Wes
@wescontreras.com
Psychology, politics, philosophy, technology, larp, psychedelics, ADHD.
Portland, OR.
Portland, OR.
Reposted by Wes
As parents are helping their kids consider colleges, this is my perennial reminder that state schools often have lower price tags, yes, but private schools, including many small liberal arts schools, often have better aid packages, and are thus often cheaper in the end (but may be more competitive).
December 9, 2025 at 10:42 PM
As parents are helping their kids consider colleges, this is my perennial reminder that state schools often have lower price tags, yes, but private schools, including many small liberal arts schools, often have better aid packages, and are thus often cheaper in the end (but may be more competitive).
Reposted by Wes
Once again, the ads in the print edition of @theonion.com are worth the price alone
December 10, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Once again, the ads in the print edition of @theonion.com are worth the price alone
Reposted by Wes
I’ve found it’s more visually appealing to just paste in his head at the inflection points
April 29, 2025 at 10:26 PM
I’ve found it’s more visually appealing to just paste in his head at the inflection points
Reposted by Wes
The bartender at our local brewery said her monthly premium is going from $450 to $1250. Per month. This is more than the increase those of us with employer insurance see when we grumble about premium increases and I need such folks to understand. It is literally unaffordable.
People are going to die because of the pending insurance premium hikes. I know the terrain of discourse is inconsistent and goes through a tumble cycle every 24 hours, but I really think we need to hone in on this reality and drive it home for people.
December 10, 2025 at 3:01 AM
The bartender at our local brewery said her monthly premium is going from $450 to $1250. Per month. This is more than the increase those of us with employer insurance see when we grumble about premium increases and I need such folks to understand. It is literally unaffordable.
Reposted by Wes
December 10, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Reposted by Wes
The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention and Human Security said that Hillary Clinton sought to sweep aside young people’s moral opposition to genocide by incorrectly blaming social media and “propaganda.”
“Clinton’s recent remarks at the Israel Hayom Summit amount to outright genocide denial.”
“Clinton’s recent remarks at the Israel Hayom Summit amount to outright genocide denial.”
Genocide Experts Slam Hillary Clinton for “Genocide Denial” in Gaza Remark
Clinton has come under fire for claiming young people only oppose the genocide due to social media “propaganda.”…
truthout.org
December 9, 2025 at 10:37 PM
The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention and Human Security said that Hillary Clinton sought to sweep aside young people’s moral opposition to genocide by incorrectly blaming social media and “propaganda.”
“Clinton’s recent remarks at the Israel Hayom Summit amount to outright genocide denial.”
“Clinton’s recent remarks at the Israel Hayom Summit amount to outright genocide denial.”
Reposted by Wes
Holy bleep (wasn't expecting this, given the monetary advantage the other candidate had):
BREAKING: Democrats have *flipped* a seat in Georgia's state House tonight.
Democrat Eric Gisler has won the seat, which was previously held by a Republican who resigned this fall.
This is a red territory: Trump won the district by 13% in 2024.
Democrat Eric Gisler has won the seat, which was previously held by a Republican who resigned this fall.
This is a red territory: Trump won the district by 13% in 2024.
December 10, 2025 at 3:08 AM
Holy bleep (wasn't expecting this, given the monetary advantage the other candidate had):
Reposted by Wes
Sure seems like motive to murder survivors of future attacks
NEW: Pentagon lawyers asked State Dept. if US could send survivors of Trump's boat strikes to a notorious prison in El Salvador. Then Pentagon pushed to have survivors sent anywhere but the US — to prevent any US court cases. Gift link to our @nytimes.com story: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/u...
Inside the Pentagon’s Scramble to Deal With Boat Strike Survivors
www.nytimes.com
December 10, 2025 at 4:23 AM
Sure seems like motive to murder survivors of future attacks
"Will no one rid me of this turbulent newspaper?"
Every part of this is bonkers. The intro is bonkers. The transition to his health is bonkers. The mention that other presidents didn't need cognitive exams is bonkers. The claim that this screening test is somehow hard is bonkers. The idea that criticism of him is treason is bonkers. All of it.
December 10, 2025 at 5:03 AM
"Will no one rid me of this turbulent newspaper?"
Reposted by Wes
Texas Democrats just did something historic under the leadership of new state party chair @kendallscudder.bsky.social. We have filed a candidate in EVERY 2026 race.
U.S. Senate: 1 of 1
U.S. House: 38 of 38
State Senate: 15 of 15
State House: 150 of 150
State Board of Education: 8 of 8
U.S. Senate: 1 of 1
U.S. House: 38 of 38
State Senate: 15 of 15
State House: 150 of 150
State Board of Education: 8 of 8
We Did It, Texas Dems, We Did It
Candidates in every legislative, statewide, and federal race. Now it’s time to build power where it counts.
www.lonestarleft.com
December 9, 2025 at 4:35 AM
Texas Democrats just did something historic under the leadership of new state party chair @kendallscudder.bsky.social. We have filed a candidate in EVERY 2026 race.
