@fred-decker.bsky.social
Freelance writer, interested in almost everything (but I repeat myself). Was the kid who read encyclopedias for fun, now am the grownup who reads academic papers and follows smart people online.
Reposted
"It took the conservative Tory Party a decade to end up neck and neck with Reform UK, a far-right party led by known Russian asset Nigel Farage. It took the Starmer-led Labour Party much less time to alienate the many UK voters who want nothing more than a major party to stand up to the fascists"
A Blaring Warning For The Democratic Party From Across The Pond
Popularism has been tried in the UK, and failed.
www.liberalcurrents.com
February 16, 2026 at 12:47 PM
"It took the conservative Tory Party a decade to end up neck and neck with Reform UK, a far-right party led by known Russian asset Nigel Farage. It took the Starmer-led Labour Party much less time to alienate the many UK voters who want nothing more than a major party to stand up to the fascists"
Reposted
Munich, Kaufinger Straße, today.
February 16, 2026 at 3:27 AM
Munich, Kaufinger Straße, today.
Life is just filled with irony.
(On a related note, my divorce decree from my first wife became final on Feb. 14th, an irony I have always appreciated.)
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
(On a related note, my divorce decree from my first wife became final on Feb. 14th, an irony I have always appreciated.)
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
Italy’s famous Lovers’ Arch collapses into the sea on Valentine’s Day
Rock structure which served as backdrop to countless proposals disappears into the Adriatic after violent storm
www.theguardian.com
February 16, 2026 at 1:14 PM
Life is just filled with irony.
(On a related note, my divorce decree from my first wife became final on Feb. 14th, an irony I have always appreciated.)
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
(On a related note, my divorce decree from my first wife became final on Feb. 14th, an irony I have always appreciated.)
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
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Reposted
Yes! Rather than chasing Trump's policies, they should chase his strategy of shaping public perception.
February 13, 2026 at 5:26 PM
Yes! Rather than chasing Trump's policies, they should chase his strategy of shaping public perception.
LOL Yup, nothing sucks the "cool" out of anything like having your parents pick it up.
(Not quite the same, but Tim Horton's had a moderately funny ad about a mom mistaking "steeped" - referring to tea - as the latest kid slang for something good, and using it as such.)
youtu.be/cW-bomqZ3Lw?...
(Not quite the same, but Tim Horton's had a moderately funny ad about a mom mistaking "steeped" - referring to tea - as the latest kid slang for something good, and using it as such.)
youtu.be/cW-bomqZ3Lw?...
February 14, 2026 at 11:26 AM
LOL Yup, nothing sucks the "cool" out of anything like having your parents pick it up.
(Not quite the same, but Tim Horton's had a moderately funny ad about a mom mistaking "steeped" - referring to tea - as the latest kid slang for something good, and using it as such.)
youtu.be/cW-bomqZ3Lw?...
(Not quite the same, but Tim Horton's had a moderately funny ad about a mom mistaking "steeped" - referring to tea - as the latest kid slang for something good, and using it as such.)
youtu.be/cW-bomqZ3Lw?...
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Independents say 2:1 that Bad Bunny "better represents America" than Donald Trump www.yahoo.com/news/politic...
February 13, 2026 at 4:16 PM
Independents say 2:1 that Bad Bunny "better represents America" than Donald Trump www.yahoo.com/news/politic...
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🗃️ Tyler Austin Harper’s insane Andrew Mellon Foundation hit piece, which of course @theatlantic.com was happy to print, has rightfully pissed off everyone in the Humanities.
As someone who works in higher education funding, here is a 🧵 on why this article is even more infuriating than you think.
As someone who works in higher education funding, here is a 🧵 on why this article is even more infuriating than you think.
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has become the country’s preeminent funder of humanities research, Tyler Austin Harper writes. Is it saving American arts and letters—or killing them?
What Is the Mellon Foundation Doing to Higher Education?
Its role as the country’s preeminent funder of humanities research has granted the foundation—and its president—enormous influence over American arts and letters.
bit.ly
February 13, 2026 at 7:24 PM
🗃️ Tyler Austin Harper’s insane Andrew Mellon Foundation hit piece, which of course @theatlantic.com was happy to print, has rightfully pissed off everyone in the Humanities.
