Steve Peters
@scpeters.bsky.social
Episcopalian engineer, software libre, open source robot simulation programmer, seeking a solar punk future today.
The first question I asked in Spanish I was how to say “No” in Spanish. Everyone laughed because it’s also “No”, but I’m glad I asked and I would do it again
The actual secret to why I know stuff is that I ask a question any time I don’t understand literally anything. I don’t care how simple it is. Anybody who makes fun of you for asking a simple question likely doesn’t know the answer either
November 20, 2025 at 3:41 AM
The first question I asked in Spanish I was how to say “No” in Spanish. Everyone laughed because it’s also “No”, but I’m glad I asked and I would do it again
Reposted by Steve Peters
Basically saying "if you do crime for me, I won't only pardon you--I'll give you millions of dollars of public money." Truly unprecedented level of corruption
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Michael Flynn, DOJ in Settlement Talks Over $50 Million Claim
The Justice Department has been discussing settlements with two former officials from Donald Trump’s first term who — like the president — claim they’re owed major payouts from the US government as vi...
www.bloomberg.com
November 14, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Basically saying "if you do crime for me, I won't only pardon you--I'll give you millions of dollars of public money." Truly unprecedented level of corruption
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Steve Peters
This is precisely how the Trump Foundation worked. He raised money and then spent it on himself. Which got him banned from operating a charity.
New in PN: King Trump turns US Treasury into his personal piggy bank
"His proposal is that his toadies in the DOJ give him taxpayer money, at which point he’d display some largesse and give it away. So Trump wants us, the taxpayers, to pay him so that he can donate our money."
"His proposal is that his toadies in the DOJ give him taxpayer money, at which point he’d display some largesse and give it away. So Trump wants us, the taxpayers, to pay him so that he can donate our money."
King Trump turns US Treasury into his personal piggy bank
He thinks our money is his.
www.publicnotice.co
October 24, 2025 at 11:57 AM
This is precisely how the Trump Foundation worked. He raised money and then spent it on himself. Which got him banned from operating a charity.
Reposted by Steve Peters
A president who can tear down 1/3 of the White House can tear down the entire White House. A president who can steal $230M from the treasury can steal $1T from the Treasury. We have both legalized and tolerated Trump’s crimes, so they will only get bigger.
October 24, 2025 at 12:54 PM
A president who can tear down 1/3 of the White House can tear down the entire White House. A president who can steal $230M from the treasury can steal $1T from the Treasury. We have both legalized and tolerated Trump’s crimes, so they will only get bigger.
Reposted by Steve Peters
there are good & worthwhile historical & legal arguments for why the unitary executive is nonsense but to my mind the most straightforward argument is that it makes no logical sense that the president has absolute removal power over the people whose job it is to keep the executive branch accountable
The Inspector General system is basically broken now. Most IGs have been fired, most positions remain vacant. Those who remain or would take the job pose no risk to holding the regime accountable.
Congress added more barriers to Trump firing IGs after his first term. He just ignored them.
Congress added more barriers to Trump firing IGs after his first term. He just ignored them.
October 21, 2025 at 10:47 PM
there are good & worthwhile historical & legal arguments for why the unitary executive is nonsense but to my mind the most straightforward argument is that it makes no logical sense that the president has absolute removal power over the people whose job it is to keep the executive branch accountable
Reposted by Steve Peters
this rocks. when indiana edu killed the student newspaper, Purdue stepped up, printed the forbidden issue, drove it to Bloomington and stocked the boxes.
October 18, 2025 at 6:27 PM
this rocks. when indiana edu killed the student newspaper, Purdue stepped up, printed the forbidden issue, drove it to Bloomington and stocked the boxes.
Reposted by Steve Peters
"we are going to murder americans without due process"
~pam bondi, US attorney general
~pam bondi, US attorney general
My gosh. After the US bombed multiple boats in the middle of the ocean, murdering people on grounds that they were allegedly "carrying drugs," the US Attorney General says "Just like we did with cartels, we're going to take the same approach, President Trump, with Antifa."
