Tom Seiple
@tomlovesdata.bsky.social
Someone once accused me of being too damn curious, and I took it as a compliment. Data and design nerd, history and economics obsessed, eternally curious as to how the world works.
Find me on Medium: medium.com/@seiple.tom
*Views are my own*
Find me on Medium: medium.com/@seiple.tom
*Views are my own*
Pinned
The other day, I received a Target gift card. I went to use it but encountered an issue, the bar code wouldn’t scan correctly for the cashier. Turns out, the “bar code” was to be scratched off to reveal another barcode and access code below.
This is horribly designed, a thread 🧵 to follow:
This is horribly designed, a thread 🧵 to follow:
Reposted by Tom Seiple
🚨 The White House is now actively covering up a murder.
January 8, 2026 at 4:25 PM
🚨 The White House is now actively covering up a murder.
We live in a fascist police state. Only way out is through radical change. Whether you believe “normal” is dead or never existed in the first place; either way, we can only look forward and propose an alternative future.
January 9, 2026 at 12:16 AM
We live in a fascist police state. Only way out is through radical change. Whether you believe “normal” is dead or never existed in the first place; either way, we can only look forward and propose an alternative future.
Reposted by Tom Seiple
At this point, I am begging other countries to sanction us. This country needs to experience deep economic strain for many of his voters to finally realize he is only making their lives more miserable.
After an attack on Venezuela, Trump’s threats to annex Greenland have European leaders on edge.
EU And UK Back Denmark Over Trump’s Threats To Take Over Greenland
After an attack on Venezuela, Trump’s threats to annex Greenland have European leaders on edge.
www.forbes.com
January 5, 2026 at 8:11 PM
At this point, I am begging other countries to sanction us. This country needs to experience deep economic strain for many of his voters to finally realize he is only making their lives more miserable.
Timothy Snyder is one of the most important voices to listen to right now.
January 5, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Timothy Snyder is one of the most important voices to listen to right now.
Reposted by Tom Seiple
"America is an oil company with an army."
—George Carlin
—George Carlin
January 4, 2026 at 7:21 PM
"America is an oil company with an army."
—George Carlin
—George Carlin
Reposted by Tom Seiple
Democratic leadership badly fumbling the response so far. Shocking right?
They’re denouncing Trump but it’s usually around the sixth paragraph. Enough throat clearing. The president is out of control and the opposition party needs to act like it.
They’re denouncing Trump but it’s usually around the sixth paragraph. Enough throat clearing. The president is out of control and the opposition party needs to act like it.
January 3, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Democratic leadership badly fumbling the response so far. Shocking right?
They’re denouncing Trump but it’s usually around the sixth paragraph. Enough throat clearing. The president is out of control and the opposition party needs to act like it.
They’re denouncing Trump but it’s usually around the sixth paragraph. Enough throat clearing. The president is out of control and the opposition party needs to act like it.
Reposted by Tom Seiple
There is a great deal of work that is not bullshit and that very much helps people. Even if not highly paid (and not appreciated), such work is essential for society.
January 2, 2026 at 3:27 PM
There is a great deal of work that is not bullshit and that very much helps people. Even if not highly paid (and not appreciated), such work is essential for society.
Reposted by Tom Seiple
The top 10% of richest Americans own 87% of stocks.
The top 1% alone own roughly half of all stocks.
It's worth pointing out once again that the stock market is not the economy.
The top 1% alone own roughly half of all stocks.
It's worth pointing out once again that the stock market is not the economy.
January 1, 2026 at 2:30 AM
The top 10% of richest Americans own 87% of stocks.
The top 1% alone own roughly half of all stocks.
It's worth pointing out once again that the stock market is not the economy.
The top 1% alone own roughly half of all stocks.
It's worth pointing out once again that the stock market is not the economy.
If you read only one thing today, make it this. Sarah perfectly captures the political climate of 2025 here. Sadly, I don’t expect that 2026 will be any better.
all meaning has collapsed in our post-literate society and i wrote a bunch of useless, useless words about it. read it if you, like me, are one of a diminishing minority who still reads www.theverge.com/policy/84960...
The year politics became brainrot
You don’t bring a persuasive argument to a gunfight.
www.theverge.com
January 1, 2026 at 3:19 AM
If you read only one thing today, make it this. Sarah perfectly captures the political climate of 2025 here. Sadly, I don’t expect that 2026 will be any better.
Reposted by Tom Seiple
NEW: Four key lessons that we can and must take out of 2025.
It was a long and difficult year as President Donald Trump and his administration sought to push America into authoritarianism. But, they are losing — and we can get through this.
Closing out the year at Law Dork:
It was a long and difficult year as President Donald Trump and his administration sought to push America into authoritarianism. But, they are losing — and we can get through this.
Closing out the year at Law Dork:
The four key lessons that we can and must take out of 2025
It was a long and difficult year as President Donald Trump and his administration sought to push America into authoritarianism. But, they are losing — and we can get through this.
www.lawdork.com
December 31, 2025 at 9:15 PM
NEW: Four key lessons that we can and must take out of 2025.
It was a long and difficult year as President Donald Trump and his administration sought to push America into authoritarianism. But, they are losing — and we can get through this.
Closing out the year at Law Dork:
It was a long and difficult year as President Donald Trump and his administration sought to push America into authoritarianism. But, they are losing — and we can get through this.
Closing out the year at Law Dork:
A brilliant design that saves me so many trips to the wrong side of my car!