As someone who works in higher education funding, here is a 🧵 on why this article is even more infuriating than you think.
As someone who works in higher education funding, here is a 🧵 on why this article is even more infuriating than you think.
Reposted
end qualified immunity and make cops carry personal liability insurance
"'She is dead,'" Officer Auderer told Officer Solan, before bursting out laughing.
"'No, it’s a regular person,' Officer Auderer said, adding: 'Yeah, just write a check — $11,000. She was 26, anyway. She had limited value.'"
"'No, it’s a regular person,' Officer Auderer said, adding: 'Yeah, just write a check — $11,000. She was 26, anyway. She had limited value.'"
Seattle to Pay $29 Million to Family of Woman Fatally Struck by Police S.U.V.
www.nytimes.com
February 13, 2026 at 3:00 PM
end qualified immunity and make cops carry personal liability insurance
Reposted
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
A historic victory!!!
A historic victory!!!
UK ban on Palestine Action unlawful, high court judges rule
Protest group’s co-founder wins legal challenge against decision to proscribe it under anti-terrorism laws
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2026 at 11:51 AM
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
A historic victory!!!
A historic victory!!!
Reposted
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_i...
It's interesting to look at how Epstein directly, via hundreds of thousands of emails with his pedo buddies in academia, made US academia incredibly hostile to women for *decades*.
How many Emma Noethers never were, even before any of it was put into legislation?
It's interesting to look at how Epstein directly, via hundreds of thousands of emails with his pedo buddies in academia, made US academia incredibly hostile to women for *decades*.
How many Emma Noethers never were, even before any of it was put into legislation?
February 13, 2026 at 11:29 AM
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_i...
It's interesting to look at how Epstein directly, via hundreds of thousands of emails with his pedo buddies in academia, made US academia incredibly hostile to women for *decades*.
How many Emma Noethers never were, even before any of it was put into legislation?
It's interesting to look at how Epstein directly, via hundreds of thousands of emails with his pedo buddies in academia, made US academia incredibly hostile to women for *decades*.
How many Emma Noethers never were, even before any of it was put into legislation?
Reposted
This Black Mirror episode ended badly
Facebook plans to put facial recognition in its glasses and they think we’re too stupid to fight back.
Their internal memo: “We will launch during a dynamic political environment where many civil society groups that we would expect to attack us would have their resources focused on other concerns.”
Their internal memo: “We will launch during a dynamic political environment where many civil society groups that we would expect to attack us would have their resources focused on other concerns.”
Meta Plans to Add Facial Recognition Technology to Its Smart Glasses
www.nytimes.com
February 13, 2026 at 1:54 PM
This Black Mirror episode ended badly
Reposted
Portia White was one of Canada's most acclaimed concert singers.
She started performing in church choirs in Truro, Nova Scotia and eventually performed for Royalty.
Her career was far too short, but her legacy remains.
This is her story.
📸 Yousuf Karsh
🧵 1/12
She started performing in church choirs in Truro, Nova Scotia and eventually performed for Royalty.
Her career was far too short, but her legacy remains.
This is her story.
📸 Yousuf Karsh
🧵 1/12
February 13, 2026 at 2:01 PM
Portia White was one of Canada's most acclaimed concert singers.
She started performing in church choirs in Truro, Nova Scotia and eventually performed for Royalty.
Her career was far too short, but her legacy remains.
This is her story.
📸 Yousuf Karsh
🧵 1/12
She started performing in church choirs in Truro, Nova Scotia and eventually performed for Royalty.
Her career was far too short, but her legacy remains.
This is her story.
📸 Yousuf Karsh
🧵 1/12
Reposted
I think I need one of these
February 13, 2026 at 1:30 AM
I think I need one of these
Reposted
Just going to leave this here
February 12, 2026 at 6:54 PM
Just going to leave this here
Reposted
This thread is a humdinger. Worth a read.
I don’t really know what I expect in posting this, but maybe some people see it and can learn from it.
I’ll call it “lessons from an unwilling immigration attorney.”
1/
I’ll call it “lessons from an unwilling immigration attorney.”
1/
February 12, 2026 at 1:54 PM
This thread is a humdinger. Worth a read.