U.S. Senate: 1 of 1
U.S. House: 38 of 38
State Senate: 15 of 15
State House: 150 of 150
State Board of Education: 8 of 8
U.S. Senate: 1 of 1
U.S. House: 38 of 38
State Senate: 15 of 15
State House: 150 of 150
State Board of Education: 8 of 8
Reposted by Wes
Pretty infuriating: King Gizzard quit Spotify over ethical concerns -- and now Spotify is letting AI knockoffs of its music (with all the lyrics copied verbatim) proliferate on its platform
futurism.com/future-socie...
futurism.com/future-socie...
King Gizzard Pulled Their Music From Spotify in Protest, and Now Spotify Is Hosting AI Knockoffs of Their Songs
An impersonator appears to be using generative AI to poorly clone rock band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard's iconic sound on Spotify.
futurism.com
December 8, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Pretty infuriating: King Gizzard quit Spotify over ethical concerns -- and now Spotify is letting AI knockoffs of its music (with all the lyrics copied verbatim) proliferate on its platform
futurism.com/future-socie...
futurism.com/future-socie...
Reposted by Wes
📽️ WATCH: Photographer @annie-flanagan.bsky.social went to Clairton, PA, where residents live in the shadow of the country’s largest coke plant. Coke is a product used to manufacture steel.
This is what Annie saw — and inhaled — while on assignment in Clairton.
Link to our story below ⤵️
This is what Annie saw — and inhaled — while on assignment in Clairton.
Link to our story below ⤵️
December 8, 2025 at 12:01 AM
📽️ WATCH: Photographer @annie-flanagan.bsky.social went to Clairton, PA, where residents live in the shadow of the country’s largest coke plant. Coke is a product used to manufacture steel.
This is what Annie saw — and inhaled — while on assignment in Clairton.
Link to our story below ⤵️
This is what Annie saw — and inhaled — while on assignment in Clairton.
Link to our story below ⤵️
Reposted by Wes
As a mental health professional, I endorse this project.
Today, in Understory (a support group for activists that I co-facilitate), we talked about the writing exercise I created to help folks get oriented for the year ahead. I don't think we can balance caring for ourselves, tending to our relationships, and taking action by accident in these times.
Worksheet: Staying Whole in 2026
If you want to enter 2026 with intention, I encourage you to take twenty minutes to write yourself a plan — not a resolution, but a map for staying intact. Write by hand if you can. Don’t worry about ...
docs.google.com
December 7, 2025 at 9:47 PM
As a mental health professional, I endorse this project.
Reposted by Wes
One of my neighbors has been putting up these fish facts posters. All kinds of different fish, marine, freshwater, deep, shallow, all kinds. This is a good one. “Stg this real fish” took me out. Good work, neighbor.
December 7, 2025 at 3:39 PM
One of my neighbors has been putting up these fish facts posters. All kinds of different fish, marine, freshwater, deep, shallow, all kinds. This is a good one. “Stg this real fish” took me out. Good work, neighbor.
Reposted by Wes
Two independent studies found that AI chatbots were better at persuading voters than political ads. The most persuasive bots also lied the most. This is something that humans working in psyops have known for decades. AI is psyops at scale. www.technologyreview.com/2025/12/04/1...
December 5, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Two independent studies found that AI chatbots were better at persuading voters than political ads. The most persuasive bots also lied the most. This is something that humans working in psyops have known for decades. AI is psyops at scale. www.technologyreview.com/2025/12/04/1...
Reposted by Wes
If I could have dinner with any celebrity, living or dead, it would be Elon (dead)
December 7, 2025 at 1:18 AM
If I could have dinner with any celebrity, living or dead, it would be Elon (dead)
Reposted by Wes
ICE raided a James Beard award winning restaurant & because the chef/owner was prepared, left emptyhanded:
December 5, 2025 at 3:24 PM
ICE raided a James Beard award winning restaurant & because the chef/owner was prepared, left emptyhanded:
If you see this, repost with your model of positive masculinity.
December 6, 2025 at 10:43 PM
If you see this, repost with your model of positive masculinity.
Reposted by Wes
Forgot to post here!
Asked Mamdani for comment on the anti-ICE mobilization that sabotaged a major ICE raid last wkd.
Mamdani described the action as people exercising their free speech, that he looks forward to protecting that right.
He has not previously commented on the community defense.
Asked Mamdani for comment on the anti-ICE mobilization that sabotaged a major ICE raid last wkd.
