castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
@castleacker.bsky.social
Infosec poseur and recovering editor, one-time film critic, lover of public works and burdensome regulations.
Of all the things that led us to this moment, the subservience of the news media has been the most depressing.
Of all the things that led us to this moment, the subservience of the news media has been the most depressing.
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
One reason you can't just tinker with ICE/CBP is the whole thing is facially illegitimate. The intent is rotten. It's run by a white supremacist maniac and will continue producing white supremacist maniac results
January 30, 2026 at 1:38 AM
One reason you can't just tinker with ICE/CBP is the whole thing is facially illegitimate. The intent is rotten. It's run by a white supremacist maniac and will continue producing white supremacist maniac results
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
the Democrats should announce that they will not renew any contracts with XAI, Palantir, Tesla, or SpaceX and bankrupt the fucking tech right. announce that you have the votes to ban crypto too.
New: Tesla 4th quarter profit plunges 61% year-over-year; annual profit down 46%
the brand damage:
-1 million lost vehicle sales, per study
-Declining revenue, profits, deliveries in 1st half of '25
-Lower total production/deliveries than '24
-Lost crown as world's leading EV seller
wapo.st/3LYTef1
the brand damage:
-1 million lost vehicle sales, per study
-Declining revenue, profits, deliveries in 1st half of '25
-Lower total production/deliveries than '24
-Lost crown as world's leading EV seller
wapo.st/3LYTef1
Tesla bet big on Elon Musk. His politics continue to haunt it.
Tesla struggles to regain its footing in the electric vehicle market, hindered by Elon Musk’s political activity, impacting its stock price and performance.
wapo.st
January 28, 2026 at 10:40 PM
the Democrats should announce that they will not renew any contracts with XAI, Palantir, Tesla, or SpaceX and bankrupt the fucking tech right. announce that you have the votes to ban crypto too.
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
Immigration is a fake problem. We have politicians on the one hand who want to use immigrants as scapegoats for our real ones and politicians on the other who are too cowardly to stand against them and tell the truth. That is the entire situation. Until that changes, people will continue to die.
January 24, 2026 at 4:25 PM
Immigration is a fake problem. We have politicians on the one hand who want to use immigrants as scapegoats for our real ones and politicians on the other who are too cowardly to stand against them and tell the truth. That is the entire situation. Until that changes, people will continue to die.
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
They are never, ever going to win in Minnesota.
January 23, 2026 at 8:56 PM
They are never, ever going to win in Minnesota.
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
If there's one empirical insight I'd want everyone to understand about American politics, it's this:
America's problems are solved problems. Just not here.
What would change if the US simply matched the average of 31 peer democracies? Not Denmark or Norway. Just the middle of the pack. 🧵
America's problems are solved problems. Just not here.
What would change if the US simply matched the average of 31 peer democracies? Not Denmark or Norway. Just the middle of the pack. 🧵
January 12, 2026 at 9:36 PM
If there's one empirical insight I'd want everyone to understand about American politics, it's this:
America's problems are solved problems. Just not here.
What would change if the US simply matched the average of 31 peer democracies? Not Denmark or Norway. Just the middle of the pack. 🧵
America's problems are solved problems. Just not here.
What would change if the US simply matched the average of 31 peer democracies? Not Denmark or Norway. Just the middle of the pack. 🧵
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
Renee Good reminds me of how vital poetry is, of how the generous splay of language outlasts every tyrant.
pundits can belittle her as a "self-proclaimed poet" because they don't value what's not for sale, because poetry enumerates that which cannot be purchased: our humanity.
pundits can belittle her as a "self-proclaimed poet" because they don't value what's not for sale, because poetry enumerates that which cannot be purchased: our humanity.
January 10, 2026 at 6:28 AM
Renee Good reminds me of how vital poetry is, of how the generous splay of language outlasts every tyrant.
pundits can belittle her as a "self-proclaimed poet" because they don't value what's not for sale, because poetry enumerates that which cannot be purchased: our humanity.
pundits can belittle her as a "self-proclaimed poet" because they don't value what's not for sale, because poetry enumerates that which cannot be purchased: our humanity.