Reposted
Gotta love it: "The Stop Presidential Embezzlement Act would impose a 100 percent tax on any settlement a president, vice president, cabinet member, or member of Congress receives from the government as a result of a lawsuit filed while in office."
February 11, 2026 at 4:22 PM
Gotta love it: "The Stop Presidential Embezzlement Act would impose a 100 percent tax on any settlement a president, vice president, cabinet member, or member of Congress receives from the government as a result of a lawsuit filed while in office."
Wow, these people really *do* have no bottom to reach...
February 12, 2026 at 11:59 AM
Wow, these people really *do* have no bottom to reach...
Reposted
“Congressional Democrats introduced legislation on Tuesday that they said would eliminate the statute of limitations that has shielded sex traffickers such as the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.”
The proposal—Virginia's Law—is named after the late Virginia Giuffre: www.reuters.com/world/us/dem...
The proposal—Virginia's Law—is named after the late Virginia Giuffre: www.reuters.com/world/us/dem...
Democrats introduce 'Virginia's Law' alongside Epstein victims
Congressional Democrats introduced legislation that they said would eliminate the statute of limitations that has shielded sex traffickers.
www.reuters.com
February 12, 2026 at 1:28 AM
“Congressional Democrats introduced legislation on Tuesday that they said would eliminate the statute of limitations that has shielded sex traffickers such as the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.”
The proposal—Virginia's Law—is named after the late Virginia Giuffre: www.reuters.com/world/us/dem...
The proposal—Virginia's Law—is named after the late Virginia Giuffre: www.reuters.com/world/us/dem...
Reposted
‘A good way of dealing with overpopulation’: Epstein files reveal how the rich fuel climate denialism | Article by @ktoussaint.bsky.social for @fastcompany.com: www.fastcompany.com/91490280/eps...
'A good way of dealing with overpopulation': Epstein files reveal how the rich fuel climate denialism
Jeffrey Epstein and his vast network of elite figures routinely traded in myths that undermine climate progress. Experts say it's not an accident.
www.fastcompany.com
February 11, 2026 at 11:04 PM
‘A good way of dealing with overpopulation’: Epstein files reveal how the rich fuel climate denialism | Article by @ktoussaint.bsky.social for @fastcompany.com: www.fastcompany.com/91490280/eps...
Reposted
POLICE: "We'd like to talk to you about some recent murders."
CHARLES MANSON: "I'm moving on from that."
CHARLES MANSON: "I'm moving on from that."
February 11, 2026 at 6:22 PM
POLICE: "We'd like to talk to you about some recent murders."
CHARLES MANSON: "I'm moving on from that."
CHARLES MANSON: "I'm moving on from that."
B.C. community of Tumbler Ridge in mourning after mass shooting kills 9, including 6 inside school | CBC
www.cbc.ca
February 11, 2026 at 1:27 PM
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Trump shows up over a million times in the unredacted Epstein files. And that's the half they released. Imagine what's in the half they didn't release.
That means that the DOJ redacted Trump's name about 950K times in the 3M documents they released. www.axios.com/2026/02/10/t...
That means that the DOJ redacted Trump's name about 950K times in the 3M documents they released. www.axios.com/2026/02/10/t...
Trump is in the unredacted Epstein files "more than a million times," Raskin alleges
One document recounts that Trump said he "never" asked Epstein to leave Mar-a-Lago.
www.axios.com
February 10, 2026 at 9:33 PM
Trump shows up over a million times in the unredacted Epstein files. And that's the half they released. Imagine what's in the half they didn't release.
That means that the DOJ redacted Trump's name about 950K times in the 3M documents they released. www.axios.com/2026/02/10/t...
That means that the DOJ redacted Trump's name about 950K times in the 3M documents they released. www.axios.com/2026/02/10/t...
Reposted
A backgrounder is someone who conducts background checks.
Bloomington police announce arrests in sex trafficking bust: "Rashad Johnson out of Maple Grove. This is the most disturbing arrest that we've had here. He is a backgrounder for ICE, Homeland Security, and federal agencies."
February 10, 2026 at 9:40 PM
A backgrounder is someone who conducts background checks.
Originated on Tumblr, currently going around on Facebook:
February 10, 2026 at 9:46 PM
Originated on Tumblr, currently going around on Facebook: