Reposted by Jack Womack
FYI - if you follow me here and wanna get my columns directly into your inbox, I also send them out via my personal newsletter, which you can sign up for here: www.elizabethspiers.com/on-the-epste...
On the Epstein Files and Oligarchs with Room Temperature IQs
One of my ongoing frustrations of our culture's veneration of capitalistic success is that it causes people to ascribe positive qualities to rich people that they may or may not have--intelligence and...
www.elizabethspiers.com
February 17, 2026 at 9:36 PM
FYI - if you follow me here and wanna get my columns directly into your inbox, I also send them out via my personal newsletter, which you can sign up for here: www.elizabethspiers.com/on-the-epste...
Reposted by Jack Womack
This stuff is the equivalent scandal to landlords exploiting grants for buy to let mortgages.
Massive data brokers will lease the hardware back to the public at a profit having bought it all out with government subsidies and destroy everyday amenities in the process.
Massive data brokers will lease the hardware back to the public at a profit having bought it all out with government subsidies and destroy everyday amenities in the process.
February 17, 2026 at 9:36 PM
This stuff is the equivalent scandal to landlords exploiting grants for buy to let mortgages.
Massive data brokers will lease the hardware back to the public at a profit having bought it all out with government subsidies and destroy everyday amenities in the process.
Massive data brokers will lease the hardware back to the public at a profit having bought it all out with government subsidies and destroy everyday amenities in the process.
Reposted by Jack Womack
If you've looked at Xitter anytime recently, it is overwhelmingly (a) bots (b) porn (c) scams (d) Russian/MAGA agitprop.
And of course (e) Musk-worship.
Plus the "legit" institutions that are still on there. As they should not be.
And of course (e) Musk-worship.
Plus the "legit" institutions that are still on there. As they should not be.
Elon Musk's social media platform X faces a European Union privacy investigation after its Grok AI chatbot started spitting out nonconsensual deepfake images, Ireland's data privacy regulator said Tuesday. https://to.pbs.org/3Owjoqe
Musk's Grok chatbot faces EU privacy investigation over sexualized deepfake images
X faces a new EU privacy investigation after its Grok chatbot generated nonconsensual deepfake images on the platform.
www.pbs.org
February 17, 2026 at 9:35 PM
If you've looked at Xitter anytime recently, it is overwhelmingly (a) bots (b) porn (c) scams (d) Russian/MAGA agitprop.
And of course (e) Musk-worship.
Plus the "legit" institutions that are still on there. As they should not be.
And of course (e) Musk-worship.
Plus the "legit" institutions that are still on there. As they should not be.
Reposted by Jack Womack
As a beer purchaser 35 years younger than this guy: he wishes
Sen. Mike Rounds makes the case for voter ID: "Look, I can't even buy a Coors Light without showing my ID"
February 17, 2026 at 9:36 PM
As a beer purchaser 35 years younger than this guy: he wishes
Reposted by Jack Womack
shit is STILL rough here. this is a map of current reported ICE activity in the twin cities area (via iceout.org/en/ )
February 17, 2026 at 7:32 PM
shit is STILL rough here. this is a map of current reported ICE activity in the twin cities area (via iceout.org/en/ )
Reposted by Jack Womack
I have so many paczki in my house.
February 17, 2026 at 8:10 PM
I have so many paczki in my house.
Reposted by Jack Womack
A United Nations committee empowered to review complaints against the U.N.’s special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories has dismissed allegations of antisemitism against Francesca Albanese as being based on disinformation.
Panel rebukes EU nations for seeking ouster of UN’s Albanese over Israel-Gaza remarks
Review committee says the antisemitism allegations against the special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories are “rooted in disinformation.”
www.politico.eu
February 17, 2026 at 9:00 PM
A United Nations committee empowered to review complaints against the U.N.’s special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories has dismissed allegations of antisemitism against Francesca Albanese as being based on disinformation.
Reposted by Jack Womack
“The cavalry is coming.”
