John Voelcker
@johnvoelcker.bsky.social
Raconteur. Random cultural, political, sociological, science, tech, #EV, #LGBTQ, British car stuff. "Plucky and good fun."Contributing Editor, CAR and DRIVER, Green Car Reports, others; Cofounder, Tempting Fate Tours.
Welcome to Bluesky. Don’t be a jerk.
Welcome to Bluesky. Don’t be a jerk.
Pinned
General Ulysses S. Grant wrote this to his father in 1861, immediately after the Confederacy fired the first shots, signaling the start of the Civil War.
"There are but two parties now, traitors and patriots.
"I want hereafter to be ranked with the latter."
"There are but two parties now, traitors and patriots.
"I want hereafter to be ranked with the latter."
The clock is ticking for 194,000 "non-domiciled" truck drivers with Commercial Driver's Licenses that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration claims have lasted beyond their legal period of residence in the U.S.
States targeted are CA, PA, NC + now Illinois.
Plan for driver shortages ...
States targeted are CA, PA, NC + now Illinois.
Plan for driver shortages ...
Feds expand non-domiciled CDL crackdown to Illinois
The FMCSA has warned Illinois to fix its non-domiciled CDL program or face decertification and the loss of up to $128.6 million in federal highway funds.
www.freightwaves.com
February 19, 2026 at 4:53 AM
The clock is ticking for 194,000 "non-domiciled" truck drivers with Commercial Driver's Licenses that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration claims have lasted beyond their legal period of residence in the U.S.
States targeted are CA, PA, NC + now Illinois.
Plan for driver shortages ...
States targeted are CA, PA, NC + now Illinois.
Plan for driver shortages ...
"Westerners keep waiting for the Russian economy to collapse. It won’t. But nor will it recover.
"It has entered what mountaineers call the death zone: the altitude above 8,000 metres at which the human body consumes itself faster than it can be repaired."
"It has entered what mountaineers call the death zone: the altitude above 8,000 metres at which the human body consumes itself faster than it can be repaired."
Russia’s economy has entered the death zone
Alexandra Prokopenko wonders how much longer it can go on metabolising its own muscle tissue
www.economist.com
February 19, 2026 at 2:09 AM
"Westerners keep waiting for the Russian economy to collapse. It won’t. But nor will it recover.
"It has entered what mountaineers call the death zone: the altitude above 8,000 metres at which the human body consumes itself faster than it can be repaired."
"It has entered what mountaineers call the death zone: the altitude above 8,000 metres at which the human body consumes itself faster than it can be repaired."
Gee, this is what white supremacists do to memorials like Emmett Till’s.
Except now they're doing it to a memorial for a white woman who the entire world saw on viseo being executed by a masked man in broad daylight.
Oh.
Except now they're doing it to a memorial for a white woman who the entire world saw on viseo being executed by a masked man in broad daylight.
Oh.
Someone doused Renee Good’s Minneapolis memorial and a nearby pile of wood with gasoline and started a fire at about 9 p.m. Tuesday.
Renee Good memorial site in south Minneapolis doused in gasoline
Damage was minimal but police are investigating.
bit.ly
February 18, 2026 at 10:15 PM
Gee, this is what white supremacists do to memorials like Emmett Till’s.
Except now they're doing it to a memorial for a white woman who the entire world saw on viseo being executed by a masked man in broad daylight.
Oh.
Except now they're doing it to a memorial for a white woman who the entire world saw on viseo being executed by a masked man in broad daylight.
Oh.
Hey @trangirlismo.bsky.social: Did you cover this in Epstein's dubious automotive history?
From the files: Epstein trades Maybach for Bentley in 2017. Flying Spur?
"attached is final invoice totaling 278,120.24 which included 10,000 discount negotiated, 50,000 deposit and
135,000 mercedes trade".
From the files: Epstein trades Maybach for Bentley in 2017. Flying Spur?
"attached is final invoice totaling 278,120.24 which included 10,000 discount negotiated, 50,000 deposit and
135,000 mercedes trade".
www.justice.gov
February 18, 2026 at 8:56 PM
Hey @trangirlismo.bsky.social: Did you cover this in Epstein's dubious automotive history?
From the files: Epstein trades Maybach for Bentley in 2017. Flying Spur?
"attached is final invoice totaling 278,120.24 which included 10,000 discount negotiated, 50,000 deposit and
135,000 mercedes trade".
