Al Petterson
@eyelessgame.bsky.social
I do TTRPG, astronomy, inclusion, politics, mathematics, music, economics, history, SF. Python I guess. Dad & grandpa. Him.
Frustrated by stupid. Angered by evil.
Therefore, very frustrated, and very, very angry.
Frustrated by stupid. Angered by evil.
Therefore, very frustrated, and very, very angry.
Movie you’ve watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Stars (Wars nor Trek), LOTR, or Marvel, Disney Animated or Pixar.
December 8, 2025 at 5:56 AM
Movie you’ve watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Stars (Wars nor Trek), LOTR, or Marvel, Disney Animated or Pixar.
Reposted by Al Petterson
GOT is a cardinal example - it was essentially written as a dare to prove you could write fantasy that violated all genre convention, and considering that apparently it's not possible to stick the landing, maybe *some* of the genre conventions exist for a reason!
December 7, 2025 at 5:15 PM
GOT is a cardinal example - it was essentially written as a dare to prove you could write fantasy that violated all genre convention, and considering that apparently it's not possible to stick the landing, maybe *some* of the genre conventions exist for a reason!
Reposted by Al Petterson
I mostly do not enjoy narrative where I'm not supposed to find the protagonists sympathetic or compelling
December 7, 2025 at 6:12 AM
I mostly do not enjoy narrative where I'm not supposed to find the protagonists sympathetic or compelling
Reposted by Al Petterson
same for me tbh. like, I'm supposed to spend *how much* time exactly with characters I despise? also nearly every scene is designed to torture everyone in it? hm
not criticizing! it's obviously incredibly well made & smart, and people love it. just made me unhappy to watch 🤷♂️
not criticizing! it's obviously incredibly well made & smart, and people love it. just made me unhappy to watch 🤷♂️
December 7, 2025 at 5:59 AM
same for me tbh. like, I'm supposed to spend *how much* time exactly with characters I despise? also nearly every scene is designed to torture everyone in it? hm
not criticizing! it's obviously incredibly well made & smart, and people love it. just made me unhappy to watch 🤷♂️
not criticizing! it's obviously incredibly well made & smart, and people love it. just made me unhappy to watch 🤷♂️
Reposted by Al Petterson
like so much of what Silicon Valley is up to these days, it's almost impossible to figure out how much of this "Network State" stuff is serious efforts at techno-fascism, and how much is just grifting a childish elite with gobs of cash and a child's understanding of politics
I would say this because I edited it but @mshannahmurphy.bsky.social's piece on tech bros founding their own for-profit cities really is unmissable reading www.ft.com/content/b127...
Tech elites are starting their own for-profit cities
They want to escape from regulation and ‘failing’ democracy — but are they more opportunistic than libertarian?
www.ft.com
December 7, 2025 at 10:54 AM
like so much of what Silicon Valley is up to these days, it's almost impossible to figure out how much of this "Network State" stuff is serious efforts at techno-fascism, and how much is just grifting a childish elite with gobs of cash and a child's understanding of politics
Reposted by Al Petterson
This seems like a good hook for an occasional thread of libertarian disasters.
like so much of what Silicon Valley is up to these days, it's almost impossible to figure out how much of this "Network State" stuff is serious efforts at techno-fascism, and how much is just grifting a childish elite with gobs of cash and a child's understanding of politics
I would say this because I edited it but @mshannahmurphy.bsky.social's piece on tech bros founding their own for-profit cities really is unmissable reading www.ft.com/content/b127...
December 7, 2025 at 5:14 PM
This seems like a good hook for an occasional thread of libertarian disasters.
Gladiolus bloom, of course, in July. Except this one honeybadgering in my backyard and deciding 'don't fucking tell me about calendars, I'll bloom in December if I want to'.
I call her Glad Despite Everything.
I call her Glad Despite Everything.
December 5, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Gladiolus bloom, of course, in July. Except this one honeybadgering in my backyard and deciding 'don't fucking tell me about calendars, I'll bloom in December if I want to'.
