Mom Cow
@albatex.bsky.social
Extroverted introvert. Mom, wife, daughter, engineer, gardener.
Pinned
Mom Cow
@albatex.bsky.social
· Nov 13
How to Build an Autocracy
The preconditions are present in the U.S. today. Here’s the playbook Donald Trump could use to set the country down a path toward illiberalism.
www.theatlantic.com
Have had this pinned to my Twitter account since 2017. Details are slightly different, but concept still applies:
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
Reposted by Mom Cow
When recent blackouts struck Kyiv and the surrounding region, 16-year-old Anastasia, like many others, lost power. For the past 10 days, she has been volunteering with the WCK's #ChefsForUkraine team as we serve families impacted by freezing temperatures and a lack of electricity.
February 7, 2026 at 2:15 PM
When recent blackouts struck Kyiv and the surrounding region, 16-year-old Anastasia, like many others, lost power. For the past 10 days, she has been volunteering with the WCK's #ChefsForUkraine team as we serve families impacted by freezing temperatures and a lack of electricity.
Celebrating Black History Month:
“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”
- Ida B. Wells
www.gilderlehrman.org/history-reso...
“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”
- Ida B. Wells
www.gilderlehrman.org/history-reso...
The Persistence of Ida B. Wells: Reform Leader and Civil Rights Activist | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
The Persistence of Ida B. Wells: Reform Leader and Civil Rights Activist | In an 1892 speech, Ida B. | In an 1892 speech, Ida B. Wells told her audience, “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light ...
www.gilderlehrman.org
February 7, 2026 at 2:58 PM
Celebrating Black History Month:
“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”
- Ida B. Wells
www.gilderlehrman.org/history-reso...
“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”
- Ida B. Wells
www.gilderlehrman.org/history-reso...
Reposted by Mom Cow
The Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania demanded "Apologize or resign" today. Of course he won't do either. But good on them for being blunt!
February 7, 2026 at 1:41 AM
The Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania demanded "Apologize or resign" today. Of course he won't do either. But good on them for being blunt!
Reposted by Mom Cow
This is what the most distant confirmed galaxy looks like. The light we're receiving was emitted when the Universe was ~15x smaller in linear size than today, and right now it's ~30 billion light-years away from us. The light was emitted when the Universe was <300 million years old. Pretty amazing!
News from the edge of the visible universe:
JWST has confirmed this galaxy, MoM-z14, as the most distant one yet studied. We're seeing it as it was 13.5 billion years ago, 98% of the way back to the beginning of time.
(MoM stands for "miracle or mirage.") 🧪🔭
science.nasa.gov/missions/web...
JWST has confirmed this galaxy, MoM-z14, as the most distant one yet studied. We're seeing it as it was 13.5 billion years ago, 98% of the way back to the beginning of time.
(MoM stands for "miracle or mirage.") 🧪🔭
science.nasa.gov/missions/web...
February 6, 2026 at 9:11 PM
This is what the most distant confirmed galaxy looks like. The light we're receiving was emitted when the Universe was ~15x smaller in linear size than today, and right now it's ~30 billion light-years away from us. The light was emitted when the Universe was <300 million years old. Pretty amazing!
Reposted by Mom Cow
No joke: I got angry hate mail today for writing an obituary of a Black woman scientist—because the person felt she did didn’t deserve the recognition.
Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Gladys Mae West obituary: mathematician who pioneered GPS technology
She made key contributions to US cold-war science despite facing huge barriers as a Black woman.
www.nature.com
February 6, 2026 at 9:09 AM
No joke: I got angry hate mail today for writing an obituary of a Black woman scientist—because the person felt she did didn’t deserve the recognition.
Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Mom Cow
Reposted by Mom Cow
To report aliens to U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), call their toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423).
Don't call Space Force. 🫡
Don't call Space Force. 🫡
February 6, 2026 at 2:14 AM
To report aliens to U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), call their toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423).
