Eric
@ericcalkins.bsky.social
oaf who’s too online for his age
Sometimes I chat on Twitch streams as zero_history (temporarily “TheNextPoggingBarrel”; long story…)
Sometimes I chat on Twitch streams as zero_history (temporarily “TheNextPoggingBarrel”; long story…)
I don’t think there’s a working artist in any field or genre that’s brought to my life as much joy as consistently as David Byrne.
youtu.be/PNmcF6eRE7w?...
youtu.be/PNmcF6eRE7w?...
David Byrne: Tiny Desk Concert
YouTube video by NPR Music
youtu.be
December 1, 2025 at 5:25 PM
I don’t think there’s a working artist in any field or genre that’s brought to my life as much joy as consistently as David Byrne.
youtu.be/PNmcF6eRE7w?...
youtu.be/PNmcF6eRE7w?...
Reposted by Eric
Please read & repost❤️
An interview with Chuck Collins, who gave away his half-a-million-dollar trust after being exposed to the violence caused by economic systems and has spent the past 40 years advocating for a more moral economy.
sojo.net/magazine/dec...
sojo.net/magazine/dec...
Billionaires Are a National Disaster
Chuck Collins on how income inequality undermines everyone’s quality of life—even the most wealthy.
sojo.net
December 1, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Please read & repost❤️
Reposted by Eric
oh they gave me a blue check now I can say how I REALLY feel!!! trans rights free Palestine housing is a human right universal health care for all six hour day for eight hours pay mandatory minimum wage raises that track to rent & cost of living protect the oceans & the rivers and bring back Jujubes
November 30, 2025 at 9:09 PM
oh they gave me a blue check now I can say how I REALLY feel!!! trans rights free Palestine housing is a human right universal health care for all six hour day for eight hours pay mandatory minimum wage raises that track to rent & cost of living protect the oceans & the rivers and bring back Jujubes
Reposted by Eric
As a centrist, I think Donald Trump is bad, but the political and economic conditions that enabled him to become president twice are good
November 30, 2025 at 2:53 PM
As a centrist, I think Donald Trump is bad, but the political and economic conditions that enabled him to become president twice are good
Reposted by Eric
Being barely functional under the crushing weight of depression and anxiety is the ONLY rational response to existing in this world. If you're still experiencing hope and optimism on planet Earth in 2025, you're the fucking weirdo, not me.
November 28, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Being barely functional under the crushing weight of depression and anxiety is the ONLY rational response to existing in this world. If you're still experiencing hope and optimism on planet Earth in 2025, you're the fucking weirdo, not me.
The Cars, when The Replacements were opening for them
David Byrne, Rei Momo tour, Austin (still possibly the greatest concert I’ve ever seen)
Spoon, dozens and dozens of times around Austin before they ever put out a record
Nirvana, In Utero tour, Breeders opening
Tom Waits, Paramount Austin
David Byrne, Rei Momo tour, Austin (still possibly the greatest concert I’ve ever seen)
Spoon, dozens and dozens of times around Austin before they ever put out a record
Nirvana, In Utero tour, Breeders opening
Tom Waits, Paramount Austin
Introduce yourself with 5 concerts you’ve seen:
Johnny Cash (Pantages in LA, right before the first American Recordings)
Ramones, Iggy Pop, Dickies (Chicago, 87)
Zombies (only post-breakup appearance of the entire original lineup)
Rudy Ray Moore
Beck (pre-LOSER, at a birthday party in Silverlake)
Johnny Cash (Pantages in LA, right before the first American Recordings)
Ramones, Iggy Pop, Dickies (Chicago, 87)
Zombies (only post-breakup appearance of the entire original lineup)
Rudy Ray Moore
Beck (pre-LOSER, at a birthday party in Silverlake)
November 28, 2025 at 1:43 AM
The Cars, when The Replacements were opening for them
David Byrne, Rei Momo tour, Austin (still possibly the greatest concert I’ve ever seen)
Spoon, dozens and dozens of times around Austin before they ever put out a record
Nirvana, In Utero tour, Breeders opening
Tom Waits, Paramount Austin
David Byrne, Rei Momo tour, Austin (still possibly the greatest concert I’ve ever seen)
Spoon, dozens and dozens of times around Austin before they ever put out a record
Nirvana, In Utero tour, Breeders opening
Tom Waits, Paramount Austin
Reposted by Eric
We're gonna need a truth and reconciliation commission and Nuremberg style trials to reckon with all of this evil, and any Dem candidate for office who shies away from a full reckoning in the name of "moving forward as a nation" can get well and truly fucked
I feel much safer today knowing that we deported a Babson College student back to a country where she hasn't lived since childhood.
