Thought Portal
@thoughtportal.bsky.social
A blog of the media I am consuming
http://thoughtportal.org/
http://thoughtportal.org/
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Thought Portal
@thoughtportal.bsky.social
· Jan 20
your smugness will not protect you
Reposted by Thought Portal
If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to give to EFF, now’s your chance to all donations through Dec 9 get an automatic dollar-for-dollar match! eff.org/powerup
December 5, 2025 at 8:17 PM
If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to give to EFF, now’s your chance to all donations through Dec 9 get an automatic dollar-for-dollar match! eff.org/powerup
Reposted by Thought Portal
Also USPS didn't loss money because it doesn't make money because it's not a business and if never makes money to begin with.
It did however deliver over 112.5 billion pieces of mail in 2024 and that doesn't even include packages.
It did however deliver over 112.5 billion pieces of mail in 2024 and that doesn't even include packages.
The USPS posting a NINE BILLION DOLLAR LOSS!!! sounds terrible. Certainly worse than if you said "USPS costs thirty dollars per person per year" even though that means the same thing and more accurately describes a government service
December 5, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Also USPS didn't loss money because it doesn't make money because it's not a business and if never makes money to begin with.
It did however deliver over 112.5 billion pieces of mail in 2024 and that doesn't even include packages.
It did however deliver over 112.5 billion pieces of mail in 2024 and that doesn't even include packages.
Reposted by Thought Portal
Duolingo announced it was going “AI-first” just over six months ago. Since then its stock is down 64%.
December 5, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Duolingo announced it was going “AI-first” just over six months ago. Since then its stock is down 64%.
Reposted by Thought Portal
I see this a lot in book discussions with writers (and readers) trying to distance romantasy from erotica by using the "spicy" label. But guess what, the people who are trying to ban sexual content will try to ban it regardless if a work has one 1 sex scene or 10.
A lot of creators essentially saying "My work might contain nudity and sexual situations, but it's NOT porn. My work is important and artistic, while their work is dirty, which is still okay to hate and censor." But guess what! The purity squad makes no such distinction.
December 5, 2025 at 3:38 PM
I see this a lot in book discussions with writers (and readers) trying to distance romantasy from erotica by using the "spicy" label. But guess what, the people who are trying to ban sexual content will try to ban it regardless if a work has one 1 sex scene or 10.
December 5, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Reposted by Thought Portal
Spent 2.5 years with both parties laundering war crimes everyone saw with their own two eyes so I’d say the bar for what’s acceptable has likely moved- I hope I’m wrong
December 4, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Spent 2.5 years with both parties laundering war crimes everyone saw with their own two eyes so I’d say the bar for what’s acceptable has likely moved- I hope I’m wrong
Reposted by Thought Portal
I don't care if a non-disabled person accesses a disability accommodation for the same reason I don't care if a child whose parents are rich gets free lunch at school. We don't need to means test being a kind person. I have better things to do with my time than be a cop over social services.
December 4, 2025 at 2:32 AM
I don't care if a non-disabled person accesses a disability accommodation for the same reason I don't care if a child whose parents are rich gets free lunch at school. We don't need to means test being a kind person. I have better things to do with my time than be a cop over social services.
Reposted by Thought Portal
The Amazon model is all about using technology and corporate power to beat down the pay and rights of workers, whether in warehousing, delivery, and even air freight. At what point will legislators finally move in to stop its assault on working people?
December 4, 2025 at 7:42 PM
The Amazon model is all about using technology and corporate power to beat down the pay and rights of workers, whether in warehousing, delivery, and even air freight. At what point will legislators finally move in to stop its assault on working people?
Reposted by Thought Portal
a lot of birth rate panic cons are, fundamentally, misogynists. so they cannot even conceive that the birth rate is first and fundamentally about women's choices
The vast majority of women I know and talk to on a regular basis are not going to be somehow nudged into not having kids by having accessible and affordable contraception.
December 4, 2025 at 6:05 PM
a lot of birth rate panic cons are, fundamentally, misogynists. so they cannot even conceive that the birth rate is first and fundamentally about women's choices
Reposted by Thought Portal
The public never wanted this to start. The people in position to stop it have apparently already seen it. Beat Cotton into submission and start calling for impeachment
Rand Paul tells me that he wants the full video of the Venezuelan boat strike released.
“And I think if the public sees images of people clinging to boat debris and being blown up, I think that there is a chance that finally, the public will get interested enough in this to stop this.”
“And I think if the public sees images of people clinging to boat debris and being blown up, I think that there is a chance that finally, the public will get interested enough in this to stop this.”
