Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
@fooman42.bsky.social
Husband and father, Scouter, Linux and Tech fan, gamer, STEM enthusiast, book lover.
I too didn't proudly cheer when either of the two left this world, but they were *not* heroes and I feel a lot more empathy for those who have lived with and continue to life with the effects on their own lives and of their families.
ixak.medium.com/on-james-dob...
ixak.medium.com/on-james-dob...
On James Dobson and Charlie Kirk
As an older refugee from the conservative evangelical christian community in which I was raised, I’m reaching the half-century mark now…
ixak.medium.com
September 13, 2025 at 6:22 AM
I too didn't proudly cheer when either of the two left this world, but they were *not* heroes and I feel a lot more empathy for those who have lived with and continue to life with the effects on their own lives and of their families.
ixak.medium.com/on-james-dob...
ixak.medium.com/on-james-dob...
Reposted by Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
Breaking: FDA will allow Covid vaccines for 65+ and those at high risk, but may require data from new clinical trials before offering it Americans under 65.
W/ @by-cjewett.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/20/h...
W/ @by-cjewett.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/20/h...
F.D.A. Poised to Restrict Access to Covid Vaccines
www.nytimes.com
May 20, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Breaking: FDA will allow Covid vaccines for 65+ and those at high risk, but may require data from new clinical trials before offering it Americans under 65.
W/ @by-cjewett.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/20/h...
W/ @by-cjewett.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/20/h...
Reposted by Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
Republicans are saying that these cuts will be reinvested into Medicaid for people who "deserve" it.
If that were true, the budget would stay the same. But that's not what's happening. Why?
Because down the hall, they are trying to finance tax breaks for billionaires.
If that were true, the budget would stay the same. But that's not what's happening. Why?
Because down the hall, they are trying to finance tax breaks for billionaires.
May 14, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Republicans are saying that these cuts will be reinvested into Medicaid for people who "deserve" it.
If that were true, the budget would stay the same. But that's not what's happening. Why?
Because down the hall, they are trying to finance tax breaks for billionaires.
If that were true, the budget would stay the same. But that's not what's happening. Why?
Because down the hall, they are trying to finance tax breaks for billionaires.
Reposted by Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
It’s 2 am and we’re still marking up massive cuts to Medicaid.
While their constituents are asleep, Republicans are trying to take away health care from 13.7 million people to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.
They want you to tune out. Don’t ⬇️
x.com/i/broadcasts...
While their constituents are asleep, Republicans are trying to take away health care from 13.7 million people to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.
They want you to tune out. Don’t ⬇️
x.com/i/broadcasts...
HAPPENING NOW: Republicans are putting health care on the chopping block / X
HAPPENING NOW: Republicans are putting health care on the chopping block
x.com
May 14, 2025 at 6:31 AM
It’s 2 am and we’re still marking up massive cuts to Medicaid.
While their constituents are asleep, Republicans are trying to take away health care from 13.7 million people to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.
They want you to tune out. Don’t ⬇️
x.com/i/broadcasts...
While their constituents are asleep, Republicans are trying to take away health care from 13.7 million people to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.
They want you to tune out. Don’t ⬇️
x.com/i/broadcasts...
Reposted by Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
NPR has identified three Trump administration officials with close ties to antisemitic extremists, including a prominent Holocaust denier.
Multiple Trump White House officials have ties to antisemitic extremists
NPR has identified three Trump administration officials with close ties to antisemitic extremists, including a prominent Holocaust denier.
www.npr.org
May 14, 2025 at 10:03 AM
NPR has identified three Trump administration officials with close ties to antisemitic extremists, including a prominent Holocaust denier.
Reposted by Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
“America was a paradise for science. Everything was flourishing. There was freedom of discourse; conferences, seminars. It was nothing like the environment I had left behind in Russia.” 🧪🦠
May 13, 2025 at 2:24 PM
“America was a paradise for science. Everything was flourishing. There was freedom of discourse; conferences, seminars. It was nothing like the environment I had left behind in Russia.” 🧪🦠
Reposted by Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
"What Miller and Trump are saying is that the administration will suspend habeas unless the courts let the administration do whatever it wants, Constitution and separation of powers be damned." — @snipy.bsky.social
Miller threatens to suspend habeas unless Trump can defy judges
Either way, the rule of law loses.
www.publicnotice.co
May 13, 2025 at 2:25 PM
"What Miller and Trump are saying is that the administration will suspend habeas unless the courts let the administration do whatever it wants, Constitution and separation of powers be damned." — @snipy.bsky.social
Reposted by Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
"The Trump administration has terminated a federal advisory committee that issued guidance about preventing the spread of infections in health care facilities." www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcn...
Trump administration has shut down CDC's infection control committee
Four members said they were informed of the termination Friday, but it had already taken effect in late March, according to a CDC letter.
www.nbcnews.com
May 7, 2025 at 11:27 AM
"The Trump administration has terminated a federal advisory committee that issued guidance about preventing the spread of infections in health care facilities." www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcn...
