AnthonyB's recent activity
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Comment on Sen. Lindsey Graham dies at 71 after ‘brief and sudden illness’ in ~society
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Comment on 2026 Fifa World Cup - Finals discussion and news megathread (quarters/semis/finals) in ~sports.football
AnthonyB Link ParentKansas City, Kansas is also stealing the stadium location of the Kansas City Chiefs, who currently play their games in Kansas City, Missouri. Which, when it comes to American football stadium...Kansas City, Kansas is also stealing the stadium location of the Kansas City Chiefs, who currently play their games in Kansas City, Missouri. Which, when it comes to American football stadium theft, isn't as bad as what happened to San Francisco (Santa Clara), New York (East Rutherford, New Jersey), Chicago (Hammond, Indiana), or Oakland (Las Vegas, Nevada).
This has been America Facts: Sports Edition*
*Trademark pending
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Comment on Emmy nominations 2026: ‘The Pitt’ and ‘Hacks’ lead drama and comedy, followed by ‘Widow’s Bay’ and ‘Pluribus’ in ~tv
AnthonyB Link ParentShe's so good in that show. My friend and I refer to her character as "biblically accurate Annie from Community."She's so good in that show. My friend and I refer to her character as "biblically accurate Annie from Community."
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Comment on Introductions | July 2026 in ~talk
AnthonyB Link ParentDamn, got me by 7 weeks. Were you in the first round of invite codes, or did you have a man on the inside?There's about six active users who are less new to this site than me
Damn, got me by 7 weeks. Were you in the first round of invite codes, or did you have a man on the inside?
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Comment on Introductions | July 2026 in ~talk
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
AnthonyB Link ParentWith a name like artvandelay, you owe it to yourself. Like Seinfeld, some things haven't aged so well, but there's some good stuff there. Season 7 is spectacular.With a name like artvandelay, you owe it to yourself. Like Seinfeld, some things haven't aged so well, but there's some good stuff there. Season 7 is
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Comment on Woman who dated US Senate candidate Graham Platner says he sexually assaulted her in ~society
AnthonyB LinkEverything about this story sucks. I'm mad and annoyed because I liked Platner and his positions. I feel discouraged and frustrated that his lies and lack of accountability for his terrible...Everything about this story sucks.
I'm mad and annoyed because I liked Platner and his positions. I feel discouraged and frustrated that his lies and lack of accountability for his terrible actions have now put the Republican party in a good position to maintain control of the Senate. But worst of all, I feel terrible for Jenny Racicot and disgusted by what her situation says about this country. I keep thinking about how we're coming up on 10 years since MeToo, and yet here we are. I can't imagine the weight of deciding between naming your rapist, or voting for him to prevent or slow the continued onslaught of a fascist movement that's led by a different rapist. I mean what the fuck.
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
AnthonyB Link ParentYeah, that was my experience as well. The background noise to appointment viewing pipeline is real. One minute you're making a com-promise to leave it on in exchange for movie selection rights,...I started off walking past the tv saying 'Oh still watching that are you?' to 'Oh my god that dude is such a dick' to 'No, don't pause, I'm not watching' to 'HOW COULD YOU WATCH AN EPISODE WITHOUT ME?'
Yeah, that was my experience as well. The background noise to appointment viewing pipeline is real. One minute you're making a com-promise to leave it on in exchange for movie selection rights, then the next thing you know, you fully emerge yourself in the show.
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
AnthonyB LinkI know I am speaking to the wrong crowd here, but Love Island is one of the most fun and interesting television shows I've ever seen. Don't get me wrong, I love me some quality/prestige TV, and I...I know I am speaking to the wrong crowd here, but Love Island is one of the most fun and interesting television shows I've ever seen. Don't get me wrong, I love me some quality/prestige TV, and I will put my personal top-10 up against anyone's, but as a cultural force, Love Island is incredible.
