Austin Thomas
@awthomas.bsky.social
Electric grid nerd + meteorologist. Proud Chicagoan based in Boston.
Reposted by Austin Thomas
Something to keep in mind the next time the city tries to repurpose parking and drivers complain that every last car is necessary at all times. The storm was two weeks ago.
February 9, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Something to keep in mind the next time the city tries to repurpose parking and drivers complain that every last car is necessary at all times. The storm was two weeks ago.
Reposted by Austin Thomas
Bad Bunny has a consulting historian. news.wisc.edu/pop-star-bad...
Pop star Bad Bunny needed a Puerto Rican history scholar. UW–Madison had just the one.
Bad Bunny collaborated with UW–Madison history professor Jorell Meléndez-Badillo on Puerto Rican narratives that accompany the new album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.”
news.wisc.edu
February 9, 2026 at 4:46 AM
Bad Bunny has a consulting historian. news.wisc.edu/pop-star-bad...
Reposted by Austin Thomas
“Ring uses AI to help find lost dogs” yup it probably stops there, sounds fine
February 9, 2026 at 2:07 AM
“Ring uses AI to help find lost dogs” yup it probably stops there, sounds fine
I get that the summer Olympic Games are the “popular” ones but I think I’ll always appreciate the Winter Olympics more. This may be my most midwestern-coded take but I stand by it. 🥌
February 8, 2026 at 3:41 PM
I get that the summer Olympic Games are the “popular” ones but I think I’ll always appreciate the Winter Olympics more. This may be my most midwestern-coded take but I stand by it. 🥌
Reposted by Austin Thomas
NYT confirming MS NOW reporting:
Prosecutors began investigating Renee Good's killing, then Washington told them to stop.
Federal prosecutors had a warrant to collect evidence from Good's vehicle, but Trump leaders said to drop it. About a dozen prosecutors have since departed.
Prosecutors began investigating Renee Good's killing, then Washington told them to stop.
Federal prosecutors had a warrant to collect evidence from Good's vehicle, but Trump leaders said to drop it. About a dozen prosecutors have since departed.
Prosecutors Began Investigating Renee Good’s Killing. Washington Told Them to Stop.
www.nytimes.com
February 7, 2026 at 8:10 PM
NYT confirming MS NOW reporting:
Prosecutors began investigating Renee Good's killing, then Washington told them to stop.
Federal prosecutors had a warrant to collect evidence from Good's vehicle, but Trump leaders said to drop it. About a dozen prosecutors have since departed.
Prosecutors began investigating Renee Good's killing, then Washington told them to stop.
Federal prosecutors had a warrant to collect evidence from Good's vehicle, but Trump leaders said to drop it. About a dozen prosecutors have since departed.
Reposted by Austin Thomas
The mainstream news media will never call Trump explicity racist. They'll always dodge the allegation. That's because the white people running the joints need to believe that there is a distinction between donig racist things and promoting racist polices, versus being *personally* racist.
February 6, 2026 at 4:52 PM
The mainstream news media will never call Trump explicity racist. They'll always dodge the allegation. That's because the white people running the joints need to believe that there is a distinction between donig racist things and promoting racist polices, versus being *personally* racist.
Reposted by Austin Thomas
No joke: I got angry hate mail today for writing an obituary of a Black woman scientist—because the person felt she did didn’t deserve the recognition.
Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Gladys Mae West obituary: mathematician who pioneered GPS technology
She made key contributions to US cold-war science despite facing huge barriers as a Black woman.
www.nature.com
February 6, 2026 at 9:09 AM
No joke: I got angry hate mail today for writing an obituary of a Black woman scientist—because the person felt she did didn’t deserve the recognition.
Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Austin Thomas
The America we were taught about in school wasn’t real, but I want it to be and so do 200 million of my friends
February 5, 2026 at 6:17 PM
The America we were taught about in school wasn’t real, but I want it to be and so do 200 million of my friends
Reposted by Austin Thomas
Jessie Diggins, Olympic cross-country skiing gold medalist, from the Twin Cities: “I want to make sure you know who I’m racing for…”
February 5, 2026 at 5:27 PM
Jessie Diggins, Olympic cross-country skiing gold medalist, from the Twin Cities: “I want to make sure you know who I’m racing for…”
Reposted by Austin Thomas
Laila Edwards has become the first Black woman to play for the United States at an Olympic women’s ice hockey tournament.
Edwards has broken a barrier that had stood for nearly three decades since women’s hockey debuted at the Olympics in 1998.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/702...
