Life in Common
@arthursmid.bsky.social
Collaborate to advance progressive causes.
Community, story, strategy: arthursmid.com
Arthur Smid - Portland, Oregon
Community, story, strategy: arthursmid.com
Arthur Smid - Portland, Oregon
Pinned
Life in Common
@arthursmid.bsky.social
· Oct 14
How Elle Bisgaard-Church became Zohran Mamdani’s most trusted adviser
The first-time campaign manager steered him to victory in June. Now she’s focused on the likely next administration.
www.cityandstateny.com
"We articulated the vision for the movement that we hoped to build. Each day, we would work to embody the values of a better world." - Elle Bisgaard-Church
www.cityandstateny.com/personality/...
www.cityandstateny.com/personality/...
Reposted by Life in Common
Utterly inhumane behaviour. "In sworn court filings, a doctor who offered to render aid to Mr. Pretti described how agents initially hesitated and asked him for proof of a medical license."
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Minneapolis Live Updates: State Seeks Access to Evidence as Federal Officials Blame Shooting Victim
www.nytimes.com
January 25, 2026 at 4:57 PM
Utterly inhumane behaviour. "In sworn court filings, a doctor who offered to render aid to Mr. Pretti described how agents initially hesitated and asked him for proof of a medical license."
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Reposted by Life in Common
The Minnesota civil resistance campaign has been remarkably successful:
- The GOP governor candidate dropped out
- Numerous DOJ officials resigned
- GOP members of Congress are speaking out; business feels pressure
- Noem has been relieved of operational responsibility
The campaign is winning.
- The GOP governor candidate dropped out
- Numerous DOJ officials resigned
- GOP members of Congress are speaking out; business feels pressure
- Noem has been relieved of operational responsibility
The campaign is winning.
January 26, 2026 at 4:19 PM
The Minnesota civil resistance campaign has been remarkably successful:
- The GOP governor candidate dropped out
- Numerous DOJ officials resigned
- GOP members of Congress are speaking out; business feels pressure
- Noem has been relieved of operational responsibility
The campaign is winning.
- The GOP governor candidate dropped out
- Numerous DOJ officials resigned
- GOP members of Congress are speaking out; business feels pressure
- Noem has been relieved of operational responsibility
The campaign is winning.
Reposted by Life in Common
"People aren’t misguided to want shelter from surveillance and harassment, or to seek high-context, community-centric moderation; ...those are necessary conditions when life online has such direct and dramatic effects on the character of our offline societies." Thoughtful & informative read:
There was already a *lot* going on with Bluesky, and now it's under even more pressure. I wrote about how I think about moderation, affordances, expectations, human needs, and powerful trolls for @techpolicypress.bsky.social
www.techpolicy.press/trump-admini...
www.techpolicy.press/trump-admini...
Trump Administration's Arrival on Bluesky Highlights Growing Pains for Open Networks | TechPolicy.Press
The administration’s antagonistic entry to the platform is best understood as a game of chicken, writes Erin Kissane.
www.techpolicy.press
January 26, 2026 at 4:23 PM
"People aren’t misguided to want shelter from surveillance and harassment, or to seek high-context, community-centric moderation; ...those are necessary conditions when life online has such direct and dramatic effects on the character of our offline societies." Thoughtful & informative read:
Reposted by Life in Common
• Independent federal-state investigation of ICE murders & tactics.
• ban on face masks.
• body camera requirement.
• ban on roving ICE patrols.
• ban on “administrative warrants” that bypass judges & violate the 4th Amendment.
• no arrest quotas
prospect.org/2026/01/26/i...
• ban on face masks.
• body camera requirement.
• ban on roving ICE patrols.
• ban on “administrative warrants” that bypass judges & violate the 4th Amendment.
• no arrest quotas
prospect.org/2026/01/26/i...
The Democrats’ Long-Awaited Spine - The American Prospect
The latest ICE murder produces a unified Senate Democratic Caucus blocking funding for the Department of Homeland Security until strict limits are set.
prospect.org
January 26, 2026 at 3:44 PM
• Independent federal-state investigation of ICE murders & tactics.
• ban on face masks.
• body camera requirement.
• ban on roving ICE patrols.
• ban on “administrative warrants” that bypass judges & violate the 4th Amendment.
• no arrest quotas
prospect.org/2026/01/26/i...
• ban on face masks.
• body camera requirement.
• ban on roving ICE patrols.
• ban on “administrative warrants” that bypass judges & violate the 4th Amendment.
• no arrest quotas
prospect.org/2026/01/26/i...
Reposted by Life in Common
trump has probably destroyed the minnesota republican party for the duration
pretty wild statement re: Republican Chris Madel drop from race for MN governor:
"Saying he cannot support the national GOP's 'stated retribution on citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so."
"Saying he cannot support the national GOP's 'stated retribution on citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so."
