david golbitz
@davidgolbitz.bsky.social
he | him
writer | editor | nerd
Signal: davidgolbitz.09
writer | editor | nerd
Signal: davidgolbitz.09
Pinned
I am so tired of living in this grotesque parody of reality.
Reposted by david golbitz
By the way, for those of you not in MN: Homan’s strategy was to withdraw some agents, so it felt like we were in the denouement of the crisis, and then escalate hard against observers. They’re being incredibly aggressive with observers now. National media may not want to check out just yet
February 7, 2026 at 3:38 AM
By the way, for those of you not in MN: Homan’s strategy was to withdraw some agents, so it felt like we were in the denouement of the crisis, and then escalate hard against observers. They’re being incredibly aggressive with observers now. National media may not want to check out just yet
Reposted by david golbitz
oh so like they’re literally ALL in those files
(CBS News) - U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has said he had "limited interactions" with Jeffrey Epstein, but documents show they were in business together as recently as 2014.
@cbsnews.com
www.cbsnews.com/news/howard-...
@cbsnews.com
www.cbsnews.com/news/howard-...
Lutnick and Epstein were in business together, Epstein files show
Though the commerce secretary has called his interactions with Epstein as "limited," the two were in business together four years after Epstein's 2008 guilty plea.
www.cbsnews.com
February 7, 2026 at 5:41 AM
oh so like they’re literally ALL in those files
Reposted by david golbitz
Democratizing the arts looks like universal income, low-barrier grants for both emerging and working artists, well-funded municipal arts & recreation programs, vibrant third spaces, and a well-funded public school system with progressive curriculum.
Not a free pass for corporate-owned slop engines.
Not a free pass for corporate-owned slop engines.
Every instance of "AI democratizes the arts, you're classist and ableist and a gatekeeper for trying to stop it" is a slap in the face to the literally centuries of poor, disabled people making art on the margins and a crass lie in service of a machine that strips down and regurgitates dreams
February 7, 2026 at 12:58 AM
Democratizing the arts looks like universal income, low-barrier grants for both emerging and working artists, well-funded municipal arts & recreation programs, vibrant third spaces, and a well-funded public school system with progressive curriculum.
Not a free pass for corporate-owned slop engines.
Not a free pass for corporate-owned slop engines.
Reposted by david golbitz
@attackerman.bsky.social on how the politics of counterterrorism led to ICE and CBP completing their transformation into a death squad — and why the agencies are unreformable.
“Terrorist”: How ICE Weaponized 9/11’s Scarlet Letter
Spencer Ackerman on how the politics of counterterrorism led to ICE and CBP completing their transformation into a death squad — and why the agencies are unreformable.
interc.pt
February 6, 2026 at 5:03 PM
@attackerman.bsky.social on how the politics of counterterrorism led to ICE and CBP completing their transformation into a death squad — and why the agencies are unreformable.
Reposted by david golbitz
Once again, it turns out “fully autonomous” means “a guy in the Philippines.”
It Turns Out Waymos Are Being Controlled by Workers in the Philippines
During a Congressional hearing, Waymo's chief safety officer, Mauricio Peña, was grilled over the company's reliance on overseas workers.
futurism.com
February 6, 2026 at 3:37 PM
Once again, it turns out “fully autonomous” means “a guy in the Philippines.”
Reposted by david golbitz
Here is a thing:
There were several years when I was one of VERY few journalists seriously covering harassment and abuse issues in comics (and by extension sometimes video games). During that time, I became the Person People Told Things To.
(cont'd)
There were several years when I was one of VERY few journalists seriously covering harassment and abuse issues in comics (and by extension sometimes video games). During that time, I became the Person People Told Things To.
(cont'd)
February 6, 2026 at 1:15 AM
Here is a thing:
There were several years when I was one of VERY few journalists seriously covering harassment and abuse issues in comics (and by extension sometimes video games). During that time, I became the Person People Told Things To.
(cont'd)
There were several years when I was one of VERY few journalists seriously covering harassment and abuse issues in comics (and by extension sometimes video games). During that time, I became the Person People Told Things To.
(cont'd)
For sale:
500 GPUs
Slightly used
500 GPUs
Slightly used
“According to Coindesk, the average cost to mine one Bitcoin is currently around $87,000 — far higher than its current going rate, making it an extremely unprofitable proposition.”
The current price of Bitcoin is $64,000. Up slightly from the price cited in the article.
