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Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌

@reindeerarebetter.bsky.social

1.2K followers 620 following 4.2K posts

Fan of fantasy, sci-fi, critters, and spec-fic critters. I follow you if you're interesting, or friendly, or you helped me beat up a Nazi in one of BlueSky's dark alleys.

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Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · Mar 27

Prelude: I am not proposing a legit read of Lord of the Rings in this thread. I AM proposing a legit read of #Project2025 and its circle. 1/6

Chris Hayes @chrislhayes.bsky.social · Mar 27

What people in every part of higher education need to understand is that Republicans now want to do to universities what they’ve tried to do to labor unions: erase them from the institutional landscape. The question is how much you want to collaborate in your own destruction.

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Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 1h

Apparently the answer is "SNAFU."

www.pbs.org/newshour/pol...

Judge sets Nov. 14 deadline for new prosecutor in Georgia election case against Trump

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was disqualified due to a romantic relationship with a prosecutor she hired.

www.pbs.org

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Jennifer Shutt @jennifershutt.bsky.social · 11h

NEWS: Judge Illston grants labor unions request for a temporary restraining order, blocking the Trump administration from moving forward with the Reductions in Force that began during the shutdown.

"As of right now the TRO is in effect."

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Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 3h

Only the men, I'm sure.

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JLRay @jlray.bsky.social · 4h

Authoritarians wake up every day and pray for the chance to face opponents who believe they are doomed. Doomerism is a valuable instinct to cultivate in your opponent. Algorithmic engineering of our society against joy has clear benefits for bad people who desire power and control.

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Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 4h

That's Vought.

www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...

“Put Them In Trauma”: Inside A Key MAGA Leader’s Plans For A New Trump Agenda

A key Trump ally detailed plans to deploy the military in response to domestic unrest, defund the EPA and put career civil servants “in trauma” in a series of previously unreported speeches that provi...

www.huffpost.com

Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 5h

Some of us do know that dead human smells different from dead critter, though. You can't really bank on that.

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Jacqueline Antonovich @jackiantonovich.bsky.social · 8h

As a historian, I can certify that we are in the bad times. But bad times eventually end.
In the meantime:
• Figure out a small way to help someone
• Figure out a small way to fight back
• Figure out a small place to find joy
• Figure out a small way to grow and thrive

And do it often.

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Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 5h

Would've funded USAID with an increase.

Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 6h

Excuse me while I belittle this conservative idea, a mandate against belittling conservative ideas.

Heidi Kitrosser @heidikitrosser.bsky.social · 10h

A huge affront to academic freedom, indeed.

But a mandate against "belittl[ing] conservative ideas" is also just ... pathetic. And mockable. So mockable. As befits an administration terrified of inflatable frogs.

The UnPopulist @theunpopulist.net · 10h

The ridiculous “Compact” that the Trump administration has proffered to universities maintains that no project or center at a university may “belittle” conservative ideas, which is blatantly restrictive of speech.

@walterolson.bsky.social

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Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 6h

Funny, we never needed one before.

Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 7h

I talk to stuff. Sometimes, after a good parallel-park or successful dodge of one of those bastards who doesn't quite comprehend what a solid object is, I pat the dashboard and say "Good car."

The day it answers is the day I stop doing that forever. I don't need to converse with my machines.

Micah @rincewind.run · 1d

I flatly don't believe they've been able to mitigate the mental health issues, they're lying about that, but letting people form deep parasocial attachments with the chatbot it always going to end poorly and the more they encourage that the worse it'll get

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Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 7h

💯

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Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 8h

That’s $5 billion more than the entire annual USAID budget. All to one country. To rescue one friend of the president’s.

Ilhan Omar @ilhanmn.bsky.social · 8h

Trump found another $20 BILLION to give to Argentina, totaling their bailout to $40 BILLION.

Yet we can’t afford to prevent millions of Americans from losing their healthcare.

Shame.

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Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 9h

That too.

Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 9h

Sometimes I like to just randomly share this for no reason at all.

www.newsweek.com/full-list-do...

Full list of Donald Trump, co-defendant mugshots released by police

After the former president surrendered to authorities in Georgia on Thursday, police have released booking photos of all those arrested in the case.

www.newsweek.com

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Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 9h

Earworm.

Sigh.

youtu.be/Wcze7EGorOk?...

The Four Lads - Istanbul (not Constantinople)

YouTube video by Ulduz Mammadova

youtu.be

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Andy Turner @andyturner.bsky.social · 5d

So instead of using their collective wealth to help the world avoid any catastrophic events, these rich arseholes are spending their money to ensure they’re safe when the shit hits the fan. Fuck these scumbags.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Tech billionaires seem to be doom prepping. Should we be worried?

The debate is ramping up about what happens if - or when - computer intelligence overtakes humans

www.bbc.co.uk

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Schnorkles O'Bork @schnorkles.bsky.social · 15h

I want to hang this post in the louvre

Casey @berniebro69.bsky.social · 15h

the Byzantine civilization was a successful and multicultural society that should be thought of with generosity and using their name as a pejorative is wrong please delete this

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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 14h

PORTLAND — Robby Roadsteamer grabbed by ICE for singing… 🎵

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Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 12h

"I bet you'll see... people who don't want to stand and defend the foundational truths of this republic"

Only if you and yours show up, Mikey. You'd be much better advised to go read the Bill of Rights and swear in the new House rep, though.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 15h

Johnson: "We call it the Hate America Rally that will happen Saturday. Let's see who shows up for that. I bet you you'll see Hamas supporters, I bet you'll see antifa types, I bet you'll see Marxists on full display, people who don't want to stand and defend the foundational truths of this republic"

Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 13h

When your attempt to nudge the President into more authoritarian behavior runs afoul of his stupidity....

Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 15h

Sadly, yes. But somehow we've managed to invent cool stuff, write symphonies, and get women their own bank accounts all the same.

Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 16h

Why do Republicans always prioritize cuts to programs that help human beings over, say, "infant industry" subsidies to corporations that have collected them for over a century?

Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 16h

And quibbling over a few million out of a near two TRILLION $$ is mathematical foolery akin to digging out the coins in your couch cushions to afford a new car, as I'm sure you know.

Literally the subject of the first bullet point in the House summary of the bill is health care.

Elves are Also Better 🇺🇸 🌠 🦌 @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 16h

Except when it means "Silly young liberal women I find insufficiently sexy due to hair dye and piercings." Funny, really.