jamescrouchet.bsky.social
194 posts
45 followers
19 following
Discussion Master
comment in response to
post
They're right about sweet vs savory. The savory version, popular in the southern US, leaves out the sweeteners entirely and may substitute bacon grease for some or all of the butter. They may also lean toward more cornmeal than flour but any mix of those works so long as it's at least 50% cornmeal
comment in response to
post
I tend to use too many words and then have to shorten it because English is best when concise.
comment in response to
post
They did the same when forced to raise wages a while back. They raised prices enough to cover the extra wages, plus some extra. Thus record profits.
Keep in mind, the basic problem is too large a share of the companies' productivity is going into shareholder profits instead of workers' pay.
comment in response to
post
They're different skill sets. Effectiveness in one doesn't imply effectiveness in the other.
comment in response to
post
Believing we have agency is the only practical choice. If not, our beliefs don't matter. If we do have agency we need to believe it so in order to exercise it effectively.
comment in response to
post
This makes me think of a conversation with a theoretical physicist friend of mine where he was pointing out there's nothing in physics to show the universe isn't deterministic, and so any control/choice we think we have is illusion.
I suppose that means I had no choice but to post this reply. 😜
comment in response to
post
I mean, it's not going to make anything public because they just won't do it. And that's the real problem; there's no meaningful enforcement mechanism if the executive just refuses to obey the law and the courts.
comment in response to
post
They're not doing it to fund tax cuts! They're doing it because they want to cut these programs. If there were no tax cuts, they'd still want to cut them. And they're happy to run up the deficit to pay for tax cuts. Stop repeating their lies; it just helps them.
comment in response to
post
I understood that bill also gives the president the power to postpone or cancel elections. To delay complying with judicial rulings for up to a year. Somehow those seem like the bigger threat.
Or did I misunderstand?
comment in response to
post
It's not just the cost; we don't have the capability.
comment in response to
post
As authoritarians come into power the police always have fewer restrictions, more power, and are less answerable for their actions.
comment in response to
post
Seems like that birthmark helped her by getting rid of someone so shallow
comment in response to
post
I'm not taking a dig at you. This is pervasive in sci-fi and it's rare to find an author who hasn't been loose with these terms.
Overall, I find you very ethical in your approach to story telling, and I admire that.
I believe our stories, even when we think they're "just for fun" teach lessons.
comment in response to
post
The reason I think is a big deal is when we use these words we're always talking about serious ethical issues. Whether it's wrong to torture sentient beings or enslave sapient beings. We need to get our language right to be clear.
comment in response to
post
It came from thinking of how to treat AI if it became sentient (able to feel and having emotions). But a lot of sci-fi authors are using it when thinking about aliens being sapient (having human-like intelligence and wisdom).
comment in response to
post
I understand. I try not to be the language police but some things...
My language peeve is using sentient to mean sapient.
comment in response to
post
There's a bill that, if passed into law, would prohibit the US state and local govs from passing laws about AI and the fed gov from regulating AI for ten years. We're already behind on regulating the use of AI. Ten years from now every evil thing AI can be used for will already be done.
comment in response to
post
I wouldn't harm a rare/endangered creature but my brain can't help wondering how they'd taste boiled up with some Cajun spice. 😜
comment in response to
post
Also illustrates why I don't like "we're the resistance" as an idea/slogan for the left. Everyone thinks they're the resistance, even while supporting literal fascists and authoritarians. The Jan 6 rioters have repeatedly cast themselves as the plucky rebels.
comment in response to
post
No, it's gundam, not goddamn
comment in response to
post
No, civilization would collapse and the damage stop long before all life died. Probably just large swaths of the earth becoming uninhabitable and 90% of us dying. The earth will be fine, life will recover. Humans won't do so well. If we don't handle it, it will become a self-correcting problem.
comment in response to
post
The biggest problem the US has in protecting allies like Japan, S. Korea, and Taiwan is untenably long logistics lines from the US West Coast. An Aussie base is an enormous help with that. But this administration is about chaos and ego, not good strategy.
