Ionic Tonic
@iconictonic.bsky.social
* Eugene, Oregon
* Human-centered post-label politics
* Tasty food
* Brain droppings
* Higher ed
* PNW Outdoors
* Whatever I am thinking about at the moment
* Human-centered post-label politics
* Tasty food
* Brain droppings
* Higher ed
* PNW Outdoors
* Whatever I am thinking about at the moment
American Billionaires are basically scammer barons. Change my mind.
March 4, 2025 at 11:30 PM
American Billionaires are basically scammer barons. Change my mind.
From "The Old Regime and the French Revolution" by Alexis De Tocqueville
March 1, 2025 at 10:14 PM
From "The Old Regime and the French Revolution" by Alexis De Tocqueville
Look. I'm basically a liberal in favor of well restrained capitalism these days, but this nonsense is cringe even to me.
February 6, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Look. I'm basically a liberal in favor of well restrained capitalism these days, but this nonsense is cringe even to me.
I see your meme with California, Oregon and Washington joining Canada. Counterpoint; the new border runs due north through Oregon from California's Eastern border, then follows the Columbia River north to where the Okanogan joins it and follows the Okanogan up to join with Canada.
January 31, 2025 at 5:39 AM
I see your meme with California, Oregon and Washington joining Canada. Counterpoint; the new border runs due north through Oregon from California's Eastern border, then follows the Columbia River north to where the Okanogan joins it and follows the Okanogan up to join with Canada.
We're on the cusp of five year retrospectives on the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic - January 20 marks five years since the first confirmed US case in Washington. I think we're overdue for a big civic conversation about the lingering psychological and sociological impacts.
January 13, 2025 at 5:08 PM
We're on the cusp of five year retrospectives on the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic - January 20 marks five years since the first confirmed US case in Washington. I think we're overdue for a big civic conversation about the lingering psychological and sociological impacts.
My Life in the Bush of Ghosts is still one of the best albums ever recorded.
December 23, 2024 at 10:30 PM
My Life in the Bush of Ghosts is still one of the best albums ever recorded.
I wonder whether the prevalence of Ozempic and similar drugs, which seem to operate on a mechanism of making people feel satisfied more easily, will have an impact (or, has impacted) politics. 5% of Americans or more are on these drugs, with higher numbers in more politically engaged demographics.
December 21, 2024 at 6:25 PM
I wonder whether the prevalence of Ozempic and similar drugs, which seem to operate on a mechanism of making people feel satisfied more easily, will have an impact (or, has impacted) politics. 5% of Americans or more are on these drugs, with higher numbers in more politically engaged demographics.
Apparently The Onion is starting a new service with jokes tailored for cultural elites called The Shallot.
December 20, 2024 at 7:53 PM
Apparently The Onion is starting a new service with jokes tailored for cultural elites called The Shallot.
What are your most important values? Here are some of mine in no particular order;
Compassion, nonconformity, authenticity, freedom, cooperation, community, pluralism, self-rule, kindness, forgiveness, joy
Compassion, nonconformity, authenticity, freedom, cooperation, community, pluralism, self-rule, kindness, forgiveness, joy
December 19, 2024 at 11:58 PM
What are your most important values? Here are some of mine in no particular order;
Compassion, nonconformity, authenticity, freedom, cooperation, community, pluralism, self-rule, kindness, forgiveness, joy
Compassion, nonconformity, authenticity, freedom, cooperation, community, pluralism, self-rule, kindness, forgiveness, joy
As a teen in the '90s I applied for an after-school job at my neighborhood Taco Bell. After filling out the application, they wanted me to complete a several-page personality inventory. I got about halfway through and decided I would prefer not to work for a place that would make me do that.
December 18, 2024 at 10:38 PM
As a teen in the '90s I applied for an after-school job at my neighborhood Taco Bell. After filling out the application, they wanted me to complete a several-page personality inventory. I got about halfway through and decided I would prefer not to work for a place that would make me do that.
I dislike calls for the ousting of people based on their opinions. Like, I'm not a fan of everything @jessesingal.com or @mattyglesias.bsky.social say by any stretch, but nobody's pointed to a single thing either has said on any platform that would justify a ban.
December 18, 2024 at 5:19 PM
I dislike calls for the ousting of people based on their opinions. Like, I'm not a fan of everything @jessesingal.com or @mattyglesias.bsky.social say by any stretch, but nobody's pointed to a single thing either has said on any platform that would justify a ban.
One way governments try to forestall expressions of popular violence is through the application of state violence (either against the people or in an attempt to slake the people's lust for blood). Just something to remember.