Is it low-brow? Yes. Is it an absurd premise? Yes. Is it degrading? I'm pretty sure, yes. Do I feel like I have a front row seat to the decay of western culture and that every great artist that I've ever appreciated would be ashamed of me for how much I love this show? Absolutely, yes. Is it still my favorite thing in the world? No question.
The beauty of Love Island is not in the show itself, it's everything that happens outside of the show. It's like a psychologist or sociologist's wet dream. There are some of the most insane fan bases and para social relationships I've ever seen. There are people breaking down episodes like it's the Zapruder film. I don't know if you, dear reader, are aware of this, but we are on the cusp of a gender war over the grievances of an incompatible couple. Boys, I hope you're ready to fight alongside KC and the Sunshine Militia because they're coming for your freedom.
I'm telling you, there's nothing else like it. Buy in. Turn your brain off. Take the soma. You can start now and be caught up with America by next week. And if you watch this with your significant other you will learn more about the way they think than any counseling session could ever achieve. But also, like, omg, Sincere is a menace, Kenzie really has to get it together, and I knew I didn't like that Gal guy!
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Comment on Weekly thread for casual chat and photos of pets in ~life.pets
AnthonyB Link ParentThank you! Yes, I've been at it a while and I love doing it. Having said that, I think I'm going to retire from fostering bottle babies (at least on my own) and stick to the ones that can eat and...Thank you! Yes, I've been at it a while and I love doing it. Having said that, I think I'm going to retire from fostering bottle babies (at least on my own) and stick to the ones that can eat and go to the bathroom by themselves. There's just not enough sleep and too much stress that they're going to die. (I'm putting this in writing so I can read it next month when I get a request to foster more bottle babies)
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Comment on Did Kamala Harris's silence on Gaza cost her the White House? in ~society
AnthonyB Link ParentI understand where you're coming from, and this was a very common perspective at the time. I'm not sure that isn't the case either, and at the end of the day we'll never know. If I set aside the...I understand where you're coming from, and this was a very common perspective at the time. I'm not sure that isn't the case either, and at the end of the day we'll never know. If I set aside the whole "crimes against humanity" thing and put on my rat fucker anything-to-win hat on (a Carville cap, if you will), I think there are important factors related to Gaza that are worth considering.
First, you're absolutely right in pointing out how sympathy for Israel was high after the 10/7 attacks. However, that sympathy waned considerably over 2024 and completely bottomed out among Democrats and left-leaning independents in 2025. I suspect that part of that bottoming out is due to partisan Democrats only recognizing what was going on once Trump took office, and that a little nudge from someone like the VP would've gotten them there sooner.
In my reply to Eji, I made the case for a weighted value for the pro-Palestinian vote, and included a link to polling from 2024 that suggests voters in battleground states were more willing to vote for a candidate that would restrict military aid to Israel on account of all the atrocities that were taking place. As for a counterweight, I don't think that existed in the Democratic coalition, at least not to a significant degree. Most voters are/were pretty indifferent about foreign policy, especially in a cost of living election. Those who would change their vote solely on maintaining support for Israel (Israel or bust) tend to fall in one of two camps: Evangelical/Christian Zionists, the vast majority of whom serve as the backbone of the Republican party, and older Jews/Jewish Zionists, who are a tiny portion of the electorate and predominantly live in solid blue states.
I think the more pressing issue for the Harris campaign was probably the threat of big money going against her and negative media attention. I can't say for sure, but from some of the things I've read about the campaign, that was their biggest fear when it came to Gaza. Conventional wisdom would say to avoid both of those things, but we saw how money can have diminishing returns as the Harris campaign spent a whopping 1.5 billion dollars and still lost. Furthermore, I think we should reconsider the impact of negative media attention now that Donald Trump has won two elections.
There's also a case to be made that taking a firm position on Gaza would alienate the pro-Israel Democrats who hold office, like Schumer, Gottheimer, Fetterman, and many many others, but I think they would save their torpedoes until after the election. After all, they were able to bite their tongue while the senile old man was the nominee. But again, who knows what would have happened.