From the files: Epstein trades Maybach for Bentley in 2017. Flying Spur?
"attached is final invoice totaling 278,120.24 which included 10,000 discount negotiated, 50,000 deposit and
135,000 mercedes trade".
Hmmmmm ...
Why, yes, in fact ... we seem to have embarked on a new adventure !!
February 18, 2026 at 8:21 PM
Hmmmmm ...
Very favorite post text of the day.
notorious radical left communist rag says tax the rich
February 18, 2026 at 7:40 PM
Very favorite post text of the day.
You don't say.
But ... let's see how it actually plays out before popping any champagne corks, hmmmm?
But ... let's see how it actually plays out before popping any champagne corks, hmmmm?
February 18, 2026 at 6:35 PM
You don't say.
But ... let's see how it actually plays out before popping any champagne corks, hmmmm?
But ... let's see how it actually plays out before popping any champagne corks, hmmmm?
Reposted by John Voelcker
UPDATE: Colbert’s conversation with Talarico quickly became the host’s most-watched interview in months.
By this afternoon, it was on pace to overtake his interview with pop star Taylor Swift which has approximately 1.4 million views.
Streisand Effect FTW !!
By this afternoon, it was on pace to overtake his interview with pop star Taylor Swift which has approximately 1.4 million views.
Streisand Effect FTW !!
February 18, 2026 at 2:14 AM
UPDATE: Colbert’s conversation with Talarico quickly became the host’s most-watched interview in months.
By this afternoon, it was on pace to overtake his interview with pop star Taylor Swift which has approximately 1.4 million views.
Streisand Effect FTW !!
By this afternoon, it was on pace to overtake his interview with pop star Taylor Swift which has approximately 1.4 million views.
Streisand Effect FTW !!
In half a dozen #EV models over 28 years, Ford has never designed one from the ground up. That's now changed. Its development team gave us more details on the design + tech for its 2028 midsize electric pickup truck, first of many EVs to be built on the dedicated Universal Electric Vehicle platform.
Ford's New Mid-Size Truck Will Be a Fully Modern EV That'll Cost $30K When It Goes on Sale in 2027
After a string of EVs adapted from other projects, Detroit’s second-largest maker has finally started with a clean sheet of paper.
www.caranddriver.com
February 17, 2026 at 4:07 PM
In half a dozen #EV models over 28 years, Ford has never designed one from the ground up. That's now changed. Its development team gave us more details on the design + tech for its 2028 midsize electric pickup truck, first of many EVs to be built on the dedicated Universal Electric Vehicle platform.
This 21-min 'Late Show' segment on Christian nationalism + Texas politics with Senate hopeful James Talarico was preemptively pulled by the CBS legal team (under its new owners) to avoid conflict with new "equal time" enforcement guidelines proposed by FCC Chair Brendan Carr.
Streisand Effect ??
Streisand Effect ??
Rep. James Talarico On Confronting Christian Nationalism, And Strange Days In The Texas Legislature
YouTube video by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
www.youtube.com
February 17, 2026 at 2:21 PM
This 21-min 'Late Show' segment on Christian nationalism + Texas politics with Senate hopeful James Talarico was preemptively pulled by the CBS legal team (under its new owners) to avoid conflict with new "equal time" enforcement guidelines proposed by FCC Chair Brendan Carr.
Streisand Effect ??
Streisand Effect ??
Reposted by John Voelcker
Did you know that strawberries are not berries, and are actually mammals?
February 16, 2026 at 10:10 AM
Did you know that strawberries are not berries, and are actually mammals?
Hey #weirdcarBS and #carbluesky ??
OK, new quest: Anyone know someone who owns an Aston Martin Lagonda (the Bill Towns one) in Northern or Central California ... who might be willing to be visited by some intrepid Tempting Fate types?
There's a reason. Pic for attention. #weirdcarbs #carbluesky
There's a reason. Pic for attention. #weirdcarbs #carbluesky
February 17, 2026 at 12:08 AM
Hey #weirdcarBS and #carbluesky ??
A proposed constitutional amendment giving Congress the power to block presidential pardons gained its first House GOP cosponsor.
Didn't see this one coming. Of course, can't IMAGINE why it would be needed. Wonder if it has legs.
My Q: Is it retroactive? (De-pardon the Jan 6th insurrectionists!)
