Sharon of the Strange Times

Sharon A. Hill, Strange Claims Adjuster
Spooky Geologist
Weird news, strange animals, and anomalous natural phenomena
EdM, Science and the Public
Posts self destruct after 90 days.

#fedi22

Public Key

npub1q9tx79x6n8j27v4fsah9c0mvvwc8f4j7j0s88jzyhc6agchs0ncqyes0va

NIP-05 Address

idoubtit@mstdn-social.mostr.pub

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsqz4n0zndfne90x25cwmju8akx8vr56e0f8crnepztudw5vtc8euqpz4mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerfw36x7tnsw43qz9thwden5te0wfjkccte9ekk7um5wgh8qatzzu7knk

Publishing to

relay.ditto.pub

relay.mostr.pub

Author Public Key

npub1q9tx79x6n8j27v4fsah9c0mvvwc8f4j7j0s88jzyhc6agchs0ncqyes0va

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Last Notes

2026-10-22 12:48:32 UTC

Any suggestions for an interview recording app for #podcasting? I don’t need fancy but easy and reliable is appreciated. No video needed. Free preferred.

2026-08-14 13:49:22 UTC

I updated my Substack "about" page.
I understand some people hate Substack but, listen, it is NOT Xitter and it has some of the most awesome new writers. I do not use subscriptions. I do not make Substack any money. So please consider subscribing to my feed. It's always free.
https://sharonahill.substack.com/about

2026-08-07 12:39:24 UTC

Mastodon is still missing the discoverability factor. People really want that and it's a reason why Substack has done well. I know algorithms have downsides but I'd like a better alternative to searching and not finding.

2026-08-04 01:15:01 UTC

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@nprofile…mvqa Well that is good. I have not been able to find a place there. I don’t get good vibes.
I would bet on a steady enshittification and I’m not going to tolerate such a downward spiral again. So I haven’t committed there.

2026-08-04 01:07:55 UTC

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@nprofile…mvqa But that platform isn’t growing much either. And it’s got its issues. Again, so much politics there. Doomscroll.

2026-08-04 01:03:45 UTC

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@nprofile…mvqa I get it. Unfortunately, that might be the case everywhere. People use social media differently these days. The public has no patience for thoughtfulness and authenticity. All sense of community is fragmented. It’s all about politics, sensationalism and controversy. Sad.

2026-07-29 13:07:14 UTC

Musing about how the words “raze” and “raise” are pronounced the same but mean exactly the opposite - to tear down to the ground and to bring up. If you are talking to someone, how would you know what they did to the barn?

2026-07-08 21:40:07 UTC

Step right up for the latest in Bigfoot hoaxes – Modern Cryptozoology
https://moderncryptozoology.wordpress.com/2026/07/07/step-right-up-for-the-latest-in-bigfoot-hoaxes/

2026-07-03 16:33:36 UTC

For several years now, I've been seeing seeds for fake flowers for sale across various platforms, particularly Facebook ads. Now apparently they are on Etsy and Amazon. My mother in law bought some over 5 years ago. They are real seeds but do not grow into the flowers as shown because the shape, size, color are impossible. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Don't click on those ads. #bloomscrolling https://www.404media.co/scammers-sell-seeds-for-exotic-ai-generated-flowers-that-dont-exist/

2026-07-02 22:06:28 UTC

County With 37 Data Centers Asks Schools to ‘Conserve Electricity’
https://www.404media.co/henrico-virginia-datacenter-energy-cost-email/

2026-06-26 14:34:09 UTC

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@nprofile…6e37 This looks great, something I would have coveted as a child!