January 26, 2026 at 2:40 PM
trump has probably destroyed the minnesota republican party for the duration
Reposted by Life in Common
“...fascism is nothing more than a final solution to the class struggle, the totalistic submergence and exploitation of democratic forces for the benefit and profit of higher financial circles. Fascism is a false revolution. It propagates a 'new order' while saving the same old moneyed interests.”
January 26, 2026 at 7:38 AM
“...fascism is nothing more than a final solution to the class struggle, the totalistic submergence and exploitation of democratic forces for the benefit and profit of higher financial circles. Fascism is a false revolution. It propagates a 'new order' while saving the same old moneyed interests.”
Reposted by Life in Common
Starting the week with a big THANK YOU to people helping animals through the extreme cold, snow, and ice. Your kindness matters. Photos from our yard in Virginia with ice and snow. #birds #animals #animalrescue #winterstorm #icestorm #kindness
January 26, 2026 at 1:45 PM
Starting the week with a big THANK YOU to people helping animals through the extreme cold, snow, and ice. Your kindness matters. Photos from our yard in Virginia with ice and snow. #birds #animals #animalrescue #winterstorm #icestorm #kindness
Reposted by Life in Common
Nice to see Stacie Goddard and @abenewman.bsky.social lay out the self-dealing pretensions of Donald Trump's "neoroyalist" foreign policy. Foreign policy decisions that favor him and his kin/friends rather than serve the national interest. It's not Westphalian. It's different. Gift link.
Opinion | This Theory Explains Trump’s Baffling Foreign Policy
www.nytimes.com
January 26, 2026 at 3:41 PM
Nice to see Stacie Goddard and @abenewman.bsky.social lay out the self-dealing pretensions of Donald Trump's "neoroyalist" foreign policy. Foreign policy decisions that favor him and his kin/friends rather than serve the national interest. It's not Westphalian. It's different. Gift link.
Reposted by Life in Common
France announced today it’s phasing out Teams, Zoom, etc. to be replaced with a French/European solution called Visio. The data is hosted on Outscale. Transcripts and subtitles are also handled by French providers. The target is set on 2027 for government agencies.
January 26, 2026 at 3:31 PM
France announced today it’s phasing out Teams, Zoom, etc. to be replaced with a French/European solution called Visio. The data is hosted on Outscale. Transcripts and subtitles are also handled by French providers. The target is set on 2027 for government agencies.
Reposted by Life in Common
January 26, 2026 at 3:17 AM
Reposted by Life in Common
Does anyone know any good Chinese YouTubers or content creators of Chinese origin who are based in the U.S.?
January 20, 2026 at 12:18 AM
Does anyone know any good Chinese YouTubers or content creators of Chinese origin who are based in the U.S.?
Reposted by Life in Common
This video should be on mainstream TV and every secondary school syllabus…
I made a deep dive video into the TESCREAL ideology shaping Silicon Valley’s biggest companies and the AI arms race, and how a shocking number of tech billionaires are pro-human extinction
Tech Billionaires Want Us Dead
YouTube video by Taylor Lorenz
youtu.be
January 20, 2026 at 8:02 PM
This video should be on mainstream TV and every secondary school syllabus…
Reposted by Life in Common
Tech policy orgs & professionals need to grapple with the implications of technofascism’s profoundly anti-human ideological roots. TESCREAL should be part of all AI policy debates.
I made a deep dive video into the TESCREAL ideology shaping Silicon Valley’s biggest companies and the AI arms race, and how a shocking number of tech billionaires are pro-human extinction
Tech Billionaires Want Us Dead
YouTube video by Taylor Lorenz
youtu.be
January 20, 2026 at 5:22 PM
Tech policy orgs & professionals need to grapple with the implications of technofascism’s profoundly anti-human ideological roots. TESCREAL should be part of all AI policy debates.
Reposted by Life in Common
Thanks for making this video @taylorlorenz.bsky.social lets hope people listen and not accuse you of "calling everything you disagree with eugenics" and such as they did me and @xriskology.bsky.social 🙄
I don't know how much evidence people need.
I don't know how much evidence people need.
I made a deep dive video into the TESCREAL ideology shaping Silicon Valley’s biggest companies and the AI arms race, and how a shocking number of tech billionaires are pro-human extinction
Tech Billionaires Want Us Dead
YouTube video by Taylor Lorenz
youtu.be
January 20, 2026 at 5:14 PM
Thanks for making this video @taylorlorenz.bsky.social lets hope people listen and not accuse you of "calling everything you disagree with eugenics" and such as they did me and @xriskology.bsky.social 🙄
I don't know how much evidence people need.
I don't know how much evidence people need.
Reposted by Life in Common
I attended a talk last year with the host of planet: critical & pretty much heard that this one billionaire they met with was planning on a third of the worlds population dying in order to keep the different systems we have now going. She told him “that’s fascistic” & he just shrugged.
