darkoshi | Reading

Networking was never my strong suit. I spent a few hours this evening looking at documentation for Reticulum interfaces, trying to figure out how to use a generic wifi router for the physical layer of communication, assuming that the traditional ISP connection was down. It pointed me toward the 802.11s network standard, which apparently the Google Nest Wifi Pro supports. I had a hard time finding any other modern modems that did, and manufacturers seemed temporarily to abandon it for 802.11k/r/v protocols instead. So I tried learning about the different 802.11 protocols, but even this long article from only 1.5 years ago didn't include any of the 4 protocols I was trying to learn about. Are they already outdated too? *sigh* I am old. I tried learning about dual-band versus tri-band routers. Nothing fully "clicked" for me.

I finally decided that I have to start somewhere, so I just dropped a minimal (considering what the newest/best routers cost) $150 to get a TP-Link Archer GXE75 wifi. I'll see if I can configure a second network broadcasting from my house as part of Reticulum MeshChat. If I have to plug in this external device to get it working, then it's not necessarily better than plugging in a Lora node, except that a standard wifi router is actually useful for other things without special configuration and support. If I can find a way for a router to serve as both a traditional access point and a connector for a separate mesh between houses, that would be perfect. People could join their own transmitters without having to give up whatever home networking they've already created with their traditional ISP service.

In an ideal hyper-local mesh network under hostile conditions, we'd have multiple physical technologies for redundant communication. Speaking of... there was a widespread Signal outage today. It interfered with Signal chat coordination of legal observer positioning and ICE monitoring. There's already talk of radio-frequency alternatives, and they're asking for Ham radio operators to speak up about options too.

I wish I knew more of networking and communications, so I could help out. I did mention the Reticulum software and tech, but I would be a lot more convincing if I could setup my own mini-network with a neighbor. Not using established internet infrastructure (which can be taken away like the Signal servers today), but using neighbor-to-neighbor tech. It could be wifi routers, LoRa transmitters, or even ethernet cables strung between houses. Whatever it takes to keep people communicating across a whole city without the support of centralized infrastructure.

Posted by Matt Kiser

https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/03/day-1841/

Day 1841

Today in one sentence: Trump signed the roughly $1.2 trillion spending package into law, ending the three-day partial federal government shutdown; the U.S. military shot down an Iranian drone after it “aggressively approached” the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea and wouldn’t turn away; a federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status for more than 350,000 Haitians; Tulsi Gabbard told Congress that Trump asked her to show up while the FBI searched Fulton County, Georgia’s election office; Congress still hasn’t received a whistleblower complaint filed last May accusing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard of wrongdoing; and 62% of Americans said ICE officers had gone too far, up from 58% in a poll conducted just before Alex Pretti was shot and killed in Minneapolis.

1/ Trump signed the roughly $1.2 trillion spending package into law, ending the three-day partial federal government shutdown. The measure funds most agencies through Sept. 30, but Department of Homeland Security funding expires Feb. 13, leaving about 10 days for Congress and the White House to pass a separate DHS bill or face a department shutdown. Democrats have tied any longer-term DHS funding to new guardrails on immigration enforcement, including requiring agents to wear body cameras, to identify themselves and not wear masks, and to require warrants for some operations. House Republicans, however, have signaled they won’t accept at least some of those demands, especially judicial warrant requirements. (Washington Post / ABC News / NBC News / New York Times / CNN / CNBC / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / Politico / NPR)

2/ The U.S. military shot down an Iranian drone after it “aggressively approached” the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea and wouldn’t turn away. The Navy described the drone’s intent as “unclear” and framed the shootdown as self-defense. Central Command didn’t describe what “de-escalatory measures” were tried before the F-35C downed the drone, and Iran’s U.N. mission declined to comment. Hours later, Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats and another drone approached a U.S.-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz at high speed and threatened to board it before a U.S. destroyer showed up and escorted it until the situation “de-escalated.” (Reuters / Associated Press / Bloomberg / Politico / CBS News / Washington Post / ABC News / Wall Street Journal / CNBC)

3/ A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status for more than 350,000 Haitians, ordering the Department of Homeland Security to extend the program that’s set to expire this week. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem likely failed to follow required procedures and that the record showed no evidence backing the administration’s claim that Haitian TPS holders threatened U.S. interests. Reyes also said the plaintiffs’ claim of hostility toward nonwhite immigrants “seems substantially likely” and that the decision to end TPS appeared motivated, in part, by racial animus. The order keeps deportation protections and work permits in place while the case proceeds. (CNN / ABC News / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / Reuters)

