Readit NewsDemocracy is not some magic spell that will bring the administration back to normality. Democracy only works as long as all players continue to act as if democratic decisions are binding. The executive branch have already shown they are more than willing to go against the judicial branch. They could do the same with the legislative branch. Questioning the legitimacy of elections, or actively rigging elections, is a possible next step in the same playbook.
We should focus on how the actions of the current administration work as means to consolidate their power. A powerful minority can rule over a majority, as long as their keys to power are upheld.
On the other hand, I visited a Canadian plant and the difference was stark. There was hardly any lighting, the floor was black with dirt, and the noise was unbearable. This was a small supplier about 10 years ago, so take it with a pinch of salt.
There is interesting effects from group dynamics and having a sense of purpose that can help people reintegrate into society. But the work environment has to be prioritised to make it easier on the workers. If the work place looks and acts like a prison camp, you are not going to get those benefits.
The point is that clean factories do exist, and manufacturing can be a good place to work. But it needs some work to make it so.
I had plans to build some animatronic Halloween decorations for this year over the summer. I’m not going to spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on parts that nominally cost less than $50.
My own pain is minor though compared to everyone I know who uses Temu and other things to basically outfit their life. This will be insanely regressive as they have the least to spend on “on brand” products, which themselves are imported too. This is like “super sales tax for the poor.” Me, I’ll just save my money and wait for the next president to undo the mess. My buddies not as successful monetarily as me? Their quality is life is going down the drain.
Lately, there have been some domestic actors filling in the gap. But it's still a significant cost increase compared to the glory days.
I mean it several levels back from that, being a subject in my own story rather than merely an object in anyone else's, being someone who has an identity and makes decisions and engages other people as a person in my own right.
I wasn't anybody even to myself, which is why I couldn't ever do anything. I could be used by people to do their things, but I wasn't an agent even in my own life.
Sometimes, I feel like I lack agency; lile I'm not a primary character in my own life's story. It's so easy to sit back, follow the flow, and let the will of others dictate what I work with and spend my time on.
Working on changing that. But now I'm at an impasse, as it's difficult to know which of my interests and hobbies are coming from within me, and not just something I do to--for lack of a better way to express it-- please or impress others.
Current working theory is 'work less, play more', spend time with others, and being as attentive and receptive that I can.
Thank you for your words: they helped me
2 galactic rotations ? That's a long time to keep a grudge. But also fun to think that Earth is only ~20 galactic years old.
"Hyrdogen core clusters" might be around a bit longer
On a related note, it would be curious to see how many years a computer could keep chugging along silently doing its job. Of course dependent on a reliable power supply and that We stop our habit of breaking all dependencies every three months. Maybe thousands of years would be possible? A bit interesting to think about.
As someone who had to scrape ice off of my windscreen this morning while the temperature inside the passenger compartment was creeping up from 1 degree above freezing, the inevitable suggestion that bikes are a better solution than cars is going to fall on my deaf ears. You're not going to get me to drive my very-young kids around in near-zero freezing rainy conditions in an open cargo bike with no heating. Sorry.
Don't get me wrong ebikes are great, but suggesting that we should all have bikes doesn't work if you don't live in California.or somewhere else where it is also mild and never very cold or very hot.
Perfectly possible to bike if you put on the right clothes. Even when it has been snowing, as the bike paths are cleared.
Several of my colleagues with kids bike every day as well, taking the kids with them on thei bike.
Might not be as comfortable as a air conditioned, well-cushioned car. But there are other benefits.
The cost was very low, the distance you could travel was high, and they were everywhere. This seemed like such a massive ray of hope.
When people started throwing them in the water, or damaging them intentionally it really made me question what their actual motivations were.
This depends quite a lot on ridership. E.g. a typical MAX train in Portland, filled at perhaps 10% capacity aside from a few narrow time periods in the morning and evening, loses out on efficiency to a Honda Civic with four people. Trains are heavy even when they are empty.
And many don't drive a Honda civic: they are driving the biggest, heaviest car they can get their hands on