Reposted by Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
Trump administration shuts down the CDC's infection control committee www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
Trump administration has shut down CDC's infection control committee
Four members said they were informed of the termination Friday, but it had already taken effect in late March, according to a CDC letter.
www.nbcnews.com
May 7, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Trump administration shuts down the CDC's infection control committee www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
Reposted by Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
Don’t look away. This is what Libya’s migrant detention facilities look like. This is what Trump is doing.
Amnesty International called Libya’s migrant detention centers a “hellscape,” where beatings and sexual violence are rampant and there are many reports of trafficking and even slavery.
Amnesty International called Libya’s migrant detention centers a “hellscape,” where beatings and sexual violence are rampant and there are many reports of trafficking and even slavery.
May 7, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Don’t look away. This is what Libya’s migrant detention facilities look like. This is what Trump is doing.
Amnesty International called Libya’s migrant detention centers a “hellscape,” where beatings and sexual violence are rampant and there are many reports of trafficking and even slavery.
Amnesty International called Libya’s migrant detention centers a “hellscape,” where beatings and sexual violence are rampant and there are many reports of trafficking and even slavery.
Reposted by Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
UPDATE: The DOGE aide was told by ethics attorneys that he held stock in companies that agency employees are barred from owning — and was advised not to participate in any actions that could benefit him personally.
Days later, he helped fire 90% of CFPB staff anyway.
Days later, he helped fire 90% of CFPB staff anyway.
May 7, 2025 at 11:20 AM
UPDATE: The DOGE aide was told by ethics attorneys that he held stock in companies that agency employees are barred from owning — and was advised not to participate in any actions that could benefit him personally.
Days later, he helped fire 90% of CFPB staff anyway.
Days later, he helped fire 90% of CFPB staff anyway.
Reposted by Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
I am an American citizen, raised Jewish in a Jewish family, and I am loudly saying that protesting Israel's genocidal actions against Palestinians is not antisemitism.
Effective immediately, the government says it will begin screening immigrant social media for activity that officials think indicates support for antisemitism.
U.S. says it is now monitoring immigrants' social media for antisemitism
Effective immediately, the government says it will begin screening immigrant social media for activity that officials think indicates support for antisemitism.
www.npr.org
May 6, 2025 at 2:22 PM
I am an American citizen, raised Jewish in a Jewish family, and I am loudly saying that protesting Israel's genocidal actions against Palestinians is not antisemitism.
Reposted by Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
From introducing “gold card” visas to threatening birthright citizenship, Trump’s xenophobic views on immigration are reshaping what it means to become a US citizen, says @plopezmn.bsky.social. Here’s why it could soon look very different: bloom.bg/4j8hO7T
May 6, 2025 at 2:24 PM
From introducing “gold card” visas to threatening birthright citizenship, Trump’s xenophobic views on immigration are reshaping what it means to become a US citizen, says @plopezmn.bsky.social. Here’s why it could soon look very different: bloom.bg/4j8hO7T
Reposted by Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
We should understand this for what it is: an effort to build public consent for the president to ignore the Supreme Court. abcnews.go.com/Politics/jus...
Justice Department investigating 2022 Abrego Garcia traffic stop: Sources
DOJ has been investigating a 2022 Tennessee traffic stop involving Kilmar Abrego Garcia, ABC News has learned.
abcnews.go.com
May 6, 2025 at 12:28 PM
We should understand this for what it is: an effort to build public consent for the president to ignore the Supreme Court. abcnews.go.com/Politics/jus...
Talk about a waste of money and resources.
The White House confirmed Friday that President Donald Trump intends to host a military parade this summer to commemorate the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday.
Trump to mark Army’s birthday, and his, with parade of 6,600 soldiers
The Army anticipates featuring 150 vehicles, 50 aircraft and 6,600 soldiers in the parade, as well as a fireworks display and festival on the National Mall.
wapo.st
May 3, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Talk about a waste of money and resources.
This administration is openly hostile to science. It is reckless, dangerous, and short-sighted.
silencedsciencestories.com
#FDT #science
silencedsciencestories.com
#FDT #science
Silenced Science Stories
Explore the people and groundbreaking science research affected by federal firings, budget cuts, and grant terminations. Featuring scientists via art.
silencedsciencestories.com
May 3, 2025 at 1:40 PM
This administration is openly hostile to science. It is reckless, dangerous, and short-sighted.
silencedsciencestories.com
#FDT #science
silencedsciencestories.com
#FDT #science
Reposted by Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
Cancelled my Duolingo subscription (though it's paid through Feb next year) and I'm trying out Mango Languages. Cool thing: it let me search for institutions by zip code for access to the app rather than subscribing, and my county library system was on the list!
