iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

In a press conference Trump said, “I could have done very bad things to Hillary Clinton. I could have done very, very bad things to Joe Biden… I can do whatever I want, if I want.” …and there were young children present. Vote smart. Don’t vote Republican. open.substack.com/pub/jefftied...

open.substack.com

We’ve endured ten long years of this shit. Lucky us.

Preznit Fuckwit claims ‘he can do whatever he wants, if he wants.’

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Never heard this one. It’s great…and right on target. “I did not mean that Conservatives are generally stupid; I meant, that stupid persons are generally Conservative. I believe that to be so obvious and undeniable a fact that I hardly think any hon. Gentleman will question it.” — John Stuart Mill

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Will this change the world? We don’t know, yet. But almost all world-changing discoveries start like this. Can we fund all basic researchers? No. Can we afford no basic researchers? No. Is having morons dole out research funds smart? No. Save the future. Down with MAGA!

nytimes.com

In an $80 Motel Room, a Discovery to Shed Light on the Origins of Life (Gift Article)

A scrappy science project led to a significant discovery: two new species of a rare organism that could elucidate a fundamental transition in the history of life on our planet.

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

If you’re a Republican, you always want more and more tax cuts, and to hell with helping people. After all, if they haven’t succeeded, it’s because they don’t work hard enough. Unless they’re a Republican, in which case their lack of success is due to too much government regulation and/or taxes.

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Ah, poor Susan Collins! First she tries to be everyone to everybody, and sells her soul down the river. And then she apparently gets caught up in a pay to play deal. It'll be interesting to see if Maine voters finally kick this sh*thead to the curb. joycevance.substack.com/p/a-bad-tues...

joycevance.substack.com

A Bad Tuesday in Maine if Your Name is Susan Collins

And a new order in Katie Phang’s Epstein Files case

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Hey, Your Wannabe Majesty (aka Donald Trump)! I don't usually enjoy spending oodles & oodles of dollars all at one sitting. But I got a real blast out of contributing to the efforts of many candidates who are out to eat your -- and every Republican's -- lunch! Go, Democrats, go!!!

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Real leaders know that the antidote to biased reporting is more engagement, not less. Cowards, on the other hand, pursue suppression because they are weak. Trump is the most cowardly President we’ve ever had.

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

They’re NOT eating the dogs. Or cats. Turns out they reduce crime, except for robberies (where they may just be victims). You know what does increase crime rates, at least financial/corruption ones? Republican public officials. arcabama-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/p/mark/I...

arcabama-my.sharepoint.com

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

That’s the GOP for you. You know, the guys who delight in exercising power over whatever interests them or their cronies. I guess for years they were lying to us about their belief in small government and states rights. Guess they’re just a bunch of pinko commies 😆 www.nytimes.com/2026/09/11/c...

nytimes.com

Court Strikes Down Trump Order to Keep an Aging Coal-Burning Plant Running (Gift Article)

The 64-year-old Michigan power plant was set to retire. Then the Trump administration intervened in a way that overstepped its authority, a court ruled.

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Worth reading. The “they’re angry because they’ve been left behind” theory may need revisiting. paulkrugman.substack.com/p/neo-nazis-...

paulkrugman.substack.com

Neo-Nazis and the Impotence of Trumponomics

Crude economics doesn’t explain what just happened

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

It just occured to me that Trump, with all his wild promises/lies, has rewritten the classic Three Biggest Lies. He’s also managed to rewrite Reagan’s famous line, which forevermore should be phrased as “Hi, I’m from the Republican Party and am here to help you”

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

I urge everyone to read this, as it will make you a much better consumer of polling information (chiefly by highlighting things the vast majority of news reporters either do not understand or choose to ignore as they chase eyeballs). Enjoy! open.substack.com/pub/gelliott...

open.substack.com

All polls are models now

Traditional polling is dead. A new paradigm of public opinion research has high uncertainty, and pollsters need to do a better job communicating about error.

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Do not go gentle into the midterms. Rage, rage against the lying of the right!

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

I’m a better Christian than any MAGA supporter, and I’m a rationalist!

