Ellin Stein
@ellinst.bsky.social
Arts journo (now mostly Slate and Byline Times),
MA Screenwriting lecturer @Goldsmiths UoL, authorina https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393074093, tech fumbler
MA Screenwriting lecturer @Goldsmiths UoL, authorina https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393074093, tech fumbler
Reposted by Ellin Stein
Je crois qu'il n'y a pas d'analogie avec la situation francaise de 1789 s les Français souhaitaient un changement de régime, les Américains désirent que l'on respecte leur constitution, il n'y a pas besoin de révolution juste de faire respecter les insitutions et la séparation des pouvoirs.
February 7, 2026 at 2:19 PM
Je crois qu'il n'y a pas d'analogie avec la situation francaise de 1789 s les Français souhaitaient un changement de régime, les Américains désirent que l'on respecte leur constitution, il n'y a pas besoin de révolution juste de faire respecter les insitutions et la séparation des pouvoirs.
Reposted by Ellin Stein
Many important issues raised here.
UK-US EPD is worthless (NB beware of new demands from Trump - see Politico on this).
And UK is choosing not to align with EU on Fin Services and Tech. But there seems too little scrutiny of new "light touch" US style rules.
UK-US EPD is worthless (NB beware of new demands from Trump - see Politico on this).
And UK is choosing not to align with EU on Fin Services and Tech. But there seems too little scrutiny of new "light touch" US style rules.
Count to one hundred. New post on my Brexit & Brexitism Blog reflecting on a frenetic fortnight of domestic and international news, the state of the reset, the significance of the latest calls for 'proper Brexit', and the anger suffusing our politics: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2026/02/coun...
February 7, 2026 at 12:22 PM
Many important issues raised here.
UK-US EPD is worthless (NB beware of new demands from Trump - see Politico on this).
And UK is choosing not to align with EU on Fin Services and Tech. But there seems too little scrutiny of new "light touch" US style rules.
UK-US EPD is worthless (NB beware of new demands from Trump - see Politico on this).
And UK is choosing not to align with EU on Fin Services and Tech. But there seems too little scrutiny of new "light touch" US style rules.
Reposted by Ellin Stein
Reform-run Kent council accused of fabricating £40m net zero savings www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reform-run Kent council accused of fabricating £40m net zero savings
Exclusive: Disclosures show figures cited by council leader rested on unfunded ideas listed briefly in budget papers
www.theguardian.com
February 7, 2026 at 2:39 PM
Reform-run Kent council accused of fabricating £40m net zero savings www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Ellin Stein
Make it so!
February 7, 2026 at 4:10 PM
Make it so!
Reposted by Ellin Stein
Acive duty military are being ordered to buy a ticket to Melania and watch it, whether they want to, or not. www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/mil...
Military Pressured to See ‘Melania’ Against Their Will
A military group has evidence of troops being ordered into theater—the movie theater.
www.thedailybeast.com
February 7, 2026 at 4:06 AM
Acive duty military are being ordered to buy a ticket to Melania and watch it, whether they want to, or not. www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/mil...
Reposted by Ellin Stein
History teaches us a dictator has superpowers and is invulnerable to opposition ONLY until the moment he is not.
After his downfall, the collapse =always= looks inevitable.
He is only as powerful as the citizens he is oppressing believe he is.
Learn. This. Lesson. Now.
After his downfall, the collapse =always= looks inevitable.
He is only as powerful as the citizens he is oppressing believe he is.
Learn. This. Lesson. Now.
February 7, 2026 at 3:54 PM
History teaches us a dictator has superpowers and is invulnerable to opposition ONLY until the moment he is not.
After his downfall, the collapse =always= looks inevitable.
He is only as powerful as the citizens he is oppressing believe he is.
Learn. This. Lesson. Now.
After his downfall, the collapse =always= looks inevitable.
He is only as powerful as the citizens he is oppressing believe he is.
Learn. This. Lesson. Now.
Reposted by Ellin Stein
This is bleak: Jes Staley, currently CEO of Barclays, reassuring Epstein that popular revolt against financial elites is unlikely because capitalism and pop culture have defanged social movements, leaving people more invested in consumption than justice.