4/ Tulsi Gabbard told Congress that Trump asked her to show up while the FBI searched Fulton County, Georgia’s election office and that she watched for only “a brief period of time.” In a letter to Sen. Mark Warner and Rep. Jim Himes, the Director of National Intelligence said she acted under her “broad statutory authority” tied to election security, including counterintelligence, foreign malign influence and cybersecurity, and acknowledged that she “facilitated a brief phone call” so Trump could thank the agents, while insisting that neither she nor Trump asked questions or issued directives. Gabbard also said she hadn’t seen the warrant or the probable-cause evidence behind it. The FBI search targeted 2020 election records and seized hundreds of boxes of ballots and other documentation as Trump continues to baselessly claims widespread fraud that courts and election officials have rejected. Lawmakers and former officials said it was highly unusual for the DNI to appear at a domestic FBI search, and Warner’s office said her explanation “raises more questions than it answers.” (Reuters / Associated Press / Axios / The Hill / Politico / Bloomberg / The Guardian / NBC News / CNN)

5/ Congress still hasn’t received a whistleblower complaint filed last May accusing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard of wrongdoing. The complaint has been “locked in a safe,” and the intelligence community inspector general’s office said the case involves “exceptionally sensitive materials” that require special handling and storage. One official warned that disclosure could cause “grave damage to national security” and that even the whistleblower’s lawyer hasn’t seen it. Gabbard’s office, meanwhile, called the complaint “baseless” and “politically motivated” and denied stonewalling Congress, saying it’s working through security and legal constraints. While the intelligence community inspector general’s office said allegations specifically about Gabbard weren’t credible, it couldn’t reach a determination on a separate allegation involving an office in another federal agency. The inspector general’s office said parts of the complaint are marked attorney-client privileged and could raise executive-privileges that may involve the White House. (Wall Street Journal / NBC News / Associated Press / The Hill)

poll/ 62% of Americans said ICE officers had gone too far, up from 58% in a poll conducted just before Alex Pretti was shot and killed in Minneapolis. Among Republicans, 45% said enforcement was about right and 22% said it hadn’t gone far enough, while 30% said it had gone too far – up from 20% before the shooting. Nearly half of self-described “non-MAGA Republicans” said ICE has been too aggressive in its deportation efforts. (New York Times)

The 2026 midterms are in 273 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,008 days.

✏️ Notables.

Bill and Hillary Clinton agreed to sit for sworn depositions in the House Oversight Committee’s Jeffrey Epstein investigation after Republicans advanced criminal contempt resolutions for defying earlier subpoenas. The pair will appear for transcribed, filmed depositions on Feb. 26 and Feb. 27. Chair James Comer, meanwhile, said they “completely caved.” (Politico / CNN / New York Times / Associated Press)
The U.S. will create a roughly $12 billion “Project Vault” stockpile of critical minerals to curb manufacturing reliance on China. The plan hinges on $1.67 billion in private capital and a $10 billion, 15-year Export-Import Bank loan. The Trump administration likened it to a Strategic Petroleum Reserve-style backstop after China tightened controls such as licensing for rare-earth magnets. (Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal)
For the fifth time, a federal judge ruled against the Trump administration’s effort to stop off shore wind farm construction. Judge Royce Lamberth said Orsted’s Sunrise Wind project would suffer “irreparable harm” and said the administration likely acted arbitrarily, failing to adequately explain its claimed national security concerns even after he reviewed classified material under seal. (New York Times / Bloomberg)
After Trump reportedly dropped his demand that Harvard pay the government $200 million, he denied backtracking and said the government was now seeking $1 billion “in damages.” He called for investigations into Harvard’s handling of antisemitism to become criminal. (New York Times / Politico / Associated Press)
Trump said the Kennedy Center will close for roughly two years for what he called a “complete rebuilding,” while insisting he’s “not ripping it down” and will reuse the structure’s steel and some marble. He put the price at “probably around $200 million,” said financing is “fully in place,” and described his big plans for “brand-new” heating and air conditioning. Lawmakers raised oversight questions, saying Congress should have been consulted. Trump, meanwhile, said his plan is “totally subject” to approval by the board he installed. (ABC News / NPR / NBC News / Associated Press / Axios)
Trump said he wants the proposed “Independence Arch” overlooking the Potomac River to be the world’s biggest. He wants a 250-foot version, which architectural experts and historians warn would dwarf and overwhelm the corridor between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery and block key sightlines. (Washington Post / CBS News)

Today last year: Day 1476: "Worth the price."
Four years ago today: Day 380: "Amateur hour."
Five years ago today: Day 15: "We need to act."
Six years ago today: Day 1110: "History will not be kind to Donald Trump."
9 years ago today: Day 15: The massacre.

