Thomas Beck
@tomfodw.bsky.social
Historian of 19th & 20th century Russia/Europe (mostly pre-1921); science fiction author & fan; lover of cats, dogs, chocolate, books, movies, television, baseball, soccer, ice hockey, cricket, Hawaii.
Follow my Substack! https://thomasbeck.substack.com
Follow my Substack! https://thomasbeck.substack.com
Reposted by Thomas Beck
Important thread.
🇬🇪Georgia is sliding into a legal dictatorship. Not overnight. Step by step. Each protest is met with a new tailored law.
Each law designed to exhaust, criminalize, and isolate society until resistance itself becomes illegal.
Here is how the latest law changes everything.
1/11
Each law designed to exhaust, criminalize, and isolate society until resistance itself becomes illegal.
Here is how the latest law changes everything.
1/11
February 2, 2026 at 10:37 AM
Important thread.
Oh wow. 🤣🤭
From the Guardian review:
"I’m not even sure it qualifies as a documentary, exactly, so much as an elaborate piece of designer taxidermy"
From the Guardian review:
"I’m not even sure it qualifies as a documentary, exactly, so much as an elaborate piece of designer taxidermy"
February 1, 2026 at 6:14 PM
Oh wow. 🤣🤭
From the Guardian review:
"I’m not even sure it qualifies as a documentary, exactly, so much as an elaborate piece of designer taxidermy"
From the Guardian review:
"I’m not even sure it qualifies as a documentary, exactly, so much as an elaborate piece of designer taxidermy"
кролики кролики кролики! 😉
February 1, 2026 at 2:27 PM
кролики кролики кролики! 😉
Reposted by Thomas Beck
you are part of what the world is watching, not one of the watchers
They’re taking kids from Minnesota and sending them to detention camps. They’re shooting American citizens in the street and locking investigators out of the crime scenes. The world is watching what happens next.
Hundreds of people spelled out the distress signal "SOS" on Bde Maka Ska in Minneapolis on Friday, Jan. 30.
📷️ Provided by Jeff Schad
📷️ Provided by Jeff Schad
February 1, 2026 at 2:09 PM
you are part of what the world is watching, not one of the watchers
Reposted by Thomas Beck
🎥”Melania” truly reflects the Trump’s. Nothing but deceit, propaganda, and fraud wrapped up in a glossy fluff piece of nauseating phoniness.
If they wanted ticket sales & better reviews, they should have shown Mel’s porn years & Epstein visits.
If they wanted ticket sales & better reviews, they should have shown Mel’s porn years & Epstein visits.
January 31, 2026 at 7:45 PM
🎥”Melania” truly reflects the Trump’s. Nothing but deceit, propaganda, and fraud wrapped up in a glossy fluff piece of nauseating phoniness.
If they wanted ticket sales & better reviews, they should have shown Mel’s porn years & Epstein visits.
If they wanted ticket sales & better reviews, they should have shown Mel’s porn years & Epstein visits.
I would love to hear all the crowds sing this (and all the other great songs too)!
Joan Baez-Bread and roses
YouTube video by Do Re Mi Fur Kan
youtu.be
February 1, 2026 at 1:25 AM
I would love to hear all the crowds sing this (and all the other great songs too)!
I’m reading a really good book—and arguing with it! The best kind of engagement.
February 1, 2026 at 1:02 AM
I’m reading a really good book—and arguing with it! The best kind of engagement.
Art, music, birdwatching, reading for pleasure, tending to one’s garden, cooking, conversing with friends, and self-care in general are more important now than ever. Anxiety, fear, frenzy, and stress are mind- and soul-killers.
We can’t care for others if we’re falling apart.
We can’t care for others if we’re falling apart.
January 31, 2026 at 9:19 PM
Art, music, birdwatching, reading for pleasure, tending to one’s garden, cooking, conversing with friends, and self-care in general are more important now than ever. Anxiety, fear, frenzy, and stress are mind- and soul-killers.
We can’t care for others if we’re falling apart.
We can’t care for others if we’re falling apart.
Reposted by Thomas Beck
www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general...
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon has been released after his arrest stemming from his reporting of a protest at a Minnesota church. Marilyn Bednarski, his lawyer, said he later intends to plead not guilty…
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon has been released after his arrest stemming from his reporting of a protest at a Minnesota church. Marilyn Bednarski, his lawyer, said he later intends to plead not guilty…
Don Lemon Released After Arrest Over Coverage of Minnesota Church Protest
The government has accused the former CNN anchor of interfering with church-goers' rights to freely practice their religious beliefs.
www.hollywoodreporter.com
January 30, 2026 at 11:22 PM
www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general...