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

If it were up to me, I’d strip the citizenship from Trumpanzees and deport them. I’d far rather live next to guys like Bel than some loud-mouthed, pinhead asshole trying to destroy everything good about America. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/05/o...

nytimes.com

Opinion | Pierre Damas Bel Should Not Be Dead (Gift Article)

Pierre Damas Bel should still be alive.

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

As The Boiling Frog dot net listeners know, market capitalism requires government regulation to avoid destroying its community. Too bad we can’t simply arrest every oligarch-wannabe investing in Venezuela and throw them in jail. www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...

theatlantic.com

The Vicious Cycle Trump May Restart

The American seizure of Venezuelan oil is likely the first step in a familiar, unhappy chain of events.

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

He is, after all, the Ultimate Trumpanzee: disconnected from objective reality, paranoid, and not particularly bright. Too bad he’s taking us straight to hell. We oughta do something about that. Like never vote for a Republican until they have re-established themselves as a decent political party.

nytimes.com

Opinion | Trump’s Fantasy-Reality Problem Is Deepening (Gift Article)

The president’s unusual relationship to the objective world leaves him dangerously unable to pivot, shift gears or change course.

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Driscoll “had tried so many different ways and so many different times, but it was just clear that . . . Hegseth wasn’t willing to listen to the facts or the truth” Hegseth is a Trumpanzee. They don’t listen to, or even recognize, the facts or the truth. Ever 😆. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

giftarticle.ft.com

Pentagon chaos deepens after Dan Driscoll quits in clash with Pete Hegseth

Army secretary’s exit leaves ‘serious leadership gaps’ as US military grapples with protracted Iran conflict

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

This is horrible! She deserves better from the nation she swore to serve. Methinks Hegseth needs a couple of dozen testosterone shots, stat, because he’s forgotten a warrior commander is only as strong as the warriors who choose to follow him/her/them. wapo.st/4qN0TNq

wapo.st

A trans veteran became homeless after the military didn’t pay her severance

Chloe Shapiro is one of a dozen former service members identified by The Washington Post who have waited months for full payments.

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Over $25 billion of US goods traverses the Welland Canal, between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, every year. It’s the only way to get to the Atlantic Ocean. It’s also totally within Canadian territory. It’d be a shame if Canada slapped tariffs on those goods. Or closed the canal to US traffic. 😉

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

In 1776 this would’ve led to mobs in the streets. We have a simpler alternative. Do not vote for any Republican candidate, under any circumstance , until the party cleanses itself of the evil it currently embraces. joycevance.substack.com/p/judge-talw...

joycevance.substack.com

Judge Talwani’s Most Recent Order On Voting By Mail

It’s Long, It’s Complicated, And It’s Definitely Worth Your Time

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

By order of His Majesty Donald Trump, Canada geese shall henceforth be known as Donald's Ducks. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

New post: Moose, 8/1/2018 – 8/26/2026 He was one of three siblings a pursuit.olbert.com/?p=7484

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Ah, poor Trumpanzees! Suffering from Biden Derangement Syndrome. Hey, I thought GOP orthodoxy says we are each responsible for how economically successful we are. How come this doesn’t apply to Trump’s role as President? paulkrugman.substack.com/p/biden-dera...

paulkrugman.substack.com

Biden Derangement Syndrome

Even the Trump sycophants realize that they’re in big trouble

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Wow! The dumbass in chief actually uttered some sound strategic advice. Too bad it was against our national interest. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

theatlantic.com

Donald Trump Effectively Just Told Iran to Get a Nuclear Weapon

He may also have blurted out classified information about North Korea.

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Just prior to Election Day 2016, a friend urged people to ignore what pundits were saying and give Trump a chance. That was some of the dumbest advice ever given. Let’s hope our collective stupidity in (re) electing him doesn’t send the whole world up in flames. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/19/o...

nytimes.com

Opinion | Trump’s Lust for Vengeance Is Turning Into a Farce (Gift Article)

Revenge shapes the president’s priorities, drives his actions and structures the decisions of his government.

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

We’ve finally figured out Trump’s areas of expertise! 😆😆😆

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Mark Olbert @markolbert.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

If I lived in Taiwan or South Korea, I’d be very nervous right now. And if I were Xi Jinping or Kim Jong Un, I’d be evaluating achieving some long-desired goals. Even “better”, I’d consider creating a two-front war because one new front would be difficult for the US to handle.

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