Matthew Olwell
@mattolwell.bsky.social
Journeyman fluthier at Olwell Flutes. Trad-music-obsessed cat nerd and pickle enthusiast. Neurodivergent malcontent. Best not to ask me about Lord of the Rings. www.olwellflutes.com
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Matthew Olwell
@mattolwell.bsky.social
· Mar 23
I made my first flute! Well, first solo flight start to finish. Pretty stoked about the results.
The structure of a flutemaking apprenticeship is informal as you might guess. There’s no trade union or guild for flutemakers and so there are times when one has to make one’s own goals and structures.
The structure of a flutemaking apprenticeship is informal as you might guess. There’s no trade union or guild for flutemakers and so there are times when one has to make one’s own goals and structures.
“Forget to check the chicken for giblets and bake it for an hour before noticing that they were inside in the standard paper sack” was not on my cooking bingo card, but here we are, I guess.
November 28, 2025 at 2:36 AM
“Forget to check the chicken for giblets and bake it for an hour before noticing that they were inside in the standard paper sack” was not on my cooking bingo card, but here we are, I guess.
Once more for the clowns in the back who still think that the private sector is the best way to solve every problem.
November 24, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Once more for the clowns in the back who still think that the private sector is the best way to solve every problem.
Side benefit of using a VPN and setting it to a non-English speaking country? When get bombarded with YouTube ads, they are in a language that I do not speak. I find this much less invasive and objectionable than the alternative.
November 22, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Side benefit of using a VPN and setting it to a non-English speaking country? When get bombarded with YouTube ads, they are in a language that I do not speak. I find this much less invasive and objectionable than the alternative.
Reposted by Matthew Olwell
An unfortunate side effect of an economy reorienting around the spending of the rich is that prices adjust around what the rich are willing to spend, which happens to be much more than everyone else, and is another reason behind higher prices.
Want lower prices? Reduce economic inequality.
Want lower prices? Reduce economic inequality.
November 22, 2025 at 8:18 PM
An unfortunate side effect of an economy reorienting around the spending of the rich is that prices adjust around what the rich are willing to spend, which happens to be much more than everyone else, and is another reason behind higher prices.
Want lower prices? Reduce economic inequality.
Want lower prices? Reduce economic inequality.
Reposted by Matthew Olwell
One of the reasons we need universal basic income plus higher taxes on the rich is to boost the spending power of the bottom 60% and in doing so, reorient our economy around the needs of the majority of people who comprise it. As inequality has increased, our economy has adjusted to meet rich wants.
November 22, 2025 at 8:08 PM
One of the reasons we need universal basic income plus higher taxes on the rich is to boost the spending power of the bottom 60% and in doing so, reorient our economy around the needs of the majority of people who comprise it. As inequality has increased, our economy has adjusted to meet rich wants.
Reposted by Matthew Olwell
(government minister reading a report on the thousandth clinical drug trial of a pill that eliminates poverty, with a 100% success rate, that generates 10 times the value it costs to produce & makes government ministers public heroes) I don't understand, so the poor are made to suffer how, exactly?
There has literally never been a universal basic income trial program that didn't deliver real and measurable results above and beyond any other form of social welfare, and every time another concludes with the same findings the powers that be go "interesting! Anyway," and pretend it wouldn't work.
November 22, 2025 at 9:39 AM
(government minister reading a report on the thousandth clinical drug trial of a pill that eliminates poverty, with a 100% success rate, that generates 10 times the value it costs to produce & makes government ministers public heroes) I don't understand, so the poor are made to suffer how, exactly?
Reposted by Matthew Olwell
Come work for me! I'm hiring at @usdigitalresponse.org—somebody with experience as a government procurement FTE who wants to join me in providing pro bono support to governments in the U.S. who want to move to a user-centered, Agile software procurement approach. Remote, full-time, $145–165k.
Procurement Specialist at U.S. Digital Response
About U.S. Digital Response
U.S. Digital Response (USDR) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to helping governments and civic institutions respond quickly and efficiently to support the...
us-digital-response.breezy.hr
November 21, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Come work for me! I'm hiring at @usdigitalresponse.org—somebody with experience as a government procurement FTE who wants to join me in providing pro bono support to governments in the U.S. who want to move to a user-centered, Agile software procurement approach. Remote, full-time, $145–165k.
