at Subterranean Press the best of luck while they work with Amazon to get this straightened out. You can also buy their ebooks direct from them at subterraneanpress.com. (Cutting Amazon out of the picture.)
Do you really want to invoke the year Nazi Germany started invading their neighbours, you clown, you buffoon of drink?
I ask this of a man who is ever ready to blow his nose on his own flag, of course.
I ask this of a man who is ever ready to blow his nose on his own flag, of course.
November 13, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Do you really want to invoke the year Nazi Germany started invading their neighbours, you clown, you buffoon of drink?
I ask this of a man who is ever ready to blow his nose on his own flag, of course.
I ask this of a man who is ever ready to blow his nose on his own flag, of course.
Reposted by Dirck de Lint
The rise in taxidermy fandom means certain types of bats are being decimated at alarming rates. Bats are protected in western countries, so if you see taxidermied bats for sale, big warning.
Be a considerate gloom cookie, please.
unfortunatecadaver.com/pages/the-un....
Be a considerate gloom cookie, please.
unfortunatecadaver.com/pages/the-un....
The Unethical Practice of Bat Taxidermy
Given the critical role bats play in ecosystems and the numerous threats they already face, it is unethical to engage in bat taxidermy. Conservation efforts should prioritize protecting these essentia...
unfortunatecadaver.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:20 PM
The rise in taxidermy fandom means certain types of bats are being decimated at alarming rates. Bats are protected in western countries, so if you see taxidermied bats for sale, big warning.
Be a considerate gloom cookie, please.
unfortunatecadaver.com/pages/the-un....
Be a considerate gloom cookie, please.
unfortunatecadaver.com/pages/the-un....
Remember when there was a great fear of nanotech getting loose and turning everything on earth into grey goo?
It eats human creativity, jobs which rely upon them, energy, water, and attention. It produces... well, apparently not much. Neat.
It eats human creativity, jobs which rely upon them, energy, water, and attention. It produces... well, apparently not much. Neat.
An M.I.T. study found that 95% of companies that had invested in A.I. tools were seeing zero return. It jibes with the emerging idea that generative A.I., “in its current incarnation, simply isn’t all it’s been cracked up to be,” John Cassidy writes. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/mlYgP3
The A.I.-Profits Drought and the Lessons of History
Like the steam engine, electricity, and computers, generative artificial intelligence could take longer than expected to transform the economy.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 13, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Remember when there was a great fear of nanotech getting loose and turning everything on earth into grey goo?
It eats human creativity, jobs which rely upon them, energy, water, and attention. It produces... well, apparently not much. Neat.
It eats human creativity, jobs which rely upon them, energy, water, and attention. It produces... well, apparently not much. Neat.
Reposted by Dirck de Lint
My father was six when the Netherlands were invaded by Hitler's troops. He spent 2016-2021 avoiding the news, because living across the border from Trump's America troubled him.
He died in May. I should not be glad that he can thus avoid the even more-similar bullshit going on over the border.
He died in May. I should not be glad that he can thus avoid the even more-similar bullshit going on over the border.
Kyle Kingsbury is not a journalist. He is not an op-ed writer.
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
November 12, 2025 at 10:10 PM
My father was six when the Netherlands were invaded by Hitler's troops. He spent 2016-2021 avoiding the news, because living across the border from Trump's America troubled him.
He died in May. I should not be glad that he can thus avoid the even more-similar bullshit going on over the border.
He died in May. I should not be glad that he can thus avoid the even more-similar bullshit going on over the border.
Reposted by Dirck de Lint
Pardon my suddenly watery eyes, but a long-time regular just stopped in with this.
He'd been reading, found this line, and thought of me, so he wrote it out and brought it in.
"I am a handmaiden of civilization. I am a bookseller."
📚❤️
He'd been reading, found this line, and thought of me, so he wrote it out and brought it in.
"I am a handmaiden of civilization. I am a bookseller."
📚❤️
November 11, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Pardon my suddenly watery eyes, but a long-time regular just stopped in with this.
