Melissa Armas
@mel-armas.bsky.social
Democracy advocate, Venezuelan-raised, US citizen living in Arizona. Former serial expat, talking about data, tech + voting, geopolitics, democracy, origin-identity, collaboration, and the stories we carry from the places we’re from... and from-from
Reposted by Melissa Armas
👇🏻👇🏻
Portuguese editorial cartoonist Zez Vaz reaches back to Tiananmen Square to call on American defiance.
February 15, 2025 at 7:26 PM
👇🏻👇🏻
Reposted by Melissa Armas
Reposted by Melissa Armas
Among the data used by Cambridge Analytica to profile gun owners in the database:
*income,
*debt,
*religious affiliation,
*whether they liked the paintings of Thomas Kinkade,
*whether the underwear women had purchased was plus size or petite.
New, @propublica.org
*income,
*debt,
*religious affiliation,
*whether they liked the paintings of Thomas Kinkade,
*whether the underwear women had purchased was plus size or petite.
New, @propublica.org
Gun Lobbyists and Cambridge Analytica Weaponized Gun Owners’ Private Details for Political Gain
Documents and interviews reveal how the now-disgraced political firm targeted potential voters by combining its cache of confidential consumer data with information secretly collected from millions of...
www.propublica.org
February 5, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Among the data used by Cambridge Analytica to profile gun owners in the database:
*income,
*debt,
*religious affiliation,
*whether they liked the paintings of Thomas Kinkade,
*whether the underwear women had purchased was plus size or petite.
New, @propublica.org
*income,
*debt,
*religious affiliation,
*whether they liked the paintings of Thomas Kinkade,
*whether the underwear women had purchased was plus size or petite.
New, @propublica.org
💥 New Post Alert! 💥
We’re drowning in outrage + noise, but who does it actually serve? 👀
➡️ Algorithms shape elections + narratives
➡️ Chaos + corruption go together
➡️ Leadership should clear the noise, not add to it
➡️ We need real strategy & coalition
📖 Link: fromfrom.substack.com/p/look-squir...
We’re drowning in outrage + noise, but who does it actually serve? 👀
➡️ Algorithms shape elections + narratives
➡️ Chaos + corruption go together
➡️ Leadership should clear the noise, not add to it
➡️ We need real strategy & coalition
📖 Link: fromfrom.substack.com/p/look-squir...
February 2, 2025 at 5:50 AM
💥 New Post Alert! 💥
We’re drowning in outrage + noise, but who does it actually serve? 👀
➡️ Algorithms shape elections + narratives
➡️ Chaos + corruption go together
➡️ Leadership should clear the noise, not add to it
➡️ We need real strategy & coalition
📖 Link: fromfrom.substack.com/p/look-squir...
We’re drowning in outrage + noise, but who does it actually serve? 👀
➡️ Algorithms shape elections + narratives
➡️ Chaos + corruption go together
➡️ Leadership should clear the noise, not add to it
➡️ We need real strategy & coalition
📖 Link: fromfrom.substack.com/p/look-squir...
Reposted by Melissa Armas
The egg industry has been impacted by a surge of bird flu cases, with more than 13 million egg-laying hens dying in December. That means a dozen large, Grade A eggs cost an average of $4.15 -- a nearly 37% increase from the year before. via @kcur.org
Egg prices are soaring again. Here’s why and what to expect
Bird flu has killed millions of hens in recent weeks, shrinking the supply of eggs and hiking up prices at grocery stores.
www.kcur.org
January 22, 2025 at 3:59 PM
The egg industry has been impacted by a surge of bird flu cases, with more than 13 million egg-laying hens dying in December. That means a dozen large, Grade A eggs cost an average of $4.15 -- a nearly 37% increase from the year before. via @kcur.org
Thanks for keeping an eye on the situation in #Venezuela. @adamkinzinger.bsky.social
The fact that no news channel is discussing the kidnapping of the venezuela oppositions son, but Trump and Greenland is all over, just means it will be four years of the same BS trap
January 10, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Thanks for keeping an eye on the situation in #Venezuela. @adamkinzinger.bsky.social
Reposted by Melissa Armas
Some charts on eggs:
-The wholesale price of a dozen eggs hit a peak of $4.81.
