That's funny. Jeff Bezos dropped out of the physics program at Princeton. Because it was too hard.
SwingingTheLamp
joined 2 years ago
Interestingly, a not-insignificant number of sexual assaults by strangers happen in parking lots, apparently because victims are often alone, and there's nobody else around. But those don't tend to make the news.
"Don't worry about blank. Let me worry about blank!"
Would it even get that far? Gathering that many people in one spot, at the same time, with a coherent plan would take... a lot of communication. And we know for a fact that the spooks are listening in.
But, hell, @[email protected], start organizing people. I'm interested in seeing how far it gets.
I love how people seem to think that "the economy" or "politics" is the same type of thing as sports— a recreational activity with no actual bearing on anything that other people pay attention to as a diversion. It explains so much about how we ended up here.
What's insane is expecting every individual to be person to know enough about financial asset classes to know how to balance risks in their portfolio, when we used to have pension plans with subject-matter experts whose job it was to do that. Getting rid of them was like throwing everybody overboard from the cruise ship (pension), but giving them a life jacket (401k).
I mean, it makes sense when you know that the decision was made by the sharks.
Where is the left complaining about shrinking 401k accounts? Do you mean Democrats? They're a center-right party.
I have a couple of suggestions to add:
I was considering leaving the other site before the API fiasco because it felt like so many users approach engagement as rhetorical combat, that is, the point of discussion is to defeat the other person. Instead, think one of Covey's habits of highly-effective people: "Win-win, or no deal." Approach discussion on the Fediverse as a collaborative act, in which you're exchanging ideas with another person. Even if you disagree, you can both win by respectfully hearing out the other person. And if the other person won't collaborate? No deal! Just disengage.
Just like in intimate relationship, use "I" statements instead of "you" statements. Telling people who they are and what they believe is not only disrespectful, but probably wrong, often exaggerated or distorted for rhetorical combat purposes. People get angry when their identity gets poked at. One exception, of course, is when giving advice, like, stick to what you know, and share your thoughts and your reactions to a topic.
I think so? I used to browse the site over breakfast, and one morning, Apollo couldn't connect. I don't want to cause trouble by trying to log in, if I'm banned, so I have not tried to log in another way.
🤭
No, that's exactly what I don't want in a President. Sitting there, doing their job and not trying to get onto the TV news every day is perfect for, say, an EPA grant administrator. But the drafters of the Constitution fucked up by making the President both the head of government, and the head of state. The former should be an administrator, and the latter needs to be a leader. It's not the framers' fault, the world just didn't have a lot of experience with huge democracies back then. The trouble is that "huge" is too much for the human mind, and abstract thinking doesn't come naturally to us. A worrying proportion of the population can't do it at all. Instead, we conceptualize our nation through a parasocial relationship with the leader. In that role, the President should be on TV, and in the news every day, influencing the citizens.
The UK has its own problems, but at least their system splits the job. They have a head of state, King Charles, whom everybody can relate to as the embodiment of the nation, more or less aside from political disagreements. (This role was far more effective when Queen Elizabeth was on the throne, to be sure.) They also have a head of government, the Prime Minister, who attends to making things run. Each can focus on their particular role. But we don't have that luxury in the US, and Obama needed to continue the energy of the campaign even after taking office.
It wouldn't be wild, it'd be accurate. The man has dementia. I'm on mobile and not inclined to tap out all of the indicators, but remember when he abruptly stopped speaking at a campaign rally, and just kind of swayed to his music playlist for 39 minutes, or when he described in detail the literal, giant faucet in British Columbia that he seemed to think that Canada uses to control water to the West Coast? (Or the literal dome over Israel?) Both losing track of time and losing the ability to process metaphorical speech are symptoms of dementia. Why else would his doctors have administered that cognitive test that he bragged that he aced?
One man commits a horrific crime. The other man shoots a CEO. The difference in response by our politicians is illuminating.
A crane lifts pads for the hands-free mooring system at the Welland Canal locks into place. Credit: Michel Gosselin. Video and more photos here.
Good point about most sexual assault being committed by somebody the victim knows. The fear of stranger-rape is way overblown, just like the fear of the subway compared to the danger of driving. If the subway was safe before the pandemic (which it was), then bringing the rate back down to that level means it's safe now (which it is).