Prestidigitator John 🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦
@tomscud.bsky.social
Editor and writer for an undisclosed publication. Auguste Piccard and Frank Wilhoit stan. Pope Sixtus VI papal name advocate. He/him.
Pinned
Adam the Golem was a calm, reflective soul
With his chiseled jaw
And his sculpted abs
And two eyes made out of coal.
Adam the Golem was a fairytale they say.
He was made of clay
But the rabbis say
That he came to life one day.
With his chiseled jaw
And his sculpted abs
And two eyes made out of coal.
Adam the Golem was a fairytale they say.
He was made of clay
But the rabbis say
That he came to life one day.
Pinned thread with various creative works I want to be able to find later. First, Adam the Golem, the story of the golem of Prague set to a possibly familiar tune: bsky.app/profile/toms...
Reposted by Prestidigitator John 🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦
I’m going diverge from this a little bit because there’s a small critique I want to make that has big policy implications - Americans weren’t traumatized by death, and I understand why we interpret it as death, they’re traumatized by a year+ interruption to their normal lives.
"Americans are to a greater and lesser extent all psychologically traumatized from watching more than a million Americans die from COVID, and explain that general sense of malaise through economic sentiment" has always struck me as a parsimonious explanation.
February 16, 2026 at 12:04 AM
I’m going diverge from this a little bit because there’s a small critique I want to make that has big policy implications - Americans weren’t traumatized by death, and I understand why we interpret it as death, they’re traumatized by a year+ interruption to their normal lives.
Reposted by Prestidigitator John 🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦
"Americans are to a greater and lesser extent all psychologically traumatized from watching more than a million Americans die from COVID, and explain that general sense of malaise through economic sentiment" has always struck me as a parsimonious explanation.
February 15, 2026 at 11:48 PM
"Americans are to a greater and lesser extent all psychologically traumatized from watching more than a million Americans die from COVID, and explain that general sense of malaise through economic sentiment" has always struck me as a parsimonious explanation.
Reposted by Prestidigitator John 🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦
I miss when you could post Brave Norman Rockwell Townsperson and the caption could be, like, “R.E.M was wrong to leave ‘Fretless’ off of Out of Time” instead of “The secret police should stop murdering people.”
February 15, 2026 at 8:56 PM
I miss when you could post Brave Norman Rockwell Townsperson and the caption could be, like, “R.E.M was wrong to leave ‘Fretless’ off of Out of Time” instead of “The secret police should stop murdering people.”
Reposted by Prestidigitator John 🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦
douglas adams was our most accurate futurist
We are at an airport restaurant. A robot just drove up to us with our food, said, "Hi! Here I am!" and then drove away with our food.
February 15, 2026 at 10:10 PM
douglas adams was our most accurate futurist
Reposted by Prestidigitator John 🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦
Over and over again, we have seen DHS's playbook: shoot, lie, criminalize. And every time, they are caught red-handed in their deception.
DHS was built as a weapon to be pointed at anyone the government considers the public enemy or a "domestic terrorist." We have to dismantle DHS.
DHS was built as a weapon to be pointed at anyone the government considers the public enemy or a "domestic terrorist." We have to dismantle DHS.
Agents Suspended After Their Story of Shooting an Immigrant Falls Apart
www.nytimes.com
February 15, 2026 at 10:11 PM
Over and over again, we have seen DHS's playbook: shoot, lie, criminalize. And every time, they are caught red-handed in their deception.
DHS was built as a weapon to be pointed at anyone the government considers the public enemy or a "domestic terrorist." We have to dismantle DHS.
DHS was built as a weapon to be pointed at anyone the government considers the public enemy or a "domestic terrorist." We have to dismantle DHS.
Reposted by Prestidigitator John 🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦
if Derby had two sports teams in the same league and they played each other would it be called the Derby Derby?
February 15, 2026 at 9:39 PM
if Derby had two sports teams in the same league and they played each other would it be called the Derby Derby?
Guy who insists a millisecond should be 1/3600 of a second.
We divide hours into 3600000 segments (milliseconds) for granularity, where appropriate.
February 15, 2026 at 9:32 PM
Guy who insists a millisecond should be 1/3600 of a second.
So the other thing about Maine is that it has ranked-choice voting so a major third-party campaign would not be a wrecker.
February 15, 2026 at 9:18 PM
So the other thing about Maine is that it has ranked-choice voting so a major third-party campaign would not be a wrecker.
Reposted by Prestidigitator John 🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦
"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But the DOW is over 50,000."
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But the DOW is over 50,000."
February 15, 2026 at 7:45 PM
"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But the DOW is over 50,000."
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But the DOW is over 50,000."
Reposted by Prestidigitator John 🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦
Kristi Noem must resign or be fired immediately.
I asked Secretary Noem a simple yes or no question: “Do you believe the Constitution guarantees everyone in our country the right to due process?” She couldn’t give me a straight answer.
February 13, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Kristi Noem must resign or be fired immediately.
Has the ioc ever not sucked? Holding the Olympics in Germany in 1936 followed by Tokyo in 1940 is sure a look.
Guys….the IOC sucks and the Olympics are less bc of it
The IOC has banned the courageous & principled Ukrainian Olympian Vladyslav Heraskevych for his “helmet of memory” commemorating Ukraine’s war dead.
Meanwhile the IOC is selling a $42 "Heritage T-shirt" commemorating the 1936 Olympics, known as the Nazi Games. shop3.olympics.com/en/olympic-g...
Meanwhile the IOC is selling a $42 "Heritage T-shirt" commemorating the 1936 Olympics, known as the Nazi Games. shop3.olympics.com/en/olympic-g...