2026-06-09 23:05:02 UTC

With the warm weather, the incidents of mystery booms are ramping up in the suburbs. I find it weird that this is so common but everyone acts like it's a new thing. Can no one search on the internet anymore? While we now all know the sound of an exploding meteor or sonic boom. the tannerite explanation is woefully under-considered. https://sharonahill.com/mystery-booms-and-skyquakes/

2026-06-06 19:37:16 UTC

New species of dinosaur, a cousin of Velociraptor, probably glided on four “wings” and hunted early birds | EurekAlert!
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1130828

2026-05-20 21:46:06 UTC

Say that perpetual liar and unhinged Prez announces we have evidence of aliens, who would actually believe him? All the people who already believe unreasonably nonsense about aliens. This scenario playing out would not surprise me. Nothing does anymore in these strange times.

2026-05-04 15:30:00 UTC

Tito checking out the blooming five-spot (Nemophila). #dogs #bloomscrolling
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/116/517/012/136/258/149/original/1f07c905fda6d49f.jpeg

2026-04-19 14:29:00 UTC

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@nprofile…yvvx "Bring out the flying saucers!"

2026-04-19 01:00:10 UTC

I wonder if Trump is holding a (bogus) UFO/UAP card to use as a distraction for when his next big scandal breaks.

2026-04-13 19:07:00 UTC

I heard a non-expert mention Nessie as "plesi-AH-sa-rus" instead of a "Pleeze-e-o-saur-us" in a audiobook and I almost spit out my drink. Ouch.

2026-04-05 01:44:49 UTC

Immersive art at the Buffalo art museum.
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/116/349/565/831/727/123/original/2daa4870bd81aef0.jpeg

2026-03-25 15:41:41 UTC

I was going to post this directly to Substack but I figured it might piss people off: I cannot comprehend the subscription model. Don’t people feel some economic ouchy paying for a dozen or more subscriptions? (when you are interested in hearing many voices. ) I might pay for professional content but amateur writing and buddies doing a podcast doesn’t seem to be a solid business venture.

2026-03-20 12:47:41 UTC

Around St. Patrick’s Day in 2006, a morning news program in Mobile, Ala., aired a story that turned heads: Someone claimed to have spotted a leprechaun in the neighborhood of Crichton.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/17/us/mobile-alabama-leprechaun-st-patricks-day.html

2026-03-03 20:46:02 UTC

Did you know... that Peter Tork of the Monkees had a habit of mouthing other people's lines? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drOkyu2LOAw

2026-03-01 19:01:00 UTC

Mastodon and on Bluesky seem to have plateaued in growth. It feels like social media has lost its luster. We need an impetus to use it again, for it to become actually useful again.

2026-03-01 18:55:18 UTC

I have an "all cryptids" and cryptozoology blog that I keep somewhat separate from my main site. If you are into this niche topic - please check it out. https://moderncryptozoology.wordpress.com/

2026-03-01 02:26:50 UTC

I have so much to say that I’m at a loss for words.

2026-01-14 21:53:01 UTC

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@nprofile…35vy I LOVE that restaurant. I am not surprised by their courageous action.

2025-12-30 18:22:55 UTC

It’s still frustrating that I can’t reach my usual Fortean audience here or on BlueSky. It’s not a find and follow culture like early socials.

2025-12-15 23:50:39 UTC

Don’t even talk to me about “hypocrisy”. The other side defending this terrifying bullshit isn’t rational, reasonable, or normal. They are a messed up cult. Stop playing softball. Rip it up.

2025-12-04 20:18:11 UTC

Still blooming. #Bloomscrolling
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/115/663/141/569/111/370/original/53e461e8f5be4363.png

2025-12-02 18:03:30 UTC

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@nprofile…26ln I occasionally see this but not very often. Maybe it's your home server? Ask John Conway - doesn't he run the server?

2025-11-19 17:39:11 UTC

You know who can claim they have work-life balance and have time to manage their health and daily tasks?
Retired people.
Otherwise, this is bullshit.

2025-11-16 19:09:43 UTC

I have a terrible time sleeping when it’s windy. I feel bad, get headaches. It’s going to be windy for two more nights.

