offbyone2d ago

Why it's a bad idea to invade Iran, 2018 edition

https://mwi.westpoint.edu/irans-human-geography-wicked-problem-people-places-things-complicates-us-strategy/

via https://balloon-juice.com/2026/03/29/war-for-ukraine-day-1494-a-brief-sunday-night-update/

(and just a shout out for Balloon-Juice, keeping the blogging flag flying)

#uspol #badideas

Iran’s Human Geography: The Wicked Problem of People, Places, and Things that Complicates US Strategy

Joe Karle’s recent article regarding the need for the Department of Defense to get ahead of events and plan for a potential occupation of Iran generated a great deal of buzz. A lot of it, seemingly, from just reading the title. Karle’s article, however, provides an opening for a larger discussion regarding any potential military

Modern War Institute
Defector | The last good website.Mar 22

Cam Skattebo Sorry For Saying CTE And Asthma Are Fake

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://defector.com/cam-skattebo-sorry-for-saying-cte-and-asthma-are-fake

Defector | The last good website.Mar 13

Big 12 Pulls Glass Court Following Conference Tournament Fiasco

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://defector.com/big-12-pulls-glass-court-following-conference-tournament-fiasco

acmMar 13

WE ARE SENDING TROOPS?!?!?
to what, direct traffic in the Straight of Hormuz? [head-desk]
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2026/03/13/world-tripoli-more-marines-head-to-middle-east/6301773437271/

#Iran #iranWar #boots #badIdeas

USS Tripoli, 2,500 Marines headed to Middle East - UPI.com

The USS Tripoli and its 2,500 Marines are headed to the Middle East to bolster U.S. military power there as the war in Iran enters its third week.

UPI
andrewMar 4
It's weird that the Librarian wound up being the namshub. #snowcrash #badideas
Brian RogersFeb 24

Everywhere near us is out of ice melt and other salts… but they have lots of duraflame logs! So hear me out…

#BadIdeas #homeownership

ResearchBuzz: FirehoseFeb 24

Axios: Musk’s xAI and Pentagon reach deal to use Grok in classified systems. Yikes. “Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI has signed an agreement to allow the military to use its model, Grok, in classified systems, a Defense official confirmed to Axios.”

https://rbfirehose.com/2026/02/24/axios-musks-xai-and-pentagon-reach-deal-to-use-grok-in-classified-systems/
Axios: Musk’s xAI and Pentagon reach deal to use Grok in classified systems

Axios: Musk’s xAI and Pentagon reach deal to use Grok in classified systems. Yikes. “Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI has signed an agreement to allow the military …

ResearchBuzz: Firehose
mrlich 🎨Feb 20

I just had a ‘shower thought’ which is absolutely in TERRIBLE taste, but also struck me as hilarious:

Deutsch Punk : PA Deutsch meets Cthulhu as a ttrpg!

“My character Jedediah swings his scythe at the creature because he don’ take no guff nah wunst!”

#BadIdeas

RachelJan 31
Worse idea time:

Could I plug a CCR2004-1G-2XS-PCIe into a external GPU enclosure, or just some thingy designed for a raspberry pi, and have a tiny inexpensive 2-port 25gb router? (likely only need 10g speed)
#Homelab #Mikrotik #BadIdeas
CCR2004-1G-2XS-PCIe | MikroTik

A smart PCIe network interface card that adds full-fledged router capabilities to your servers. The smart and easy way to create 25 Gigabit networks if you want to save space in your server room!

Milcom MiasmaJan 26

"You're gonna test this, right?"

AI slop comes to genetic coding. 

I feel like this might be the right time to retreat to a cave in the woods and wait for the end to come for us all.

"New virus with genetic code written by AI ‘is first step towards lab-grown life’"

Source: https://metro.co.uk/2026/01/25/new-virus-genetic-code-written-ai-is-first-step-towards-lab-grown-life-26509020/

#AI
#BadIdeas
#WeAreAllGoingToDie

New virus with genetic code written by AI 'is first step towards lab-grown life'

The team at Stanford University, California used AI to draw up the entire genome for a new virus codenamed Evo-Φ2147, that could attack a colony of the E.coli bacteria.

Metro