Edwards has broken a barrier that had stood for nearly three decades since women’s hockey debuted at the Olympics in 1998.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/702...
February 5, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Laila Edwards has become the first Black woman to play for the United States at an Olympic women’s ice hockey tournament.
Edwards has broken a barrier that had stood for nearly three decades since women’s hockey debuted at the Olympics in 1998.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/702...
Edwards has broken a barrier that had stood for nearly three decades since women’s hockey debuted at the Olympics in 1998.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/702...
Skill issue, Elon. Either give up the money or change your ways.
it’s genuinely reassuring to me that this is the most miserable and paranoid person in the entire world
February 5, 2026 at 3:17 AM
Skill issue, Elon. Either give up the money or change your ways.
Reposted by Austin Thomas
I expected the cuts would be bad but I'm honestly stunned and sickened seeing how many great journalists the Washington Post just lost. People who nailed huge investigations, documented war zones, exposed horrific crimes, dropped all at once for failures they did not cause.
February 4, 2026 at 4:29 PM
I expected the cuts would be bad but I'm honestly stunned and sickened seeing how many great journalists the Washington Post just lost. People who nailed huge investigations, documented war zones, exposed horrific crimes, dropped all at once for failures they did not cause.
Reposted by Austin Thomas
sports coverage is not about box scores anymore. it's about power and politics and corruption and sovereign wealth and real estate and the use of taxpayer money and the most publicized labor disputes in the country and yes, sometimes about ball go in hoop
WaPo's Matt Murray told staff the paper is shuttering sports, moving remaining staff to features, shrinking foreign coverage, restructuring metro, closing books coverage, suspending Post Reports podcast
“Whole company now waiting for a live or die email” one staffer said
More in tonight’s Status
“Whole company now waiting for a live or die email” one staffer said
More in tonight’s Status
February 4, 2026 at 2:03 PM
sports coverage is not about box scores anymore. it's about power and politics and corruption and sovereign wealth and real estate and the use of taxpayer money and the most publicized labor disputes in the country and yes, sometimes about ball go in hoop
Reposted by Austin Thomas
“.. Not a single Republican member of Congress showed up to the public forum .. on the violence inflicted by federal immigration agents, featuring testimony from the brothers of Renee Good ..”
@newrepublic.com
newrepublic.com/post/206100/...
@newrepublic.com
newrepublic.com/post/206100/...
February 3, 2026 at 11:09 PM
“.. Not a single Republican member of Congress showed up to the public forum .. on the violence inflicted by federal immigration agents, featuring testimony from the brothers of Renee Good ..”
@newrepublic.com
newrepublic.com/post/206100/...
@newrepublic.com
newrepublic.com/post/206100/...
Reposted by Austin Thomas
Spoiler, Phil doesn't have a great track record. 😏
#GroundhogDay HAS ARRIVED:
#PunxsutawneyPhil stepped into the frigid morning air and saw his shadow, which legend has it that we'll see 6 more weeks of #winter.
Will he be right this year or can you put away all your winter gear?
www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/what-wi...
[Photo: This is NOT Phil.]
#PunxsutawneyPhil stepped into the frigid morning air and saw his shadow, which legend has it that we'll see 6 more weeks of #winter.
Will he be right this year or can you put away all your winter gear?
www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/what-wi...
[Photo: This is NOT Phil.]
What Will Punxsutawney Phil’s Six-Week Weather Prediction Be?
Every February 2, we anxiously await groundhog Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction of spring’s arrival, but how accurate is he?
www.ncei.noaa.gov
February 2, 2026 at 2:47 PM
Spoiler, Phil doesn't have a great track record. 😏
Reposted by Austin Thomas
In many of the first generation of modern concentration camp systems (near the turn of the twentieth century), the vast majority of deaths were caused by disease and malnutrition. Most of the victims were women and children.
It appears there is now a measles outbreak at the Dilley family detention facility. www.sacurrent.com/news/san-ant...
Source: Measles outbreak reported at ICE's Dilley family detention facility
DPS troopers stand guard in front of the Dilley detention center during a protest last weekend. After a week of public outcry over the Dilley, Texas South
www.sacurrent.com
February 2, 2026 at 12:29 AM
In many of the first generation of modern concentration camp systems (near the turn of the twentieth century), the vast majority of deaths were caused by disease and malnutrition. Most of the victims were women and children.
Reposted by Austin Thomas
BREAKING: The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez.
