NataliePortland @ NataliePortland @lemmy.ca

Posts

45

Comments

248

Joined

2 yr. ago

Alright

I mean IDK if Rueters meets your rigorous standards for journalistic excellence (or why you can't just google something so simple) but here you go new nuclear is more expensive and and worse for the environment than renewables.

Wow I'm surprised to see people are actually downvoting you and arguing about this. It's common knowledge that the cost, impact, and build-time of new nuclear plants makes them a poor choice for energy. Not only is wind/ solar cheaper, it's faster to build.

Wow huge question! I mean for me in the US I think our democratic republic system is great, that is democracy on a local level, and republic on a state and federal level. We're not in Athens anymore! I would love to see our country do away with the filibuster, the electoral college, and to impose very strict laws around lobbying. I think all elections should be publicly funded, which is such an easy way to level the playing field and negate the influence of corporate cash.

Those voting methods you mentioned of course is up to the states to decide already which is how it should be I think.

No I don't think parties should be banned and I wish we could have room for more parties. I admit I don't know why US has essentially only two where other countries have several. I don't know what the hold-up is or the mechanism for change, but I think competition is always a good thing (capitalism, baby!)

That's a great tip. thank you

I've been trying to find my way on Mastodon with little success. Can anyone recommend ways to find or follow ? Also, I see that I can follow Lemmy/ Kbin sites on MAstodon but I can only see the title text. No images or comments come over.

Bro I’m planking right now!

That's why I would love to change people's minds about that very behavior. The idea that patriotism is only about loving the president. There's a lot to be said for optics you know? When the only people flying flags are Trumpies the optics of that is that only republicans love their country. We all are Americans. We should all be able to wave it for what the flag stands for and not for whoever is in office. There is too much division in this country and the flag is a powerful symbol for that. It's not a flag for red team or for blue team, but the blue team sure is acting like it and absolutely losing this battle.

and PS- the Trumpies are still waving the flag during Biden presidency. You know who isn't?

(opinion/discussion) The other day I saw one of those giant lifted trucks spewing black smoke behind two oversized flags. One was the American flag, the other was the ‘blue lives matter’ flag. When I see those trucks I assume that person is a racist and probably supported the attempted coup which almost took away our American democracy- the very thing we built our nation for. This got me thinking about what it means to be a flag-waving patriot.

Wikipedia says patriotism is the feeling of love, devotion, and attachment to one’s country. As a millennial liberal with an electric car I am probably the antithesis of big truck guy but I too am a proud flag-waving American

Frustrated citizens often say things like “I could never love a country that did so-and-so horrible thing”. Many of us would not want to wave a flag because they associate it with those horrors. But “Love of country” is not love of our government or their actions. You would be hard-pressed to find many throughout history who loved all the actions of their leaders. Whether ruled by a king, a Pope, a warlord or a muti-party democracy there will always be faults to find. There will always be room for improvement. Therefore the government must be excluded from the definition of patriotism.

What is our country if not the actions of our government, then? Here’s what it means to me. It means my family, my neighbors, my friends. It means BBQ and Philly cheesesteaks. I love cheering for our athletes in the Olympics. I love hiking in our National Parks. Have you been to Yellowstone? That’s our country! So is Elvis and John Steinbeck and Thomas Edison. If you think that slavery defines America then consider that there were also abolitionists who gave everything to fight it. If you think a mass shooting is what the flag represents then consider those who line up to donate blood in a crisis. Remember the words of the great American Mr. Rogers, “look for the helpers.”

No, the wrongs of our leaders are not what the flag represents to me. I have and will continue to vote in ways to make my country, state, and city better. I will protest injustice and vote with my wallet. I will speak out loud and fight for the laws and government that I believe in. I do that because I love my country. Call it my love language.

Patriotism is the feeling of love, devotion, and attachment to one’s country. You are my country. Even though I do not know you I will always fight to make your life better. I wave the American flag for you. Go wave the flag and let it stand for the goodness we believe in. Don’t let racists take our flag as a symbol of hate.

Oh that’s cool but like can you make a purple one and a red one and a green one?

No I don't find them annoying. I used to be a street performer, I did a 20 minute show with balloon animals and I would get volunteers from the audience and have them act out funny bits. It was a great time and it paid for a summer in Copenhagen. I've also made balloon animals for tips all over the world and performed with circuses and performers. So for me, I think that just like anything else there are bad ones and good ones but the good ones are fascinating, talented and hard-working. I knew two sword swallowers from New Zealand. they made good money from their show but told me they wished they never started. They cough up blood and every time they worry it's their last. But the pay is so good it's like an addiction they can't quit. I knew a few "cocks on unicycles" as you called them and they were by far the highest earning elites of the street performers. I saw a man earn $1200 a show 4 times a day. Then after a week he would pack up and go to Oslo or Rome or Sydney for a week.

To me they are living the dream. They have all the freedom in the world, they get to be the center of attention, spread joy and get paid. I learned so much from them, and most of what they know is learned from The Butterfly Man (who I also know). The Butterfly Man was not the first street performer, but he was the first to write the basic outline of the "street show" as most people do it today. First you set up a LIMO- that is a Large Impressive Metal Object like a giant unicycle. This draws in the first spectators. You ask them to stand back a bit. Now there is room for more observers. Then you start by "warming up" a few tricks. As more people join, you tell them to scooch in closer. That's importand because when people stand far back they feel uninvolved and won't pay at the end. Get a volunteer up on stage. That part is tricky and I can tell you a lot about how to do it right, but it starts with trust. The volunteer is important to get people laughing. Do a warm up trick with the volunteer. Then set up the finale but DO NOT DO THE FINALE yet. You need the "hat line": 2 jokes and one serious statement about how and why to put money in your hat "now folks if you put in 5 dollars thats great. If you put 10 in that's amazing. But if you put in 20, that's normal (laughter). But seriously folks this show youre watching is my job it's how I survive. Please support street theatre with a donation. "

Then the finale and pass the hat (the hat is where people put money).

There's so much interesting psychology to it, how the way people stand in a crowd affects their behavior, and the way the suspense adds to their enjoyment, and how getting people to say "1! 2! 3!" actually makes them have more fun.

This video is so rad. I would love to visit there.

Gosh I hope they ban short term rentals there lol!

That's a sedum. It can have water but it needs very good drainage. I can hardly see your pot or soil well but you need a pot with holes in the bottom, and plenty of rocks/grit/sand/ in it. Don't water it if the soil is wet, and don't worry if it goes a while without water. The leaves will get wrinkly if it's thirsty and it can survive like that for a while

Wow lady you need to learn how to read. Maybe if you weren’t spending so much time getting offended about everything you would know something about news and politics. Ask JFK Jr who MSM is when he comes back from the dead

That’s just a political attack job against Obama. You shouldn’t trust MSM it’s all lies. I bet you voted for treason trump

This was such a thorough article. Really good reporting.