Unfortunately, I got lost in the jargon about halfway through, and my husband (who knows these things intimately) isn't around to translate.
I'm basically an old hippie chick who can whip up an herbal cough syrup, but can't get much out of my phone and don't own a computer.
I usually get a lot out of your articles bc I understand psychology and human behavior, and am starting to really understand politics and government. So keep going! When Hubs gets home I'll ask him to translate; he loves nothing better than me using his expertise 😁😅!
Carlye...just know this. The tech section...that's for the more technically inclined and the folks who like the really "nerdy" stuff. It's not necessary to know...or understand. The more general sections...about how it moves, that...is the most important thing to know.
I appreciate you, and what you're doing for the country. I can't sit back and watch while my country is being sold to the highest bidders, but I can't get out and protest any more, so my BlueSky account and reading everything I can get my hands on are the best I can do. Your series and a few others provide clear-eyed, intelligent, relatively unemotional assessment of the current events, in deeper detail than (ugh!) TikTok 🤢.
It's keeping me sane in a time where I desperately want to be out, pounding pavement and yelling at bullies. Thanks! 💙
Every article just confirms the fact we are spiralling toward some unholy union between The Terminator, The Matrix, and Minority Report. The future is Now!!
The part of the system that worries me most is the slow building tsunami of data that can be used against us without any limits. There's no way to take it back. I keep thinking of HAL, the super computer from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
It’s agnostic nature. Systems can be used (and “adjusted”) by Good OR Bad Actors. When tech moves this far AHEAD of the law, we’re in trouble. That’s why the Admin rushed through legislation saying AI shouldn’t be controlled for so many years … they want to complete their surveillance machinery BEFORE they allow laws about what can be done with all that info!
I have more questions than I can articulate, and most of them come from realizing how little the public knows about what you’ve outlined. What feels most urgent is this: what information can be gathered, how easily it can be accessed, and how constitutional any of this really is when agencies can just flip switches behind closed doors. This is my private data, yet it can be swept up by anyone with access.
Knowing that Rep. Bennie Thompson is the ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee matters. It means there are oversight channels and conversations happening about intelligence, data use, and what may be coming next—even if the public isn’t looped in.
I’m trying not to panic. But it’s hard to ignore that we’re living under a daily barrage of distractions driven by a volatile, narcissistic president whose tantrums dominate the news cycle while the machinery underneath quietly expands. At some point, you start wondering whether people will feel pressured to evade facial recognition, hide tattoos, wear gloves, or literally alter their appearance just to avoid being logged and tracked. That’s not paranoia; that’s a rational response to unchecked surveillance.
This “data machine” isn’t neutral analysis. It’s a surveillance dragnet aimed at immigrants first, but inevitably at Americans too. ICE’s use of facial recognition, biometric tools, AI analysis, and sprawling databases turns law enforcement into a digital fishing expedition with minimal transparency or accountability.
That isn’t public safety.
It’s techno‑authoritarian overreach—quiet, normalized, and deeply un‑American.
What makes me most concerned … ?
Who controls the information and how secure is it?
The Nazis regime doesn’t care information or no information obtained but they won’t stop unless there is accountability/banning thousands of SS from invading our cities/atrocities committed against anyone. Furthermore
Witnessed my email/Chrome/substack downloaded, hackers and I received this (who else was compromised?) today email
I’m reaching out to let you know about a security incident that resulted in the email address and phone number from your Substack account being shared without your permission.
I’m incredibly sorry this happened. We take our responsibility to protect your data and your privacy seriously, and we came up short here.
What happened. On February 3rd, we identified evidence of a problem with our systems that allowed an unauthorized third party to access limited user data without permission, including email addresses, phone numbers, and other internal metadata. This data was accessed in October 2025. Importantly, credit card numbers, passwords, and financial information were not accessed.
What we are doing. We have fixed the problem with our system that allowed this to happen. We are conducting a full investigation, and are taking steps to improve our systems and processes to prevent this type of issue from happening in the future.
What you can do. We do not have evidence that this information is being misused, but we encourage you to take extra caution with any emails or text messages you receive that may be suspicious.
This sucks. I'm sorry. We will work very hard to make sure it does not happen again.
The part of the system that worries me the most is how broad it is. How the data is collected from places you might not even think to be concerned about but should be… So. Many. Places.
It’s impossible to protect yourself and those adjacent to you completely. Maybe barely at all. The fact that almost everything you do… online or otherwise can be collected… as well as the names, addresses, etc., etc., of those you’re connected to and that it lasts forever in many cases.
I think Palantir may be the most dangerous company that exists right now… most certainly one of them.
Thank you for this, Jack. Some of it was a bit over my head but I definitely get the idea… and the threat.
Palantir...
“The part of the system that worries me most is the inescapable pervasiveness of it.”
Unfortunately, I got lost in the jargon about halfway through, and my husband (who knows these things intimately) isn't around to translate.
I'm basically an old hippie chick who can whip up an herbal cough syrup, but can't get much out of my phone and don't own a computer.
I usually get a lot out of your articles bc I understand psychology and human behavior, and am starting to really understand politics and government. So keep going! When Hubs gets home I'll ask him to translate; he loves nothing better than me using his expertise 😁😅!