February 6, 2026 at 10:23 PM
This is bleak: Jes Staley, currently CEO of Barclays, reassuring Epstein that popular revolt against financial elites is unlikely because capitalism and pop culture have defanged social movements, leaving people more invested in consumption than justice.
Reposted by Ellin Stein
Tow truck driver offering free service returning abandoned vehicles to families of those abducted by ICE: "For the last three weeks, we have been getting nothing but death threats."
www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/ne...
www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/ne...
Twin Cities tow truck driver returns abandoned vehicles to families after ICE arrests
Juan Leon sends a "chase" car to check out where abandoned vehicles are located and arranges discreet drop-offs. Since late December, he estimated they have dropped off 250 cars.
www.cbsnews.com
February 6, 2026 at 9:08 PM
Tow truck driver offering free service returning abandoned vehicles to families of those abducted by ICE: "For the last three weeks, we have been getting nothing but death threats."
www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/ne...
www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/ne...
Reposted by Ellin Stein
Senior Russian officials and business figures cultivated relationships with Jeffrey Epstein, according to newly released documents by the Justice Department.
Epstein also made repeated efforts to arrange a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
Epstein also made repeated efforts to arrange a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
Epstein built ties to Russians and sought to meet Putin, files show
Justice Department files show that Jeffrey Epstein sought help from a Russian official after claiming a woman from Moscow was blackmailing “powerful businessmen” in New York.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 7, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Senior Russian officials and business figures cultivated relationships with Jeffrey Epstein, according to newly released documents by the Justice Department.
Epstein also made repeated efforts to arrange a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
Epstein also made repeated efforts to arrange a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
Reposted by Ellin Stein
Nothing to see here! Seriously, what is wrong with these people that they don’t think historical information is not going away??!!
apple.news/A-js5JRPlSBm...
apple.news/A-js5JRPlSBm...
State Department will delete X posts from before Trump returned to office — NPR
The policy change orders the removal of any post made by official State Department accounts on X before President Trump returned to office in 2025.
apple.news
February 7, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Nothing to see here! Seriously, what is wrong with these people that they don’t think historical information is not going away??!!
apple.news/A-js5JRPlSBm...
apple.news/A-js5JRPlSBm...
Reposted by Ellin Stein
The genius of the Musk/Thiel operation is making themselves indispensable while collecting data on everyone.
Palantir and xAI take your data, while DOGE has dismantled oversight.
Epstein compromised people one by one.
These guys are compromising the entire population at once
Palantir and xAI take your data, while DOGE has dismantled oversight.
Epstein compromised people one by one.
These guys are compromising the entire population at once
February 7, 2026 at 2:29 PM
The genius of the Musk/Thiel operation is making themselves indispensable while collecting data on everyone.
Palantir and xAI take your data, while DOGE has dismantled oversight.
Epstein compromised people one by one.
These guys are compromising the entire population at once
Palantir and xAI take your data, while DOGE has dismantled oversight.
Epstein compromised people one by one.
These guys are compromising the entire population at once
Reposted by Ellin Stein
Good morning and welcome to your FT Weekend highlights giftlink thread. First the Weekend Essay
"both Putin and Trump know that we live in a world where being able to impose your story is what matters". Peter Pomerantsev writes that Europe needs to change the story as.ft.com/r/1b2d55d0-8...
"both Putin and Trump know that we live in a world where being able to impose your story is what matters". Peter Pomerantsev writes that Europe needs to change the story as.ft.com/r/1b2d55d0-8...
Putin isn’t really winning. Europe needs to make that clear
[FREE TO READ] Behind Russia’s victory narrative in Ukraine is a system under strain. To fight back, the ‘middle powers’ must work harder on their own story
as.ft.com
February 7, 2026 at 7:49 AM
Good morning and welcome to your FT Weekend highlights giftlink thread. First the Weekend Essay
"both Putin and Trump know that we live in a world where being able to impose your story is what matters". Peter Pomerantsev writes that Europe needs to change the story as.ft.com/r/1b2d55d0-8...
