Joshua J. Friedman
@joshuajfriedman.com
Freelance writer and editor. Formerly of The Atlantic, Boston Review.
Welcoming media and local government to Bluesky.
Welcoming media and local government to Bluesky.
Pinned
Joshua J. Friedman
@joshuajfriedman.com
· Oct 26
🦋 WELCOME TO BLUESKY! I recommend exploring our custom feeds, which are a little like hashtags but more interesting. We have them for academic and professional subjects, sports, cities, hobbies (e.g., gardening, baking), and many more. Search them in the sidebar under Feeds. 🧵
Welcome, new Bluesky users! Please check out the thread below for tips on setting up your account, making your feed more interesting, finding old Twitter friends, search, privacy, stats, and more (and please ask questions if you have them)
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
Welcome to Headquarters, the new Gen-Z led progressive content hub.
February 5, 2026 at 4:46 PM
Welcome to Headquarters, the new Gen-Z led progressive content hub.
“AUSAs are appearing daily for hearings on contempt motions.”
NEW: The top Trump-appointed proseutor in MN says his office is dropping "pressing priorities" to manage crushing immigration workload.
His short-staffed office is doing constant overtime and bouncing between contempt hearings.
The bleak assessment:
www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
His short-staffed office is doing constant overtime and bouncing between contempt hearings.
The bleak assessment:
www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
February 5, 2026 at 4:05 PM
“AUSAs are appearing daily for hearings on contempt motions.”
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
she would like the rain to stop now please
February 3, 2026 at 5:13 PM
she would like the rain to stop now please
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
NEW: The Justice Department unit responsible for pursuing potential wrongdoing by law enforcement, including during the crackdown in Minneapolis, has lost two-thirds of its prosecutors and is under orders to scale back its investigations of excessive force.
www.reuters.com/world/justic...
www.reuters.com/world/justic...
February 5, 2026 at 12:36 PM
NEW: The Justice Department unit responsible for pursuing potential wrongdoing by law enforcement, including during the crackdown in Minneapolis, has lost two-thirds of its prosecutors and is under orders to scale back its investigations of excessive force.
www.reuters.com/world/justic...
www.reuters.com/world/justic...
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
We watched A League of Their Own and my kids have absolutely no idea who Madonna is. I listed songs, nope, no interest, no clue.
February 4, 2026 at 5:08 AM
We watched A League of Their Own and my kids have absolutely no idea who Madonna is. I listed songs, nope, no interest, no clue.
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
This sounds familiar... 🤔 But growing a newsroom from the ground up takes time and money — and frankly, we need way more resources than we have now to fill this massive gap.
You can help us build the newsroom D.C. deserves: 51st.news/signup
You can help us build the newsroom D.C. deserves: 51st.news/signup
February 4, 2026 at 3:19 PM
This sounds familiar... 🤔 But growing a newsroom from the ground up takes time and money — and frankly, we need way more resources than we have now to fill this massive gap.
You can help us build the newsroom D.C. deserves: 51st.news/signup
You can help us build the newsroom D.C. deserves: 51st.news/signup
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5X4... you have seen this right??
Tom Waits/Cookie Monster mashup - God's Away On Business
YouTube video by cookiewaits
www.youtube.com
February 5, 2026 at 4:19 AM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5X4... you have seen this right??
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
The transcript of the MN hearing where an AUSA said “This job sucks” is remarkable for more reasons than that. It’s a searing portrait of a crisis perpetrated by depraved & oblivious high-level officials. Read it all. ...
1/7
www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
1/7
www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
19-TS of 020326 hearing - Segundo APG v. Bondi, 26-CV-603
www.documentcloud.org
February 5, 2026 at 1:52 AM
The transcript of the MN hearing where an AUSA said “This job sucks” is remarkable for more reasons than that. It’s a searing portrait of a crisis perpetrated by depraved & oblivious high-level officials. Read it all. ...
1/7
www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
1/7
www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
9 year old just asked me at bedtime why women uphold patriarchy. Apropos of a female character in Anne of Green Gables scoffing at the notion of women preachers.