-USDA inventory reports for last week show inventories are down 44% in western states and ~15% most other regions.
-Number of egg laying hens is trending down (November data) after a recovery from 2022 to 2023.
-The wholesale price of a dozen eggs hit a peak of $4.81.
-USDA inventory reports for last week show inventories are down 44% in western states and ~15% most other regions.
-Number of egg laying hens is trending down (November data) after a recovery from 2022 to 2023.
January 6, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Some charts on eggs:
-The wholesale price of a dozen eggs hit a peak of $4.81.
-USDA inventory reports for last week show inventories are down 44% in western states and ~15% most other regions.
-Number of egg laying hens is trending down (November data) after a recovery from 2022 to 2023.
-The wholesale price of a dozen eggs hit a peak of $4.81.
-USDA inventory reports for last week show inventories are down 44% in western states and ~15% most other regions.
-Number of egg laying hens is trending down (November data) after a recovery from 2022 to 2023.
Shit. You. Not.
Translation:
WANTED
ARREST WARRANT
REWARD: $100,000
EDMUNDO GONZÁLEZ URRUTIA
1/3
Translation:
WANTED
ARREST WARRANT
REWARD: $100,000
EDMUNDO GONZÁLEZ URRUTIA
1/3
January 6, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Shit. You. Not.
Translation:
WANTED
ARREST WARRANT
REWARD: $100,000
EDMUNDO GONZÁLEZ URRUTIA
1/3
Translation:
WANTED
ARREST WARRANT
REWARD: $100,000
EDMUNDO GONZÁLEZ URRUTIA
1/3
Was January 6 an attempted coup? You’re damn right it was.
Four years ago, I was glued to the TV like everyone else, watching in disbelief as the events unfolded. Then my phone started buzzing—friends were texting me, asking if this was a coup. Why? Because I grew up in Venezuela.
Four years ago, I was glued to the TV like everyone else, watching in disbelief as the events unfolded. Then my phone started buzzing—friends were texting me, asking if this was a coup. Why? Because I grew up in Venezuela.
So today is a good moment to pause and remind yourselves: You are not the crazy ones for remembering what actually happened. And it is up to us to keep the historical record intact.
open.substack.com/pub/charlies...
open.substack.com/pub/charlies...
The Enduring Shame of January 6
A Day of Infamy that was just the beginning...
open.substack.com
January 6, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Was January 6 an attempted coup? You’re damn right it was.
Four years ago, I was glued to the TV like everyone else, watching in disbelief as the events unfolded. Then my phone started buzzing—friends were texting me, asking if this was a coup. Why? Because I grew up in Venezuela.
Four years ago, I was glued to the TV like everyone else, watching in disbelief as the events unfolded. Then my phone started buzzing—friends were texting me, asking if this was a coup. Why? Because I grew up in Venezuela.
🧵 Hey Media! Edmundo Gonzalez is Venezuela's Elected President; he's not the opposition leader, Maduro's rival, or the exiled opposition leader. Narratives matter. Get your facts straight!
1/3
@apnews.com @bloomberg.com @washingtonpost.com @france24.com
1/3
@apnews.com @bloomberg.com @washingtonpost.com @france24.com
January 5, 2025 at 4:15 AM
🧵 Hey Media! Edmundo Gonzalez is Venezuela's Elected President; he's not the opposition leader, Maduro's rival, or the exiled opposition leader. Narratives matter. Get your facts straight!
