Профиль

Some thoughts about some things.

⚠️ STRIPE users ⚠️ Stripe is automatically enrolling free users of their fraud protection program into a paid tier. Free users have to manually go into their accounts and change to a "true free" version.

OBO was (still is?) the largest human trafficking bust in the 21s century US. The folks running it made ~$200 million. There's a lot of money in slavery. What can I say. OBO led directly to the anti-slavery H2A reforms in 2024. Which, again, Trump repealed in June 2025. Because they worked.

Yep, "you can't just fire people, keep their passports, do brutality, not even a little bit" was in some anti-slavery reforms to the H2A program in 2024. Farmers were outraged at the "gov't overreach & red tape." They went hard for Trump in '24, & he repealed those farm worker regs in June 2025.

please let this become cool

bsky.app/profile/susa...

I also like in-person used bookstores like Half Priced Books that support a whole secondary book economy -- people can sell books back to the store, people who can't afford full-priced books can have the full bookstore experience, even "free bookstores" are an excellent part of the ecosystem

more thoughts on ethical book buying here: susankayequinn.com/how-to-buy-s...

I try to buy new from indie bookstores when possible -- it's more expensive but it's supporting the authors (which 2nd hand stores do not) and bookstores (which ebay does not). There's a whole ecosystem that needs support to make books exist. That said, used bookstores are better than piracy

ALSO: I maintain that a $30-$50 special edition book (or even a bookshelf of them) is a cheap "luxury" for a middle class that's not able to access "real" luxury because of the hellscape economy. I already know books are under attack; I'm glad to see a cultural focus on them, that's important. 7/n

I found that whole article very interesting and smart but missing the resistance part (because she's focused on culture/luxury). I think a lot about how all the "cool" stuff (in culture) starts in the underground (the subcultures, the resistance, the disenfranchised) and then gets co-opted 6/n

And it's not just me--wait times at libraries are skyrocketing. Book stores are flourishing. All while attacks on books (from AI, fascists) are escalating. **BOOKS ARE THE BATTLEGROUND** luxury focus on books is just the elites/upper-class wanting what the rag tag rebels are actually doing 5/n

"I have the time and the money to read for pleasure. I don’t have to wait for limited access to a copy from a library...I own this book. All of that is akin to luxury" Agreed, which is why reading as resistance and support of libraries is the radical counterpoint to that luxury statement. 4/n

...and double points if you got it from the library! Resistance reading is for everyone. (some folks advocate piracy but obviously I disagree strongly with that faction) 3/n

"Whether they’re expensive, rare, or just en masse a visual representation of a very healthy book budget, there is often an element of wealth in this aesthetic" Which is why I emphasize the library and books not as *conspicuous wealth* but rather *conspicuous knowledge* 2/n

Some thoughts on this very interesting piece... 🧵 smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2026/04/book... "the difference between reading as a hobby/activity, and reading as an aesthetic." I also wonder about reading as *resistance*... 1/n

10/10 would watch

wtf

my outrage is pretty much set permanently at 11 for all AI corps