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hammerandtickle.bsky.social
@hammerandtickle.bsky.social
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matthenry.fyi
This tweet from Big Balls says the new “Tech Force” website is their first using the “America Design System.” Here are just a few reasons why that sucks. 🧵
A tweet from Big Balls, linking to techforce.gov reads: Our first website using the new America Design System! Building a framework for beautiful, performant, secure and inexpensive websites to be very easy to build in Government.
December 15, 2025 at 7:29 PM
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jacobbogage.bsky.social
👀 Scoop: IRS Direct File, the free government-backed program that let you file your taxes for free, is dead.

IRS wrote to state tax agencies saying it would not be operational this coming tax season, per records I've obtained.

IRS Direct File: 2023-2025.

(Story from when the pilot launched.)
IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax-prep giants
The tax agency has quietly built its own prototype system for filing tax returns digitally and free of charge, according to current and former officials.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 4, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Reposted by hammerandtickle.bsky.social
edtorr.bsky.social
Serving the People, in Public and Private

edtorr.com/en/blog/serv...
Edwin Torres
I build technology to create better solutions for people.
edtorr.com
October 4, 2025 at 2:00 PM
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skiles.blue
"Unsure of which systems are still safe from foreign spies, judicial officials have elected to revert to paper filing... It's unclear how these filings will ever become public."

Huh if only the government had some kind of computer people to fix this
Exclusive: Chief Justice “Stonewalls Congress" on PACER Hack, Senator Says
The Courts sidestep a congressional request for independent review. Post-hack procedures have significantly reduced transparency in the judicial system.
www.courtwatch.news
October 3, 2025 at 8:42 PM
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mims.bsky.social
*The AI boom = one of the costliest building sprees in world history

* Past 3 years' commitments are greater than the cost of building the U.S. interstate highway system

* Consumers must spend $800 billion on AI within a few years, to justify investment from 2023-24

www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-b...
This week, consultants at Bain & Co. estimated the wave of AI infrastructure spending will require $2 trillion in annual AI revenue by 2030. By comparison, that is more than the combined 2024 revenue of Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta and Nvidia, and more than five times the size of the entire global subscription software market. Morgan Stanley estimates that last year there was around $45 billion of revenue for AI products. The sector makes money from a combination of subscription fees for chatbots such as ChatGPT and money paid to use these companies’ data centers. How the tech sector will cover the gap is “the trillion dollar question,” said Mark Moerdler, an analyst at Bernstein.
September 26, 2025 at 1:50 PM
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edzitron.com
Someone asked me earlier why I don’t do more than AI, and the answer is that every time I look deeper into AI I see more evidence that this is a massive, unbelievable failure, propped up by webs of debt and ignorance, private capital fully believes there’s massive AI demand that does not exist.
September 18, 2025 at 10:32 PM
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waldo.net
Matt Lira is an incompetent dipshit and anybody who supported him during Trump 1 was either gullible or an incompetent dipshit too. "If you were fired by Trump for bullshit reasons, you should come back and work for the White House again." No, and fuck you.
Why Government Design Matters
YouTube video by ALFA Institute
youtu.be
September 5, 2025 at 2:15 AM
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waldo.net
I was the executive director of U.S. Open Data, a non-profit that I created at the behest of the Obama White House. I worked as one of the nation's leading experts in open data. Putting open data on the blockchain is a profoundly stupid idea that fails nearly every test of good open data.
The White House Is Going to Put Government Statistics on the Blockchain (Yeah, We Don't Know Why Either)
gizmodo.com
August 28, 2025 at 12:11 AM
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astrokatie.com
National Weather Service meteorologist applicants are now being asked to pledge their support for Trump’s executive orders.

