Elliot S.
@esilverman80.bsky.social
Retired lawyer. Married 45+ years. Dog dad. American, Jew, Democrat (and democrat). Eclectic taste in music (Coltrane, Dylan, Bessie Smith, Grateful Dead...).
Pinned
Elliot S.
@esilverman80.bsky.social
· Nov 20
"In the worst of times music is a promise that times are meant to be better. Ultimately, its most important political purpose is to keep us human under fire."
--Robert Christgau
--Robert Christgau
December 4, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Reposted by Elliot S.
No dogpiling but this is reflective of a much broader issue: Nobody needs to be perfectly correct for their mistreatment to be mistreatment.
"He's no angel" isn't an excuse for police brutality. "They're drug dealers" doesn't mean you can blow them up on a boat even if true". "He's a gang member"...
"He's no angel" isn't an excuse for police brutality. "They're drug dealers" doesn't mean you can blow them up on a boat even if true". "He's a gang member"...
December 1, 2025 at 8:30 PM
No dogpiling but this is reflective of a much broader issue: Nobody needs to be perfectly correct for their mistreatment to be mistreatment.
"He's no angel" isn't an excuse for police brutality. "They're drug dealers" doesn't mean you can blow them up on a boat even if true". "He's a gang member"...
"He's no angel" isn't an excuse for police brutality. "They're drug dealers" doesn't mean you can blow them up on a boat even if true". "He's a gang member"...
December 1, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Reposted by Elliot S.
There are specific reasons Trumpists want war on Venezuela, but there‘s a generic one: they crave power to make war on anyone, any time, for completely fabricated reasons, and then to use the guise of war to increase violence and repression everywhere, including home.
They are lawless bestial scum.
They are lawless bestial scum.
November 29, 2025 at 6:28 PM
There are specific reasons Trumpists want war on Venezuela, but there‘s a generic one: they crave power to make war on anyone, any time, for completely fabricated reasons, and then to use the guise of war to increase violence and repression everywhere, including home.
They are lawless bestial scum.
They are lawless bestial scum.
November 29, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Reposted by Elliot S.
Happy Chompsgiving!
November 27, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Happy Chompsgiving!
Reposted by Elliot S.
Anyway, however you celebrate it (or don't celebrate it) have a happy Thanksgiving, and give thanks for all the things that deserve gratitude.
November 27, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Anyway, however you celebrate it (or don't celebrate it) have a happy Thanksgiving, and give thanks for all the things that deserve gratitude.
Wordle 1,622 3/6
⬜🟨⬜🟨🟨
🟨🟨🟨⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
⬜🟨⬜🟨🟨
🟨🟨🟨⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
November 27, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Wordle 1,622 3/6
⬜🟨⬜🟨🟨
🟨🟨🟨⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
⬜🟨⬜🟨🟨
🟨🟨🟨⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
Reposted by Elliot S.
Anybody who is like “Piracy is activism!”—trust me, supporting your local library is about 1000% more effective activism, and it’s still free for you and authors still get paid!
November 26, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Anybody who is like “Piracy is activism!”—trust me, supporting your local library is about 1000% more effective activism, and it’s still free for you and authors still get paid!
Reposted by Elliot S.
This, however, is an error in thought. Not only is such a despotism impossible in a democracy, it is capable of being weaponized against them far easier than for them. Progressive values will ALWAYS be Othered. It’s baked into the concept.
November 26, 2025 at 8:28 PM
This, however, is an error in thought. Not only is such a despotism impossible in a democracy, it is capable of being weaponized against them far easier than for them. Progressive values will ALWAYS be Othered. It’s baked into the concept.
Reposted by Elliot S.
*sniff*
Online friend @kithrup.bsky.social is a freaking saint for giving away books (that he bought and paid for) by authors he wants to support each and every day. It's a lot of work and quite a bit of money he's put into it for not much in return. He brings the joy of books to people every day.
November 26, 2025 at 4:54 PM
*sniff*
Reposted by Elliot S.
November 25, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Reposted by Elliot S.
RIP Jimmy Cliff 🙏
November 24, 2025 at 2:43 PM
RIP Jimmy Cliff 🙏
Reposted by Elliot S.
Non-USAians: I formally disavow green bean casserole. I don’t know what the hell it’s all about either. I can’t explain it any more than I can explain marshmallows on sweet potatoes. The 1950s were a weird time.