“Get a cat,” they said. “Cats are so cute,” they said.
Cat: leaves only the tail of a flying squirrel and one hind leg on the dining room floor.
Cat: leaves only the tail of a flying squirrel and one hind leg on the dining room floor.
November 21, 2025 at 4:38 PM
“Get a cat,” they said. “Cats are so cute,” they said.
Cat: leaves only the tail of a flying squirrel and one hind leg on the dining room floor.
Cat: leaves only the tail of a flying squirrel and one hind leg on the dining room floor.
Since buying a car from a dealership last spring, I’ve been getting *daily* loan solicitation calls. I have a nasty suspicion that the dealership or creditor of the car loan sold my number to some kind of other loan company (which I definitely did not agree to) but somehow they are allowed to do it.
November 19, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Since buying a car from a dealership last spring, I’ve been getting *daily* loan solicitation calls. I have a nasty suspicion that the dealership or creditor of the car loan sold my number to some kind of other loan company (which I definitely did not agree to) but somehow they are allowed to do it.
Reposted by Matthew Olwell
This dipshit’s reinventing preexisting conditions
Markwayne Mullin: "Reward people for being healthy. Think about this. Healthcare is the only industry that you're not rewarded for taking care of your responsibility. If you think about homeowners insurance, if you're within 500 feet of a fire hydrant, your insurance goes down."
November 19, 2025 at 7:51 PM
This dipshit’s reinventing preexisting conditions
Reposted by Matthew Olwell
If House Democrats have any sense, they'll put together a "contract with America" kind of a document, saying exactly what they will do if they get the majority in next year's election, at a "impeach this guy, specifically" level of granularity.
if dems win congress next year they need to introduce an impeachment resolution against emil bove
Justice Department official told prosecutors that U.S. should 'just sink' drug boats
NPR interviews with current and former officials reveal more of the backstory around the military's strikes in the Caribbean.
www.npr.org
November 17, 2025 at 6:47 PM
If House Democrats have any sense, they'll put together a "contract with America" kind of a document, saying exactly what they will do if they get the majority in next year's election, at a "impeach this guy, specifically" level of granularity.
Re pumpkin spice season: Life is short. Do what brings you joy.
If Todd wants a cold-foam, double backhand pumpkin therapy dream boba sliced fudgesicle surprise with extra stevia, who am I to judge?
If Todd wants a cold-foam, double backhand pumpkin therapy dream boba sliced fudgesicle surprise with extra stevia, who am I to judge?
November 17, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Re pumpkin spice season: Life is short. Do what brings you joy.
If Todd wants a cold-foam, double backhand pumpkin therapy dream boba sliced fudgesicle surprise with extra stevia, who am I to judge?
If Todd wants a cold-foam, double backhand pumpkin therapy dream boba sliced fudgesicle surprise with extra stevia, who am I to judge?
Reposted by Matthew Olwell
Mediocre men do not have Confidence.
They have Fear.
Which presents itself as Anger.
The Anger is then mistaken for Confidence.
They have Fear.
Which presents itself as Anger.
The Anger is then mistaken for Confidence.
women are always saying “lord grant me the confidence of a mediocre man.” ok well he did. now what. is the world a better place? look at what you’ve wrought.
Olivia Nuzzi's 'American Canto': Read the Exclusive Excerpt
She flamed out and she faded away. 'Vanity Fair'’s West Coast Editor returns to the written word to survey scorched earth.
www.vanityfair.com
November 17, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Mediocre men do not have Confidence.
They have Fear.
Which presents itself as Anger.
The Anger is then mistaken for Confidence.
They have Fear.
Which presents itself as Anger.
The Anger is then mistaken for Confidence.
What Mr Nichols fails to recognize is that a bunch of folks are already doing the thing he says we’d be doing if America were fascist.
November 16, 2025 at 5:37 PM
What Mr Nichols fails to recognize is that a bunch of folks are already doing the thing he says we’d be doing if America were fascist.
The fact that PayPal, Venmo, etc have moved to pushing crypto from right there on the home screen of the apps should tell you all you need to know about thier priorities.
November 16, 2025 at 5:23 PM
The fact that PayPal, Venmo, etc have moved to pushing crypto from right there on the home screen of the apps should tell you all you need to know about thier priorities.
Rich guy makes it so other rich guys don’t have to become a little less rich when they screw up at their job.