Didn't see this one coming. Of course, can't IMAGINE why it would be needed. Wonder if it has legs.
My Q: Is it retroactive? (De-pardon the Jan 6th insurrectionists!)
A measure giving Congress the power to block Trump pardons draws Republican backing
"Frankly, it is clear to me the pardon authority has been abused," Rep. Don Bacon said.
www.axios.com
February 16, 2026 at 11:14 PM
A proposed constitutional amendment giving Congress the power to block presidential pardons gained its first House GOP cosponsor.
Didn't see this one coming. Of course, can't IMAGINE why it would be needed. Wonder if it has legs.
My Q: Is it retroactive? (De-pardon the Jan 6th insurrectionists!)
Didn't see this one coming. Of course, can't IMAGINE why it would be needed. Wonder if it has legs.
My Q: Is it retroactive? (De-pardon the Jan 6th insurrectionists!)
High end #EV performance cars seem to be a screaming bargain right now. This isn't the one I'd take, but $50K for a 5-year-old #Tesla Model S Plaid with 40K miles seems like a lot of car for the price of a high-end 3-Series. (1 of 2)
2021 Tesla Model S Plaid - 1,000+ Horsepower, Tri-Motor AWD, Full Self-Driving Capability, California-Owned
This 2021 Tesla Model S Plaid is for sale on Cars & Bids! Auction ends February 16 2026.
carsandbids.com
February 16, 2026 at 10:41 PM
Never a dull moment in the #EV world.
But I'm shocked this piece doesn't mention China's 50-50 deal to allow Western makers into its market 40 years ago. Why not replicate that here?
The U.S. would control the EV joint ventures + the "backward" domestic makers could "learn" from the Chinese.
But I'm shocked this piece doesn't mention China's 50-50 deal to allow Western makers into its market 40 years ago. Why not replicate that here?
The U.S. would control the EV joint ventures + the "backward" domestic makers could "learn" from the Chinese.
Ford is asking the Trump Administration to allow Chinese EV tech in the US
In what would be a “watershed moment,” Ford’s CEO, Jim Farley, reportedly spoke with the Trump Administration about partnering with...
electrek.co
February 16, 2026 at 5:25 PM
Never a dull moment in the #EV world.
But I'm shocked this piece doesn't mention China's 50-50 deal to allow Western makers into its market 40 years ago. Why not replicate that here?
The U.S. would control the EV joint ventures + the "backward" domestic makers could "learn" from the Chinese.
But I'm shocked this piece doesn't mention China's 50-50 deal to allow Western makers into its market 40 years ago. Why not replicate that here?
The U.S. would control the EV joint ventures + the "backward" domestic makers could "learn" from the Chinese.
I see.
Good to know what at least one editor at the Cleveland Plain Dealer considers to be "journalism".
Good to know what at least one editor at the Cleveland Plain Dealer considers to be "journalism".
A conscientious journalism grad withdraw from a job when she learned the Cleveland Plain Dealer uses AI to write its stories.
Now the editor is castigating her and journalism professors for not being “prepared for the workforce.”
You can’t make this shit up.
www.cleveland.com/news/2026/02...
Now the editor is castigating her and journalism professors for not being “prepared for the workforce.”
You can’t make this shit up.
www.cleveland.com/news/2026/02...
February 16, 2026 at 2:55 PM
I see.
Good to know what at least one editor at the Cleveland Plain Dealer considers to be "journalism".
Good to know what at least one editor at the Cleveland Plain Dealer considers to be "journalism".
Reposted by John Voelcker
I propose to make universal the old policy of the Blackfriars conference at the American Shakespeare Center:
If you do not end your paper on time, you will be forced to exit, pursued by a bear. Literally, a bear will come take your paper from you.
If you do not end your paper on time, you will be forced to exit, pursued by a bear. Literally, a bear will come take your paper from you.
February 16, 2026 at 1:14 AM
I propose to make universal the old policy of the Blackfriars conference at the American Shakespeare Center:
If you do not end your paper on time, you will be forced to exit, pursued by a bear. Literally, a bear will come take your paper from you.
If you do not end your paper on time, you will be forced to exit, pursued by a bear. Literally, a bear will come take your paper from you.
"The key question isn’t whether GM can afford to keep the Silverado EV around in the short term, but whether it can materially improve the economics across its #EV portfolio through lower battery costs, manufacturing efficiencies, or simpler product strategies."
