Farrah Bostic
@farrahbostic.bsky.social
Founder of The Difference Engine. Researcher, strategist, truth-teller. Host of Cross Tabs. Asking better questions since forever.
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
I have begun to think that Minnesota pushback to ICE was unique and a model because it gave people something to do. It wasn’t about just going out in streets for rallying purposes. People had a mission: videos, whistles, information and communication flow to communities. They had something to do.
January 27, 2026 at 7:00 PM
I have begun to think that Minnesota pushback to ICE was unique and a model because it gave people something to do. It wasn’t about just going out in streets for rallying purposes. People had a mission: videos, whistles, information and communication flow to communities. They had something to do.
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
Two Democratic members of Congress attacked in three days. Maxwell Frost was assaulted on Saturday, Ilan Omar tonight.
January 28, 2026 at 2:03 AM
Two Democratic members of Congress attacked in three days. Maxwell Frost was assaulted on Saturday, Ilan Omar tonight.
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
After executing Alex Pretti on Saturday, ICE has shifted to primarily targeting bus stops and elementary schools in my community this week. I cannot overstate how much of the ICE activity in my community is just targeting places where little kids are.
Video from this morning shows ICE agents deploying tear gas outside a Minneapolis preschool as parents shout, “This is a preschool! There’s kids here!”
January 27, 2026 at 8:17 PM
After executing Alex Pretti on Saturday, ICE has shifted to primarily targeting bus stops and elementary schools in my community this week. I cannot overstate how much of the ICE activity in my community is just targeting places where little kids are.
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
This is your regular reminder that the data broker industry must be destroyed.
2. ICE is buying your private location data from sleazy data brokers through a legal loophole. I've had a bill to stop this since 2021. I'm renewing my push to get it passed into black letter law as soon as possible.
Wyden, Paul and Bipartisan Senators Reintroduce the Fourth Amendment is Not for Sale Act | U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon
The Official U.S. Senate website of Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon
www.wyden.senate.gov
January 27, 2026 at 10:28 PM
This is your regular reminder that the data broker industry must be destroyed.
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
When two police officers were shot in NE Portland last week, Oregon's right wing influencer sphere was convinced that this must be some radical leftist who did it. Instead, it was someone many of those folks had previously attended MAGA flag waves with. leftcoastrightwatch.org/articles/por...
PORTLAND NEO-NAZI ARRESTED, SUSPECT IN WOUNDING 2 OFFICERS IN SHOOTING
| Left Coast Right Watch
Eric Oelkers, a long-time neo-Nazi that ran with COPS NW and Patriot Prayer, was arrested Monday as the suspect for shooting two PDX police officers
leftcoastrightwatch.org
January 27, 2026 at 9:43 PM
When two police officers were shot in NE Portland last week, Oregon's right wing influencer sphere was convinced that this must be some radical leftist who did it. Instead, it was someone many of those folks had previously attended MAGA flag waves with. leftcoastrightwatch.org/articles/por...
I don't know who needs to hear this but, you don't have to do what's popular if what's "popular" is wrong.
New from me about how data-driven decisions are too often ethics-free decisions:
open.substack.com/pub/crosstab...
New from me about how data-driven decisions are too often ethics-free decisions:
open.substack.com/pub/crosstab...
January 27, 2026 at 11:41 PM
I don't know who needs to hear this but, you don't have to do what's popular if what's "popular" is wrong.
New from me about how data-driven decisions are too often ethics-free decisions:
open.substack.com/pub/crosstab...
New from me about how data-driven decisions are too often ethics-free decisions:
open.substack.com/pub/crosstab...
Some day I hope to have an institutional affiliation that means I have log ins to EVERYTHING, but especially the Roper Center.
January 27, 2026 at 9:38 PM
Some day I hope to have an institutional affiliation that means I have log ins to EVERYTHING, but especially the Roper Center.
So, setting aside the fact that literally nothing is WYSIWYG anymore, I think our new show branding is pretty good.
What's better? Taking some key lessons from someone who's really building something for the long term that is already reaping short-term rewards.
What's better? Taking some key lessons from someone who's really building something for the long term that is already reaping short-term rewards.
4 lessons from my recent conversation with @runforsomething.net's Amanda Litman:
1. Go big.
2. Change is possible.
3. Promises are made to be kept.
4. Measure your strategy.
1. Go big.
2. Change is possible.
3. Promises are made to be kept.
4. Measure your strategy.
January 27, 2026 at 9:21 PM
So, setting aside the fact that literally nothing is WYSIWYG anymore, I think our new show branding is pretty good.
What's better? Taking some key lessons from someone who's really building something for the long term that is already reaping short-term rewards.
What's better? Taking some key lessons from someone who's really building something for the long term that is already reaping short-term rewards.
