Ansel Halliburton
@anseljh.com
Law technology & technology law. In-house trademark lawyer. Free Law Project (@free.law) board. Building in #LegalTech since 2006. Making derpy from-scratch robots for fun. @Obsidian.md nerd. DM for Signal.
Lawyers: Don’t be such a jerk that your judge tees up a “did I f***ing stutter” moment at your next hearing.
BREAKING: Judge Xinis orders ICE’s release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia “immediately.”
December 11, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Lawyers: Don’t be such a jerk that your judge tees up a “did I f***ing stutter” moment at your next hearing.
Reposted by Ansel Halliburton
Supermassive Drummer Boy
December 11, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Supermassive Drummer Boy
Reposted by Ansel Halliburton
SKULL OF THOMAS AQUINAS: TAKE A LEFT NOW
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
'Skull of St. Thomas Aquinas being transported to Fossanova Abbey.'
Photograph by Daniel Ibanez
Photograph by Daniel Ibanez
December 10, 2025 at 5:10 PM
SKULL OF THOMAS AQUINAS: TAKE A LEFT NOW
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
We had a good run with the rule of law, but it’s over. Bribery is official policy now, the more brazen the better, because the brazenness is effective advertising for more bribes.
Days after FIFA awarded Trump a fake peace prize, DOJ moves to drop charges in FIFA corruption case www.nytimes.com/2025/12/10/n...
U.S. Moves to Drop Charges in International Soccer Corruption Case
www.nytimes.com
December 11, 2025 at 7:04 AM
We had a good run with the rule of law, but it’s over. Bribery is official policy now, the more brazen the better, because the brazenness is effective advertising for more bribes.
Reposted by Ansel Halliburton
I think this is probably a new era of grand jury practice where there is communal awareness of abusive policing.
The GJ just doesn't believe the state.
I'm not an expert on the history of grand juries, but my sense is that this is the first time we are seeing that phenomenon at scale.
The GJ just doesn't believe the state.
I'm not an expert on the history of grand juries, but my sense is that this is the first time we are seeing that phenomenon at scale.
JUST IN: Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Snell just confirmed, at the prodding of U.S. Magistrate Judge Keri Holleb Hotaling, that this motion for dismissal followed a "no bill" from a grand jury.
That means the grand jury refused to indict.
That means the grand jury refused to indict.
U.S. prosecutors in Chicago are dropping another case tied to Operation Midway Blitz, "without prejudice."
It's USA v. Nathan Griffin. Below is the motion, followed by excerpts from the complaint.
The feds don't say why they're dropping it, but they had until today to secure an indictment.
It's USA v. Nathan Griffin. Below is the motion, followed by excerpts from the complaint.
The feds don't say why they're dropping it, but they had until today to secure an indictment.
December 10, 2025 at 4:49 PM
I think this is probably a new era of grand jury practice where there is communal awareness of abusive policing.
The GJ just doesn't believe the state.
I'm not an expert on the history of grand juries, but my sense is that this is the first time we are seeing that phenomenon at scale.
The GJ just doesn't believe the state.
I'm not an expert on the history of grand juries, but my sense is that this is the first time we are seeing that phenomenon at scale.
There's a recently-published W3C Editor's Draft titled "Web User Agents", and it is just full of bangers. But the key idea is that web user agents (browsers and other tools we use to access the web) are for their regular, human users, and owe those users *duties*. w3ctag.github.io/user-agents/
December 10, 2025 at 4:41 PM
There's a recently-published W3C Editor's Draft titled "Web User Agents", and it is just full of bangers. But the key idea is that web user agents (browsers and other tools we use to access the web) are for their regular, human users, and owe those users *duties*. w3ctag.github.io/user-agents/
If you run a tech newsroom and fail to hire @cfarivar.bsky.social immediately, you are a dolt
Now that I’m back on the job market, I’m open to freelance work!
So I’m partying like it’s the 2010s, baby, when Twitter was on the rise!
(Here’s my first byline of the 2020s with @arstechnica.com , which was my professional home from 2012 - 2019.)
bsky.app/profile/arst...
So I’m partying like it’s the 2010s, baby, when Twitter was on the rise!
(Here’s my first byline of the 2020s with @arstechnica.com , which was my professional home from 2012 - 2019.)
bsky.app/profile/arst...
December 10, 2025 at 4:28 PM
If you run a tech newsroom and fail to hire @cfarivar.bsky.social immediately, you are a dolt
Reposted by Ansel Halliburton
I thought y’all were trying to turn the temperature down? To curb toxic posting? To make social media more friendly? How does trolling your own users fit into that mission? Genuine question.
