Maria
@merluza.bsky.social
Ethnographer working in tech; walking makes me happy
I see all these news about lawyers in the US filing habeas corpus petitions, and it reminds me of the stories my family told about the dictatorships in Uruguay, Argentina and Chile.
December 22, 2025 at 2:41 PM
I see all these news about lawyers in the US filing habeas corpus petitions, and it reminds me of the stories my family told about the dictatorships in Uruguay, Argentina and Chile.
Folks in the US don't really care about the immigration policy horrors, and don't see news about it. Unless they live in targeted areas or have immigrant friends. There are large swaths of this country where people have no real proximity to immigrants.
December 19, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Folks in the US don't really care about the immigration policy horrors, and don't see news about it. Unless they live in targeted areas or have immigrant friends. There are large swaths of this country where people have no real proximity to immigrants.
Reposted by Maria
Lord, please never let me be hated by someone as skilled as that Vanity Fair photographer. Let all my haters be incompetent.
December 17, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Lord, please never let me be hated by someone as skilled as that Vanity Fair photographer. Let all my haters be incompetent.
Now they are implementing a quota system for denaturalization.
Quota systems create perverse incentives and are designed to decimate. They result in ICE terror campaigns, "false positives" (a la colombian). It's an evil tool.
Quota systems create perverse incentives and are designed to decimate. They result in ICE terror campaigns, "false positives" (a la colombian). It's an evil tool.
December 18, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Now they are implementing a quota system for denaturalization.
Quota systems create perverse incentives and are designed to decimate. They result in ICE terror campaigns, "false positives" (a la colombian). It's an evil tool.
Quota systems create perverse incentives and are designed to decimate. They result in ICE terror campaigns, "false positives" (a la colombian). It's an evil tool.
As a a movie goer: Bernie by Richard Linklater in an indie theater in Houston. Texans laughing together about the Texas jokes was a trip.
As a student protectionist in my university's cinema, projecting Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The film snapped, burned, the reel came off. Very on point.
As a student protectionist in my university's cinema, projecting Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The film snapped, burned, the reel came off. Very on point.
Raising the always fun question: What are your most memorable theater-going experiences?
Mine also include The Matrix, Blair Witch, and being way too stoned in Belgium when Fellowship of the Ring was sold out so we sat in the back row for Mulholland Drive instead.
Mine also include The Matrix, Blair Witch, and being way too stoned in Belgium when Fellowship of the Ring was sold out so we sat in the back row for Mulholland Drive instead.
It was hands-down one of the most memorable theater-going experiences I can remember, a collective 30-minute butt-clench/armrest-grab for the final climb. And we knew he lived! Wild.
December 13, 2025 at 12:56 AM
As a a movie goer: Bernie by Richard Linklater in an indie theater in Houston. Texans laughing together about the Texas jokes was a trip.
As a student protectionist in my university's cinema, projecting Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The film snapped, burned, the reel came off. Very on point.
As a student protectionist in my university's cinema, projecting Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The film snapped, burned, the reel came off. Very on point.
Uniqlo underlayers feel like elven technology.
December 10, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Uniqlo underlayers feel like elven technology.
That sense of dread to read the newspaper.
December 10, 2025 at 11:49 AM
That sense of dread to read the newspaper.
Reposted by Maria
working for fox news or the white house must be so easy. any failing can be blamed on immigrants. "sorry for the late reply, an immigrant had my gmail password." "need an extension on this assignment, an immigrant deleted my file." "sorry i didn't pay the bill. immigrants."
December 9, 2025 at 10:59 PM
working for fox news or the white house must be so easy. any failing can be blamed on immigrants. "sorry for the late reply, an immigrant had my gmail password." "need an extension on this assignment, an immigrant deleted my file." "sorry i didn't pay the bill. immigrants."
The line keeps moving on who counts as a citizen. And it will continue to move as we allow it. Citizenship is a piece of paper.
They did everything right, followed the law, were thoroughly vetted... Didn't matter... "Immigrants lined up to become U.S. citizens in Boston on Dec. 4 were pulled from line by USCIS officials moments before the oath ceremony" people.com/immigrants-a...
