Ben Saufley
@bensaufley.com
software engineer and illustrator. soccer fan: #USMNT, #USWNT, #NWSLBoston, Portland #UpTheHearts, QPR, Serbia, Zvezda. anti-racist. anti-terf
https://bensaufley.com
https://bensaufley.com
Reposted by Ben Saufley
You know we're in bad shape when people turn Joyce Carol Oates into a hero
November 11, 2025 at 10:46 AM
You know we're in bad shape when people turn Joyce Carol Oates into a hero
Reposted by Ben Saufley
Three points I keep repeating
1. Left and liberal voters actually really exist
2. The right and "centre" are trying to rule without liberals - they are way out over their skis
3. Reports of right wing total information control are greatly exaggerated
1. Left and liberal voters actually really exist
2. The right and "centre" are trying to rule without liberals - they are way out over their skis
3. Reports of right wing total information control are greatly exaggerated
🧵/ How far does the public support net zero?
Support: 60%
Oppose: 25%
Net support by party
Green: +81
Lib Dem: +67
Lab: +64
Con: +11
Reform: -44
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
Support: 60%
Oppose: 25%
Net support by party
Green: +81
Lib Dem: +67
Lab: +64
Con: +11
Reform: -44
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
November 11, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Three points I keep repeating
1. Left and liberal voters actually really exist
2. The right and "centre" are trying to rule without liberals - they are way out over their skis
3. Reports of right wing total information control are greatly exaggerated
1. Left and liberal voters actually really exist
2. The right and "centre" are trying to rule without liberals - they are way out over their skis
3. Reports of right wing total information control are greatly exaggerated
Reposted by Ben Saufley
The thing to understand about this is that this catastrophe in the UK has redounded to the political benefit of the very same people and political movement that pushed for it! Extremely perverse.
I wonder if the United States can learn anything from the last time a major industrialized country decided to isolate itself from the rest of the world?
Almost a decade after the Brexit vote, GDP in the UK is around 6-8% lower relative to peer countries. (Source: www.nber.org/papers/w34459)
Almost a decade after the Brexit vote, GDP in the UK is around 6-8% lower relative to peer countries. (Source: www.nber.org/papers/w34459)
November 11, 2025 at 5:23 PM
The thing to understand about this is that this catastrophe in the UK has redounded to the political benefit of the very same people and political movement that pushed for it! Extremely perverse.
Reposted by Ben Saufley
It's so weird how antidepressants only cause the impulse to commit mass violence in the country where there is easy access to guns. What a coincidence!
First they came for reproductive rights.
Then they came for vaccines.
Now they’re coming for mental health.
There is zero evidence SSRIs cause mass violence.
You know what does? Guns — and the fact that anyone can access weapons that kill hundreds in seconds.
#GunReformNow
Then they came for vaccines.
Now they’re coming for mental health.
There is zero evidence SSRIs cause mass violence.
You know what does? Guns — and the fact that anyone can access weapons that kill hundreds in seconds.
#GunReformNow
November 11, 2025 at 7:56 PM
It's so weird how antidepressants only cause the impulse to commit mass violence in the country where there is easy access to guns. What a coincidence!
Reposted by Ben Saufley
The "retail theft crime wave" disappeared as soon as companies had to actually file their annual shareholder reports. Same thing with AI: hype for the consumer, extreme skepticism from the analysts.
Papers that report on this stuff rather than on "CEO said a thing" are going to be more reliable.
Papers that report on this stuff rather than on "CEO said a thing" are going to be more reliable.
web.archive.org
September 15, 2025 at 3:30 PM
The "retail theft crime wave" disappeared as soon as companies had to actually file their annual shareholder reports. Same thing with AI: hype for the consumer, extreme skepticism from the analysts.
Papers that report on this stuff rather than on "CEO said a thing" are going to be more reliable.
Papers that report on this stuff rather than on "CEO said a thing" are going to be more reliable.
Reposted by Ben Saufley
Remember that it's legal to lie to your customers but illegal to lie to your shareholders.
there's kind of a truism that goes like, the salaried professional class reads the new york times and the washington post, but the top brass reads wsj and ft and use it to inform their decision-making
and the net effect of that is despite batshit editorial, the news side kinda has to be accurate
and the net effect of that is despite batshit editorial, the news side kinda has to be accurate
September 15, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Remember that it's legal to lie to your customers but illegal to lie to your shareholders.
