Garbage Day — As an internet user, you are affected by the state of the internet — I’ve long read this newsletter for its analysis of culture through the lens of internet ephemera, but in recent weeks Garbage Day has also become one of the very best sources of breaking news and analysis about the ongoing coup. Even if you subscribe to nothing else in this e-mail, you are certain to discover a variety of journalists and news publishers via this publication (many of the independent journalists linked below I originally found via a link in Garbage Day.)
404 Media — As a reader of my work, you are affected by US anti-pornography laws, which limit freedom of sexual expression online — Sam Cole (ex-senior editor for Motherboard) at the independent news publication 404 Media does the best reporting on news related to these topics of any individual journalist I'm aware of. 404 Media is an internet and technology news platform that was co-founded by four journalists: a writer, two senior editors, and the editor-in-chief of Motherboard.
What the Fuck Just Happened Today? — As a person who lives in the world right now, you are, unfortunately, affected to some extent by US politics — WTFJHT delivers an extremely lucid, concise, once-per-day summary of US political news.
Law Dork — As a person affected to some extent by US politics, it is in your interest to understand US law. Chris Geidner (US Supreme Court expert and ex-BuzzFeed legal editor) is the best source I can recommend for informative, detailed reporting + analysis of, in particular, LGBTQ+ political and legal issues in US news.
Erin in the Morning — Erin Reed (trans rights activist and ex-digital director for TheAmerican Independent) is one of the best sources for all news regarding the fight for trans rights in the US; in-depth coverage of the wave of anti-trans legislation and how people are fighting back. Very difficult and vitally important work.
Notes on the Crises — Nathan Tankus (economist and self-taught monetary policy expert.) This is a finance-focused publication that has pivoted to full-time coverage of Elon Musk's activities within the treasury. It has been one of the first places to break news of Musk's activities and has been cited in the lawsuits against him.
Popular Information — Judd Legum (founder of the now-defunct ThinkProgress.) Highly influential investigative reporting; also publishes the newly-minted Musk Watch, focused on Elon Musk’s activities.
Public Notice — Aaron Rupar (ex-Vox journalist.) Notable reporting on the activities of the US right wing for a progressive audience.
WIRED — Believe it or not, the tech-focused magazine WIRED has been consistently publishing what is universally considered to be some of the best reporting on all breaking news WRT Elon Musk’s ongoing bureaucratic coup.
It’s my opinion that like if a white supremacist/Nazi is going to be reformed. They need to do so willingly. The only times I’ve heard of successful rehabilitation of fascists is when they made the conscious decision to no longer be one anymore and seek atonement. People who try to like hug and change fascists that don’t want to change are fucking morons
I really really REALLY don't want to be the antisemitism mutual again bc y'all do not know how much damage that did to my mental health. But the fact that goyim only ever mention the antisemitism in what is literally blood libel: the game as an afterthought, sometimes not even expressing it by name, and instead focusing on the trans issue - I'm saying this as a trans Jew: fucking stop it. Even if not one single penny ended up in jkr's hands bc of this game it would still be extremely harmful. Stop saying "even ignoring the game's moral problems" or "not even mentioning the antisemitism". MENTION THE ANTISEMITISM. This is a game teaching fascist ideals to PRETEENS. It is teaching them that Jewish caricatures deserve to DIE for the crime of wanting their cultural artifacts back, it is teaching them that Jewish caricatures wanting to no longer be oppressed is equal to murdering "wizards" (aka white goyim) (while the main character literally discovers they're pure bloods...) and kidnapping children - THE OLDEST FORM OF BLOOD LIBEL. Jewish lives MATTER. I'm saying this as a trans Jew, but cishet, able bodied, white, neurotypical Jews also deserve to be safe. We all deserve to be able to exist as Jews without being targeted. Antisemitic hate crimes has been on the rise by hundreds of percentages worldwide, especially in the US and Europe. Stop treating us as afterthoughts.
that’s enough emotions for a whole year. ciao
The best dynamic for a group of characters: every single one of them is the weirdest person you will ever meet, but in wildly different ways. Every time you think you’ve identified “the normal one” they casually reveal that they don’t think birds exist, or they fistfight grizzly bears on the weekends, or they collect human skulls, and you realize again that none of these people are remotely normal.
Also they’re found family.
The first official step towards banning any and all LGBTQ+ art and literature has been taken.
This is what hypersexualizing queer topics was always leading towards. Expect this to be the signal flare that gets some state legislature barreling forward to enact this exact measure, solely so the bill can be struck down, challenged legally, then taken all the way to SCOTUS.
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Repeating what I said on Twitter: This is a good time to remind people that just being LGBTQ in this moment in time can be considered an outright radical act, so anything less than going all-in on the life you want to lead is fucking pointless.
Put another way, if you're putting actual time and energy into respectability shit right now, do everyone *and* yourself a huge favor, and stop wasting your time.
You can't fucking negotiate with Christian Terrorists.
Yes I’m a gay man. Yes I have no interior design sense. Yes we exist.