Dave LaFontaine
@davelf.bsky.social
Lead UX Designer, Author of various "... for Dummies" books, globetrotting professor, started as a newspaper reporter back when that was still a thing. Still cantankerous, mostly funny.
“Stuff we want to get done that is illegal or a clear abuse of taxpayer dollars is national security. Picking up Ivanka’s dry-cleaning? Maybe ISIS planted a bomb in her undies. You don’t know!”
December 16, 2025 at 3:18 PM
“Stuff we want to get done that is illegal or a clear abuse of taxpayer dollars is national security. Picking up Ivanka’s dry-cleaning? Maybe ISIS planted a bomb in her undies. You don’t know!”
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
Opinion from Greg Frazier: Kansas farmers grapple with latest D.C. bailout fiasco. But are there lessons to learn? #ksleg
Kansas farmers grapple with latest D.C. bailout fiasco. But are there lessons to learn? • Kansas Reflector
Every taxpayer has 12 billion reasons to ask the same questions: How did these farm bailouts happen? What are the lessons?
kansasreflector.com
December 16, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Opinion from Greg Frazier: Kansas farmers grapple with latest D.C. bailout fiasco. But are there lessons to learn? #ksleg
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
Just a reminder that at least 600 Americans were fired for failing to show sufficient respect after Charlie Kirk's murder.
December 15, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Just a reminder that at least 600 Americans were fired for failing to show sufficient respect after Charlie Kirk's murder.
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
Rob Reiner directed some of the most beloved movies of all time, including Stand By Me, This is Spinal Tap, and The Princess Bride. His production company also made movies like The Shawshank Redemption, Before Sunrise and Michael Clayton. The film industry has lost one of its titans.
December 15, 2025 at 4:12 AM
Rob Reiner directed some of the most beloved movies of all time, including Stand By Me, This is Spinal Tap, and The Princess Bride. His production company also made movies like The Shawshank Redemption, Before Sunrise and Michael Clayton. The film industry has lost one of its titans.
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
This entire weekend
December 15, 2025 at 3:58 AM
This entire weekend
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
The cultural impact of Rob Reiner cannot be understated. Legend isn't big enough a word. It goes to 11. You can't handle the truth. As you wish. I'll have what she's having. I'm your number one fan. You guys wanna see a dead body? The very idea of a bucket list. The West Wing.
All from his movies.
All from his movies.
December 15, 2025 at 3:51 AM
The cultural impact of Rob Reiner cannot be understated. Legend isn't big enough a word. It goes to 11. You can't handle the truth. As you wish. I'll have what she's having. I'm your number one fan. You guys wanna see a dead body? The very idea of a bucket list. The West Wing.
All from his movies.
All from his movies.
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
We saw the prototype of the Nero Doctrine with Twitter. The goal wasn't to make it profitable or "free." The goal was to break the one place where news broke faster than the state could spin it.
They bought the town square not to speak in it, but to burn it down so we’d have nowhere else to gather.
They bought the town square not to speak in it, but to burn it down so we’d have nowhere else to gather.
December 14, 2025 at 9:11 PM
We saw the prototype of the Nero Doctrine with Twitter. The goal wasn't to make it profitable or "free." The goal was to break the one place where news broke faster than the state could spin it.
They bought the town square not to speak in it, but to burn it down so we’d have nowhere else to gather.
They bought the town square not to speak in it, but to burn it down so we’d have nowhere else to gather.
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
This was what happened to Newsweek and it’s in the process of happening to the LA Times and the Washington Post, too.
Now look at CBS. Installing Bari Weiss to run a news division isn’t a "pivot to the center." It is a deliberate hollowing out.
Take a legacy institution, gut its standards, wear its skin like a suit. They don’t want CBS's credibility; they want to destroy the idea that credible news exists at all.
Take a legacy institution, gut its standards, wear its skin like a suit. They don’t want CBS's credibility; they want to destroy the idea that credible news exists at all.
December 15, 2025 at 1:33 AM
This was what happened to Newsweek and it’s in the process of happening to the LA Times and the Washington Post, too.
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
"[T]he system of separated powers . . . has always demanded an energetic, independent Executive. The President therefore may not be prosecuted for exercising his core constitutional powers, and he is entitled . . . to a presumptive immunity from prosecution for all his official acts. " -Trump v. US
White House Refuses to Rule Out Summary Executions of People on Its Secret Domestic Terrorist List
The Trump administration ignored questions about whether it would order the killings of those on its NSPM-7 list — even while answering our other queries.
theintercept.com/2025/12/12/t...
The Trump administration ignored questions about whether it would order the killings of those on its NSPM-7 list — even while answering our other queries.
theintercept.com/2025/12/12/t...
