Brandon Downey
@bdowney.bsky.social
Infosec professional, photographer, math enthusiast, occasional augmented reality warlord. Peculiar but refined tastes in triangles, cinema, and cocktails. Some skill with Azad.
Signal: bdowney.23
Opinions are my own and not those of my employer
Signal: bdowney.23
Opinions are my own and not those of my employer
Reposted by Brandon Downey
I blocked some people tonight who lectured me including on how press is deadly and not needed because we have "the commons."
January 30, 2026 at 6:07 AM
I blocked some people tonight who lectured me including on how press is deadly and not needed because we have "the commons."
Reposted by Brandon Downey
Whatever we’re doing, it’s not enough.
January 30, 2026 at 4:56 AM
Whatever we’re doing, it’s not enough.
Reposted by Brandon Downey
for no reason recalling this
January 30, 2026 at 2:08 AM
for no reason recalling this
Reposted by Brandon Downey
oh its crabs in a bucket time again but they're worried that one of the crabs is being too successful at publicizing their supposedly shared cause.
What? I received an anonymous message informing that I had been removed for violating a rule I'd never heard of, based on complaints I'd never heard, that I had no avenue of appeal, and that they would not be engaging further.
January 30, 2026 at 2:28 AM
oh its crabs in a bucket time again but they're worried that one of the crabs is being too successful at publicizing their supposedly shared cause.
Reposted by Brandon Downey
“Without the media, the civil rights movement would have been like a bird without wings,” John Lewis said in a 2016 commemoration of the Pulitzer Prize.
January 30, 2026 at 2:37 AM
“Without the media, the civil rights movement would have been like a bird without wings,” John Lewis said in a 2016 commemoration of the Pulitzer Prize.
Reposted by Brandon Downey
Wtf uhhhh will someone please tell Dr. King about opsec?????? Hello???
January 30, 2026 at 12:34 AM
Wtf uhhhh will someone please tell Dr. King about opsec?????? Hello???
I don't want to alarm people, but if you are in MN Rapid Response in a group chat with hundreds of people, and are out there with ICE taking pictures of everyone on seen, the odds they know who you are is very high.
I know threat models are hard, but the good these reporters have done....
I know threat models are hard, but the good these reporters have done....
I’m not totally sure how to address this but apparently I’m getting kicked out of ICE rapid response for the moment because I’m allowing press ridealongs, with an extremely strict condition that no other observer be identified. Lots of observers have allowed ridealongs and they benefit us.
January 29, 2026 at 9:48 PM
I don't want to alarm people, but if you are in MN Rapid Response in a group chat with hundreds of people, and are out there with ICE taking pictures of everyone on seen, the odds they know who you are is very high.
I know threat models are hard, but the good these reporters have done....
I know threat models are hard, but the good these reporters have done....
Reposted by Brandon Downey
The fact that Vance and Miller - the most powerful members of the administration - are publicly socially intermeshed with open and unapologetic Nazis is the Chekhov’s gun of Trump’s second term, even if the press have refuse to acknowledge.
Now it’s shooting us in the face.
Now it’s shooting us in the face.
January 29, 2026 at 12:08 AM
The fact that Vance and Miller - the most powerful members of the administration - are publicly socially intermeshed with open and unapologetic Nazis is the Chekhov’s gun of Trump’s second term, even if the press have refuse to acknowledge.
Now it’s shooting us in the face.
Now it’s shooting us in the face.
Another Republican wants an out group the the law binds but does not protect.
Many such stories.
Many such stories.
#GVerse So Republican Alabama Rep.Barry Moore held a town hall in Baldwin County where he was asked why immigrants aren’t getting due process & he said they aren’t allowed it & his constituents let him know he was full of crap & it’s a violation of the Constitution & he fled out the back
January 29, 2026 at 7:04 AM
Another Republican wants an out group the the law binds but does not protect.
Many such stories.
Many such stories.
