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tomfodw.bsky.social
Historian of 19th & 20th century Russia/Europe (mostly pre-1921); science fiction author & fan; lover of cats, dogs, chocolate, books, movies, television, baseball, soccer, ice hockey, cricket, Hawaii. Follow my Substack! https://thomasbeck.substack.com
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“I can only imagine what the political prisoners and dissidents in Russian jails are feeling today. Only a year ago Alexei Navalny was killed by Putin in one of his prisons. Before he died, Navalny wrote me a few letters in which he said that what he saw in Russia’s prisons was the same

submitted 18 hours ago • 1 comment

Hard to describe what it's like being in Kyiv, surrounded by brilliant, unshakeable, brave Ukranians, and reading Trump's comments. The free world deserves a better leader, the hill deserves a better city upon it, and these people deserve better friends.

submitted 22 hours ago • 12 comments

None of this is a surprise. The attempts at strong arming, the global isolation, the political violence. It intersects in ways that are hard to see until you connect the dots open.substack.com/pub/nadinabb...

submitted 21 hours ago • 0 comments

“I just wanna say trans people are beautiful. We are never going to stop existing. I’m never gonna stop being trans, a letter on a passport can’t change that, and fuck this administration.”

submitted 22 hours ago • 64 comments

developmentally disabled people will no longer be able to see manatees, thanks to Republicans

submitted 21 hours ago • 17 comments

And, of course, no one in the mainstream media is going to mention what may be the most important fact at the moment: Ukraine needs our help, but they would likely survive our negligence. It's Vladimir Putin who desperately requires Trump's aid to salvage his failing invasion and hold

submitted 1 day ago • 1 comment

If you’re wondering why I declined to talk to the NYTimes, then you haven’t been following my account for very long. They bear a direct responsibility for the current situation we find ourselves in, and I responded by laying out my position and that I would only talk to @jamellebouie.net

submitted 1 day ago • 1570 comments

Canadians have a new, selfish reason to want russia to lose decisively in Ukraine. Big bullies can be defeated by the smaller neighbours they attack is a lesson/precedent that we can use right about now!

submitted 1 day ago • 1 comment

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Fictional villains: my motivation involves a complex backstory around lost love and a deep yearning to be understood Real life villains: being cruel makes me feel like a big strong man

submitted 1 day ago • 80 comments

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

If you have a membership to WorldCon, they've opened the portal for Hugo nominations!! seattlein2025.org/wsfs/hugo-aw... I know the Best Novel award is the loudest award on the ballot, but don't forget to nominate for things like Fan Artist, Semi-Pro Zine, and the 2 different editing awards. 🧵

submitted 2 days ago • 1 comment

Opinion | The last 80 years have brought unprecedented peace and prosperity to the US, Canada, and Western Europe. It's time that we ended it.

submitted 1 day ago • 53 comments

submitted 1 day ago • 2 comments

Fascinating--a SIX HOUR LONG documentary about female Russian "independent" journalists? "My Undesirable Friends" (the adjective comes from recent Russian censorship laws) Russian-born emigre director Julie Loktev "compares her investigation not with fantasy but with

submitted 1 day ago • 1 comment

Republican US Senator and former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — who has represented Kentucky in the Senate since 1985 — will not seek reelection in 2026, his office confirmed reut.rs/4i6nNKe

submitted 2 days ago • 107 comments

submitted 2 days ago • 1 comment

Zelensky should have promised Trump all the rare earth minerals in Ukraine in exchange for support, then after the war simply renege on the deal. You know, like Trump would.

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

Some information about the current state of Russian economy. (As usual, I will preface by saying it is important to keep up the economic pressure on Russia and continue supporting Ukraine) ◾️ Russian minister of economic development, Maxim Reshetnikov, said that the Russian economy⤵️

submitted 3 days ago • 39 comments

Ukrainian cities such as Kharkiv and Odesa have historically been predominantly Russian-speaking (before the 1920s, Odesa was also full of Yiddish speakers). Putin is bombing both cities. Murdering Russian-speakers. You know, the ones he claimed he started the war to protect? It's their fault,

submitted 2 days ago • 1 comment

If protests keep getting larger, and they will, we’re quickly approaching the point at which Trump tells Hegseth to order the military to fire on protesters. Trump yearns for this. The question is if the soldiers under Hegseth will carry out these illegal orders. I don’t think the answer is clear.

submitted 2 days ago • 90 comments

American generals say that the Russia/Ukraine war began when Russia invaded Ukraine. But on this Mar-a-Lago toilet, they aren’t so sure.

submitted 2 days ago • 21 comments

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

I heard the Seals & Crofts song “The King of Nothing” yesterday. 🎶 Felon refers to himself as King often. Once Americans start experiencing the pain he and Elon have planned, they both will be The King of Nothing! #ProudBlue

submitted 2 days ago • 17 comments