(Image reposted with alt-text)
Merit Hiring Plan The following four narrative questions provide an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (Al) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot. *1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience. (limit 1,200 characters) 1200 characters remaining. *2. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes. (limit 1,200 characters) *3. How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired. (limit 1,200 characters) *4. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples, and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position. (limit 1,200 characters) *5. I certify that the above responses are in my own words and I did not use a consultant or Artificial Intelligence (such as a large language model (LLM)). • A. Yes O B. No
August 26, 2025 at 4:22 PM
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alt18f.bsky.social
Folks in our community have asked us to comment on “America by Design”—but a site like this largely speaks for itself.
America by Design
A National Design Studio Initiative
americabydesign.gov
August 26, 2025 at 2:13 AM
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ap.exch.gr
@waldo.net dangit, shouldn’t have laid off all those 18f people. what’d they do again?
President Trump signs the Executive Order to modernize the interfaces that serve everyday citizens.
August 25, 2025 at 1:20 AM
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waldo.net
"Website design is my passion." americabydesign.gov
<span data-word-id="1-word-7" class="text-text-dimmed" style="transition:color 0.7s ease-in-out;-webkit-transition:color 0.7s ease-in-out;will-change:color">If</span> </span> <span> <span data-word-id="1-word-8" class="text-text-dimmed" style="transition:color 0.7s ease-in-out;-webkit-transition:color 0.7s ease-in-out;will-change:color">you</span> </span> <span> <span data-word-id="1-word-9" class="text-text-dimmed" style="transition:color 0.7s ease-in-out;-webkit-transition:color 0.7s ease-in-out;will-change:color">said</span> </span> <span> <span data-word-id="1-word-10" class="text-text-dimmed" style="transition:color 0.7s ease-in-out;-webkit-transition:color 0.7s ease-in-out;will-change:color">Trump,</span> </span> <span> <span data-word-id="1-word-11" class="text-text-dimmed" style="transition:color 0.7s ease-in-out;-webkit-transition:color 0.7s ease-in-out;will-change:color">you&#x27;re</span> </span> <span> <span data-word-id="1-word-12" class="text-text-dimmed" style="transition:color 0.7s ease-in-out;-webkit-transition:color 0.7s ease-in-out;will-change:color">not</span> </span> <span> <span data-word-id="1-word-13" class="text-text-dimmed" style="transition:color 0.7s ease-in-out;-webkit-transition:color 0.7s ease-in-out;will-change:color">wrong.</span> </span>
August 25, 2025 at 1:01 AM
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alt18f.bsky.social
“Improving our nation through better design” is certainly important work: we know this, because it’s exactly what we were doing when DOGE eliminated 18F entirely.
Improving Our Nation Through Better Design
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1.  Purpose and
www.whitehouse.gov
August 23, 2025 at 1:25 AM
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donmoyn.bsky.social
Trump fired all of the designers in 18F, the US Digital Service, and elsewhere in government.
Now he is calling for improved government design.
www.nextgov.com/digital-gove...
Trump signs order calling for improved government design
The new “America by Design” effort includes a recruiting push for relevant talent — though the administration has shed many government designers since Trump took office.
www.nextgov.com
August 21, 2025 at 9:23 PM
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shannonmattern.bsky.social
It seems fitting that Trump destroyed two highly competent digital/service design teams and now plans to Airbnb-ify government services.
August 22, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Any "national design studio" that does not incorporate the US Web Design System is a complete farce, and will waste taxpayer dollar rediscovering everything fired people learned over the past decade
jacobharr.is Jacob Harris @jacobharr.is · Aug 21
Looks like they're planning to do the same DOGE chicanery with design now, creating a temporary organization so they can put in special design special government employees (wielding Figma for fascism I guess)
(b) To help facilitate the America by Design initiative, there is established within the White House Office of the Executive Office of the President the National Design Studio (NDS) and, within the NDS, a new position entitled the Chief Design Officer. The NDS shall be led by an Administrator, who shall report to the Office of the White House Chief of Staff. There is further established within the NDS, in accordance with section 3161 of title 5, United States Code, a temporary organization headed by the NDS Administrator and dedicated to helping advance the America by Design initiative. The temporary organization shall terminate 3 years from the date of this order, but that termination shall not be interpreted to imply the termination, attenuation, or amendment of any other authority or provision of this order.
August 22, 2025 at 12:13 AM
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thebandcake.bsky.social
August 17, 2025 at 1:58 AM
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jamellebouie.net
also, “we can only build if no one can earn a profit” is just “we shouldn’t build” with a few extra steps
August 11, 2025 at 5:46 PM
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chriskopech.com
Someone in my office unironically started a sentence with, "I just put this into Grok," and I've never zoned out of something faster in my life. I was out before they got to the k.
July 6, 2025 at 11:37 AM
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dansinker.com
Clearing out the rats nest
July 23, 2025 at 5:54 PM
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billhuntbits.bsky.social
BREAKING on @thedigitalbits.bsky.social website – Peter Weir’s MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD (2003) arrives on 4K Ultra HD on 8/5 from 20th Century Studios via Sony! Details here…
thedigitalbits.com/columns/my-t...
July 16, 2025 at 1:49 PM
@jamellebouie.net Big news in M&C world:
bsky.app/profile/bill...
billhuntbits.bsky.social Bill Hunt @billhuntbits.bsky.social · Jul 16
BREAKING on @thedigitalbits.bsky.social website – Peter Weir’s MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD (2003) arrives on 4K Ultra HD on 8/5 from 20th Century Studios via Sony! Details here…
thedigitalbits.com/columns/my-t...
July 16, 2025 at 7:51 PM
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mollyjongfast.bsky.social
I don’t think this is the moment to cut weather forecasting services
climatecentral.org Climate Central @climatecentral.org · Jul 15
Another day. Another flash flood—this time across New York and New Jersey.
Record rainfall in a short span overwhelmed streets, subways, and neighborhoods.