"both Putin and Trump know that we live in a world where being able to impose your story is what matters". Peter Pomerantsev writes that Europe needs to change the story as.ft.com/r/1b2d55d0-8...
Reposted by Ellin Stein
Neat demonstration of how artificial so-called intelligence is taking us backwards.
"ChatGPT produced content most consistent with the 1960s and DALL-E 3 in the late 1980s and early '90s."
#AI - see @shannonvallor.bsky.social's work for important thinking on this
phys.org/news/2026-02...
"ChatGPT produced content most consistent with the 1960s and DALL-E 3 in the late 1980s and early '90s."
#AI - see @shannonvallor.bsky.social's work for important thinking on this
phys.org/news/2026-02...
New study uses Neanderthals to demonstrate gap between generative AI and scholarly knowledge
Technological advances over the past four decades have turned mobile devices and computers into the world's largest library, where information is just a tap away. Phones, laptops, tablets, smartwatche...
phys.org
February 7, 2026 at 8:59 AM
Neat demonstration of how artificial so-called intelligence is taking us backwards.
"ChatGPT produced content most consistent with the 1960s and DALL-E 3 in the late 1980s and early '90s."
#AI - see @shannonvallor.bsky.social's work for important thinking on this
phys.org/news/2026-02...
"ChatGPT produced content most consistent with the 1960s and DALL-E 3 in the late 1980s and early '90s."
#AI - see @shannonvallor.bsky.social's work for important thinking on this
phys.org/news/2026-02...
"Yesterday the Office of Personnel Management issued a final rule to strip civil service protections from about 50,000 federal employees, enabling the administration to replace nonpartisan civil servants hired for their skills with loyalists." heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/february-6...
February 6, 2026
Late last night, President Donald J.
heathercoxrichardson.substack.com
February 7, 2026 at 3:37 PM
"Yesterday the Office of Personnel Management issued a final rule to strip civil service protections from about 50,000 federal employees, enabling the administration to replace nonpartisan civil servants hired for their skills with loyalists." heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/february-6...
Reposted by Ellin Stein
MAGA want to destroy Europe and the UK. Our government should cut ties with the Trump admin. They are not our ally’s, they are coming after us.
US government to fund Maga-aligned think-tanks and charities in Europe ft.trib.al/rg4IDIC
US government to fund Maga-aligned think-tanks and charities in Europe
State department grants to spread ‘American values’ are part of Washington’s 250th anniversary celebrations
ft.trib.al
February 7, 2026 at 2:14 PM
MAGA want to destroy Europe and the UK. Our government should cut ties with the Trump admin. They are not our ally’s, they are coming after us.
Reposted by Ellin Stein
History repeating itself?
UKIP under Nigel Farage controlled Thanet Council and nearly bankrupt it.
Reform UK under Nigel Farage controls Worcestershire Council and it’s on the verge of bankruptcy.
Never trust Reform UK. Imagine a country run by them. We'd be bankrupt with Trussite policies.
UKIP under Nigel Farage controlled Thanet Council and nearly bankrupt it.
Reform UK under Nigel Farage controls Worcestershire Council and it’s on the verge of bankruptcy.
Never trust Reform UK. Imagine a country run by them. We'd be bankrupt with Trussite policies.
February 7, 2026 at 12:22 PM
History repeating itself?
UKIP under Nigel Farage controlled Thanet Council and nearly bankrupt it.
Reform UK under Nigel Farage controls Worcestershire Council and it’s on the verge of bankruptcy.
Never trust Reform UK. Imagine a country run by them. We'd be bankrupt with Trussite policies.
UKIP under Nigel Farage controlled Thanet Council and nearly bankrupt it.
Reform UK under Nigel Farage controls Worcestershire Council and it’s on the verge of bankruptcy.
Never trust Reform UK. Imagine a country run by them. We'd be bankrupt with Trussite policies.
Reposted by Ellin Stein
The term they’re looking for is “remote control.”
Once again, it turns out “fully autonomous” means “a guy in the Philippines.”