Newsom fails a critical moral & political test, and (of course) the moment.
How many videos of ICE breaking the law, violating human rights, or just shooting people in the back do you need to see?
This should finish Newsom in any primary.
How many videos of ICE breaking the law, violating human rights, or just shooting people in the back do you need to see?
This should finish Newsom in any primary.
Gov. Gavin Newsom: ‘I disagree’ with calls to abolish ICE
The 2028 presidential contender came out against calls to dismantle ICE after an agent fatally shot a Minneapolis woman.
www.sacbee.com
January 29, 2026 at 6:50 AM
Newsom fails a critical moral & political test, and (of course) the moment.
How many videos of ICE breaking the law, violating human rights, or just shooting people in the back do you need to see?
This should finish Newsom in any primary.
How many videos of ICE breaking the law, violating human rights, or just shooting people in the back do you need to see?
This should finish Newsom in any primary.
** Breaking **: @signal.org's chats are now backed by the power of <<>>!!!!!!!!
In the list of 'wins wars', it's:
1. Spreadsheets
2. Pinned Items
Thems the rules!
In the list of 'wins wars', it's:
1. Spreadsheets
2. Pinned Items
Thems the rules!
January 29, 2026 at 5:37 AM
** Breaking **: @signal.org's chats are now backed by the power of <<>>!!!!!!!!
In the list of 'wins wars', it's:
1. Spreadsheets
2. Pinned Items
Thems the rules!
In the list of 'wins wars', it's:
1. Spreadsheets
2. Pinned Items
Thems the rules!
New existential dread just dropped.
"in the past year, several lines of evidence have come together to show such a visitor is not impossible. Astronomers have seen clear signs of runaway supermassive black holes tearing through other galaxies, and have uncovered evidence that smaller, undetectable runaways are
New fear unlocked: Runaway black holes
Last year, astronomers were fascinated by a runaway asteroid passing through our solar system from somewhere far beyond. It was moving at around 68 kilometers per second, just over double Earth's spee...
phys.org
January 29, 2026 at 4:20 AM
New existential dread just dropped.
Reposted by Brandon Downey
I'm seeking to connect with writers in or near Springfield, Ohio. Please feel free to email me at adam @ liberalcurrents dot com, or connect with me on signal
January 29, 2026 at 2:56 AM
I'm seeking to connect with writers in or near Springfield, Ohio. Please feel free to email me at adam @ liberalcurrents dot com, or connect with me on signal
Reposted by Brandon Downey
"If weak men create hard times, I fear the hardest of times may be inbound."
"His business was working on wounds. The new wounds that find us all in daily life, the old wounds of hard use, the scars of combat; these were his purview. When our country grew tired of the broken people it called heroes, they went to Alex Pretti at the VA." www.liberalcurrents.com/he-served-th...
He Served Those Who Served: Portrait of a Man Named Pretti
It’s better to not know heroes exist than to find out they did only after they’re gone.
www.liberalcurrents.com
January 29, 2026 at 12:42 AM
"If weak men create hard times, I fear the hardest of times may be inbound."
Reposted by Brandon Downey
If nothing else today, I got USA Today to print my analogy of the significance of ICE administrative warrants.
www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
January 29, 2026 at 12:22 AM
If nothing else today, I got USA Today to print my analogy of the significance of ICE administrative warrants.
www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
Reposted by Brandon Downey
Jesus Christ you freak, they’re just my neighbors
January 29, 2026 at 12:52 AM
Jesus Christ you freak, they’re just my neighbors
Reposted by Brandon Downey
"Pauli! Get down here!"
"Yes mom?"
"Did you do this calculation?"
"Yeah but—"
"And did you notice the equation doesn't balance?"
"Yeah well—"
"What's this extra factor of i?"
"IT'S JUST A PHASE, MOM!"
"Yes mom?"
"Did you do this calculation?"
"Yeah but—"
"And did you notice the equation doesn't balance?"
