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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 51m

My radical plan is to go and distribute dozens of little state flags. The motto on my state's flag is "Sic semper tyrannis."

Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 6h

They always had an element that worked by personal harassment, though. I was on the receiving end of such harassment as a teaching assistant in the late 80s. I gave one of them a low grade on a writing assignment, and they came for me.

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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 15h

Agreed. We've got a highly dysfunctional business culture that has little to do with producing goods and services and making a profit. It's all scams and asset stripping at this point. Which we will see once the AI bubble bursts.

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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 15h

When you get really specific in a business vs. labor vs. consumer vs. environmental debate, you can work towards a balance that makes life better for everyone. When pro-business ideology crushes the workers, customers, and communities business depends on, things have gone very wrong.

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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 15h

Both those policies assume scarcity, and the "merit" arguments do so even more. But decent educations and decent jobs should not be scarce. Keeping them scarce and fighting over them is part of the machinery of control.

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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 15h

We should have policy debates where business interests are in active negotiation with labor, consumer, and environmental interests. It shouldn't be scorched earth on the business side, and the right-wing side of the "culture war" has no reason to exist at all. It's just vile behavior.

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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 15h

Also, whatever gets designated "conservative" in the future can't have the ideas that current Republicans have. We can't have parties dedicated to theocracy, to treating any group of people as less-than, or to letting business enslave the labor force. Avoiding those things must be mandatory.

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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 22h

Sam Altman is a scammer. Let's stop being impressed by these people.

Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 1d

Stopped clock etc. I don't believe in hell, but I kind of wish it existed just for him.

Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 1d

Republicans worship white supremacy. And greed. That's all there is to them.

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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 1d

If the big downtown rallies seem intimidating, or if you can't travel to one, try one of the smaller rallies. Most people will only see the big rallies if media covers them, but many will see local rallies in person.

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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 1d

Not Catholic ones, though.

Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 1d

That's why people would sometimes up and disappear. If they had debts or family obligations they didn't want, going somewhere else let them start again. Up to a point.

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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 1d

How about we all wipe out Sam Altman's job? He seems more disposable than either farmers or child care workers. I mean, society functioned for centuries without him, but not without farmers or someone to watch the kids.

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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 2d

Let's really drive them nuts. Keep Indigenous People's Day, but acknowledge that the original point of Columbus Day was to set up Immigrant Pride Day. Then make a second holiday and actually call it Immigrant Pride Day. Lose Columbus altogether.

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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 2d

They also won't accept a solution that bypasses the need to funnel money through an employer. "Here, have health insurance!" "No, I don't want government insurance. I want insurance paid for by a major corporation, because I'm independent like that."

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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 2d

A lot of National Guard members have day jobs as civilian feds. You know, the people who have been furloughed.

Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 3d

Assignment hits your inbox at 3:30 on December 23 (happens reliably before the client shuts down for the holidays):

"Normal two-week turnaround"

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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 3d

All that technology and overthinking to arrive at the most generic, least personal message ever. Also, it sounds kind of final. Even "want to get coffee some time and continue our discussion of X?" shows you remember who she is, reminds her who you are, and gives her more options to respond.

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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 3d

Ooo, I like that author! The Cold Millions is one of my favorites. I'll have to check this one out.

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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 3d

Makes sense for analytical/scholarly purposes, but does the person doing it experience the distinction? Many paid caregiving/service jobs are extensions of domestic roles and rely on employees transferring skills they developed at home.

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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 3d

That's a lot of words to say "we're wrong."

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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 3d

Does the distinction matter if the person doing it is financially dependent at home? Many a stay-at-home homemaker treats family life as a job.

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Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 3d

Overpriced. I'd say enough cash equivalents to not freak out when the market tanks. What that means depends on how close you are to retiring and how willing you are to run risks.

Maggie Marbles @maggiemarbles.bsky.social · 3d

And the "vision" they offer is so profoundly unappealing that it's driving people further left. I'm a lot less indulgent towards American business, churches, and the media than I was before they made their deal with the devil.

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