The current price of Bitcoin is $64,000. Up slightly from the price cited in the article.
Bitcoin Is Crashing So Hard That Miners Are Unplugging Their Equipment
Bitcoin's plunge has made it far less economical to mine the digital token. Some companies are starting to unplug their equipment.
futurism.com
February 6, 2026 at 5:29 AM
For sale:
500 GPUs
Slightly used
500 GPUs
Slightly used
This is one of the evil nerds who tried to kill Buffy, no?
Was this very mid-2000s emo person press-ganged into ICE servitude?
February 6, 2026 at 5:26 AM
This is one of the evil nerds who tried to kill Buffy, no?
Reposted by david golbitz
Published my first piece at @wired.com today, about a string of AI thrillers that have bombed (most recent being the hopelessly naive Chris Pratt vehicle 'Mercy'), the backlash to Darren Aronofsky's YouTube slop take on the American Revolution, and a grotesque nostalgia-bait Super Bowl ad:
Hollywood Is Losing Audiences to AI Fatigue
Entertainment about or made with artificial intelligence has been missing the mark with viewers over the past year.
www.wired.com
February 5, 2026 at 7:26 PM
Published my first piece at @wired.com today, about a string of AI thrillers that have bombed (most recent being the hopelessly naive Chris Pratt vehicle 'Mercy'), the backlash to Darren Aronofsky's YouTube slop take on the American Revolution, and a grotesque nostalgia-bait Super Bowl ad:
Reposted by david golbitz
BREAKING: The federal government has filed a motion seeking to end asylum claims for the family of Liam Conejo Ramos, according to the lawyer representing the family.
DHS has requested expedited deportation proceedings against family of Liam Conejo Ramos
The federal government has filed a motion seeking to end asylum claims for the family of Liam Conejo Ramos, according to the lawyer representing the family.
www.mprnews.org
February 6, 2026 at 2:17 AM
BREAKING: The federal government has filed a motion seeking to end asylum claims for the family of Liam Conejo Ramos, according to the lawyer representing the family.
Reposted by david golbitz
Swear to god, ICE could just announce they're leaving a city but not leave and the media will just stop covering that city completely even though ICE never left.
It's what ICE and the media did with LA and they're doing it with Minneapolis too
It's what ICE and the media did with LA and they're doing it with Minneapolis too
February 6, 2026 at 12:19 AM
Swear to god, ICE could just announce they're leaving a city but not leave and the media will just stop covering that city completely even though ICE never left.
It's what ICE and the media did with LA and they're doing it with Minneapolis too
It's what ICE and the media did with LA and they're doing it with Minneapolis too
Reposted by david golbitz
I hope lawyers, secretaries of state, and state attorneys general are preparing for what’s coming.
February 6, 2026 at 1:36 AM
I hope lawyers, secretaries of state, and state attorneys general are preparing for what’s coming.
Reposted by david golbitz
This is why the 4th Amendment says “no person” — instead of “no citizen.”
If only citizens have rights, then no one has rights because all they have to do is say you’re not a citizen and then you have no right to prove otherwise.
If only citizens have rights, then no one has rights because all they have to do is say you’re not a citizen and then you have no right to prove otherwise.
JUST IN: A federal judge has barred ICE and DHS from using taxpayer information provided by the IRS.
Judge Talwani says that DHS' view that noncitizens lack 4th amendment rights — combined with ICE use of administrative warrants — is a recipe for abuse.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Judge Talwani says that DHS' view that noncitizens lack 4th amendment rights — combined with ICE use of administrative warrants — is a recipe for abuse.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
February 6, 2026 at 4:51 AM
This is why the 4th Amendment says “no person” — instead of “no citizen.”
If only citizens have rights, then no one has rights because all they have to do is say you’re not a citizen and then you have no right to prove otherwise.
If only citizens have rights, then no one has rights because all they have to do is say you’re not a citizen and then you have no right to prove otherwise.
Reposted by david golbitz
“In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. Those affected receive a small apartment & counselling with no preconditions. 4 out of 5 people affected make their way back to a stable life. And all this is CHEAPER than accepting homelessness.”
IT SAVES PUBLIC MONEY to house people.
IT SAVES PUBLIC MONEY to house people.
Finland ends homelessness and provides shelter for all in need - scoop.me
In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. Why? The country applies the "Housing First" concept agains homelessness.
thebetter.news
February 6, 2026 at 4:45 AM
“In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. Those affected receive a small apartment & counselling with no preconditions. 4 out of 5 people affected make their way back to a stable life. And all this is CHEAPER than accepting homelessness.”
