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rpthiel.bsky.social
A recovering bookseller who is trying to maintain his optimism but is finding this increasingly difficult.
17 posts 29 followers 31 following
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Posts 47 Comments 3

This was a great event, so glad to see the turnout. Way to go Chicago!

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

Future historians are going to have to write: “Listen, I know you’re not going to believe me but I can assure you it really did happen.”

submitted 6 days ago • 10 comments

Well said! You wouldn’t think it would be that difficult.

submitted 10 days ago • 0 comments

When nothing has consequence, everything becomes inconsequential.

submitted 15 days ago • 4 comments

Thank you, Governor.

submitted 27 days ago • 12 comments

It feels overwhelming sometimes how dumb and dangerous this all is. And every day it gets dumber and more dangerous.

submitted 28 days ago • 162 comments

There truly is no end to the extent of this man's ignorance.

submitted 28 days ago • 1 comment

Epic

submitted 31 days ago • 77 comments

Can we get them to line up in front of the US Constitution?

submitted 33 days ago • 7 comments

People who claim Zelensky was at fault yesterday and should have been more “diplomatic” or “respectful” are either deliberately propagating the Trumpist attack line – or they fundamentally misunderstand what the Trumpist project is and who is now in power in the United States.

submitted 40 days ago • 72 comments

El Capitan displays a massive American flag upside down—the traditional signal of distress or extreme emergency.

submitted 46 days ago • 1044 comments

Tariffs on those Canada Geese that brazenly go to the USA to eat for nothing in the winter?

submitted 56 days ago • 5 comments

Musk and son open.substack.com/pub/contrari.... love this

submitted 56 days ago • 28 comments

This makes so much sense. It would provide an opportunity to focus on the issues and offer alternatives. Sadly, I’m not sure the Dems leadership is up to it.

submitted 56 days ago • 1 comment

If only…

submitted 56 days ago • 0 comments

A reminder: Vladimir Putin could end the war in Ukraine right now, just by ordering his soldiers to go home. No need for treaties or negotiations.

submitted 56 days ago • 226 comments

Pretty sure it’s from a 40’s film, Laura. The soundtrack has been adapted and rearranged by a lot of jazz artists.

submitted 59 days ago • 0 comments

This is hilarious. I especially like the annexation of Green Bay and the mystery Mississippi River announcement.

submitted 62 days ago • 1128 comments

This is so good.

submitted 65 days ago • 619 comments

I think both these things can be true: -Moves by Trump himself are 99% performative, destructive, bluffing, bigoted, bottomlessly stupid, usually fail even on their own terms. -Meanwhile what Musk, Vought, FBI/DOJ/State et al are doing is genuinely ominous IMO.

submitted 66 days ago • 39 comments

*I'm* worried about the Bill of Rights. *I'm* worried about Great Depression II: The Trump-Inflicted Wound. *I'm* worried that these fascists are looking for an excuse to impose martial law. *I'm* worried that your party is a sorry excuse for an opposition because YOU are talking about TOMATOES.

submitted 68 days ago • 2 comments

"A private citizen with zero Constitutional authority is effectively seizing control of critical government functions. The Constitution explicitly requires Senate confirmation for anyone wielding significant federal power" www.techdirt.com/2025/01/31/e...

submitted 68 days ago • 118 comments

Waking up to posts that sound rather like Trump has declared war on his own country, and the Democrats are asking him not to be quite so rude.

submitted 73 days ago • 11 comments

And why is that just the immigrants are being arrested and not the employers? Just wondering.

submitted 75 days ago • 0 comments

If Lisa Murkowski can say no to Hegseth what is wrong with Joni Ernst??

submitted 77 days ago • 1180 comments

Want research conducted on curing diseases? Trump just shut that down. Want people who assaulted law enforcement told thats ok? Trump just told them that. Want the US to beat China to develop the energy of the future? Trump just stopped that. Want cheaper grocery prices? Trump's done nada.

submitted 78 days ago • 24 comments

Say what you will, but the man knows how to make an entrance. Can’t wait to see #44 in the Ferrari this season.

submitted 78 days ago • 0 comments

An outstanding example of speaking truth to power, of making the most of the moment.

submitted 79 days ago • 0 comments

Saying that Elon's Sieg Heil was a byproduct of his Asperger's is a truly profound insult to people who have Asperger's.

submitted 80 days ago • 16 comments

how many times are people going to fall for his transparent “watch me fix a crisis that I created” routine?

submitted 81 days ago • 15 comments

If you’re looking to get as far away from the news as possible on 1/20 may I suggest Pinilla Lake in Futaleufú? After the 10-hour flight to Santiago, take another 2-hour flight to Puerto Montt, then an 11-hour drive & float car ferry trip through fjords, then a 3-hour climb. You will be safe here.

submitted 82 days ago • 8 comments

If GOOD things happen to ME, it’s because of my personal talent and effort. If BAD things happen to ME, it’s the rotten, corrupt, system. If GOOD things happen to THEM, it’s the rotten, corrupt, system. If BAD things happen to THEM it’s because they are crooked and lazy. The right-wing mindset.

submitted 83 days ago • 7 comments

Sadly, however, it’s unlikely that either she or her constituency will care. Such people are beyond feeling shame.

submitted 85 days ago • 0 comments

The Ballet Class (flipped, also from the @philamuseum), by Edgar Degas, 1880

submitted 88 days ago • 10 comments

Think of the time being wasted by diplomats and experts in Europe and Latin America, as they start planning how to counter American attacks on Panama or Greenland. Time that could be spent thinking about a unified response to Russia and China.

submitted 92 days ago • 181 comments

Being touted here as a generational shift. A 77 year old being replaced by a 62 year old, according to the story.

submitted 113 days ago • 2 comments

This tendency to seek “common ground” is as futile as that of a person in an abusive relationship expecting things to change.

submitted 113 days ago • 0 comments

Here's an idea for the Democrats: Have a victim or two of Assad's torture chambers testify at Tulsi Gabbard's confirmation hearing.

submitted 120 days ago • 279 comments

What a surprise!

submitted 118 days ago • 0 comments

We used to have one president at a time. President-elects took great care to wait until their inauguration before presuming to do anything that might risk appearing otherwise.

submitted 124 days ago • 70 comments

A circus of clowns where the ringmaster is also a clown. But clowns full of hate, self-regard, resentment, and prejudice, and empty of compassion, humour, or judgement. I would not want a seat in the front row.

submitted 141 days ago • 2 comments

Each of Trump's proposed appointments is a surprise. It is comforting to think that he is simply a vengeful old man, lashing out. This is unlikely. He and Musk and Putin have been talking for years. And the whole idea was that this time he had a plan. snyder.substack.com/p/decapitati...

submitted 146 days ago • 208 comments

Some people want Government to be small. Others just want it to be far away.

submitted 147 days ago • 2 comments

Look, dear Times editors, it's called *civil service,* not "deep state," whatever quotation marks you're using, and it refers to civilian government employees serving their country. www.nytimes.com/2024/11/14/u...

submitted 146 days ago • 13 comments

Looking forward to learning how appointing an accused child-sex-trafficker as AG and a suspected Russian asset as DNI will lower the price of eggs

submitted 148 days ago • 163 comments

so many ppl have left twitter they should call it ex

submitted 161 days ago • 175 comments

Of all of the thoughts and emotions that I’m dealing with this morning, the one that is most difficult to reconcile is what this election reveals about us as a nation. Sadly, this is who we are.

submitted 155 days ago • 0 comments