iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Eric Columbus @ericcolumbus.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Took 21 years but @theonion.com once again predicted the future.

After Two Decades, U.S. Forces Leave Iraq to an Uncertain Future
The U.S. military formally withdrew from Iraq, ending a presence that stoked years of bloodshed, and leaving behind a battered nation trapped between warring allies.

Bush Announces Iraq Exit Strategy: 'We'll Go Through Iran'
Published March 9, 2005

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Frank O'Donnell @frank11285.bsky.social · 16h

Outstanding Majora's Mask vibes in today's NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day - science.nasa.gov/image-articl...

science.nasa.gov

APOD: 2026 October 1 - Harvest Moon with Erupting Mount Etna - NASA Science

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Frank O'Donnell @frank11285.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

…”a new four-star combatant command”?

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Alex Wellerstein @wellerstein.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Source is from the @nsarchive.bsky.social : nsarchive.gwu.edu/sites/defaul...

Report cover sheet:
FINAL REPORT
ARMS CONTROL IMPLICATIONS OF STRATEGIC OFFENSIVE WEAPON SYSTEMS(U)
VOLUME IV T
echnological Feasibility of Launch-On-Warning and Flyout Under Attack (U)
JUNE 1971
ACDA/ST-196

PREPARED BY AEROSPACE SYSTEMS ANALYSIS, MCDONNELL DOUGLAS ASTRONAUTICS COMPANY

PREPARED FOR The U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency

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Alex Wellerstein @wellerstein.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Quite a remarkable map, table, and diagram from a 1971 report on launch-on-warning, showing the implications of Soviet submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) on detection, reaction, deliberation, and response time. All numbers are in SECONDS, which is what I find the most wild about it.

Map of the USA labeled "Soviet SLBM [Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile] Time of Flight to SAC [Strategic Air Command] Targets." Shows both "nominal" and "depressed" trajectories. Absolute best (north central USA) is between 580 and 850 seconds (9.6 – 14 min). Absolute worst (everywhere else) is between 320 and 650 seconds (5.3 – 10.8 min). The variations are based on where they assume the subs are launching from.

Table: "Early Warning System Performance." Shows four different systems (BMEWS, OTHF, SLBM Net, and a not-yet-operational in 1971 Boost-Phase Detection Satellite) that indicates the time of detection after launch (varies between 55 and 150 seconds; BMEWS cannot detect launches as it is only over-the-horizon radar), the time that the US command and control system would be alerted after launch (ranges from 85 seconds for the newest system to 900 seconds for BMEWs), the probably of detection of a single launch (BMEWS is 99%, SLBM Net is 50%, none of the others have probabilities), probably of detection for a mass launch (all around 100%), and their false alarm rate (BMEWS has 1 per 7 years, OTHF is 1 per 6 months, the others are unknown).

Diagram: "National Command-Warning to Response Cycle." Shows the consequences of a launch detection all the way through the US nuclear infrastructure, with "delay times" in seconds. Will be discussed in the next post in this thread.

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Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · 29/09/2026

the official English version: www.mfa.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xw/f...

mfa.gov.cn

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson’s Remarks on Issue Concerning Artificial Intelligence

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Frank O'Donnell @frank11285.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

There’s jumpscares, and then there’s having a Sarah Palmer lookalike walk right up to you and stare you in the face eye-to-eye.

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Johannes Franzen @johannesfranzen.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Incredible stuff.

Commentary|Essay

AI and the crisis of the author

By Anchit Sathi

September 4, 2026
Read this issue

Editor’s note (September 21, 2026): We have removed this essay. AI was used in its preparation. The TLS editorial guidelines prohibit the use of AI in the writing and editing process. The author states that he was unaware of the policy.

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Frank O'Donnell @frank11285.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The "post-Brady Belichick" question

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Bleddyn Bowen @bleddb.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Reminder that the White House has requested over $71bn for the US Space Force for next year.

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Frank O'Donnell @frank11285.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

That program is rotten to the core.

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JW Mason @jwmason.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

This is the master key to deciphering contemporary debates about free speech. www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2026/se...

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Institute for Security and Technology @istorg.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Today, Presidents Trump and Xi wrapped their summit w/o a formal AI agreement. Before the leaders sat down, US officials announced plans for an incident line on AI risk. IST’s Steve Kelly, Sylvia Mishra & Catherine Murphy unpack what it means for the future of the US-China AI relationship. 🌐 Read:

securityandtechnology.org

Before the first AI crisis, Washington and Beijing need a habit of talking

Presidents Trump and Xi wrapped their two-day summit in Washington without a formal AI agreement. But before the two leaders sat down, U.S. officials announced plans for an incident line on AI risk. F...

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Lembas Eater @waybread.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

The problem with education is that it's a solved problem. Students need small classes, individual attention, lots of writing, lots of feedback, access to a well-stocked library, time to think, and time to talk with their peers. We just don't like the answer, so we keep trying to do other stuff.

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Frank O'Donnell @frank11285.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

“Pakistan has conducted precision aerial and drone strikes in 10 locations across Afghanistan in retaliation for drones launched from the neighbouring country a day earlier, Information Minister Atauallah Tarar said in the early hours of Thursday”

dawn.com

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Ankit Panda @nktpnd.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

New in @foreignaffairs.com with @claroche.bsky.social: even if efforts to control the bomb may be a source of inspiration, they are not a ready-made template for AI governance. On the limits of the AI-nuclear weapons analogy. Gift link: www.foreignaffairs.com/guest-pass/r...

foreignaffairs.com

The Trouble With the Nuclear-AI Analogy

In humanity’s quest to constrain the dangers from fast-advancing artificial intelligence, many have looked to the most revolutionary technology that preceded it: nuclear weapons.