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
the other thing is this worked much better in the Biden years; it works much less well when fascists are in power because the audience often *wants* to think of themselves as the reasonable ones, and having Kristi Noem screaming that a murdered nurse was a domestic terrorist doesn't suit that.
Bari’s sole, career-defining trick is to repackage bog-standard elite opinion as something “edgy” and “heterodox.”
There is an audience for that product, and the audience has a lot of spare cash. (You will never go broke telling rich people what they want to hear.)
But it’s a NICHE audience.
There is an audience for that product, and the audience has a lot of spare cash. (You will never go broke telling rich people what they want to hear.)
But it’s a NICHE audience.
January 27, 2026 at 6:15 PM
the other thing is this worked much better in the Biden years; it works much less well when fascists are in power because the audience often *wants* to think of themselves as the reasonable ones, and having Kristi Noem screaming that a murdered nurse was a domestic terrorist doesn't suit that.
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
It's not quite the most pressing issue at the moment, but the American people absolutely have a right to know the names of the federal officials who shot and killed a man peacefully protesting, who was on his knees, prone in the street when they shot him in the back.
January 27, 2026 at 1:58 PM
It's not quite the most pressing issue at the moment, but the American people absolutely have a right to know the names of the federal officials who shot and killed a man peacefully protesting, who was on his knees, prone in the street when they shot him in the back.
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
I do think that a possibly underrated dynamic in The Horrors is that the Right as it has reconstituted itself under Trump legitimately can’t understand sincere moral or physical courage
January 26, 2026 at 2:13 AM
I do think that a possibly underrated dynamic in The Horrors is that the Right as it has reconstituted itself under Trump legitimately can’t understand sincere moral or physical courage
Sorry, say what now?
Two sources at US embassy in Rome confirmed ICE participation at the Milano-Cortina Olympic Games 2026; and said that “federal ICE agents would support diplomatic security details (Rubio and Vance) and would not run any immigration enforcement operations”. This has been also confirmed by AP.
January 27, 2026 at 12:54 PM
Sorry, say what now?
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
The internal polling that conservatives are seeing on this has to be insane
we are witnessing historic backpedaling here
January 27, 2026 at 4:17 AM
The internal polling that conservatives are seeing on this has to be insane
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
“Abolish ICE” is literally the MODERATE position in America today. Not even the position Schumer’s constituents are demanding. The MODERATE position is “abolish.”
Majority of the country now wants to abolish and/or dismantle ICE and yet Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. told the caucus the message had to be to “restrain, reform and restrict ICE.”
Once again it looks like Schumer is about to choke after getting a massive opportunity.
So pathetic and weak.
Once again it looks like Schumer is about to choke after getting a massive opportunity.
So pathetic and weak.
Senate Democrats plot strategy as DHS standoff deepens heading into shutdown week
Two sources who were on a Democratic caucus strategy call Sunday said Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told the group the message must be to “restrain, reform and restrict ICE.”
www.nbcnews.com
January 27, 2026 at 2:03 AM
“Abolish ICE” is literally the MODERATE position in America today. Not even the position Schumer’s constituents are demanding. The MODERATE position is “abolish.”
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
I want to go back to Marimar Martinez' request to lift protective order in her case. She was shot by CBP in October. As w/Good & Pretti, they lied to cover up shooting.
As a threshold issue, Bovino was just 1-degree of separation from all 3 shootings.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
As a threshold issue, Bovino was just 1-degree of separation from all 3 shootings.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
January 27, 2026 at 12:45 AM
I want to go back to Marimar Martinez' request to lift protective order in her case. She was shot by CBP in October. As w/Good & Pretti, they lied to cover up shooting.
As a threshold issue, Bovino was just 1-degree of separation from all 3 shootings.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
As a threshold issue, Bovino was just 1-degree of separation from all 3 shootings.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
Liam himself is five goddamned years old and should be at home with an adult he trusts right now no matter who his parents are. It would not matter if they were literal criminal masterminds, Liam Ramos is a baby and babies do not belong in prison.
Reminder that, as of the latest reports, Liam Ramos is still in prison in Texas - now for 5 days.
His parents are legal asylum seekers with no criminal record.
His parents are legal asylum seekers with no criminal record.
January 27, 2026 at 1:22 AM
Liam himself is five goddamned years old and should be at home with an adult he trusts right now no matter who his parents are. It would not matter if they were literal criminal masterminds, Liam Ramos is a baby and babies do not belong in prison.
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
They are wounded and flailing. Press the advantage.
January 27, 2026 at 12:08 AM
They are wounded and flailing. Press the advantage.