December 15, 2024 at 6:47 AM
One way governments try to forestall expressions of popular violence is through the application of state violence (either against the people or in an attempt to slake the people's lust for blood). Just something to remember.
The collective noun for deadline is ulcer.
December 12, 2024 at 3:33 AM
The collective noun for deadline is ulcer.
I get why people have a bone to pick with religion. Lots of bad has been done in God's name. Lots of bad has been done in the name of scientific rationality, as well. When we cut down 99% of the Old Growth forests we did it because scientific rationalists told us it made sense.
December 11, 2024 at 5:00 AM
I get why people have a bone to pick with religion. Lots of bad has been done in God's name. Lots of bad has been done in the name of scientific rationality, as well. When we cut down 99% of the Old Growth forests we did it because scientific rationalists told us it made sense.
Some of you have very little understanding about the French Revolution and it shows.
December 7, 2024 at 4:41 AM
Some of you have very little understanding about the French Revolution and it shows.
When I have a rough day I like to think about Robert-François Damiens, who tried to kill Louis XV. His sentence was horrific; lots of burning and rending of flesh before he was drawn and quartered. On the morning of the execution when they got him up to go, he said "it's gonna be a hard day."
December 6, 2024 at 12:33 AM
When I have a rough day I like to think about Robert-François Damiens, who tried to kill Louis XV. His sentence was horrific; lots of burning and rending of flesh before he was drawn and quartered. On the morning of the execution when they got him up to go, he said "it's gonna be a hard day."
To those cheering at the violent death of an aristocrat, remember that the people who supported The Terror at the beginning of the French Revolution ended up going to the guillotine themselves at the hands of their former compatriots. Even Robespierre ended up 8 inches shorter and 8 pounds lighter.
December 5, 2024 at 12:34 AM
To those cheering at the violent death of an aristocrat, remember that the people who supported The Terror at the beginning of the French Revolution ended up going to the guillotine themselves at the hands of their former compatriots. Even Robespierre ended up 8 inches shorter and 8 pounds lighter.
I probably follow some people you disagree with. I follow people I disagree with. I don't even agree with _myself_ on every subject. I get that this site has "if you don't like it, block it" vibes and that's fine I guess.
December 4, 2024 at 8:21 PM
I probably follow some people you disagree with. I follow people I disagree with. I don't even agree with _myself_ on every subject. I get that this site has "if you don't like it, block it" vibes and that's fine I guess.
We have a rental car for a few days while our car is in the shop. They gave us two key fobs, which is great except that they're on a single ring that's permanently attached and can't be separated. Every time I think about this I get a little angry about how stupid it is.
December 4, 2024 at 4:05 PM
We have a rental car for a few days while our car is in the shop. They gave us two key fobs, which is great except that they're on a single ring that's permanently attached and can't be separated. Every time I think about this I get a little angry about how stupid it is.
For the love of Jesus, are we really calling them Skeets? Unironically?
Does that mean trolling to lay sick burns on idiots is "skeet-shooting"?
Does that mean trolling to lay sick burns on idiots is "skeet-shooting"?
December 3, 2024 at 8:32 PM
For the love of Jesus, are we really calling them Skeets? Unironically?
Does that mean trolling to lay sick burns on idiots is "skeet-shooting"?
Does that mean trolling to lay sick burns on idiots is "skeet-shooting"?
Since the very beginning of the industrial revolution, human civilization has been defined by the continual progress of technology, so much so that we can hardly imagine a hopeful future that isn't defined by its technological advancement.
December 2, 2024 at 8:15 PM
Since the very beginning of the industrial revolution, human civilization has been defined by the continual progress of technology, so much so that we can hardly imagine a hopeful future that isn't defined by its technological advancement.
Since Regan, more than 40 years now, we've been fighting about whether to have a big government or a small government. In the meantime, we've left too little attention to the idea of good government.
December 2, 2024 at 5:48 PM
Since Regan, more than 40 years now, we've been fighting about whether to have a big government or a small government. In the meantime, we've left too little attention to the idea of good government.
From "Citizens" by Simon Schama, a history of the French Revolution. This feels relevant. What Schama is saying here is that noble born supporters of the revolution would accuse commoners of being aristocrats because those commoners had been associated with the institutional state. (1)
December 1, 2024 at 1:29 AM
From "Citizens" by Simon Schama, a history of the French Revolution. This feels relevant. What Schama is saying here is that noble born supporters of the revolution would accuse commoners of being aristocrats because those commoners had been associated with the institutional state. (1)