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https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/03/day-1841/

I came in the front door to find Sophia lying there waiting for me.

(She leapt up, gave me a hug, demanded to know what was for dinner, and then lay back down to watch videos.)
Original is here on Pixelfed.scot.

GOOD! I've always thought this was a stupid idea. It probably started with Tesla, and they certainly popularized it. While it saves a few hundredths of a percent in streamlining, it is deadly. The handles are, by definition, electronic. And if your car suffers a complete loss of electric power in a severe crash, then the occupants have to engage emergency manual overrides.

Well, guess what? After a severe crash, the occupants are NOT going to be in a calm state of mind! Do you know where the manual overrides are in the back seat of some Teslas? UNDER THE FLOORMATS. The front ones can be kind of fiddly to find, and a lot of people have died while others have tried rescuing them while being unable to get the damn doors open! Including the sister in law of the former Senate Majority Leader when she accidentally backed her Tesla into a cow pond because you have to change gears on a damn touch screen?!

A friend of mine owned the first generation Tesla Roadster. He kept a five pound sledge hammer in the glove box for such a situation.

The new requirement becomes law on January 1, 2027.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp37g5nxe3lo

1. Scottish government confirms it will not back prostitution offences bill and make life worse for sex workers: (tags:sexwork GoodNews scotland )
2. Who wants to see a sperm whale eat a giant squid?: (tags:whales squid video )

Early in the day, I committed to participation in recurring daily events in my neighborhood. I will spend my accumulated vacation hours to make up a portion of the workday that I devote to these non-work activities. Let's hope this federal occupation ends soon. I realized just how important citizen patrols are when I saw that the school district where Liam was returned had to shut down today due to bomb threat. What's worse is that ICE seems to specifically target children as a way to manipulate and intimidate adults. I know, I know, random statements on the internet are not the same as verified facts. At least there's hope locally that one prominent news organization is searching into those rumors of people being dropped by ICE alone in the woods in winter. Sadly, those rumors should be assumed as true, based on what ICE is doing even to those who are in their own facility in Minneapolis, while they grant themselves additional anonymity from accountability of their community raids.

Dystopian times.

Less than an hour before the end of my work shift, I had to quickly switch my online status to unavailable, so I could leave my desk and open the front door to my house. I heard about a dozen bullets total, with apparently more than one person firing their gun. I think it happened about 1 block away. At least one car peeled away with tires screeching. Several people were shouting. I decided, though, that it was just the traditional and familiar local violence. I actually felt relieved that I didn't think it was my federal government abducting people (citizens or not) and killing people. I closed my front door and went back to work. All of this would be easier if I had a husband at home, someone who could care for the cat and call for help if I got into trouble wandering out into the street alone to check on events.

Dystopian times.

Then I saw that it wasn't just one school asking for citizen patrols. It was all of them. All of the schools near my house are asking for citizen patrols. Do we have enough local volunteers for that quantity of work? I mean, I'm already giving up vacation time for this stuff. I've seen the video statement from someone saying that children were crying in classrooms, because they weren't sure their family would still be there when they got back home at the end of the day. I've read this long letter, apparently from this honored Superintendent. Our kids are not alright.

Dystopian times.

Then came the request from a mother asking for a patrol at home, making sure it's safe for a child to leave the house for the bus.

Jesus wept.

Late stage capitalism, fascist wannabe dictators, and all those good Christian folk who voted for this stuff (and continue to make excuses for it) are ruining this world and this life. They don't want or need our forgiveness, although this SNL skit from 2 days ago is really compelling for that effort. Personally, I'm holding out hope for Nuremberg trials someday. The religious types need to ask their God for forgiveness, though, because all versions of those holy books they read (for the most common religions in the USA) are rather explicit about what xenophobia and money-hoarding do to their souls... and their eternal accountability for it. Despite their scriptures, this is the nation they insisted we must have.

I'm pretty sure that I'm not going to tolerate the argument that "both sides can have equally valid opinions" ever again for the rest of my life, if I ever did.

