@donwest84.bsky.social
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Common Ground Podcast
We are two political observers, Owen the conservative and Don the progressive, coming together to try to find common ground. We also hope to work together to establish ideas for reform with our common...
youtube.com
After Kirk was assassinated, a conservative friend reached out to ask if i wanted to do a podcast with him. Not a debate, a discussion. A space where a progressive and a conservative could talk and explore areas of agreement.
If you're interested, here's the link.
If you're interested, here's the link.
Maxwell is a disgusting monster. This is also below the minimum bar of what a decent society should provide to imprisoned disgusting monsters. The fact that people who shouldn't be in prison receive less is truly damning.
November 14, 2025 at 5:15 AM
Maxwell is a disgusting monster. This is also below the minimum bar of what a decent society should provide to imprisoned disgusting monsters. The fact that people who shouldn't be in prison receive less is truly damning.
Reposted
Honestly if billionaires and diehard MAGA people only cared about making money, we'd probably be in considerably less danger right now.
November 13, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Honestly if billionaires and diehard MAGA people only cared about making money, we'd probably be in considerably less danger right now.
AI can't replace good writing and art, but this is kinda genius. Star Trek's popularity is built on allowing the fan base to freely make fan fiction. It creates a shared sense of ownership and brand loyalty without competition. That's what it looks like Iger is doing with AI and Disney.
Disney CEO Bob Iger said his company is talking with AI companies about allowing subscribers to create their own short-form videos on Disney+.
Disney eyes a future where users help shape the story
Disney CEO Bob Iger said his company is talking with AI companies about allowing subscribers to create their own short-form videos on Disney+.
n.pr
November 14, 2025 at 4:15 AM
AI can't replace good writing and art, but this is kinda genius. Star Trek's popularity is built on allowing the fan base to freely make fan fiction. It creates a shared sense of ownership and brand loyalty without competition. That's what it looks like Iger is doing with AI and Disney.
We allow homelessness to exist and we allow people to go without health care. This is a recipe for sexual exploitation. This isn't a weaving path where maybe something might happen in isolated cases down the road. This is exactly how you turn vulnerable people into victims of abuse and trafficking.
November 13, 2025 at 11:33 PM
We allow homelessness to exist and we allow people to go without health care. This is a recipe for sexual exploitation. This isn't a weaving path where maybe something might happen in isolated cases down the road. This is exactly how you turn vulnerable people into victims of abuse and trafficking.
Reposted
Re: Epstein’s emails
November 13, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Re: Epstein’s emails
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What makes Trump so infuriating is that we've known he was like this *since 2016*, when the Access Hollywood tape was released! None of this is surprising! But because the media wants to appear "balanced" and not cover the GOP less favorably, the public has never really grasped how evil he is.
the things that are actually contained in government releases and leaks from epstein's email account alone are so deranged that anyone hearing them without context would think you were having a psychotic episode
November 13, 2025 at 4:31 PM
What makes Trump so infuriating is that we've known he was like this *since 2016*, when the Access Hollywood tape was released! None of this is surprising! But because the media wants to appear "balanced" and not cover the GOP less favorably, the public has never really grasped how evil he is.
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Well, it's a little clearer now why billionaires are so invested in technology that produces better written emails.
November 12, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Well, it's a little clearer now why billionaires are so invested in technology that produces better written emails.
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It looks like Aqylbek Muratbai, the Karakalpak activist who fled to Kazakhstan from Uzbekistan for his own safety, has been granted asylum in a third country. He was facing the very real prospect of extradition to Uzbekistan.
x.com/muratbaiman/...
x.com/muratbaiman/...
Aqylbek Muratbai on X: "✈️ I have left Kazakhstan and am now safe. My heartfelt Rakhmet to everyone who worried about me and offered their support! Special thanks to the entire team of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights @Bureau_KZ – especially Denis Dzhivaga and Gulmira Kuatbekova. https://t.co/qEsxsp65Nj" / X
✈️ I have left Kazakhstan and am now safe. My heartfelt Rakhmet to everyone who worried about me and offered their support! Special thanks to the entire team of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights @Bureau_KZ – especially Denis Dzhivaga and Gulmira Kuatbekova. https://t.co/qEsxsp65Nj
x.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:37 AM
It looks like Aqylbek Muratbai, the Karakalpak activist who fled to Kazakhstan from Uzbekistan for his own safety, has been granted asylum in a third country. He was facing the very real prospect of extradition to Uzbekistan.
x.com/muratbaiman/...
x.com/muratbaiman/...