December 8, 2025 at 3:27 AM
I thought y’all were trying to turn the temperature down? To curb toxic posting? To make social media more friendly? How does trolling your own users fit into that mission? Genuine question.
Reposted by Ansel Halliburton
If you receive an illegal order, you have a duty to disobey.
This isn’t controversial.
A President calling for the execution of anyone who reminds service members of this oath is showing us why the duty to disobey illegal orders is so important in the first place.
This isn’t controversial.
A President calling for the execution of anyone who reminds service members of this oath is showing us why the duty to disobey illegal orders is so important in the first place.
November 21, 2025 at 12:14 AM
If you receive an illegal order, you have a duty to disobey.
This isn’t controversial.
A President calling for the execution of anyone who reminds service members of this oath is showing us why the duty to disobey illegal orders is so important in the first place.
This isn’t controversial.
A President calling for the execution of anyone who reminds service members of this oath is showing us why the duty to disobey illegal orders is so important in the first place.
That’s enough Internet for today!
November 17, 2025 at 4:14 PM
That’s enough Internet for today!
Reposted by Ansel Halliburton
realized i didn't know the origins of "in the ballpark" meaning "approximately correct" and once again had it reaffirmed that you will never regret looking up the etymology of a word
November 14, 2025 at 3:58 AM
realized i didn't know the origins of "in the ballpark" meaning "approximately correct" and once again had it reaffirmed that you will never regret looking up the etymology of a word
This one looks interesting!
I'm now following Cameo v. OpenAI (Cameo app sues OpenAI for Sora genAI celebrity "Cameo" feature):
View Full Case | Background Info | Complaint
#CL71786846
View Full Case | Background Info | Complaint
#CL71786846
October 31, 2025 at 5:52 AM
This one looks interesting!
Reposted by Ansel Halliburton
I'm a bit of a dissent apologist for this reason
I understand the kinda nihilist dunks on them as meaningless, but i've seen too many dissents become majority opinions to think they don't have value--as doctrinal roadmaps, as mobilizing tools, as records of the truth when the majority lies, etc.
I understand the kinda nihilist dunks on them as meaningless, but i've seen too many dissents become majority opinions to think they don't have value--as doctrinal roadmaps, as mobilizing tools, as records of the truth when the majority lies, etc.
If going forward we ever fulfill the actual promise of our Constitution, the dissents from this era of #SCOTUS are going to be very important and influential.
October 15, 2025 at 4:05 PM
I'm a bit of a dissent apologist for this reason
I understand the kinda nihilist dunks on them as meaningless, but i've seen too many dissents become majority opinions to think they don't have value--as doctrinal roadmaps, as mobilizing tools, as records of the truth when the majority lies, etc.
I understand the kinda nihilist dunks on them as meaningless, but i've seen too many dissents become majority opinions to think they don't have value--as doctrinal roadmaps, as mobilizing tools, as records of the truth when the majority lies, etc.
Exactly as the Founding Fathers planned 🇺🇸
October 15, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Exactly as the Founding Fathers planned 🇺🇸
Your tax dollars at work
Currently on a flight to Japan watching a Pentagon Assistant Press Secretary (Riley Podleski) work on a document in the open on her laptop. She spent the last hour copy and pasting headlines from articles critical of the Administration’s hostility toward the 1st amendment.
October 15, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Your tax dollars at work
What would happen if she just went into the chamber and started voting on stuff? I know her little voting buttons or whatever wouldn't be set up, but she could walk up to the Speaker's podium and hand Mike Johnson a slip of paper with each vote she takes. Now what, bro?
Speaker Johnson, you ready to swear me in?
October 15, 2025 at 4:36 AM
What would happen if she just went into the chamber and started voting on stuff? I know her little voting buttons or whatever wouldn't be set up, but she could walk up to the Speaker's podium and hand Mike Johnson a slip of paper with each vote she takes. Now what, bro?
Great thread on a wacky new trade dress case. I’ll add it to @tm.bots.law soon!
Huge thanks to @mikescarcella.bsky.social for linking to the UNCRUSTABLES trade dress complaint here: www.reuters.com/legal/litiga...
Shall we all take a look?
Shall we all take a look?
My brain is such that I see this an immediately think of @lexlanham.bsky.social.
www.reuters.com/legal/litiga...
www.reuters.com/legal/litiga...
October 14, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Great thread on a wacky new trade dress case. I’ll add it to @tm.bots.law soon!