GM's EV pickups, like the Chevy Silverado, remain but for how long?
Experts say discontinuing General Motors' all-electric pickups would be more complicated than it was for the other automakers. Where things stand.
www.freep.com
February 16, 2026 at 1:03 PM
"The key question isn’t whether GM can afford to keep the Silverado EV around in the short term, but whether it can materially improve the economics across its #EV portfolio through lower battery costs, manufacturing efficiencies, or simpler product strategies."
Worth the read, for George Washington in particular.
No Kings. No Presidents Day.
Happy Washington's Birthday (observed).
goodpoliticsbadpolitics.substack.com
February 16, 2026 at 12:31 PM
Worth the read, for George Washington in particular.
A group called Singing Resistance has grown in just 6 weeks from a few hundred Minnesotans singing in the streets to a rapidly expanding nationwide movement.
How Minnesota's Singing Resistance is expanding across the nation
The group has attracted Minnesotans who haven't participated in political organizing before, organizers said.
www.axios.com
February 16, 2026 at 11:10 AM
A group called Singing Resistance has grown in just 6 weeks from a few hundred Minnesotans singing in the streets to a rapidly expanding nationwide movement.
Reposted by John Voelcker
(1/11) If you live in NY, you’ve probably started seeing a new warning: “THIS PRICE WAS SET BY AN ALGORITHM USING YOUR PERSONAL DATA.” This mandatory disclosure went into effect late last year, and it’s the first attempt by a US state to grapple with a new generation of surveillance pricing.
February 11, 2026 at 8:41 PM
(1/11) If you live in NY, you’ve probably started seeing a new warning: “THIS PRICE WAS SET BY AN ALGORITHM USING YOUR PERSONAL DATA.” This mandatory disclosure went into effect late last year, and it’s the first attempt by a US state to grapple with a new generation of surveillance pricing.
Did you know @thedailybeast.bsky.social ran Conchita Sarnoff's expose of Epstein's predation on children in 2010?
It came years before the equally powerful 2018 series by Julie Brown. But the Beast pieces never really landed.
@tinabrownlm.bsky.social talks to Beast editor Hugh Dougherty. Watch it.
It came years before the equally powerful 2018 series by Julie Brown. But the Beast pieces never really landed.
@tinabrownlm.bsky.social talks to Beast editor Hugh Dougherty. Watch it.
How Evil Epstein Used Elites to Stifle the Truth | The Daily Beast Podcast
YouTube video by The Daily Beast
www.youtube.com
February 16, 2026 at 2:04 AM
Did you know @thedailybeast.bsky.social ran Conchita Sarnoff's expose of Epstein's predation on children in 2010?
It came years before the equally powerful 2018 series by Julie Brown. But the Beast pieces never really landed.
@tinabrownlm.bsky.social talks to Beast editor Hugh Dougherty. Watch it.
It came years before the equally powerful 2018 series by Julie Brown. But the Beast pieces never really landed.
@tinabrownlm.bsky.social talks to Beast editor Hugh Dougherty. Watch it.
A Trump devotee bought Epstein’s secluded New Mexico ranch, where many survivors said they were abused by the sex offender.
The Santa Fe New Mexican revealed (via records requests) that businessman Don Huffines, 67, bought Epstein’s infamous Zorro Ranch in 2023. He is running for Texas comptroller.
The Santa Fe New Mexican revealed (via records requests) that businessman Don Huffines, 67, bought Epstein’s infamous Zorro Ranch in 2023. He is running for Texas comptroller.
Texas businessman running for office owns Epstein's Zorro Ranch in Santa Fe County
The family of Texas real estate businessman Don Huffines, a Republican running for state comptroller, purchased the property through an LLC.
www.santafenewmexican.com
February 16, 2026 at 1:23 AM
A Trump devotee bought Epstein’s secluded New Mexico ranch, where many survivors said they were abused by the sex offender.
The Santa Fe New Mexican revealed (via records requests) that businessman Don Huffines, 67, bought Epstein’s infamous Zorro Ranch in 2023. He is running for Texas comptroller.
The Santa Fe New Mexican revealed (via records requests) that businessman Don Huffines, 67, bought Epstein’s infamous Zorro Ranch in 2023. He is running for Texas comptroller.