comment in response to
post
The plan was to build out a joint submarine base, mostly with US subs in the beginning, transitioning to mostly Aussie subs as they were built. But also to stand up an Aussie nuclear sub industry to build them. Lots of investments and plans were made.
comment in response to
post
Military thinking in Australia right now has to reflect the fact they are feeling very screwed over by the US. After forming an alliance with ambitious build out plans to counter Chinese pressure on Australia, the new administration isn't honoring those commitments. Angry China, absent USA.
comment in response to
post
Yeah, we do that in Texas too. Mostly in rural areas, not really in the city or the burbs.
comment in response to
post
Things aren't working because the right has, for decades, been actively blocking solutions and improvements that have proven to work well elsewhere, and even hindering the maintenance necessary to keep our outdated systems and methods working.
comment in response to
post
No, Republicans don't worry about how they'll pay for things. They just don't. They're gutting Medicaid because they want to, not because of the money.
comment in response to
post
You should do a bit on who J.D Vance is, his connection to Dark Enlightenment, and how that brings the tech billionaires into government.
comment in response to
post
Senility
comment in response to
post
Senility
comment in response to
post
Every accusation he makes is a confession
comment in response to
post
While recognizing the reality of today, I still really hate the term "liberal controlled court" or conservative. Either way it's a corruption of jurisprudence.
comment in response to
post
Notice he includes judges in the list of people he wants to lock up, in a place where even lawyers have a hard time going. That was deliberate.
comment in response to
post
Like including the link here, since you mention the site?
😁
comment in response to
post
I find it disheartening how HIGH it is. At 100 days it was 41%-42% depending on who's poll. The same as Biden's avg approval for his whole term. It's upsetting to think that even now almost half of us think Trump is doing fine and many can't tell Biden from Trump
comment in response to
post
If we ever wrest back control the first thing we need is a lot more sunshine laws. It's hard to hide your corruption when what you do is public
comment in response to
post
In a feudal government the king is more powerful than any individual baron but the barons together are more powerful than the king. Don't be the odd man out.
comment in response to
post
I agree it's a conflict of interest, and no doubt illegal. But I don't think that's why he's doing the DOGE thing. After all, $2⅓b isn't enough to change his life or his businesses in any way.
comment in response to
post
Vance follows a political philosophy called Dark Enlightenment or NRx. Basically, it states that democracy is inefficient and harmful and advocates for a CEO (dictator) who answers to a board (oligarchy) of powerful (rich) men. From the POV our government is illegitimate his comments make sense.
comment in response to
post
And it's often impossible to determine when he's being stupid, when he's telling a convenient lie, and when he's running a con.
comment in response to
post
It's censorship directly in violation of the 1st amendment. What's to consider?
comment in response to
post
I don't understand what you're getting at here. This statement came out yesterday. Are you saying they're trying to retract it now? I can't find any news to that effect.
comment in response to
post
Trump is confusing because one can't always tell his stupidity from his lies.
comment in response to
post
IMO Trump is awful, but without context this post is misleading. 42% was Biden's average approval rating for his presidency. It's not uncommon for presidents to be there at this point.
Far too many Americas still support Trump and all he's doing.
comment in response to
post
My guess is he thinks his supporters would prefer $5k cash money in their hot little hands rather than some woke program where libtards indoctrinate their children. Sadly, he's probably right. Or can sell it to them that way.
comment in response to
post
Which makes sense when we realize they have no intention of stepping away from power, ever. These are clearly the actions of people who expect to never be held accountable.
comment in response to
post
This is wishful thinking. Trump is a plague on this nation but let's be honest here; his current approval rating is 42%, the same as Biden's avg approval rating. There's a gradual decline in his support but no massive wave.
comment in response to
post
I know, right? When I discuss these things with non authors they think I'm mental.
comment in response to
post
I know a guy with multiple personality disorder. I knew and liked more than one of his personalities. Were some of those not real? Which would we label as not real people? Our idea of real and not real aren't as clear as we imagine. That's also why I have difficulty being cruel to my characters.
comment in response to
post
I'm reading that differently: I think it was a threat. Telling someone their decision is suicidal is a well known way to threaten someone.