The lens I always come back to is that there are a lot more voters more conservative then Biden
This is true when it comes to perception and self-identification. However, when you go issue by issue, that isn't the case. You'd be surprised by some of the things people support.
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Comment on Weekly thread for casual chat and photos of pets in ~life.pets
AnthonyB LinkA few months ago, I posted a long comment about bottle baby (and pooper extraordinaire) Sally, and her little kitty friends, Cal and Jules. A lot has happened since then, including a week-long...A few months ago, I posted a long comment about bottle baby (and pooper extraordinaire) Sally, and her little kitty friends, Cal and Jules. A lot has happened since then, including a week-long bout of dehydration that required me to inject IV fluid into the backs of the 200g tigers, but I'm proud to announce that all three are happy, healthy, and as of yesterday, in their forever homes. Lucky for me, Cal is staying with the family, and I get to watch him for an extra week before he goes home with my cousins. Anyway, here's a small collection of terrible photos in honor of my all-time favorite foster kittens. Enjoy :')
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Comment on Did Kamala Harris's silence on Gaza cost her the White House? in ~society
AnthonyB Link ParentI appreciate the response and I encourage you to read the article because it really isn't about what's in the headline. Rather than responding to a bunch of people individually, I'm going to clunp...I appreciate the response and I encourage you to read the article because it really isn't about what's in the headline. Rather than responding to a bunch of people individually, I'm going to clunp a few responses together and put them here since your comment covers the most ground. As for your comment, yeah, there's not a whole lot I really disagree with here. It was death by a thousand cuts. Personally, I'd say the most significant gashes were Biden's refusal to step down, misogynoir, lackluster candidate/campaign, inflation, and finally, Gaza, which I'll expand upon later.
There have been countless articles and think pieces about Harris's loss, and most of them approach it from one specific angle. One of the better, more complete breakdowns that I remember from after the election was this video from FD Signifier where he makes a very strong case for racism and misogyny being the deciding factor. I think he's right. I think that specific campaign failed because she is a black woman. A white man who is seen as too progressive will have a much easier time changing voters minds as he moves to the center. Kamala Harris ran a campaign that was for a white man, and she lost because she's a black woman. Apologies in advance, but I like to use a football analogy for this. In football, you can have a mobile quarterback who runs the ball like Lamar Jackson, or you can have a slow, old statue like Joe Flacco. With the right gameplan, you can win with either quarterback; however, if you take take Joe Flacco and try to make him run 15 times like he's Lamar Jackson, it's probably not going to work. Kamala Harris positioning herself like a tough moderate without any signature positions that address cost of living is like trying to run the ball with Joe Flacco.
I've written at length about my criticisms of the Harris campaign, so I'll spare everyone the old song and dance, but I do want to touch on something related to Gaza that I don't see mentioned often. First, there's what we knew before the election (sorry, I know I've shared this with you before), which is that voters in pivotal swing states were more likely to support a Democratic candidate who took a strong position on restricting weapons to Israel. But more importantly, I think we are severely undervaluing the people that Harris lost because of her stance on Gaza. To be clear, I'm not saying that those votes in particular are what cost her the election. When it comes to the voting booth, their vote is equal to the person who doesn't pay much attention and votes based on a combination of vibes and cost of living, and the vibes people vastly outnumber the pro-Palestinian protesters and activists. However, in the run up to the election, those protesters and activists have significantly more value than random vibes guy.
Ezra Klein likes to talk about the attention economy and how Kamala lost that battle to Trump. Having the support of the 'loud minority' would certainly help as a signal boost for her campaign online, but I think it also goes far beyond that. Think about type of person who would take part in a student encampment, or organize 700,000 people to vote "uncommitted" during an uncontested primary. They're not just going to share a few social media posts, those are your canvassers and phone bankers. That's millions of phone calls and tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of doors that could've been knocked on, and the Harris campaign told them to fuck off
A Harris organizer who worked on youth turnout said that senior campaign officials gave them an order: When they sent out mass volunteer or fundraising emails and people replied by asking about Gaza, they were told to mark it as “no response.” The result? They seldom ended up engaging with voters on that issue.