I made a deep dive video into the TESCREAL ideology shaping Silicon Valley’s biggest companies and the AI arms race, and how a shocking number of tech billionaires are pro-human extinction
Tech Billionaires Want Us Dead
YouTube video by Taylor Lorenz
youtu.be
January 20, 2026 at 8:40 PM
I attended a talk last year with the host of planet: critical & pretty much heard that this one billionaire they met with was planning on a third of the worlds population dying in order to keep the different systems we have now going. She told him “that’s fascistic” & he just shrugged.
Reposted by Life in Common
This from @taylorlorenz.bsky.social is worth your time. She references the extremely valuable work of @timnitgebru.bsky.social and @xriskology.bsky.social about the terrifying philosophy of many powerful people in and around tech. youtu.be/W1dIC287Zz0?...
Tech Billionaires Want Us Dead
YouTube video by Taylor Lorenz
youtu.be
January 21, 2026 at 12:29 AM
This from @taylorlorenz.bsky.social is worth your time. She references the extremely valuable work of @timnitgebru.bsky.social and @xriskology.bsky.social about the terrifying philosophy of many powerful people in and around tech. youtu.be/W1dIC287Zz0?...
Reposted by Life in Common
Another must watch from @taylorlorenz.bsky.social
I made a deep dive video into the TESCREAL ideology shaping Silicon Valley’s biggest companies and the AI arms race, and how a shocking number of tech billionaires are pro-human extinction
Tech Billionaires Want Us Dead
YouTube video by Taylor Lorenz
youtu.be
January 20, 2026 at 10:31 PM
Another must watch from @taylorlorenz.bsky.social
Reposted by Life in Common
Transhumanism & effective altruism are not inherently bad. But as @taylorlorenz.bsky.social points out, they can excuse current harm being done for ungodly profit.
In truth, tech billionaires don’t want humanity to survive—except for them. And they're prepping.
youtu.be/W1dIC287Zz0?...
In truth, tech billionaires don’t want humanity to survive—except for them. And they're prepping.
youtu.be/W1dIC287Zz0?...
Tech Billionaires Want Us Dead
YouTube video by Taylor Lorenz
youtu.be
January 22, 2026 at 12:41 AM
Transhumanism & effective altruism are not inherently bad. But as @taylorlorenz.bsky.social points out, they can excuse current harm being done for ungodly profit.
In truth, tech billionaires don’t want humanity to survive—except for them. And they're prepping.
youtu.be/W1dIC287Zz0?...
In truth, tech billionaires don’t want humanity to survive—except for them. And they're prepping.
youtu.be/W1dIC287Zz0?...
Reposted by Life in Common
Donald Trump is telling us exactly what he plans to do in the 2026 midterms — and almost no one is paying attention.
Watch, learn and share. youtu.be/DK8A8gTmD1I?...
Watch, learn and share. youtu.be/DK8A8gTmD1I?...
Trump Announces Plot to Cancel the 2026 Elections
YouTube video by Democracy Docket
youtu.be
January 25, 2026 at 8:01 PM
Donald Trump is telling us exactly what he plans to do in the 2026 midterms — and almost no one is paying attention.
Watch, learn and share. youtu.be/DK8A8gTmD1I?...
Watch, learn and share. youtu.be/DK8A8gTmD1I?...
Reposted by Life in Common
Canadian broadcaster talks with media researchers and former-spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNh_...
How ICE is using far-right subculture to recruit
YouTube video by CBC News: The National
www.youtube.com
January 25, 2026 at 6:09 PM
Canadian broadcaster talks with media researchers and former-spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNh_...
Reposted by Life in Common
I hope they start trying to one-up one another. This is good though.
Secretary Noem has forfeited her right to lead. I’m calling on her to resign.
Gregory Bovino must also be fired.
No one, not an ICE agent, not a federal officer, not a president, is above the law.
Gregory Bovino must also be fired.
No one, not an ICE agent, not a federal officer, not a president, is above the law.
January 25, 2026 at 10:45 PM
I hope they start trying to one-up one another. This is good though.
Reposted by Life in Common
Reposted by Life in Common
It was a cold morning here, but once again, the birds don’t care! They were frantically foraging for food and this Pine Siskin paused for just a second in the sun!
#Birds #photography #wildlife 🪶
#Birds #photography #wildlife 🪶
January 26, 2026 at 1:20 AM
It was a cold morning here, but once again, the birds don’t care! They were frantically foraging for food and this Pine Siskin paused for just a second in the sun!
#Birds #photography #wildlife 🪶
#Birds #photography #wildlife 🪶
Reposted by Life in Common
Reposted by Life in Common
A Swedish city's one-year project is testing how various public services would function in the scenario of a digital blackout
theconversation.com/europe-wants...
theconversation.com/europe-wants...
Europe wants to end its dangerous reliance on US internet technology
As the US increases political pressure on Europe, it’s possible to imagine the continent losing access to key computing services.
theconversation.com
January 25, 2026 at 6:13 PM
A Swedish city's one-year project is testing how various public services would function in the scenario of a digital blackout
theconversation.com/europe-wants...
theconversation.com/europe-wants...