Widdershins
@alustriel.bsky.social
Formerly IStoleFire on twitter. Still Bri. I'm sure I'll add more to this later. She/her
Reposted by Widdershins
It remains wild to me that during the first trump administration there was a long debate over terminology after AOC (correctly) called border internment "concentration camps" and now having concentration camps is a core domestic policy.
The purpose of that stupid debate was to normalize the idea.
The purpose of that stupid debate was to normalize the idea.
Camps where tens of thousands of politically disfavored people will be concentrated.
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
ICE documents reveal plan to hold 80,000 immigrants in warehouses
The Trump administration wants to build seven large-scale deportation hubs to speed up deportations, internal ICE documents show.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 24, 2025 at 2:21 PM
It remains wild to me that during the first trump administration there was a long debate over terminology after AOC (correctly) called border internment "concentration camps" and now having concentration camps is a core domestic policy.
The purpose of that stupid debate was to normalize the idea.
The purpose of that stupid debate was to normalize the idea.
Reposted by Widdershins
Here's a particularly juicy nugget I found in my reporting . . .
December 24, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Here's a particularly juicy nugget I found in my reporting . . .
Reposted by Widdershins
In February, DOGE - under Elon Musk’s direction - gutted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, notably including their autonomous vehicle safety unit, which was investigating Tesla.
For years, people have lodged complaints about Tesla’s doors. With no official statistics, Bloomberg did its own analysis on the number of fatal crashes in the US in which door functionality played a role. Read more: bloom.bg/49tm0fF
📷️: Getty Images
📷️: Getty Images
December 24, 2025 at 4:35 PM
In February, DOGE - under Elon Musk’s direction - gutted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, notably including their autonomous vehicle safety unit, which was investigating Tesla.
Reposted by Widdershins
When I was on my last jury both the judge and prosecutor told us “if somebody walks in soaking wet with a wet umbrella, you are allowed to infer it’s raining” over and over again. Good enough to send an average guy down for murder, not good enough for the President.
What we’re being told is that a guy who is an adjudicated rapist, who was credibly accused of sexual assault by dozens of women, who paid hush money to a porn star, who cheated on all his wives, who is mentioned hundreds of times in the Epstein files, couldn’t possibly be a sexual predator.
December 24, 2025 at 4:45 PM
When I was on my last jury both the judge and prosecutor told us “if somebody walks in soaking wet with a wet umbrella, you are allowed to infer it’s raining” over and over again. Good enough to send an average guy down for murder, not good enough for the President.
Reposted by Widdershins
There's a lot of people I respect who cannot come to terms with the fact that this is what the American people voted for, they're getting it good and hard, and there is little to nothing a minority party can do to stop it.
Republicans ran on a platform of mass deportation and they're delivering.
Republicans ran on a platform of mass deportation and they're delivering.
This is outright Nazi stuff, and Democrats in Congress aren’t doing enough to try and stop it.
WaPo reports that ICE is planning 7 massive human warehouses holding 5,000 to 10,000 people.
Recalls the acting ICE director 2015 statement that he wanted to see a “business”-oriented approach to deportations, “like [Amazon] Prime, but with human beings”.
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Recalls the acting ICE director 2015 statement that he wanted to see a “business”-oriented approach to deportations, “like [Amazon] Prime, but with human beings”.
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
December 24, 2025 at 4:18 PM
There's a lot of people I respect who cannot come to terms with the fact that this is what the American people voted for, they're getting it good and hard, and there is little to nothing a minority party can do to stop it.
Republicans ran on a platform of mass deportation and they're delivering.
Republicans ran on a platform of mass deportation and they're delivering.
Reposted by Widdershins
First line of 39-page opinion from Judge Amir Ali in DC:
"The Constitution forbids government officials from using their power to retaliate against people for their speech.. even when the speech is critical of the government"
Judge restores security clearance to whistleblower attorney Mark Zaid
"The Constitution forbids government officials from using their power to retaliate against people for their speech.. even when the speech is critical of the government"
Judge restores security clearance to whistleblower attorney Mark Zaid
December 24, 2025 at 4:00 PM
First line of 39-page opinion from Judge Amir Ali in DC:
"The Constitution forbids government officials from using their power to retaliate against people for their speech.. even when the speech is critical of the government"
Judge restores security clearance to whistleblower attorney Mark Zaid
"The Constitution forbids government officials from using their power to retaliate against people for their speech.. even when the speech is critical of the government"
Judge restores security clearance to whistleblower attorney Mark Zaid
Reposted by Widdershins
This man is a cancer and any future way forward needs to start with holding him accountable in a court of law for his crimes.