“We also didn’t create a new category for Gaza responses out of fear that category would be leaked. Instead we were told to mark them as ‘no response,’” the organizer said, faulting top Harris campaign leaders for failing to address the issue.
We'll never know if that single change could've been enough to tip the scales, and there are plenty of other significant factors that we can point to, but it's definitely not something to balk at.
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Comment on Did Kamala Harris's silence on Gaza cost her the White House? in ~society
AnthonyB LinkI kept the original title, but I don't think it's a clear summation of the content in the essay, which examines the Civil Rights movement, the Palestinian cause, and the contradiction of Kamala...I kept the original title, but I don't think it's a clear summation of the content in the essay, which examines the Civil Rights movement, the Palestinian cause, and the contradiction of Kamala Harris, a product of the former, distancing herself from the latter during her presidential bid.
I don't know where we're at with archive links these days, but this is behind a paywall. It's available with a free trial, but you know where to go if that's not what you're into. Here's a snippet if you're on the fence:
When you live as black Americans do, in a constant state of emergency, it can be hard to look across an ocean and see what the long arm of your country is doing to people like Dima. What is already blurry is rendered almost imperceptible by the spectacles of American racism. Because when those whom America kills come to this country, the one sure way for them to advance is to become white, and the one sure way to become white is to put as much distance between oneself and black people as possible. Knowing this, the temptation to adopt a more siloed strategy, one that eschews coalitions with allies who have disappointed us, is strong. This is a very bad idea.
If only because we are a minority, we need the numbers that come from alliances. And then there are certain moments, when a particular issue multiplies the power of certain allies. The Arab American vote is relatively tiny and constrained to a few states. But much as the advance of broadcast news made it hard for Southern white supremacists to hide their brutality, the sweep of social media has made it impossible for Israel, and thus the American empire, to hide its own. And just as the image of black people beaten for trying to cross a bridge resonated beyond our community, the image of a Palestinian hooked up to an IV, writhing in agony and burning alive, resonates far beyond theirs.
This resonance was not appreciated in 2024. A party that was deeply identified with destroying apartheid within its borders attempted to win by ignoring apartheid abroad. It did not work. “There was an underestimation of what was really afoot and how much it meant to so many people from many different walks of life,” says Pressley. “And I would say especially the younger generation. And I do believe it is why so many young people just did not participate and stayed home.”
There is another way.
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Harris recalls the walls of her day care center as decorated with posters of Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and Harriet Tubman. The nursery’s matriarch made pound cake and flaky biscuits, and played Aretha Franklin’s rendition of “To Be Young, Gifted and Black.” She recalls being sent on Sundays to the 23rd Avenue Church of God, where Harris and her sister, Maya, sang in the children’s choir. They were reared in a social justice Christianity, which called upon them, according to Harris, to “defend the rights of the poor and needy.” This does not strike me as the biography of someone who needs lectures on the nexus between the black freedom struggle and its import to the broader world. To the contrary, it reads like the story of someone steeped in that knowledge.
And that story forces a very basic question: What was the point of all this? Why the invocations of Tubman, the readings of Du Bois, the visits from Hamer? And did the advocates of this collective pedagogy imagine their children rising to heights of power, only to view the darker nations of the world through the same violent lens as their oppressors? And if they did not, if they believed that the “poor and needy” meant those within the empire as well as those without, then what moral mandate does that place upon their children?
And if their children have come only to praise, not check, empire, then why have they come at all?
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Did Kamala Harris's silence on Gaza cost her the White House?
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Comment on 'Extremely overwhelmed': apartment renters face rising tide of fees in ~finance
AnthonyB LinkTenants at apartment complexes operated by Greystar, the largest owner and manager of apartments in the US, don’t just pay rent. They pay a mass of fees that many renters have never heard of before.
These add-ons include “boiler management fees”, “variable refrigerant flow fees”, “solar rebill” fees, even “lifestyle fees”.
