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Tom @alttag.bsky.social · 38m

It’s always about sex, unless it’s about power. Then it’s about power and sex.

Reposted by Tom

Tom Joscelyn @tomjoscelyn.bsky.social · 6h

“I spent three nights and three days in federal custody. During that time, I was never told what I was charged with, was not allowed to shower despite being covered in tear gas and pepper spray, had no phone call to my family, and no access to an attorney.” - George Retes, U.S. citizen and veteran.

I’m a US citizen and a veteran. ICE arrested me for no reason.

Jailed for three days without an explanation or ability to notify anyone, George Retes argues the only path to healing starts with the government taking accountability for its actions.

newsletter.ofthebrave.org

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Tom @alttag.bsky.social · 6h

Depending on context, there’s a slight difference between R&D money and RDT&E money.

I don’t have the source docs handy, but iirc RDT&E includes “Science & Technology” (Basic & Applied Research) as well as R&D (Applied Research, Tech Transition, Test & Evaluation)

Tom @alttag.bsky.social · 13h

Go ahead and build it. Enjoy those construction jobs.

Just a) don’t provide any tax breaks for data centers, b) progressively raise energy and water prices, and c) demand capital improvement (or funding) next to the facility for roads, community utility work, and other infrastructure.

Reposted by Tom

Mark Lemley @marklemley.bsky.social · 22h

And this:
92% of the growth in the entire country this year has been data centers. And some of that is "circular deals" that dont involve actual money

fortune.com/2025/10/07/d...

Without data centers, GDP growth was 0.1% in the first half of 2025, Harvard economist says | Fortune

Is a U.S. without data centers a country without GDP growth?

fortune.com

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Tom @alttag.bsky.social · 13h

By most estimates, ~60% of Americans live in the state they were born in, so the image isn’t really an interesting question.

Tom @alttag.bsky.social · 14h

Nah. The muppets are better.

(Maybe not a better goalie, but definitely better musically.)

Tom @alttag.bsky.social · 14h

This is the meter I read that in

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

Mahna Mahna The Muppet Show 1977 Original mana mana Snowths

YouTube video by Justin Caise

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by Tom

Deontological Warfare But She's A Skeleton Or Something @clockworklady.bsky.social · 1d

Bluesky is a place where you can post "I like pancakes" and someone will respond "WHY AREN'T DEMOCRATS DOING ANYTHING AND WHY AREN'T YOU PERSONALLY FREEING GAZA, AMERICA IS DOOMED AND THE TIDE OF BLOOD RISES" and then maybe, if you are lucky, in four hours, they will add "also why you hate waffles"

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Tom @alttag.bsky.social · 14h

I hope they do this every day until the answer changes.

Rich Raho @richraho.bsky.social · 21h

Chicago priest Fr. Larry Dowling describes procession to ICE facility: “No one had the courage to speak directly to us. No one from Homeland Security could stand in the presence of the Monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament. No wonder. Evil is repelled, recoils in the presence of Christ.”

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Tom @alttag.bsky.social · 14h

Almost certainly a contractor (not ICE), which means their company is a lowest bidder for janitorial services (likely paid below market).

Changing jobs is HARD, and takes time these folks probably don’t have, but it _might_ lead to higher pay.

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Tom @alttag.bsky.social · 14h

Order on the docket:

www.courtlistener.com/docket/18613...

DOJ has joined SAF in requesting amendment to the order.

Reese v. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives, 6:20-cv-01438 - CourtListener.com

Docket for Reese v. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives, 6:20-cv-01438 — Brought to you by Free Law Project, a non-profit dedicated to creating high quality open legal information.

www.courtlistener.com

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Tom @alttag.bsky.social · 14h

I always appreciate this reminder that the only real barrier to becoming a lawyer is three years of law school and tuition money.

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Tom @alttag.bsky.social · 17h

Frankly, after a federal court found multiple posse comitatus violations in the California deployment, one would think Northern Command would be a little more careful about illegal orders.

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Reposted by Tom

Ben Williamson @benpatrickwill.bsky.social · 20h

AI in education amplifies existing biases against marginalized or vulnerable groups

AI in education is not evidence-based but based on speculation and proof of concept claims

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Reposted by Tom

Kevin Elliott @kjephd.bsky.social · 21h

Unconstitutionally taking money that the law says must be spent on one purpose & using it for something else—when it's to establish personalist control over the FUCKING MILITARY—is about as dangerous a constitutional crisis/failure as you can imagine

Via: www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

The Office of Management and Budget sent a notification to Congress about their intent to use research and development funds to pay members of the military, two sources with direct knowledge tell NBC News.

A spokesperson for the OMB confirmed to NBC News that it plans to use the research and development funds and that there are two years' worth of funds available within the Department of Defense.

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Tom @alttag.bsky.social · 18h

Depending on _which_ R&D funds will be reappropriated, this could violate multiple laws.

What they’re banking on, I suspect, is
to take advantage of the extended timeline granted to “exempt” or “working capital” funds, b/c regular, direct appropriations (“mission funding”) expired 30 Sep.

Reposted by Tom

Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · 20h

Nixon’s crimes look like harmless high school pranks compared to the now-daily unprecedented illegal & unconstitutional crimes being committed daily by this president & his staff

Kevin Elliott @kjephd.bsky.social · 21h

Unconstitutionally taking money that the law says must be spent on one purpose & using it for something else—when it's to establish personalist control over the FUCKING MILITARY—is about as dangerous a constitutional crisis/failure as you can imagine

Via: www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

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Reposted by Tom

Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD DSc(hon) @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social · May 30

No words

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Tom @alttag.bsky.social · 1d

Your mouth to God’s ears.

Tom @alttag.bsky.social · 1d

Frequently get carded for root beer and ginger ale.

I’m old enough to appreciate there is a remote possibility I might look under 30.

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Tom @alttag.bsky.social · 1d

Sanctions seemed in order a long time ago, and they are quite overdue.

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Tom @alttag.bsky.social · 1d

That we’re still up ~8% since Jan (or this graph) flabbergasts me.

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Reposted by Tom

Gillian Brockell @gbrockell.bsky.social · 1d

Hard to find a more obvious example of the journalism adage “If someone says it’s raining outside and someone else says it isn’t, your job is not to quote them both, your job is to go outside.”

David Corn @davidcorn.bsky.social · 1d

A classic case of irresponsible both-sidesism from the NYT. The story is that Trump and MAGA propagandists are lying about Portland to incite a conflict, not that there are different views of the matter.

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Tom @alttag.bsky.social · 1d

… this already impactful statement is even more powerful when one knows who Carolyn is.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolyn...

Carolyn Bertozzi @carolynbertozzi.bskyverified.social · 1d

Then we talked about why the algorithm didn’t cast her as the professor and him as the diner /fin

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