Immigrants Approved for Citizenship ‘Plucked Out’ of Line Moments Before Pledging Allegiance: Report
Immigrants lined up to become U.S. citizens in Boston on Dec. 4 were pulled from line by USCIS officials moments before the ceremony. The incident comes after USCIS told employees to halt all immigrat...
people.com
December 8, 2025 at 11:39 PM
The line keeps moving on who counts as a citizen. And it will continue to move as we allow it. Citizenship is a piece of paper.
So you turn off smart features and then your inbox filters go away, and you get a million notifications on your phone from your marketing inbox? This is a design choice.
November 22, 2025 at 4:14 AM
So you turn off smart features and then your inbox filters go away, and you get a million notifications on your phone from your marketing inbox? This is a design choice.
Please someone smarter than me help me make sense of this!
Is this the culmination of politics as simulacrum?
Is it an admission?
Is fascism is now an acceptable thing?
What is this crap?!?
Is this the culmination of politics as simulacrum?
Is it an admission?
Is fascism is now an acceptable thing?
What is this crap?!?
A reporter asks if Mamdani stands by calling Trump a fascist. Mamdani starts to give a delicate answer.
Trump (smiles, pats Mamdani's arm): "That's OK, you can just say yes. It's easier. I don't mind."
Trump (smiles, pats Mamdani's arm): "That's OK, you can just say yes. It's easier. I don't mind."
November 21, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Please someone smarter than me help me make sense of this!
Is this the culmination of politics as simulacrum?
Is it an admission?
Is fascism is now an acceptable thing?
What is this crap?!?
Is this the culmination of politics as simulacrum?
Is it an admission?
Is fascism is now an acceptable thing?
What is this crap?!?
Mamdani and Trump's press conference is wild. Now Trump loves Mamdani and Bernie?!? Smells like sheer opportunism.
November 21, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Mamdani and Trump's press conference is wild. Now Trump loves Mamdani and Bernie?!? Smells like sheer opportunism.
In my kid's school, the school secretary has built a musical theater program for the kids because she loves Broadway. The kids build sets, act, sing, manage the shows. It has been an AMAZING gift to the community. A person with an idea and the drive to follow through can do so much good.
November 21, 2025 at 7:41 PM
In my kid's school, the school secretary has built a musical theater program for the kids because she loves Broadway. The kids build sets, act, sing, manage the shows. It has been an AMAZING gift to the community. A person with an idea and the drive to follow through can do so much good.
Reposted by Maria
Trust in science will increase when we stop all the money being used to fund anti-science political attacks and spread disinformation.
November 19, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Trust in science will increase when we stop all the money being used to fund anti-science political attacks and spread disinformation.
Reposted by Maria
615 of the estimated 3,000+ detained immigrants who were kidnapped in Chicagoland during Midway Blitz are expected to be eligible for bond this week. The Midwest Immigration Bond Fund shows up for people in detention who need bond, but it costs, at minimum, $1,500 per person. Pls help them.
A Midwest Bond Fund Is Helping Detained Chicago Immigrants Return To Their Families
The Midwest Immigration Bond Fund launched in 2020 to provide bond assistance to people navigating the complex immigration legal system. That mission has become more difficult under the second Trump a...
blockclubchicago.org
November 17, 2025 at 10:08 PM
615 of the estimated 3,000+ detained immigrants who were kidnapped in Chicagoland during Midway Blitz are expected to be eligible for bond this week. The Midwest Immigration Bond Fund shows up for people in detention who need bond, but it costs, at minimum, $1,500 per person. Pls help them.
Even beyond that, there are two political worlds: one where politics is abstract, a game of numbers, margins and electoral strategy, where politics has no consequence. And there's the one where politics directly impacts existence in very concrete ways. The latter has very little representation.
There’s a two party duopoly in this nation.
Is it great? No! Is it reality? Yes.
Creating a third party means building up an entirely new infrastructure from scratch and then fighting both R & D.
Taking over the Dem Party is an easier and more effective route. It’ll take time, but it’s worth it.
Is it great? No! Is it reality? Yes.
Creating a third party means building up an entirely new infrastructure from scratch and then fighting both R & D.
Taking over the Dem Party is an easier and more effective route. It’ll take time, but it’s worth it.
November 10, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Even beyond that, there are two political worlds: one where politics is abstract, a game of numbers, margins and electoral strategy, where politics has no consequence. And there's the one where politics directly impacts existence in very concrete ways. The latter has very little representation.