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The kompromat Russia has on Trump could come from Epstein, as many have suspected over the years
November 12, 2025 at 10:18 PM
The kompromat Russia has on Trump could come from Epstein, as many have suspected over the years
One of these things is not like the other ones...
November 12, 2025 at 9:44 PM
One of these things is not like the other ones...
He. Does. Not. Care. About. People.
Records obtained by ProPublica indicate that food banks across the country were expecting more than 27 million pounds of chicken, 2 million gallons of milk, 10 million pounds of dried fruit and 60 million eggs that never arrived.
(Published October)
(Published October)
Trump Canceled 94 Million Pounds of Food Aid. Here’s What Never Arrived.
ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the millions of pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the administration’s cut...
projects.propublica.org
November 12, 2025 at 4:09 AM
He. Does. Not. Care. About. People.
If John Brown saw a person being sold today and he shot the slavery to save that person, we'd call him a hero. Instead he did it when at least a large minority saw no problem, and those opposed would just cluck their tongues.
John Brown deserves a national holiday.
John Brown deserves a national holiday.
When people say to judge someone by the standards of their time, the existence of even a single person at that time who knew right from wrong means that any person who didn’t has no excuse.
November 11, 2025 at 9:01 PM
If John Brown saw a person being sold today and he shot the slavery to save that person, we'd call him a hero. Instead he did it when at least a large minority saw no problem, and those opposed would just cluck their tongues.
John Brown deserves a national holiday.
John Brown deserves a national holiday.
Reposted
How are those cheap groceries working out, MAGA?
November 11, 2025 at 8:36 PM
How are those cheap groceries working out, MAGA?
Reposted
I post this every year but now that holiday ads are out I’ll say it again: teenagers are often forgotten in Toys For Tots drives. These hygiene and beauty kits go on sale every holiday and make fantastic donations to toy drives. Sports equipment is great too!
November 9, 2025 at 3:36 PM
I post this every year but now that holiday ads are out I’ll say it again: teenagers are often forgotten in Toys For Tots drives. These hygiene and beauty kits go on sale every holiday and make fantastic donations to toy drives. Sports equipment is great too!
I put the Tragically Hip on my phone yesterday for background music as my young son and I cleaned his room. I listen on incognito, but YouTube presumably has audiences baked into the algorithm for advertising.
Anyway, my kid now knows to ask his doctor about soft erections.
Anyway, my kid now knows to ask his doctor about soft erections.
November 11, 2025 at 4:57 AM
I put the Tragically Hip on my phone yesterday for background music as my young son and I cleaned his room. I listen on incognito, but YouTube presumably has audiences baked into the algorithm for advertising.
Anyway, my kid now knows to ask his doctor about soft erections.
Anyway, my kid now knows to ask his doctor about soft erections.
Reposted
In a rare case of Substack notes usefulness, I just learned that Sarah Kendzior (author of They Knew and a brilliant writer) got bounced from Bluesky. What the hell? new @sarahkendzior.bsky.social
November 11, 2025 at 4:09 AM
In a rare case of Substack notes usefulness, I just learned that Sarah Kendzior (author of They Knew and a brilliant writer) got bounced from Bluesky. What the hell? new @sarahkendzior.bsky.social
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the president of the united states, for some reason apparently:
November 10, 2025 at 9:25 PM
the president of the united states, for some reason apparently:
Ever since Nixon and LBJ gave us Watergate and Vietnam, the core qualifications for federal elected office are 1, inexperience, and 2, contempt for the institution one voluntarily seeks to manage.
Until this changes, we can't expect good governance.
Until this changes, we can't expect good governance.
👇🎯 Unfortunately, this is true & probably the only way. Voters need to realize that hating government, & illegally defunding & dismantling it, & pretending that we can run a modern society/economy on Ronald Reagan's shabby talking point & worn copies of Atlas Shrugged & Mein Kampf is untenable.
Democrats have to stop bailing out Republicans from facing the consequences of their own policies. And yeah, that means they have to stop sparing voters from experiencing what GOP government truly means.
Every time Dems step in, it only emboldens the GOP & they make it even worse the next time.
Every time Dems step in, it only emboldens the GOP & they make it even worse the next time.