December 4, 2025 at 7:43 PM
The public never wanted this to start. The people in position to stop it have apparently already seen it. Beat Cotton into submission and start calling for impeachment
Reposted by Thought Portal
"If you ever think about me, and if you ain’t gonna do no revolutionary act, forget about me. I don’t want myself on your mind, if you’re not gonna work for the people."
On this day in 1969, Fred Hampton was shot to death by Chicago, Cook County and federal police as he slept in his apartment.
On this day in 1969, Fred Hampton was shot to death by Chicago, Cook County and federal police as he slept in his apartment.
December 4, 2025 at 6:43 PM
"If you ever think about me, and if you ain’t gonna do no revolutionary act, forget about me. I don’t want myself on your mind, if you’re not gonna work for the people."
On this day in 1969, Fred Hampton was shot to death by Chicago, Cook County and federal police as he slept in his apartment.
On this day in 1969, Fred Hampton was shot to death by Chicago, Cook County and federal police as he slept in his apartment.
Reposted by Thought Portal
i reject the premise that having drugs on a boat is deserving a death sentence!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 4, 2025 at 6:47 PM
i reject the premise that having drugs on a boat is deserving a death sentence!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reposted by Thought Portal
I'm at the combination
December 4, 2025 at 3:17 AM
I'm at the combination
Reposted by Thought Portal
Hey all,
The Onion is accepting applicants for our writing, video and graphics fellowships.
Fellowships last six months, pay well, and provide full benefits.
You can apply at theonion.com/fellowship.
The Onion is accepting applicants for our writing, video and graphics fellowships.
Fellowships last six months, pay well, and provide full benefits.
You can apply at theonion.com/fellowship.
Fellowship
theonion.com
December 3, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Hey all,
The Onion is accepting applicants for our writing, video and graphics fellowships.
Fellowships last six months, pay well, and provide full benefits.
You can apply at theonion.com/fellowship.
The Onion is accepting applicants for our writing, video and graphics fellowships.
Fellowships last six months, pay well, and provide full benefits.
You can apply at theonion.com/fellowship.
Reposted by Thought Portal
At least four countries have announced they are pulling out of next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. This decision follows the organizers' choice to allow Israel to compete, despite concerns over its conduct in the Gaza war.
At least 4 countries pull out of 2026 Eurovision contest as Israel’s participation sows discord
At least four countries have announced they are pulling out of next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. This decision follows the organizers' choice to allow Israel to compete, despite concerns over its conduct in the Gaza war.
bit.ly
December 4, 2025 at 8:35 PM
At least four countries have announced they are pulling out of next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. This decision follows the organizers' choice to allow Israel to compete, despite concerns over its conduct in the Gaza war.
Reposted by Thought Portal
Voters deserve a clear vision that explains why our rural hospitals are closing or why our groceries are so damn expensive—and how we’re going to fix it. That starts with standing up to corporate power.
December 4, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Voters deserve a clear vision that explains why our rural hospitals are closing or why our groceries are so damn expensive—and how we’re going to fix it. That starts with standing up to corporate power.
Reposted by Thought Portal
This social post is brought to you by the letter U! 🤩
Discover the origins of yearning for walkable cities and good neighborhoods with Anna Kodé on this week's episode of 99 Percent Invisible.
Available everywhere you get your podcasts 👉 https://bit.ly/48kSFTK
Discover the origins of yearning for walkable cities and good neighborhoods with Anna Kodé on this week's episode of 99 Percent Invisible.
Available everywhere you get your podcasts 👉 https://bit.ly/48kSFTK
December 2, 2025 at 7:55 PM
This social post is brought to you by the letter U! 🤩
Discover the origins of yearning for walkable cities and good neighborhoods with Anna Kodé on this week's episode of 99 Percent Invisible.
Available everywhere you get your podcasts 👉 https://bit.ly/48kSFTK
Discover the origins of yearning for walkable cities and good neighborhoods with Anna Kodé on this week's episode of 99 Percent Invisible.
Available everywhere you get your podcasts 👉 https://bit.ly/48kSFTK
Reposted by Thought Portal
Some potential good news out of yesterday's theatrical House hearing on internet censorship bills. A pre-emption provision has even KOSA supporters like NCOSE abandoning the House version.
With ten days to go, there seems to be little appetite for KOSA or age-verification bills in general.
With ten days to go, there seems to be little appetite for KOSA or age-verification bills in general.
A leading kids safety bill has been poison pilled, supporters say
App store age verification is beginning to take center stage.
www.theverge.com
December 3, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Some potential good news out of yesterday's theatrical House hearing on internet censorship bills. A pre-emption provision has even KOSA supporters like NCOSE abandoning the House version.
