Maria Bustillos
@mariabustillos.com
I help run @flaminghydra.com and its parent cooperative, the Brick House.
Digital ownership rights, archives and libraries, fun, and press freedom are some things I love.
maria | at | flaminghydra | dot | com
mariabustillos.com | thebrick.house
Digital ownership rights, archives and libraries, fun, and press freedom are some things I love.
maria | at | flaminghydra | dot | com
mariabustillos.com | thebrick.house
Welcome aboard MOBY-DICK WEEK at @flaminghydra.com, debuting with @benehrenreich.bsky.social reading aloud.
flaminghydra.com/issue-470/
flaminghydra.com/issue-470/
Whale hunt
Moby-Dick Week begins, with Ben Ehrenreich reading aloud
flaminghydra.com
December 27, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Welcome aboard MOBY-DICK WEEK at @flaminghydra.com, debuting with @benehrenreich.bsky.social reading aloud.
flaminghydra.com/issue-470/
flaminghydra.com/issue-470/
The cheers from California residents should be audible in Honolulu
Billionaires threaten this every time something vaguely left-wing is on a ballot (they just finished threatening to leave NYC two months ago), and never understand why, "I, Adolf Bork, inventor of the beloved Dystopia Machine, will reduce my presence in your life forever" doesn't win people over
Billionaires are considering cutting or reducing their ties to California by the end of the year because of a proposed ballot measure that could tax the state’s wealthiest residents.
December 27, 2025 at 12:42 AM
The cheers from California residents should be audible in Honolulu
quite a lot of it, same
The most annoying and out-of-touch people on earth own everything I enjoy.
December 26, 2025 at 11:19 PM
quite a lot of it, same
Reposted by Maria Bustillos
Refusing to faithfully execute an important law that passed Congress with only a single no vote should be an uncontroversial basis for impeachment and removal.
Trump frustrated at never-ending Epstein saga, calls on DOJ to release names of only Dems connected to Epstein to “embarrass them” and suggests that despite legal requirement to release everything, DOJ should consider saying “no more.”
December 26, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Refusing to faithfully execute an important law that passed Congress with only a single no vote should be an uncontroversial basis for impeachment and removal.
Reposted by Maria Bustillos
Quite a lot can be explained by the plain fact that our leaders and their hangers on are *enraged* that they can’t send people to prison for doing things that aren’t illegal, and they see this as a very serious problem that needs to be resolved, urgently.
December 26, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Quite a lot can be explained by the plain fact that our leaders and their hangers on are *enraged* that they can’t send people to prison for doing things that aren’t illegal, and they see this as a very serious problem that needs to be resolved, urgently.
Go to MARS, offer these wonderful benefits on Mars! Lead the way!
MechaHitler, M.D.
December 26, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Go to MARS, offer these wonderful benefits on Mars! Lead the way!
I blocked Mark Cuban right from the start, what a thrill it was today having no idea about any of that.
(recommended)
(recommended)
December 26, 2025 at 9:18 PM
I blocked Mark Cuban right from the start, what a thrill it was today having no idea about any of that.
(recommended)
(recommended)
We should never have stopped saying BLACK LIVES MATTER
should keep saying that all the time
should keep saying that all the time
December 26, 2025 at 6:01 PM
We should never have stopped saying BLACK LIVES MATTER
should keep saying that all the time
should keep saying that all the time
p.s. here he is on ONE BATTLE, one of my favorite @flaminghydra.com pieces this year
flaminghydra.com/winning-isnt...
flaminghydra.com/winning-isnt...
December 26, 2025 at 5:48 PM
p.s. here he is on ONE BATTLE, one of my favorite @flaminghydra.com pieces this year
flaminghydra.com/winning-isnt...
flaminghydra.com/winning-isnt...
Reposted by Maria Bustillos
I love @davidjroth.bsky.social's writing for a lot of reasons but one of the main ones is, he loves the world. There's nothing rarefied about his intellect, his humor, his humanity.
Just makes me want to keep on living basically.
Here he is on Hallmark movies
flaminghydra.com/issue-468/#h...
Just makes me want to keep on living basically.
Here he is on Hallmark movies
flaminghydra.com/issue-468/#h...
