iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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🧊✈️ SEATTLE: A girl in chains boards an ICE-chartered GlobalX airplane (tail: N630VA) at Boeing Field, to be transported south to Arizona 👀

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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 14h

New open-access paper: Direct File showed that govt could build its own user-centered platform without relying on contractors. But the product was killed after a DOGE lead spoke with the private tax preparation industry lobbying against a private option. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

The ability of governments to build and sustain public interest capacity partly depends upon the position of private interests, and the ability and willingness of a government to resist private interest opposition.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) built a digital tax reporting service, Direct File, that created significant public value for users.
Direct File depended upon the creation of internal capacity: a government digital service team that could build digital platforms, rather than procuring a product from private vendors. Government control of the process allowed agile development and iterative improvement that would have been impossible under a traditional outsourcing model.
Long-standing opposition to Direct File by the private tax preparation industry, combined with Trump-era downsizing by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led to the elimination of the tool.

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James Medlock @jdcmedlock.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

A lot of rich guys want you to think that the bar on the right is always going to be bigger than the bar on the left.

Vertical bar chart titled "Norwegian wealth tax revenue, change from 2021 to 2024," in billions of Norwegian kroner (BNOK), nominal. Subtitle: top rate 0.85% to 1.1% and stock valuation discount cut from 2022.

Two bars. "Growth with no emigration": 13.71 BNOK, a tall bar. "Lost to reform-driven emigration": 0.65 BNOK, a barely visible stub, about one-twenty-first the height.

Notes: Growth includes the rate and valuation changes and wealth growth. Net of tax that emigrants still paid, the reform-driven loss is 0.49 BNOK.

Source: Ring (2026), NBER Working Paper 35854, equation 2 and figure 5.

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annaflagg.bsky.social @annaflagg.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Today we launched a tool tracking immigration enforcement against children based on our analysis of data obtained by @deportationdata.bsky.social, including: ICE child arrests, detentions, and deportations: www.themarshallproject.org/2026/10/08/c...

themarshallproject.org

Tracking Trump’s Immigration Crackdown on Children

How many kids has ICE arrested, detained, and deported under the second Trump administration?

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The Marshall Project @themarshallproject.org · 08/10/2026

We're launching a dashboard to track ICE arrests, detentions and deportations of children. The numbers and charts on this page represent our best estimates of how many children under the age of 18 have been swept into the immigration enforcement system. www.themarshallproject.org/2026/10/08/c...

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The Marshall Project @themarshallproject.org · 08/10/2026

A new report found that protections for people who die in government custody are inconsistent, opaque, and frequently lack consideration for both religious preferences and the wishes of families. www.themarshallproject.org/2026/10/08/d...

themarshallproject.org

How America’s Patchwork of Death-In-Custody Rules Is Failing Families

Bodies of people who die in custody can be cremated, even when it violates their religion, or be donated to science without consent, finds new report.

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Randall Munroe @xkcd.com · 07/10/2026

Spectrum Allocation xkcd.com/3307/

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Chise @sailorrooscout.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

WELL NOW, would you look at that? A massive, 4-YEAR-LONG study of NEARLY 30 MILLION people in France found that individuals who received a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine had a 74% LOWER risk of death from severe COVID-19 compared to unvaccinated individuals and ZERO increased risk of all-cause mortality.

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Will Sloan @willsloanesq.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

A lot of people lamenting the Paramount/Warner merger and fearing David Ellison's control over the media are forgetting that we have three secret weapons at our disposal, currently lurking high up in the Warner water tower.

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William B. Fuckley @opinionhaver.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

their vile p-hacking, our inventive and curious exploration of diverse model specifications

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Gareth Watkins @garethwatkins.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Since everyone started talking about Yudkowsky last week, I think we should talk about the other person who created contemporary AI discourse: Nick Land. This will be written for a general audience, and for something more substantial I'd recommend @eruditorumpress.com's Neoreaction: A Basilisk

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William B. Fuckley @opinionhaver.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

There are two academic disciplines, computer science and sociology. Biology? Computer science. Physics? Computer science. Economics? Computer science. Computer Science? Actually, Sociology.

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Jim Lokay @jimlokay.com · 29/09/2026

If you want to really know how the outrage machine gets fired up: 1. Schmitt plans to drop “bombshell” on Smith 2. Someone plants story that Schmitt is a Vance VP contender to run same day 3. Right-wing Twittersphere gets talking points 4. Schmitt steps in it 5. Scheduled tweets go out anyway

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lit_patches @litpatches.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco but now you can sit in chairs during festivals.

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John Pfaff @johnpfaff.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

In 2008, California admitted 140,000 people to prison. In 2011, it admitted 97,000. In 2019, before Covid, it admitted 34,000. That's a SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT reduction in admissions. Yet we almost never talk about California's remarkable Realignment reforms.