White House Refuses to Rule Out Summary Executions of People on Its Secret Domestic Terrorist List
The Trump administration ignored questions about whether it would order the killings of those on its NSPM-7 list — even while answering our other queries.
theintercept.com
December 13, 2025 at 1:06 PM
"[T]he system of separated powers . . . has always demanded an energetic, independent Executive. The President therefore may not be prosecuted for exercising his core constitutional powers, and he is entitled . . . to a presumptive immunity from prosecution for all his official acts. " -Trump v. US
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
They voted for Trump due to his “no tax on tips” pledge. Now, with family members deported and health insurance out of reach, they regret their votes. Still, they say they wouldn’t hesitate to give Trump an illegal third term if he promises no taxes on sports betting parlays.
December 13, 2025 at 1:29 PM
They voted for Trump due to his “no tax on tips” pledge. Now, with family members deported and health insurance out of reach, they regret their votes. Still, they say they wouldn’t hesitate to give Trump an illegal third term if he promises no taxes on sports betting parlays.
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
We are not just going to sit around and put up with this. We are going to omit his entire second presidency and undo it all. As soon as we're able to get all this corruption out of the government and start over. It's bullshit. We have so much technology, so many resources. We can do better.
December 13, 2025 at 4:15 AM
We are not just going to sit around and put up with this. We are going to omit his entire second presidency and undo it all. As soon as we're able to get all this corruption out of the government and start over. It's bullshit. We have so much technology, so many resources. We can do better.
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
True Breaking News (Washington Post): VA to cut 35,000 health care jobs across nation like nurses & doctors. VA already strained.
Did our vets refuse to give back medals to melt into gold bars/coin/ballroom sconces for Trump?
Truly the worst vets’ Christmas present ever.
Did our vets refuse to give back medals to melt into gold bars/coin/ballroom sconces for Trump?
Truly the worst vets’ Christmas present ever.
December 13, 2025 at 1:43 PM
True Breaking News (Washington Post): VA to cut 35,000 health care jobs across nation like nurses & doctors. VA already strained.
Did our vets refuse to give back medals to melt into gold bars/coin/ballroom sconces for Trump?
Truly the worst vets’ Christmas present ever.
Did our vets refuse to give back medals to melt into gold bars/coin/ballroom sconces for Trump?
Truly the worst vets’ Christmas present ever.
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
An investigation by Bellingcat and Lloyd’s List found that Saudi Arabia joined the countries importing grain directly from a sanctioned port in occupied Crimea. Meanwhile Russia attempts to secure recognition of the Ukrainian territory via a US-led peace plan. www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/12...
Russia’s Smuggled Grain Finds New Market in Saudi Arabia - bellingcat
New grain route identified from sanctioned Crimean port that Russia is eyeing in latest peace deal.
www.bellingcat.com
December 12, 2025 at 1:03 PM
An investigation by Bellingcat and Lloyd’s List found that Saudi Arabia joined the countries importing grain directly from a sanctioned port in occupied Crimea. Meanwhile Russia attempts to secure recognition of the Ukrainian territory via a US-led peace plan. www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/12...
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
Sam Altman: hey I made a machine that stole literally all your stuff in order to make CSAM of your child actors, sometimes it encourages people to kill themselves
Disney: Holy shit here's a billion dollars
Altman: the machine loses more than that each week but thank you. Soon it will become god.
Disney: Holy shit here's a billion dollars
Altman: the machine loses more than that each week but thank you. Soon it will become god.
December 12, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Sam Altman: hey I made a machine that stole literally all your stuff in order to make CSAM of your child actors, sometimes it encourages people to kill themselves
Disney: Holy shit here's a billion dollars
Altman: the machine loses more than that each week but thank you. Soon it will become god.
Disney: Holy shit here's a billion dollars
Altman: the machine loses more than that each week but thank you. Soon it will become god.
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
This entire article is positive about Trump Gold Cards. It contains positive quotes about it from Trump, Lutnick and a CEO. It contains no quotes from the many critics of the program. This is sandwiched between 6 posts about Erika Kirk. CBS is lost.
December 12, 2025 at 12:08 PM
This entire article is positive about Trump Gold Cards. It contains positive quotes about it from Trump, Lutnick and a CEO. It contains no quotes from the many critics of the program. This is sandwiched between 6 posts about Erika Kirk. CBS is lost.
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
Trump has made America a place people fear, a place people don’t like, don’t trust, don’t want to do business with, and don’t want to visit. He’s made America a place people laugh at, a place that’s cruel & bigoted. America, under Trump, is no longer a destination. It’s a place to be avoided.
December 12, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Trump has made America a place people fear, a place people don’t like, don’t trust, don’t want to do business with, and don’t want to visit. He’s made America a place people laugh at, a place that’s cruel & bigoted. America, under Trump, is no longer a destination. It’s a place to be avoided.
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
Buttigieg on Indiana: "The big part of how Trumpism works is to make you feel totally disempowered. To make him feel inevitable. And yet the clear takeaway from this is he is not unstoppable and you are not without power."
