leicsmac

Two of the tenets of a fascist movement... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvge4l109r3o Denounce and marginalise impartial voices as "partisan" And https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz03gjnxe25o "Other" and marginalise anyone outside the idealised for power in-group (white men). It's not just the Canadians who should be telling them to fvck off in as many ways as possible.

I think that is considered as a qualifier in a lot of scientific discussions of it tbh - we have a great many possible reasons to explain it, some, all or none might be true because there's no empirical data beyond the absence of alien contact.

That's all pretty much spot on. It is a terribly difficult problem to deal with within the parameters of a democratic system, but doing nothing about it will end up worse. This is true. Though I would add the rather obvious caveat that when the change is or may be overwhelmingly negative, that requires attention.

I think that one reason why most governments aren't grasping the nettle wrt the aging demographic issue is because, as far as I can tell, there is no good option to deal with it, only bad ones. It's about choosing the best bad idea, which then they'll have to carry the can for. So they're kicking the can down the road and praying it won't be them that has to deal with the fallout when it all goes tits-up. The same could, sadly, be said of quite a few other issues with difficult solutions requiring long term thought. A rather unfortunate flaw in fixed short term democratic systems.

Splendid work from Jack the Ripper.

Sadly so. But dystopia doesn't have to be an inevitability. People believing that it is will only help make it such.

That at worst, The Expanse (where safe water and even oxygen have a price) at best.

And on the same topic, there is the superb Kurzgesagt: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9NJUJVSrAcZCkIcGnLoKDQcl0iZZPPPG&si=pAU50HWqntizBpcq

There's a couple of quality videos from the good Professor on this topic, would very much recommend. Needless to say, I agree with his viewpoint pretty much to a T here.

I believed that a while ago. Now I'm not so sure. Reasonable people believe that such systems can last forever, but history shows quite clearly how oppressive regimes can take control in so many places - usually after people have sworn it could never happen. But you could be right. I really hope that you are. For the sake of our species itself.

I honestly think that pretty much anything Trump does short of full on invasion of another country/legislative coup/other completely beyond the pale thing can be spun as a success to enough people, combined with successful voter suppression, to carry almost any election henceforth. Look at the way the current economic woe is being spun, and that is the usual hottest button Issue. And look at how what was functionally a coup attempt on January 6th 2021 is being spun now. That being said, four years, to say nothing of more, is a long time and I hope that I'm wrong.

Relentless, brutal and absolutely thorough.

Rigged directly? Probably not. Through voter suppression, capture of the legal system overseeing the election and skilled use of social media manipulation? That, I believe, is possible. He'll want a legacy, and given he and his ethos really "should" have been a memory after 2021, then I believe underestimating it and the damage it can cause at our extreme peril.

Assuming the next election is free, fair and legit.

The latter, because diminishing resources and increased inequality will feed from that into the former. It's reasonably obvious that higher global pressures, either human or natural caused, can and will result in higher incidents of nationalist warfare and destruction as "tribes" attempt to protect what is "theirs" - be it resources of any kind or vital territory. Any study of geopolitics has to include the above otherwise it misses an utterly critical element imo.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2g88y52y8o SpaceX founder Elon Musk has said his Starship rocket will head to Mars by the end of next year, as the company investigates several recent explosions in flight tests. Human landings could begin as early as 2029 if initial missions go well, though "2031 was more likely", he added in a post on his social media platform X. I'll believe it when I see it. It would be nice, but never will the phrase "in spite of, rather than because of" have applied more.

Very thorough from England so far.

The usual suspects, for accusing NASA of politicising the plight of two astronauts. Slander scientists and engineers with more integrity than you'll ever have again, cvnts.

Wainwright still rocking the classic Aussie mullet and tache then.

The global issues are where most people are sleepwalking in the name of lack of foresight either spatially or temporally. Focusing inward just means the UK falls shortly after a few others or last anyway.

Interesting analysis of a reasonably complex TMO decision there.

It's possible, but I guess we'll never be sure either way.

It's just unfortunate that the US are far too busy selling out all the values they (supposedly) had to properly negotiate on this one.

... and Putin is likewise delusional if he thinks the other side will agree to the terms he's put forward too. So I guess now it's up to the diplomats to sort all of that out towards a middle ground as best they can.

On the topic of people who don't agree with him... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crmj8ky3rvno The US is expelling South Africa's ambassador to Washington, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying he is "no longer welcome in our great country". In a post on X, Rubio accused Ebrahim Rasool of hating America and President Donald Trump and described him as a "race-baiting politician". It's good to see that the US does care about (allegedly) oppressed populations... they just have to be white, apparently. NB. Interesting that Rubio apparently makes zero distinction between a nation and the elected leader of that nation, as if they are by definition the very embodiment of that nations values. Very North Korean.