Posted by Matt Kiser

https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/02/day-1840/

Day 1840

Today in one sentence: The partial federal government shutdown entered its third day after funding lapsed Saturday morning, and the House still doesn’t have the votes needed to pass the Senate-approved bill to reopen agencies; attorneys representing victims of Jeffrey Epstein asked two federal judges to order the Justice Department to take down its Epstein-files website, saying the release exposed victims’ names and other identifying details and created an “unfolding emergency”; the Justice Department opened a federal civil rights investigation into the killing of Alex Pretti; Fulton County, Georgia, plans to sue the FBI and the Justice Department over a search warrant that county officials said resulted in the seizure of 2020 election records; Trump called on Republicans to “nationalize the voting” and seize control of election administration from states; and 44% of voters approve of Trump’s job performance, while 56% disapprove.

1/ The partial federal government shutdown entered its third day after funding lapsed Saturday morning, and the House still doesn’t have the votes needed to pass the Senate-approved bill to reopen agencies. The Senate measure would fund most of the government through the end of the fiscal year and extend Department of Homeland Security funding for two weeks. House Democrats, however, said they won’t help fast-track it and Speaker Mike Johnson has faced internal resistance from Republicans demanding changes, even as Trump warned that there can be “NO CHANGES at this time.” With Democrats withholding procedural votes, Johnson can only afford one Republican defection. Meaning, if two Republicans vote no, or one defects and another is absent, the bill will fail without Democratic support. The shutdown has already delayed the January jobs report and other labor market data until funding is restored. (ABC News / Politico / Washington Post / New York Times / CNN / CNBC / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Axios)

2/ Attorneys representing victims of Jeffrey Epstein asked two federal judges to order the Justice Department to take down its Epstein-files website, saying the release exposed victims’ names and other identifying details and created an “unfolding emergency.” On Friday, the Justice Department published the final tranche of Epstein documents to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act – more than a month after Congress’s Dec. 19 deadline. The release totaled more than three million pages, plus thousands of videos and images. Layers said they had flagged “thousands” of redaction failures affecting nearly 100 survivors, including FBI 302 victim statements and interview notes with full names visible, a document listing 32 underage victims with most names unredacted, and records that paired victims’ names with details like dates of birth, addresses, and bank or ID information. The Justice Department blamed “technical or human error,” said it has removed documents flagged by victims or counsel and is running its own searches for additional problems. It said it aims to repost corrected files within about 24 to 36 hours. Separately, Trump again denied wrongdoing connected to Epstein, saying he “never went to the infested Epstein island,” even though his name appears in at least 4,500 documents. The Justice Department, meanwhile, said “We did not protect President Trump,” while warning the files “may include fake or falsely submitted” material and “untrue and sensationalist claims.” (CNN / Axios / Associated Press / New York Times / NBC News / Politico / Washington Post / NPR / CNN / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / ABC News / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / The Guardian)

3/ The Justice Department opened a federal civil rights investigation into the killing of Alex Pretti, who was shot by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the FBI is leading the review with Justice Department civil-rights lawyers involved, without explaining why the FBI was taking over the case from Homeland Security Investigations. Officials had claimed Pretti brandished a gun, but videos show him holding a phone as officers restrained him on the ground and removed a handgun from his clothes before shots were fired. Blanche said the DOJ’s decision to open a civil rights investigation into Pretti’s killing doesn’t change its earlier decision not to open a similar probe into the Jan. 7 shooting death of Renee Good. (Associated Press / Politico / Wall Street Journal)

U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez refused to immediately block the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota. Menendez said officials hadn’t shown that the deployment was unlawful or an unconstitutional attempt to coerce state cooperation, even as she cited evidence of racial profiling, excessive force, and widespread disruption in nearly all aspects of Minnesotans’ lives. (Politico / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / Washington Post)
Federal prosecutors indicted journalist Don Lemon and eight others over a Jan. 18 protest that disrupted a service at a St. Paul church. Before the indictment, a magistrate judge declined to approve arrest warrants for Lemon and several others, citing insufficient evidence, and Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz later said there was “no evidence” Lemon or his producer committed or conspired to commit a crime. A judge in Los Angeles then released Lemon without bond after prosecutors sought a $100,000 bond and travel limits. His arraignment is set for Feb. 9 in federal court in Minneapolis. (Washington Post / ABC News / NBC News / CNN / New York Times)
A federal judge ordered ICE to release 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, from detention in Texas, calling their seizure from a Minnesota suburb unconstitutional. Judge Fred Biery order didn’t decide the family’s immigration case. (Politico / Associated Press / New York Times)

