The Empire of Unwanted Births

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From the vantage point of someone who has spent enough time in uniform to know what real threats look like, it’s always instructive to watch a much larger state invent imaginary ones. Some governments worry about missiles; the Northern Colossus worries about whether its citizens are having enough state-approved sex. Different risk matrices, same existential drama.

Their latest stroke of national genius is a full-spectrum campaign against the most dangerous … Read the rest

Promises, Threats, and the Thermodynamics of Power

ChatGPT Image Sep 26, 2025, 10_31_08 AM

In politics as in physics, energy without work becomes wasted heat. A statesman may radiate heat—boasts, ultimatums, and gusts of indignation—yet accomplish little if no force is actually applied along a clear line of action. Over time, the system notices. Entropy, in this case, takes the form of diminishing credibility.

Consider a leader fond of superlatives, negotiating with a hard, continental power on his frontier—an autocracy that redraws maps … Read the rest