Duolingo will replace contract workers with AI
Duolingo will replace contract workers with AI
Duolingo is making some AI-focused changes.
buff.ly
April 29, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Cancelled my Duolingo subscription (though it's paid through Feb next year) and I'm trying out Mango Languages. Cool thing: it let me search for institutions by zip code for access to the app rather than subscribing, and my county library system was on the list!
Reposted by Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
I am more furious by the goddamn second.
You do not get to pretend you love literature, or writers, or any other creatives, and then use a "tool" that was literally created by STEALING FROM US with the intention of somehow replacing us.
No.
You do not get to pretend you love literature, or writers, or any other creatives, and then use a "tool" that was literally created by STEALING FROM US with the intention of somehow replacing us.
No.
Statement From Worldcon Chair: We have received questions regarding Seattle’s use of AI tools in our vetting process for program participants. In the interest of transparency, we will explain the process of how we are using a Large… seattlein2025.org?p=3859
Statement From Worldcon Chair
We have received questions regarding Seattle’s use of AI tools in our vetting process for program participants. In the interest of transparency, we will explain the process of how we are using a Large...
seattlein2025.org
April 30, 2025 at 10:15 PM
I am more furious by the goddamn second.
You do not get to pretend you love literature, or writers, or any other creatives, and then use a "tool" that was literally created by STEALING FROM US with the intention of somehow replacing us.
No.
You do not get to pretend you love literature, or writers, or any other creatives, and then use a "tool" that was literally created by STEALING FROM US with the intention of somehow replacing us.
No.
Reposted by Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
Well, they couldn't have been expected to know anything about the many practical and ethical issues with AI technology, or the massive theft of authors' work behind it, they're only a *checks notes* oh.
Statement From Worldcon Chair: We have received questions regarding Seattle’s use of AI tools in our vetting process for program participants. In the interest of transparency, we will explain the process of how we are using a Large… seattlein2025.org?p=3859
Statement From Worldcon Chair
We have received questions regarding Seattle’s use of AI tools in our vetting process for program participants. In the interest of transparency, we will explain the process of how we are using a Large...
seattlein2025.org
May 1, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Well, they couldn't have been expected to know anything about the many practical and ethical issues with AI technology, or the massive theft of authors' work behind it, they're only a *checks notes* oh.
Reposted by Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
Walz: If you say you love freedom but you don't believe freedom is for everybody, then the thing you love is not freedom, it is privilege.
April 24, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Walz: If you say you love freedom but you don't believe freedom is for everybody, then the thing you love is not freedom, it is privilege.
Reposted by Nicko A.🏳️⚧️▲❤️🧡💛💚💙💜▲
One of the wilder political things in recent history is that Project 2025 publicly released a 900 page document laying out their plans to roll back 100 years of human progress and then during the campaign Republicans just said "no we're not :)" and then they won and now they're doing it all.
April 24, 2025 at 1:18 AM
One of the wilder political things in recent history is that Project 2025 publicly released a 900 page document laying out their plans to roll back 100 years of human progress and then during the campaign Republicans just said "no we're not :)" and then they won and now they're doing it all.
This combined with the attacks on science across the entire federal government as well as attacks on the federal workforce that do everything to help prepare for and recover from disasters leaves the entire country vulnerable. The red states even more. FAFO will kill.
NEW: The total loss of NOAA’s office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research —a nerve center of global climate science, data collection and modeling — represents a setback for climate preparedness that experts warn the nation may never recover from.
By @abrahm.bsky.social
By @abrahm.bsky.social
White House Proposal Could Gut Climate Modeling the World Depends On
Potential funding cuts for NOAA and its research partners threaten irreparable harm not only to climate research but to American safety, competitiveness, and national security.
www.propublica.org
April 24, 2025 at 12:49 PM
This combined with the attacks on science across the entire federal government as well as attacks on the federal workforce that do everything to help prepare for and recover from disasters leaves the entire country vulnerable. The red states even more. FAFO will kill.
what utter horse shit. Everything about this was extra legal/illegal. They disabled watchdogs within agencies and installed mechanisms that bypass legal and technical protections on critical data (probably in many cases not just PII/CUI, but maybe even classified data is compromised). Not normal.
Elon Musk’s plan to step back in May has been long reported — and widely anticipated by Trump political officials.
While the billionaire has retained support from the president, the White House has sought for weeks to put guardrails around Musk and his team’s activities.
While the billionaire has retained support from the president, the White House has sought for weeks to put guardrails around Musk and his team’s activities.
Elon Musk had the government in his grasp. Then it unraveled.
The billionaire head of the U.S. DOGE Service clashed with Trump Cabinet officials well before he announced he would soon head back to Tesla.
www.washingtonpost.com
April 24, 2025 at 12:37 PM
what utter horse shit. Everything about this was extra legal/illegal. They disabled watchdogs within agencies and installed mechanisms that bypass legal and technical protections on critical data (probably in many cases not just PII/CUI, but maybe even classified data is compromised). Not normal.