In a profile of Stephen Miller with @swin24.bsky.social, we reported he’s privately laughed off immigrant families’ “sob stories.”
www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
Speaking last night on Fox about the spiked CECOT story, Miller laughed about how ‘60 Minutes’ is “trying to tell sob stories."
www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
Speaking last night on Fox about the spiked CECOT story, Miller laughed about how ‘60 Minutes’ is “trying to tell sob stories."
December 24, 2025 at 3:56 PM
This man is a cancer and any future way forward needs to start with holding him accountable in a court of law for his crimes.
Reposted by Widdershins
“I’m 84 years old. Threats against my life expectancy are kind of hollow. I don’t have much time anyway. I’m more concerned that our democracy is at risk because of the trends against the rule of law.” www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...
Judges who ruled against Trump say harassment and threats have changed their lives
More than 100 pizzas were delivered to the homes of judges and their families this year, some with signs of foreign involvement. Judges say the message is clear: We know where you live.
www.nbcnews.com
December 24, 2025 at 2:46 PM
“I’m 84 years old. Threats against my life expectancy are kind of hollow. I don’t have much time anyway. I’m more concerned that our democracy is at risk because of the trends against the rule of law.” www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...
Reposted by Widdershins
You will be visited by three spirits
The spirits:
The spirits:
December 24, 2025 at 2:36 PM
You will be visited by three spirits
The spirits:
The spirits:
Reposted by Widdershins
Weird how you never hear about the U.S. Military facing a “tight squeeze” or “losing money”
The USPS faces a tight squeeze. With fewer people using the mail, it’s lost more and more money: $9 billion in the 12 months ending in September alone.
https://cnn.it/4qkeNoF
https://cnn.it/4qkeNoF
December 24, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Weird how you never hear about the U.S. Military facing a “tight squeeze” or “losing money”
Reposted by Widdershins
Important thread from a former NYT staffer breaking down how the paper's genocidal anti-trans crusade is directed, top down, from the highest levels of the organization.
Stop putting bullets in the gun that's killing us. Boycott the New York Times.
Stop putting bullets in the gun that's killing us. Boycott the New York Times.
The story never ran. Coverage of Cass was taken away from the international desk, per order of top editors in NY, and given to the science desk. That desk had been a leader in promoting anti-trans disinformation throughout 2022-23. (Hundreds of the nyt own contributors had denounced its bias)
December 20, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Important thread from a former NYT staffer breaking down how the paper's genocidal anti-trans crusade is directed, top down, from the highest levels of the organization.
Stop putting bullets in the gun that's killing us. Boycott the New York Times.
Stop putting bullets in the gun that's killing us. Boycott the New York Times.
Reposted by Widdershins
I still can't believe part of the Epstein Files leaked because they thought people would never figure out adding a space after searching for word 'Trump'
I mean yeah it’s an authoritarian takeover but can we take some comfort in the fact that the people doing it are INSANELY stupid?
December 24, 2025 at 5:38 AM
I still can't believe part of the Epstein Files leaked because they thought people would never figure out adding a space after searching for word 'Trump'
Reposted by Widdershins
This is sinister. If you're wondering why so many people don't report sexual assault, this is why.
jesus the Palm Beach Police really sought arrest warrants against underage Epstein victims for coming forward and cooperating, and (purported) admitting to crimes, and it caused the victims to become uncooperative with the federal investigation
![. . . very cooperative, but the police at that point had to let [redacted] know that what she had done that she could be facing charges.
Q And that was after they had told her earlier that she didn't need an attorney present, correct?
A Exactly.
Q Okay. So this happens to her with the Palm Beach Police Department and did the Palm Beach Police actually present or propose charging [redacted]?
A They did get a probable cause affidavit against [redacted].
Q And is that why Ms. [redacted] and her attorney were concerned about her testimony here?
A Yes.
Q Now was a subpoena issued for Ms. [redacted] on behalf of this grand jury?
A Yes, it was.