October 8, 2025 at 11:28 PM
"we are going to murder americans without due process"
~pam bondi, US attorney general
~pam bondi, US attorney general
Reposted by Steve Peters
There is a carbon price, it's just that the polluters aren't the one to pay it.
This is a good thing from a risk-based pricing perspective. But also so hard for people that are now paying $12k + difference in conditions. This is one of the true costs for Californians of wildfire.
October 6, 2025 at 8:51 PM
There is a carbon price, it's just that the polluters aren't the one to pay it.
Reposted by Steve Peters
It is morally wrong to want a computer to be sentient. If you owned a sentient thing, you would be a slaver. If you want sentient computers to exist, you just want to create a new kind of slavery. The ethics are as simple as that. Sorry if this offends
October 5, 2025 at 12:46 PM
It is morally wrong to want a computer to be sentient. If you owned a sentient thing, you would be a slaver. If you want sentient computers to exist, you just want to create a new kind of slavery. The ethics are as simple as that. Sorry if this offends
Reposted by Steve Peters
Why is Pritzker letting IL state cops help ICE abuse his state??
Major commotion as IL state cops shove back crowds trying to stop an ICE vehicle. I was grabbed and shoved repeatedly while filming the incident.
October 3, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Why is Pritzker letting IL state cops help ICE abuse his state??
Reposted by Steve Peters
really seems like @govpritzker.illinois.gov is talking out of both sides of his mouth. either step in or stop pretending.
@govpritzker.illinois.gov owns every arrest and act of violence against protesters this morning. He is aiding and abetting Operation Midway Blitz by allowing state cops to do this. He tells us to film ICE. His cops have shoved me around for filming this morning.
October 3, 2025 at 2:45 PM
really seems like @govpritzker.illinois.gov is talking out of both sides of his mouth. either step in or stop pretending.
Reposted by Steve Peters
One part Gestapo, one part slave catcher
October 2, 2025 at 3:10 PM
One part Gestapo, one part slave catcher
Reposted by Steve Peters
This is genuine secret police shit
What DHS pulled in Chicago on Tuesday is wildly unconstitutional. They smashed down almost every door in the building, dragged entire families into the street, and detained people for hours ("Kavanaugh stops").
Ms. Fisher was held for five hours and another senior citizen was held for three hours.
Ms. Fisher was held for five hours and another senior citizen was held for three hours.
![Rodrick Johnson, 67, is one of many residents who were detained by federal agents during the South Shore raid. A U.S. citizen, he said agents broke through his door and dragged him out in zip ties.
Johnson said he was left tied up outside the building for nearly three hours before agents finally let him go.
“I asked [agents] why they were holding me if I was an American citizen, and they said I had to wait until they looked me up,” Jones said. “I asked if they had a warrant, and I asked for a lawyer. They never brought one.”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2vtbmhmrwzbqcfv4we4uxzzt/bafkreib66z6racbfo5llgukbvmldxq44zaa7nqetkcs5cwxfez6xcec5oy@jpeg)
October 2, 2025 at 3:08 PM
This is genuine secret police shit
Reposted by Steve Peters
Yes please, more of this.
Weak. Call them weak, use that word specifically, name it for what it is
Weak. Call them weak, use that word specifically, name it for what it is
AOC: I think there's two things that are happening at once: One, there absolutely is an unprecedented abuse of power, destruction of norms, erosion of our government and our democracy in order to prop up an authoritarian style of governance
However, they are weaker than they look…
However, they are weaker than they look…
October 1, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Yes please, more of this.
Weak. Call them weak, use that word specifically, name it for what it is
Weak. Call them weak, use that word specifically, name it for what it is
Reposted by Steve Peters
would love to hear more congressional democrats say "should we win power next year we are going to treat every one of these as bribes and act accordingly" arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...
Trump obtains another settlement as YouTube agrees to pay $24.5 million
Alphabet settles with Trump instead of fighting lawsuit over January 6 suspension.
arstechnica.com
September 30, 2025 at 12:12 PM
would love to hear more congressional democrats say "should we win power next year we are going to treat every one of these as bribes and act accordingly" arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...