December 12, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Buttigieg on Indiana: "The big part of how Trumpism works is to make you feel totally disempowered. To make him feel inevitable. And yet the clear takeaway from this is he is not unstoppable and you are not without power."
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
so many of our current problems stem from americans not being able to comprehend that a guy they know from tv might actually be stupid
December 11, 2025 at 9:55 PM
so many of our current problems stem from americans not being able to comprehend that a guy they know from tv might actually be stupid
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
Assignment for public defenders, immigration lawyers, civil rights lawyers, and legal academics: use the phrase "Kavanaugh stop" in briefs and law review articles. The first few times, use scare quotes and cite articles that use that term.
We can get this in a published opinion in no time.
We can get this in a published opinion in no time.
December 11, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Assignment for public defenders, immigration lawyers, civil rights lawyers, and legal academics: use the phrase "Kavanaugh stop" in briefs and law review articles. The first few times, use scare quotes and cite articles that use that term.
We can get this in a published opinion in no time.
We can get this in a published opinion in no time.
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
Warren: "The president says here's what he thinks should happen to CNN. If that doesn't make your hair stand up, I don't know what does. That's him saying, 'You've got to make a deal w/me. That might involve a $1m a dinner & buying crypto & getting rid of a pesky news outfit I don't like'"
December 11, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Warren: "The president says here's what he thinks should happen to CNN. If that doesn't make your hair stand up, I don't know what does. That's him saying, 'You've got to make a deal w/me. That might involve a $1m a dinner & buying crypto & getting rid of a pesky news outfit I don't like'"
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
This is not the way a market economy works. It is the way a system of state or kleptocratic capitalism works.
Warren: "The president says here's what he thinks should happen to CNN. If that doesn't make your hair stand up, I don't know what does. That's him saying, 'You've got to make a deal w/me. That might involve a $1m a dinner & buying crypto & getting rid of a pesky news outfit I don't like'"
December 11, 2025 at 2:37 PM
This is not the way a market economy works. It is the way a system of state or kleptocratic capitalism works.
Everyone had fun dunking on the stupid participation trophy, ignoring the “pro quo” hiding there - that for a handful of cheap-ass trinkets, corrupt crooks got to get away with their crime
We now learn that Fifa had a very specific "ask" in exchange for its "Peace Award" to Trump, with loads of gold trinkets, and that was dismissal of a criminal corruption case against senior Fifa officials. And Trump granted it. Another corrupt bargain, barely noticed (and ignored by US media).
December 11, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Everyone had fun dunking on the stupid participation trophy, ignoring the “pro quo” hiding there - that for a handful of cheap-ass trinkets, corrupt crooks got to get away with their crime
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
Everything Trump touches is transactional.
We now learn that Fifa had a very specific "ask" in exchange for its "Peace Award" to Trump, with loads of gold trinkets, and that was dismissal of a criminal corruption case against senior Fifa officials. And Trump granted it. Another corrupt bargain, barely noticed (and ignored by US media).
December 11, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Everything Trump touches is transactional.
The moment we are in becomes easier to understand when you accept that we are living under the control of a senile mob boss with a trillion-dollar-a-year military under his control
Mob bosses execute people who talk shit about them. Or who don’t pay the protection money. Or just because.
Mob bosses execute people who talk shit about them. Or who don’t pay the protection money. Or just because.
These MAGA stooges that are now impersonating the Pentagon press corps? According to this story, they're also being deployed as shadow operatives to go after the real reporters looking into DOD officials.
1/ MUST READ: @dfriedman.bsky.social asked the Pentagon about a Goodreads page linked to the email of a top official that featured pornographic books. Then, MAGA influencer—and newly minted member of DOD press corps—Jack Posobiec threatened to smear him.
Quite the coincidence!
ow.ly/EpQp50XHpYo
Quite the coincidence!
ow.ly/EpQp50XHpYo
December 11, 2025 at 2:51 PM
The moment we are in becomes easier to understand when you accept that we are living under the control of a senile mob boss with a trillion-dollar-a-year military under his control
Mob bosses execute people who talk shit about them. Or who don’t pay the protection money. Or just because.
Mob bosses execute people who talk shit about them. Or who don’t pay the protection money. Or just because.
Reposted by Dave LaFontaine
Along these lines stuff like this really drives home the point that these people are just total clueless dummies and shouldn’t be allowed to have this much say in how the world runs
"datacenters in space" is SO stupid that I feel like it's like a cry for help, like those seven tech dipshits on the group chat whence this sprung are saying "please, take all this money away from us, it's nothing but trouble, we can't handle it"
I’m but a simple country theoretical physicist, and I can say, in my professional capacity, “datacenters in space” is so colossally, monumentally stupid that it is difficult to know where to start with which laws of physics the idea is spitting in the face of the most.
December 11, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Along these lines stuff like this really drives home the point that these people are just total clueless dummies and shouldn’t be allowed to have this much say in how the world runs