Reposted by Ben Saufley
In the century leading up to 1975, nearly 6000 freighters went down in the Great Lakes.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
November 11, 2025 at 1:50 AM
In the century leading up to 1975, nearly 6000 freighters went down in the Great Lakes.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
I have an aging family member who is dealing with some form of dementia/Alzheimers (it has not been made clear what, exactly) and this is exactly how family talks to him.
Pirro: "Mr President, there is in this room a group of people who love you, who believe in you, and who are so proud to be in this Oval Office and to be part of this amazing day because you have changed the course of America."
November 11, 2025 at 4:54 PM
I have an aging family member who is dealing with some form of dementia/Alzheimers (it has not been made clear what, exactly) and this is exactly how family talks to him.
Reposted by Ben Saufley
it's just a very blinkered and solipsistic book, which underlines how the "crisis of masculinity" is just a moral panic intended to defend the powerful, not help anyone, men or women, with real problems.
November 11, 2025 at 3:50 PM
it's just a very blinkered and solipsistic book, which underlines how the "crisis of masculinity" is just a moral panic intended to defend the powerful, not help anyone, men or women, with real problems.
Reposted by Ben Saufley
this is not "everyone is twelve" theory. this is the slightly rarer but typically much more consequential "no one knows what lawyers do" theory
“I’ve been hearing that standards will be eliminated or severely cut back. Bari has told people that she wants to get rid of standards and is shocked that they have so much power. She also asked openly, ‘What’s the point of standards?’” one CBS source said.
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
Bari Weiss wants to take down ‘too much power’ CBS News Standards unit: sources
EXCLUSIVE: Internal rumblings within the newsroom come after the S&P head resigned and the network disbanded its vaunted Race and Culture unit.
www.independent.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 3:53 PM
this is not "everyone is twelve" theory. this is the slightly rarer but typically much more consequential "no one knows what lawyers do" theory
Reposted by Ben Saufley
Unlike you, I can read and that’s why I know what the constitution says.
Trump on Ilhan Omar: "I look at somebody who comes from Somalia...and she comes in and tells us how to run our country. 'The Constitution says this, the Constitution says that.' The whole thing is crazy."
November 11, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Unlike you, I can read and that’s why I know what the constitution says.
Reposted by Ben Saufley
My last word on the matter
November 11, 2025 at 2:27 PM
My last word on the matter
I think that there is evidence that it has mattered repeatedly but instead of learning the lesson, the Dems do the "we've gotta get more racist" meme.
But it's reasonable as well to note that how much it has mattered is backstopped by the opposition's full slide into fascism
But it's reasonable as well to note that how much it has mattered is backstopped by the opposition's full slide into fascism
It’s hard to believe “it doesn’t matter“ that the Democratic Party has a barely breathing approval rating among its own base, and that every time a group of 2006-vintage senators folds the cards, the base is dejected and mutters “of course.”
November 11, 2025 at 3:57 PM
I think that there is evidence that it has mattered repeatedly but instead of learning the lesson, the Dems do the "we've gotta get more racist" meme.
But it's reasonable as well to note that how much it has mattered is backstopped by the opposition's full slide into fascism
But it's reasonable as well to note that how much it has mattered is backstopped by the opposition's full slide into fascism
Reposted by Ben Saufley
as a person who is and has been incapable of doing most things throughout his life but who is also a goddamned adult, i would like to share the hard-won lesson that, actually, "i can't 😢" isn't actually an excuse
SCOOP: Schumer privately fought to extend government shutdown
Scoop: Schumer privately fought to extend government shutdown
"We let him know what we were doing," said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).
www.axios.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:58 PM
as a person who is and has been incapable of doing most things throughout his life but who is also a goddamned adult, i would like to share the hard-won lesson that, actually, "i can't 😢" isn't actually an excuse
Reposted by Ben Saufley
What has Angus King accomplished in the Senate since 2013?
This. Nothing else comes close.
It's his most noteworthy achievement and, unless he changes his ways dramatically, it's what he'll be remembered for. #MEpolitics
This. Nothing else comes close.
It's his most noteworthy achievement and, unless he changes his ways dramatically, it's what he'll be remembered for. #MEpolitics
Tapper: Angus King said standing up to Donald Trump didn't work.
Sanders: Maybe Angus didn't notice the elections on Tuesday. I thought that they worked pretty well.
Sanders: Maybe Angus didn't notice the elections on Tuesday. I thought that they worked pretty well.
November 11, 2025 at 3:01 AM
What has Angus King accomplished in the Senate since 2013?
This. Nothing else comes close.
It's his most noteworthy achievement and, unless he changes his ways dramatically, it's what he'll be remembered for. #MEpolitics
This. Nothing else comes close.