Tenants and lawsuits in multiple states call many of these fees inflated, illegal, predatory or overwhelming.
In Colorado, an April 2025 study by the Urban Institute and Denver’s Community Economic Defense Project found that fees charged at properties operated by Greystar raised tenants’ monthly bills by an average of nearly 20%. Fees tied to two other major property managers raised their tenants’ monthly costs by roughly 15% to 18%, the researchers found.
Fees charged at properties operated by Greystar have also spurred legislation. Colorado enacted a new law in 2025, “Letty’s Act”, after Greystar billed grieving family members thousands of dollars in penalty fees when their matriarch, 75-year-old Leticia Farrer, died. Her family said Greystar claimed Farrer, who was living with dementia, had broken her lease by dying.
For some tenants, even making payment on the first of the month can come with additional costs. Several Greystar leases reviewed for this story indicate that tenants cannot pay their bills through personal checks. Instead, these leases require tenants to either use an online portal, where they are charged processing or administrative fees, or pay with a cashier’s check, which costs both time and money. In multiple Greystar apartment listings that reference a “payment services” fee, the charge is not included in the total monthly leasing price.
Greystar did not directly address questions regarding “pay to pay” fees. It also didn’t answer questions about several other fees, including variable refrigerant flow and solar rebill fees as well as extra charges assessed at some Greystar-run properties to pay for amenities that are key selling points in advertisements.
A recent Greystar listing for an apartment complex in Weehawken, New Jersey, disclosed a monthly “lifestyle fee” of $95 per unit to cover, among other things, a spin room and picnic tables. At some properties managed by Greystar, the FTC/Colorado lawsuit claimed, the company bundled together several hidden fees and referred to them as lifestyle, amenity or community fees.
The company’s listings for the Standard Assembly Apartments in Nashville – which offer a pool with a “sun shelf” – discloses amenity fees ranging from $140 to $190 a month.
The lease that Collins, the former Greystar tenant in Colorado, signed with her previous landlord included 23 different fees. The new lease she signed after Greystar took over as manager on behalf of a new landlord listed 35. Among them were a pest control fee that doubled from $2 to $4 a month and a new fee for “stormwater” based on building-wide usage divided among “rentable and occupied units”.
Collins stayed on under Greystar for 30 months, sometimes paying more than $100 in fees a month – including a $25 fee for “valet waste”, a mandatory service that requires tenants to leave their garbage in front of their door for staff to collect.
Collins didn’t want to pay for valet trash disposal. She was on the second floor and there was a dumpster nearby. “All I had to do was walk down the stairs and throw my garbage away,” she said. When she complained to management, Collins said, staff refused to let her opt out.
Months later, Greystar doubled her rent mid-lease and began threatening to evict her, her lawsuit says.
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'Extremely overwhelmed': apartment renters face rising tide of fees
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Comment on These tacky men with ridiculous glasses want you to wear them too in ~life.style
AnthonyB Link ParentBack in my day, creeps used to harass strangers for the love of the game. Now everything is for content. SmdhBack in my day, creeps used to harass strangers for the love of the game. Now everything is for content. Smdh
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Comment on Micah Lasher wins New York primary to succeed his political mentor in star-studded contest in ~society
AnthonyB Link ParentThe three other congressional races last night. Bores was the progressive choice in NY-12, but he didn't get backing from the DSA or Mamdani. The other three progressive candidates did, and they won.The three other congressional races last night. Bores was the progressive choice in NY-12, but he didn't get backing from the DSA or Mamdani. The other three progressive candidates did, and they won.
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Comment on Signs you're a dangerous terrorist: using Signal, moving zines in ~society
AnthonyB Link ParentOooh, the Spicer mention just reminded me of "alternative facts." That's a perfect name for every uncorroborated rumor that's too good to pass on.Oooh, the Spicer mention just reminded me of "alternative facts." That's a perfect name for every uncorroborated rumor that's too good to pass on.
Somewhere, someone who placed a Kalshi bet on Mitch McConnell dying before any other member of Congress is freaking the fuck out.