BREAKING: The Trump administration is officially withdrawing a Biden-era plan to require airlines to pay passengers cash compensation when flight disruptions are caused by the airlines.
November 14, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Rich guy makes it so other rich guys don’t have to become a little less rich when they screw up at their job.
Reposted by Matthew Olwell
The woman whom the House Ethics Committee determined Matt Gaetz paid for sex when she was 17 years old was living in a homeless shelter, working at McDonald's, and needed the money for braces www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
November 13, 2025 at 6:31 PM
The woman whom the House Ethics Committee determined Matt Gaetz paid for sex when she was 17 years old was living in a homeless shelter, working at McDonald's, and needed the money for braces www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
Reposted by Matthew Olwell
agreeing to make a terrible deal while your main opponent is quite literally being boo'd on live tv by an entire stadium of people is the kind of political instinct you'd normally only find in a 3 week old dead goldfish
November 10, 2025 at 12:36 AM
agreeing to make a terrible deal while your main opponent is quite literally being boo'd on live tv by an entire stadium of people is the kind of political instinct you'd normally only find in a 3 week old dead goldfish
Reposted by Matthew Olwell
AOC: "It is unconscionable that what we are debating right now is legislation that will give 8 senators over $1 million a piece & we're robbing people of their food assistance & healthcare to pay for it. How can we vote to enrich ourselves by stealing from the American people?"
November 12, 2025 at 10:39 PM
AOC: "It is unconscionable that what we are debating right now is legislation that will give 8 senators over $1 million a piece & we're robbing people of their food assistance & healthcare to pay for it. How can we vote to enrich ourselves by stealing from the American people?"
Reposted by Matthew Olwell
Hey so “underage girls” are…children. The word you’re looking for is children. They’re not like, women-in-waiting or women-lite or whatever. They’re children. I think some of you are very uncomfortable with what that means for you but it is still true.
November 12, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Hey so “underage girls” are…children. The word you’re looking for is children. They’re not like, women-in-waiting or women-lite or whatever. They’re children. I think some of you are very uncomfortable with what that means for you but it is still true.
Here’s a thought: if you’re a government agency, refrain acting in a manner that means you even have to *begin* to defend yourself from allegations of pepper-spraying children.
November 12, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Here’s a thought: if you’re a government agency, refrain acting in a manner that means you even have to *begin* to defend yourself from allegations of pepper-spraying children.
If (like me) you feel intimidated by this sort of thing and talking on the phone to some stranger feels like a barrier to action, I recommend the 5 Calls app which really does make it easier. Do it now!
Just called my house representative and you should too if you care about healthcare. The house is set to vote this evening on the bill that the Senate just passed, which does not include the extension of funding for ACA subsidies.
November 12, 2025 at 3:42 PM
If (like me) you feel intimidated by this sort of thing and talking on the phone to some stranger feels like a barrier to action, I recommend the 5 Calls app which really does make it easier. Do it now!
Just called my house representative and you should too if you care about healthcare. The house is set to vote this evening on the bill that the Senate just passed, which does not include the extension of funding for ACA subsidies.
November 12, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Just called my house representative and you should too if you care about healthcare. The house is set to vote this evening on the bill that the Senate just passed, which does not include the extension of funding for ACA subsidies.
Reposted by Matthew Olwell
They’ve laid off so many people that the government is now getting its economic data from DoorDash.
November 12, 2025 at 1:09 AM
They’ve laid off so many people that the government is now getting its economic data from DoorDash.
Reposted by Matthew Olwell
In a functioning government with a competent human running an agency, restrictions would be based on measurable metrics, but instead reality TV stars are both president and secretary of transportation, so instead our nation's transit system relies on their whims.
Sean Duffy, the U.S. secretary of transportation, on Tuesday refused to say when he would roll back the restrictions on flights at 40 busy airports.
Duffy Won’t Give Timeline to Restore Flights as Shutdown Appears Near End
Sean Duffy, the transportation secretary, instead stepped up his warnings of potential chaos in the air-travel system, saying some airlines could ground their fleets by this weekend if the government is not reopened.
nyti.ms
November 12, 2025 at 3:02 AM
In a functioning government with a competent human running an agency, restrictions would be based on measurable metrics, but instead reality TV stars are both president and secretary of transportation, so instead our nation's transit system relies on their whims.