The Barents Observer in 2025: A year of censorship and repression. And victory against the Russian state

Started 'The Copenhagen Test' - Simu Liu as Jason Bourne, but with nanites. It's not high art, but it's entertaining and has some solid performances. Worth watching

(3) Electronic Music and Slum Lording - YouTube with @benjaminwittes.lawfaremedia.org , @michael-feinberg.bsky.social and @evegaumond.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TwF...

Last night we wrapped up Day 4 of “LOTR, The Christmas Rewatchening of LOTR (™)” with the second half of LOTR The Two Towers. LOTR 2T has perhaps the best opening sequence in all of filmdom. Tonight for Day5 we move to the first half of LOTR Return of the King. Still the best movie trilogy ever.

Two questions: 1. Was Benjamin Wittes hired as a consultant for this project? (He should have been.) 2. Will the National Park Police confiscate the projection equipment? @benjaminwittes.lawfaremedia.org @hollybfletcher.bsky.social

Really grateful to @jacklgoldsmith.bsky.social for having me on today for a discussion about the protective power and what’s to come after the Illinois decision.

To a Happy New Year of accidents. jbordeaux.substack.com/p/the-flukes...

Jupiter - PJ12-84 - From Kevin M. Gill (kevinmgill.bsky.social) - https://flic.kr/p/2iYh878

On today’s #DogShirtTV, @benjaminwittes.lawfaremedia.org tells @michael-feinberg.bsky.social about his new #synthesizer set-up and @evegaumond.bsky.social tells Ben about her adventures in #HomeRenovation. www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TwF...

This is an important point. And as our information system has evolved over the past 10 years it has more obviously become a partisan press model. Not just websites and podcasts, but ownership of what were once mainstream/non-partisan news outlets. People consume propaganda without realizing it.

The Cult of the Saints was real, but did relics ever get stolen? Yes. Marco Papasidero has a new, open access book discussing relic theft in Italy from late antiquity to the Middle Ages (300-1150 CE): www.taylorfrancis.com/books/oa-mon... Furta Sacra ⛪️There is Patrick Geary’s work but this earlier!

Wholly apart from the fact that this is a form of "Original Privately Expressed Intent of One Sponsor of an Earlier Statute with Different Language" Originalism, the more fundamental problem with Lash's effort (and the SG's) to rely upon the Trumbull letter ... [1] papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

On Lawfare Daily, @atabatabai.bsky.social, @sranderson.bsky.social, and Loren Voss discuss the NDAA for 2026, its key provisions, and what it says for how Congress is reasserting itself vis-a-vis the Trump administration on matters related to the national defense. youtu.be/1Iy2a26r31k

My 2 yo has a thing where if she gets hurt—falls, hits her head—she will scold the floor, corner etc. that hurt her “No no no!” w/wagging finger Today we all screamed while watching the last play of the Bills game & she started to cry “What hurt you, C?” “Football” she said & then scolded the TV

Trump said he would end Russia’s war against Ukraine “in 24 hours.” On day 343 of his presidency, the war continues. Zelensky and Trump met again today, and Trump admitted that finding peace is “very complicated stuff.” Glad he finally figured that out. Stand with #Ukraine 🇺🇦

Asset bubbles of the past 50 years BofA

On today’s #DogShirtTV, @benjaminwittes.lawfaremedia.org & @michael-feinberg.bsky.social discuss various meanings of the word boxing, from packing up to #MartialArts. #BoxingDay www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPrr...

An asteroid 200 million km from Earth contains all the ingredients for life. Scientists analysing samples from asteroid Bennu have detected ribose, completing the suite of molecules needed for RNA and confirming that primitive asteroids can generate complex organics buff.ly/cWa6HGN #ShareGoodNewsToo

I solved the daily Clues by Sam, Dec 26th 2025 (Tricky), in less than 15 minutes 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟨🟩🟩🟨 🟨🟨🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 cluesbysam.com

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Merry Christmas! 🎄

The other two are dead.

Wishing you all a merry day in the Universe with whatever you believe caused it. Be happy.

Now I’ve seen it all:

Omg

most days i just make snark. on holidays i also make gorgeous chocolate meringue pies. 💃

ChrisMoose!

I bake once a year. I kind of suck at it but pizzelles are idiot-proof. 🎄

The Christmas morning scones! (homemade clotted cream and rhubarb jam). Have a happy day friends!

Mistletoe probably literally means “piss twig.” The “toe” bit is from a Germanic root meaning “twig.” Mistel/missel was the Middle/Old English word for the parasitic plant, perhaps from the Germanic root *mih-stu- “urine” on the logic that it is propagated via bird (thrush) poo. Happy smooching!

The Classic ‘Popcorn’ Synth Pop Instrumental Played on Theremin and an Adorable Otamatone laughingsquid.com/popcorn-ther...

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas! It’s going to be 80 degrees here in Flowermound Texas please enjoy any snow that may come your way! Sending love and light and lots of hugs to all! ❤️❤️❤️

IT’S CHRISTMAS EVE

cinnamon rolls on deck

Hello from the @worcesterartmuseum.bsky.social, where we are spending a lovely Christmas Eve looking at medieval and early modern armor from Mughal India, Sudan, and medieval Europe in the newly reopened armor galleries. Truly, this is the way. ⚔️

Re-upping my take from a year ago on Trump and Greenland: "Trump has a habit of making the unthinkable thinkable. But he faces complex legal and political hurdles to making the thinkable a reality." open.substack.com/pub/executiv...

My thoughts on the Interim Order in Trump v. Illinois open.substack.com/pub/executiv...

A Proposal for All Parents Worldwide

Our first lamé duck president

Time to make the bacon. 🥓

Fun stuff

One of my favorites

ICYMI

Charles Mills - justice has for too long been appropriated by white supremacists as ‘just us’.

I'm honored that @zocalopublicsquare.bsky.social chose my essay on trading doomscrolling for hopescrolling for one of their favorite essays of 2025! www.zocalopublicsquare.org/favorite-ess...

Recently stumbled upon this Instagram account that's just a guy who lives in a downtown Chicago high rise throwing paper airplanes out his window. Dudes rock, tbh www.instagram.com/reel/DR3CmxB...