December 28, 2025 at 3:01 AM
A brilliant design that saves me so many trips to the wrong side of my car!
post a perfect album from the 90s that isn't nirvana, soundgarden, pearl jam, or alice in chains.
December 28, 2025 at 2:36 AM
post a perfect album from the 90s that isn't nirvana, soundgarden, pearl jam, or alice in chains.
The other day, I received a Target gift card. I went to use it but encountered an issue, the bar code wouldn’t scan correctly for the cashier. Turns out, the “bar code” was to be scratched off to reveal another barcode and access code below.
This is horribly designed, a thread 🧵 to follow:
This is horribly designed, a thread 🧵 to follow:
December 28, 2025 at 2:08 AM
The other day, I received a Target gift card. I went to use it but encountered an issue, the bar code wouldn’t scan correctly for the cashier. Turns out, the “bar code” was to be scratched off to reveal another barcode and access code below.
This is horribly designed, a thread 🧵 to follow:
This is horribly designed, a thread 🧵 to follow:
Reposted by Tom Seiple
For 50+ years, the NPR Network has offered America trusted information, free of charge. As public media faces a future without federal funding, we're relying on you to sustain this work in 2026 and beyond.
Donate now to power Tiny Desk concerts, local reporting and more: n.pr/4pCcFIx
Donate now to power Tiny Desk concerts, local reporting and more: n.pr/4pCcFIx
December 26, 2025 at 9:13 PM
For 50+ years, the NPR Network has offered America trusted information, free of charge. As public media faces a future without federal funding, we're relying on you to sustain this work in 2026 and beyond.
Donate now to power Tiny Desk concerts, local reporting and more: n.pr/4pCcFIx
Donate now to power Tiny Desk concerts, local reporting and more: n.pr/4pCcFIx
Reposted by Tom Seiple
"The slowdown in employment is going to increase pressure on the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates.
But there’s a problem with this approach: we’re in the middle of a bubble, which is increasingly being driven by debt."
substack.com/home/post/p-...
But there’s a problem with this approach: we’re in the middle of a bubble, which is increasingly being driven by debt."
substack.com/home/post/p-...
What I read this week
Unemployment, housing, and the usual warnings about bubbles...
substack.com
December 19, 2025 at 3:43 PM
"The slowdown in employment is going to increase pressure on the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates.
But there’s a problem with this approach: we’re in the middle of a bubble, which is increasingly being driven by debt."
substack.com/home/post/p-...
But there’s a problem with this approach: we’re in the middle of a bubble, which is increasingly being driven by debt."
substack.com/home/post/p-...
I’ve been listening to a lot of @yanisvaroufakis.bsky.social lately. In my sleep deprived, new-parent state, my dreams have become more like hallucinations, and last night I could have sworn he called me to find out what day and time my birthday party was this year.
December 26, 2025 at 1:42 PM
I’ve been listening to a lot of @yanisvaroufakis.bsky.social lately. In my sleep deprived, new-parent state, my dreams have become more like hallucinations, and last night I could have sworn he called me to find out what day and time my birthday party was this year.
Reposted by Tom Seiple
Reposted by Tom Seiple
After buying it for $18.8 billion, Walgreens' new private equity owner has eliminated paid holidays for all hourly workers on Christmas and New Year's.
Last year, Walgreens had a CEO-to-Worker pay gap of 410 to 1.
Corporate greed that would make even Scrooge blush.
Last year, Walgreens had a CEO-to-Worker pay gap of 410 to 1.
Corporate greed that would make even Scrooge blush.
December 24, 2025 at 8:01 PM
After buying it for $18.8 billion, Walgreens' new private equity owner has eliminated paid holidays for all hourly workers on Christmas and New Year's.
Last year, Walgreens had a CEO-to-Worker pay gap of 410 to 1.
Corporate greed that would make even Scrooge blush.
Last year, Walgreens had a CEO-to-Worker pay gap of 410 to 1.
Corporate greed that would make even Scrooge blush.
Reposted by Tom Seiple
Read this:
Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:
December 22, 2025 at 4:15 AM
Read this:
Reposted by Tom Seiple
And there it is...
December 22, 2025 at 2:55 AM
And there it is...
Reposted by Tom Seiple
this is a good reminder of how things that are shitty but have been accepted as normal and inevitable can actually turn out to be abnormal and evitable with some science, time, education and political will
December 19, 2025 at 8:44 PM
this is a good reminder of how things that are shitty but have been accepted as normal and inevitable can actually turn out to be abnormal and evitable with some science, time, education and political will
If apples are 50% off at the supermarket, from 4 dollars to 2 dollars, they don’t post: 200% sale on apples!
FOX: If you cut something by 100%, the cost goes down to 0. If you cut it by 600%, the drug companies are actually paying you
LUTNICK: What he's saying is if a drug was $100 and you bring it down to $13, it's down 7 times
F: Not a 600% cut
L: But it's 700% higher price before. It's down 700% now
LUTNICK: What he's saying is if a drug was $100 and you bring it down to $13, it's down 7 times
F: Not a 600% cut
L: But it's 700% higher price before. It's down 700% now
December 19, 2025 at 9:21 PM
If apples are 50% off at the supermarket, from 4 dollars to 2 dollars, they don’t post: 200% sale on apples!
When I teach data visualization to my students my biggest point of emphasis is simple and clear story telling. This is a MASTERPIECE in a simple storytelling; the point is clear and unambiguous.
December 19, 2025 at 9:16 PM
When I teach data visualization to my students my biggest point of emphasis is simple and clear story telling. This is a MASTERPIECE in a simple storytelling; the point is clear and unambiguous.