2025-11-08 20:51:59 UTC

The NY Times sucks. I'm fairly convinced only rather non-smart people write for it or read it anymore. This story seems to support that. https://lithub.com/maybe-dont-talk-to-the-new-york-times-about-zohran-mamdani/

2025-11-01 20:36:41 UTC

Frosty the squirrel visited the water bowl last week, along with a skunk, oposum, raccoon, another squirrel, mouse and birds.
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/115/476/354/939/647/920/original/6e98d74076e25f72.jpeg

2025-10-20 20:01:33 UTC

Nothing is forever. Not precious crown jewels, not museums, not historical treasures, not countries. Not even planets. It's pretty awful to face up to the end of rather permanent things in one's lifetime.

2025-10-16 15:49:14 UTC

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@nprofile…26ln So few good ones left. Reddit sucked the life out of them. It's awful.

2025-10-16 15:21:54 UTC

Are you a fan of ghosts, cryptids, and general Forteana? Come join the very long-running Forteana forums. https://forums.forteana.org/index.php

2025-10-05 20:30:43 UTC

There is a young girl sitting on the curb in front of my house with a backpack for the last half hour or so. I went to talk to her but she was vague, doesn't want to give me any info. Says she doesn't need help. Seems sad. I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to get her in trouble but it's concerning. She's probably around 13, has an ipad and a Pepsi so she's not far from home.

2025-10-05 18:24:51 UTC

I don't see people from BlueSky coming here. There was some rumor but it didn't get very far. People love that place. If they didn't come here first after leaving Xitter, they aren't going to now. They are very prejudiced against it from various misinformation.

2025-10-03 14:42:03 UTC

This is my favorite meme today. If you want to keep up appearances, then Like/Favorite if you get it. RIP Patricia.
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/115/310/752/178/952/512/original/4a6c8459a72ec075.jpg

2025-10-01 00:12:34 UTC

I was watching a compilation of pro-Rapture people that was terribly depressing. Society has failed them. They can only have faith in myth. They are struggling with life. This is why secular countries with social safety nets are happier; they don’t have to worry that only a miracle can save them.

2025-08-27 17:13:16 UTC

Do you think the marketing firm or person was fired after the Cracker Barrel nonsense?

2025-06-17 01:40:12 UTC

16 pelicans drop from the sky in Mobile, Alabama.
A probable lightning strike did them in as they roosted in a tree. The neighbors complained that the municipal workers aren't collecting the corpses. https://www.wkrg.com/mobile-county/mystery-over-a-dozen-pelican-corpses-found-on-mobile-street-police-respond/

2025-06-16 22:25:28 UTC

There are parts of a baby bird strewn in my front yard, cats are fighting loudly at night, and there is a one curled up alongside my neighbor's house sleeping in the daytime. In my backyard is a grave for a cat hit in front of my house a few months ago.
KEEP YOUR DAMN #CATS INDOORS.

2025-06-05 14:21:20 UTC

Excellent and critical news reporting from long-serving meterorologist in Florida.
Florida Weatherman Warns Can't Predict Hurricanes After Cuts. Please share. #weather
https://www.mediaite.com/media/tv/florida-weatherman-warns-he-wont-be-able-to-accurately-predict-hurricanes-this-summer-because-of-federal-budget-cuts/

2025-05-30 23:33:56 UTC

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@nprofile…r0kn I'm convinced they are making inferior windshields in the past 4 years. We've had 3 cracked windshields on 3 different cars, it's ridiculous.

2025-05-28 18:57:49 UTC

A sudden and awful reminder that global warming is happening quickly, right now. It doesn't go away if you don't believe it.
Swiss glacier collapse buries most of village of Blatten
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cnv1evn2p2vo

2025-05-25 19:52:06 UTC

I've written a lot about cryptids and paranormal content over the past 30 years. But, honestly, it's so enshittified right now, completely commercialized, fake, and overly "spirit" based, that I'm losing all interest. The trajectory of bonehead bros, giggly gals, and now the absurd Appalachian occult weirdness trend has tried my patience. There used to be some value in the ethnography, but it's too ugly and idiotic.