Q And before Ms. [redacted] would comply with that, did she -- did her attorney request some sort of order?
A Yes.
Q And what did he ask for?
A He asked for immunity for [redacted].](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:eoss3vmzem55cm5kuddhdmwn/bafkreiariijffjjrgfh26o22jjr76pwprinvnbpkcho5lyi2sucfbqlooy@jpeg)
December 24, 2025 at 1:55 AM
This is sinister. If you're wondering why so many people don't report sexual assault, this is why.
Reposted by Widdershins
A coalition of 19 states and the District of Columbia on Tuesday sued the Department of Health and Human Services over a declaration that could complicate access to gender-affirming care for young people. n.pr/453QS51
19 states sue HHS over a move that could curtail youth gender-affirming care
A coalition of 19 states and the District of Columbia on Tuesday sued the Department of Health and Human Services over a declaration that could complicate access to gender-affirming care for young people.
n.pr
December 24, 2025 at 6:55 AM
A coalition of 19 states and the District of Columbia on Tuesday sued the Department of Health and Human Services over a declaration that could complicate access to gender-affirming care for young people. n.pr/453QS51
Reposted by Widdershins
And to Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, and will return in Avengers: Doomsday
December 23, 2025 at 11:28 PM
And to Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, and will return in Avengers: Doomsday
Reposted by Widdershins
yes, this is why when you see actual artist time lapses (not ones where someone just hides the AI image they're tracing) there is a ton of time spent just on figuring out the blocking and fixing problems on a structural level. Slop is slop because it is noise without problem solving
Just a thing about this: a common statement in writing is that you can fix crap, but you can't fix a blank page.
I have heard AI apologists claim that this is why it's fine to generate a first draft.
Now, to be clear, fuck this.
But also: an AI draft is a fucking blank page.
I have heard AI apologists claim that this is why it's fine to generate a first draft.
Now, to be clear, fuck this.
But also: an AI draft is a fucking blank page.
I know I don’t talk about writing much. It is because I am writing so slowly.
But I want you to know that I am taking a part of this story that absolutely sucked and took me months to produce four of the worst chapters I have ever written and in the edit I figured out how to fix it.
But I want you to know that I am taking a part of this story that absolutely sucked and took me months to produce four of the worst chapters I have ever written and in the edit I figured out how to fix it.
December 24, 2025 at 9:28 AM
yes, this is why when you see actual artist time lapses (not ones where someone just hides the AI image they're tracing) there is a ton of time spent just on figuring out the blocking and fixing problems on a structural level. Slop is slop because it is noise without problem solving
Reposted by Widdershins
I mean the good news is, tiktok will probably not be influencing me to do fun crafts and butcher meat anymore?
I guess?
Idk y'all this is a shit show and I'm not staying in PropagandaTok brought to use by Jared Kushner
I guess?
Idk y'all this is a shit show and I'm not staying in PropagandaTok brought to use by Jared Kushner
oh 😬
well good luck to all the US folks who use TikTok
well good luck to all the US folks who use TikTok
December 19, 2025 at 1:42 AM
I mean the good news is, tiktok will probably not be influencing me to do fun crafts and butcher meat anymore?
I guess?
Idk y'all this is a shit show and I'm not staying in PropagandaTok brought to use by Jared Kushner
I guess?
Idk y'all this is a shit show and I'm not staying in PropagandaTok brought to use by Jared Kushner
Reposted by Widdershins
The federal fucking government is trying to stop companies from selling products that allow people to make their breasts less prominent.
There is no freedom of expression, no freedom of gender nonconformity, no bodily autonomy for any of us if they win.
There is no freedom of expression, no freedom of gender nonconformity, no bodily autonomy for any of us if they win.
December 19, 2025 at 2:28 AM
The federal fucking government is trying to stop companies from selling products that allow people to make their breasts less prominent.
There is no freedom of expression, no freedom of gender nonconformity, no bodily autonomy for any of us if they win.
There is no freedom of expression, no freedom of gender nonconformity, no bodily autonomy for any of us if they win.
Reposted by Widdershins
I'm not familiar with the rest of them but Shapeshifters.co is a TINY business and made all of my binders before I had top surgery. They're amazing and don't have lawyer money I suspect because: tiny.
December 19, 2025 at 2:18 AM
I'm not familiar with the rest of them but Shapeshifters.co is a TINY business and made all of my binders before I had top surgery. They're amazing and don't have lawyer money I suspect because: tiny.