February 15, 2026 at 5:42 PM
Has the ioc ever not sucked? Holding the Olympics in Germany in 1936 followed by Tokyo in 1940 is sure a look.
Reposted by Prestidigitator John 🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦
And they've got the massive pool of ICE/CBP money and claim the right to repurpose funds for their preferred programs, let them raid that treasure chest if they want to keep air travel going.
February 15, 2026 at 5:34 PM
And they've got the massive pool of ICE/CBP money and claim the right to repurpose funds for their preferred programs, let them raid that treasure chest if they want to keep air travel going.
Reposted by Prestidigitator John 🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦
This is what ICE does every day. Hunt little kids who are here legally. They get sent to a place called the “baby jail” in Texas. Very little of it ends up on video like this. But it’s routine. And disgusting.
February 15, 2026 at 3:25 PM
This is what ICE does every day. Hunt little kids who are here legally. They get sent to a place called the “baby jail” in Texas. Very little of it ends up on video like this. But it’s routine. And disgusting.
Reposted by Prestidigitator John 🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦
Someone has sure already made this observation but the fact they can convert all those empty warehouses into prison camps means they could have converted them into housing, community centers, job training centers or, hell, libraries or schools all along. It’s always a matter of will not resources.
February 15, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Someone has sure already made this observation but the fact they can convert all those empty warehouses into prison camps means they could have converted them into housing, community centers, job training centers or, hell, libraries or schools all along. It’s always a matter of will not resources.
Sure, why not?
The Astros have signed Cavan Biggio to a minor-league deal with an invitation to major-league camp.
February 15, 2026 at 3:13 PM
Sure, why not?
Reposted by Prestidigitator John 🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦
Noem, Homan, private prison companies, & the Admin have used DHS to enrich themselves.
They have slashed FEMA funding, weakened CISA, fired a Coast Guard pilot, & threatened TSA workers' rights, all while padding the pockets of Trump's donors. 1/2
They have slashed FEMA funding, weakened CISA, fired a Coast Guard pilot, & threatened TSA workers' rights, all while padding the pockets of Trump's donors. 1/2
February 15, 2026 at 1:46 PM
Noem, Homan, private prison companies, & the Admin have used DHS to enrich themselves.
They have slashed FEMA funding, weakened CISA, fired a Coast Guard pilot, & threatened TSA workers' rights, all while padding the pockets of Trump's donors. 1/2
They have slashed FEMA funding, weakened CISA, fired a Coast Guard pilot, & threatened TSA workers' rights, all while padding the pockets of Trump's donors. 1/2
Reposted by Prestidigitator John 🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦
DHS is a money laundering machine. It must be defunded and dismantled. Full stop! 2/2
February 15, 2026 at 1:46 PM
DHS is a money laundering machine. It must be defunded and dismantled. Full stop! 2/2
Guy who gets mennonites and maronites mixed up
February 15, 2026 at 3:05 AM
Guy who gets mennonites and maronites mixed up
Reposted by Prestidigitator John 🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦
You deserve access to abortion care if you are pregnant and do not want to be. Full stop.
Your reasons are your reasons and they are good enough.
Abortion is healthcare and everyone deserves healthcare access.
Your reasons are your reasons and they are good enough.
Abortion is healthcare and everyone deserves healthcare access.
You don’t need a traumatic or tragic story to deserve abortion care.
February 11, 2026 at 2:04 PM
You deserve access to abortion care if you are pregnant and do not want to be. Full stop.
Your reasons are your reasons and they are good enough.
Abortion is healthcare and everyone deserves healthcare access.
Your reasons are your reasons and they are good enough.
Abortion is healthcare and everyone deserves healthcare access.
Mid refers to quality
I’m sorry, the idea of the MAC having both Sacramento State and UMass is an affront to God.
NEWS: The MAC has voted to add Sacramento State into the league as a football-only member, @RossDellenger reports👀
https://www.on3.com/news/report-mac-votes-sacramento-state-into-leauge-as-football-only-member/
https://www.on3.com/news/report-mac-votes-sacramento-state-into-leauge-as-football-only-member/
February 15, 2026 at 2:44 AM
Mid refers to quality
February 15, 2026 at 2:43 AM
Reposted by Prestidigitator John 🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦
hoping you all find your other half on this valentine's day
roses are red
cherenkov is blue
just use a screwdriver
what's the worst it could do
cherenkov is blue
just use a screwdriver
what's the worst it could do
February 15, 2026 at 12:41 AM
hoping you all find your other half on this valentine's day
Reposted by Prestidigitator John 🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦
Massachusetts has spent months delaying & denying @boltsmag.org’s public records requests on how many people it has transferred ICE during Trump as part of its formal contract with ICE.
A supervisor of records ruled last week that the state’s denials are improper; we hope to get records soon.
A supervisor of records ruled last week that the state’s denials are improper; we hope to get records soon.
Inside ICE’s Only Contract with a Blue State - Bolts
As part of a 287(g) contract between state officials and ICE, Massachusetts continues to release prisoners into deportation—even as state lawmakers look to ban other forms of ICE collaboration.
boltsmag.org
February 14, 2026 at 11:56 PM
Massachusetts has spent months delaying & denying @boltsmag.org’s public records requests on how many people it has transferred ICE during Trump as part of its formal contract with ICE.
A supervisor of records ruled last week that the state’s denials are improper; we hope to get records soon.
A supervisor of records ruled last week that the state’s denials are improper; we hope to get records soon.
Dinner for the next few days sorted. Just need to add heat (and a few spices)
February 14, 2026 at 11:15 PM
Dinner for the next few days sorted. Just need to add heat (and a few spices)
Happy Saints Cyril and Methodius Day!
February 14, 2026 at 10:42 PM
Happy Saints Cyril and Methodius Day!