And I support that, but it's hardly a new path forward for every Democratic campaign, is it?
December 27, 2025 at 8:24 AM
And I support that, but it's hardly a new path forward for every Democratic campaign, is it?
Everything you're saying is an example of a candidate working with, endorsing, or even catalyzing a mutual aid network. All good things! But the question is whether a candidate should turn their campaign into a mutual aid network, i.e. use campaign donations to fund the network.
December 27, 2025 at 4:58 AM
Everything you're saying is an example of a candidate working with, endorsing, or even catalyzing a mutual aid network. All good things! But the question is whether a candidate should turn their campaign into a mutual aid network, i.e. use campaign donations to fund the network.
My point is specifically about whether it's good for this strategy to be an ongoing thing, though! "A candidate did this once and it helped a lot of people" is fine. Good, even. "Our mutual aid networks are dependent on the popularity of specific politicians who are in charge of them" is very bad.
December 27, 2025 at 4:20 AM
My point is specifically about whether it's good for this strategy to be an ongoing thing, though! "A candidate did this once and it helped a lot of people" is fine. Good, even. "Our mutual aid networks are dependent on the popularity of specific politicians who are in charge of them" is very bad.
Then that's not a mutual aid network run by a political campaign, is it?
December 27, 2025 at 4:03 AM
Then that's not a mutual aid network run by a political campaign, is it?
If they pay it forward into a mutual aid network that's part of the local community then that's not a mutual aid network run by the campaign, is it? That's extremely counter to the idea that campaigns can or should do this as an ongoing and widespread strategy.
December 27, 2025 at 3:49 AM
If they pay it forward into a mutual aid network that's part of the local community then that's not a mutual aid network run by the campaign, is it? That's extremely counter to the idea that campaigns can or should do this as an ongoing and widespread strategy.
Two things can be true at the same time. Yes, people were helped and yes it's bad to expect political campaigns to be mutual aid networks. The most basic reason is just that the amount of mutual aid a community needs doesn't track with campaign seasons.
December 27, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Two things can be true at the same time. Yes, people were helped and yes it's bad to expect political campaigns to be mutual aid networks. The most basic reason is just that the amount of mutual aid a community needs doesn't track with campaign seasons.
The best way to advance your career is almost always to flatter the powerful people who have the ability to quickly advance it...
November 15, 2025 at 4:49 AM
The best way to advance your career is almost always to flatter the powerful people who have the ability to quickly advance it...
Time bandits is a great one because finding and navigating portals. Not just "oops I fell through a portal"
October 27, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Time bandits is a great one because finding and navigating portals. Not just "oops I fell through a portal"
What? Manufacturers report the ingredients in their vapes, just check their websites. The concern is about "actual ingredients" aka contaminated or adulterated products which is why I brought up melamine in baby formula, a thing that actually happened: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
The Melamine Incident: Implications for International Food and Feed Safety
A major food safety incident in China was made public in September 2008. Kidney and urinary tract effects, including kidney stones, affected about 300,000 Chinese infants and young children, with six ...
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
October 17, 2025 at 3:13 PM
What? Manufacturers report the ingredients in their vapes, just check their websites. The concern is about "actual ingredients" aka contaminated or adulterated products which is why I brought up melamine in baby formula, a thing that actually happened: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
Yeah, I mean what if they put tobacco in the vapes?
But seriously, I don't know for sure that any specific can of baby formula doesn't have melamine in it but I can still confidently say vodka is worse than baby formula.
But seriously, I don't know for sure that any specific can of baby formula doesn't have melamine in it but I can still confidently say vodka is worse than baby formula.
October 17, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Yeah, I mean what if they put tobacco in the vapes?
But seriously, I don't know for sure that any specific can of baby formula doesn't have melamine in it but I can still confidently say vodka is worse than baby formula.
But seriously, I don't know for sure that any specific can of baby formula doesn't have melamine in it but I can still confidently say vodka is worse than baby formula.
Vape juice could be adulterated but tobacco smoke is always tobacco. Both are bad but tobacco is definitely worse!