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Nick Miroff @nickmiroff.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

SCOOP: the ICE officer who shot Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez in Austin wasn't wearing his body cam. The officer is a new recruit hired by the agency last year 🔽 www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

theatlantic.com

The ICE Officer in Austin Wasn’t Wearing a Body Cam

The officer who shot a Venezuelan man was hired last year from another federal law-enforcement agency.

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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

The UK government is making upwards of £4.9bn in profit from visa fees, citizenship fees & the immigration health surcharge. Meanwhile, people are getting into thousands of pounds of debt or going without food just to afford to these immigration fees. www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2026...

thebureauinvestigates.com

Government makes £5bn a year from immigration fees while applicants…

Home Office’s fees are up to 10 times the processing cost – and rising every year

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The Diplomat @thediplomat.com · 22/09/2026

In Beijing, Bangladesh's PM Rahman met President Xi. Without a meeting with Trump or clear economic gains, his U.S. visit could fall short of Dhaka’s expectations. buff.ly/TYOxrFf

buff.ly

What Can Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman Gain From His Upcoming US Visit?

In Beijing, he met President Xi. Without a meeting with Trump or clear economic gains, the U.S. visit could fall short of Dhaka’s expectations.

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Bleddyn Bowen @bleddb.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

This is a massive own goal by the US military. CASI has long been a reliable public source of information and analysis on Chinese military developments. White House is asking $72bn for the Space Force next year but apparently there’s no money for proper PLA watchers that report in public. Mad.

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Will Yale @wayale.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

It is extremely unfortunate and regrettable that the Department of the Air Force has decided to shutter the China Aerospace Studies Institute (CASI). CASI, along with its sister institutions the China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI), China Landpower Studies Center (CLSC), and…

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Nicholas Slayton @nslayton.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Under his policies, trans troops have been kicked out for months but Hegseth can't stop using bringing them up and using slurs. He's spent a lot of this summer using this slur at events. www.chron.com/news/article...

chron.com

Hegseth uses slur while promoting 'gender neutral' forces at Texas A&M

Not only that, but the Aggies lost Saturday.

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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

While ICE agents were shooting Wilber Rafael Garces Perez in Austin on Sunday, their colleagues were violently detaining a US citizen in Evanston, IL who "resembled" a person they were seeking. The victim reported "injuries to his head, neck and teeth":

evanstonnow.com

Federal agents detained U.S. citizen Sunday morning - Evanston Now

Police chief says officers responded to a man with injuries to head, neck and teeth on Howard and made contact with agents involved.

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Frovo @frovo.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

it’s batman day

a tweet by me from 1/6/2018 11:03 AM that became a meme apparently

ROBIN: the batmobile won’t start
BATMAN: check the battery
ROBIN: what’s a tery

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Frank O'Donnell @frank11285.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

"The leader of the parish council, Tim McNally, said he would consider renaming the village Trumpington if Donald Trump agreed to adopt the principality as the 51st US state." www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

theguardian.com

Unease in ‘newly independent’ Piddington as world media and Danny Tommo descend

As villagers take stock following symbolic vote, some fear far-right weaponisation of asylum dispute and influx of ‘masked people like in Dover’

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Frank O'Donnell @frank11285.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Joint Press Statement for the 29th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue

war.gov

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Olga Lautman 🇺🇦 @olgalautman.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

This is so insane I cannot believe this is real. www.politico.com/news/2026/09...

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CNN @cnn.com · 18/09/2026

Exclusive: An AI-assisted intel report, circulated across the US military during the Iran war, nearly triggered an operation but was false, sources say. cnn.it/4y9MBJO

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Ed Zitron @edzitron.com · 18/09/2026

This includes the best intro to a newsletter yet

The year is 2026, and you are a hyperscaler CEO. You zip up your Patagonia vest, type UPDATE ME ON CALENDOR TOODAY into ChatGPT, and see that you have a meeting with your CFO. They tell you that while they love all those GPUs you’re buying for those data centers that will absolutely get built and totally agree that you should buy more, your company cannot actually afford to buy them at the current pace.

“But we’re one of the single-largest cash-generating companies in the world!” you scream so hard that your horribly-trained Shiba Inu starts chewing on the side of your Aeron chair. “We’ve been doing AI for years! Where is the money?”

The CFO furrows their brow. “Well, that’s the thing. We’re not actually generating that much cash from it, and actually appear to be losing money. Why do we want to buy more GPUs? We still haven’t installed most of the ones we bought-”

You begin to shake uncontrollably. “To. Do. Artificial. Intelligence. What. Is. It. You. Don’t. Understand. Why. More. GPUs. Now.” The Shiba Inu is now tearing into your Eames chair, but you’re too angry to notice.

Your CFO, thankful that there’s a Microsoft Teams window between the two of you, seeks to calm you down, and asks ChatGPT to give them a script to calm you down. “I understand that you didn’t like what I said — and that’s on me. I have a really great solution for you that I think will solve the problem — we’ve got great credit, and we’d be able to raise in all sorts of ways. It’s not just a solution — it’s a strategy.”

You stop shaking. Your idiot Chief Financial Officer had a great idea. You ask ChatGPT to vibe code a dashboard of potential options and it crashes your Chrome browser. “I just ran the numbers. You’re right.” Your CFO smiles as they see your Shiba Inu empty its bladder in the background.

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