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PaperclipPerfector  13hr ago (text post)   275 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for January 25, 2026

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How would your 2016 self have reacted to the subsequent changes in the discursive landscape? If someone told me, “the wealthiest man in the world bought Twitter and posts photos of ‘MechaHitler’ in a bikini while the President gives Europa soundbytes at Davos and the DHS posts vaporwave Moonman edits”, I would tell them to take their meds.

The Haredi are to my knowledge, virtually unique in that they've largely retained their traditional way of life in the middle of an ultra-modern society without going the way of the Amish. Not only are they not shrinking, they're actually increasing their share of the population, to the point that it has become a significant political issue. I'm deeply curious about this. Can anyone a) recommend good scholarship on the Haredi or b) point me towards any other similar modernity-defying groups?

I don't want to shove this into the CW thread because it's stale news at this point with all the hot news coming out of Minnesota, but is it possible that Trump got what he wanted out of the whole Greenland thing? That is, kicked Europe/NATO up the backside to start taking responsibility for Artic security and got them to commit to spending money and manpower there?

Almost certainly.

Trump did what he always does - say a bunch of shit that causes people to freak out and in the process gets something done.

It's pretty clear his complaints are real (re: China, Russia), so......

Who knows? (You can certainly tell yourself that as you watch Kier Starmer's state visit to China this week.)

So what are you reading?

Got two more sections of Capital to finish, which I will be very glad to be done with. Hoping to write up an effort post here and on my blog after I finish. I think it will generate an interesting discussion not only because Marx presents a convincing critique of capitalism (although I think his central premise of the labor theory of value is wrong, or at least incomplete) but also because it's been illuminating to see how the leftist group I've been reading it with has gone from worshiping Marx to understanding him as the flawed, snarky philosopher that he is.

Also planning on finishing up Outlive by Peter Attia today. Also going to write-up an effort post on this for Wellness Wednesday. Think it's a fantastic book, but I disagree slightly with his prescriptions and want to add a few of my own.

Also working on Harry Potter 7 in Italian.

Finishing up Twelve Months: Dresden Files Book 18 by Jim Butcher. I expected to be finished with it by now but, fuck, some of its themes just hit too close to home right now for me to be able to devour it in my usual fashion. I'm finding myself having to take breaks and deal with my own feelings frequently, which is probably a good thing, but it also reminds me that despite having more good days than bad, it's going to be A While before I find whatever my latest new Normal is.

I'm looking forward to that one! I'm in the middle of other stuff right now so I haven't bought it yet, but hopefully next month I'll get to it. I'm glad to get another fix of Harry Dresden suffering porn.

I'm glad to get another fix of Harry Dresden suffering porn.

It definitely delivers the goods, though that'd pretty much be a given after the last book. I was lucky enough to be finishing my last book the day that it came out so I'm fortunate in that particular department!

I'm committing to finishing up my first read of Wildbow's Worm, and I am up to the point where Taylor becomes Weaver.

[Spoilers]

Okay, I think I hit my limit of disbelief on "actually, insect control is OP" writing. You have one of the most overall indestructible Capes, who is also a tactical genius w/photographic memory on top of it, and she's somehow not able to defend against "insects jammed into your mouth" attack.

A tactic that Taylor has used ample times anyway.

I accept the premise that getting foreign matter lodged in her lungs (or drowning) would be a killing stroke, I accept that Alexandria was trying to goad this precise reaction from her... but its both hard to believe that Alexandria wouldn't think of "close your mouth and nose" as a defense, or that standard-issue bugs would actually be able to force themselves down her airway.

I was barely hanging on as Taylor is using bugs to dial telephones and manipulate the wiring in the walls to get doors opened, but "I stuffed her lungs full of roaches and spiders" was seemingly a different level entirely.

It works for the plot, and I'll keep reading, but that was the first time I groaned at Taylor being able to punch far above her nominal weight class through creative insect usage. It didn't even have the 'rule of cool' justification like when she's in a drawn out fight.

[/Spoilers]

Still beats most mainstream stories that are out these days.

Everything I read about this webnovel reminds me so much of Phenomena, I do wonder if the writer ever saw this movie? Jennifer Connolly in a Dario Argento movie, it's going to be stylised and have all kinds of twists and "going back to the first thing you thought you saw, you missed this clue" scenes!

In spite of how insightful and relevant I'm finding it (and how short it is), my progress on The True Believer has been slow.

Still on the Vorkosigan Saga. I'm now on Brothers in Arms, which is like book 9 or something. The series is definitely falling off, but I'm still having fun with it.

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