Two CBP Agents Identified in Alex Pretti Shooting
The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raym...
www.propublica.org
February 1, 2026 at 9:10 PM
BREAKING: The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez.
Reposted by Austin Thomas
Yesterday, five-year-old Liam and his dad Adrian were released from Dilley detention center. I picked them up last night and escorted them back to Minnesota this morning.
Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
February 1, 2026 at 3:49 PM
Yesterday, five-year-old Liam and his dad Adrian were released from Dilley detention center. I picked them up last night and escorted them back to Minnesota this morning.
Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
Reposted by Austin Thomas
BREAKING: Democrat Christian Menefee wins special election for Texas U.S. House seat, narrowing GOP's slim majority.
Democrat Christian Menefee wins election for US House, narrowing GOP's slim majority
Democrat Christian Menefee has won a Texas U.S. House seat in a special election that will narrow Republicans’ already-slim majority.
bit.ly
February 1, 2026 at 4:06 AM
BREAKING: Democrat Christian Menefee wins special election for Texas U.S. House seat, narrowing GOP's slim majority.
Reposted by Austin Thomas
Just a fundamentally evil, malevolent person. Rotten to the very core.
January 30, 2026 at 12:59 PM
Just a fundamentally evil, malevolent person. Rotten to the very core.
Reposted by Austin Thomas
Yeah, this is my biggest gripe with the Liew column. He reports on the likes of Antony, Mudryk, Sancho. He's seen £150m flushed down a toilet on individual players repeatedly.
Rodman very obviously adds $2m of combined on-pitch and commercial value to the Spirit every year.
Rodman very obviously adds $2m of combined on-pitch and commercial value to the Spirit every year.
“an unsustainable inflationary spiral” when the highest paid female soccer player in the world makes like 1/300th of the top paid man.
January 29, 2026 at 4:35 PM
Yeah, this is my biggest gripe with the Liew column. He reports on the likes of Antony, Mudryk, Sancho. He's seen £150m flushed down a toilet on individual players repeatedly.
Rodman very obviously adds $2m of combined on-pitch and commercial value to the Spirit every year.
Rodman very obviously adds $2m of combined on-pitch and commercial value to the Spirit every year.
Reposted by Austin Thomas
A loggerhead sea turtle has returned to the Atlantic Ocean after rehabilitation at a Florida turtle hospital.
A sea turtle with 3 flippers swims free after Florida rehab, now followed by satellite
A loggerhead sea turtle has returned to the Atlantic Ocean after rehabilitation at a Florida turtle hospital.
bit.ly
January 29, 2026 at 1:00 AM
A loggerhead sea turtle has returned to the Atlantic Ocean after rehabilitation at a Florida turtle hospital.
Reposted by Austin Thomas
The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents border patrol officers at the National Border Patrol Council, calls on Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller to resign or be fired
January 27, 2026 at 2:07 AM
The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents border patrol officers at the National Border Patrol Council, calls on Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller to resign or be fired
Reposted by Austin Thomas
Bingo. My aunt who voted for Trump and finally realized that he sucks yesterday is not the same as a millionaire columnist who is paid lots of money to put good politics opinions in the newspaper.
this is a fake problem. no one is saying this to regular, offline people who are coming around. they’re saying it to people who are engaged in professional political analysis who committed professional malpractice by scolding people who saw what was coming.
no, those people shouldn’t get a break.
no, those people shouldn’t get a break.
Bluesky idea: if people who didn't agree with you change their opinions so that they do agree with you, why not be happy that you are making progress - rather than complaining that they are "only just catching up"?
January 26, 2026 at 3:20 PM
Bingo. My aunt who voted for Trump and finally realized that he sucks yesterday is not the same as a millionaire columnist who is paid lots of money to put good politics opinions in the newspaper.
Reposted by Austin Thomas
Look, I'm glad we're having a conversation about the hypocrisy of the legal logic used by America's gun nuts. But can we stop pretending this is a new thing? They have never advocated for universal access to firearms. They only want their team to be armed. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Conservatives, liberals shift gun rights arguments after shooting
Some gun rights backers cite Alex Pretti’s gun as a justification for his killing in Minneapolis, while gun-control supporters dismiss its relevance.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 26, 2026 at 1:33 PM
Look, I'm glad we're having a conversation about the hypocrisy of the legal logic used by America's gun nuts. But can we stop pretending this is a new thing? They have never advocated for universal access to firearms. They only want their team to be armed. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...