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
Can't help but feel like this is one of the reasons why the Constitution says If a dude in office does an insurrection, don't let that motherfucker hold office again
Bc clearly they cannot be trusted with power & control over the levers of government, & they do not care about democratic constraints
Bc clearly they cannot be trusted with power & control over the levers of government, & they do not care about democratic constraints
January 3, 2026 at 2:31 PM
Can't help but feel like this is one of the reasons why the Constitution says If a dude in office does an insurrection, don't let that motherfucker hold office again
Bc clearly they cannot be trusted with power & control over the levers of government, & they do not care about democratic constraints
Bc clearly they cannot be trusted with power & control over the levers of government, & they do not care about democratic constraints
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
This, for the love of all that is holy
Compliant and credulous media will be the death of the republic
Compliant and credulous media will be the death of the republic
There's no rule of journalism that says you have to show a president telling lie after lie – uncorrected – many times a day. That's a decision that corporate media are making for purposes other than delivering the truth to the public.
December 14, 2025 at 2:40 PM
This, for the love of all that is holy
Compliant and credulous media will be the death of the republic
Compliant and credulous media will be the death of the republic
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
I'd also note they already invalidated Section 3 that says that you can't hold federal office if you engaged in insurrection against the United States. These are not judges impartially applying the law. They are racist despots who despise American progress. (3/3)
December 5, 2025 at 10:58 PM
I'd also note they already invalidated Section 3 that says that you can't hold federal office if you engaged in insurrection against the United States. These are not judges impartially applying the law. They are racist despots who despise American progress. (3/3)
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
The legal, media, and academic institutions capitulating to an authoritarian ordering payments for favorable treatment are damning themselves to irrelevance. They are destroying their institutions. They will be — and should be — shunned for failing in their most basic purposes for existing.
BREAKING: Northwestern University has agreed to pay the U.S. Treasury $75 million, over the course of three years as part of an agreement with the federal government to restore funding and end investigations into the university
Full statement from NU below:
Full statement from NU below:
November 29, 2025 at 1:37 AM
The legal, media, and academic institutions capitulating to an authoritarian ordering payments for favorable treatment are damning themselves to irrelevance. They are destroying their institutions. They will be — and should be — shunned for failing in their most basic purposes for existing.
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
rewarding this guy with a trillion dollars for making u money go fuck yourselves you shareholder fucks
November 7, 2025 at 2:56 AM
rewarding this guy with a trillion dollars for making u money go fuck yourselves you shareholder fucks
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
Your liberal media at work.
October 26, 2025 at 2:24 AM
Your liberal media at work.
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
I didn't take pics but the feeling of being in a group of people with no visible beginning or end was so thrilling. The opposite of online anomie, and a living counterpoint to the wary, isolated, compartmentalized world the shitheads want to make. It's simple and obvious I guess but it means a lot.
Sorry to be corny but the aerial shots of these crowds are almost indescribably moving and hopeful
October 18, 2025 at 10:05 PM
I didn't take pics but the feeling of being in a group of people with no visible beginning or end was so thrilling. The opposite of online anomie, and a living counterpoint to the wary, isolated, compartmentalized world the shitheads want to make. It's simple and obvious I guess but it means a lot.
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
trump can issue as many executive orders as he wants, perhaps coverage should reflect the fact that a lot of these have the legal force of a child's wishlist for santa
August 31, 2025 at 1:16 PM
trump can issue as many executive orders as he wants, perhaps coverage should reflect the fact that a lot of these have the legal force of a child's wishlist for santa
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
We built a calculator that doesn't work, but don't worry, it's also a plagiarism machine that will tell you to kill yourself. It runs on the world's oceans and costs 10 trillion dollars.
August 29, 2025 at 6:24 PM
We built a calculator that doesn't work, but don't worry, it's also a plagiarism machine that will tell you to kill yourself. It runs on the world's oceans and costs 10 trillion dollars.
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
"The top story of the moment is the one story that our most influential newsrooms won’t touch: That the United State has become an authoritarian state." — Dan Froomkin @froomkin.bsky.social
presswatchers.org/2025/08/we-h...
presswatchers.org/2025/08/we-h...
August 27, 2025 at 9:28 AM
"The top story of the moment is the one story that our most influential newsrooms won’t touch: That the United State has become an authoritarian state." — Dan Froomkin @froomkin.bsky.social
presswatchers.org/2025/08/we-h...
presswatchers.org/2025/08/we-h...
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
People have embraced authoritarianism in large part because they've been sold individualistic explanations for social problems. If you think people are poor or unhoused because they've made "bad choices," then you'll see appeal in authoritarian leaders who promise to punish those who are "bad."