IT SAVES PUBLIC MONEY to house people.
IT SAVES PUBLIC MONEY to house people.
Reposted by david golbitz
A brand new Super PAC — Elect Chicago Women — just dropped hundreds of thousands of dollars into this race. Why?
Because it’s actually a front for AIPAC dark money. And they’re doing everything they can to buy my race:
Because it’s actually a front for AIPAC dark money. And they’re doing everything they can to buy my race:
February 6, 2026 at 12:52 AM
A brand new Super PAC — Elect Chicago Women — just dropped hundreds of thousands of dollars into this race. Why?
Because it’s actually a front for AIPAC dark money. And they’re doing everything they can to buy my race:
Because it’s actually a front for AIPAC dark money. And they’re doing everything they can to buy my race:
Reposted by david golbitz
‘One officer told me that I "had no chance of returning to Minnesota" and that "the best thing for (me] is self-deportation." …
She offered me $2600 to self-deport.
I refused.
I wanted to talk to my attorney.
They didn't tell me the judge had already ordered my release and return to Minnesota.’
She offered me $2600 to self-deport.
I refused.
I wanted to talk to my attorney.
They didn't tell me the judge had already ordered my release and return to Minnesota.’
![…
25. This Cibola jail was horrible. It was cramped. I was chained up again.
The officers mocked
me and called me their enemy. They laughed at me. I was kept at the jail for what felt like around three hours. I wasn't given an explanation for why I was there.
26. Security
guards then put me on a bus. I think it was around January 27.
No one said
anything about where I was going. I was handcuffed. It felt like the middle of the night. It was freezing cold in the bus because the driver had the AC on. We had no jackets. The bus eventually took me back to El Paso in the carly morning of Tuesday, January 27th.
27. I was put in a cold cell where I had to sleep on the bare cement floor. Around 10 in the morning my cellmate asked to speak to an ICE officer. Three officers came into the cell so I had a chance to speak to them too. One officer told me that I "had no chance of returning to Minnesota" and that "the best thing for (me] is self-deportation." She told me that if I fought my case, I would spend two to three more months here in El Paso. She offered me $2600 to self-deport. I refused. I wanted to talk to my attorney. They didn't tell me the judge had already ordered my release and return to Minnesota. If I hadn't managed to talk to my attorney who told me a while back that I was ordered released. I might have given up at this point and signed the self-deportation forms because the conditions were so unbearable.
…
30. When I was taken back to the detention center from the airport, after missing the flight, I overheard an ICE officer saying in English, "the judge in Minnesota wants this one back." I was put in a cold jail cell again until early next morning (January 28). But again no one had told me directly that a judge had ordered my release
…
32. When I arrived in Minneapolis, I was handed off to ICE
… I had to sign lots of papers saying that I wasn't going to be a part of any "groups." I didn't know what they meant by "groups." They never told me why I was detained](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:5cn3kbi4g5blrtahon34xbu4/bafkreiccqxmfncofjqinoveiqscwale2ox5xpiqt46veqjdh3jmimkrxhq@jpeg)
February 5, 2026 at 6:04 AM
‘One officer told me that I "had no chance of returning to Minnesota" and that "the best thing for (me] is self-deportation." …
She offered me $2600 to self-deport.
I refused.
I wanted to talk to my attorney.
They didn't tell me the judge had already ordered my release and return to Minnesota.’
She offered me $2600 to self-deport.
I refused.
I wanted to talk to my attorney.
They didn't tell me the judge had already ordered my release and return to Minnesota.’
Reposted by david golbitz
“I didn’t realize how much I missed the simple joy of losing myself in words until these massive tranches of sex crime files were released,” said Indianapolis resident Greta Livingston
Trove Of Emails About Pedophilia Reignites Nation’s Love Of Reading
WASHINGTON—Saying the millions of documents had restored a pleasure they lost long ago, Americans nationwide said Thursday that the recently released trove of emails connected with disgraced financier...
theonion.com
February 6, 2026 at 1:30 AM
“I didn’t realize how much I missed the simple joy of losing myself in words until these massive tranches of sex crime files were released,” said Indianapolis resident Greta Livingston
Reposted by david golbitz
The glibness with which these people are dismissing what is, fundamentally, an extensive record of elite atrocities makes me think it’s better if I don’t finish this sentence
raise your hand if you are not, in fact, in the Epstein files
February 5, 2026 at 10:28 PM
The glibness with which these people are dismissing what is, fundamentally, an extensive record of elite atrocities makes me think it’s better if I don’t finish this sentence
Reposted by david golbitz
Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again.
