Earlier today, I took a long walk on the Hill because it's gorgeous outside. I was passing by the Supreme Court, and at the intersection was this gentleman screaming into a mic and speaker about abortion. No one was around. (short thread)
He wore a floppy hat and sunglasses and had a cardboard sign propped up against the speaker. He shouts "God doesn't love abortionists!" I pass him and mind my own business. He looks at me--because again, no one is around--and shouts: "God doesn't love abortionists, right?!"
I glanced at him, shrugged my shoulders, and simply said "God loves me" and crossed the street. He was silent for a good five seconds. Seems that he didn't know how to respond. I have no idea if he perceived me as trans or what, but the man clearly didn't know how what to say.
But as I reached the other side of the street, he shouts into his mic: "God... God doesn't love you!" I didn't turn around, but I did say out loud: "Nope, God loves me! She said so." And this pisses him off, and he starts shouting and I put my headphones in and keep walking.
I can vaguely hear him shouting at me still but have no idea what he's saying. But then, I turn left on Constitution and I get about 50 yards down, and this car pulls up beside me. A gentleman is inside, rolls down his window, and asks, "Excuse me, was he talking to you?"
I say: "Yeah, I think he was."
And the gentleman says: "Ignore him. God loves you, and you are perfectly made. Ignore him." And he drives off.
It was a very sweet moment, that this stranger took time out of his day to make sure I felt affirmed.
Anyway, that made my day. /end
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Yesterday, just before noon, The Washington Post, through CEO William Lewis, announced it would not endorse a candidate in the 2024 presidential election.
It was shocking for two immediate reasons.
(thread)
The most grave—and, frankly, terrifying—reason is that the United States is obviously at threat of sliding into a horrific dictatorship from which it’s difficult to see how we’d ever recover.
Donald Trump and J.D. Vance have made it abundantly clear that they aspire to devolve our nation into the world’s most powerful authoritarian regime. One need look no further than the chilling plans outlined in Project 2025.
I’m writing this after traveling back from the future, specifically Nov. 12th.
It’s a long story, but I know a lady who knows a lady who has a friend with a DeLorean souped up with an off-market flux capacitor and the trip got made.
(thread)
Anyway, we don’t have much time, so I’ll cut to the chase.
I got some good news and some bad news and some more good news.
Here’s the first good bit: Election Night went mostly okay, though not without a lot of stress.
By 1am on the East Coast, it was basically clear that Vice President Harris and Governor Walz were going to win the bulk of the swing states, all of them by pretty small margins.
I'd love to be wrong on this because any other answer would imply a straightforward fix, but I'm pretty damn sure the "Democrats aren't reaching young men" critique is never backed up with suggestions because the critic knows it isn't about messaging. It's about misogyny.
Sometimes, I'll see other answers offered that don't make any sense.
"Well, young men are worried about student loans."
VP Harris has talked about student loans, and Pres. has forgiven the loans of 5 million people. Also: how is this strictly about young men?
"I mean, maybe not student loans. It's about upward mobility. Young men need a future."
VP Harris laid out an expansive economic vision for all working class families. How are young men affected disproportionately? How is this strictly a young men's issue?
The Harris-Walz campaign just announced an extensive economic plan for rural communities. Deeply impressive vision for working class families in rural areas.
I have been especially concerned with a growing attitude among many progressives and Democrats that AI disinformation is a problem limited only to conservatives, particularly Trump supporters.
And that is painfully false, and we need to talk about it.
(thread)
Are there things about AI that I find cool and interesting and hopeful?
Of course.
From medicine to education to national security, artificial intelligence has made once improbable strides possible, seemingly, to most of us, overnight.
It hasn’t been overnight. The technological advances we’re witnessing—and those on the horizon—are the culmination of decades of the labor of determined and brilliant people.
Tonight, Hurricane Milton will slam into Florida's west coast in the Tampa Bay region. It's expected to be one of the strongest hurricanes to ever make landfall in the U.S., threatening many millions of lives.
Here's what Pres. Biden is already doing to help prepare:
(thread)
Pres. Biden has already approved an emergency declaration for Florida. Under an emergency declaration, FEMA provides direct Federal support to states for life-saving activities and other emergency protective measures, such as evacuation, sheltering, and search and rescue.
Pres. Biden was first briefed on Monday re: Milton’s potential impacts and the work FEMA is doing to preposition life-saving resources in advance of the storm. He received another briefing yesterday from Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall.