smol? otter
@acerbicotter.bsky.social
In the War on Empathy, I am choosing to fight on the side of empathy. Opinions are my own & definitely do not reflect those of my workplace.
Given the bad faith actors on here, unless I know you or we share a mutual, I will probably block you. Sorry.
Given the bad faith actors on here, unless I know you or we share a mutual, I will probably block you. Sorry.
Pinned
smol? otter
@acerbicotter.bsky.social
· Jan 1
Take a screenshot of this GIF, and whichever new word you land on is YOUR word for 2026.
Let's. Go.
Let's. Go.
I can’t get my phone to take a screenshot but I got “smol”
Folks, I have not been “smol” since I was 8.
Folks, I have not been “smol” since I was 8.
Lemme guess, it's private equity again.
(I used to love Eddie Bauer. I still have one of their logo sweatshirts)
(I used to love Eddie Bauer. I still have one of their logo sweatshirts)
February 3, 2026 at 2:10 AM
Lemme guess, it's private equity again.
(I used to love Eddie Bauer. I still have one of their logo sweatshirts)
(I used to love Eddie Bauer. I still have one of their logo sweatshirts)
I'm "man, I am really glad I have a heating pad I can put over the back of my chair and lean my back against it" years old...
February 3, 2026 at 2:08 AM
I'm "man, I am really glad I have a heating pad I can put over the back of my chair and lean my back against it" years old...
My uncle did some kind of “underserved population” healthcare rotation in the 1960s when he was fresh out of medical school. He seemed to treasure the experience
the literal easiest way to have rural healthcare and get more doctors is to create a federal program where people get their med school paid for and then have to “serve” in rural or urban hospitals for 4-6 years for a reasonable wage. i’ve been wondering why this doesn’t seem to exist since 2008.
Dr Oz on rural healthcare: "There's no question about it, whether you want it or not -- the best way to help some of these communities is gonna be AI-based avatars"
February 3, 2026 at 12:55 AM
My uncle did some kind of “underserved population” healthcare rotation in the 1960s when he was fresh out of medical school. He seemed to treasure the experience
That sounds dreadful, like the worst dystopian movie
Peter Thiel has been open about this for a long time. Trump is a way to break the republic, which can then be replaced by “free economic zones” with oligarchs as dictators and tech as a taskmaster for helpless humans without any rights. (1/2)
Definitely seems like they destroyed the country on purpose.
February 3, 2026 at 12:53 AM
That sounds dreadful, like the worst dystopian movie
Draft dodging (Westphalia), got swindled out of their inheritance (Ireland), got thrown out of Nova Scotia (French Canadian)
Genuinely curious: If your family is American, what brought them here?
Mine: religious nuttery & primogeniture
Mine: religious nuttery & primogeniture
February 3, 2026 at 12:46 AM
Draft dodging (Westphalia), got swindled out of their inheritance (Ireland), got thrown out of Nova Scotia (French Canadian)
Reposted by smol? otter
...horrifying message without context, thank you
February 2, 2026 at 10:42 AM
...horrifying message without context, thank you
“The groundhogs in the woods are free, you can just go take one”
Utterly ridiculous that there are like five different canonical groundhogs. Either there should be one, housed in a temple of graven idols in Washington DC and propitiated with sacred offerings, or you should just have to go out into the woods and find your own.
February 3, 2026 at 12:16 AM
“The groundhogs in the woods are free, you can just go take one”
Ugh massive cramp in my left intercostal. Guess I’m paying for all that breaking up ice on my driveway yesterday
February 3, 2026 at 12:14 AM
Ugh massive cramp in my left intercostal. Guess I’m paying for all that breaking up ice on my driveway yesterday
New ice weasels just dropped
“One night the river froze, and the coyotes came” seems appropriately dystopian for the current moment.
It is currently 'packs of coyotes walking across the Charles River' cold outside.
February 2, 2026 at 11:18 PM
New ice weasels just dropped
I would have liked to see Punxatawny Phil take a giant dump on his handler
February 2, 2026 at 11:16 PM
I would have liked to see Punxatawny Phil take a giant dump on his handler
There were also NO! eggs at Walmart. That kind of massive shortage makes me uneasy
Not uneasy enough to drive over to Pruett’s and look, maybe tomorrow.
Not uneasy enough to drive over to Pruett’s and look, maybe tomorrow.
February 2, 2026 at 11:03 PM
There were also NO! eggs at Walmart. That kind of massive shortage makes me uneasy
Not uneasy enough to drive over to Pruett’s and look, maybe tomorrow.
Not uneasy enough to drive over to Pruett’s and look, maybe tomorrow.