• Here's what happened (via @nytimes.com): www.nytimes.com/live/2025/07...
• 🧵below is how climate change played a role ⤵️
July 15, 2025 at 3:22 PM
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annabower.bsky.social
“In Cell 15, Plaintiff Abrego Garcia and 20 other Salvadorans were forced to kneel from approximately 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM, with guards striking anyone who fell from exhaustion. During this time, Plaintiff Abrego Garcia was denied bathroom access and soiled himself…”
120. Upon arrival at CECOT, the detainees were greeted by a prison official who stated, "Welcome to CECOT. Whoever enters here doesn't leave." Plaintiff Abrego Garcia was then forced to strip, issued prison clothing, and subjected to physical abuse including being kicked in the legs with boots and struck on his head and arms to make him change clothes faster. His head was shaved with a zero razor, and he was frog-marched to cell 15, being struck with wooden batons along the way. By the following day, Plaintiff Abrego Garcia had visible bruises and lumps all over his body. 121. In Cell 15, Plaintiff Abrego Garcia and 20 other Salvadorans were forced to kneel from approximately 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM, with guards striking anyone who fell from exhaustion. During this time, Plaintiff Abrego Garcia was denied bathroom access and soiled himself The detainees were confined to metal bunks with no mattresses in an overcrowded cell with no windows, bright lights that remained on 24 hours a day, and minimal access to sanitation. 122. After approximately one week at CECOT, prison director Osiris Luna and other officials separated the 21 Salvadorans who had arrived together. Twelve individuals with visible gang-related tattoos were moved to another cell, while Plaintiff Abrego Garcia remained with eight others who, like him, upon information and belief had no gang affiliations or tattoos. 123. As reflected by his segregation, the Salvadoran authorities recognized that Plaintiff Abrego Garcia was not affiliated with any gang and, at around this time, prison officials explicitly acknowledged that Plaintiff Abrego Garcia's tattoos were not gang-related, telling him "your
July 2, 2025 at 9:35 PM