He'd been reading, found this line, and thought of me, so he wrote it out and brought it in.
"I am a handmaiden of civilization. I am a bookseller."
📚❤️
He'd been reading, found this line, and thought of me, so he wrote it out and brought it in.
"I am a handmaiden of civilization. I am a bookseller."
📚❤️
Reposted by Dirck de Lint
SO GOOD
ICYMI: I’m really proud of this story and @pseudopod.org did a beautiful job producing it (as always). I’d love it if you gave it a listen/read.
The power of knowing oneself, accepting oneself, and spontaneous human combustion under the shadow of religious expectations. Please note the CWs
The power of knowing oneself, accepting oneself, and spontaneous human combustion under the shadow of religious expectations. Please note the CWs
PseudoPod 965: The Ecstasy of the Saints
I’m six the first time it happens. I’m sitting in the backseat of the family sedan, staring at the rearview mirror so I can see when my father’s big eye peels upward and focuses on me…
pseudopod.org
November 12, 2025 at 7:06 PM
SO GOOD
Reposted by Dirck de Lint
”Meet me in the middle, says the unjust man.
You take a step towards him, he takes a step back.
Meet me in the middle, says the unjust man.”
A.R. Moxon @juliusgoat.bsky.social
You take a step towards him, he takes a step back.
Meet me in the middle, says the unjust man.”
A.R. Moxon @juliusgoat.bsky.social
November 6, 2025 at 2:27 PM
”Meet me in the middle, says the unjust man.
You take a step towards him, he takes a step back.
Meet me in the middle, says the unjust man.”
A.R. Moxon @juliusgoat.bsky.social
You take a step towards him, he takes a step back.
Meet me in the middle, says the unjust man.”
A.R. Moxon @juliusgoat.bsky.social
Reposted by Dirck de Lint
This is a nightmare, honestly. A growing unchecked army of violent bigoted brownshirts bragging about hurting people. And this is just the stuff we see, that we know. There's certainly much worse waiting to be learned.
“.. in a group Signal chat, .. he wrote in part: ‘I fired 5 rounds and she had 7 holes. Put that in your book boys.’”
@reuters.com #Chicago
www.reuters.com/world/us/bor...
@reuters.com #Chicago
www.reuters.com/world/us/bor...
November 6, 2025 at 2:45 PM
This is a nightmare, honestly. A growing unchecked army of violent bigoted brownshirts bragging about hurting people. And this is just the stuff we see, that we know. There's certainly much worse waiting to be learned.
I wonder if we might convince Scott Moe that putting panels up along the easements for pipelines was somehow supporting the fossil fuel industry?
#skpoli
#skpoli
Australia has so much electricity from solar power that it is going to start offering free electricity to everyone for at least three hours during the day as the wholesale price of power goes negative
electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...
electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...
Australia has so much solar that it's offering everyone free electricity
Australia's extensive solar power penetration makes so much energy that the government wants to offer free electricity at peak hours.
electrek.co
November 7, 2025 at 3:13 PM
I wonder if we might convince Scott Moe that putting panels up along the easements for pipelines was somehow supporting the fossil fuel industry?
#skpoli
#skpoli
1) That's a vast heap of steaming hooey.
2) Might one not characterize the free use of sub-teen midshipmen in Europe's navies throughout the colonial period as child sacrifice to the gods of the sea?
2) Might one not characterize the free use of sub-teen midshipmen in Europe's navies throughout the colonial period as child sacrifice to the gods of the sea?
Speaking at the Univ of Mississippi in Oxford, Vice President JD Vance claimed that when settlers arrived in the New World, they “found widespread child sacrifice,” adding that “Christian civilization ended the practice.”
JD Vance talks Israel, abortion, AI and immigration at Ole Miss Turning Point rally
Thousands packed Ole Miss’ pavilion as Vice President JD Vance took unscripted questions on faith, policy and Trump-era politics.
www.clarionledger.com
October 31, 2025 at 10:28 PM
1) That's a vast heap of steaming hooey.