Mamdani described the action as people exercising their free speech, that he looks forward to protecting that right.
He has not previously commented on the community defense.
December 5, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Forgot to post here!
Asked Mamdani for comment on the anti-ICE mobilization that sabotaged a major ICE raid last wkd.
Mamdani described the action as people exercising their free speech, that he looks forward to protecting that right.
He has not previously commented on the community defense.
Asked Mamdani for comment on the anti-ICE mobilization that sabotaged a major ICE raid last wkd.
Mamdani described the action as people exercising their free speech, that he looks forward to protecting that right.
He has not previously commented on the community defense.
Maximizing the profit potential of genocide.
December 5, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Maximizing the profit potential of genocide.
Reposted by Wes
I am happy to pay $30 a year for USPS Prime, which delivers mail daily to my home
The USPS posting a NINE BILLION DOLLAR LOSS!!! sounds terrible. Certainly worse than if you said "USPS costs thirty dollars per person per year" even though that means the same thing and more accurately describes a government service
December 5, 2025 at 7:23 PM
I am happy to pay $30 a year for USPS Prime, which delivers mail daily to my home
Reposted by Wes
So, you know how people say stuff like, "just repost this & you'll have supported journalism"?
But this time... it's literally true!
Russ has offered to donate to Bolts for each repost this ⬇️ gets or each follow @boltsmag.org gets—up to a sum way higher than we're at.
let's make this go viral!
But this time... it's literally true!
Russ has offered to donate to Bolts for each repost this ⬇️ gets or each follow @boltsmag.org gets—up to a sum way higher than we're at.
let's make this go viral!
You can help Bolts continue to provide crucial coverage of local elections. Here's how:
- Repost this = I donate $1.
- Follow @boltsmag.org = I donate $1.
- Donate (link below) + tell me how much = I match your donation.
(Donate monthly = I match a year's worth)
- Repost this = I donate $1.
- Follow @boltsmag.org = I donate $1.
- Donate (link below) + tell me how much = I match your donation.
(Donate monthly = I match a year's worth)
Support Bolts
We are a nonprofit publication that covers the nuts and bolts of political change, from the local up, and we need reader support to build our journalism.
boltsmag.org
December 4, 2025 at 6:09 PM
So, you know how people say stuff like, "just repost this & you'll have supported journalism"?
But this time... it's literally true!
Russ has offered to donate to Bolts for each repost this ⬇️ gets or each follow @boltsmag.org gets—up to a sum way higher than we're at.
let's make this go viral!
But this time... it's literally true!
Russ has offered to donate to Bolts for each repost this ⬇️ gets or each follow @boltsmag.org gets—up to a sum way higher than we're at.
let's make this go viral!
Reposted by Wes
It sure looks like Russian intelligence attempted to use military drones to assassinate the President of Ukraine inside an EU country.
Looking forward to more thoughts from Belgium on why freezing Russian assets is an escalatory move that might compromise the peace process.
Looking forward to more thoughts from Belgium on why freezing Russian assets is an escalatory move that might compromise the peace process.
Christ on a cracker — these seemingly hostile drones only missed Zelensky’s plane because he was unexpectedly early www.thejournal.ie/drones-dubli...
Four unidentified military-style drones breached no-fly zone to target Zelenskyy's arrival in Dublin
Gardaí are investigating whether the drones took off from land in Dublin or from an undetected ship.
www.thejournal.ie
December 5, 2025 at 9:22 AM
It sure looks like Russian intelligence attempted to use military drones to assassinate the President of Ukraine inside an EU country.
Looking forward to more thoughts from Belgium on why freezing Russian assets is an escalatory move that might compromise the peace process.
Looking forward to more thoughts from Belgium on why freezing Russian assets is an escalatory move that might compromise the peace process.
Reposted by Wes
A Mexican woman was grabbed by ICE right after a c section.
She was suffering eclampsia and other complications, and her baby was alone in the NICU
They wouldn’t even give her a breast pump
She has a pending visa for victims of violent crimes… and then ICE committed a violent crime against her.
She was suffering eclampsia and other complications, and her baby was alone in the NICU
They wouldn’t even give her a breast pump
She has a pending visa for victims of violent crimes… and then ICE committed a violent crime against her.
December 5, 2025 at 12:17 AM
A Mexican woman was grabbed by ICE right after a c section.
She was suffering eclampsia and other complications, and her baby was alone in the NICU
They wouldn’t even give her a breast pump
She has a pending visa for victims of violent crimes… and then ICE committed a violent crime against her.
She was suffering eclampsia and other complications, and her baby was alone in the NICU
They wouldn’t even give her a breast pump
She has a pending visa for victims of violent crimes… and then ICE committed a violent crime against her.