John Nicolay
@johnnicolay.bsky.social
Sydney lawyer and poster. Mostly interested in politics, economics, law and sport. Results-oriented progressive. Pseudonym in order to express non-professional (and occasionally unprofessional) thoughts. LFC/SFC/NYY
Reposted by John Nicolay
Look, it's been hard for me to figure out how to talk about the difference between healthy masculinity and bullshit, weak, fear-based control fantasies, but BOY HAS THIS WEEK MADE EVERYTHING MORE CLEAR.
January 28, 2026 at 12:25 AM
Look, it's been hard for me to figure out how to talk about the difference between healthy masculinity and bullshit, weak, fear-based control fantasies, but BOY HAS THIS WEEK MADE EVERYTHING MORE CLEAR.
IYKYK
New CBS contributors announced
January 28, 2026 at 12:05 AM
IYKYK
There is no currency in the world worth less than Susan Collins’ concerns.
January 27, 2026 at 11:30 PM
There is no currency in the world worth less than Susan Collins’ concerns.
The idea that embassies and consulates are sovereign territory of their owners is one of those mistaken ideas that is impossible to kill.
But they *are* protected by international law: in this case Article 31 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
But they *are* protected by international law: in this case Article 31 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
Uh. So ICE just technically tried to invade Ecuador. Cool new international incident dropping.
1/27/2026 - Minneapolis
ICE just attempted an illegal entry into the ECUADORIAN CONSULATE to abduct someone
They did not have a warrant
ICE just attempted an illegal entry into the ECUADORIAN CONSULATE to abduct someone
They did not have a warrant
January 27, 2026 at 11:26 PM
The idea that embassies and consulates are sovereign territory of their owners is one of those mistaken ideas that is impossible to kill.
But they *are* protected by international law: in this case Article 31 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
But they *are* protected by international law: in this case Article 31 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
A beautiful example of the genre:
January 27, 2026 at 11:07 PM
A beautiful example of the genre:
Reposted by John Nicolay
"They told us what they were going to do. They published it. They put it on a website. And when it happened, the press was surprised."
Hoo boy, everyone should bookmark this @parkermolloy.com piece & make sure everyone involved in media reads it.
Hoo boy, everyone should bookmark this @parkermolloy.com piece & make sure everyone involved in media reads it.
This is Literally the Job
Political journalists need to stop pretending they don't know what Republicans are going to do.
www.readtpa.com
January 27, 2026 at 9:37 PM
"They told us what they were going to do. They published it. They put it on a website. And when it happened, the press was surprised."
Hoo boy, everyone should bookmark this @parkermolloy.com piece & make sure everyone involved in media reads it.
Hoo boy, everyone should bookmark this @parkermolloy.com piece & make sure everyone involved in media reads it.
Reposted by John Nicolay
BREAKING Greg Bovino has been removed as Border Patrol "commander at large" and will return to El Centro Calif, where he is expected to retire soon. A stunning turnaround after Pretti killing. Bovino's traveling blue city crackdown is over www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
Gregory Bovino Gets Demoted
The Border Patrol chief was the public face of a traveling immigration crackdown on cities governed by Democrats.
www.theatlantic.com
January 26, 2026 at 11:40 PM
BREAKING Greg Bovino has been removed as Border Patrol "commander at large" and will return to El Centro Calif, where he is expected to retire soon. A stunning turnaround after Pretti killing. Bovino's traveling blue city crackdown is over www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
Reposted by John Nicolay
Trump tried to break the Twin Cities but we stood strong, and now *they* are backing down. Makes me feel proud to live here.
January 26, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Trump tried to break the Twin Cities but we stood strong, and now *they* are backing down. Makes me feel proud to live here.
Hah! I feel this … not a word I feel comfortable using myself as a bloke, but it’s a good word!
As someone who doesn’t use the c-word, I always enjoy when women do.
It’s always said with such gusto, particularly when it’s applied to public officials, fascists etc
It’s always said with such gusto, particularly when it’s applied to public officials, fascists etc
January 26, 2026 at 10:33 PM
Hah! I feel this … not a word I feel comfortable using myself as a bloke, but it’s a good word!
Reposted by John Nicolay
The leaders of Albania & Azerbaijan were filmed mocking US Trump for claiming he ended a war between the 2 countries, even though they have never fought each other.
The world thinks that the occupant is a joke.
He’s destroying our country. Congress must act.
The world thinks that the occupant is a joke.
He’s destroying our country. Congress must act.
January 22, 2026 at 2:48 PM
The leaders of Albania & Azerbaijan were filmed mocking US Trump for claiming he ended a war between the 2 countries, even though they have never fought each other.
The world thinks that the occupant is a joke.
He’s destroying our country. Congress must act.
The world thinks that the occupant is a joke.
He’s destroying our country. Congress must act.
Donald Trump appeared visibly uneasy as he exited Marine One amid fresh health concerns surrounding the 79-year-old.
Trump, 79, Gingerly Descends Marine One Steps After Being Grilled on Health Issue
The White House is having to come up with new excuses to explain the president’s frailty.
trib.al
January 23, 2026 at 10:32 PM
Is this too crazy a possibility to consider: the Nats leave the coalition and merge with One Nation; the Libs then basically split, with one group joining the Nats/ON and the other joining Labor.
Bingo, no more Liberal Party.
Bingo, no more Liberal Party.
January 21, 2026 at 11:01 AM
Is this too crazy a possibility to consider: the Nats leave the coalition and merge with One Nation; the Libs then basically split, with one group joining the Nats/ON and the other joining Labor.
Bingo, no more Liberal Party.
Bingo, no more Liberal Party.
Several good points made in this exchange.
