Also, f Paxton, Abbott, Cruz, Roy, and whichever other cretin I didn’t call out that deserves it.

I’m even more hopeful than ever seeing locals showing up to vote for common sense policies and representatives. I’ve felt a distinct lack of interest in civic responsibility and political activism from most folks in Texas for years, although some groups are definitely making up for the broader public apathy in the way they show up. I’m unfairly comparing Texas to other politically active places like New York is in the way people are civically engaged, but this is good news to me overall. The tide continues to turn…

For San Antonio being a purple to somewhat blue city, I’m surprised to hear there was no event there, especially given the proximity to Austin.

Hear hear. They’re fallible, make trash decisions, and bleed like the rest of us. It’s time we recognize them only as the scourge they are.

I’m very meh on the AWD as someone in the north. Not needed, but a/c is definitely helpful!

This is the way.

Awesome anecdote and wise words to live by. We all have a part to play, no matter how small we perceive it to be. Our friends, family, and neighbors all need to know that we don’t capitulate to the pressure of bullies.

Every single person I talk to just wants a normal life - to put food on the table, and to be able to have a decent existence in their short time on this planet.

We’re all struggling to understand this chaos we exist in now. Let’s all try to be as understanding as we can with each other… that is, all except for the N@zis at the Fed right now. They can most certainly get f’d.

This was a great synopsis of the tour and a focus on some of the key points.

On the matter of Dems that aren’t fighting for the people, there are indeed a few but they’ve been pushed out by big money campaigns, such as Jamààl Bowman. He is an authentic leader that is constantly making the rounds with folks on the ground, and ÀIPÀC ran a smear campaign against him that cost him his congressional seat.

What stings is that Dems don’t come to the defense of their own, and the few that are actually doing anything good just get forced out, lack press, or are outright silenced. There’s no unity within the party because they’re all bought by different interests, competing for the same kickbacks.

Smart approach to go to the union, didn’t think to do that. Thanks!

You’re at least making up for my inability to step away from it atm. I wouldn’t have bought into the environment had it not been for my partner, and work of course. I grew up on PS and PC gaming, just recently started using Xbox. Damn it.

I’d like to think I’m pretty decent at sticking to boycotts, but holy hell, my work platform is Microsoft and their products, and I run gaming servers for my friends online and play through game pass. This is going to be so hard for people to step back and not use their platforms and software if they’re in it like me. Not sure how to proceed.

We might not have them as you see them today, but there is building science that is centuries old that works with the environment to have architectural solutions that don’t even rely on electricity to retain heat or cool a space. There’s also the more modern passive house design. As someone born and raised in a hot climate like you mentioned, had we created a built environment like this instead of crippling ourselves to use fossil fuels and refrigerants with high global warming potential, we wouldn’t be where we are today. I agree that a/c changed the world. That change could have been a much more positive one had we taken a more practical approach!

Holy f. This piss poor administration is showing just how incompetent they truly are. Everyone will suffer for their actions. I had no idea just how much the US gained in having peaceful relations with traditional allies, and so many Americans have been blissfully unaware just how f’d that all has become in record time. Way to go, a holes.

Reading that Denmark lost just as many soldiers post-9/11 as the US did, I’m in shock as to how idiotic our education system is that it wasn’t highlighted how brave contributions allies have provided over the years has helped us, and of course not just in war time. As an American, I’m truly sorry to the rest of the world for not knowing the great extent of solidarity and kindness allies have shown over the years. Of course, I understand why that’s likely no longer going to be the case.

Okay, how many Wisconsinites can we mobilize? To the streets!

Admittedly I know little about journalism as a profession and practice, but I feel this is an absolute spot on take. So much of what’s happening is going to shake up pretty much everything. Here’s hoping it wakes enough people up to mobilize for radically good change that puts the working class first.

Same. I stopped using non-Beehaw social media at the end of last year and haven’t looked back. I barely respond to texts as well. My social battery is pretty weak these days and I can only take so much irl interaction.

How is this meaningful when leadership there is likely in support of the current administration? If there are actually positives here, I’ll remain hopeful.

Neat! Sounds promising. Funny, I was just telling one of my friends about G4 (the channel) today. I miss that 2000s/early 2010s vibe. Everything just went to major commercialization too fast and it took so much fun out of the hobby. I think gamers are recognizing this nowadays and trying to claw their way out of it and this feels like a step in that direction.

Hard agree. It’s times like these that I look for any humans that understand and show compassion. I’m really lucky to have met gentle souls with personalities that wear like battle-tested armor. I do my best to learn from the many hardships we’ve all faced and try to be the mycelium that brings us together with a shared appreciation for a simple, equitable lifestyle and community. Much easier said than done.

So much to noodle on. I have so many emotions about what’s to come, but suffice it to say that a full step back from exploitative economies is going to take a concerted effort from all of us to learn how we contribute to them. I don’t know if we’re all prepared to do that as now so few of us have resources to be discerning with our purchases. How do we make it easier for people that can’t make “considerate” choices toward a healthy economy… especially when critical thinking and free time are at an all time low? What a wicked problem we’ve woven. Is it just going to be us trying to barter with simple goods, participating in mutual aid networks exclusively to sustain ourselves in the near future? It’s not so simple to participate in modern life in the US without being a commodity ourselves, interacting with the systems that dress us down and rate our worthiness with a litany of traits deemed to have a value in this world according to those with power - income, living situation, gender, location, height, skin color - the list goes on. What’s the best way to fight against the commodification of humans in the labor force while simultaneously enriching small networks of communities interacting outside of the exploitative systems we are forced to interact with to survive? Who would be willing to trust their neighbors to sustain their livelihoods? So many questions from a soul that has been made weary from the forced lack of connection to their fellow humans.