4/ Fulton County, Georgia, plans to sue the FBI and the Justice Department over a search warrant that county officials said resulted in the seizure of 2020 election records. Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. said agents took hundreds of boxes of original ballots, ballot images and voter rolls, and he said a separate court order authorized only copying, leaving the county unable to confirm what was removed because “there was no chain-of-custody inventory.” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was photographed outside the Fulton County election office during the operation, prompting Democrats on the House and Senate Intelligence committees to demand she testify about why she was there. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said he didn’t know why Gabbard was present, adding that she was “not part of the grand jury investigation.” Gabbard reportedly met with FBI agents in Atlanta the next day and used her cellphone to call Trump, who spoke to agents on speakerphone. A White House spokesman said Gabbard and FBI Director Kash Patel were working together on the president’s election integrity priorities. After the seizure of Fulton Country election records, Trump then posted and reposted discredited conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, writing “Prosecutions are coming.” (NBC News / New York Times / CBS News / The Hill / CNN / Reuters / ABC News)

Trump called on Republicans to “nationalize the voting” and seize control of election administration from states while speaking on former deputy FBI director Dan Bongino’s podcast. He said the party should “take over the voting” in “at least many, 15 places,” repeated his claim that he won the 2020 election “in a landslide,” and alleged without evidence that illegal voting occurred while pointing to an FBI raid at an elections office in Fulton County, Georgia, as something that would produce “interesting things.” (Bloomberg / Politico)

poll/ 44% of voters approve of Trump’s job performance, while 56% disapprove. 54% said the country is worse off than a year ago and 70% rated the economy as in bad shape. 45% said the economy will get worse this year, while 70% said Trump isn’t spending enough time on the economy, and 52% approved of his handling of border security. (Fox News)

The 2026 midterms are in 274 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 1,009 days.

✏️ Notables.

Trump nominated former Federal Reserve governor Kevin Warsh to chair the Fed. Trump said he expects Warsh to cut rates even though he said he didn’t get a commitment. Warsh, who served on the Fed’s Board of Governors from 2006 to 2011, has recently called for lower rates and “regime change” at the Fed. Senator Thom Tillis, meanwhile, said he’d oppose any Fed nominee until the Justice Department resolves its investigation into Jerome Powell’s handling of the Fed headquarters renovation. (New York Times / Bloomberg / CNBC)
Trump said the U.S. reached a trade deal with India that cuts tariffs on Indian goods to 18% in exchange for India “stop buying Russian Oil,” but no deal text or signed agreement was released. India has been importing roughly 1.5 million barrels a day of Russian oil. (CNN / CNBC / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / New York Times)
A U.S. intelligence official filed a whistleblower complaint in May alleging wrongdoing by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, but the complaint itself hasn’t been shared with Congress and its contents remain undisclosed because it could cause “grave damage to national security.” The whistleblower’s lawyer said Gabbard’s office is blocking transmission by not providing the security instructions needed to send it securely. (Wall Street Journal)
The Justice Department stripped Ed Martin of most authority and removed him from chairing the Weaponization Working Group. Martin had pushed investigations and attempted prosecutions of Trump’s perceived political foes, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, former FBI director James Comey, and Sen. Adam Schiff. Despite the demotion, the department said he “continues to do a great job” as Trump’s pardon attorney. (Washington Post / CNN)

Three years ago today: Day 744: "An absolute fool."
Four years ago today: Day 379: "Ambitious but doable."
Five years ago today: Day 14: "Moral failing."
Eight years ago today: Day 379: Disgrace.
9 years ago today: Day 14: Braggadocious.

