Film Studios:

“We’ll recycle the same theme’s and franchises over and over until they’re completely worn out AND we’ll paywall the shit out of our media so everyone has to have 27 subscriptions to watch anything remotely interesting. Oh, and you’re going to like it because we said so.”

Also Film Studios:

“Wait, where are you going!? Why aren’t you giving us money??? Come back! You can’t not subscribe!”

Am American. Can confirm. In general, we are dumb as shit.

It is. It always has been to one degree or another. We’ve just gotten really lucky and apparently that luck is running out.

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

I haven’t read that book since high school. Probably about time to read it again.

Taxation without representation. Hmmm. Why does this sound familiar?

Wind blowing though pine trees.

I have this memory from when I was a kid. I was standing in the middle of the woods at my grandparents, watching big fluffy snow flakes fall around me. The only sound I could hear was a light breeze blowing through the pine trees. I don’t know why but it almost felt magical. To this day I still love that sound.

• The Blues Brothers (1980)
• How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967)
• The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) <- The best film version of “A Christmas Carol”. I will die on this hill.
• Blazing Saddles (1974)
• Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)

“I know a little German… He’s sitting over there.”

Single party states, where power is highly centralized and unilateral action is possible, lack the expectation that justice will be executed unmolested since the system responsible for executing it lacks the autonomy and authority to do so.

People sometimes complain about the constant “tug of war” that naturally occurs in more Republican governments but that’s simply a byproduct of the “Separation of powers”. It can make things long and drawn out but it at least helps prevent things like a legal system with a 99% conviction rate when there’s no conceivable way 99% of the defendants are actually guilty.

• Husband
• Dad
• Son
• Brother
• Entrepreneur
• Engineer
• Resident Handyman
• Household Treasurer
• Church Treasurer
• Outdoorsman
• Family Musician (who barely has time to practice)

If ISP’s are liable for piracy, so are power utilities.

Completely agree. It’s honestly shameful that a nation of our wealth and status is willing to accept one of the worst healthcare systems in the developed world. You need not look further than rural America to see that a big chunk of the “system” is on the verge of collapse.

I am also incensed that so many people seem to not have insurance. One thing I can say, is that I have never had a problem paying for generic or name brand, because my insurance covers it.

Guilty as charged. Currently at a career crossroads and don’t have insurance. Have to pharmacy shop a lot depending on who has the best price with a Good Rx coupon.

My Psychiatrist that I’ve been seeing for years now is retiring at the end of the year. Good ones are very hard to find and I’m not looking forward to it.

The whole process is a joke in the US as well. Since stimulants are a controlled substance, you have to have a new prescription every month AND you have to wait exactly 30 days to fill it at which point every pharmacy in town will jerk you around for a couple days until you finally find one that:

A.) Actually has your medication. Not says they have it on the phone and then “Oppsie! We lied. We don’t actually have it. We do have the name brand that’s 3 times as expensive.”

B.) Will actually fill it instead of telling you they’ll fill it only to backpedal when you go to pick it up because of some bullshit policy.

C.) Will fill it without whining at you, “cAn YoU pLeAsE sEnD yOuR OtHeR pReScRiPtIoNs hErE toO sO wErE FiLlInG mOrE tHaN jUsT yOuR StImUlAnTs??”

Apparently we somehow still have a shortage of Vyvanse (and the generic)?

Also, Fuck CVS in particular. How they manage to run a pharmacy worse than Walmart and still stay in business is beyond me.

I don’t remember exactly because it’s been a few years but I think it had something to do with him “telling it like it is.”

I think that’s what a lot of people like about Trump. Basically the fact that he provides very “concise” answers to their problems. The fact that those answers are usually false, misdirections, or based on a poor or non-existent understanding of an issue doesn’t really enter into it.

I think privatising social security is a terrible idea and medicare for all is a good idea. So I’m basically a communist.

/s

I live in the Bible Belt so as you can imagine I interact with these types of people on a very regular basis.

I once went on a business trip with one of my [at that time] employees. We got along well although I knew he was very conservative politically and a staunch Trump supporter. I am neither of those things which he knew about me as well. We had a long car ride through the middle of nowhere and we talked for a good chunk of it to pass the time.

Eventually I asked him, “What do you like so much about Donald Trump?” I genuinely wanted to know. He told me. I thought his reasons were bullshit but I did ask and so I had an obligation to at least hear him out. He asked me why I didn’t like Trump. I gave him my reasons. We kind of politely acknowledged one another’s opinion and agreed to disagree. We chatted a little bit more and then he said something that I did not expect. “You know those people who go walking around with guns strapped on them all the time? Those guys are idiots. What kind of moron thinks he’s got to prove something so badly that he goes to the store carrying an AR strapped to his back?”

I was honestly shocked. I didn’t expect him to say that and I agreed with him. We talked a lot longer after that about politics and found that we had plenty of other things we agreed on, and plenty that we didn’t. When we finally got to our destination, I thanked him for answering my questions honestly because I genuinely wanted to understand his perspective. I could tell he appreciated that.

That’s a long way of saying that the only way to deal with extreme conservatives is to go talk to them. Its not always easy but you’ll find that you have more in common with them than you might think. Now, that’s easy for me to say. I’m a straight, white, boot wearing, bearded guy with a southern accent. I pretty much fit right in around here. If you’re a minorty, trans for instance, and you don’t want to go talk to people who think you’re some sort of abomination, I don’t blame you for a second. that’s why those of us who are not as “threatening” need to do a better job of being allies.

There’s a passage in the Bible that says “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” It’s true. A “divide and conquer” strategy is incredibly effective. It’s working very effectively in American politics today. And the only way to bridge the gap is to go find some common ground.

Many years ago, there was a televised interview with Saddam Hussein. I don’t remember which TV network it was on but it was a pretty big deal. This was early 2000’s before the US invasion of Iraq. I think the translator referred to then President Bush as “Bush”. Saddam didn’t understand a lot of English but he understood that. He interrupts the translator mid-sentence to inform him that what he should have said was “Mr. Bush”, with a sort of tone that felt like he did not appreciate being misquoted.

I don’t know if that dude even realized how close he probably came to being strangled to death with a microphone cord.

Bobby Kennedy would roll over in his grave if he knew what kind of person his son had turned into.

Edit: for reasons other than his philandering. That part is very on brand.

That makes sense and I just learned something new. Thanks for the correction!