Mark Shore
@markshore.bsky.social
interests are politics, how states collapse, the media, and science, especially climate change, astronomy and geosciences
"A Republic, if you can keep it." Ben Franklin
photo: red sunset over the Pacific from the coast of Hawai'i
"A Republic, if you can keep it." Ben Franklin
photo: red sunset over the Pacific from the coast of Hawai'i
Elves, never in a hurry
an unwritten scene where Aragorn is nervous about meeting his 3000-year-old girlfriend's much older dad
January 27, 2026 at 3:43 AM
Elves, never in a hurry
sometimes you gotta double and triple down to win
maybe he can go on about what a hellhole Minneapolis is and how lazy and socialist and worthless Minnesotans are, just swing for the fences, the last thing the Democrats would expect
maybe he can go on about what a hellhole Minneapolis is and how lazy and socialist and worthless Minnesotans are, just swing for the fences, the last thing the Democrats would expect
January 27, 2026 at 3:40 AM
sometimes you gotta double and triple down to win
maybe he can go on about what a hellhole Minneapolis is and how lazy and socialist and worthless Minnesotans are, just swing for the fences, the last thing the Democrats would expect
maybe he can go on about what a hellhole Minneapolis is and how lazy and socialist and worthless Minnesotans are, just swing for the fences, the last thing the Democrats would expect
I watched a heavily edited version of Léon: The Professional on TV a long time ago (just thought it was kind of dumb) and then the full version a few years ago
Besson's treatment of 12-year-old Natalie Portman made my skin *crawl*
Besson's treatment of 12-year-old Natalie Portman made my skin *crawl*
January 27, 2026 at 1:18 AM
I watched a heavily edited version of Léon: The Professional on TV a long time ago (just thought it was kind of dumb) and then the full version a few years ago
Besson's treatment of 12-year-old Natalie Portman made my skin *crawl*
Besson's treatment of 12-year-old Natalie Portman made my skin *crawl*
very expensive due process too
hope he has savings, because the MAGA GoFundMe pool is eventually going to run dry
hope he has savings, because the MAGA GoFundMe pool is eventually going to run dry
January 27, 2026 at 1:03 AM
very expensive due process too
hope he has savings, because the MAGA GoFundMe pool is eventually going to run dry
hope he has savings, because the MAGA GoFundMe pool is eventually going to run dry
there's a lot of cold regions where it's perfectly normal (in some circumstances even expected) to push total strangers out of the snow when they're stuck
bet things might be different if it's a Cybertruck
bet things might be different if it's a Cybertruck
January 26, 2026 at 11:52 PM
there's a lot of cold regions where it's perfectly normal (in some circumstances even expected) to push total strangers out of the snow when they're stuck
bet things might be different if it's a Cybertruck
bet things might be different if it's a Cybertruck
in just 12 months they've caused generational-scale damage to almost every field of scientific and medical research and to departments and agencies that were (once) respected global leaders
this can't be forgotten or forgiven
this can't be forgotten or forgiven
January 26, 2026 at 8:49 PM
in just 12 months they've caused generational-scale damage to almost every field of scientific and medical research and to departments and agencies that were (once) respected global leaders
this can't be forgotten or forgiven
this can't be forgotten or forgiven
basically The Life of Brian revolutionary discourse but with "the libs" replacing "the Romans"
January 26, 2026 at 8:38 PM
basically The Life of Brian revolutionary discourse but with "the libs" replacing "the Romans"
and considering that "the libs" (in the broadest sense) educate them or their children, provide their healthcare, make much of the food and art that they enjoy, pay the lion's taxes that often support them, etc. the fascists are playing a game with a much worse downside than they think
January 26, 2026 at 8:37 PM
and considering that "the libs" (in the broadest sense) educate them or their children, provide their healthcare, make much of the food and art that they enjoy, pay the lion's taxes that often support them, etc. the fascists are playing a game with a much worse downside than they think
sometimes Bob and Joe just need new snowblowers, even if their spouses disagree
January 26, 2026 at 6:14 PM
sometimes Bob and Joe just need new snowblowers, even if their spouses disagree
ok but that's a wet/icy heavy compacted pile of snow that's already been moved once by a plow or a bigger snowblower
you can still carve a neat vertical-walled path through a couple of feet of freshly fallen slightly compacted fluffy snow, as the Snowblower Gods intended
you can still carve a neat vertical-walled path through a couple of feet of freshly fallen slightly compacted fluffy snow, as the Snowblower Gods intended
January 26, 2026 at 6:10 PM
ok but that's a wet/icy heavy compacted pile of snow that's already been moved once by a plow or a bigger snowblower
you can still carve a neat vertical-walled path through a couple of feet of freshly fallen slightly compacted fluffy snow, as the Snowblower Gods intended
you can still carve a neat vertical-walled path through a couple of feet of freshly fallen slightly compacted fluffy snow, as the Snowblower Gods intended
MAGAs eager to gleefully display their awful character and terrible judgement in public