November 10, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Ever since Nixon and LBJ gave us Watergate and Vietnam, the core qualifications for federal elected office are 1, inexperience, and 2, contempt for the institution one voluntarily seeks to manage.
Until this changes, we can't expect good governance.
Until this changes, we can't expect good governance.
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“What Nixon did episodically and covertly, knowing it was illegal or improper, Trump now does routinely and overtly.” — recently retired federal judge
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Why I Am Leaving the Federal Bench
A judge explains his reasons for resigning.
www.theatlantic.com
November 9, 2025 at 2:54 PM
“What Nixon did episodically and covertly, knowing it was illegal or improper, Trump now does routinely and overtly.” — recently retired federal judge
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
The US healthcare is fucked up, and not understanding it is the best way to get worst outcomes. Take the time to review this thread, it's informative and written by someone with knowledge of the industry.
Okay, it is still open enrollment and i am still trying to convince you to go and sign up for health insurance. I know it is expensive and scary. But you can do it. The thread embedded here is a tutorial on how to understand and make that decision. I will now write a quickie version.
It's open enrollment time so here's a convenient peg to hang a little tutorial about how to choose your health insurance.
Most of the advice you get is bad. Most of your instincts are bad. I however used to work for a health insurance company and I do arithmetic for a living so I can help.
Most of the advice you get is bad. Most of your instincts are bad. I however used to work for a health insurance company and I do arithmetic for a living so I can help.
November 9, 2025 at 9:23 PM
The US healthcare is fucked up, and not understanding it is the best way to get worst outcomes. Take the time to review this thread, it's informative and written by someone with knowledge of the industry.
Reposted
Human-pretending-to-be-a-muppet is the role Steve Buscemi was born to play.
November 9, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Human-pretending-to-be-a-muppet is the role Steve Buscemi was born to play.
After seeing videos of Cuomo supporters blaming Sliwa voters for splitting the NYC mayoral vote and giving the election to Mamdani, I'm more convinced than ever that we need to focus on math education. Arithmetic, really.
November 8, 2025 at 11:11 PM
After seeing videos of Cuomo supporters blaming Sliwa voters for splitting the NYC mayoral vote and giving the election to Mamdani, I'm more convinced than ever that we need to focus on math education. Arithmetic, really.
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Elections attorney Marc Elias knows voter suppression when he sees it.
Catch up on everything you missed at #crookedcon2025 at crookedcon.com/program!
Catch up on everything you missed at #crookedcon2025 at crookedcon.com/program!
November 8, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Elections attorney Marc Elias knows voter suppression when he sees it.
Catch up on everything you missed at #crookedcon2025 at crookedcon.com/program!
Catch up on everything you missed at #crookedcon2025 at crookedcon.com/program!
Successful fascist regimes disassemble the opposition and neutralize their leadership. Moderates become targets when they are the left group remaining. Finally, the groups that helped the fascists come to power are turned against.
MAGA got everyone to organize too quickly. This is how they fail.
MAGA got everyone to organize too quickly. This is how they fail.
I honestly wasn't expecting the Revolution to be a bunch of middle age liberal wine moms following Kristol, Goldberg and Conway and a handful of barely post-pubescent socialist elected officials down the path of an internationalist popular front.
Just really interesting. Really really interesting.
Just really interesting. Really really interesting.
November 8, 2025 at 6:02 AM
Successful fascist regimes disassemble the opposition and neutralize their leadership. Moderates become targets when they are the left group remaining. Finally, the groups that helped the fascists come to power are turned against.
MAGA got everyone to organize too quickly. This is how they fail.
MAGA got everyone to organize too quickly. This is how they fail.
Reposted
In a rational world, harmful companies would be shut down and dismantled. Corporate execs that do harm would be prevented from running companies ever again. No one is entitled to kill people without consequence.
I fully believe in the corporate death penalty and believe we would be a better world if OpenAI lost its corporate charter and was forcibly dissolved.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
ChatGPT encouraged college graduate to commit suicide, family claims in lawsuit against OpenAI | CNN
A 23-year-old man killed himself in Texas after ChatGPT ‘goaded’ him to commit suicide, his family says in a lawsuit.
www.cnn.com
November 8, 2025 at 12:57 AM
In a rational world, harmful companies would be shut down and dismantled. Corporate execs that do harm would be prevented from running companies ever again. No one is entitled to kill people without consequence.