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon has been released after his arrest stemming from his reporting of a protest at a Minnesota church. Marilyn Bednarski, his lawyer, said he later intends to plead not guilty…
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon has been released after his arrest stemming from his reporting of a protest at a Minnesota church. Marilyn Bednarski, his lawyer, said he later intends to plead not guilty…
Reposted by Thomas Beck
I get tired of saying it, but I’ll say it again: the nature of oppression in America is that they workshop it first on Black, Latino, Asian & Native people.
But it is always, in the end, coming for everyone.
But it is always, in the end, coming for everyone.
The arrests of journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort are a test for every MSM member with a platform. If you are not voicing your outrage at this blatant violation of the First Amendment, you are utterly discredited as a journalist.
January 30, 2026 at 4:46 PM
I get tired of saying it, but I’ll say it again: the nature of oppression in America is that they workshop it first on Black, Latino, Asian & Native people.
But it is always, in the end, coming for everyone.
But it is always, in the end, coming for everyone.
Reposted by Thomas Beck
Journalist Georgia Fort has been released from custody (video @fox9mn.bsky.social)
January 30, 2026 at 9:30 PM
Journalist Georgia Fort has been released from custody (video @fox9mn.bsky.social)
Breaking News
"Catherine O'Hara, the comedic actor best known for her performances in the Christmas classic "Home Alone," the mockumentary "Best in Show" and the cult-hit sitcom "Schitt's Creek," has died, according to her manager. She was 71.
"Catherine O'Hara, the comedic actor best known for her performances in the Christmas classic "Home Alone," the mockumentary "Best in Show" and the cult-hit sitcom "Schitt's Creek," has died, according to her manager. She was 71.
January 30, 2026 at 7:20 PM
Breaking News
"Catherine O'Hara, the comedic actor best known for her performances in the Christmas classic "Home Alone," the mockumentary "Best in Show" and the cult-hit sitcom "Schitt's Creek," has died, according to her manager. She was 71.
"Catherine O'Hara, the comedic actor best known for her performances in the Christmas classic "Home Alone," the mockumentary "Best in Show" and the cult-hit sitcom "Schitt's Creek," has died, according to her manager. She was 71.
Sure, why not.
"The $75-million, Amazon-funded Melania Trump documentary is tanking at the box office, but a 2018 erotic thriller that depicts the First Lady as a sexual monster is rocketing up Amazon’s sales charts. 'Melania: Devourer of Men' is currently an Amazon bestseller, sitting at
"The $75-million, Amazon-funded Melania Trump documentary is tanking at the box office, but a 2018 erotic thriller that depicts the First Lady as a sexual monster is rocketing up Amazon’s sales charts. 'Melania: Devourer of Men' is currently an Amazon bestseller, sitting at
Erotic Parody 'Melania: Devourer of Men' Sales Surge on Amazon Amid Documentary Flop
A Reddit-led protest is trying to push an eight year old erotic thriller to the top of Amazon’s sales charts.
www.404media.co
January 30, 2026 at 5:09 PM
Sure, why not.
"The $75-million, Amazon-funded Melania Trump documentary is tanking at the box office, but a 2018 erotic thriller that depicts the First Lady as a sexual monster is rocketing up Amazon’s sales charts. 'Melania: Devourer of Men' is currently an Amazon bestseller, sitting at
"The $75-million, Amazon-funded Melania Trump documentary is tanking at the box office, but a 2018 erotic thriller that depicts the First Lady as a sexual monster is rocketing up Amazon’s sales charts. 'Melania: Devourer of Men' is currently an Amazon bestseller, sitting at
Reposted by Thomas Beck
Trump's view on the Second Amendment is clearly that people who agree with him have a Constitutional right to carry a gun.
January 29, 2026 at 2:03 AM
Trump's view on the Second Amendment is clearly that people who agree with him have a Constitutional right to carry a gun.
Reposted by Thomas Beck
I may be slightly biased as I am a loyal Bruce Springsteen fan, but be sure to give this a listen.
It’s just what many of us need right about now.
It’s time to take care of each other like never before.
youtu.be/wWKSoxG1K7w
It’s just what many of us need right about now.
It’s time to take care of each other like never before.
youtu.be/wWKSoxG1K7w
Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio)
YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen
youtu.be
January 29, 2026 at 3:20 PM
I may be slightly biased as I am a loyal Bruce Springsteen fan, but be sure to give this a listen.
It’s just what many of us need right about now.
It’s time to take care of each other like never before.
youtu.be/wWKSoxG1K7w
It’s just what many of us need right about now.
It’s time to take care of each other like never before.
youtu.be/wWKSoxG1K7w
Reposted by Thomas Beck
Lady Gaga has put out a gorgeous anthem for Minneapolis.
youtu.be/e3o5FIXoK84?...
youtu.be/e3o5FIXoK84?...
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? | Lady Gaga Original
YouTube video by Rocket
youtu.be
January 29, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Lady Gaga has put out a gorgeous anthem for Minneapolis.
youtu.be/e3o5FIXoK84?...
youtu.be/e3o5FIXoK84?...