Support today’s essential newsletter and resist the daily shock and awe: Become a member

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https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2026/02/02/day-1840/

1. Vitamin D cuts heart attack risk by 52%. Why?: (tags:vitaminD heart )
2. Democrats flip Texas state Senate seat in shock upset: (tags:politics USA )
3. Evidence beats ideology: What Hampstead Ponds tells us about trans inclusion: (tags:LGBT transgender UK )
4. Who Goes Nazi? (A newspaper article from 1941): (tags:nazis history viaKenny )
5. Why was the Puppet Masters movie so bad?: (tags:movies heinlein scripts writing )
6. I have no mouth and I must scream at Black people: Scott Adams, 1957-2026: (tags:dilbert history politics obituary )
7. Following the link about a "running a bookshop" holiday, I was recommended the game "Tiny Bookshop": (tags:games books shops )
8. A Crisis comes to Wordle: Reusing old words! |: (tags:words game doom )
9. Did people drink water in the Middle Ages?: One of the oddest myths about the Middle Ages is that people did not drink water.
(tags:water history )
10. Inside the Salford secondary school where every pupil gets a job when they leave (because they're properly supported): (tags:school children )

correcting things people think they know about history, you'll soon learn that a perennial topic is "Yes, people drank water in Medieval Europe", followed closely by "They took baths too!" And yeah, they drank a lot of ale and wine... but people today drink a lot of alcohol too, and for much the same reason - we like it! Or if we don't like alcohol we like soda, or coffee, or tea.

People in the middle ages did understand that some water was safe to drink and some wasn't, and they went through considerable lengths to bring clean, potable water to their towns. Not that most of them lived in towns, but in this case, living further from town is a bonus. Less people = less poop.

(Also, while there are other waterborne illnesses, cholera in particular didn't leave India until the 1800s, well into the modern period. I'm not sure it even existed prior to 1817. Please stop telling me earnestly about Snow and cholera in London. Totally different time period, totally different situation, totally irrelevant.)

Anyway, this just popped up on my feed yet again today, and it suddenly sparked a question in my head:

If people supposedly didn't drink water because they didn't want to get sick, what did their animals drink? Surely nobody thinks that medieval peasants were giving their cows and pigs ale? Or do they think that non-human animals are so hardy that they aren't at risk of waterborne illness? Or maybe that people just didn't care if their animals died, like every sheep isn't wealth, or at least a source of food and wool?

(I'm willing to bet that nobody has an answer to this question, but that if I ever ask them, should it come up in the wild, they'll be annoyed at me!)

ONLINE E-BOOK (html, epub, mobi, pdf, and xhtml)

Free at my website.

The Motley Crew (The Thousand Nations). When a young man named Dolan flees from the north, he faces danger on all sides. The Northern Army wants him back. The Empire of Emor wants him dead. His native homeland of Koretia may not want him at all. And his only protection is a man with motives that are mysterious and possibly deadly.

New installment:

3 | Suspicion of the Guards. Why bother to guard a man who has the ability to torment you?

REISSUES

Already available free at my website, these two omnibuses are now also available at AO3, SqWA, and Ream.

Law Links: Novel and Side Stories (The Three Lands). Few events are more thrilling in a young man's life than a blood feud between two villages. Or so Adrian thought.

Death Mask: Novel and Side Stories (Death Mask). For eighteen years, he has survived in an army unit where few soldiers live more than two or three years. Now he finds himself in circumstances where his life is a living hell. Will the soldier who defied death find that life is too great a challenge?

BLOG FICTION

Tempestuous Tours (Crossing Worlds: A Visitor's Guide to the Three Lands #2). A whirlwind tour of the sites in the Three Lands that are most steeped in history, culture, and the occasional pickpocket.

New installments:

Capital of Emor.

The City Court and Law Academy.

Physicians' Quarters and Medical Academy.

Engineers' Rooms and Engineering Academy.

NEWS & UPCOMING FICTION

As of January 20, Amazon Kindle began allowing customers to download some of its DRM-free ebooks in epub and pdf. I've opted in my e-books to this program.

My apologies to Ream readers for the formatting quirks in the Ream editions of Law Links and Death Mask. I worked with Ream's forever-patient customer service for eight months to try to work out the conversion problems I encountered, before I had to give up. The text isn't affected by the formatting issues, you'll be happy to know.

"Heir" (The Three Lands: Blood Vow side story) – delayed because of my concussion last year – will be my next release.

We have snow.

I walked in the snow as it was falling yesterday. A flock of seagulls, I think, was up high, flying towards the northwest. Other birds flitted here and there, settled in a tree, flew up again and around.

I sledded down my short sloped driveway, using a piece of cardboard as the sled.

Now the sun is rising. The sky is clear and the land is bright.
There's an icicle on the street lamp.
I need to go to sleep.

My porch thermometer showed 22 degrees (F), 26 minutes after sunrise.

when all you say is "Listen, it's not true that you can't know how to pronounce an unfamiliar word by looking at it, there are rules that will work with a high degree of accuracy".

