John Pavlak
@desertside.bsky.social
Long retired patent attorney. Chicago native, now living in Tucson area. Golfer.
Don't post much. Here for news and information.
Don't post much. Here for news and information.
Reposted by John Pavlak
No one can be watching this Davos speech and reach any conclusion but that the President of the United States is mentally disturbed and that something is deeply wrong with him. This is both embarrassing and extremely dangerous.
January 21, 2026 at 2:49 PM
No one can be watching this Davos speech and reach any conclusion but that the President of the United States is mentally disturbed and that something is deeply wrong with him. This is both embarrassing and extremely dangerous.
Reposted by John Pavlak
We are watching one of the wildest things a nation-state has ever done: A superpower is committing suicide because the GOP Congress is too cowardly to stand up to the Mad King.
This is one of the wildest moments in all of geopolitics ever.
This is one of the wildest moments in all of geopolitics ever.
Footage shows Danish troops arriving in Greenland as part of a new military deployment. Among the personnel who landed on the island is Major General Peter H. Boysen, Chief of the Danish Army Command. #Greenland
January 19, 2026 at 10:59 PM
We are watching one of the wildest things a nation-state has ever done: A superpower is committing suicide because the GOP Congress is too cowardly to stand up to the Mad King.
This is one of the wildest moments in all of geopolitics ever.
This is one of the wildest moments in all of geopolitics ever.
Reposted by John Pavlak
We had endless articles and TV clips about Biden's mental capacity but silence about Trump's obvious unfitness when he says he's going to start a war with Denmark over Greenland because he didn't get the Nobel Peace Prize.
Not the sort of letter committed to paper by a well man. "Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace"
January 19, 2026 at 2:41 PM
We had endless articles and TV clips about Biden's mental capacity but silence about Trump's obvious unfitness when he says he's going to start a war with Denmark over Greenland because he didn't get the Nobel Peace Prize.
Reposted by John Pavlak
Re: Greenland.
Can we stop imagining Trump is anything other than certifiably insane?
Can we stop imagining Trump is anything other than certifiably insane?
January 19, 2026 at 1:44 PM
Re: Greenland.
Can we stop imagining Trump is anything other than certifiably insane?
Can we stop imagining Trump is anything other than certifiably insane?
Reposted by John Pavlak
Reposted by John Pavlak
Pew Research Institute (2023):
• Red State Texas has about 2.1 million undocumented immigrants
• Red State Florida has 1.6 M undocumented immigrants
• Blue State Minnesota has 130,000.
And yet only Minnesota is being occupied by masked thugs over "immigration."
It's *not* about immigration.
• Red State Texas has about 2.1 million undocumented immigrants
• Red State Florida has 1.6 M undocumented immigrants
• Blue State Minnesota has 130,000.
And yet only Minnesota is being occupied by masked thugs over "immigration."
It's *not* about immigration.
January 18, 2026 at 9:03 PM
Pew Research Institute (2023):
• Red State Texas has about 2.1 million undocumented immigrants
• Red State Florida has 1.6 M undocumented immigrants
• Blue State Minnesota has 130,000.
And yet only Minnesota is being occupied by masked thugs over "immigration."
It's *not* about immigration.
• Red State Texas has about 2.1 million undocumented immigrants
• Red State Florida has 1.6 M undocumented immigrants
• Blue State Minnesota has 130,000.
And yet only Minnesota is being occupied by masked thugs over "immigration."
It's *not* about immigration.
Reposted by John Pavlak
Congress can stop ICE. Congress can block the use of force in Greenland. In other words, in this crisis, Congress can act to support civil liberties at home and free nations abroad. To fail to act would be to be complicit in a dreadful outcome.
January 18, 2026 at 2:13 AM
Congress can stop ICE. Congress can block the use of force in Greenland. In other words, in this crisis, Congress can act to support civil liberties at home and free nations abroad. To fail to act would be to be complicit in a dreadful outcome.
Reposted by John Pavlak
A former federal agent after watching the New York Times breakdown of the ICE shooting:
January 16, 2026 at 8:16 PM
A former federal agent after watching the New York Times breakdown of the ICE shooting:
Reposted by John Pavlak
1. He wants to
2. It’s plausible he’ll try
3. His people would support it
4. But it’s vastly harder and more complicated than people are suggesting and can’t be done by his fiat
2. It’s plausible he’ll try
3. His people would support it
4. But it’s vastly harder and more complicated than people are suggesting and can’t be done by his fiat
Trump to Reuters about the midterm elections: "When you think of it, we shouldn't even have an election." www.reuters.com/world/us/fiv...
