GraniteM @ GraniteM @lemmy.world

Posts

38

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944

Joined

2 yr. ago

<Stares blankly into the middle distance for thirty seconds in Mitch McConnell>

Citizens United and Regulatory Capture.

It's not a matter of "nobody should be allowed to be ultra wealthy," it's a matter of "nobody should be allowed to be unacceptably poor."

If our civilization can generate wealth at an astronomical rate, then there is no morally defensible reason for anyone to be homeless, hungry, poorly educated, lacking medical care, drinking unsafe water, worked to death, or any of a number of other baseline metrics of civilization. All of those ills exist because wealth is funneled upwards at an unbelievable rate, leading to the existence of billionaires. All of that wealth should be used to raise everyone's standard of living, rather than give a handful of people more power and luxury than ever appeared in Caligula's wet dreams.

Of course the way that you accomplish that is by an exponentially progressive taxation system, and that will... probably make it impractical to be a billionaire, but frankly I think that focusing on helping the bottom end of the economic ladder is more productive than just talking about how it should be illegal to have more than a given amount of wealth.

I've got a film negative scanner. I've also got a big pile of old negatives. I keep telling myself that someday I'm going to scan all those old negatives. We'll see.

There are people who, disturbed by "big government" today and its tendency to curb the advantages they might gain if their competitiveness were allowed free flow, demand "less govern- ment." Alas, there is no such thing as less government, merely changes in government. If the libertarians had their way, the distant bureaucracy would vanish and the local bully would be in charge. Personally, I prefer the distant bureaucracy, which may not find me, over the local bully, who certainly will. And all historical precedent shows a change to localism to be for the worse.

—Isaac Asimov, Nice Guys Finish First, collected in The Sun Shines Bright, 1981

Keiko wasn't that bad of a character. She wasn't a great character, but the biggest problem was that her actress, Rosalind Chao, had very poor chemistry with Colm Meaney, who in turn had great chemistry primarily with Alexander Siddig, and also with several other actors. This wasn't a problem when she was cast in "Data's Day" as the bride to be with nervous bride energy, if anything that's an asset in such a short time frame. But then expecting that to work in what is supposed to be a long-term marriage is what led to perception of her being all MIIIIIILES all the time.

Now, I don't know that mid to late 90s Star Trek producers would have been on board, but they should have written an amicable divorce plot for the O'Briens. Miles and Keiko clearly grew apart from each other over the course of the show. Between her extended trips to Bajor and the way she all but threw Miles at Kira, they were already about 85% of the way there anyway. A divorce would have been a great way to resolve that issue, and use Star Trek as it was always intended: to explore real life issues in a scifi universe.

Have you seen the one where Torres gets spilt into two beings, one Klingon and one human? It is fucked. I expected them to tell a story about how both halves of her are valid but... they did not tell that story. Massive fuck up.

Cumberbatch should have been Gary Mitchell. He's got the right vibe for a man losing touch with his humanity as he's consumed by his godlike abilities, and a movie expanding on Mitchell would cover more new and interesting ground than plagiarizing Wrath of Khan.

As a member of the Oregon Trail generation, I can report that a couple of years ago I made a list of all the things that I was expected to not do when I was a cishet little boy and was afraid of being labeled "queer." The list of forbidden activities included, but was not limited to...

• Singing
• Dancing
• Reading
• Wearing bright colors
• Taking too much care of my appearance
• Hanging out with girls
• Expressing emotions other than anger
• Being in plays
• Avoiding violence

As an adult I'd describe myself as... like a one or two on the Kinsey scale, but honestly much happier now that I've recognized that heteronormativity is a horrible fucking prison. Wearing bright colors is fun, I love who and what I love, David Bowie is attractive, and I'm no longer pretending otherwise.

Trump makes it an "official act" to send the Army division of his choice to Musk's mansion, battering ram the door down, throw him in the back of the nearest C-17, and drop him naked at the gate of Camp Lemonnier.

Shake it, baby!

Huh. Today I learned.

https://thepopularflamingo.com/blogs/posts/can-flamingos-drink-boiling-water?srsltid=AfmBOopfUqwKGl52RoqMgHBZA_fi1urS2Sk2unq20CToeQOTFDkQc-xV

DyE

Fantasy

I wouldn't even be surprised.

Pinatas

The tape they stretch across race finish lines

Karate dojo boards

The supreme rulers are hardly known by their subjects.

The lesser are loved and praised.

The even lesser are feared.

The least are despised.

Those who show no trust will not be trusted.

Those who are quiet value the words.

When their task is completed, people will say:

We did it ourselves.

--Tao Te Ching, Chapter 17

I was wondering what happened with Unreal Tournament.

Damien, Jason, Freddie

I think that if you get a position in Congress / the White House / the Supreme Court you should be required to pick from a menu of ego-shattering experiences before you take office. Psychedelics are on the list, but there can be other options in case drugs are no good for you. Things like extended fasting, a round in a sensory deprivation tank, a trip to orbit, being present for an organ donor having their organs removed... I'm sure we could come up with a list of drug-free experiences that would be transformative and drive home that you aren't the center of the universe.