December 24, 2025 at 4:55 PM
I love @davidjroth.bsky.social's writing for a lot of reasons but one of the main ones is, he loves the world. There's nothing rarefied about his intellect, his humor, his humanity.
Just makes me want to keep on living basically.
Here he is on Hallmark movies
flaminghydra.com/issue-468/#h...
Just makes me want to keep on living basically.
Here he is on Hallmark movies
flaminghydra.com/issue-468/#h...
Reposted by Maria Bustillos
TODAY: a new comic about modernity itself from Trevor Alixopulos. flaminghydra.com/r/c6ce1511?m...
Mug shot
Trevor Alixopulos vs. modern life
flaminghydra.com
December 24, 2025 at 9:41 PM
TODAY: a new comic about modernity itself from Trevor Alixopulos. flaminghydra.com/r/c6ce1511?m...
Reposted by Maria Bustillos
I don't want gen AI in my browser
I don't want gen AI in my pc
I don't want gen AI in my art
I don't want gen AI in my games
I don't want gen AI in my music
I don't want gen AI in my movies
I don't want gen AI in my books
I don't want gen AI in my cart
I don't want gen AI in my life
I don't want gen AI in my pc
I don't want gen AI in my art
I don't want gen AI in my games
I don't want gen AI in my music
I don't want gen AI in my movies
I don't want gen AI in my books
I don't want gen AI in my cart
I don't want gen AI in my life
December 16, 2025 at 10:57 PM
I don't want gen AI in my browser
I don't want gen AI in my pc
I don't want gen AI in my art
I don't want gen AI in my games
I don't want gen AI in my music
I don't want gen AI in my movies
I don't want gen AI in my books
I don't want gen AI in my cart
I don't want gen AI in my life
I don't want gen AI in my pc
I don't want gen AI in my art
I don't want gen AI in my games
I don't want gen AI in my music
I don't want gen AI in my movies
I don't want gen AI in my books
I don't want gen AI in my cart
I don't want gen AI in my life
Reposted by Maria Bustillos
I remember the phrase "they can't be allowed to melt back into society" re: the de-Baathification of Iraq after the war there. Like everything about that experience, the attempt was cynical, stupid, and botched. But there really should be a plan about what we do with guys like these in the future.
ICE detain father shopping on Christmas Eve—then steal his family's groceries.
Then 3 agents divvy up his paid for food—taking what they want for themselves.
"Can I just get the wife's number to call and let her know?" woman asks.
"No, guess he should've complied," agent says.
Yakima, Washington
Then 3 agents divvy up his paid for food—taking what they want for themselves.
"Can I just get the wife's number to call and let her know?" woman asks.
"No, guess he should've complied," agent says.
Yakima, Washington
December 26, 2025 at 4:33 PM
I remember the phrase "they can't be allowed to melt back into society" re: the de-Baathification of Iraq after the war there. Like everything about that experience, the attempt was cynical, stupid, and botched. But there really should be a plan about what we do with guys like these in the future.
Reposted by Maria Bustillos
AND it turns out that Dave and I wound up doing dueling Hallmark pieces from very different parts of the tone scale today (his is a much lovelier essay for the holidays), so go check his (and Flaming Hydra) out.
Have Yourself a Hallmark Little Christmas
It is my bad luck or just my nature that every stupid personal obsession I have cultivated—some of them part of my livelihood, most just symptomatic of whatever my broader problem is—involves maintain...
flaminghydra.com
December 23, 2025 at 11:18 PM
AND it turns out that Dave and I wound up doing dueling Hallmark pieces from very different parts of the tone scale today (his is a much lovelier essay for the holidays), so go check his (and Flaming Hydra) out.
Reposted by Maria Bustillos
This explains like 90% of American politics right now
December 25, 2025 at 11:18 PM
This explains like 90% of American politics right now
Reposted by Maria Bustillos
These mf'ers will say this and then without a shred of irony claim the left has gotten extreme and the right has stayed the same.
Joe Rogan and Shane Gillis on Nick Fuentes running for president one day.
Rogan: “He could probably win in a few years. Listen, he couldn’t have existed before, right? Ten, twenty years ago, couldn’t have existed. Now, super popular. What’s twenty years from now look like?”