Reposted by Maria
The average SNAP benefit per month is $177 a person.
The average ACA benefit per month is up to $550 a person.
People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives.
And working people want leaders whose word means something to them.
The average ACA benefit per month is up to $550 a person.
People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives.
And working people want leaders whose word means something to them.
November 10, 2025 at 1:49 AM
The average SNAP benefit per month is $177 a person.
The average ACA benefit per month is up to $550 a person.
People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives.
And working people want leaders whose word means something to them.
The average ACA benefit per month is up to $550 a person.
People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives.
And working people want leaders whose word means something to them.
In the grand scheme of things, my little town council elections don't matter, but the progressive candidates won! The old guard anti-housing candidate is out.
November 5, 2025 at 2:58 AM
In the grand scheme of things, my little town council elections don't matter, but the progressive candidates won! The old guard anti-housing candidate is out.
Reposted by Maria
If you boycott elections, candidates logically ignore you and focus on the voters they can still get.
There’s a reason pundits keep nudging Dems to a mushy middle. Those folks are idiots, yes, but they’re idiots who show up to vote.
And that matters more to a candidate than your smart apathy.
There’s a reason pundits keep nudging Dems to a mushy middle. Those folks are idiots, yes, but they’re idiots who show up to vote.
And that matters more to a candidate than your smart apathy.
October 29, 2025 at 7:46 PM
If you boycott elections, candidates logically ignore you and focus on the voters they can still get.
There’s a reason pundits keep nudging Dems to a mushy middle. Those folks are idiots, yes, but they’re idiots who show up to vote.
And that matters more to a candidate than your smart apathy.
There’s a reason pundits keep nudging Dems to a mushy middle. Those folks are idiots, yes, but they’re idiots who show up to vote.
And that matters more to a candidate than your smart apathy.
This is the time of the year I start dreaming about summer vacation. Book a bunch of weekends, and then summer rolls around and I complain about how busy it is.
October 23, 2025 at 8:21 PM
This is the time of the year I start dreaming about summer vacation. Book a bunch of weekends, and then summer rolls around and I complain about how busy it is.
The AWS outage shows why monopolies are not good. Much of our Internet infrastructure, including the government's, is owned by Amazon.
October 22, 2025 at 10:46 AM
The AWS outage shows why monopolies are not good. Much of our Internet infrastructure, including the government's, is owned by Amazon.
We are eroding the social stability necessary for capitalism to work. This is not a "leftist" issue. If I was a business owner, I'd be very worried.
October 20, 2025 at 2:00 PM
We are eroding the social stability necessary for capitalism to work. This is not a "leftist" issue. If I was a business owner, I'd be very worried.
Very normal, very stable.
and another thing: he’s not mad. please don’t put it in the newspaper that he got mad.
October 19, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Very normal, very stable.
Reposted by Maria
6/ Sure the House isn't here so Rs don't have to explain why they want premiums to go up and why they want to fund Trump's corruption.
But also because they don't want to swear in member-elect Adelita Grijalva. Since she would be the deciding vote to RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES.
But also because they don't want to swear in member-elect Adelita Grijalva. Since she would be the deciding vote to RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES.
October 14, 2025 at 10:56 AM
6/ Sure the House isn't here so Rs don't have to explain why they want premiums to go up and why they want to fund Trump's corruption.
But also because they don't want to swear in member-elect Adelita Grijalva. Since she would be the deciding vote to RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES.
But also because they don't want to swear in member-elect Adelita Grijalva. Since she would be the deciding vote to RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES.
I honestly believe these folks do not understand the world that they live in. They are so clouded by dogma, they can't stand to learn and witness the world as it is. That's ultimately their weakness.
i'm sure duffy is just lying here but also i'll say again that they hard time conceptualizing relations between people that aren't strictly hierarchical.
Sean Duffy: "The No Kings protest, Maria, really frustrating. This is part of antifa, paid protesters. It begs the question who's funding it."
October 13, 2025 at 10:32 PM
I honestly believe these folks do not understand the world that they live in. They are so clouded by dogma, they can't stand to learn and witness the world as it is. That's ultimately their weakness.