She wasn't even flying internationally. She was flying to Texas.
She wasn't even flying internationally. She was flying to Texas.
A Babson College student wanted to surprise her family for Thanksgiving. She was deported instead. - The Boston Globe
Any Lucia Lopez Belloza was at Logan to catch a flight to Texas when immigration authorities detained her as she was about to board the plane.
www.bostonglobe.com
November 27, 2025 at 4:29 PM
We're gonna need a truth and reconciliation commission and Nuremberg style trials to reckon with all of this evil, and any Dem candidate for office who shies away from a full reckoning in the name of "moving forward as a nation" can get well and truly fucked
Reposted by Eric
"I say we take off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."
November 27, 2025 at 2:30 AM
"I say we take off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."
David Byrne last night had me holding back tears for the first three songs and I can’t really articulate why I was so moved. My youngest went with me and had the same reaction so it wasn’t just a sentimental old man / lifelong fan thing. Great show, cool staging logical next steps after last tour.
November 27, 2025 at 1:43 PM
David Byrne last night had me holding back tears for the first three songs and I can’t really articulate why I was so moved. My youngest went with me and had the same reaction so it wasn’t just a sentimental old man / lifelong fan thing. Great show, cool staging logical next steps after last tour.
Reposted by Eric
There's a pretty great Tumblr post about this:
November 26, 2025 at 2:53 AM
There's a pretty great Tumblr post about this:
Hurt my knee a couple of days ago via crouching and kneeling, then woke up with back pain today, probably brought on by favoring the non-hurt knee. Brutal reminder of deterioration via aging, out of nowhere.
November 26, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Hurt my knee a couple of days ago via crouching and kneeling, then woke up with back pain today, probably brought on by favoring the non-hurt knee. Brutal reminder of deterioration via aging, out of nowhere.
Reposted by Eric
It’s hard to explain what it means to be able to show a trans kid this and for them to feel seen & valued by their president
@president.ie
#transrightsarehumanrights
@president.ie
#transrightsarehumanrights
November 25, 2025 at 8:39 AM
It’s hard to explain what it means to be able to show a trans kid this and for them to feel seen & valued by their president
@president.ie
#transrightsarehumanrights
@president.ie
#transrightsarehumanrights
Reposted by Eric
November 24, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Looking around at present reality:
Y’all ever get the uncanny suspicion that Philip K. Dick might have really received that pink space laser download from an alien intelligence and that The Empire Never Ended?
Y’all ever get the uncanny suspicion that Philip K. Dick might have really received that pink space laser download from an alien intelligence and that The Empire Never Ended?
November 22, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Looking around at present reality:
Y’all ever get the uncanny suspicion that Philip K. Dick might have really received that pink space laser download from an alien intelligence and that The Empire Never Ended?
Y’all ever get the uncanny suspicion that Philip K. Dick might have really received that pink space laser download from an alien intelligence and that The Empire Never Ended?
Reposted by Eric
The great @realgdt.bsky.social zooming in to @ucdenver.bsky.social to talk to my film students. So grateful.
November 22, 2025 at 2:58 AM
The great @realgdt.bsky.social zooming in to @ucdenver.bsky.social to talk to my film students. So grateful.
Reposted by Eric
Is there another country with leadership as bloodcurdlingly stupid as the US?
The House of Representatives voted 285–98 in favor of a resolution condemning socialism.
86 Dems joined Republicans in supporting the measure, incl. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
86 Dems joined Republicans in supporting the measure, incl. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
November 21, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Is there another country with leadership as bloodcurdlingly stupid as the US?