January 15, 2026 at 4:47 PM
1. He wants to
2. It’s plausible he’ll try
3. His people would support it
4. But it’s vastly harder and more complicated than people are suggesting and can’t be done by his fiat
2. It’s plausible he’ll try
3. His people would support it
4. But it’s vastly harder and more complicated than people are suggesting and can’t be done by his fiat
Reposted by John Pavlak
the question to ask about this is, okay, he wants to cancel the midterms. how does he get the VA state board of elections to cancel the midterms? how does he get the georgia board of elections to do it? how does he convince republican house members to quit their jobs and give up their paychecks?
Trump says a lot of deranged shit, but, per this Reuters article — and the threats of invoking the Insurrection Act in Minnesota this morning — he is very clearly exploring how to cancel the midterms.
www.reuters.com/world/us/fiv...
www.reuters.com/world/us/fiv...
January 15, 2026 at 4:29 PM
the question to ask about this is, okay, he wants to cancel the midterms. how does he get the VA state board of elections to cancel the midterms? how does he get the georgia board of elections to do it? how does he convince republican house members to quit their jobs and give up their paychecks?
Reposted by John Pavlak
Every ICE and Border Patrol agent knows they have license to do whatever they want to people, including US citizens, and they will face zero consequences or disciplinary actions from their agencies or the govt. The Trump admin will let them get away with any abuse and they know it.
January 14, 2026 at 1:42 PM
Every ICE and Border Patrol agent knows they have license to do whatever they want to people, including US citizens, and they will face zero consequences or disciplinary actions from their agencies or the govt. The Trump admin will let them get away with any abuse and they know it.
Reposted by John Pavlak
If any private lawyer acted this disrespectfully towards a federal judge, we would be facing bar proceedings, court sanctions or both. The fact that Trump administration lawyers continue to act this way is a disgrace. It is time for judges to put an end to it. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
Disqualified Trump appointee Halligan accuses judge of 'gross abuse of power' for questioning her authority
Read more here.
www.democracydocket.com
January 14, 2026 at 3:40 AM
If any private lawyer acted this disrespectfully towards a federal judge, we would be facing bar proceedings, court sanctions or both. The fact that Trump administration lawyers continue to act this way is a disgrace. It is time for judges to put an end to it. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
Reposted by John Pavlak
I made a chart.
January 13, 2026 at 2:01 PM
I made a chart.
Reposted by John Pavlak
Whatever groups Good may or may not have been a part of have no bearing on what happened the day she was killed. Nor would her membership in any group justify her killing.
This is not an investigation. It's authoritarian propaganda.
This is not an investigation. It's authoritarian propaganda.
F.B.I. Inquiry Into ICE Shooting Is Examining Victim’s Possible Ties to Activist Groups www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/u...
F.B.I. Inquiry Into ICE Shooting Is Examining Victim’s Possible Ties to Activist Groups
www.nytimes.com
January 13, 2026 at 12:58 AM
Whatever groups Good may or may not have been a part of have no bearing on what happened the day she was killed. Nor would her membership in any group justify her killing.
This is not an investigation. It's authoritarian propaganda.
This is not an investigation. It's authoritarian propaganda.
Reposted by John Pavlak
Congratulations to all the bankers, hedge-fund managers, private-equity honchos, tech titans, corporate executives and op-ed writers for backing the man who will do more to undermine the system that made them insanely wealthy than any other presidential candidate in their lifetimes.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the US central bank had been served grand jury subpoenas from the Justice Department threatening a criminal indictment, a dramatic escalation of the Trump administration’s attacks on the Fed.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Fed Served With DOJ Subpoenas, Powell Vows to Stand Firm
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the US central bank had been served grand jury subpoenas from the Justice Department threatening a criminal indictment, a dramatic escalation of the Trump admi...
www.bloomberg.com
January 12, 2026 at 3:08 AM
Congratulations to all the bankers, hedge-fund managers, private-equity honchos, tech titans, corporate executives and op-ed writers for backing the man who will do more to undermine the system that made them insanely wealthy than any other presidential candidate in their lifetimes.
Reposted by John Pavlak
TRUMP 2026: SHUT UP OR WE’LL KILL YOU
Homan: "There will be more bloodshed unless we decrease the hateful rhetoric"
January 11, 2026 at 9:19 PM
TRUMP 2026: SHUT UP OR WE’LL KILL YOU
Reposted by John Pavlak
Multiple eyewitness accounts of ICE's shooting of two people in Portland agree that ICE opened fire AFTER the pickup truck with the two individuals was already driving away, violating DHS's own rules.
They opened fire in a public area, near a hospital, without regard for safety.
Lawless thugs.
They opened fire in a public area, near a hospital, without regard for safety.
Lawless thugs.
January 10, 2026 at 7:49 PM
Multiple eyewitness accounts of ICE's shooting of two people in Portland agree that ICE opened fire AFTER the pickup truck with the two individuals was already driving away, violating DHS's own rules.
They opened fire in a public area, near a hospital, without regard for safety.