I call her Glad Despite Everything.
I call her Glad Despite Everything.
I appreciate the dialogue between @radiofreetom.bsky.social and @joshtpm.bsky.social on federalism and specifically the Electoral College...
the part that amuses me the most about the EC is how contingent our respective positions are...
the part that amuses me the most about the EC is how contingent our respective positions are...
December 5, 2025 at 12:07 AM
I appreciate the dialogue between @radiofreetom.bsky.social and @joshtpm.bsky.social on federalism and specifically the Electoral College...
the part that amuses me the most about the EC is how contingent our respective positions are...
the part that amuses me the most about the EC is how contingent our respective positions are...
Reposted by Al Petterson
Wealth inequality is eating this country alive. Concentrated wealth is already endangering our democracy. Wealth doesn’t just beget more wealth — it begets more power.
It’s a vicious cycle that destroys our economy and democracy at the same time.
It’s a vicious cycle that destroys our economy and democracy at the same time.
December 3, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Wealth inequality is eating this country alive. Concentrated wealth is already endangering our democracy. Wealth doesn’t just beget more wealth — it begets more power.
It’s a vicious cycle that destroys our economy and democracy at the same time.
It’s a vicious cycle that destroys our economy and democracy at the same time.
Reposted by Al Petterson
Also fascinating how many camels have unbreakable backs when it comes to Trump.
December 2, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Also fascinating how many camels have unbreakable backs when it comes to Trump.
John Brown was hanged on this date in 1859.
This arrangement of the Battle Hymn is stunning, though I honestly prefer the energy of a high school combined honor band/choir/orchestra.
The Marines do it right - "let us die to make men free", the line that goes hardest in the song.
This arrangement of the Battle Hymn is stunning, though I honestly prefer the energy of a high school combined honor band/choir/orchestra.
The Marines do it right - "let us die to make men free", the line that goes hardest in the song.
The Battle Hymn of the Republic
YouTube video by The United States Army Field Band
www.youtube.com
December 2, 2025 at 6:09 PM
John Brown was hanged on this date in 1859.
This arrangement of the Battle Hymn is stunning, though I honestly prefer the energy of a high school combined honor band/choir/orchestra.
The Marines do it right - "let us die to make men free", the line that goes hardest in the song.
This arrangement of the Battle Hymn is stunning, though I honestly prefer the energy of a high school combined honor band/choir/orchestra.
The Marines do it right - "let us die to make men free", the line that goes hardest in the song.
I don't need any context at all. I already know I agree.
Fucking disgusting, man.
December 2, 2025 at 5:38 PM
I don't need any context at all. I already know I agree.
Reposted by Al Petterson
Since I haven’t seen anyone mention this: When the U.S. commits war crimes it puts our troops in danger also, as it gives a green light to other countries that they can do the same to us
December 2, 2025 at 4:27 AM
Since I haven’t seen anyone mention this: When the U.S. commits war crimes it puts our troops in danger also, as it gives a green light to other countries that they can do the same to us
Reposted by Al Petterson
"The U.S. military were always murderers, now they're just admitting it" may be a popular edgy view on BlueSky, but it undermines any reason to be upset that the Trump Admin are uniquely bad actors or present any urgent danger.
December 2, 2025 at 1:00 AM
"The U.S. military were always murderers, now they're just admitting it" may be a popular edgy view on BlueSky, but it undermines any reason to be upset that the Trump Admin are uniquely bad actors or present any urgent danger.
Three things are all true.
In *INCREASING* order of importance:
1. The essay deserved an F for poor quality.
2. Teachers should NEVER be suspended just for giving a grade.
3. The intent of the outrage is to generate more bigotry and oppression of trans people and nothing else.
In *INCREASING* order of importance:
1. The essay deserved an F for poor quality.
2. Teachers should NEVER be suspended just for giving a grade.
3. The intent of the outrage is to generate more bigotry and oppression of trans people and nothing else.
"the essay sucks ass" is no doubt true, couldn't be bothered to read it, but consider that the essay may have been written to receive an F in order to instigate a campaign against the trans TA. in any case it's not a great dunk because this isn't about the essay, it's about purging trans ppl
December 1, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Three things are all true.