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band to launch Land of Hope & Dreams Tour 'in defense of America' — Billboard
“The calvary is coming,” the Boss declares with the 20-date outing
apple.news
February 17, 2026 at 8:11 PM
“The cavalry is coming.”
Reposted by Jack Womack
being jewish and hyperaware of antisemitism all your life and then, as an adult, suddenly finding out that there *is* a jewish conspiracy to control media and academia, it's just that it's one horrible asshole who was *insanely good at networking*
February 17, 2026 at 9:15 AM
being jewish and hyperaware of antisemitism all your life and then, as an adult, suddenly finding out that there *is* a jewish conspiracy to control media and academia, it's just that it's one horrible asshole who was *insanely good at networking*
Reposted by Jack Womack
“Women are smart enough to get the paperwork they need for a voter ID.”
Yeah, we’re also smart enough to have read Project 2025 and know this is not about voter identification.
It’s about voter intimidation.
Yeah, we’re also smart enough to have read Project 2025 and know this is not about voter identification.
It’s about voter intimidation.
February 17, 2026 at 8:25 PM
“Women are smart enough to get the paperwork they need for a voter ID.”
Yeah, we’re also smart enough to have read Project 2025 and know this is not about voter identification.
It’s about voter intimidation.
Yeah, we’re also smart enough to have read Project 2025 and know this is not about voter identification.
It’s about voter intimidation.
Reposted by Jack Womack
This was the intended outcome of the abortion ban.
Pregnancy became far more dangerous in Texas after the state banned abortion, according to ProPublica’s first-of-its-kind analysis, which found the sepsis rate for women hospitalized as they miscarried in the 2nd trimester shot up by more than 50%.
(Published Feb. 2025)
(Published Feb. 2025)
Texas Banned Abortion. Then Sepsis Rates Soared.
ProPublica’s first-of-its-kind analysis is the most detailed look yet into a rise in life-threatening complications for women experiencing pregnancy loss under Texas’ abortion ban.
www.propublica.org
February 17, 2026 at 10:53 AM
This was the intended outcome of the abortion ban.
Reposted by Jack Womack
Journalist Georgia Fort: “Part of the reason why I’m so committed to telling our stories is because too often when you allow other people to tell your story, especially if you’re a Black American, they get it wrong.” www.essence.com/news/georgia...
February 17, 2026 at 9:26 PM
Journalist Georgia Fort: “Part of the reason why I’m so committed to telling our stories is because too often when you allow other people to tell your story, especially if you’re a Black American, they get it wrong.” www.essence.com/news/georgia...
Reposted by Jack Womack
Tumbrils. We're gonna need bunches of tumbrils. Bunches.
Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on tariffs: "It's not regressive. Most consumption in America is done by the wealthiest people. So the idea it's somehow regressive is just wrong."
February 17, 2026 at 9:27 PM
Tumbrils. We're gonna need bunches of tumbrils. Bunches.
Reposted by Jack Womack
Bad fucking luck to be living through the gas leak era of American history
October 27, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Bad fucking luck to be living through the gas leak era of American history
Reposted by Jack Womack
“I can’t bend. I can’t twist. I can’t properly zoom. This is a violation of kitten rights.”
Mildly uncomfortable. Deeply miffed. Still adorable.
#cats #BlueskyCats #gato #CatsOfBluesky
Mildly uncomfortable. Deeply miffed. Still adorable.
#cats #BlueskyCats #gato #CatsOfBluesky
February 17, 2026 at 1:48 PM
“I can’t bend. I can’t twist. I can’t properly zoom. This is a violation of kitten rights.”
Mildly uncomfortable. Deeply miffed. Still adorable.
#cats #BlueskyCats #gato #CatsOfBluesky
Mildly uncomfortable. Deeply miffed. Still adorable.
#cats #BlueskyCats #gato #CatsOfBluesky
Reposted by Jack Womack
Read all about this case here: slate.com/news-and-pol...