their brains are just fried
their brains are just fried
January 26, 2026 at 6:07 PM
MAGAs eager to gleefully display their awful character and terrible judgement in public
their brains are just fried
their brains are just fried
it can also help distinguish a genuine new ally from a temporarily aggrieved adversary who might betray you the moment they think things have improved
January 26, 2026 at 6:02 PM
it can also help distinguish a genuine new ally from a temporarily aggrieved adversary who might betray you the moment they think things have improved
a few years ago a seasoned business traveller wrote that if you never miss a flight you're spending too much time at airports
except BIG difference between a company flight between big centers with multiple flights per day and a personal trip where you can ruin a vacation by missing a flight
except BIG difference between a company flight between big centers with multiple flights per day and a personal trip where you can ruin a vacation by missing a flight
January 26, 2026 at 5:55 PM
a few years ago a seasoned business traveller wrote that if you never miss a flight you're spending too much time at airports
except BIG difference between a company flight between big centers with multiple flights per day and a personal trip where you can ruin a vacation by missing a flight
except BIG difference between a company flight between big centers with multiple flights per day and a personal trip where you can ruin a vacation by missing a flight
new to an organization, on my way to an all-hands meeting, I passed a veteran colleague working at his desk
"you going?" I asked
"nah, if there's anything important they'll tell me about it later"
"you going?" I asked
"nah, if there's anything important they'll tell me about it later"
January 26, 2026 at 5:37 PM
new to an organization, on my way to an all-hands meeting, I passed a veteran colleague working at his desk
"you going?" I asked
"nah, if there's anything important they'll tell me about it later"
"you going?" I asked
"nah, if there's anything important they'll tell me about it later"
never communicate by email, phone, text, social media, drop boxes, or intermediaries - all are compromised
arrange to meet alone in rowboats, canoes, or rafts out of sight of land if you absolutely must speak, but be aware you are still being watched, even if they look like birds or fish
arrange to meet alone in rowboats, canoes, or rafts out of sight of land if you absolutely must speak, but be aware you are still being watched, even if they look like birds or fish
January 26, 2026 at 5:31 PM
never communicate by email, phone, text, social media, drop boxes, or intermediaries - all are compromised
arrange to meet alone in rowboats, canoes, or rafts out of sight of land if you absolutely must speak, but be aware you are still being watched, even if they look like birds or fish
arrange to meet alone in rowboats, canoes, or rafts out of sight of land if you absolutely must speak, but be aware you are still being watched, even if they look like birds or fish
I forgot to do that this morning
at least I think I forgot
at least I think I forgot
January 26, 2026 at 5:26 PM
I forgot to do that this morning
at least I think I forgot
at least I think I forgot
Miller has zero power base of his own, doesn't even hold a Senate-confirmed position, and if Trump dumps him for any reason the white Christian nationalists of MAGA will all suddenly remember he's Jewish
January 26, 2026 at 5:25 PM
Miller has zero power base of his own, doesn't even hold a Senate-confirmed position, and if Trump dumps him for any reason the white Christian nationalists of MAGA will all suddenly remember he's Jewish
"Television has come a long way since that"
technically, perhaps
technically, perhaps
January 26, 2026 at 5:21 PM
"Television has come a long way since that"
technically, perhaps
technically, perhaps
*the* future or *her* future, I wonder
January 26, 2026 at 3:37 PM
*the* future or *her* future, I wonder
a bit like the (likely apocryphal) story of the early aeronautical engineer who 'proved' that bees are incapable of flight
January 26, 2026 at 2:57 PM
a bit like the (likely apocryphal) story of the early aeronautical engineer who 'proved' that bees are incapable of flight
Jeff Sessions is not fond of unexpected visitors
January 26, 2026 at 12:45 AM
Jeff Sessions is not fond of unexpected visitors
amateurs
mine uses cryptography, a nearly extinct indigenous language, and an ultrasecure messaging app that few others know exists
to ensure opsec, within five minutes of receiving a message all recipients are terminated
(we send very few messages, to be honest)
mine uses cryptography, a nearly extinct indigenous language, and an ultrasecure messaging app that few others know exists
to ensure opsec, within five minutes of receiving a message all recipients are terminated
(we send very few messages, to be honest)
January 26, 2026 at 12:36 AM
amateurs
mine uses cryptography, a nearly extinct indigenous language, and an ultrasecure messaging app that few others know exists
to ensure opsec, within five minutes of receiving a message all recipients are terminated
(we send very few messages, to be honest)
mine uses cryptography, a nearly extinct indigenous language, and an ultrasecure messaging app that few others know exists
to ensure opsec, within five minutes of receiving a message all recipients are terminated
(we send very few messages, to be honest)