Don't call Space Force. 🫡
Don't call Space Force. 🫡
Reposted by Mom Cow
Today we remember Alice Ball, an African American chemist who developed the 1st effective treatment for leprosy prior to antibiotics. After Ball died at 24, a male colleague stole her research. Ball was not recognized until a historian found her original thesis. Feb 28 is Alice Augusta Ball Day
February 6, 2026 at 2:15 AM
Today we remember Alice Ball, an African American chemist who developed the 1st effective treatment for leprosy prior to antibiotics. After Ball died at 24, a male colleague stole her research. Ball was not recognized until a historian found her original thesis. Feb 28 is Alice Augusta Ball Day
February 6, 2026 at 2:36 AM
Reposted by Mom Cow
February 6, 2026 at 2:25 AM
Reposted by Mom Cow
If Jeff Bezos could afford to spend $75 million on the Melania movie & $500 million for a yacht to sail off to his $55 million wedding to give his wife a $5 million ring, please don't tell me he needed to fire one-third of the Washington Post staff.
Democracy dies in oligarchy.
Democracy dies in oligarchy.
February 5, 2026 at 12:16 AM
If Jeff Bezos could afford to spend $75 million on the Melania movie & $500 million for a yacht to sail off to his $55 million wedding to give his wife a $5 million ring, please don't tell me he needed to fire one-third of the Washington Post staff.
Democracy dies in oligarchy.
Democracy dies in oligarchy.
Kudos to NBC:
www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...
Fact-checking Trump's interview with NBC News
Trump made several false or misleading claims on topics ranging from the economy to immigration to elections during an Oval Office interview with NBC News’ Tom Llamas.
www.nbcnews.com
February 5, 2026 at 1:57 PM
Kudos to NBC:
www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...
Reposted by Mom Cow
In this week's edition of: "I didn't know one could protest in so many ways:"
More than 60 Drummers 🥁 coordinated throughout downtown Minneapolis to play on different street corners and share a unified message that they want ICE out of their city. 🪘🙌🏻
I love their laugh at the end. 😍
More than 60 Drummers 🥁 coordinated throughout downtown Minneapolis to play on different street corners and share a unified message that they want ICE out of their city. 🪘🙌🏻
I love their laugh at the end. 😍
February 4, 2026 at 1:48 AM
In this week's edition of: "I didn't know one could protest in so many ways:"
More than 60 Drummers 🥁 coordinated throughout downtown Minneapolis to play on different street corners and share a unified message that they want ICE out of their city. 🪘🙌🏻
I love their laugh at the end. 😍
More than 60 Drummers 🥁 coordinated throughout downtown Minneapolis to play on different street corners and share a unified message that they want ICE out of their city. 🪘🙌🏻
I love their laugh at the end. 😍
Reposted by Mom Cow
Imagine your sweet, little 9-year-old girl was abducted and taken to a torture mill.
This is happening in our name on our dime.
Children are being abducted, detained, deprived of medical care & given moldy or worm infested food & foul water.
#FundHealthcareOverICE
Congress: 202-224-3121
This is happening in our name on our dime.
Children are being abducted, detained, deprived of medical care & given moldy or worm infested food & foul water.
#FundHealthcareOverICE
Congress: 202-224-3121
February 4, 2026 at 2:56 AM
Imagine your sweet, little 9-year-old girl was abducted and taken to a torture mill.
This is happening in our name on our dime.
Children are being abducted, detained, deprived of medical care & given moldy or worm infested food & foul water.
#FundHealthcareOverICE
Congress: 202-224-3121
This is happening in our name on our dime.
Children are being abducted, detained, deprived of medical care & given moldy or worm infested food & foul water.
#FundHealthcareOverICE
Congress: 202-224-3121
Reposted by Mom Cow
Yuh-Line Niou was one of the electeds I most respected during the first years of COVID. She was out there on the ground literally getting meals to folks in need in her district. Very glad to see this.
February 4, 2026 at 3:03 AM
Yuh-Line Niou was one of the electeds I most respected during the first years of COVID. She was out there on the ground literally getting meals to folks in need in her district. Very glad to see this.
Reposted by Mom Cow
"The public interest in protecting First Amendment rights cannot be overemphasized."
An important decision out of Oregon everyone should read.
An important decision out of Oregon everyone should read.
BREAKING: Judge issues TRO reining in tactics against peaceful protesters and journalists at Portland OR ICE facility. Judge Michael Simon bars use of crowd control munitions against people who don't pose physical threat. Doc: https//www.documen...