2025-05-25 11:31:27 UTC

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@nprofile…xn9u So in that case, the book won the award. 😏

2025-05-25 00:45:24 UTC

Even if I ever won an award, I don’t think I would advertise myself as “award-winning” in my bio. Awards are so often bogus distinctions. When I see that, it’s cringe.

2025-05-21 12:58:03 UTC

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@nprofile…jlsl When they land on something that isn’t green, the color is marvelous.

2025-05-20 20:16:33 UTC

When I put the camera in a new location, the birds have to investigate. 1/3
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/114/541/997/292/002/750/original/a187c7fb2c7cb4cc.jpeg

2025-05-19 12:56:51 UTC

Considering the state of social media, public trust, and degree of misinformation out there, I do not like making Flat Earth a topic of public/political conversation again. Do not popularize something that unserious persons will latch onto just for shits and giggles. Their judgement will always be terrible. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2025/05/17/flat-earth-us-politicians/83492658007/

2025-05-18 15:24:50 UTC

Lily of the valley. It’s the end of their bloom time now. #bloomscrolling
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/114/529/526/723/305/058/original/b13bb08fae4a9f3b.jpg

2025-05-17 23:57:04 UTC

The mythical world of Safari Ltd cryptids – Sharon A. Hill
Hat tip to @nprofile…xn9u
https://sharonahill.com/the-mythical-world-of-safari-ltd-cryptids/

2025-05-12 19:26:57 UTC

Man died of ‘blunt force injuries’ at US zoo after suspected kangaroo fight | South Carolina
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/12/man-died-kangaroo-fight-south-carolina-zoo

2025-05-12 13:18:35 UTC

Assuming this was the work of a very methodical woodpecker.
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/114/495/051/967/312/564/original/75ab5ce3fda5e914.jpeg

2025-05-12 02:12:45 UTC

THIS IS SO COOL!
First fault movement ever filmed. M7.9 surface rupture filmed near Thazi, Myanmar - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77ubC4bcgRM

2025-05-08 20:52:02 UTC

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@nprofile…srdc That's crazy. What kind of person thinks it's OK to steal from your garden.

2025-04-30 20:32:48 UTC

Pop Cryptid Spectator 15
In this edition: Florida Bigfoot Conference review, Sasquatch heads around town, AI cryptids: Faked Nessie sightings, AI cryptids: Fake Yeti photo circulating, AI Fake Coelacanth News, Mokele-mbembe and Creationists' corruption, Cryptid media: The Cryptid Factor podcast https://sharonahill.com/pop-cryptid-spectator-15/

2025-04-30 19:39:04 UTC

My kid is graduating uni soon and she has a job lined up. I’m nervous for her but she said, “Honestly, it’s like a dream to only have to work for 8 hours a day.” She can’t wait.

2025-04-18 20:20:41 UTC

My favorite flower combo is blooming now. I wish they lasted longer. #Bloomscrolling
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/114/360/817/606/767/838/original/6654b2ccb7a9a5d4.jpeg
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/114/360/817/624/861/914/original/daab97f6d1bb3f47.jpeg

2025-04-17 18:13:56 UTC

If you are going gripe about and protest Tesla cars, why aren’t you railing on those still using Twitter/X? That is a far more obvious problem. Yet that platform is still rolling along spewing propaganda.

2025-04-14 21:02:11 UTC

Weirdly Canadian – Winnipeg Free Press
You don't have to go to the USA to experience strangeness - Embrace some homegrown strangeness for your next domestic trek
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/travel/2025/04/12/weirdly-canadian

2025-04-03 16:44:36 UTC

Someone do a round robin of worst songs ever. I wanna see which horrid 70s or Kid Rock song wins. Christmas songs aren't eligible because there are only about 10 good ones ever.