"Yeah well—"
"What's this extra factor of i?"
"IT'S JUST A PHASE, MOM!"
January 28, 2026 at 5:42 PM
"Pauli! Get down here!"
"Yes mom?"
"Did you do this calculation?"
"Yeah but—"
"And did you notice the equation doesn't balance?"
"Yeah well—"
"What's this extra factor of i?"
"IT'S JUST A PHASE, MOM!"
"Yes mom?"
"Did you do this calculation?"
"Yeah but—"
"And did you notice the equation doesn't balance?"
"Yeah well—"
"What's this extra factor of i?"
"IT'S JUST A PHASE, MOM!"
Savage but one of the most true things I've read this week.
"I wish I never knew his name, his face, or the heavy burden of his common decency. It’s better to not know heroes exist than to find out they did only after they’re gone." www.liberalcurrents.com/he-served-th...
He Served Those Who Served: Portrait of a Man Named Pretti
It’s better to not know heroes exist than to find out they did only after they’re gone.
www.liberalcurrents.com
January 28, 2026 at 7:42 PM
Savage but one of the most true things I've read this week.
Probably unpopular opinion:
I never wanted to fly Southwest because two things:
(1) I never want to be stuck in a middle row
(2) I want to minimize my time at the airport; showing up early to claim my A or even B tier seating was real
So I'm not sad the open seating is going away.
I never wanted to fly Southwest because two things:
(1) I never want to be stuck in a middle row
(2) I want to minimize my time at the airport; showing up early to claim my A or even B tier seating was real
So I'm not sad the open seating is going away.
January 28, 2026 at 5:53 AM
Probably unpopular opinion:
I never wanted to fly Southwest because two things:
(1) I never want to be stuck in a middle row
(2) I want to minimize my time at the airport; showing up early to claim my A or even B tier seating was real
So I'm not sad the open seating is going away.
I never wanted to fly Southwest because two things:
(1) I never want to be stuck in a middle row
(2) I want to minimize my time at the airport; showing up early to claim my A or even B tier seating was real
So I'm not sad the open seating is going away.
Reposted by Brandon Downey
Word is they are ready to sign a strongly worded letter.
BREAKING: Two Republican senators, Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski, call for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to resign.
Two Republican senators call for Kristi Noem to resign as DHS secretary
Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Thom Tillis are the first GOP members of Congress to call for Noem to step down as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
www.nbcnews.com
January 27, 2026 at 11:50 PM
Word is they are ready to sign a strongly worded letter.
Reposted by Brandon Downey
I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work.
I don’t let bullies win.
Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.
I don’t let bullies win.
Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.
January 28, 2026 at 2:26 AM
I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work.
I don’t let bullies win.
Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.
I don’t let bullies win.
Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.
Deleting signal now that it's compromised. But there is a second messaging app at Star's End...
deleting signal now that it's compromised. find me at a city at the end of time
deleting signal now that it's compromised. find me at i leave message here on service but you do not call
January 28, 2026 at 12:17 AM
Deleting signal now that it's compromised. But there is a second messaging app at Star's End...
Reposted by Brandon Downey
Reposted by Brandon Downey
Last week in Minnesota, I watched ordinary people risk their lives to protect their neighbors. In the process, they not only won a significant—though not final—victory against authoritarianism, they proved virtually every MAGA social theory wrong. (gift link) www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
January 27, 2026 at 1:06 PM
Last week in Minnesota, I watched ordinary people risk their lives to protect their neighbors. In the process, they not only won a significant—though not final—victory against authoritarianism, they proved virtually every MAGA social theory wrong. (gift link) www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
Reposted by Brandon Downey
The person who publishes the Free Press — where the words “Minneapolis” and “Minnesota” never appear tonight — also runs CBS News.
January 26, 2026 at 1:39 AM
The person who publishes the Free Press — where the words “Minneapolis” and “Minnesota” never appear tonight — also runs CBS News.