It Turns Out Waymos Are Being Controlled by Workers in the Philippines
During a Congressional hearing, Waymo's chief safety officer, Mauricio Peña, was grilled over the company's reliance on overseas workers.
futurism.com
February 7, 2026 at 12:11 PM
The term they’re looking for is “remote control.”
Reposted by Ellin Stein
Left: Director of the FBI Kash Patel, "There is no credible information, none, that he trafficked to other individuals"
Right: Someone e-mailed Epstein a picture of an 11 year old
Right: Someone e-mailed Epstein a picture of an 11 year old
February 7, 2026 at 2:35 PM
Left: Director of the FBI Kash Patel, "There is no credible information, none, that he trafficked to other individuals"
Right: Someone e-mailed Epstein a picture of an 11 year old
Right: Someone e-mailed Epstein a picture of an 11 year old
Reposted by Ellin Stein
It also bears noting that at least for some of the US attorneys GWB removed, the reason was that they did not aggressively pursue spurious election fraud cases in close races won by Democrats.
A reminder that as is often the case, Trump has personalized a false narrative with deep roots in the GOP.
A reminder that as is often the case, Trump has personalized a false narrative with deep roots in the GOP.
February 7, 2026 at 12:51 PM
It also bears noting that at least for some of the US attorneys GWB removed, the reason was that they did not aggressively pursue spurious election fraud cases in close races won by Democrats.
A reminder that as is often the case, Trump has personalized a false narrative with deep roots in the GOP.
A reminder that as is often the case, Trump has personalized a false narrative with deep roots in the GOP.
Reposted by Ellin Stein
“I couldn’t imagine being the leader of a team where so many of the best players that are just so central to the mission decide they’ve got to walk away because they don’t want their integrity to be compromised,”.
This is the GOP. Destroy it, then say it sucks.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/u...
This is the GOP. Destroy it, then say it sucks.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/u...
Prosecutors Began Investigating Renee Good’s Killing. Washington Told Them to Stop.
www.nytimes.com
February 7, 2026 at 1:00 PM
“I couldn’t imagine being the leader of a team where so many of the best players that are just so central to the mission decide they’ve got to walk away because they don’t want their integrity to be compromised,”.
This is the GOP. Destroy it, then say it sucks.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/u...
This is the GOP. Destroy it, then say it sucks.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/u...
Reposted by Ellin Stein
Reposted by Ellin Stein
This!!
Negotiated by Mandelson?
Streeting is involved too because he’s been associated politically with Mandelson - and Palantir I believe .
Negotiated by Mandelson?
Streeting is involved too because he’s been associated politically with Mandelson - and Palantir I believe .
so hang on a minute, the UK (significantly, erm, “represented“ in negotiations by Mandelson) has just signed a trade deal with the US that gives into their demands for NHS to pay way more for medicines…. & yet Streeting won’t even tell us the barest details? 🤯
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
Pressure grows on ministers to end secrecy over UK medicines deal with Trump
Critics say government hiding true cost of agreement ‘despite being forced to admit financial burden will grow year on year’
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2026 at 11:23 PM
This!!
Negotiated by Mandelson?
Streeting is involved too because he’s been associated politically with Mandelson - and Palantir I believe .
Negotiated by Mandelson?
Streeting is involved too because he’s been associated politically with Mandelson - and Palantir I believe .
Reposted by Ellin Stein
200 athletes who had intended to compete in the Popular Olympics fought with the Republicans in Spain.
Most of them were killed.
History may have forgotten them, but we can't.
Remember their story. Remember their courage.
Fascism is upon us again, but this time it is at our own windows.
Most of them were killed.
History may have forgotten them, but we can't.
Remember their story. Remember their courage.
Fascism is upon us again, but this time it is at our own windows.
February 7, 2026 at 12:05 AM
200 athletes who had intended to compete in the Popular Olympics fought with the Republicans in Spain.
Most of them were killed.
History may have forgotten them, but we can't.
Remember their story. Remember their courage.
Fascism is upon us again, but this time it is at our own windows.
Most of them were killed.
History may have forgotten them, but we can't.
Remember their story. Remember their courage.
Fascism is upon us again, but this time it is at our own windows.