August 24, 2025 at 1:56 PM
People have embraced authoritarianism in large part because they've been sold individualistic explanations for social problems. If you think people are poor or unhoused because they've made "bad choices," then you'll see appeal in authoritarian leaders who promise to punish those who are "bad."
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
i am so sick of the dumbest people alive being in charge of everything and the second dumbest people alive writing opinion columns about how it's good
August 21, 2025 at 4:30 PM
i am so sick of the dumbest people alive being in charge of everything and the second dumbest people alive writing opinion columns about how it's good
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
It is increasingly clear that the majority of federal law enforcement officers do little or no real work, hence having the time and resources to do what they've been doing under Trump.
Whole agencies need to be zeroed out, with employees sued to pay back salaries and benefits wrongly obtained.
Whole agencies need to be zeroed out, with employees sued to pay back salaries and benefits wrongly obtained.
"Dunn’s attorney says he tried to turn himself in, but instead, 20 officers came to his home to arrest him."
Just think about that for a minute.
Just think about that for a minute.
Subway sandwich guy has been released on his own recognizance.
His attorney argued the felony charge was excessive, and the judge agreed.
Oh, and he’s a USAF veteran.
www.wusa9.com/article/news...
His attorney argued the felony charge was excessive, and the judge agreed.
Oh, and he’s a USAF veteran.
www.wusa9.com/article/news...
August 15, 2025 at 3:26 AM
It is increasingly clear that the majority of federal law enforcement officers do little or no real work, hence having the time and resources to do what they've been doing under Trump.
Whole agencies need to be zeroed out, with employees sued to pay back salaries and benefits wrongly obtained.
Whole agencies need to be zeroed out, with employees sued to pay back salaries and benefits wrongly obtained.
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
Fascism is here. We are not “getting closer” or “in danger of.”
This matters because it frames our discussion: We aren’t trying to prevent it, we’re trying to defeat it. It’s not taking over our institutions, it’s taken them over.
Otherwise, we’re always behind, fighting a past we’ve already lost.
This matters because it frames our discussion: We aren’t trying to prevent it, we’re trying to defeat it. It’s not taking over our institutions, it’s taken them over.
Otherwise, we’re always behind, fighting a past we’ve already lost.
August 12, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Fascism is here. We are not “getting closer” or “in danger of.”
This matters because it frames our discussion: We aren’t trying to prevent it, we’re trying to defeat it. It’s not taking over our institutions, it’s taken them over.
Otherwise, we’re always behind, fighting a past we’ve already lost.
This matters because it frames our discussion: We aren’t trying to prevent it, we’re trying to defeat it. It’s not taking over our institutions, it’s taken them over.
Otherwise, we’re always behind, fighting a past we’ve already lost.
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
Threats of the militarization of cities—, including DC which has been fighting for self determination for generations, isn’t a “distraction”.
It’s a massive, giant, red trial balloon
For what an American president can do YOUR city if you feel like it.
I need people to wake up.
It’s a massive, giant, red trial balloon
For what an American president can do YOUR city if you feel like it.
I need people to wake up.
Another distraction from them files.
Eyes on D.C.-- Trump has dispatched FBI agents to start patrolling Washington D.C.--- and he is reportedly weighing sending in the National Guard:
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
August 11, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Threats of the militarization of cities—, including DC which has been fighting for self determination for generations, isn’t a “distraction”.
It’s a massive, giant, red trial balloon
For what an American president can do YOUR city if you feel like it.
I need people to wake up.
It’s a massive, giant, red trial balloon
For what an American president can do YOUR city if you feel like it.
I need people to wake up.
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
every writeup of some AI cheerleader makes them come across as the biggest assholes in tech which if u know anything about tech is quite a fuckin achievement
August 5, 2025 at 4:28 AM
every writeup of some AI cheerleader makes them come across as the biggest assholes in tech which if u know anything about tech is quite a fuckin achievement
Reposted by castle_acker 🏴☠️🐀🌶️
I love my city and I love my country even though they are built on deeply fucked up systems which badly need dismantling but they are full of good people who care about the right things and that’s not nothing
I would rather be us than them
I would rather be us than them
June 14, 2025 at 11:32 PM
I love my city and I love my country even though they are built on deeply fucked up systems which badly need dismantling but they are full of good people who care about the right things and that’s not nothing
I would rather be us than them
I would rather be us than them