November 25, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Non-USAians: I formally disavow green bean casserole. I don’t know what the hell it’s all about either. I can’t explain it any more than I can explain marshmallows on sweet potatoes. The 1950s were a weird time.
Reposted by Elliot S.
A technical win in the best type of win. It’s evidence beyond the facts of the case whether you are an attorney who can do their job with competence. It’s legitimately my favorite way to win cases.
November 25, 2025 at 12:58 AM
A technical win in the best type of win. It’s evidence beyond the facts of the case whether you are an attorney who can do their job with competence. It’s legitimately my favorite way to win cases.
Reposted by Elliot S.
If I’m understanding this correctly, X is owned by a white nationalist who pays poor people of color in developing countries to pretend to be working class white Americans to scare other white Americans into being afraid poor people of color from developing countries are going to ruin America?
November 23, 2025 at 7:30 PM
If I’m understanding this correctly, X is owned by a white nationalist who pays poor people of color in developing countries to pretend to be working class white Americans to scare other white Americans into being afraid poor people of color from developing countries are going to ruin America?
Reposted by Elliot S.
the “thanksgiving food is bad” discourse raises its ugly head every year, but the truth remains that thanksgiving food can be amazing as long as you know how to cook. the problem is we’re throwing a few million sunday drivers directly into a grand prix
I think this is unfair to turkey. turkey is good but hard to cook well because it is so damn big. turkey *parts* are great but lack the esthetic appeal of a centerpiece bird.
November 23, 2025 at 7:44 PM
the “thanksgiving food is bad” discourse raises its ugly head every year, but the truth remains that thanksgiving food can be amazing as long as you know how to cook. the problem is we’re throwing a few million sunday drivers directly into a grand prix
Reposted by Elliot S.
1. This was politically motivated with no discernible crime so...
2. No serious prosecutor wanted to put their name on the case
3. They had to use someone with zero experience instead, which led to compounded screw ups
2. No serious prosecutor wanted to put their name on the case
3. They had to use someone with zero experience instead, which led to compounded screw ups
November 23, 2025 at 6:24 PM
1. This was politically motivated with no discernible crime so...
2. No serious prosecutor wanted to put their name on the case
3. They had to use someone with zero experience instead, which led to compounded screw ups
2. No serious prosecutor wanted to put their name on the case
3. They had to use someone with zero experience instead, which led to compounded screw ups
November 22, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Reposted by Elliot S.
If you receive an illegal order, you have a duty to disobey.
This isn’t controversial.
A President calling for the execution of anyone who reminds service members of this oath is showing us why the duty to disobey illegal orders is so important in the first place.
This isn’t controversial.
A President calling for the execution of anyone who reminds service members of this oath is showing us why the duty to disobey illegal orders is so important in the first place.
November 21, 2025 at 12:14 AM
If you receive an illegal order, you have a duty to disobey.
This isn’t controversial.
A President calling for the execution of anyone who reminds service members of this oath is showing us why the duty to disobey illegal orders is so important in the first place.
This isn’t controversial.
A President calling for the execution of anyone who reminds service members of this oath is showing us why the duty to disobey illegal orders is so important in the first place.
Reposted by Elliot S.
Ponied up for a month of newspapers.com, went right to the New York Daily News and quickly found this gem from Feb 16, 1936.
November 18, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Ponied up for a month of newspapers.com, went right to the New York Daily News and quickly found this gem from Feb 16, 1936.
Reposted by Elliot S.
Deeply ashamed just because you were soliciting a convicted child predator for advice on cheating on your wife my pressuring a younger colleague into sleeping with you while sneering at her and her work?
Gosh Ross Douthat better write another piece decrying woke culture
Gosh Ross Douthat better write another piece decrying woke culture
Sex pest : i am retiring from public life
public : good fuck off
sex pest : except for these various paid and unpaid public positions
public : did we stutter
public : good fuck off
sex pest : except for these various paid and unpaid public positions
public : did we stutter
Larry Summers steps back from public commitments, ‘deeply ashamed’ by Epstein revelations
Emails revealed that Summers sought advice from Epstein on romantically pursuing a woman he referred to as his mentee.
www.politico.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Deeply ashamed just because you were soliciting a convicted child predator for advice on cheating on your wife my pressuring a younger colleague into sleeping with you while sneering at her and her work?
Gosh Ross Douthat better write another piece decrying woke culture
Gosh Ross Douthat better write another piece decrying woke culture
November 15, 2025 at 6:36 PM