Reposted by Thomas Beck
to one week - it’s refusing any more time.
The information I’m getting is that there’s no really conclusive way for a peace to be concluded because Russia just doesn’t want it - it never has. It’s about keeping Trump on side and getting the Ukrainians to back off their strategic attacks to keep
The information I’m getting is that there’s no really conclusive way for a peace to be concluded because Russia just doesn’t want it - it never has. It’s about keeping Trump on side and getting the Ukrainians to back off their strategic attacks to keep
January 30, 2026 at 6:54 AM
to one week - it’s refusing any more time.
The information I’m getting is that there’s no really conclusive way for a peace to be concluded because Russia just doesn’t want it - it never has. It’s about keeping Trump on side and getting the Ukrainians to back off their strategic attacks to keep
The information I’m getting is that there’s no really conclusive way for a peace to be concluded because Russia just doesn’t want it - it never has. It’s about keeping Trump on side and getting the Ukrainians to back off their strategic attacks to keep
Reposted by Thomas Beck
Reposted by Thomas Beck
The Trump Administration splices the Epstein files into the Melania movie so they can say they were released without anyone actually seeing them.
January 29, 2026 at 5:43 PM
The Trump Administration splices the Epstein files into the Melania movie so they can say they were released without anyone actually seeing them.
Reposted by Thomas Beck
Thinking about what Walter Benjamin wrote about how the tradition of the oppressed teaches us that the state of emergency is not the exception but the rule
The reason Anne Frank's story has resonated with so many people over so many years is not because circumstances have to be exactly the same as her's for anyone to care, but because anything remotely like it is wrong, and societies moving in that direction should oppose it well before they get there.
January 29, 2026 at 1:42 AM
Thinking about what Walter Benjamin wrote about how the tradition of the oppressed teaches us that the state of emergency is not the exception but the rule
Reposted by Thomas Beck
I will simply never recover from reading this sentence:
"Since Georgia implemented work requirements in 2020, they have spent twice as much on Deloitte consultants and administrative costs as on healthcare for people."
"Since Georgia implemented work requirements in 2020, they have spent twice as much on Deloitte consultants and administrative costs as on healthcare for people."
Today, Luke Farrell (@lukef.bsky.social) explains how complex eligibility requirements have turned America’s safety net into a lucrative revenue stream for monopolistic private contractors.
The Means-Testing Industrial Complex
As Republicans tightened work requirements and eligibility rules for Medicaid and SNAP last year, Equifax’s CEO openly celebrated the profits to be made from administering this deprivation.
lpeproject.org
January 28, 2026 at 4:33 PM
I will simply never recover from reading this sentence:
"Since Georgia implemented work requirements in 2020, they have spent twice as much on Deloitte consultants and administrative costs as on healthcare for people."
"Since Georgia implemented work requirements in 2020, they have spent twice as much on Deloitte consultants and administrative costs as on healthcare for people."
Reposted by Thomas Beck
Kurdish singer Yalda Abbasi has been imprisoned in Iran. Her only crime is making music in Kurdish.
Her child is a year and a half.
hengaw.net/en/news/2026...
Her child is a year and a half.
hengaw.net/en/news/2026...
Kurdish artist Yalda Abbasi jailed in Mashhad to serve one-year sentence
Hengaw is an independent organization that covers human rights violations in Kurdistan and across all of Iran.
hengaw.net
January 28, 2026 at 10:21 AM
Kurdish singer Yalda Abbasi has been imprisoned in Iran. Her only crime is making music in Kurdish.
Her child is a year and a half.
hengaw.net/en/news/2026...
Her child is a year and a half.
hengaw.net/en/news/2026...
The “Melania” VHS tape has already landed in the bargain bin at Blockbuster
January 29, 2026 at 12:22 AM
The “Melania” VHS tape has already landed in the bargain bin at Blockbuster
Reposted by Thomas Beck
1/ Four years on, realisation appears to be dawning among Russian warbloggers that the war in Ukraine has achieved little more than capturing "an empty wasteland with a dispersed population." A bitter commentary highlights the futility of it all. ⬇️
bsky.app/profile/theu...
bsky.app/profile/theu...
💔🇺🇦 Kupyansk from the height of a drone.
Here, people once planned their lives: they built, loved, raised children, and waited for their relatives to come home in the evenings.
An ordinary Ukrainian city, full of life. Now, every destroyed house is someone's story.
Here, people once planned their lives: they built, loved, raised children, and waited for their relatives to come home in the evenings.
An ordinary Ukrainian city, full of life. Now, every destroyed house is someone's story.
January 28, 2026 at 8:46 AM
1/ Four years on, realisation appears to be dawning among Russian warbloggers that the war in Ukraine has achieved little more than capturing "an empty wasteland with a dispersed population." A bitter commentary highlights the futility of it all. ⬇️
bsky.app/profile/theu...
bsky.app/profile/theu...