Reposted by Widdershins
50/300! Thank you so so much. All progress is awesome!!!!
1/6 of the way to what I need by Saturday night! Can we keep up the momentum so I can rest?
1/6 of the way to what I need by Saturday night! Can we keep up the momentum so I can rest?
December 19, 2025 at 3:09 AM
50/300! Thank you so so much. All progress is awesome!!!!
1/6 of the way to what I need by Saturday night! Can we keep up the momentum so I can rest?
1/6 of the way to what I need by Saturday night! Can we keep up the momentum so I can rest?
Reposted by Widdershins
Hi Senator, excuse me for jumping in, but... while I agree with you that this is really damaging, I couldn't help but notice YOU VOTED FOR THE FREAKING BILL THAT GAVE TRUMP THIS POWER (which some of us warned you not to do).
www.senate.gov/legislative/...
www.senate.gov/legislative/...
December 19, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Hi Senator, excuse me for jumping in, but... while I agree with you that this is really damaging, I couldn't help but notice YOU VOTED FOR THE FREAKING BILL THAT GAVE TRUMP THIS POWER (which some of us warned you not to do).
www.senate.gov/legislative/...
www.senate.gov/legislative/...
Reposted by Widdershins
“If £1b were to suddenly appear in their bank account, would euthanasia still be necessary?
“If the answer is no, that's not euthanasia; it's social murder.”
“If the answer is no, that's not euthanasia; it's social murder.”
![Tweet by Nico Reznick, AT NicoReznick on 20 June 2025 reads:
“There is a simple test to see if someone should qualify for assisted dying:
If £1b were to suddenly appear in their bank account, would euthanasia still be necessary?
If the answer is no, that's not euthanasia; it's social murder.
[hashtag] AssistedDyingBill [hashtag] assistedsuicidebill”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:3ltsziuodekvpalwz7r6x44c/bafkreifb75ozlukb4tmji3stoy5rigxacp7obmzxfdaljpc4kns252e4uq@jpeg)
December 14, 2025 at 3:31 PM
“If £1b were to suddenly appear in their bank account, would euthanasia still be necessary?
“If the answer is no, that's not euthanasia; it's social murder.”
“If the answer is no, that's not euthanasia; it's social murder.”
Reposted by Widdershins
Van Hollen almost certainly saved this man’s life
Today, I spoke with Kilmar Abrego Garcia and his wife, Jennifer. In April, when I met with him in El Salvador, Trump said he would never set foot in the U.S. again.
This case has never been about one man alone; if the govt can violate the constitutional rights of one, all our rights are threatened.
This case has never been about one man alone; if the govt can violate the constitutional rights of one, all our rights are threatened.
December 14, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Van Hollen almost certainly saved this man’s life
Reposted by Widdershins
The Viviana Valentine books are great and Shepherd Certified(tm) not to add to your load of existential dread!
Don’t celebrate Christmas or not really into the holiday? Me either.
What if I told you… I had a NEW YEAR’S EVE murder mystery instead
(Full disclosure: I think there’s one glancing mention of Christmas. It is not the plot.)
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/729815...
What if I told you… I had a NEW YEAR’S EVE murder mystery instead
(Full disclosure: I think there’s one glancing mention of Christmas. It is not the plot.)
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/729815...
Viviana Valentine and the Ticking Clock by Emily J. Edwards: 9781639105229 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books
For fans of Ashley Weaver and Rhys Bowen, when Viviana Valentine and Tommy Fortuna head to Times Square for New Year’s Eve, they didn’t expect their resolution to involve catching a killer....
www.penguinrandomhouse.com
December 14, 2025 at 2:37 AM
The Viviana Valentine books are great and Shepherd Certified(tm) not to add to your load of existential dread!
Reposted by Widdershins
2 college students and 3 US soldiers were murdered today. None of them will get even 1% of the news coverage Charlie Kirk got. None of their family members will get even 1% of the news coverage that Erika Kirk got on CBS today alone.
December 14, 2025 at 2:28 AM
2 college students and 3 US soldiers were murdered today. None of them will get even 1% of the news coverage Charlie Kirk got. None of their family members will get even 1% of the news coverage that Erika Kirk got on CBS today alone.