It's his most noteworthy achievement and, unless he changes his ways dramatically, it's what he'll be remembered for. #MEpolitics
Reposted by Ben Saufley
this guy with 30k followers who follows 60k accounts is going to be my new best friend i can feel it
November 11, 2025 at 1:09 AM
this guy with 30k followers who follows 60k accounts is going to be my new best friend i can feel it
Reposted by Ben Saufley
JCO just showing everyone the value of an education in the humanities
![Joyce Carol Oates quoting a tweet that says “wherever he [Elon Musk] goes, he wants to leave”:
"wherever he goes, he wants to leave"-- that's because when he gets there, he has brought his own self along; & whatever club he's invited to join has been devalued by the invitation.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:buy3qvqcj3o76leo6ap7pn2p/bafkreifilfbsxemfsambf4kqwolr24ld2ekqcrz4ybgv3bv7kzi5e6kppm@jpeg)
November 11, 2025 at 3:02 AM
JCO just showing everyone the value of an education in the humanities
Reposted by Ben Saufley
Answer: 75% of all American farm workers are Latin American migrants. Yes, the same folks that the party red states support want to deport.
And no, they’re not doing it “to be nice.”
And no, they’re not doing it “to be nice.”
California alone produces a third of all the food America eats. So this is a lie.
But let’s break down the food produced by the red states:
Guess what percent is harvested by people from Latin America?
But let’s break down the food produced by the red states:
Guess what percent is harvested by people from Latin America?
November 11, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Answer: 75% of all American farm workers are Latin American migrants. Yes, the same folks that the party red states support want to deport.
And no, they’re not doing it “to be nice.”
And no, they’re not doing it “to be nice.”
Reposted by Ben Saufley
Pat and I just got our medical insurance renewal. Our monthly rate is going from $763 to $2,323.
Our deductible went up too.
We knew it was going to be bad with the subsidies expiring, but holy hell ...
Our deductible went up too.
We knew it was going to be bad with the subsidies expiring, but holy hell ...
October 20, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Pat and I just got our medical insurance renewal. Our monthly rate is going from $763 to $2,323.
Our deductible went up too.
We knew it was going to be bad with the subsidies expiring, but holy hell ...
Our deductible went up too.
We knew it was going to be bad with the subsidies expiring, but holy hell ...
Reposted by Ben Saufley
Huh well it turns out I heard from a few federal workers about this and well
"We civil servants organized to help our colleagues face the hardship of the shutdown, we put up with the pain and our only request was to not be betrayed like this. Trade our pain, make it count."
"We civil servants organized to help our colleagues face the hardship of the shutdown, we put up with the pain and our only request was to not be betrayed like this. Trade our pain, make it count."
November 10, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Huh well it turns out I heard from a few federal workers about this and well
"We civil servants organized to help our colleagues face the hardship of the shutdown, we put up with the pain and our only request was to not be betrayed like this. Trade our pain, make it count."
"We civil servants organized to help our colleagues face the hardship of the shutdown, we put up with the pain and our only request was to not be betrayed like this. Trade our pain, make it count."
There's that old joke, you know, "…well in the Marines they teach us not to piss on our hands" and I always thought, "well in elementary school they teach *us* about germs"
November 10, 2025 at 8:18 PM
There's that old joke, you know, "…well in the Marines they teach us not to piss on our hands" and I always thought, "well in elementary school they teach *us* about germs"
Reposted by Ben Saufley
Reposted by Ben Saufley
Even the hardcore “blue no matter who or fuck you” crowd are starting to see the cracks…
November 10, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Even the hardcore “blue no matter who or fuck you” crowd are starting to see the cracks…
Reposted by Ben Saufley
Reposted by Ben Saufley
I got this useful bon mot from a middle school teacher recently.
In response to, “I DONT UNDERSTAND,” he calmly said, “okay what steps have you taken to understand?”
And that’s when I realized that a lot of folks have no steps.
In response to, “I DONT UNDERSTAND,” he calmly said, “okay what steps have you taken to understand?”
And that’s when I realized that a lot of folks have no steps.
November 10, 2025 at 6:05 PM
I got this useful bon mot from a middle school teacher recently.
In response to, “I DONT UNDERSTAND,” he calmly said, “okay what steps have you taken to understand?”
And that’s when I realized that a lot of folks have no steps.
In response to, “I DONT UNDERSTAND,” he calmly said, “okay what steps have you taken to understand?”
And that’s when I realized that a lot of folks have no steps.