Minnesotans Just Won a Huge Court Victory Against ICE
A federal judge required ICE to allow reasonable time for detainees at the Whipple detention center in Minneapolis to access legal counsel.
slate.com
February 17, 2026 at 8:24 PM
Read all about this case here: slate.com/news-and-pol...
Reposted by Jack Womack
A lot of this stuff should have been running on lighter computing platforms anyway and it's partly that it saves money running windows in kiosk mode on everything in terms of developer costs but huge amounts of connected tech is just PCs hidden inside a box.
February 17, 2026 at 9:29 PM
A lot of this stuff should have been running on lighter computing platforms anyway and it's partly that it saves money running windows in kiosk mode on everything in terms of developer costs but huge amounts of connected tech is just PCs hidden inside a box.
Reposted by Jack Womack
Petrol station coffee machines, a lot of "smart" vending machines, street side ATMs, most self service shop tills, the basic infrastructure of modern life is going to start to break and lack parts to fix it.
February 17, 2026 at 9:26 PM
Petrol station coffee machines, a lot of "smart" vending machines, street side ATMs, most self service shop tills, the basic infrastructure of modern life is going to start to break and lack parts to fix it.
Reposted by Jack Womack
People talk about this stuff in terms of how much it'll suck for gaming and I hate to inform you how many MRI machines, X-Rays, all sorts of other vital machinery are just a Windows IoT Edition PC in a beige plastic box with a big magnet/accelerator/whatever attached.
WD and Seagate confirm: Hard drives for 2026 sold out
WD and Seagate confirm: Hard drives for 2026 sold out
Hyperscalers are tearing hard drives out of the hands of manufacturers. Prices are therefore also rising for SSDs.
www.heise.de
February 17, 2026 at 9:12 PM
People talk about this stuff in terms of how much it'll suck for gaming and I hate to inform you how many MRI machines, X-Rays, all sorts of other vital machinery are just a Windows IoT Edition PC in a beige plastic box with a big magnet/accelerator/whatever attached.
Reposted by Jack Womack
king cake AND moon cakes, fucking hell
February 17, 2026 at 9:20 PM
king cake AND moon cakes, fucking hell
Reposted by Jack Womack
Happy Mardi Gras
Happy Lunar New Year of The Horse
Happy Lunar New Year of The Horse
February 17, 2026 at 7:33 PM
Happy Mardi Gras
Happy Lunar New Year of The Horse
Happy Lunar New Year of The Horse
Reposted by Jack Womack
Unsurprisingly, Bezos WaPo editorializes that with AI "the disruption of white-collar work might do a lot of good."
What AI is really coming for
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
What AI is really coming for
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Opinion | What AI is really coming for
The U.S. might need fewer lawyers in the AI age. Good.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 17, 2026 at 9:11 PM
Unsurprisingly, Bezos WaPo editorializes that with AI "the disruption of white-collar work might do a lot of good."
What AI is really coming for
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
What AI is really coming for
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Reposted by Jack Womack
One of the more unfairly maligned political figures of my lifetime. He earned my lifelong respect as a huge presence in Chicago for decades pushing for employment & housing equality, which is almost always ignored in favor of the commentary on his national profile.
Latest: Presidents and Faith Leaders Pay Tribute to Jesse Jackson
www.nytimes.com
February 17, 2026 at 9:16 PM
One of the more unfairly maligned political figures of my lifetime. He earned my lifelong respect as a huge presence in Chicago for decades pushing for employment & housing equality, which is almost always ignored in favor of the commentary on his national profile.
Reposted by Jack Womack
We are all deeply concerned that Juan and his mom will be deported and that Juan’s health will continue to deteriorate. His life is in danger because of ICE’s monstrous cruelty. I will continue to provide updates and we will keep fighting to protect them.
February 17, 2026 at 7:37 PM
We are all deeply concerned that Juan and his mom will be deported and that Juan’s health will continue to deteriorate. His life is in danger because of ICE’s monstrous cruelty. I will continue to provide updates and we will keep fighting to protect them.