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Tricia Lockwood @tricialockwood.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

all literature is stink lines coming off the alphabet

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Clara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

I’m sorry, what? This piece was not a joint publication/ reporting job (as some are). It was @propublica’s alone and the Times followed with a summary. This is so indicative of NYT. If they don’t ignore proper credit, they just go for stolen valor.

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J HELL P @jlp.systems · 26/09/2026

oblique strategies

a sign by a paved path that says “STAY OFF COURSE”

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ProPublica @propublica.org · 26/09/2026

NEW: ProPublica’s Jake Pearson lost $10,000 mimicking the betting patterns of a problem gambler on DraftKings to test the company’s “responsible gaming” safeguards. One week in, he was invited to become a VIP — and faced little pushback as he spiraled.

propublica.org

I Deliberately Bet Like a Problem Gambler. DraftKings Made Me a VIP.

Amid growing public health concerns, operators like DraftKings have touted “responsible gaming” tools and prompts. But as I went off the deep end, I found they were no match for the incentives and pro...

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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Incredible. First Secretary Mullin claimed that DHS had identified 15,903 noncitizens on Nevada’s voter roll. Then DHS officials told a skeptical Nevada, no no no, that’s just people we flagged. Here are the names of 185 people we KNOW aren’t citizens. All 185 were citizens. DHS got 100% wrong.

When the Department of Homeland Security sent Nevada a list of 185 names last month that it claimed identified noncitizens who had been improperly allowed to register to vote, state election officials got to work.
On Tuesday, the state sent a strongly worded rebuke to the federal government: Every single person on the list was a lawful citizen.
"As for the 185 individuals, our records indicate that they were citizens," Greg D. Ott, a deputy attorney general in Nevada, wrote, according to a copy of a letter sent to Department of Homeland Security officials obtained through open records requests.
"You have provided nothing of substance to suggest otherwise."

Following the meeting, Ms. Vogt sent a clarifying email to Nevada officials. "I also wanted to be sure I clarified that we did not reduce the 15,903 to 185," she wrote. "We've manually reviewed some of the 15,903 and confirmed 185 are not U.S. Citizens."
Now, Nevada officials are saying even that 185 number is wrong. They also took issue with a letter D.H.S. sent them in early September, in which the agency reiterated its initial claims about nearly 16,000 noncitizens on the rolls and pressured state officials to review each case in a letter to Nevada officials in early September.

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Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Nashville just canceled a holiday light show at the zoo because the Trump administration denied visas to the foreign artisans who set it up.

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ProPublica @propublica.org · 22/09/2026

Sen. Susan Collins helped steer millions in federal defense contracts to Navatek, whose CEO illegally funneled thousands of dollars to her campaign. The FBI sought to launch a probe and was eyeing Collins and other lawmakers. Then Trump gutted the unit in charge. THREAD 🧵

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The Marshall Project @themarshallproject.org · 21/09/2026

While some states have gotten rid of the death penalty, and others carry out regular executions, California has ended up with a bloated, dysfunctional system that satisfies virtually nobody. www.themarshallproject.org/2026/09/10/n...

themarshallproject.org

Gavin Newsom Could Reshape the U.S. Death Penalty, But It’s Politically Risky

More than 560 people still face death sentences in California, despite a longstanding moratorium on executions.

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lxigh @dotorion.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

99% of ruminators quit right before they would have had a life-changing epiphany

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jenny tightpants @jtp.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

"the author of that harry potter story leads an insane cult that's captured much of the media in this country" is a different person if you're in the UK or the US

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Jonah Newman @jonahshai.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Some personal news, as they used to say at the old site: I'm thrilled to share that I'll be joining @themarshallproject.org next month as senior editor for local investigations and engagement, working with the talented journalists in the St. Louis, Cleveland, and Jackson bureaus!

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lauren @lauren.rotatingsandwiches.com · 15/09/2026

HR should let you scream until you pass out on one Teams call per quarter

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gwen howerton @kissphoria.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

AT&T Stadium reportedly is one of the venues that opposed Macklemore being on Ed Sheeran's bill. Worth noting that AT&T is hosting Kanye West in November.

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Jesse Myerson @jessemyerson.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

25 years ago today, Barbara Lee cast the House’s love vote against the Afghanistan AUMF, to this day perhaps the most courageous act I have ever seen an elected official perform.

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eb99 @eb99.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

I think it's more comforting for some people to think of OBL as some evil genius or tragic victim of imperialism rather than a bog standard delusional ideologically extremist billionaire failson who thought he could accellerationism his way to a theocratic utopia

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ellie lockhart (she/they) @eleanor.lockhart.contact · 11/09/2026

Anybody up for wandering into the old forest and crossing the moon-mirrored stream to the secret thicket where the faerie court gathers and making a deal with the beings that dwell in the shadow glade to gain the power to walk across dreams

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Stellbound: Stellraiser II @antlervel.vet · 11/09/2026

April 1805. Napoleon is master of Europe. Only the British fleet stands before him. It’s time to meet the Muppets on the Muppet Show tonight.