January 20, 2026 at 1:19 AM
Several good points made in this exchange.
Doesn’t this admission about his own values and motivations conclusively prove that Donald Trump does not deserve a prize for peace?
January 19, 2026 at 8:07 PM
Doesn’t this admission about his own values and motivations conclusively prove that Donald Trump does not deserve a prize for peace?
Can someone please explain to me who is doing what to whom in this sentence?
January 18, 2026 at 10:47 PM
Can someone please explain to me who is doing what to whom in this sentence?
This guy should read up on the Nuremberg Trial, in particular the second count of the indictment.
This guy is basically inviting China to take Taiwan.
January 17, 2026 at 2:56 AM
This guy should read up on the Nuremberg Trial, in particular the second count of the indictment.
The time will come when voters ask Democratic politicians why they weren’t on this list.
Democratic politicians facing frivolous criminal investigations from Trump:
Kat Abughazaleh
Elissa Slotkin
Jason Crow
Tim Walz
Jacob Frey
Letitia James
Lisa Cook
Mark Kelly
Eric Swalwell
Adam Schiff
Kat Abughazaleh
Elissa Slotkin
Jason Crow
Tim Walz
Jacob Frey
Letitia James
Lisa Cook
Mark Kelly
Eric Swalwell
Adam Schiff
Two days ago it was Elissa Slotkin. Last week it was Jerome Powell. Before that, Mark Kelly. Weaponizing the justice system against your opponents is an authoritarian tactic.
The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.
The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.
January 17, 2026 at 2:14 AM
The time will come when voters ask Democratic politicians why they weren’t on this list.
Pretty cool
Dr Oz: "Alabama has no OBGYNs in many of their counties, so they're doing something pretty cool. They're actually having robots do ultrasounds on these pregnant moms."
January 17, 2026 at 2:09 AM
Pretty cool
Reposted by John Nicolay
rare thing to read an obituary with a smile on your face, doubly rare for the smile to be because the person was so fuckin cool and not because [signal drops]
Holy hell, what an obituary
Renfrew Christie Dies at 76; Sabotaged Racist Regime’s Nuclear Program
www.nytimes.com
January 15, 2026 at 9:54 PM
rare thing to read an obituary with a smile on your face, doubly rare for the smile to be because the person was so fuckin cool and not because [signal drops]
Reposted by John Nicolay
The complicated reality is there are 3 things happening simultaneously:
-Trump preternaturally understands the ebb and flow of the media and does perform for it
-His inner circle is in a mad dash to turn the US into a fascist ethnostate
-Like all authoritarian regimes, they're grossly incompetent
-Trump preternaturally understands the ebb and flow of the media and does perform for it
-His inner circle is in a mad dash to turn the US into a fascist ethnostate
-Like all authoritarian regimes, they're grossly incompetent
Cripes a’mighty people, Steven Miller is not staging a militarized ethnic cleansing and sending the border cops to murder people in the street to distract from the Epstein files. He’s doing it because he and Trump (and Vance and Homan and Noem etc) really really want to.
January 15, 2026 at 3:39 AM
The complicated reality is there are 3 things happening simultaneously:
-Trump preternaturally understands the ebb and flow of the media and does perform for it
-His inner circle is in a mad dash to turn the US into a fascist ethnostate
-Like all authoritarian regimes, they're grossly incompetent
-Trump preternaturally understands the ebb and flow of the media and does perform for it
-His inner circle is in a mad dash to turn the US into a fascist ethnostate
-Like all authoritarian regimes, they're grossly incompetent
I wonder how many people in Australia know what “no claim or right to cultural safety” actually means.
I’m not sure that I do.
I’m not sure that I do.
January 14, 2026 at 2:27 AM
I wonder how many people in Australia know what “no claim or right to cultural safety” actually means.
I’m not sure that I do.
I’m not sure that I do.
Reposted by John Nicolay
Good point
How bad are the Epstein files that the US government is willing to invade the whole world?
January 12, 2026 at 8:28 PM
Good point
Reposted by John Nicolay
There is no attitude for which legacy journalists are more often rewarded by their bosses than "Everybody needs to calm down." It is a preening announcement that you are the adult in the room, immune from emotion or overreaction or "hysteria." And it is the worst imaginable priority for this era. >
January 11, 2026 at 5:23 PM
There is no attitude for which legacy journalists are more often rewarded by their bosses than "Everybody needs to calm down." It is a preening announcement that you are the adult in the room, immune from emotion or overreaction or "hysteria." And it is the worst imaginable priority for this era. >
I have been saying for a while now that the governments of western democracies understand the mortal threat that the platforms pose to democracy and are looking for ways to rein them in, starting with the most popular measures. Banning social media for kids is one. This is another:
January 11, 2026 at 6:16 AM
I have been saying for a while now that the governments of western democracies understand the mortal threat that the platforms pose to democracy and are looking for ways to rein them in, starting with the most popular measures. Banning social media for kids is one. This is another:
A dumb question: did anyone representing the Board of AWW try to discuss with Dr Abdul-Fattah the need for sensitivity given the circumstances?
If they didn’t, excluding her seems more like punishment for what she’s said in the past than a genuine effort to avoid insensitivity and harm now.
If they didn’t, excluding her seems more like punishment for what she’s said in the past than a genuine effort to avoid insensitivity and harm now.
January 9, 2026 at 7:10 AM
A dumb question: did anyone representing the Board of AWW try to discuss with Dr Abdul-Fattah the need for sensitivity given the circumstances?
If they didn’t, excluding her seems more like punishment for what she’s said in the past than a genuine effort to avoid insensitivity and harm now.
If they didn’t, excluding her seems more like punishment for what she’s said in the past than a genuine effort to avoid insensitivity and harm now.