Michael
@mjsp.bsky.social
So we bleat on, goats against the current, borne back fleecelessly into the past.
Reposted by Michael
Honestly, it's AMAZING how thoroughly Elon has dedicated himself to psychological self-destruction. I cannot think of any way he could be more thorough about it, although no doubt he will find some way to surprise me.
December 16, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Honestly, it's AMAZING how thoroughly Elon has dedicated himself to psychological self-destruction. I cannot think of any way he could be more thorough about it, although no doubt he will find some way to surprise me.
Reposted by Michael
Kindly ignore the fact that this is a part of an extended whine about NORTH: Rob Reiner’s directorial hot streak was the hottest anyone ever had.
Two things worth pointing out:
One: Rob Reiner was a golden god at this point in his career so it's not unusual that he was handed a blank check for an ambitious family film.
Two: it's not *trying* to be a bad movie. It's got that JOE VS. THE VOLCANO kind of magical floatiness. It just sucks.
One: Rob Reiner was a golden god at this point in his career so it's not unusual that he was handed a blank check for an ambitious family film.
Two: it's not *trying* to be a bad movie. It's got that JOE VS. THE VOLCANO kind of magical floatiness. It just sucks.
December 15, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Kindly ignore the fact that this is a part of an extended whine about NORTH: Rob Reiner’s directorial hot streak was the hottest anyone ever had.
Reposted by Michael
This is getting lost: For weeks Trump officials had the option to remove Abrego Garcia to Costa Rica, but refused to do so. Instead they kept trying to send him somewhere more dangerous. Costa Rica wasn't cruel and dehumanizing enough.
This is deeply sick conduct.
newrepublic.com/article/2043...
This is deeply sick conduct.
newrepublic.com/article/2043...
December 14, 2025 at 2:02 PM
This is getting lost: For weeks Trump officials had the option to remove Abrego Garcia to Costa Rica, but refused to do so. Instead they kept trying to send him somewhere more dangerous. Costa Rica wasn't cruel and dehumanizing enough.
This is deeply sick conduct.
newrepublic.com/article/2043...
This is deeply sick conduct.
newrepublic.com/article/2043...
Reposted by Michael
This is really solid investigative reporting from the Sun-Times. And a brutal expose of Greg Bovino, the cosplaying tough guy who has terrorized so many immigrants in Chicago. Read it all. chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdog...
Greg Bovino’s the star of Trump’s deportation show. We trace his roots.
As a boy, the Hollywood movie “The Border" set the course for his life. He couldn’t believe the Border Patrol agents in the movie were the bad guys. Now that he’s in charge of deportation efforts caus...
chicago.suntimes.com
December 13, 2025 at 3:48 PM
This is really solid investigative reporting from the Sun-Times. And a brutal expose of Greg Bovino, the cosplaying tough guy who has terrorized so many immigrants in Chicago. Read it all. chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdog...
Reposted by Michael
Reposted by Michael
And then there’s the story about Alex Karp’s not-at-all-weird interview (for lack of a better word) with Oswald Mosley’s grandson for a senior position at Palantir.
December 13, 2025 at 1:41 AM
And then there’s the story about Alex Karp’s not-at-all-weird interview (for lack of a better word) with Oswald Mosley’s grandson for a senior position at Palantir.
Reposted by Michael
Reposted by Michael
Reposted by Michael
The most uncomfortable part: although the US left has tended to support a strong federal govt, devolution to the states is now saving our butts in many instances. If we had stronger traditions of federal law enforcement a bunch more of us might be in jail.
December 11, 2025 at 10:48 AM
The most uncomfortable part: although the US left has tended to support a strong federal govt, devolution to the states is now saving our butts in many instances. If we had stronger traditions of federal law enforcement a bunch more of us might be in jail.
Reposted by Michael
The Founders built a system designed to enable and legally legitimize popular resistance to a tyrant, via strong free speech protections, the right to jury trial, and all sorts of restrictions on direct federal government action against individuals.
And the People are resisting, as elites cower.