Reposted by Eric
In the middle of a nursing shortage, while he's also busy deporting nursing staff and blocking visas for even more nursing staff
Nursing Excluded as 'Professional' Degree by Department of Education | Discussion
Nursing Excluded as 'Professional' Degree By Department of Education
The Trump administration's "One Big Beautiful Bill" excludes nursing from graduate degree programs deemed as 'professional.' The move impacts loan funding, healthcare delivery, and patient care access.
nurse.org
November 21, 2025 at 2:57 AM
In the middle of a nursing shortage, while he's also busy deporting nursing staff and blocking visas for even more nursing staff
Reposted by Eric
Elon Musk is very explicitly altering the X algorithm to show people content that aligns with his far-right worldview.
If you're still posting there and think you can win hearts and minds or something, this is what you're up against. You're never going to win a rigged game.
If you're still posting there and think you can win hearts and minds or something, this is what you're up against. You're never going to win a rigged game.
November 21, 2025 at 12:36 AM
Elon Musk is very explicitly altering the X algorithm to show people content that aligns with his far-right worldview.
If you're still posting there and think you can win hearts and minds or something, this is what you're up against. You're never going to win a rigged game.
If you're still posting there and think you can win hearts and minds or something, this is what you're up against. You're never going to win a rigged game.
If your product or service uses AI-generated imagery in its marketing materials, you’re on the list of stuff I’ll go to pretty great lengths avoid purchasing or using.
November 20, 2025 at 2:44 PM
If your product or service uses AI-generated imagery in its marketing materials, you’re on the list of stuff I’ll go to pretty great lengths avoid purchasing or using.
Reposted by Eric
hmm, it turns out leftists were correct and you cannot rely on liberalism to protect you from fascism
interesting, I wonder what else they're right about!
interesting, I wonder what else they're right about!
November 15, 2025 at 6:31 PM
hmm, it turns out leftists were correct and you cannot rely on liberalism to protect you from fascism
interesting, I wonder what else they're right about!
interesting, I wonder what else they're right about!
Reposted by Eric
As all this disgusting Epstein shit starts surfacing more and more, I hope we don't lose sight of the fact that apparently every major media outlet knew everything and instead spent their time money and energy attacking the trans community.
November 13, 2025 at 1:07 AM
As all this disgusting Epstein shit starts surfacing more and more, I hope we don't lose sight of the fact that apparently every major media outlet knew everything and instead spent their time money and energy attacking the trans community.
Reposted by Eric
Idiom Origin
“pull yourself up by your bootstraps”
This was originally *sarcasm* & meant to convey that the act was impossible.
A boot strap is a loop used to help put your boot on.
This 1921 cartoon from the “Nonpartisan Leader” showcases that you can’t pull upward on your boots to levitate.
“pull yourself up by your bootstraps”
This was originally *sarcasm* & meant to convey that the act was impossible.
A boot strap is a loop used to help put your boot on.
This 1921 cartoon from the “Nonpartisan Leader” showcases that you can’t pull upward on your boots to levitate.
January 20, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Idiom Origin
“pull yourself up by your bootstraps”
This was originally *sarcasm* & meant to convey that the act was impossible.
A boot strap is a loop used to help put your boot on.
This 1921 cartoon from the “Nonpartisan Leader” showcases that you can’t pull upward on your boots to levitate.
“pull yourself up by your bootstraps”
This was originally *sarcasm* & meant to convey that the act was impossible.
A boot strap is a loop used to help put your boot on.
This 1921 cartoon from the “Nonpartisan Leader” showcases that you can’t pull upward on your boots to levitate.
Reposted by Eric
agreeing to make a terrible deal while your main opponent is quite literally being boo'd on live tv by an entire stadium of people is the kind of political instinct you'd normally only find in a 3 week old dead goldfish
November 10, 2025 at 12:36 AM
agreeing to make a terrible deal while your main opponent is quite literally being boo'd on live tv by an entire stadium of people is the kind of political instinct you'd normally only find in a 3 week old dead goldfish