February 5, 2026 at 1:48 AM
9 year old just asked me at bedtime why women uphold patriarchy. Apropos of a female character in Anne of Green Gables scoffing at the notion of women preachers.
Lifehack: beans
February 5, 2026 at 1:26 AM
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
Got expelled from day care in two hours because the other dogs didn’t like being herded. He was just doing his jobs
February 5, 2026 at 12:55 AM
Got expelled from day care in two hours because the other dogs didn’t like being herded. He was just doing his jobs
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
The CIA just stopped publishing their World Factbook and took every page, including the archived copies of previous versions!
This sucks. It was public domain, so I recovered the 2020 edition (the last one published as a zip file) and shared it to GitHub simonwillison.net/2026/Feb/5/t...
This sucks. It was public domain, so I recovered the 2020 edition (the last one published as a zip file) and shared it to GitHub simonwillison.net/2026/Feb/5/t...
Spotlighting The World Factbook as We Bid a Fond Farewell
Somewhat devastating news today from the CIA: One of CIA’s oldest and most recognizable intelligence publications, The World Factbook, has sunset. There's not even a hint as to why they …
simonwillison.net
February 5, 2026 at 12:25 AM
The CIA just stopped publishing their World Factbook and took every page, including the archived copies of previous versions!
This sucks. It was public domain, so I recovered the 2020 edition (the last one published as a zip file) and shared it to GitHub simonwillison.net/2026/Feb/5/t...
This sucks. It was public domain, so I recovered the 2020 edition (the last one published as a zip file) and shared it to GitHub simonwillison.net/2026/Feb/5/t...
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
One awesome thing about being an indie writer: pretty much every person I've encountered who does it has learned a ton from other indies who've generously shared their knowledge and support, and wants to pay it forward.
With the awful WaPo layoffs and the state of journalism more broadly, if it's useful for any writers and reporters considering going indy, @molly.wiki, @xoxogossipgita.bsky.social of Aftermath, @jasonkoebler.bsky.social of 404 Media, @edzitron.com and me will do a little workshop next week.
February 5, 2026 at 12:19 AM
One awesome thing about being an indie writer: pretty much every person I've encountered who does it has learned a ton from other indies who've generously shared their knowledge and support, and wants to pay it forward.
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
so Heated Rivalry-pilled, I had to find the local angle about it 🏒🌈
New York’s queer hockey club is seeing a LOT more interest these days! (and so are leagues like it around the country.) new story from me:
New York’s queer hockey club is seeing a LOT more interest these days! (and so are leagues like it around the country.) new story from me:
Join the Club: ‘Heated Rivalry’ is Making Queer Hockey New York’s Hottest Sport
The Pride Hockey Alliance has been bringing “hot queer friends” together for years before the buzziest show on ice.
www.thecity.nyc
February 4, 2026 at 1:57 PM
so Heated Rivalry-pilled, I had to find the local angle about it 🏒🌈
New York’s queer hockey club is seeing a LOT more interest these days! (and so are leagues like it around the country.) new story from me:
New York’s queer hockey club is seeing a LOT more interest these days! (and so are leagues like it around the country.) new story from me:
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
The latest in my reporting on misconduct allegations and workplace issues involving federal courts -
www.npr.org/2026/02/04/n...
www.npr.org/2026/02/04/n...
Newly released court records reveal misconduct inquiry into federal judge
A federal judge said he retired to speak out about threats to the rule of law. Newly released court orders suggest his exit coincided with a misconduct inquiry that ended when he stepped down.
www.npr.org
February 4, 2026 at 11:53 PM
The latest in my reporting on misconduct allegations and workplace issues involving federal courts -
www.npr.org/2026/02/04/n...
www.npr.org/2026/02/04/n...
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
Wow it sure looks like Judge Mark Wolf, a federal district judge in Boston, retired in order to end an inquiry into possible misconduct and then pretended he was retiring so he could speak out against Trump. Via the great @carriejohnson.bsky.social
www.npr.org/2026/02/04/n...
www.npr.org/2026/02/04/n...