And the People are resisting, as elites cower.
It’s striking how many of the most mundane features of American democracy, built centuries ago to protect against remembered tyrants from centuries prior, are still the bulwark against Trumpian fascism, while all the newfangled modern institutions simply collapsed on first contact with him
JUST IN: Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Snell just confirmed, at the prodding of U.S. Magistrate Judge Keri Holleb Hotaling, that this motion for dismissal followed a "no bill" from a grand jury.
That means the grand jury refused to indict.
That means the grand jury refused to indict.
December 10, 2025 at 5:23 PM
The Founders built a system designed to enable and legally legitimize popular resistance to a tyrant, via strong free speech protections, the right to jury trial, and all sorts of restrictions on direct federal government action against individuals.
And the People are resisting, as elites cower.
And the People are resisting, as elites cower.
Reposted by Michael
Moreover, we need to understand that when the Cratchit's are described as 'poor' this is relative to their social station (urban middle class) not the population at large. Bob Cratchit is an educated clerk, his eldest daughter an apprentice at a trade.
They are not working/lower class.
They are not working/lower class.
December 11, 2025 at 1:54 AM
Moreover, we need to understand that when the Cratchit's are described as 'poor' this is relative to their social station (urban middle class) not the population at large. Bob Cratchit is an educated clerk, his eldest daughter an apprentice at a trade.
They are not working/lower class.
They are not working/lower class.
Reposted by Michael
The first paragraph of Judge Breyer‘s opinion granting an injunction in the California National Guard case is a banger.
December 10, 2025 at 3:30 PM
The first paragraph of Judge Breyer‘s opinion granting an injunction in the California National Guard case is a banger.
Reposted by Michael
I think my semi-serious theory is that *physically going to university* - leaving your hometown, meeting new people, living in a diverse city with an ethnically diverse population and lots of visible LGBT people - make people better people, but the classes have nothing to do with it
December 9, 2025 at 10:27 PM
I think my semi-serious theory is that *physically going to university* - leaving your hometown, meeting new people, living in a diverse city with an ethnically diverse population and lots of visible LGBT people - make people better people, but the classes have nothing to do with it
Reposted by Michael
"As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free," goes harder than any Civil War song has any right to go.
December 9, 2025 at 2:22 AM
"As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free," goes harder than any Civil War song has any right to go.
Reposted by Michael
"War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend:
December 8, 2025 at 11:39 AM
"War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend:
Reposted by Michael
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
December 7, 2025 at 5:17 PM
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
Reposted by Michael
He looks like he’s trying to stop his dog from leaving him
December 7, 2025 at 3:04 AM
He looks like he’s trying to stop his dog from leaving him
Reposted by Michael
Every legal story now is either
Ancient Circuit Judge Delivers Crystal Clear 100 Page Rebuke To Trumpist Overreach
or
In Unsigned Shadow Docket Decision, 6-3 Majority Declares Trump Can Hunt People For Sport
Ancient Circuit Judge Delivers Crystal Clear 100 Page Rebuke To Trumpist Overreach
or
In Unsigned Shadow Docket Decision, 6-3 Majority Declares Trump Can Hunt People For Sport
October 3, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Every legal story now is either
Ancient Circuit Judge Delivers Crystal Clear 100 Page Rebuke To Trumpist Overreach
or
In Unsigned Shadow Docket Decision, 6-3 Majority Declares Trump Can Hunt People For Sport
Ancient Circuit Judge Delivers Crystal Clear 100 Page Rebuke To Trumpist Overreach
or
In Unsigned Shadow Docket Decision, 6-3 Majority Declares Trump Can Hunt People For Sport
Reposted by Michael
Not like it would be justified if they were drug smugglers, but I think it hasn't gotten enough focus that a boat with 11 people onboard heading from Venezuela to Trinidad was almost certainly migrants. These were probably, at least for some of them, people fleeing Maduro. That's who they murdered.
