rjshae

Made it through A Handmaids Tale. At first the premise seemed ludicrous, except the same behavior has been practiced by monarchs throughout history. As shown throughout the tale it actually could have been much worse for the protagonist. The situation in D.C. was particularly gruesome. The eventual redemption of Serena didn't quite work for me; it somehow seemed a bit forced. But overall the plot was satisfying, and I liked that it ended unfinished as it was the end of her particular story.

I think the prioritization is understandable. This is one of those rare events that are very difficult to forecast. It's only natural for people to prioritize more immediate concerns. At any rate, it's a horrible tragedy and my sympathies for the families involved.

I'm really enjoying Psycho-Pass; it's been close to the best anime series I've watched (comparable to Attack on Titan). The genre is adult noir with none of the usual goofiness you see in many anime. I could definitely picture it as a live-action series, although it could be expensive to produce. The cyberpunk setting feels similar to Akira, Blade Runner, and Ghost in the Shell.

The loser gets thrown under a bus... then deported.

The USA is (I believe) the only remaining industrialized nation without some form of universal health care coverage. I suppose that's likely because it is viewed as a form of socialism, or anti-capitalist. It's going to be difficult to make that political leap, but doing so will be beneficial to many and should eventually help alleviate a chunk of the deficit spending.

In the USA, expenditure on health care has been steadily increasing over time relative to the national GDP. As of 2022, it is a 17%, compared to most comparable nations being ~11%. This growth is unsustainable, yet our political system seems incapable of switching to a more equitable healthcare approach. In order to motivate a change and overcome the medical industry's lobbyists, I strongly suspect that a significant number of people will need to suffer extreme medical costs (and likely die as a result). This is just an inevitable part of that process.

President Trump mulls UFC fight on White House grounds

It's now being called the big spending bill, which is probably more apropos given that it's expected to add 5 trillion to the deficit. But at least the obscenely wealthy will be getting more money. Clearly a priority.

Send us on a walkabout...

It would be interesting to consider what a preemptive strike looks like with a horde of drones combined with hypersonic missiles. That could be overwhelming. Particularly if Ukraine has fallen, opening up another flank along the polish border.

Well the politicians would have you believe otherwise, but whatever. Defense spending should be measured against national GDP. In that regard, Poland actually spends more on defence in Europe: 4.12% versus 3.38% for the USA. Presumably it's a response to their eastern neighbors.

Yes, he's looking into how to strip naturalized citizenship from people; the DOJ has made that a priority. You know, rather than go after actual criminals like the people DJT's pardoned. Anyway, Musk can afford to live anywhere. I'm sure he'll find a new home and invest his billions there instead.

President Trump says he'll 'have to take a look' at deporting Elon Musk as feud reignites Looks like DJT will need a bigger bus to throw Musk under it. How could Musk not see this coming? Too much ketamine, I suppose.

Your conclusion does not follow. Germany faces one powerful threat; the USA faces multiple.

Now that Lex Imperialis is out, I'm going in for a replay of Rogue Trader. I was going to hold off until the hot fix patch storm eased up a bit, but what the hey? The mass of special abilities are still as obtuse as ever, making me wonder how much of those have they actually verified.

This is what you get.

The situation isn't directly comparable. During the Cold War, the US and Germany had a powerful opponent in common. At present, that may no longer be the case. The change in interests can (and probably will) lead to a divergence of political motivations.

You can still blame colonialism for establishing borders that cause conflicts.

German now plans to build the largest armed forces in Europe by 2031. When was the last time that happened? 1933. Thanks Trumpf.

Defense Department will stop providing crucial satellite weather data So, yeah, that's an actual thing now. I have no idea why they would do that. The Defense Department doesn't want to defend the country from Hurricanes? I suppose it could be related to some sort of climate change issue.

The Bond films can be fun popcorn movies, although most are politically dated at this point. As spy films though, they are too over the top. Except, perhaps, for Casino Royale.

Well a swift kick in the nether regions for implying the need for violence.

Yes I did enjoy Mr. Robot and Fargo. Although I'm not fond of crime series, non-procedural detective series can be fun to watch. In the case of X-Files, I only watched it long after the series had run its course, so for me it feels more recent. Shogun was excellent, but I'm not sure I'd watch it again. Another series I just remembered was Legion, which I'll add to my list.

I decided to put together a list of my favorite series over the last decade or so to see what else might fall into the same pot. In no particular order: Fringe The X Files Firefly Picard* Psycho-Pass* Cowboy Bebop Person of Interest Dollhouse Orphan Black Handmaid's Tale Andor* The Walking Dead The Good Wife ER Deadwood Hell on Wheels *Recently watched or still watching. For some reason I seem to like female protagonists, usually in some mix of sci-fi, western, or medical drama. I no longer enjoy procedurals, crime shows, or musicals. Any suggestions for future viewing?