1/3
@apnews.com @bloomberg.com @washingtonpost.com @france24.com
1/3
@apnews.com @bloomberg.com @washingtonpost.com @france24.com
🚨 Autocracy doesn’t happen overnight—it’s a process. In this final piece, I break down the patterns I saw in Venezuela, how democracy was dismantled step by step, and what we can do to fight back. Patterns + action items included. 💡
open.substack.com/pub/fromfrom...
open.substack.com/pub/fromfrom...
January 4, 2025 at 11:52 PM
🚨 Autocracy doesn’t happen overnight—it’s a process. In this final piece, I break down the patterns I saw in Venezuela, how democracy was dismantled step by step, and what we can do to fight back. Patterns + action items included. 💡
open.substack.com/pub/fromfrom...
open.substack.com/pub/fromfrom...
🌎Part two of my series on autocracy. What do Venezuela, Cuba, and the fall of the Berlin Wall have in common? Everything. This article connects the dots between global events, migration, and their lasting impact on governance.
#Autocracy #Geopolitics #Corruption
open.substack.com/pub/fromfrom...
#Autocracy #Geopolitics #Corruption
open.substack.com/pub/fromfrom...
January 4, 2025 at 11:25 PM
🌎Part two of my series on autocracy. What do Venezuela, Cuba, and the fall of the Berlin Wall have in common? Everything. This article connects the dots between global events, migration, and their lasting impact on governance.
#Autocracy #Geopolitics #Corruption
open.substack.com/pub/fromfrom...
#Autocracy #Geopolitics #Corruption
open.substack.com/pub/fromfrom...
✨This is the first in a trio of articles uncovering how democracies fall and how we can protect them. In this piece, I explore how the left-right divide is used as a smokescreen to control and manipulate populations.
#Democracy #Narratives #Autocracy
open.substack.com/pub/fromfrom...
#Democracy #Narratives #Autocracy
open.substack.com/pub/fromfrom...
January 4, 2025 at 11:15 PM
✨This is the first in a trio of articles uncovering how democracies fall and how we can protect them. In this piece, I explore how the left-right divide is used as a smokescreen to control and manipulate populations.
#Democracy #Narratives #Autocracy
open.substack.com/pub/fromfrom...
#Democracy #Narratives #Autocracy
open.substack.com/pub/fromfrom...
THANK YOU!
I've been saying this to AZ Dems for years. Communication is key to finding the balance, whether it's with business, tech leaders, or anyone else. Ignorance helps no one. 💯
If we refuse to get a seat at the tech table, our citizens will continue to be on the menu.
I've been saying this to AZ Dems for years. Communication is key to finding the balance, whether it's with business, tech leaders, or anyone else. Ignorance helps no one. 💯
If we refuse to get a seat at the tech table, our citizens will continue to be on the menu.
I’m not opposed to regulation at all. This goes right to the heart of Biden not speaking to tech. How can you find the right balance in regulation if you don’t communicate ?
It’s the same as not talking to unions to get their perspective. You can’t be ignorant of either
It’s the same as not talking to unions to get their perspective. You can’t be ignorant of either
Surprised that you’re not rooting for Dump if you’re so damned opposed to regulation.
January 4, 2025 at 10:25 PM
THANK YOU!
I've been saying this to AZ Dems for years. Communication is key to finding the balance, whether it's with business, tech leaders, or anyone else. Ignorance helps no one. 💯
If we refuse to get a seat at the tech table, our citizens will continue to be on the menu.
I've been saying this to AZ Dems for years. Communication is key to finding the balance, whether it's with business, tech leaders, or anyone else. Ignorance helps no one. 💯
If we refuse to get a seat at the tech table, our citizens will continue to be on the menu.
🧵 Where’s the STEM talent gap? Spoiler: It doesn’t exist. The real issue is greed.
Did you know? Every year, the U.S. graduates 800K STEM students, with about 15% being international students. That means over 85% are local talent. Yet somehow, the narrative is we “don’t have enough engineers.”
1/7
Did you know? Every year, the U.S. graduates 800K STEM students, with about 15% being international students. That means over 85% are local talent. Yet somehow, the narrative is we “don’t have enough engineers.”