And every time, sooner or later somebody or other will condescend to tell me that if I'd only phrased it better, they would've listened to what I was saying. It's not the message, it's the way I said that that caused these people to think I was calling them stupid.

None of those people will ever give me the magically better words they think will remedy this problem, though I do ask every single time people suggest it to me, and honestly, I don't think there are any. I think the problem is that people don't want to hear the message at all. If you say "You ought to have been taught these rules in childhood" then they feel ashamed for not knowing something basic and obvious, and even if you don't say it but just mention that rules exist they feel stupid, and then either way they blame you for making them feel bad.

And since that's the case, I don't really see the need to trouble myself too much over my phrasing. Actually, bizarre as it is, I've found that trying harder to be bland and conciliatory is likely to make the situation worse.

But I may as well open it up to other people. Do you have the magic words?

(Note: I don't have any spelling or reading curriculum that are designed for self-study by adult learners who can already read and write pretty well but who struggle with spelling or sounding out unfamiliar words and claim to believe there is no method other than to guess or else memorize each word as an arbitrary collection of letters, which is most of the people I encounter in this situation because, of course, we're all posting online. However, if you're working with somebody to remediate spelling on a budget, I can recommend starting, if they have no signs of ADHD or dyslexia, with Spalding - making the modifications here - and/or Apples and Pears if they do, and then, if they still need help, moving on to Megawords. Those are highly scripted and, importantly - easy to buy on the cheap. I really don't love Spalding, I found it way too front-loaded for ADHD, plus Wanda Spalding had a lot of little personal peeves she built in if you don't use the modifications I suggested, but it's hands-down the cheapest Orton-Gillingham program you'll find for teaching reading and spelling together. Apples and Pears has an associated reading curriculum that probably also is good, but E only needed help in spelling, so I don't know.)

Friday, 2 weeks ago, I emailed one of the small grocery stores nearby. It's the one that took over Aldi's when they pulled out, the one that is now locking their doors to eliminate "public space" (which ICE uses to invade business buildings), so people have to wait for staff to unlock the door for anyone to get in/out. I asked them if they had a GoFundMe where I could donate to help keep them here in my neighborhood and deliver food to families in need nearby.

Today, I got an email reply from them:

"I just want to take a moment to say a huge thank you to every single person making contributions right now. Because of your generosity, we’ve created a GoFundMe page, so that all donations can directly provide families in need with groceries—delivered right to their doorsteps, free of charge. Your support is what keeps this community strong, and we are so incredibly grateful for each and every one of you."

Here's their donation page:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-colonial-markets-community-efforts

I let people in local chats know too. I happily threw some money at them.

And more than a little dystopian. It may be time to leave entirely.

There's been a bit of a fuss today about the unveiling of a third Edinburgh tram line route. And my thoughts about it aren't simple enough to stick into a link title, so I thought I'd ramble a little.

Firstly, it seems to me that this is not a council announcement of anything. The map is plastered with the repeated word "concept". It contains both Picardy Place and York Place (Picardy Place was created when York Place was removed, when the tram extension was carried out in 2023). I've seen discussions that it's based on an old version of the existing routes taken from Wikipedia.

The source is a Scotsman article, rather than a council publication. And even then the coverage is mostly taken from a speech given at the Rail in Scotland conference - where the council's transport convener said he "was excited at taking a closer look" - but it's not the main priority. Certainly there's nothing on the council's news page mentioning it.

So I'm not convinced that this is more than a "Here's an interesting possibility"

Secondly, I'm not convinced it's viable financially. Which isn't to say that trams, in general, can't be worthwhile. If Edinburgh hadn't badly botched the construction of the first tram line then it would be well in profit now. But that tram line runs from one of the most densely populated parts of the city (Leith Walk) to one of the business hubs (Gyle and Gogar), through some of the most touristy stretches (Princes Street).

Much though I love the idea of a tram that literally stops in my road and goes to both the airport and Portobello, nearly the whole route is low-density. The bus route that is closest to it is the 38, which is so low-use outside of rush hour that it's a single-decker that has to be subsidised.

Admittedly, it's cheaper to build than a new tram line, as it's mostly a question of re-using the old train line. But I'd like to see a concrete business case for it, that checked that the number of potential users would support running tram-trains along that route.

Interesting development here, and it's very strange. Honestly, I'm having a hard time understanding it.

