• 0 Posts
  • 241 Comments
Joined 1 year ago
cake
Cake day: June 2nd, 2023

help-circle
  • That’s been a continual strategy to try to deter and block RCV. They argued that in front of the courts in Maine when the state moved to RCV.

    In the end, I feel there’s one big defense: no matter where my vote ends up, I only get one for the last candidate standing that I voted for.

    The other voting systems where you rate candidates on a scale, it’s a bit muddier as to what a “vote” is. A vote should be your voice that’s the same as anyone else’s in the electorate. As long as all humans get the same voice, it should be able to take any form.



  • No, the goal is to sleep in silence. When I’m able to put aside my worries and truly rest I don’t need any noise or background hum to be completely out.

    I only use a short video (under my pillow at mom volume so I can barely hear it) to get to sleep and then I’m usually out for a long time.

    I’ve always felt that much of getting to sleep and what makes it easy to rest is training to some extent. Changing the ambient noise (especially if you move homes) can really screw things up until you get used to the normal noises of the new location. While that happens I’ll use something to fuzz the ambient sounds, but I’ll actively remove the white nose or background video over time so I acclimate to the new normal.

    I consider it a worthwhile goal to be able to sleep without aids, if possible. Most of the real trouble is in my head (or a neighbor with fucking loud music at 2am to be dealt with), so when I have control I seek silence and a mental even keel when possible.



  • It’s a tunnel with electric trains. I volunteer my pasty white ass’s house as tribute for this. My city has near zero rail service and I’ll take it in a heartbeat.

    Yes, the US has been using infrastructure to harm minority communities for generations, but so far this doesn’t seem to be the most egregious example of that. The exhaust system being next to a school is the only concern, but only if there’s a fire in the tunnel (which should be rare unless Boeing starts making trains).

    Either move the exhaust or move the school while you start digging that new higher speed tunnel! Let’s go for some real modern transit!



  • Definitely a ‘duh’ result from a survey. The cost of childcare in the US is criminal, so of course smaller businesses will have a tougher time absorbing that cost, either as salaries or benefits.

    The US government spends an average of $500 /child/year for preschoolers in healthcare, childcare, and support (like food). It’s outright pathetic. We’re so far behind the next OECD nation that we can’t even see them on that scale. The top spender is Norway at $26,000/child/year! As a nation they take care of their people for which they’re healthier and happier for it.

    Yes, we’re trying to raise the deductions for the business, but that only helps children with parents who can qualify for those kinds of positions. It ties workers to their jobs, just like our healthcare system does. This will create yet another hole that makes it harder for people to leave work, and more ability for toxic workplaces to abuse workers who would depend upon a given job to pay for daycare because the business gets the support and not the child. Let’s start making some legislation to just directly support children, and not some Rube Goldberg machine tying us to bosses and owners.








  • You’re right. The EV companies know it, the power companies are acutely aware, governments at all levels are wrestling with it, and people in older homes with old wiring find out. Many of these groups (not the old wiring homeowners) are actually pretty excited about it. It means infrastructure upgrades, funding for cities, new power company jobs, and reinvestment in old worn out wir s everywhere.

    Of course a shift in our oil dependent car shit hole system will require a similar scale shift in the energy infrastructure and that provides lots of opportunities.







  • Banjo’s got a general bad rap from it’s portrayal in many movies and shows. It is also a very different sound than guitar which a good number of people find discordant (it’s also easier to make it be loud and discordant, which happens with new players).

    Well done banjo is just fine, but there’s a knee jerk negative response to its name.