#Pinks #ProudBlue
#Pinks #ProudBlue
February 5, 2026 at 11:50 AM
Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again.
#Pinks #ProudBlue
#Pinks #ProudBlue
Reposted by david golbitz
Good. "But DHS isn't just ICE, it's also..." nope, wrong. DHS no longer serves any useful functions, the whole thing has been reassigned to repression. FEMA isn't even paying out to states. All DHS does is shooting, teargassing, facial recognition, and administrative warrants. Shut it down.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Thursday that demands made by Democrats for new restrictions on federal immigration officers are “unrealistic” and warned that the Department of Homeland Security will shut down next week if they do not work with Republicans and the White House.
Homeland Security shutdown grows more likely as Republicans rebuff Democratic demands for ICE
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Thursday that demands made by Democrats for new restrictions on federal immigration officers are “unrealistic” and warned that the Department of Homeland Secu…
trib.al
February 5, 2026 at 9:44 PM
Good. "But DHS isn't just ICE, it's also..." nope, wrong. DHS no longer serves any useful functions, the whole thing has been reassigned to repression. FEMA isn't even paying out to states. All DHS does is shooting, teargassing, facial recognition, and administrative warrants. Shut it down.
Reposted by david golbitz
If you haven't canceled your subscription to the Washington Post, now might be a good time. They're firing their most talented and experienced staff and just dumped all of their photographers. I've seen high school newspapers with more integrity.
Want to demonstrate beyond all doubt that you are a newspaper manager devoid of grace and humanity? Lay off Marty Weil. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/b...
He Was Laid Off at The Washington Post After Working There 60 Years
www.nytimes.com
February 5, 2026 at 5:34 PM
If you haven't canceled your subscription to the Washington Post, now might be a good time. They're firing their most talented and experienced staff and just dumped all of their photographers. I've seen high school newspapers with more integrity.
Reposted by david golbitz
the Epstein files are really devastating because they remind me of how many girls and women miss out on professional opportunities, mentorship and careers because of how many powerful, rich and influential men only view girls and women — and interactions with them — through the lens of sex
February 5, 2026 at 5:05 PM
the Epstein files are really devastating because they remind me of how many girls and women miss out on professional opportunities, mentorship and careers because of how many powerful, rich and influential men only view girls and women — and interactions with them — through the lens of sex
Reposted by david golbitz
@wyden.senate.gov's record of warning that there is deep and constitutionally-serious dirt being done by the intelligence agencies in secret is unblemished. The vaguer he is, the filthier the dirt is. This is the vaguest I've ever seen him
Ron Wyden Only Talks Like This When The Spies Do Something *Real* Bad
No, I don't know what they did. But I have a lot of experience with the senator
www.forever-wars.com
February 5, 2026 at 5:10 PM
@wyden.senate.gov's record of warning that there is deep and constitutionally-serious dirt being done by the intelligence agencies in secret is unblemished. The vaguer he is, the filthier the dirt is. This is the vaguest I've ever seen him
Reposted by david golbitz
Scenes outside of the Washington Post headquarters right now:
February 5, 2026 at 5:24 PM
Scenes outside of the Washington Post headquarters right now:
Reposted by david golbitz
This is literally true. There was a proposal in the US in the early seventies to bring in a basic income, there were trials, and they succeeded on every measure -- but the divorce rate went up as women didn't have to live with men they didn't love. So the proposal was scrapped.
There's two main reasons there's a segment of society against UBI
1. THOSE people, CERTAIN people will get FREE THINGS!!!! THAT I AM PAYING FOR!!!!
This thinking is wrong and bad. If one truly believes that...more money is being spent on all the other bullshit that doesn't help.
2. Divorce.
1. THOSE people, CERTAIN people will get FREE THINGS!!!! THAT I AM PAYING FOR!!!!
This thinking is wrong and bad. If one truly believes that...more money is being spent on all the other bullshit that doesn't help.
2. Divorce.
February 5, 2026 at 3:13 PM
This is literally true. There was a proposal in the US in the early seventies to bring in a basic income, there were trials, and they succeeded on every measure -- but the divorce rate went up as women didn't have to live with men they didn't love. So the proposal was scrapped.