1/7
January 4, 2025 at 10:15 PM
🧵 Where’s the STEM talent gap? Spoiler: It doesn’t exist. The real issue is greed.
Did you know? Every year, the U.S. graduates 800K STEM students, with about 15% being international students. That means over 85% are local talent. Yet somehow, the narrative is we “don’t have enough engineers.”
1/7
Did you know? Every year, the U.S. graduates 800K STEM students, with about 15% being international students. That means over 85% are local talent. Yet somehow, the narrative is we “don’t have enough engineers.”
1/7
Reposted by Melissa Armas
Health insurance claim denied? See what insurers said behind the scenes.
Published May 2023 w/ @capitolforum.bsky.social
Published May 2023 w/ @capitolforum.bsky.social
Health Insurance Claim Denied? See What Insurers Said Behind the Scenes
Learn how to request your health insurance claim file, which can include details about what your insurer is saying about you and your case.
propub.li
December 16, 2024 at 3:01 AM
Health insurance claim denied? See what insurers said behind the scenes.
Published May 2023 w/ @capitolforum.bsky.social
Published May 2023 w/ @capitolforum.bsky.social
December 9, 2024 at 1:32 AM
December 6, 2024 at 11:02 PM
Reposted by Melissa Armas
Reposted by Melissa Armas
I’m gonna need a RICO ruling from @kenwhite.bsky.social and Sky lawyers on this because this feels like defamation
November 27, 2024 at 11:06 PM
I’m gonna need a RICO ruling from @kenwhite.bsky.social and Sky lawyers on this because this feels like defamation
If now is the first time you've ever considered forming an opinion about politics in Uruguay... maybe sit this one out.
a cartoon of homer simpson holding a globe in his hands
ALT: a cartoon of homer simpson holding a globe in his hands
media.tenor.com
November 25, 2024 at 3:52 AM
If now is the first time you've ever considered forming an opinion about politics in Uruguay... maybe sit this one out.
Buddhists: Everything is transitory.
Cubans + Venezuelans: Is it, though?
Cubans + Venezuelans: Is it, though?
a blue and purple circular design with a brown background
ALT: a blue and purple circular design with a brown background
media.tenor.com
November 24, 2024 at 10:42 PM
Buddhists: Everything is transitory.
Cubans + Venezuelans: Is it, though?
Cubans + Venezuelans: Is it, though?
I certify this.
It's pretty standard practice in places like Zimbabwe or Venezuela for the regime to send online mobs to harass enemies of the regime
www.wsj.com/tech/musk-un...
www.wsj.com/tech/musk-un...
Musk Unleashes Online Army on Federal Workers. ‘A Tough Way to Find Out She’s Losing Her Job.’
As Trump efficiency czar, the billionaire is targeting employees by name on X—sparking pushback.
www.wsj.com
November 24, 2024 at 1:33 AM
I certify this.
It’s the Algorithm, Stupid
The 2024 race wasn’t won or lost in town halls or rallies—it was won in the algorithms.
This wasn’t a scattershot effort; it was a precise operation aimed at specific groups susceptible to influence...
substack.com/inbox/post/1...
The 2024 race wasn’t won or lost in town halls or rallies—it was won in the algorithms.
This wasn’t a scattershot effort; it was a precise operation aimed at specific groups susceptible to influence...
substack.com/inbox/post/1...
November 24, 2024 at 1:22 AM
It’s the Algorithm, Stupid
The 2024 race wasn’t won or lost in town halls or rallies—it was won in the algorithms.
This wasn’t a scattershot effort; it was a precise operation aimed at specific groups susceptible to influence...
substack.com/inbox/post/1...
The 2024 race wasn’t won or lost in town halls or rallies—it was won in the algorithms.
This wasn’t a scattershot effort; it was a precise operation aimed at specific groups susceptible to influence...
substack.com/inbox/post/1...