VirginiaM - owlet
@virginiam.bsky.social
Yep, that’s me
She/her
She/her
Pinned
Give me Leverage-style Dem comms teams:
- the policy wonk
- the storyteller
- the salesperson
- the CONSIZER (yeah okay the editor, and no that’s not a word)
- the policy wonk
- the storyteller
- the salesperson
- the CONSIZER (yeah okay the editor, and no that’s not a word)
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
I will simply never recover from reading this sentence:
"Since Georgia implemented work requirements in 2020, they have spent twice as much on Deloitte consultants and administrative costs as on healthcare for people."
"Since Georgia implemented work requirements in 2020, they have spent twice as much on Deloitte consultants and administrative costs as on healthcare for people."
Today, Luke Farrell (@lukef.bsky.social) explains how complex eligibility requirements have turned America’s safety net into a lucrative revenue stream for monopolistic private contractors.
The Means-Testing Industrial Complex
As Republicans tightened work requirements and eligibility rules for Medicaid and SNAP last year, Equifax’s CEO openly celebrated the profits to be made from administering this deprivation.
lpeproject.org
January 28, 2026 at 4:33 PM
I will simply never recover from reading this sentence:
"Since Georgia implemented work requirements in 2020, they have spent twice as much on Deloitte consultants and administrative costs as on healthcare for people."
"Since Georgia implemented work requirements in 2020, they have spent twice as much on Deloitte consultants and administrative costs as on healthcare for people."
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
I haven't seen this protest at a Houston ICE detention center scheduled for tomorrow get around much on here, so here you go.
Address is 15850 Export Plaza Dr, Houston, TX 77032, very close to IAH. 6 p.m. Friday.
Address is 15850 Export Plaza Dr, Houston, TX 77032, very close to IAH. 6 p.m. Friday.
January 29, 2026 at 12:39 AM
I haven't seen this protest at a Houston ICE detention center scheduled for tomorrow get around much on here, so here you go.
Address is 15850 Export Plaza Dr, Houston, TX 77032, very close to IAH. 6 p.m. Friday.
Address is 15850 Export Plaza Dr, Houston, TX 77032, very close to IAH. 6 p.m. Friday.
Post a game you remember playing that nobody else remembers
January 29, 2026 at 12:38 AM
Post a game you remember playing that nobody else remembers
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
Tonight the bartender at my local here in Austin played a lot of righteous Tom Petty jams. I thanked her for it, and she said she's trying to keep the vibes righteous/angry but optimistic. Said she's trying not to blame herself for feeling awful all the time. We're all trying. See your people. <3
January 29, 2026 at 12:26 AM
Tonight the bartender at my local here in Austin played a lot of righteous Tom Petty jams. I thanked her for it, and she said she's trying to keep the vibes righteous/angry but optimistic. Said she's trying not to blame herself for feeling awful all the time. We're all trying. See your people. <3
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
It's a nationwide digital spotlight on ICE arrests and detention centers.
Rice students expose ICE raids with new interactive map
It's a nationwide digital spotlight on ICE arrests and detention centers.
bit.ly
January 29, 2026 at 12:20 AM
It's a nationwide digital spotlight on ICE arrests and detention centers.
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
I don't exaggerate when I say that Andrew Wakefield should be tried for mass murder. We'll never know how many people have died or will die as a direct result of his fraudulent study.
This is the large domino, with the small domino being some random quack in the UK in 1998 trying to undermine the existing MMR vaccine so his business partner can swoop in with his own. Instead he lost his work credentials and now kids are dying needlessly all over the world, so great job everyone.
Austria loses its WHO status as measles-free, too, together with Armenia, Azerbaijan Uzbekistan and Spain. This comes as no surprise, considering the rise in numbers in recent years and the decline in MMR vaccine coverage
#VaccineHesitancy #PublicHealthImpact #AllChildrenNeedProtection
#VaccineHesitancy #PublicHealthImpact #AllChildrenNeedProtection
January 28, 2026 at 10:04 PM
I don't exaggerate when I say that Andrew Wakefield should be tried for mass murder. We'll never know how many people have died or will die as a direct result of his fraudulent study.
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
you’re all making jokes but the reason Greg Bovino was removed from duty is a safety issue we all need to take seriously
January 27, 2026 at 12:34 AM
you’re all making jokes but the reason Greg Bovino was removed from duty is a safety issue we all need to take seriously
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
"passive consumers of unthought thoughts" is such an elegant way to put slop-eaters
sorry is there games journalism discourse happening, I was busy clumsily photoshopping a sword into the pope's hand on company time for a @joshuawolens.bsky.social story
January 28, 2026 at 6:50 PM
"passive consumers of unthought thoughts" is such an elegant way to put slop-eaters
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
Quick iconic comic cover edit to laud Ilhan Omar.
January 28, 2026 at 3:59 AM
Quick iconic comic cover edit to laud Ilhan Omar.
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
Man this is just not going to accomplish what they wanted it to do
I'm starting to think the Trumpist mastery of propaganda is failing them. The DHS agents posing this way makes it look like they're ashamed of themselves.
January 28, 2026 at 9:22 PM
Man this is just not going to accomplish what they wanted it to do
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
every time i see a white guy in their fifties radicalized by the twitter algorithm into racism and extremism i think about how it's a total failure of the youtube algorithm to instead radicalize him into home brewing, elaborate A/V setups, or DIY solar
January 28, 2026 at 8:22 PM
every time i see a white guy in their fifties radicalized by the twitter algorithm into racism and extremism i think about how it's a total failure of the youtube algorithm to instead radicalize him into home brewing, elaborate A/V setups, or DIY solar
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
The Episcopal Church has put together a very impressive toolkit for protesting, including tips for clergy in particular. Truly inspiring. This is how Christians ought to be engaging the moment.
www.episcopalchurch.org/protesting-f...
www.episcopalchurch.org/protesting-f...