Carlye...just know this. The tech section...that's for the more technically inclined and the folks who like the really "nerdy" stuff. It's not necessary to know...or understand. The more general sections...about how it moves, that...is the most important thing to know.
I'm sure your husband will love that! :)
-Jack
I appreciate you, and what you're doing for the country. I can't sit back and watch while my country is being sold to the highest bidders, but I can't get out and protest any more, so my BlueSky account and reading everything I can get my hands on are the best I can do. Your series and a few others provide clear-eyed, intelligent, relatively unemotional assessment of the current events, in deeper detail than (ugh!) TikTok 🤢.
It's keeping me sane in a time where I desperately want to be out, pounding pavement and yelling at bullies. Thanks! 💙
Lack of accountability for protection of the Americans. It is currently in the wrong hands for sure and Palantir is a scary thing#HOLDFAST
Teri
the inevitable use for illegal/unconstitutional purposes
Every article just confirms the fact we are spiralling toward some unholy union between The Terminator, The Matrix, and Minority Report. The future is Now!!
Linking layer, human letting ‘AI’ make the decision….
...that no one else is talking about it.
The part of the system that worries me most is the slow building tsunami of data that can be used against us without any limits. There's no way to take it back. I keep thinking of HAL, the super computer from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
The part of the system that worries me most is the aggregation of possible errant or adjacent data with no way to challenge
“The part of the system that worries me most is _______.” ERROR RATE/CORRECTION
It’s agnostic nature. Systems can be used (and “adjusted”) by Good OR Bad Actors. When tech moves this far AHEAD of the law, we’re in trouble. That’s why the Admin rushed through legislation saying AI shouldn’t be controlled for so many years … they want to complete their surveillance machinery BEFORE they allow laws about what can be done with all that info!
I have more questions than I can articulate, and most of them come from realizing how little the public knows about what you’ve outlined. What feels most urgent is this: what information can be gathered, how easily it can be accessed, and how constitutional any of this really is when agencies can just flip switches behind closed doors. This is my private data, yet it can be swept up by anyone with access.
Knowing that Rep. Bennie Thompson is the ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee matters. It means there are oversight channels and conversations happening about intelligence, data use, and what may be coming next—even if the public isn’t looped in.
I’m trying not to panic. But it’s hard to ignore that we’re living under a daily barrage of distractions driven by a volatile, narcissistic president whose tantrums dominate the news cycle while the machinery underneath quietly expands. At some point, you start wondering whether people will feel pressured to evade facial recognition, hide tattoos, wear gloves, or literally alter their appearance just to avoid being logged and tracked. That’s not paranoia; that’s a rational response to unchecked surveillance.
This “data machine” isn’t neutral analysis. It’s a surveillance dragnet aimed at immigrants first, but inevitably at Americans too. ICE’s use of facial recognition, biometric tools, AI analysis, and sprawling databases turns law enforcement into a digital fishing expedition with minimal transparency or accountability.
That isn’t public safety.
It’s techno‑authoritarian overreach—quiet, normalized, and deeply un‑American.
What makes me most concerned … ?
Who controls the information and how secure is it?
The Nazis regime doesn’t care information or no information obtained but they won’t stop unless there is accountability/banning thousands of SS from invading our cities/atrocities committed against anyone. Furthermore
Witnessed my email/Chrome/substack downloaded, hackers and I received this (who else was compromised?) today email
I’m reaching out to let you know about a security incident that resulted in the email address and phone number from your Substack account being shared without your permission.
I’m incredibly sorry this happened. We take our responsibility to protect your data and your privacy seriously, and we came up short here.
What happened. On February 3rd, we identified evidence of a problem with our systems that allowed an unauthorized third party to access limited user data without permission, including email addresses, phone numbers, and other internal metadata. This data was accessed in October 2025. Importantly, credit card numbers, passwords, and financial information were not accessed.
What we are doing. We have fixed the problem with our system that allowed this to happen. We are conducting a full investigation, and are taking steps to improve our systems and processes to prevent this type of issue from happening in the future.
What you can do. We do not have evidence that this information is being misused, but we encourage you to take extra caution with any emails or text messages you receive that may be suspicious.
This sucks. I'm sorry. We will work very hard to make sure it does not happen again.
- Chris Best, CEO of Substack
Thank you Jack
By Current Affairs
“Pete Hegseth's Worldview Is Even Worse Than His Personal Behavior”
There’s always more
Democratic blue states are under attack project 2025.
Commentary: Trump wants to get rid of the worst of the worst: Start with Steven Miller by LA Times
Legally federal agents are only allowed 150-200 in every state but are keeping 2k in MN, and Gov wants it reduced.
The part of the system that worries me the most is how broad it is. How the data is collected from places you might not even think to be concerned about but should be… So. Many. Places.
It’s impossible to protect yourself and those adjacent to you completely. Maybe barely at all. The fact that almost everything you do… online or otherwise can be collected… as well as the names, addresses, etc., etc., of those you’re connected to and that it lasts forever in many cases.
I think Palantir may be the most dangerous company that exists right now… most certainly one of them.
Thank you for this, Jack. Some of it was a bit over my head but I definitely get the idea… and the threat.
#HOLDFAST
~Susan
Holy Christ on a cracker! I get it. Ungetting it wouldn’t help.