Lemme guess: he got a new batch of Special K
Elon Musk promises to "unearth the Black Garden from beneath the sands of Mars", says he will "bring about the end of flesh" and "instantiate the Godmind"
February 2, 2026 at 11:01 PM
Lemme guess: he got a new batch of Special K
I don’t know what WTF is this woman’s problem is, she’s shoved back into me three times in this line
February 2, 2026 at 10:18 PM
I don’t know what WTF is this woman’s problem is, she’s shoved back into me three times in this line
OMG going to Walmart was a mistake
But the other choice was not getting some things I needed until Saturday
But the other choice was not getting some things I needed until Saturday
February 2, 2026 at 10:13 PM
OMG going to Walmart was a mistake
But the other choice was not getting some things I needed until Saturday
But the other choice was not getting some things I needed until Saturday
every time I think "no, no, THAT guy has to be the absolute worst in the Trump admin," another guy steps up and shows how s/he is actually even WORSE
yes this is about Dr Oz today
yes this is about Dr Oz today
February 2, 2026 at 8:57 PM
every time I think "no, no, THAT guy has to be the absolute worst in the Trump admin," another guy steps up and shows how s/he is actually even WORSE
yes this is about Dr Oz today
yes this is about Dr Oz today
what do you care, man, you've already made your nut. And what happens to people disabled on the job? woodchippers, then?
I hate how the wealthy think they are better than the rest of us, and therefore the only deserving ones
I hate how the wealthy think they are better than the rest of us, and therefore the only deserving ones
Dr Oz: "If we could get the average American to start working a year earlier, right out of high school, or a year later -- not retire -- or work better during their lifetime because they're healthy, it would generate about $3 trillion to the US economy. That would more than remove the debt."
February 2, 2026 at 8:55 PM
what do you care, man, you've already made your nut. And what happens to people disabled on the job? woodchippers, then?
I hate how the wealthy think they are better than the rest of us, and therefore the only deserving ones
I hate how the wealthy think they are better than the rest of us, and therefore the only deserving ones
@g-sharp-major.bsky.social trying to flag down the pizza delivery guy who can't find his house
February 2, 2026 at 8:42 PM
@g-sharp-major.bsky.social trying to flag down the pizza delivery guy who can't find his house
"We've secretly replaced Punxatawney Phil with an American Badger. We'll see if they notice"
(Sounds of badger violence)
"uh.....yeah.....looks like they did"
(Sounds of badger violence)
"uh.....yeah.....looks like they did"
Groundhog Day is an early German American adaptation of medieval German custom where badgers were said to predict the weather on Candlemas. other countries in Europe used other animals, and the English tradition simply treated the weather on Candlemas as predictive: a clear day meant a longer winter
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) — Punxsutawney Phil is said to have seen his shadow, predicting 6 more weeks of winter weather.
February 2, 2026 at 8:37 PM
"We've secretly replaced Punxatawney Phil with an American Badger. We'll see if they notice"
(Sounds of badger violence)
"uh.....yeah.....looks like they did"
(Sounds of badger violence)
"uh.....yeah.....looks like they did"
Reposted by smol? otter
Everyday Ladybird things
The sweet shop (1967)
Artist: Kenneth Inns
The sweet shop (1967)
Artist: Kenneth Inns
February 2, 2026 at 7:54 PM
Everyday Ladybird things
The sweet shop (1967)
Artist: Kenneth Inns
The sweet shop (1967)
Artist: Kenneth Inns
Reposted by smol? otter
January 4, 2026 at 6:42 PM
"rectum? damn near killed 'em."
February 2, 2026 at 7:50 PM
"rectum? damn near killed 'em."
wait for it...
Bollards save lives AND bring immense joy and happiness to the world.
#WorldBollardAssociation
#WorldBollardAssociation
February 2, 2026 at 7:45 PM
wait for it...
Reposted by smol? otter
Keith Knight: Gentleman Cartoonist
February 2, 2026 at 2:43 AM
Keith Knight: Gentleman Cartoonist
shaking, wheeze laughing
February 2, 2026 at 7:19 PM
shaking, wheeze laughing
honestly this is what makes me mad. if they had half the responsibilities I do(*), they would melt down into crying PUDDLES. Also I've been trained to never expect praise; you don't get praised for stuff as an adult
(*And I make only upper-mid-five-figures a year)
(*And I make only upper-mid-five-figures a year)
a thing i think about a lot is that the median tech billionaire enjoys a level of privilege, wealth and comfort that even the most profligate medieval king could not have dreamt of, with absolutely none of the responsibilities that king would have had, while constantly demanding to be thanked for it
I was thinking about this over the weekend and I was finding myself drawn back to one line -
People like Jeff Bezos have been rewarded for their industry disruption by never having to worry about money ever again, and yet they also want the rest of the world to personally congratulate them for it.
People like Jeff Bezos have been rewarded for their industry disruption by never having to worry about money ever again, and yet they also want the rest of the world to personally congratulate them for it.
February 2, 2026 at 6:49 PM
honestly this is what makes me mad. if they had half the responsibilities I do(*), they would melt down into crying PUDDLES. Also I've been trained to never expect praise; you don't get praised for stuff as an adult
(*And I make only upper-mid-five-figures a year)
(*And I make only upper-mid-five-figures a year)