im_fine_sandy

It has costs, not negative value.

Sure, bit even in his prime, as a fit and able young man, Trump would not have lifted a finger to assist someone else in need.

I can assure you I care.

Do urinals tend to stink more?

I feel like people flush less because after the pee drains out you can’t see it any more, despite it still being there in the trap.

Some autoflush periodically or when you open the door.

Thats a salient point. It’s the same everywhere. Nutty conservatives control the media.

That said, some of these stories kind of carry themselves. Like does the Trump / Epstein stuff really need to be on Fox news? His base is aware of the story they just don’t care.

Yes, but that doesn’t explain why populists get a free pass on their bullshit. For example, Trump’s obvious connection with a paedophile ring.

I don’t think that’s true.

I think they know the future is bleak, and they just want to have the best bio dome or whatever the case may be.

As in, they know they’re making things worse, but if they don’t do it someone else will. So in a bleak and shit future, do you want to live like a king, or choke to death like the rest of us.

Sure but if we are building out renewable capability as quick as we can, but it’s being outstripped by demand, then maybe demand is part of the problem.

They know that things are going to be shit. They just wasn’t the nicest yacht to live on when it does.

I guess we would be 30 years from stable scalable fusion reactions?

Backyard chicken wranglers hatch lots of males they don’t want.

Post in fb chicken groups saying you’ll have them.

Go to chicken auctions and buy 6 for $1.

Or trying to do text in excel?!

It’s a weird benefit of populist, anti-establishment candidates.

They’re just not held to the same standards and their supporters are very dismissive of any wrong doing.

It’s the same with Farage in the UK. We have a populist Pauline Hanson here in Australia who’s the same.

I don’t really have any plausible explanation.

Is it an american thing? Pretty sure in Australia it’s “heavy”.

Super would be weird, as you say.

Sure, but at some point popular & unpopular becomes concensus & objection.

My point is really that no one bothers to speak in support of these measures because they’re so obviously sensible and everyone’s happy to implement them.

As in, people don’t walk around espousing the virtues of speed limits on highways because it’s just naturally appropriate. However, there’s a few 18 year olds that cry about nanny states and the removal of restrictions because reasons. There’s a vocal opposition, but that doesn’t imply that there’s a democratically significant opposition.

One Nation is the notable exception - they will of course use any opportunity to gather up dissenters.

You’re correct that restrictions only effect law-abiding people.

I think there’s a few things going on.

Firstly, every gun has the potential to cause harm, so less guns is less potential. Halving the number of guns does not halve the risk of harm, but there’s some reduction.

Secondly, I value living in a country where there just aren’t that many guns around. We don’t really have any kind of “gun culture” here. Sure some people feel the need to have a firearm to feel safe but they’re a small minority.

Also, and this is related to both points, without buy backs the number of guns in the system will always increase, as old weapons are more likely to be stored rather than destroyed.

Finally, it reduces the opposition to the new laws. Suppose a decade ago you purchased a weapon that you use for legitimate vermin control but is now illegal. You’re not particularly concerned about that but you still need a weapon for that purpose. At least this way you’re given a chunk of the cost of a replacement.

I don’t think this really captures what it would have felt like to be abandoned by Rome.

For all it’s ills Rome brought civilisation and technological advantages to the places it conquered.

When Rome withdrew I think the most keenly felt loss in many areas would have been to be cut off from that ordered civilisation.

One moment you’re a citizen of Rome, and the next your grain is looted and your daughters have been taken by barbarians.

It might be something more like, an announcement that it’s no longer profitable to maintain internet access for your entire country, so the network is simply being shut off, never to return.

As an aside, I’m in Western Australia. In terms of national identity I think many of us are fairly ambivalent to being “Australian” as opposed to being “Westralian”. 50 years ago there was a referendum about succession which actually won support - we chose to succeed from Australia. The Australian government saw sense after that and acquiesced to our demands, so it never went ahead. My point is though, if you live in a place and that place is cut off from the broader nation, do you lose your national identity or does your existing national identity just become more closely defined.

I’ve found myself using this a whole lot. It really is great for finding foss and / or non-US alternatives.

… as will the American people.

tsst