Lawless thugs.
They opened fire in a public area, near a hospital, without regard for safety.
Lawless thugs.
Reposted by John Pavlak
It doesn’t matter how much or how little training they get. ICE is recruiting sadists who enjoy hurting people. They could train them for a year and they’d still be sadists.
It’s not about training.
It’s not about training.
Chris Murphy: "The amount of training that's given to an ICE officer has been cut in half by this administration. The number of days of training they get are 47. You know why they get 47 days? As an homage to the vanity of POTUS. No wonder the number of violent incidents are going through the roof."
January 11, 2026 at 8:52 PM
It doesn’t matter how much or how little training they get. ICE is recruiting sadists who enjoy hurting people. They could train them for a year and they’d still be sadists.
It’s not about training.
It’s not about training.
Reposted by John Pavlak
Kind of wild there has been almost no coverage of the fact that the federal government unleashed chemical weapons against literal kids *at school*.
workdaymagazine.org/minneapolis-...
workdaymagazine.org/minneapolis-...
January 10, 2026 at 12:24 PM
Kind of wild there has been almost no coverage of the fact that the federal government unleashed chemical weapons against literal kids *at school*.
workdaymagazine.org/minneapolis-...
workdaymagazine.org/minneapolis-...
Reposted by John Pavlak
There's no "training" to "reform" this culture of violence and impunity, the only solution is to eliminate the agency and fire everyone associated.
Before someone whines "but but you need immigration enforcement" okay explain to me exactly how this is "immigration enforcement." It's just thuggery.
Before someone whines "but but you need immigration enforcement" okay explain to me exactly how this is "immigration enforcement." It's just thuggery.
A woman recording an ICE agent tells him "Shame on you."
The agent responds, "Have you all not learned from the past couple of days?"
"Learned what?" she asks
Then he knocks her phone out of her hand
The agent responds, "Have you all not learned from the past couple of days?"
"Learned what?" she asks
Then he knocks her phone out of her hand
January 10, 2026 at 3:49 PM
There's no "training" to "reform" this culture of violence and impunity, the only solution is to eliminate the agency and fire everyone associated.
Before someone whines "but but you need immigration enforcement" okay explain to me exactly how this is "immigration enforcement." It's just thuggery.
Before someone whines "but but you need immigration enforcement" okay explain to me exactly how this is "immigration enforcement." It's just thuggery.
Reposted by John Pavlak
I don’t think this new angle changed anyone’s mind, because everyone is already dug into their partisan foxholes, but it should very clearly at least show you that she wasn’t trying to run over this officer. That narrative was bullshit.
ICE agent should be charged with murder.
ICE agent should be charged with murder.
January 10, 2026 at 1:16 AM
I don’t think this new angle changed anyone’s mind, because everyone is already dug into their partisan foxholes, but it should very clearly at least show you that she wasn’t trying to run over this officer. That narrative was bullshit.
ICE agent should be charged with murder.
ICE agent should be charged with murder.
Reposted by John Pavlak
sometimes things are simply so stupid that i can't get my head around the idea that they are happening.
This is sad on so many levels — about something that was intended to celebrate the best in people.
@nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/w...
@nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/w...
January 10, 2026 at 12:12 AM
sometimes things are simply so stupid that i can't get my head around the idea that they are happening.
Reposted by John Pavlak
So an officer has his phone out recording obviously distracted, shoots a woman and calls her a “f’ing Bitch” and they think that HELPS the case?!?
January 9, 2026 at 8:20 PM
So an officer has his phone out recording obviously distracted, shoots a woman and calls her a “f’ing Bitch” and they think that HELPS the case?!?
Reposted by John Pavlak
The rantings of a madman. The only things in this that aren't lies are partial truths, misstatements and delusions.
Trump: "I single-handedly ENDED 8 WARS, and Norway, a NATO Member, foolishly chose not to give me the Noble Peace Prize. But that doesn’t matter! What does matter is that I saved Millions of Lives ... I DOUBT NATO WOULD BE THERE FOR US IF WE REALLY NEEDED THEM."
January 9, 2026 at 2:00 PM
The rantings of a madman. The only things in this that aren't lies are partial truths, misstatements and delusions.
Reposted by John Pavlak
It is the position of the Trump Administration that its agents can come into any state and city in America (let alone other countries) and kill people and that state and city have no jurisdiction to inquire about it.
Treat any Trump official accordingly.
Treat any Trump official accordingly.
Noem on Minnesota officials: "They have not been cut out. They don't have any jurisdiction in this investigation."
January 8, 2026 at 5:23 PM
It is the position of the Trump Administration that its agents can come into any state and city in America (let alone other countries) and kill people and that state and city have no jurisdiction to inquire about it.
Treat any Trump official accordingly.
Treat any Trump official accordingly.