2025-03-13 17:22:20 UTC

This disgusting person is, according to her Insta account, a "Outdoor enthusiast & hunter ➶ Wildlife Biologist & Environmental Scientist | MSc" #animals
Hope Sam Jones goes broke now and gets blacklisted from more places than Australia. She needs to be booted from #Instagram
US tourist filmed running off with baby wombat may have visa canceled, official says | CNN
https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/13/travel/australia-us-tourist-wombat-visa-intl-hnk/index.html

2025-03-10 19:44:40 UTC

Giraffe in Detroit: Animal spotted in bed of pickup is 100% real | FOX 2 Detroit
https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/giraffe-back-metro-detroit-truck-goes-viral

2025-03-06 13:16:38 UTC

This is the level of Nessie "evidence", shoddy pics of a dark blob that is likely not an animal at all. What happened to the monsters flopping across the road? The monster never existed. But it's a pop #cryptid everyone loves.
https://www.djournal.com/news/national/first-potential-loch-ness-monster-sighting-of-2025-reported/article_a11e87b7-6e8e-5f9c-86ad-a2fcc2f3a856.html

2025-02-27 18:14:46 UTC

I'm unclear which calendar app to use. I want something that is intuitive, exportable, and able to be seen on all devices. I used to use apple, then google, then Proton. I don't know which to use now.

2025-02-16 13:23:59 UTC

Unless the #books are free, I'm not buying ebooks from Amazon anymore.

2025-02-13 14:22:51 UTC

Google Maps blocks Gulf of America reviews after rename criticism
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crlky380wd7o

2025-02-12 13:39:18 UTC

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@nprofile…48vs There was an account on this platform that just put “Not” or “No” in front of every ridiculous claim. I asked them to rethink this horrid framing. They ignored me. I unfollowed. I think that, at best, such a tactic is worthless, but it could be reinforcing the misinfo.

2025-02-03 15:01:16 UTC

US Stock market drops.. Who could have predicted that screwing around with global trade would have such bad results?!?
Fucking idiots...

2025-01-21 19:21:57 UTC

Seen on Bluesky: "Twitter, Meta, and Tiktok are all state media now. They will suppress and censor narratives, beliefs, and views opposed by the administration." https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g32yxpdz0o

2025-01-19 16:53:42 UTC

The downers keep on coming. Just heard that my step mom's cancer is spreading. She has to start chemo which is going to be super tough on my Dad. As you get older, you really have to find bits of joy when you can get it. I expected illness and family troubles, but the era of the US of Awful was not part of my expectation when I was imagining my 50s 20 years ago.

2025-01-19 00:06:57 UTC

I'm putting the Pop Cryptid Spectator editions on my Substack. I actually need an algorithm to reach a wider audience.
I'm also tired of hearing about how awful everything is. Substack is bad for monetizing and lacks a moral backbone, but it's such an easy way to do a publication.

2025-01-16 19:32:41 UTC

"Living your life to impress other men by hating women is one of the most embarrassing things I can imagine. Looking up to any of these men for how to live your life is even sadder."
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jan/16/i-knew-one-day-id-have-to-watch-powerful-men-burn-the-world-down-i-just-didnt-expect-them-to-be-such-losers

2025-01-11 17:08:57 UTC

Changing the heated waterer and found hoarded cat food pile under and around it. I don't put out cat food, something is bringing in it. Squirrel? #nature #garden

2025-01-11 15:10:05 UTC

Many things in our complex society require complex explanations. But people want simple black & white answers and think it's suspicious if they have to think through possibilities they don't understand (like odds, science, or social behaviors). Social media is not conducive to complex explanations.

2025-01-09 13:48:07 UTC

I have a memory of buying Old Chicago seltzer at the corner store in the mid-80s. They had flavors like chocolate cherry and mint chocolate. I recall flakes of chocolate at the bottom. But, if my memory is correct, then people probably weren't fond of drinking sediment. They were amazing and I miss them. #food #memories #nostalgia

2025-01-08 23:30:19 UTC

A meteor falls in Pennsylvania, and lands in ice cream.
Check out this wild tale of danger and #science. #Pennsylvania #spookygeology
https://sharonahill.com/a-meteor-falls-in-pennsylvania-and-lands-in-ice-cream/

2025-01-08 00:18:21 UTC

I'm closing down my Pop Goes the Cryptid page on Facebook.
Not getting engagement and I hated trying to manage it. I'll be using that crapsite less and less. I'd manage to only use it for friends and family, groups, and marketplace, but even now, it's not really worth the effort.