Newly released court records reveal misconduct inquiry into federal judge
A federal judge said he retired to speak out about threats to the rule of law. Newly released court orders suggest his exit coincided with a misconduct inquiry that ended when he stepped down.
www.npr.org
February 5, 2026 at 12:00 AM
Wow it sure looks like Judge Mark Wolf, a federal district judge in Boston, retired in order to end an inquiry into possible misconduct and then pretended he was retiring so he could speak out against Trump. Via the great @carriejohnson.bsky.social
www.npr.org/2026/02/04/n...
www.npr.org/2026/02/04/n...
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
quick, someone help, we've got a vegetable situation
February 4, 2026 at 9:32 PM
quick, someone help, we've got a vegetable situation
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
News: R leaders are sweating Texas Senate race
- worries Paxton puts Senate majority at risk
- Thune making says endorsing Cornyn could save up to $200 million, says he's made "business case" to Trump
- NRSC polling has Cornyn +3 on Talarico, +7 on Crockett (Paxton -3 v Talarico, +1 v Crockett)
- worries Paxton puts Senate majority at risk
- Thune making says endorsing Cornyn could save up to $200 million, says he's made "business case" to Trump
- NRSC polling has Cornyn +3 on Talarico, +7 on Crockett (Paxton -3 v Talarico, +1 v Crockett)
February 4, 2026 at 10:47 PM
News: R leaders are sweating Texas Senate race
- worries Paxton puts Senate majority at risk
- Thune making says endorsing Cornyn could save up to $200 million, says he's made "business case" to Trump
- NRSC polling has Cornyn +3 on Talarico, +7 on Crockett (Paxton -3 v Talarico, +1 v Crockett)
- worries Paxton puts Senate majority at risk
- Thune making says endorsing Cornyn could save up to $200 million, says he's made "business case" to Trump
- NRSC polling has Cornyn +3 on Talarico, +7 on Crockett (Paxton -3 v Talarico, +1 v Crockett)
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
senators only do this when they're in extreme distress
February 4, 2026 at 9:32 PM
senators only do this when they're in extreme distress
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
NEWS
Elon Musk and others LOSE their bid to duck depositions in DOGE litigation.
Judge doubts protections for "high-ranking government officials" for multiple reasons. It's unclear they ever had that status, and Musk "left government service."
Doc buff.ly/uhpSOTz
Elon Musk and others LOSE their bid to duck depositions in DOGE litigation.
Judge doubts protections for "high-ranking government officials" for multiple reasons. It's unclear they ever had that status, and Musk "left government service."
Doc buff.ly/uhpSOTz
February 4, 2026 at 10:18 PM
NEWS
Elon Musk and others LOSE their bid to duck depositions in DOGE litigation.
Judge doubts protections for "high-ranking government officials" for multiple reasons. It's unclear they ever had that status, and Musk "left government service."
Doc buff.ly/uhpSOTz
Elon Musk and others LOSE their bid to duck depositions in DOGE litigation.
Judge doubts protections for "high-ranking government officials" for multiple reasons. It's unclear they ever had that status, and Musk "left government service."
Doc buff.ly/uhpSOTz
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
at the vet, determined to lick everythinggg
February 4, 2026 at 9:30 PM
at the vet, determined to lick everythinggg
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
The three credit unions in Ithaca are now called Beginnings, Visions, and Alternatives
February 4, 2026 at 9:55 PM
The three credit unions in Ithaca are now called Beginnings, Visions, and Alternatives
Reposted by Joshua J. Friedman
WaPo's Matt Murray told staff the paper is shuttering sports, moving remaining staff to features, shrinking foreign coverage, restructuring metro, closing books coverage, suspending Post Reports podcast
“Whole company now waiting for a live or die email” one staffer said
More in tonight’s Status
“Whole company now waiting for a live or die email” one staffer said
More in tonight’s Status
February 4, 2026 at 1:57 PM
WaPo's Matt Murray told staff the paper is shuttering sports, moving remaining staff to features, shrinking foreign coverage, restructuring metro, closing books coverage, suspending Post Reports podcast
“Whole company now waiting for a live or die email” one staffer said
More in tonight’s Status
“Whole company now waiting for a live or die email” one staffer said
More in tonight’s Status
My Brooklyn ❤️
February 4, 2026 at 3:32 AM
My Brooklyn ❤️