Maedhros

Bill Gates saving the planet so there'll still be people around ready to get microchips implants.

Re-reading the Dune series. Probably 15 years since I last read them. I enjoyed them just as much as I did the first time around. Most people seem to have only read the first one in the series, but I really enjoyed #4, God Emperor of Dune this time around. A guy turns himself into a giant worm, and rules the galaxy as a peace-enforcing tyrant for 3500 years to save humanity. What's not to like? “For what do you hunger, Lord?” Moneo ventured. “For a humankind which can make truly long-term decisions. Do you know the key to that ability, Moneo?” “You have said it many times, Lord. It is the ability to change your mind.”

Rapper Killer Mike says build, not burn.

"Just to be a contrarian ass"? I thought from the get-go that he said he did it to protest the oppression and police brutality against blacks in the US? Image seems relevant if so. Edit: Haha, thought ass was the censored word. Need to learn to count letters.

All this talk of Star Trek made me think of this. -- Started watching "What we do in the shadows" on HBO. Funniest thing I've watched so far this year. Apparently there's a film too, gotta check that out as well.

I have a feeling most of you strongly dislike stuff like this, but I'm unashamedly in love with this new song by Aurora. Very different from her other stuff, which isn't nearly as "traditional" as this, but it worked for me.

Haha well, maybe this lockdown actually means he'll get the time to write the damn book!

The last season makes the couple of seasons before it even worse. I find myself not wanting to ever rewatch it due to how terrible its ending is. That zombie episode with Sam/Brienne/Jaime constantly surrounded by zombies but not dying is the prime example of the showrunners giving up, and giving in to cheap tv tricks. There is no dialogue anymore, no organic development...just a cluster**** of major events happening without proper buildup, and character development as a result is a total mess. I actually look forward to the remaining book (I think he'll only manage to release one more before he goes) to see what could have been.

I've learned that only two things seem to stop me from sleeping: If I'm not socially active during the day (internet forums doesn't count, sadly), or if I eat too much chocolate in the evening. I used to really struggle before I started working as a kindergarten teacher.

Always looking for good excuses to post clips from The Wire (made by a former cop). It makes a pretty strong suggestion that the police aren't really to blame, not even the top brass. They just do what they have to, to please the politicians in charge (more convoluted than that, but oversimplified). "It's the chain of command baby, the **** always rolls downhill."

Yeah that's pretty fair overall. I think it's also fair to say that Progressives in the US are Scandinavian wannabees. Whenever I see AOC I think she must've been a Swede in a previous life.

To be fair, it's probably better to use Denmark as the example. We've been very lucky with our oil findings (though smart enough to nationalise it).

What countries? I can think of some who are somewhat similar in social democratic principles, but not one that stands out as more socialistic (Edit: and just to clarify, I use "socialism" like its being used in the 21st century. Meaning high taxes, welfare state, etc). No one is advocating "real" socialism. Are all the indexes that quantifies things differently but come to the same conclusions flawed? Yes they're designed to make certain countries shine...the countries where most people are happy. The methology varies, but the results are usually the same. Not a coincidence.

Thanks for replying. Yeah, no country is socialist really, but in the 21st century it feels like the useage of the word means "welfare state" more than anything else. I don't agree that it couldn't be done over there, you have a long history of having huge top tax rates after all, but I see your point with all the challenges.

No country is perfect (or even close to perfect), but there's a reason the same ones continously top all indexes no matter the positive criteria (democracy, happiness, least corrupt, you name it). Also, pretty sure Sweden isn't actually the "rape capitol" of Europe. They're superfeminist, so the term "rape" has a far wider definition there than elsewhere, and the women there are also far more likely to report them than in other countries (more faith in the justice system). I can ask you the same question I asked GD - why do you think those countries always top happiness indexes (and alike) despite being the most socialistic ones?

What's your take on the most socialist countries in the West are always topping democracy and happiness indexes? Not meant sarcastically btw, serious question. How do you explain socialism "bad", when countries that are the most socialist (within a capitalistic system) do so well? Would we do even better if we abandoned our system and became "mini-USAs"? https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidnikel/2019/03/20/northern-europe-dominates-happiness-rankings-once-again/#62e1f2902bd3 https://www.weforum.org/reports/global-social-mobility-index-2020-why-economies-benefit-from-fixing-inequality https://www.eiu.com/topic/democracy-index In before Skarpen "but barnevernet"

I agree, I was surprised to see how beloved that episode was. I saw people claiming it was one of the best episodes of TV ever, which surprised me considering Breaking Bad (and other shows, like The Sopranos) already had similar types of "lost in the wilderness" episodes. Looking forward to watching the newly released episode though. Very curious about what will happen to Kim in the end. Also, seconding Zoraptor's Dark recommendation.

I think Sanders has more positives than negatives. I think he identifies your problems more clearly than most other politicians over there. Then again, most Western-Europeans are gonna think that as he's pretty the "European-style" candidate.

Wonder if Trump or Biden will change some of their stances now to pick up voters from the Sanders-base. Bernie live on twitch: https://live.berniesanders.com/

Anyone seen The Plot Against America yet? I love much of David Simon's stuff (The Wire, Generation Kill, Show me a Hero), but have found some of his shows kind of hard to get into (Treme and The Deuce). Should probably give it a chance.

I checked my imdb ratings, and the only film there that I've given 9/10 or higher that isn't widely known is The Twilight Samurai from 2002.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_views_of_Donald_Trump What doubt? Trump is racist.

It's kind of weird with the popularity of guys like Sanders and Trump that a representative 3rd party hasn't arrived already. Sanders especially should've started a "Social Democrat" party a long time ago.