Rogan: “He could probably win in a few years. Listen, he couldn’t have existed before, right? Ten, twenty years ago, couldn’t have existed. Now, super popular. What’s twenty years from now look like?”
December 26, 2025 at 5:00 AM
These mf'ers will say this and then without a shred of irony claim the left has gotten extreme and the right has stayed the same.
Dr. Eh, ok sure
Make a bond movie casual
Leafraker
Leafraker
Make a Bond movie casual
Topaz Are Kind of Durable
Topaz Are Kind of Durable
December 26, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Dr. Eh, ok sure
Reposted by Maria Bustillos
remember when the democrats decided to tactically stop pointing out that these people are weird freaks no one likes
Indiana State Senator wishes you a Merry Christmas by… posting images of himself assaulting Santa Claus.
Are the fascists okay?
Are the fascists okay?
December 26, 2025 at 12:45 AM
remember when the democrats decided to tactically stop pointing out that these people are weird freaks no one likes
Maybe the main job in 2026 is to identify and protect real people and real records of media, ideas, writing, and art; fortunately everyone can help do this using tools we already have
December 26, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Maybe the main job in 2026 is to identify and protect real people and real records of media, ideas, writing, and art; fortunately everyone can help do this using tools we already have
Reposted by Maria Bustillos
John Oliver has said this explicitly FYI
That without local news he couldn't do his show (and to his credit, he's pretty good about crediting his news sources)
That without local news he couldn't do his show (and to his credit, he's pretty good about crediting his news sources)
When I was on CNN's northeast desk, the first job at 6a every morning was to read the local papers. That guided some of what the massive CNN machine followed every day.
When those papers die, CNN doesn't hire new regional reporters. What you get instead is more panel shows, more punditry.
When those papers die, CNN doesn't hire new regional reporters. What you get instead is more panel shows, more punditry.
"The newspaper industry served as a feeder for our entire news media ecosystem. So when we lose those newspapers, we've lost that journalism. In the early 2000s, we had 40 journalists per 100,000 people. We're now down to 8 journalists per 100,000 people," says @victorpickard.bsky.social.
December 26, 2025 at 12:11 AM
John Oliver has said this explicitly FYI
That without local news he couldn't do his show (and to his credit, he's pretty good about crediting his news sources)
That without local news he couldn't do his show (and to his credit, he's pretty good about crediting his news sources)
What lawmakers and what candidates for office oppose this, and how do I donate to them.
Starting January 7, the Department of Education plans to withhold a portion of the wages of around 1,000 defaulted borrowers. The number will gradually increase within the following months. trib.al/oC5NXOB
December 25, 2025 at 11:19 PM
What lawmakers and what candidates for office oppose this, and how do I donate to them.
You won't gain the respect accorded to your opponents by stealing their jobs. The more likely result is the exposure of your own shrieking deficiencies.
This seems to be happening a lot!
This seems to be happening a lot!
December 25, 2025 at 10:28 PM
You won't gain the respect accorded to your opponents by stealing their jobs. The more likely result is the exposure of your own shrieking deficiencies.
This seems to be happening a lot!
This seems to be happening a lot!
Reposted by Maria Bustillos
I wrote for @flaminghydra.com once - under a nom d'plume no less - and can confirm that the editors are wonderful, the stories are great, the writing, the writers, y'all: if you haven't taken the plunge yet now is a pretty good time -
I'm a part of this collective as well, so my biases are what they are, but the one bit I'd add is that at $36 a year it is one of the really good deals out there in Things To Read Online. You can check out some free ones and subscribe at flaminghydra.com
December 25, 2025 at 6:04 PM
I wrote for @flaminghydra.com once - under a nom d'plume no less - and can confirm that the editors are wonderful, the stories are great, the writing, the writers, y'all: if you haven't taken the plunge yet now is a pretty good time -
Reposted by Maria Bustillos
I'm a part of this collective as well, so my biases are what they are, but the one bit I'd add is that at $36 a year it is one of the really good deals out there in Things To Read Online. You can check out some free ones and subscribe at flaminghydra.com
December 24, 2025 at 9:51 PM
I'm a part of this collective as well, so my biases are what they are, but the one bit I'd add is that at $36 a year it is one of the really good deals out there in Things To Read Online. You can check out some free ones and subscribe at flaminghydra.com