Reposted by Steve Peters
We've been in a slow-motion government shutdown for months, as the Trump administration withheld appropriated funds and engaged in mass firings. Now we're going to finally admit it. From me and @whitneycwimbish.bsky.social:
prospect.org/politics/202...
prospect.org/politics/202...
The Government Has Been Shut Down for Months
Today is the day we stop pretending that it’s not.
prospect.org
September 30, 2025 at 12:17 PM
We've been in a slow-motion government shutdown for months, as the Trump administration withheld appropriated funds and engaged in mass firings. Now we're going to finally admit it. From me and @whitneycwimbish.bsky.social:
prospect.org/politics/202...
prospect.org/politics/202...
Reposted by Steve Peters
Donald Trump is using federal agents to stoke fear and violate constitutional rights — all with the aims of expanding his control and sending military troops to our cities.
It’s unlawful and un-American. We must all stand up and speak out against fanning the flames of violence.
It’s unlawful and un-American. We must all stand up and speak out against fanning the flames of violence.
September 27, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Donald Trump is using federal agents to stoke fear and violate constitutional rights — all with the aims of expanding his control and sending military troops to our cities.
It’s unlawful and un-American. We must all stand up and speak out against fanning the flames of violence.
It’s unlawful and un-American. We must all stand up and speak out against fanning the flames of violence.
Reposted by Steve Peters
The South Korean Ministry of Defense has awarded medals of merit to 11 officers for disobeying direct orders of superiors during the martial law fiasco, orders that they deemed to be contrary to the constitution and endangerment to democracy.
www.chosun.com/english/nati...
www.chosun.com/english/nati...
National Defense Ministry Honors 11 Soldiers for Refusing Illegal Orders
National Defense Ministry Honors 11 Soldiers for Refusing Illegal Orders Honored for rejecting illegal orders during martial law, Marine death probe
www.chosun.com
September 27, 2025 at 6:44 PM
The South Korean Ministry of Defense has awarded medals of merit to 11 officers for disobeying direct orders of superiors during the martial law fiasco, orders that they deemed to be contrary to the constitution and endangerment to democracy.
www.chosun.com/english/nati...
www.chosun.com/english/nati...
Reposted by Steve Peters
I wasn’t thrilled about Sauron’s rule that I couldn’t mock him or Saruman at the Minas Morgul Comedy Festival but he did offer me this sweet ring of power if I agreed to perform so I couldn’t really say no
You will be shocked, SHOCKED, to learn that comedians performing in Riyadh are banned from performing material that mocks or criticizes the Saudi government and royals. Who could’ve predicted that a country that executes journalists and jails and tortures its critics would have such policies???
September 27, 2025 at 7:51 PM
I wasn’t thrilled about Sauron’s rule that I couldn’t mock him or Saruman at the Minas Morgul Comedy Festival but he did offer me this sweet ring of power if I agreed to perform so I couldn’t really say no
Reposted by Steve Peters
begging democrats to fight right now like portland is as important as jimmy kimmel
September 27, 2025 at 5:00 PM
begging democrats to fight right now like portland is as important as jimmy kimmel
Reposted by Steve Peters
Reposted by Steve Peters
This is the devil in the details of our electric utility system. Those profit payments to utility companies go on for decades and inflate the cost of everything.
Why are electric bills so high? If your monopoly utility spends $10 million on wires and transformers, your state will let them increase prices to recover the $10M plus ~$1M per year, every year for the foreseeable future. You and your neighbors will pay ~$35M for ~$10M of infrastructure.
September 24, 2025 at 4:02 PM
This is the devil in the details of our electric utility system. Those profit payments to utility companies go on for decades and inflate the cost of everything.
Reposted by Steve Peters
Out from the Disney Vault!
September 19, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Out from the Disney Vault!
Reposted by Steve Peters
I would love to be part of the conversation on MSNBC related to the Kimmel story and it's chilling effects on first amendment, but unfortunately I was terminated by MSNBC for stating that "hateful thoughts lead to hateful words which lead to hateful actions".
September 18, 2025 at 1:58 PM
I would love to be part of the conversation on MSNBC related to the Kimmel story and it's chilling effects on first amendment, but unfortunately I was terminated by MSNBC for stating that "hateful thoughts lead to hateful words which lead to hateful actions".