2) Might one not characterize the free use of sub-teen midshipmen in Europe's navies throughout the colonial period as child sacrifice to the gods of the sea?
2) Might one not characterize the free use of sub-teen midshipmen in Europe's navies throughout the colonial period as child sacrifice to the gods of the sea?
Reposted by Dirck de Lint
With SNAP benefits going to shit because of rich assholes and corruption running rampant through politics I'd like to point your attention to a Clinton.
No, not one of those Clintons. This Clinton. Clifford Clinton.
No, not one of those Clintons. This Clinton. Clifford Clinton.
October 30, 2025 at 9:37 PM
With SNAP benefits going to shit because of rich assholes and corruption running rampant through politics I'd like to point your attention to a Clinton.
No, not one of those Clintons. This Clinton. Clifford Clinton.
No, not one of those Clintons. This Clinton. Clifford Clinton.
I honestly don't know what I would do were I present at this. Demand that the cop check the ID on the maybe-kidnappers? Yell also (with the fear of boat-rocking we're all imbued with enhanced by airport security theatre worries?)? Christ, I don't know.
I'm shaking almost too hard to type. I entered SLC airport and heard screams and cries for help. I could see people gathered around, watching. I sped over to discover this woman face down on the floor, four grown men pushing her down, while she cried "HELP ME" and pled for her child.
October 30, 2025 at 10:24 PM
I honestly don't know what I would do were I present at this. Demand that the cop check the ID on the maybe-kidnappers? Yell also (with the fear of boat-rocking we're all imbued with enhanced by airport security theatre worries?)? Christ, I don't know.
Reposted by Dirck de Lint
WILD story. A DHS officer shot at a man he thought was fleeing (a judge dismissed all charges). Bullets went into the driver's side window, through his jacket collar, and into the empty passenger seat. An MPD cop on the scene says he was ordered not to put it in the police report.
A D.C. task force shot at a driver. It’s not in the police report.
Neither D.C. police nor the Department of Homeland Security have explained why the Homeland Security agent fired his weapon.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 28, 2025 at 7:01 PM
WILD story. A DHS officer shot at a man he thought was fleeing (a judge dismissed all charges). Bullets went into the driver's side window, through his jacket collar, and into the empty passenger seat. An MPD cop on the scene says he was ordered not to put it in the police report.
Living in the train desert of southern Saskatchewan. Freight trains? Sure, but only at times of day when people are going to or from work. No inter-city trains, no trams in sight, not so much as a street car. Subways? In this gumbo? Of course not!
Instead of trying to green cars so much why don't we just invest in trains. city trains. under ground trains. above ground trains. trains between cities. trains between countries. TRAINS
THE PEOPLE CRAVE TRAINS
THE PEOPLE CRAVE TRAINS
October 30, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Living in the train desert of southern Saskatchewan. Freight trains? Sure, but only at times of day when people are going to or from work. No inter-city trains, no trams in sight, not so much as a street car. Subways? In this gumbo? Of course not!
Reposted by Dirck de Lint
October 28, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Reposted by Dirck de Lint
Every good thing this society half-assedly started due to COVID should've been not just continued but constantly improved upon; but too many of y'all have The Fear, & those programs remind you of the thing that scared you.
So instead you burn down your house 'cause your basement made spooky shadows
So instead you burn down your house 'cause your basement made spooky shadows
It's kind of amazing that we showed we could cut child poverty in half for roughly 100 billion/year (absolute peanuts in a 7 trillion dollar budget), did it for a year, and then just stopped doing it.
The food security report is out, and it's bad news: 13.5% of households were food insecure in 2023, up from 12.8% in 2022. This is what happens when you abruptly end "pandemic" supports that should have been there all along.
www.ers.usda.gov/publications...
www.ers.usda.gov/publications...
September 5, 2024 at 2:37 PM
Every good thing this society half-assedly started due to COVID should've been not just continued but constantly improved upon; but too many of y'all have The Fear, & those programs remind you of the thing that scared you.
So instead you burn down your house 'cause your basement made spooky shadows
So instead you burn down your house 'cause your basement made spooky shadows