January 28, 2026 at 3:59 PM
The Episcopal Church has put together a very impressive toolkit for protesting, including tips for clergy in particular. Truly inspiring. This is how Christians ought to be engaging the moment.
www.episcopalchurch.org/protesting-f...
www.episcopalchurch.org/protesting-f...
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
"Anti-ICE sentiments made up nearly 80 percent of submissions."
"Abolish ICE" was submitted 9,200 times for Chicago's snowplow naming contest, records show. blockclubchi.co/3ZAnDTZ
January 28, 2026 at 5:04 PM
"Anti-ICE sentiments made up nearly 80 percent of submissions."
I mean. I basically AM Anxiety Owl 🦉
Just because I'm a paranoid bunny doesn't mean they aren't watching me.
January 28, 2026 at 4:59 PM
I mean. I basically AM Anxiety Owl 🦉
ah, the dulcet tones of someone else washing the dishes 🥰
January 28, 2026 at 4:56 PM
ah, the dulcet tones of someone else washing the dishes 🥰
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
I think about this post a lot.
January 25, 2026 at 10:26 PM
I think about this post a lot.
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
“RICO CRIME - STOP POSTING” is my new go-to Bluesky reply.
Posters put up in West Hollywood where people were kidnapped by ICE have been vandalized, presumably by ICE. They’ve been torn and written on sharpie is “RICO CRIME - STOP POSTING”
January 28, 2026 at 1:30 AM
“RICO CRIME - STOP POSTING” is my new go-to Bluesky reply.
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
Those who make whistles impossible make vuvuzelas inevitable
January 27, 2026 at 11:43 PM
Those who make whistles impossible make vuvuzelas inevitable
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
Saw a reply to this thread saying "what's cool is all these problems are solved by abolishing ICE" and... no, no they are not.
Abolishing ICE doesn't even abolish CBP. But also the massive data/privacy issues Wyden is talking about have implications far beyond even the worst 3-letter agencies.
Abolishing ICE doesn't even abolish CBP. But also the massive data/privacy issues Wyden is talking about have implications far beyond even the worst 3-letter agencies.
For YEARS I've been on the forefront of trying to pass real privacy reforms to stop an agency like Trump's ICE from weaponizing your private data. Now it's happened, but it's not too late to act. If you care about this as much as I do, please let your members of Congress know.
January 28, 2026 at 12:20 AM
Saw a reply to this thread saying "what's cool is all these problems are solved by abolishing ICE" and... no, no they are not.
Abolishing ICE doesn't even abolish CBP. But also the massive data/privacy issues Wyden is talking about have implications far beyond even the worst 3-letter agencies.
Abolishing ICE doesn't even abolish CBP. But also the massive data/privacy issues Wyden is talking about have implications far beyond even the worst 3-letter agencies.
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
This is wonderful: a 100% solar-powered website. The article explains why that means sometimes the site goes down (and why that's something you should be willing to put up with) and what other things they do to make the website "light"
solar.lowtechmagazine.com/about/the-so...
solar.lowtechmagazine.com/about/the-so...
About the Solar Powered Website
This website is solar-powered and self-hosted. It has been designed to radically reduce the energy use associated with accessing our content.
solar.lowtechmagazine.com
January 27, 2026 at 11:11 PM
This is wonderful: a 100% solar-powered website. The article explains why that means sometimes the site goes down (and why that's something you should be willing to put up with) and what other things they do to make the website "light"
solar.lowtechmagazine.com/about/the-so...
solar.lowtechmagazine.com/about/the-so...
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
never been a better moment to go after qualified immunity for EVERYONE, not just ICE. Pressley never misses
There's no ICE accountability without ending qualified immunity.
They're murdering people. There won't be justice for the lives they've stolen, but there must be accountability.
My bill with @markey.senate.gov would ensure families can sue the agents murdering their loved ones.
They're murdering people. There won't be justice for the lives they've stolen, but there must be accountability.
My bill with @markey.senate.gov would ensure families can sue the agents murdering their loved ones.
January 27, 2026 at 10:04 PM
never been a better moment to go after qualified immunity for EVERYONE, not just ICE. Pressley never misses
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
Honestly, I just wish you have a creative day. Make something. That is a win.
January 27, 2026 at 7:49 PM
Honestly, I just wish you have a creative day. Make something. That is a win.
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
Btw, for those looking to peacefully dissent, I present the stellar work of a fine citizen of Edmonton from a few years ago.
January 27, 2026 at 4:00 AM
Btw, for those looking to peacefully dissent, I present the stellar work of a fine citizen of Edmonton from a few years ago.
Reposted by VirginiaM - owlet
Out today: Texas Democrats have been attempting the inverse maneuver for a generation: trying to win elections without taking into account the eroded civic foundations of the state.
Zohran Mamdani's victory points at another way forward.
Zohran Mamdani's victory points at another way forward.
In Texas Cities, Let a Hundred Mamdanis Bloom
Our state has long-term lessons to learn from the New York socialist’s rise.
www.texasobserver.org
January 27, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Out today: Texas Democrats have been attempting the inverse maneuver for a generation: trying to win elections without taking into account the eroded civic foundations of the state.
Zohran Mamdani's victory points at another way forward.
Zohran Mamdani's victory points at another way forward.