Easy, “K”. I could handle some yes, no, maybe with that.

k - ok, but I feel some type of way about this

kk - hell yeah, I’m down

kkk - this is bad and I don’t want it

Who are those other dictators with the good haircuts??

I dont know, I’m starting to understand it. Like, the last marvel movie I remember making a point to see was the most recent Spider-Man (however long ago that was), and I was falling off before then. I watched Loki, but that was it other than catching parts of a movie on streaming. I missed all the other big shows. The fucking mountain of mediocre media it feels like I have to climb to get caught up is absurd. So, if it’s something like watching a (one) movie or a series to get context – fine. But if I need to start by looking up a guide and watch order just to get hours of subpar content, then I’m out. I’ll watch the new Spider-Man, and complain when you rely on some flop from a year ago rather than construct an actual plot that’s reasonably self-contained.

This is coming from someone who reads and collects comics. I’m no stranger to the “read this other series for 1-?? issues to get the full story!”, but MCU is something else entirely. Wide where it should be tall.

I forget it’s not a super widely known thing that samurai movies and westerns have built off each other in a way. Slow burn, fast climactic action, stoic protagonists. It’s one of those things that you wouldn’t expect at face value, but actually have a lot in common when you start breaking it down. They have influenced each other a lot over the years, with 7 Samurai itself even pulling some inspiration from Ford’s westerns.

It’s cool seeing some of the history laid out. That sharing of ideas has led to some incredible films.

I’ve been listening to pod on an off for years. Quality is always there and they’re upfront about their positions so I feel like I’m listening to actual discussion, not someone trying to convince me. I need to check out MeidasTouch I guess

But if I sexist two sexists? That’s progress baby

Well, it made me feel smart. So either you’re a good teacher, and helped me put into words and solidify something I already understood more abstractly. Or you’re a terrible teacher, and have led me further astray.

Pretty rough dichotomy there. I would not want to be an educator.

There really were some great ones. Playing through Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops still stands out to me over a decade on. Shit was tight, and I honestly didn’t feel that again after the PSP. Until I picked up my steam deck, that thing would have rendered 10 year old me catatonic.

I mean if you read it article it’s full of “this is the Democrats fault” and “we made a mistake, but we’ll never admit it”. So many are still flailing, looking for anyone else to blame and absolve them of a dumbass move.

I work for a neurologist practice, and the amount I have to argue with insurance (and inevitably have to get the neurologist on the phone to directly request something for many) is insane. A good chunk of my job isn’t providing care, but arguing with insurance that the care is necessary. These companies are actively delaying patient care, and try to blame the physician whenever possible.

Wildly infuriating, especially when the denials are worded along the lines of “we reviewed this, and don’t consider it medically necessary”. Motherfucker, a doctor said it was necessary and listed the clinical reasons why this test or procedure would be beneficial. Nothing has radicalized me for universal healthcare more than working in healthcare.

I mean, in context that verse is about being aware one’s belief in Jesus may cause strife with their family/community, and how Christians are meant to endure this strife without denying their faith. The choice of wording makes sense in the context of the time it was written, when affirming Christ is God would have absolutely caused some major animosity with those who don’t believe. It’s assuring the reader that the division and pain that will come from those disagreements is not lost on God, and also not something we can turn away from and ignore.

The Christians that everyone is up in arms about all the time are close to the worst representation of the faith as possible, and you can easily point out their lazy interpretations as well as scripture that, more often than not, outright rejects their twisting of the faith. Modern day Pharisees all the way. Unfortunately the church on a national level is inundated with them, and has done a poor job of separating from them.

I agree with this. I use the phrase essentially as “this is the reality” to either set a baseline, or just a different way to say c’est la vie. It frustrates me when people say it’s always a dismissive phrase, because when I am dissmive with it I’m not doing so in a negative way. There’s something to be said about letting little inconveniences lie and fade away.

I haven’t seen it because I have the opposite problem.

I can relate to that. I’m one of those people who won’t even squash bugs, and even heavy-handed, poorly written emotional moments in movies can make me tear up because I’ll inevitably find something in there that speaks to me. Shits wild compared to my friends and family

There’s gotta be some crazy scam that will work on me that I’ve never heard of. Every time a new one comes around its always something that throws a ton of red flags out the whole way. They have to be just catching people with particular blind spots

There are over a hundred million working adults in the US, and all of them with their own opinions and needs. Many of them completely out of touch with the world outside of their bubble, and some who even approve of the current trajectory. The idea of organizing a generalized strike is a complete pipe dream. I’d love to see it, but we are nowhere even close to that. We must work with reasonable, attainable solutions.

They’re terrified of seeming political, or making a mistake that will let him walk. Republicans have stacked the courts with people who barely grasp US law, and certainly have no respect for it, and the Democrats have put up glorified bureaucrats. We need a judge willing to force the issue and say “if you were anyone else this behavior would land you jail awaiting trial, so that’s where you’re going.”, Or I dunno, maybe stop giving breaks with fines. Let the morons whine and cry about being biased, or an activist judge; make the USSS have to coordinate with corrections to maintain protection while being held. Show this isn’t a game. Prove that you have some conviction when it comes to the rule of law in the US. History would look kindly on the person who chose the make the right call when it wasn’t easy.

I feel like a broken record with how much I’ve said this in the last handful of years, but: someone needs to be the fucking adult in the room.

I used to think this way, until I tried writing more sci-fi and I kept running into weird moral quandaries trying to keep stuff realistic on a human level. I genuinely don’t think there will ever be a threat that could rally all of humanity at this point. Not only because I don’t believe aliens are a thing we’ll ever experience, but also because everything I’ve seen points to people being too chaotic. Even the perfect enemy (some bugs that just want to kill us all) would have humans helping them out, a contingent of people who think the whole thing is a deep fake, and a multitude of people preying on the flawed reality of those groups and others to horde whichever resource (money, food, manpower, etc.). That’s before you even get into the various well-intentioned factions that would form around a variety of “best” approaches to the issue.

I’m not even saying this in a doomer kind of way, I’m rather optimistic and believe we tend to stumble forward. I’m just saying the rally around the flag moment for humanity feels like a total fantasy.

The headline, which very likely isn’t even real, is also not inherently fascistic. If anything its more a statement on people being so stressed with life, that a fantastical idea of going off to live a sci-fi movie life is appealing.

You’re pulling the fascism from the movie, which is inherently satirical. It makes sense something like that, which was already popular, continues to be so when the satire has more real world connections. You’re on a platform with a ton of nerds, they’re gonna reference sci-fi classics. If anything I’d say that’s a healthy sign. Satire is arguably one of the strongest forces pushing back against fascism and the like on a cultural level.

Maybe a bit, but there would have to be a ton of pressure. Consider the fact we have to use a tourniquet to cut blood flow typically, and those hurt like hell.

I never thought “With great power comes great responsibility” would be a lasting principle in my life, but hell if it isn’t. I don’t have a ton of “authority”, but what I have I see as a responsibility to and for the people I delegate to, rather than the step up that some appear to view it as. Thanks, Uncle Ben.