December 4, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Not like it would be justified if they were drug smugglers, but I think it hasn't gotten enough focus that a boat with 11 people onboard heading from Venezuela to Trinidad was almost certainly migrants. These were probably, at least for some of them, people fleeing Maduro. That's who they murdered.
Reposted by Michael
"If you ever think about me, and if you ain’t gonna do no revolutionary act, forget about me. I don’t want myself on your mind, if you’re not gonna work for the people."
On this day in 1969, Fred Hampton was shot to death by Chicago, Cook County and federal police as he slept in his apartment.
On this day in 1969, Fred Hampton was shot to death by Chicago, Cook County and federal police as he slept in his apartment.
December 4, 2025 at 6:43 PM
"If you ever think about me, and if you ain’t gonna do no revolutionary act, forget about me. I don’t want myself on your mind, if you’re not gonna work for the people."
On this day in 1969, Fred Hampton was shot to death by Chicago, Cook County and federal police as he slept in his apartment.
On this day in 1969, Fred Hampton was shot to death by Chicago, Cook County and federal police as he slept in his apartment.
Reposted by Michael
This is what government censorship actually looks like: defunding entire fields, deporting researchers, and quite effectively chilling speech that helps people understand how our information systems are being exploited and calls out powerful people and platforms for their bullshit.
For the last decade, the pervasive spread of bullshit & manipulation of online platforms have been widely recognized societal concerns. Now non US citizens studying those subjects can be labeled “censors” & denied visas or deported from the US. Censorship, indeed. www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Exclusive: Trump administration orders enhanced vetting for applicants of H-1B visa
An internal State Department memo said that anyone involved in "censorship" of free speech should be considered for rejection.
www.reuters.com
December 4, 2025 at 5:27 PM
This is what government censorship actually looks like: defunding entire fields, deporting researchers, and quite effectively chilling speech that helps people understand how our information systems are being exploited and calls out powerful people and platforms for their bullshit.
Reposted by Michael
Among Republicans - " The Holocaust of Jews and Nazi Germany was greatly exaggerated or did not happen as historians describe"
Disagree: 56%
Agree: 37%
Manhattan Institute / Oct 26, 2025
Disagree: 56%
Agree: 37%
Manhattan Institute / Oct 26, 2025
December 4, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Among Republicans - " The Holocaust of Jews and Nazi Germany was greatly exaggerated or did not happen as historians describe"
Disagree: 56%
Agree: 37%
Manhattan Institute / Oct 26, 2025
Disagree: 56%
Agree: 37%
Manhattan Institute / Oct 26, 2025
Reposted by Michael
the paradoxical result of Trump II for me is that I am much much more patriotic than I used to be and also believe in God much more strongly
December 3, 2025 at 11:51 PM
the paradoxical result of Trump II for me is that I am much much more patriotic than I used to be and also believe in God much more strongly
Reposted by Michael
The term “Western,” combined with Trump’s simultaneous pledge to “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries,” underscored his fixation on ethnicity. lnk.thebulwark.com/48vef8l
Now Trump Is Threatening Naturalized Americans
He’s not just bashing refugees and illegal immigrants. He’s going after U.S. citizens born in other countries.
lnk.thebulwark.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:30 PM
The term “Western,” combined with Trump’s simultaneous pledge to “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries,” underscored his fixation on ethnicity. lnk.thebulwark.com/48vef8l
Reposted by Michael
"Each one hopes that if he feeds the crocodile enough, the crocodile will eat him last. All of them hope that the storm will pass before their turn comes to be devoured."
- Winston Churchill (January 20, 1940)
- Winston Churchill (January 20, 1940)
Jeffries: "The border is secure. That's a good thing. It happened on his watch. He wants to claim credit for it, of course he'll get credit for that. In terms of making sure that we actually deal with the issues that matter, including on immigration, there's a lot that's left to be desired."
December 3, 2025 at 11:29 PM
"Each one hopes that if he feeds the crocodile enough, the crocodile will eat him last. All of them hope that the storm will pass before their turn comes to be devoured."
- Winston Churchill (January 20, 1940)
- Winston Churchill (January 20, 1940)