Daniel Clark

Collections: Against the State – A Primer on Terrorism, Insurgency and Protest This week, continuing in the vein of some of our previous strategy and military theory primers, I wanted to off a basic 101-level survey of the strategic theory behind efforts, in a sense, directed…

I always appreciate @bretdevereaux.bsky.social, but this piece felt especially welcome: acoup.blog/2026/02/13/c...

I think we should all follow his example. Not necessarily changing your career (but maybe!), but putting some light in a world that's pretty dark and scary at times. Help a stranger. Make art. Be yourself.

And enjoy Bluegrass "Africa."

This seems to have been a good change for him. We lost touch after we stopped working together, but last I knew he was a music director at a church, married, raising a beautiful kid, making music, and putting light into the world.

And if nothing else, he's given us Bluegrass "Africa."

YouTube video by Paul Winchester Africa - Bluegrass Cover

After that fucking guy got elected the first time, a buddy of mine announced that the world was dark and scary and he needed to change his career and put some light in it. He went from game design to music.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPjS...

Now is the time for those who want democracy to rise up and topple their hateful, corrupt, dangerous, autocratic rulers. Iran could also do that, I suppose.

This take ignores the human cost, in terms of Iranian and other lives, of course. But the fascistic logic doesn't consider those lives as worth anything.

It's tempting to call this an enormous fuck-up by right-wing fascists, but I think it's the opposite: they saw that Iran might change. They can't have that. They need an enemy that is scary but impotent to make their fascism work. These attacks ensure that they have an enemy for another generation.

I mean obviously I was stupid and optimistic (and I remain Not An Expert on these things). But it seems to me that there's nothing more likely to harden regime support in an unstable time than a big external enemy, which we've just handed to Iran's leaders.

Twenty years ago, I was going around saying things like "we're about twenty years away from a democratic Iran if we just engage with them peacefully and let them do their thing." Boy did things not turn out that way.

The radio this morning was talking about the rise of mass media and its role in Amelia Earhart's fame, and I wonder if we're seeing the fall of mass media.

I think anyone making more than 10,000 a year is in want of a wife.

I grew up with a family appreciation for (White, Anglo) Folk music, of which Country music is a descendant. Lots of country is terrible, but when it's good it's good.

If you don't like Ring of Fire, Hurt, or Jolene then there's no hope; the entire genre is dead to you.

Announcing The Lord of the Rings™: Circle of Conflict™ The destiny of The One Ring, and the fate of Middle-earth itself balances upon the decisions you make in The Lord of the Rings: Circle of Conflict, a new strategic dice game set in the rich world crea...

New game I sourced and developed was just announced!

www.officedoggames.com/announcement...

Look, I'm a simple man and I don't want much. I just want everything to be better, and I don't want to have to do any work for that to happen.

I carried a book with me everywhere I went.

... I still do that, actually.

YouTube video by Secret Door Shadowstone | Announce Trailer

SHUT UP THIS IS A THING
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CthY...

I call 'em "links" when I'm writing technoir murder mysteries that you should probably publish.

Shout out to agents who send a rejection in five days instead of five nevers.

This is the most incredible footage of blue whales I’ve ever seen

Hey. He's a better painter than he was a president.

I'm in a workshop about immigration at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress in Anaheim, CA.

Slide:

Five authors I've read at least five books by:

N.K. Jemisin
Naomi Novik
Donna Andrews
Marie Brennan
Patricia C. Wrede

at this pace we'll have to rename the next game to cyberpunk 2027

That whole Lincoln Lawyer stinger I kept hoping Cobie Smulders was going to be reprising her Stumptown role because I am a trash goblin I guess.

What, you younguns don't have far away glasses, driving glasses, and reading glasses?

Facts.

No, see, you sell out, share out dividends to your entire staff, quit, and found a new one. Infinite free money hack.

Writing tip: Before you sit down to write, make sure that your space is conducive to the craft. You need to be comfortable, free of distractions. So,

Step one: Look around to see if there are any fascists.

Step two: If there are, punch them.

I had somehow convinced myself it was from Blackadder.

Huh. Wonder Man ... good? I think Wonder Man good.