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Nathan Edwards @grackle.space · 22/09/2025

dudes rock

Tumblr post from every-lemon
Sep 8

so my spouse is part of a weirdly intense but mostly benign men's workout group that meets at like, 5:30am outside every day, even in winter. they do a lot of burpees and lugging cinder blocks up hills and stuff.
they take turns leading the workouts and tomorrow is his turn. I asked what he was planning. he handed me a sheet of William Carlos William poems from a large stack he'd printed.
I said "what" and he explained, helpfully, "it's a William Carlos William themed workout." I asked what inspired it and he said "l've been planning this for months."

Follow up tumblr post
every-lemon
Sep 9
it was a smash hit.
a dozen guys showed up (more than usual). spouse brought a red wheelbarrow and they took turns bringing cinder blocks up the hill with it. then they broke up in teams and did a relay with an "icebox" (cooler filled with 40lbs of ice). at the end he opened the cooler to reveal it was full of beach plum lacroix and all the guys cheered. they drank sparkling water as he read 'approach of winter' out loud.
he was home by 6:30am.

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Micah @rincewind.run · 10/09/2026

that’s right the internet started going irreversibly downhill the day Reader died

Technology you’re most nostalgic for: Google Reader
Especially when I was a writer and business journalist, but even afterwards, I loved Google Reader as a way to organize news articles and feel like I got through them. It was just a great interface. I use Feedly now, which is pretty good to read news, but doesn't quite hit like Google Reader used to hit.

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hockey bear dot space @hockeybear.space · 09/09/2026

Climate change will manifest as a series of empty cafés viewed through phones with footage that gets closer and closer to where you live until you’re the one filming it

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lit_patches @litpatches.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Beowulf v0.1: Fixed a bug that prevented legendary creatures from awarding extra XP in some contexts.

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gwen howerton @kissphoria.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

I reposted a picture of Jim Adler the Texas Hammer on the houston tgirl baseball instagram ahead of practice and his social media people responded. Houston TGirl baseball endorsed by Jim Adler The Texas Hammer

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ghost malone ergo propter bones @proptermalone.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

ok look The Odyssey is very much a sequel

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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

I don't want to pick on the two NY Times reporters here, but they are primarily NYC government reporters. This is their beat! If you look at the stories they have been covering, it is mostly about political conflicts in NYC rather than the nuts and bolts of governing.

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J. L. Westover @mrlovenstein.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

YOU DON'T "CONSUME" ART MOTHERFUCKER. YOU EXPERIENCE IT. YOU FEEL IT. YOU ENGAGE WITH IT. YOU WRESTLE WITH IT. YOU LIVE IT. ART ISN'T A LITTLE MORSEL YOU GOBBLE UP.

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dell cameron @dell.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

NEW: "...The code WIRED collected holds Flock’s user interface and shows both the network calls it makes and the answers it expects in return... Two notification systems are aimed at human beings." @dmehro.bsky.social's and my latest www.wired.com/story/flock-...

Screenshot of a mock-up web interface labeled FlockOS. A red-bordered banner at the top reads: "This is a mock-up rebuilt from Flock Safety's own published code. It holds no police data—every plate, camera, and record in it is invented. What officers see in a live system may differ."

Below the banner is a navigation bar with "Search" (selected) and "Alerts," then a row of tabs: Search, Lookup, FreeForm (selected), Convoy, Multi-Geo, Visual.

The panel is titled "Flock FreeForm." Under it, two radio buttons labeled Vehicle and People, with People selected.

A yellow advisory box headed "People Search Advisory" states that only video cameras compatible with People Search will appear in the device selector, and that LPR cameras are not supported for this feature.

Under the heading "Run FreeForm Search" is an empty text field with placeholder text "Enter body, make, color, etc." Beneath it, a green example line reads: Good: "person wearing scrubs".

A bordered box instructs the user to "Use short, literal descriptions of the vehicle or person," with two bulleted examples in green: Good: "blue BMW M3 with red stripe on roof" and Good: "person wearing scrubs".

At the bottom is a green button labeled "Run FreeForm Search," followed by gray text: "Freeform searches can only be run on increments of 30 days or less. Please refine your search."

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The Marshall Project @themarshallproject.org · 02/09/2026

Police say the head of Fox Run Center for Children and Adolescents drove nearly 200 miles to meet with someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl. www.themarshallproject.org/2026/09/01/t...

themarshallproject.org

Teen Treatment Center CEO Accused of Unlawful Sexual Contact With Minor

Police say the head of Fox Run Center for Children and Adolescents drove nearly 200 miles to meet with someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl.

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