Reposted by Ansel Halliburton
> It is 2025 BC. I am a soldier from one of the outlying provinces called to defend the pyramid in Memphis
> It is 2025 AD. I am a soldier from one of the outlying provinces called to defend the pyramid in Memphis
> It is 2025 AD. I am a soldier from one of the outlying provinces called to defend the pyramid in Memphis
October 11, 2025 at 5:32 PM
> It is 2025 BC. I am a soldier from one of the outlying provinces called to defend the pyramid in Memphis
> It is 2025 AD. I am a soldier from one of the outlying provinces called to defend the pyramid in Memphis
> It is 2025 AD. I am a soldier from one of the outlying provinces called to defend the pyramid in Memphis
Reposted by Ansel Halliburton
I feel very moved by the Portland resistance - inflatable people, hot-to-go dancers and twerking dinosaurs, as this piece outlines , it’s true courage, defanging fear
![It also dismantles their narrative a little bit. When they try to describe this situation as "war-torn" becomes much harder to take them seriously when they have to post a video saying [U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security] Kristi Noem is up on the balcony staring over the Antifa Army and it's, like, eight journalists and five protesters and one of them is in a chicken suit.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:frnash4fleux4zv2p4vq3aqh/bafkreibhaj3gpefsj6qwl5wx5tnbccnxguzil6gxjdiikv6wtv7wyo55my@jpeg)
October 10, 2025 at 1:44 AM
I feel very moved by the Portland resistance - inflatable people, hot-to-go dancers and twerking dinosaurs, as this piece outlines , it’s true courage, defanging fear
What a beautiful interview. Shame on @bsky.app for banning this man.
“As a neurodiversity advocate and as an autistic person, I’m really grateful for so much of the work that’s been done that allows me to be myself and to be successful being myself.” Link, who has been *banned*!?!? from this platform?
thinkingautismguide.com/2025/06/spac... #AutisticWhileBlack
thinkingautismguide.com/2025/06/spac... #AutisticWhileBlack
Space Law, Race, and Neurodiversity: Autistic Advocate AJ Link
We live in a country & society that is built on racism. The neurodivergent community isn't free of that racism—per Autistic advocate AJ Link.
thinkingautismguide.com
October 8, 2025 at 5:51 AM
What a beautiful interview. Shame on @bsky.app for banning this man.
Reposted by Ansel Halliburton
Hey folks,
Good news, we've got newly described species of #shark. I'm hoping Etmopterus westraliensis has the same #bioluminescence as the other #lanternsharks; there's always room for more glow-in-the-dark sharks.
share.google/1ffc28R6gz3p...
Good news, we've got newly described species of #shark. I'm hoping Etmopterus westraliensis has the same #bioluminescence as the other #lanternsharks; there's always room for more glow-in-the-dark sharks.
share.google/1ffc28R6gz3p...
Etmopterus westraliensis, a new species of lanternshark (Squaliformes: Etmopteridae) from Western Australia, with redescription of Etmopterus brachyurus
Etmopterus westraliensis is described as a new species based on six specimens collected from Western Australia, eastern Indian Ocean. The new species is assigned to the Etmopterus lucifer group due t...
share.google
October 7, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Hey folks,
Good news, we've got newly described species of #shark. I'm hoping Etmopterus westraliensis has the same #bioluminescence as the other #lanternsharks; there's always room for more glow-in-the-dark sharks.
share.google/1ffc28R6gz3p...
Good news, we've got newly described species of #shark. I'm hoping Etmopterus westraliensis has the same #bioluminescence as the other #lanternsharks; there's always room for more glow-in-the-dark sharks.
share.google/1ffc28R6gz3p...
What if we did the shell game, but with humans? Despicable and unjust. The ones ordering and executing this policy, up and down the line, must face justice—no “just following orders.”
ICE abducts people and then immediately moves them around to prevent access to lawyers and habeas corpus petitions. @emmarjanssen.bsky.social has the story on this consistent game being played to frustrate due process.
prospect.org/justice/2025...
prospect.org/justice/2025...
How ICE Hides Detainees From Their Lawyers
‘It seems like cruelty is the point,’ one attorney said.
prospect.org
October 6, 2025 at 10:59 PM
What if we did the shell game, but with humans? Despicable and unjust. The ones ordering and executing this policy, up and down the line, must face justice—no “just following orders.”
I decided last week to name my robot Clanker, but there are some other good robo-slurs on this list.
Updated photo:
Updated photo:
October 6, 2025 at 10:09 PM
I decided last week to name my robot Clanker, but there are some other good robo-slurs on this list.
Updated photo:
Updated photo:
Reposted by Ansel Halliburton
Broken Eggs, by Jean-Baptiste Greuze, 1756
October 6, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Broken Eggs, by Jean-Baptiste Greuze, 1756