October 16, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Vape juice could be adulterated but tobacco smoke is always tobacco. Both are bad but tobacco is definitely worse!
Cigarette smoke also exposes you to heavy metals. Vaping isn't good for you but smoking is definitely worse. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
Toxic Metal Concentrations in Cigarettes Obtained from U.S. Smokers in 2009: Results from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) United States Survey Cohort
Smoking-related diseases can be attributed to the inhalation of many different toxins, including heavy metals, which have a host of detrimental health effects. The current study reports the levels of ...
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
October 16, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Cigarette smoke also exposes you to heavy metals. Vaping isn't good for you but smoking is definitely worse. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
The article covers an instance of a far-right Italian politician claiming that making tortellini without pork is "cultural erasure" as a cover for Islamophobia and quotes Grandi saying countering that behavior is the purpose of his work. I think that purpose is meaningful.
August 8, 2025 at 7:11 PM
The article covers an instance of a far-right Italian politician claiming that making tortellini without pork is "cultural erasure" as a cover for Islamophobia and quotes Grandi saying countering that behavior is the purpose of his work. I think that purpose is meaningful.
"traditional Italian food" can mean "food people have traditionally eaten in Italy" or it can mean "a corpus of strict recipes that define the Italian national identity". He is discussing the second while you are discussing the first.
August 8, 2025 at 4:24 PM
"traditional Italian food" can mean "food people have traditionally eaten in Italy" or it can mean "a corpus of strict recipes that define the Italian national identity". He is discussing the second while you are discussing the first.
Pizza, a common Southern street food, was exotic for for his father who lived in the North as sushi is today. If you were to actually check a map of sushi restaurants in Northern Italy you'd see that they're fairly common.
August 8, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Pizza, a common Southern street food, was exotic for for his father who lived in the North as sushi is today. If you were to actually check a map of sushi restaurants in Northern Italy you'd see that they're fairly common.
No we pretty well know it's self-defeating and masturbatory considering the state of the world. If debating fascists was an effective way to stop them the fascists wouldn't participate.
July 21, 2025 at 2:05 AM
No we pretty well know it's self-defeating and masturbatory considering the state of the world. If debating fascists was an effective way to stop them the fascists wouldn't participate.
It does make sense and is still wrong. Making decisions based on which narcissists with bullhorns you find more distasteful isn't so much a defense of your actions as it is an indication that you aren't suited to be a political scientist and should find a new line of work.
April 26, 2025 at 11:12 PM
It does make sense and is still wrong. Making decisions based on which narcissists with bullhorns you find more distasteful isn't so much a defense of your actions as it is an indication that you aren't suited to be a political scientist and should find a new line of work.
An alternative interpretation is that the majority of congressional Dems are saying what they believe: essentially nothing.
March 30, 2025 at 9:32 PM
An alternative interpretation is that the majority of congressional Dems are saying what they believe: essentially nothing.
That is insulting to neanderthals
March 26, 2025 at 8:05 PM
That is insulting to neanderthals
Buffy is to supernatural teen dramas what Star Trek is to episodic sci-fi. It's a foundational pillar of media literacy for everything from the MCU to paranormal romance.
March 7, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Buffy is to supernatural teen dramas what Star Trek is to episodic sci-fi. It's a foundational pillar of media literacy for everything from the MCU to paranormal romance.
"People got a taste of functional socialism and Democrats tried to discipline them into lowering their expectations" is a remarkably accurate and succinct explanation of why they lost the election
February 12, 2025 at 10:26 PM
"People got a taste of functional socialism and Democrats tried to discipline them into lowering their expectations" is a remarkably accurate and succinct explanation of why they lost the election
Sorry, but "Sure they lost but only because the system is enormously biased against them" is not a reassuring take. Especially considering their reticence and inability to take any steps whatsoever to reduce that power when they get the chance.
January 20, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Sorry, but "Sure they lost but only because the system is enormously biased against them" is not a reassuring take. Especially considering their reticence and inability to take any steps whatsoever to reduce that power when they get the chance.