This idea - that not all definitions of success can be measured on short term timelines - I think explains the short-term success of @runforsomething.net -- long term thinking sometimes yields short-term gains, while building something durable. I wish more leaders thought like this:
January 26, 2026 at 11:05 PM
This idea - that not all definitions of success can be measured on short term timelines - I think explains the short-term success of @runforsomething.net -- long term thinking sometimes yields short-term gains, while building something durable. I wish more leaders thought like this:
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
looks like the pieces about how Glusenkamp Perez was the centrist bulwark against the Democrats' leftward shift will age roughly as well as the pieces about how Eric Adams was going to be the next president
'Forced into a false choice': Rep. Glusenkamp Perez votes to fund DHS despite ICE concerns
‘Forced into a false choice’: Rep. Glusenkamp Perez votes to fund DHS despite ICE concerns
The U.S. Coast Guard and Federal Emergency Management Agency would have been impacted by the bill’s failure, she said.
www.koin.com
January 26, 2026 at 9:50 PM
looks like the pieces about how Glusenkamp Perez was the centrist bulwark against the Democrats' leftward shift will age roughly as well as the pieces about how Eric Adams was going to be the next president
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
Oregonians who are watching Minneapolis in horror should be aware that ICE is snatching whole families in Oregon, too.
www.opb.org/article/2026...
www.opb.org/article/2026...
Gresham family detained by immigration officers while seeking medical care for their 7-year-old
The family’s detainment marks the first confirmed detainment of an entire family in Oregon, advocates say.
www.opb.org
January 26, 2026 at 9:55 PM
Oregonians who are watching Minneapolis in horror should be aware that ICE is snatching whole families in Oregon, too.
www.opb.org/article/2026...
www.opb.org/article/2026...
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
Okay, so this is an authoritarian playbook trick, once the evidence is overwhelming say everyone needs to wait for the official investigation then either fix it or attack it when its completed. Same shit Russian pulled with MH17 and chemical attacks in Syria, very predictable.
Reporter: Will Stephen Miller be apologizing to the family of Alex Pretti for calling him an assassin?
Leavitt: This incident remains under investigation.
Leavitt: This incident remains under investigation.
January 26, 2026 at 8:26 PM
Okay, so this is an authoritarian playbook trick, once the evidence is overwhelming say everyone needs to wait for the official investigation then either fix it or attack it when its completed. Same shit Russian pulled with MH17 and chemical attacks in Syria, very predictable.
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
"For many years, credit card companies and other payment methods were aggressive about policing child sexual abuse material. Then, Elon Musk’s Grok started undressing children on X."
wrote about an apparent policy change in the payments industry www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...
Payment processors were against CSAM until Grok started making it
“The industry is no longer willing to self-regulate.”
www.theverge.com
January 26, 2026 at 5:43 PM
"For many years, credit card companies and other payment methods were aggressive about policing child sexual abuse material. Then, Elon Musk’s Grok started undressing children on X."
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
this is what happens when your whole career writing about “tech” was 2 decades of regurgitating laptop maker’s press releases so you think you’re qualified to be a thought leader on the same companies’ new circle jerk ponzi scheme that also automates fascism while destroying the climate
A sentence from hell:
“people in SF are putting multi-agent claudeswarms in charge of their lives, consulting chatbots before every decision, wireheading to a degree only sci-fi writers dared to imagine.”
“people in SF are putting multi-agent claudeswarms in charge of their lives, consulting chatbots before every decision, wireheading to a degree only sci-fi writers dared to imagine.”
January 26, 2026 at 5:37 AM
this is what happens when your whole career writing about “tech” was 2 decades of regurgitating laptop maker’s press releases so you think you’re qualified to be a thought leader on the same companies’ new circle jerk ponzi scheme that also automates fascism while destroying the climate
Reposted by Farrah Bostic
I mentioned over the weekend that it looked like some of the MAGAverse was splitting from the Trump-endorsed narrative about Alex Pretti's killing.
But by this morning virtually the entirety of MAGAworld is toeing the line pushed by Trump, Miller, Noem, Hegseth etc...
www.wired.com/story/the-in...
But by this morning virtually the entirety of MAGAworld is toeing the line pushed by Trump, Miller, Noem, Hegseth etc...
www.wired.com/story/the-in...
The Instant Smear Campaign Against Border Patrol Shooting Victim Alex Pretti
Within minutes of the shooting, the Trump administration and right-wing influencers began disparaging the man shot by a federal immigration officer on Saturday in Minneapolis.
www.wired.com
January 26, 2026 at 2:16 PM
I mentioned over the weekend that it looked like some of the MAGAverse was splitting from the Trump-endorsed narrative about Alex Pretti's killing.
But by this morning virtually the entirety of MAGAworld is toeing the line pushed by Trump, Miller, Noem, Hegseth etc...
www.wired.com/story/the-in...
But by this morning virtually the entirety of MAGAworld is toeing the line pushed by Trump, Miller, Noem, Hegseth etc...
www.wired.com/story/the-in...