They’ve done the decades of work to turn people against unions, convincing MAGAts that unions are proto-communist organizations that extort unfair wages though dishonest practices while sitting around not working. They have people looking over at them saying “how come you get paid so much?” Instead of “I should get paid that much too.”

People are dumb. Whatcha gonna do.

It does so based on their inputs though. That doesn’t mean people are entirely in charge, but I think it’s wrong to say they have no involvement and just receive whatever the silicon genie dictates.

I’m sure Europeans everywhere are offended at you referring to their colonies like that.

Is that a “both sides” argument?

This is like some deep deep agro-economy hustle culture. Yo don’t be complaining about things - go out there and git them soybeans!!

I see a lot of honest YouTubers who break their backs putting together quality educational hobby content and over time I have followed some as their numbers climb and it turns into more of a full time thing for them.

And then I see these brainrot morons pulling down 1000x the numbers and it’s just crushing. I guess people would rather eat shit than vegetables.

Honestly everything around here is about cherished narratives.

But you do create an interesting tension between two cherished narratives:

1. cars are evil
2. surveillance cameras are evil

I think number 2 is just winning out.

The direction that’s moving is probably more significant than where the issue has spent most of its history.

“Abolish?” Pshaw. People even have private insurance in the EU under full government healthcare.

While they were grappling on the front lawn, Wolfe said he was able to wrap his leg around Jones’ leg, grabbed either end of the bat and pressed it against his neck, causing him to pass out.

While they were on the ground, Wolfe said Jones asked him if he could say something. He said Jones’ comments didn’t make a ton of sense, but he told Wolfe he was drunk and that he was looking for a certain address that Wolfe learned later was a business.

What in the fuck… what a bizarre ending to this melee. Glad the victim is in one piece.

The number 18 is not allowed up that cat’s asshole.

It’s very much present tense. Time to stop warning people and start arming them.

Probably, yeah, because as the casuals drop out, only hardcores will remain, and they are frankly willing / compelled to pay more. So they will.

You know what else is irreversible? Going through puberty the wrong sex.

Yes alcohol, sugar and automobiles are the big killers that we seem to just accept in an “oh well” kind of way. We came a long way on smoking so I’m optimistic about alcohol. “Record lows” doesn’t impress me as a phrase because I know how high the historic highs actually were 🤣

This reminds me of that weird MAGA couple who stood in their driveway brandishing their guns as a protest went by. I know little about guns but someone pointed out that he was holding it in the wrong direction such that hot shells would be ejected directly into his chest if he were to fire. I guess in addition to other things, Seagal is guilty of that one here too since he’s holding the gun both ways.

When you’re a perfect match for the “mustachioed cop” look, no need to mask. He could be anyone.

Ah then USS Trump it is!

Here. Since I’m complaining about this empty phrase, it’s only fair to offer something better:

To a greater degree than during any other presidency, the Trump administration (and by extension Republican politicians generally) have not always needed a reason to inflict cruelty on Americans other than who they are.

Trump has governed not by allying with others who share his ideals or philosophies but rather those who show him personal deference and loyalty. In kind, he has won the votes of several groups of disgruntled Americans simply by hurting the groups they hate. The broad polarization of America sometimes called the “Culture War” has pitted Americans against each another across many real or imagined dividing lines, including race and religion but also more trivial matters such as whether you like the new Odyssey movie, in which a trans celebrity plays a part.

Trump has taken policy action against trans people, the country of Canada, blue states within America, specific companies he perceives to be “woke” and groups such as organized labor, since many Trump supporters consider Unions to be entitled proto-communist organizations that benefit unfairly through mass economic extortion.

It’s possible that with this backdrop, a ban on worker heat protections is simply a business-friendly gesture that Trump has made on behalf of a wealthy acquaintance who complained to him about the annoyance of following these regulations. Or it could be another in a series of actions taken along “culture war” lines to injure the perceived enemies of Trump voters, in this case workers rights advocates and laborers. An odd feature of the culture war is that, while many Trump voters themselves may be laborers at risk of heat injury, they may cheer for an action like this because they focus on the perception that it will harm illegal immigrant laborers or laborers in California, etc. 

In this way the culture war takes precedence even over voting in self-interest. And this adherence to “helping our group” while we “hurt the other group” resembles one feature of many Fascist regimes: the belief that one group in a country are “pure” and must defend their purity from domestic enemies, practical interests be damned. 

Another possible explanation for Republicans many seemingly arbitrary action is what conservative strategist Steve Bannon dubbed “flooding the zone,” a kind of media blitzkrieg approach that disorients/ drowns out political opponents and scatters the public’s attention by bombarding them with a constant stream of various outrageous actions, statements, and demands. As with many past Trump actions, the question “why is he doing this” is commonly answered “to distract from the Epstein files.”

So why attack worker heat protections? Pro-business corruption, a salvo in the culture war or just more “flooding the zone.” Ang of these could always apply to any Republican action that seems arbitrary with no immediate tactical purpose.

There are three ways to finish faster:

1. start earlier
2. do less
3. get help

I know this seems obvious but I’ve had to go back to it a million times at work when some project is behind schedule. All options tend to boil down to one of these. Notice it doesn’t say “go faster” it says “finish faster.” Reducing the scope of what you’re trying to do will bring the finish line closer without accelerating you at all.

#1 is usually not an option but I keep it in the list to remind people how we got where we are. This is often needed to motivate them to accept #2 or #3. CEO wants it all and wants it faster? He shouldn’t have taken a month to make up his mind. Now he’s going to get less or spend more, period.