In *INCREASING* order of importance:
1. The essay deserved an F for poor quality.
2. Teachers should NEVER be suspended just for giving a grade.
3. The intent of the outrage is to generate more bigotry and oppression of trans people and nothing else.
In *INCREASING* order of importance:
1. The essay deserved an F for poor quality.
2. Teachers should NEVER be suspended just for giving a grade.
3. The intent of the outrage is to generate more bigotry and oppression of trans people and nothing else.
My favorite part of Thanksgiving leftovers is the authenticity of enjoying a turkey leg smothered in barbecue sauce, the ankle wrapped in aluminum foil - exactly the way my Renaissance ancestors in Europe did.
December 1, 2025 at 9:08 PM
My favorite part of Thanksgiving leftovers is the authenticity of enjoying a turkey leg smothered in barbecue sauce, the ankle wrapped in aluminum foil - exactly the way my Renaissance ancestors in Europe did.
Reposted by Al Petterson
You can tell how fundamental this was as an obvious war crime from how you have to use a mix of archaic English terminology, diplomatic terms of art codified in French, and legal maxims expressed in Latin, to even describe how illegal it is. That's how old the relevant concepts are.
November 29, 2025 at 9:10 AM
You can tell how fundamental this was as an obvious war crime from how you have to use a mix of archaic English terminology, diplomatic terms of art codified in French, and legal maxims expressed in Latin, to even describe how illegal it is. That's how old the relevant concepts are.
I miss the entertaining misspellings of T9 coding - the early texting code where you could spell a word with numeric digits and an incomplete library would guess.
Like the Central California city that the phone knew as "Freqmm" and the musical instrument the phone called an 'uponcond'.
Like the Central California city that the phone knew as "Freqmm" and the musical instrument the phone called an 'uponcond'.
November 27, 2025 at 2:09 AM
I miss the entertaining misspellings of T9 coding - the early texting code where you could spell a word with numeric digits and an incomplete library would guess.
Like the Central California city that the phone knew as "Freqmm" and the musical instrument the phone called an 'uponcond'.
Like the Central California city that the phone knew as "Freqmm" and the musical instrument the phone called an 'uponcond'.
Old friend of mine - a bi gentleman: "You know how you've always been a much bigger Bill Clinton fan than me? And I've always been kind of meh on him."
Me: "True... so yeah?"
Him: "I just have to say... I don't think I would have been able to keep it up. So ... respect."
Me: "True... so yeah?"
Him: "I just have to say... I don't think I would have been able to keep it up. So ... respect."
November 27, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Old friend of mine - a bi gentleman: "You know how you've always been a much bigger Bill Clinton fan than me? And I've always been kind of meh on him."
Me: "True... so yeah?"
Him: "I just have to say... I don't think I would have been able to keep it up. So ... respect."
Me: "True... so yeah?"
Him: "I just have to say... I don't think I would have been able to keep it up. So ... respect."
It's the end of November and a gladiolus is blooming.
November 27, 2025 at 12:42 AM
It's the end of November and a gladiolus is blooming.
Reposted by Al Petterson
November 26, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Reposted by Al Petterson
AMERICANS ARE SO WEIRD ABOUT HUGS AND PHYSICAL CONTACT AND IT SUUUUUCKS
November 23, 2025 at 10:58 PM
AMERICANS ARE SO WEIRD ABOUT HUGS AND PHYSICAL CONTACT AND IT SUUUUUCKS
Reposted by Al Petterson
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
November 23, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
The Bears are 8-3 and have been net outscored.
November 23, 2025 at 11:37 PM
The Bears are 8-3 and have been net outscored.