DickinsonTRO020326
www.documentcloud.org
February 4, 2026 at 2:13 AM
"The public interest in protecting First Amendment rights cannot be overemphasized."
An important decision out of Oregon everyone should read.
An important decision out of Oregon everyone should read.
Reposted by Mom Cow
All 83,000 acres of an Alabama National Forest.
I did not want to share this week’s USDA press release as there’s no comment or objection period, and I don’t want things to seem hopeless.
So I’ll note the comment and objection period is the midterms.
These are your lands.
These are the stakes.
I did not want to share this week’s USDA press release as there’s no comment or objection period, and I don’t want things to seem hopeless.
So I’ll note the comment and objection period is the midterms.
These are your lands.
These are the stakes.
February 4, 2026 at 2:53 AM
All 83,000 acres of an Alabama National Forest.
I did not want to share this week’s USDA press release as there’s no comment or objection period, and I don’t want things to seem hopeless.
So I’ll note the comment and objection period is the midterms.
These are your lands.
These are the stakes.
I did not want to share this week’s USDA press release as there’s no comment or objection period, and I don’t want things to seem hopeless.
So I’ll note the comment and objection period is the midterms.
These are your lands.
These are the stakes.
Reposted by Mom Cow
for the love of country, talk to your local/state peeps about this. if it's too late for state legislative votes/changes for 2026:
get this readied for 2028
get this readied for 2028
put this software in front of every secretary of state
electionguard.vote
washington state is exploring options with it for their machines
2019 MS released it for free/opensource & mitch mcconnell tabled election security bills, which speaks volumes
electionguard.vote
washington state is exploring options with it for their machines
2019 MS released it for free/opensource & mitch mcconnell tabled election security bills, which speaks volumes
ElectionGuard - What is ElectionGuard?
None
electionguard.vote
February 3, 2026 at 6:18 PM
for the love of country, talk to your local/state peeps about this. if it's too late for state legislative votes/changes for 2026:
get this readied for 2028
get this readied for 2028
Reposted by Mom Cow
1/5
OPM quietly revised its Jan 2026 shutdown guidance. The new text backs away from guaranteed back pay for furloughed feds -- even though a 2019 law already guarantees it. The statute didn’t change; the guidance did. 🔍
🙏 @jheckman.bsky.social @dfriedman.bsky.social @federalnewsnetwork.com
OPM quietly revised its Jan 2026 shutdown guidance. The new text backs away from guaranteed back pay for furloughed feds -- even though a 2019 law already guarantees it. The statute didn’t change; the guidance did. 🔍
🙏 @jheckman.bsky.social @dfriedman.bsky.social @federalnewsnetwork.com
OPM removes language on back pay for furloughed feds from shutdown guidance | Federal News Network
OPM's shutdown guidance also added a section stating that performance-based adverse actions against employees are allowed in some cases during a funding lapse.
federalnewsnetwork.com
February 3, 2026 at 5:15 PM
1/5
OPM quietly revised its Jan 2026 shutdown guidance. The new text backs away from guaranteed back pay for furloughed feds -- even though a 2019 law already guarantees it. The statute didn’t change; the guidance did. 🔍
🙏 @jheckman.bsky.social @dfriedman.bsky.social @federalnewsnetwork.com
OPM quietly revised its Jan 2026 shutdown guidance. The new text backs away from guaranteed back pay for furloughed feds -- even though a 2019 law already guarantees it. The statute didn’t change; the guidance did. 🔍
🙏 @jheckman.bsky.social @dfriedman.bsky.social @federalnewsnetwork.com
Reposted by Mom Cow
Giving the narrative is excellent. Great job this observer did.
February 3, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Giving the narrative is excellent. Great job this observer did.
Reposted by Mom Cow
Consider this
We can think about the US elections system in 3 layers.
1 the system that governs elections
2 the process to select candidates
3 the final general election
We can think about the US elections system in 3 layers.
1 the system that governs elections
2 the process to select candidates
3 the final general election
February 3, 2026 at 6:08 PM
Consider this
We can think about the US elections system in 3 layers.
1 the system that governs elections
2 the process to select candidates
3 the final general election
We can think about the US elections system in 3 layers.
1 the system that governs elections
2 the process to select candidates
3 the final general election