2024-12-26 20:35:40 UTC

This new paper regarding the nature of science and science education uses cryptozoology in contrast to zoology as an example of pseudoscience (Section 6.2). https://brill.com/view/journals/apse/aop/article-10.1163-23641177-bja10083/article-10.1163-23641177-bja10083.xml

2024-12-20 15:14:01 UTC

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@nprofile…zp6v This is so lovely. :nkohappytears:

2024-12-15 00:20:18 UTC

I've updated my Pop Goes the Cryptid page with most of my work so far. Will be adding more and maybe have a weekly Pop #Cryptid newsletter in the new year. So, please, subscribe for posts if you haven't already. I will never charge you for content or misuse your email. https://sharonahill.com/pop-goes-the-cryptid/

2024-12-07 14:49:44 UTC

Big selection of used nonfiction #books for sale. #geology #nature #science #history #paranormal #skepticism US shipping only. https://pangobooks.com/bookstore/spookygeologist

2024-12-02 17:52:12 UTC

I shall never understand the motivation of YouTube commenters or Reddit repliers. I'm having a hard time believing they are smart enough to turn on a device, yet, there they are, typing insane s**t.

2024-11-30 00:41:38 UTC

I’m not quite on track to finish 40 books this year which is my goal. I’m on 33 with only December left. I mean, I can cheat and only read short books…

2024-11-27 13:26:40 UTC

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@nprofile…y54t “We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology.” ― Carl Sagan.

2024-11-25 18:11:05 UTC

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@nprofile…49cc We have failed to teach critical thinking for several decades now. Irrationality is inevitable.

2024-11-23 23:32:50 UTC

I don't know if the AI Slop accounts, like "I love Nature" and "Moon Lovers", etc. ever got a foothold here. But they are relocating to the new place.
Same as the old place.
Just taking months instead of years to populate and recruit thousands of lazy, thoughtless followers and reposters.

2024-11-21 17:15:27 UTC

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@nprofile…843t I’ve always felt gloomy in November for several reasons but this year is particularly rough. I think this is a club with many members.

2024-11-17 20:20:12 UTC

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@nprofile…sr9k Following celebrities is what got our culture into its giant mess.

2024-11-13 22:57:49 UTC

Hubby said he overheard people complaining about how cigarettes have not gone down in price since that’s what they voted for last Tuesday. Yeah… people are so dumb.

2024-10-20 00:21:28 UTC

Embers in the solo stove. So neat to watch.
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/113/336/889/072/285/769/original/d363b5370a6540a8.jpeg

2024-08-26 22:23:17 UTC

I don't know how else to express this: Every account that publicizes, magnifies, or otherwise calls attention to Tweets is PISSING ME OFF. Even the accounts I love. Stop it. Xitter needs to die. Stop promoting it. And don't even get me started with those who still post there. READ THE ROOM!

2024-08-17 17:29:14 UTC

50 years of tax cuts for the rich failed to trickle down, economics study says - CBS News
No, shit, Sherlocks.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tax-cuts-rich-50-years-no-trickle-down/

2024-07-29 17:51:29 UTC

All governmental orgs and offices should be active on #Mastodon, a free and open platform, and not on for-profit social media.
Pass it on. #Government #Politics #Harris

2024-07-29 14:25:46 UTC

Air quality across N. Am is not great today.
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/112/870/237/428/319/824/original/d48b99960c3e708a.png

2024-07-29 12:15:58 UTC

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@npub1y3m…r6lg I don't know what that is but I already understand what is scientifically known about NMSZ.