With ten days to go, there seems to be little appetite for KOSA or age-verification bills in general.
With ten days to go, there seems to be little appetite for KOSA or age-verification bills in general.
Reposted by Thought Portal
The bronze statue depicting the eponymous cybernetic star of Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 set-in-Detroit sci-fi satire was installed in Eastern Market on Wednesday, nearly 15 years after someone proposed it in a viral social media post.
Detroit finally has a RoboCop statue - Detroit Metro Times
Nearly 15 years later, Detroit finally has its statue of RoboCop. The bronze statue depicting the eponymous cybernetic star of Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 set-in-Detroit sci-fi satire was installed in East...
www.metrotimes.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:09 PM
The bronze statue depicting the eponymous cybernetic star of Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 set-in-Detroit sci-fi satire was installed in Eastern Market on Wednesday, nearly 15 years after someone proposed it in a viral social media post.
Reposted by Thought Portal
Everyone in Chicago needs to read this AND TAKE ACTION. Everyone else should read this and ask what's happening where you are with your public library systems.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has proposed disastrous cuts to our city's libraries while setting aside $5M for a ShotSpotter replacement. As library associate Sara Heymann told me, “Libraries embody everything we need to fight back against fascism.” My piece on what’s at stake and how to fight back:
You Can’t Fight Fascism While Defunding Libraries
“Libraries embody everything that we need right now to fight back against fascism," says Sara Heymann.
organizingmythoughts.org
December 3, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Everyone in Chicago needs to read this AND TAKE ACTION. Everyone else should read this and ask what's happening where you are with your public library systems.
Reposted by Thought Portal
An experienced organizer I really respect once reminded folks "you can't always win, but you can always, always inflict a cost. Those add up."
You cannot match the size and resources of these organizations that are abandoning trans youth and sacrificing trans lives, but you have one advantage they do not: an ability to maintain a relentless focus upon them.
Make it your work, every week, to think about how you can punish them.
Make it your work, every week, to think about how you can punish them.
December 3, 2025 at 10:21 PM
An experienced organizer I really respect once reminded folks "you can't always win, but you can always, always inflict a cost. Those add up."
#fiction
Emily Mitchell retells the myth of Arachne, a simple peasant whose skill at weaving rivals that of the goddess of weaving herself. Unfortunately, possessing such incredible talent doesn’t work out well for Arachne.
www.thesunmagazine.org/articles/598...
Emily Mitchell retells the myth of Arachne, a simple peasant whose skill at weaving rivals that of the goddess of weaving herself. Unfortunately, possessing such incredible talent doesn’t work out well for Arachne.
www.thesunmagazine.org/articles/598...
Thread
So, all right then: What was it like to be transformed into what I am now? I’ll tell you. It was like a sundering. A splitting. Icy lightning cleaved along my limbs. At the same time, my skin was turn...
www.thesunmagazine.org
December 3, 2025 at 6:28 PM
#fiction
Emily Mitchell retells the myth of Arachne, a simple peasant whose skill at weaving rivals that of the goddess of weaving herself. Unfortunately, possessing such incredible talent doesn’t work out well for Arachne.
www.thesunmagazine.org/articles/598...
Emily Mitchell retells the myth of Arachne, a simple peasant whose skill at weaving rivals that of the goddess of weaving herself. Unfortunately, possessing such incredible talent doesn’t work out well for Arachne.
www.thesunmagazine.org/articles/598...
Reposted by Thought Portal
“I insist on being shocked. I am never going to become immune. I think that’s a kind of failure to see so much of it that you die inside. I want to be surprised and shocked every time.”
― Toni Morrison
― Toni Morrison
March 26, 2025 at 11:33 PM
“I insist on being shocked. I am never going to become immune. I think that’s a kind of failure to see so much of it that you die inside. I want to be surprised and shocked every time.”
― Toni Morrison
― Toni Morrison
Reposted by Thought Portal
Feels like "missing" is inaccurate. This child was kidnapped by the secret police and is now either a political prisoner or a trafficking victim.
A 6-year-old boy is missing after ICE arrested him and his dad in NYC last week and shipped them off to separate facilities. www.thecity.nyc/2025/12/02/i... @thecity.nyc @gwynnefitz.bsky.social
ICE Arrested and Separated Chinese Father From 6-Year-Old Son, Advocates Say
The father and son were detained at an ICE check-in on Nov. 26, advocates say. The son’s location is currently unknown, while the father is being held at an upstate ICE facility.
www.thecity.nyc
December 3, 2025 at 5:17 AM
Feels like "missing" is inaccurate. This child was kidnapped by the secret police and is now either a political prisoner or a trafficking victim.