The murder happened in 2024. Mangione allegedly shot down the CEO of UnitedHealthcare while he was walking into a shareholders meeting (IIRC). It takes some time to develop a case, and they especially want to get it right in a very high profile murder case such as this one. The case wasn't finished and presented to the grand jury during Biden's term, so it came to Pam Bondi's group to finish it up, get the indictment (maybe the indictment happened during Biden's term, I don't remember) and take it to court.

And it would appear that Bondi's group screwed up.

Mangione was charged with two counts of stalking, a weapons offense and murder through the use of a firearm. And, according to the judge, the Federal stalking charges are incompatible with the weapons offense and the murder charge, and she had to dismiss them. Thus he is no longer eligible for the Federal death penalty.

From the Australian News article: "US District Judge Margaret M. Garnett in Manhattan said she dismissed the federal murder and weapons charges because they were legally incompatible with the two counts of stalking Mr Mangione faces."

From USA Today, which helps further clarify things: "U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi instructed the Justice Department to pursue the death penalty against Mangione last year. At the time, defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo said in a statement that the federal charges were brought by a "lawless Justice Department" that made a "political" decision to pursue death.

In the order dismissing charges, Garnett wrote that the murder through the use of a firearm and weapons charges required the element that the murder was committed "during and in relation to" another federal crime that is considered a "crime of violence."

Those charges were made on the basis of the stalking charges, which Garnett ruled did not fit the legal definition of a "crime of violence," noting that the legal standard was counterintuitive to the average person."

He will still face murder charges in the State of New York, which, having dealt with organized crime and gang violence for a very long time, is quite good at building solid cases and getting convictions. That trial has not been scheduled, apparently they decided to let the Federal trial resolve first. New York State does not have a death penalty: their Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional in 2004, in 2007 the State Legislature passed a law formally banning it. So it looks like life without parole is the longest sentence he could receive, whether it would be served in NY or at a federal pen would be a question yet to be resolved.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-31/luigi-mangione-murder-weapons-charges-dropped/106290600

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/01/30/luigi-mangione-murder-charge-death-penalty/88430898007/

I was heading out this morning and couldn't find my nice winter hat. I searched downstairs and upstairs multiple times, even checking the front porch, but I couldn't find it. I couldn't remember when I took it off after the last time I returned home, then... oh... that must mean... right! I checked behind my pillow in bed, and there it was. I was so exhausted yesterday that I laid down for a nap fully clothed, and my hat fell off while I was sleeping.

I should buy an extra one as an easy-to-find spare, if I'm ever in a rush to get out the door. I should also buy a neon pink extra-extra-large shirt too, something that I can wear over my winter gear for easy visibility. Just something that screams, "I'm not ICE, even though I'm a white guy in puffy gear." I saw people this morning with traditional yellow vests, but that's a little too generic for my tastes, I think. This moment seems to require just a little bit more.

Here's a local news story about an ICE event that happened 2-3 blocks from my house yesterday. The article is very short on any meaningful details, but at least it's a record that it happened.

There's more local dystopia than appears in the news. I don't mean the event above. I hope historians accurately capture all of it after the immediate dangers are past.

My eyes have been particularly annoying this week, and my skin has given up with winter and is painfully tight. I got a little humidifier to put in the office so I'm hoping it helps. There's no space for it in the bedroom, but I'm hoping that running it for the 8 hours I spend in the office will be enough to make a difference.

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Darkoshi

Darkoshi's Enchantment

February 2026

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Page Summary

mellowtigger - computer networks
wtfjht_feed - Day 1841: "More questions than answers."
andrewducker - Photo cross-post
thewayne - China bans hidden door handles in EVs
andrewducker - Interesting Links for 03-02-2026
mellowtigger - so much dystopia
wtfjht_feed - Day 1840: "An unfolding emergency."
andrewducker - Interesting Links for 02-02-2026
conuly - So, if you're even tangentially interested in blogs or people who spend a lot of time
duskpeterson - UPDATE: Suspicion of the Guards (The Motley Crew #3) + online fic reissues
darkoshi - snow snow snow
conuly - It is amazing how angry people get
mellowtigger - a little good news
andrewducker - Interesting Links for 31-01-2026
conuly - PSA: Tiktok's new TOS is untenable
andrewducker - Thoughts on the "Route for the third Edinburgh tram line"
thewayne - Some Federal charges in Luigi Mangione case dismissed, he's no longer eligible for death penalty
mellowtigger - so tired
andrewducker - Interesting Links for 30-01-2026
neekabe - (no subject)

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