GhostTheToast

Off topic slightly, but I've seen on Lemmy lately where people are saying "get rid of gerrymandering" and I'm curious about the argument for this.

Honestly, I'd love for it to happen, but I assumed it was impossible in a Representative Democracy because of how the system/math worked. Kinda of an inherit problem. Mostly because the ways I've heard to remedy this issue is to distribute districts in such a way that they more closely resemble their population ratios. However, isn't this also a form of gerrymandering? Districts are getting set to way we think they should be. Not saying that wrong persay, just feel like a bandage solution. Like we're beating a nail in with a wrench. In a way though, this reminds me of the Observer Effect in a way

But Foxconn isn't an employee of Apple. Their a contractor. This would more than likely setup companies to be more or less nesting Russian dolls. Funnily enough, it would make it harder to track money between companies because now there is so much noise

My only issue with point 3 is wouldn't that make members of Congress more tempted by bribes and such? Sure, we can out law it and say it's bad, but as my uncle always told me, it's only illegal if you get caught.

Not the original person you replied too, but I don't mind having hard conversations and trying to expand my world view. Now personally, I'm pro-"Student Debt Fixing". From what I can tell, I think setting the interest rate to 0% would be the best fix. I'm not opposed to paying back what I owe, I just don't think the government should be profiting from its citizens. However, I admit I'm not an economist and understand I'm probably misunderstanding something.

Not you make a fair amount points and honestly, I don't want to address them all (I'm tired :( )

• I know you mentioned where you're from, interest rates are capped, but I don't believe we have those in an effective form for the U.S. for student loans. Loans provided by the Government have their interest rate set each year by Congress and usually it's around 4-5%, but Congress can set it whatever they'd like. I can't speak for private loans because I don't have private student loans because it's was always a bad offer for my situation.

• I don't completely buy your argument that if the government forgives a $180,000 loan that it's money from the Federal Reserve that covers it and thus inflates the economy by $180k. Like if you wanted $100 for food and I gave it to you and I decided to forgive it. I don't consider it paying myself $100 to account for it. I view it more "I gave up the opportunity to make $100". Remind me of that joke about two economist in the forest.

• How is the government nefarious for forgiving loans? You claim it's about gaining greater control over the populous. However your own argument is forgiving loans would basically cause inflation to go up. Causing people to buy and save less. Hurting businesses in the process. Possibly causing a recession or even worse a depression. Meaning that the government would be at its weakest because that's usually when taxes are also at their weakest. Historically, governments have their most control when populations are fat and happy. Most civil unrest are in uncertain times, such as recessions and depressions. If anything it's more nefarious for the government to keep the loans and jack up the interest rates where people have no ability to pay it off and can't bankrupt out of it.

• While some of school tuition can be attributed to supply and demand. It can mostly be attributed to a change in how much grant money was awarded to student for college by some president in the 70s or 80s. Normally, I find out who it was, but again I'm tired. I think it was Nixon or Reagan, but Adam Ruins Everything has a decent video on it. Basically, since students couldn't bankrupt out of loans and the US govt was the backer for these loans, colleges realized it was basically a free money glitch. So instead of competing on education per dollar, some started going for amenities per dollar. So Gyms, Pools, Various sport fields, other random as shit. Some of things had stupid price tags for maintenance alone and that greatly assisted in helping prices go up. Now why didn't students be smart and choose their college more wisely? I think it's best to remind ourselves of the demographic we're dealing with. Often vain and short term thinkers. Some of them aren't even done developing their brains. Plus I think it's rich to give upset at people for making dumb choices before going to the place that makes them smart enough to realize how dumb they there. It's like getting mad at your car for being broken before you take it to shop to get repaired.

My hands hurt and my eyes yearn for sleep. Good night!

Look, maybe some by crazy chance, it's super safe for occupants. However, I think the cars it hit will be sheared a good ways through.

I'm not as well read as you, so I'm not entirely sure how these stack up against your list, but I enjoyed:

• Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson. It's a YA-Sci-Fi book mostly about what if superheroes were real. Similar vein to The Boys, but not as graphic imo. It's pretty good and you might enjoy that. It also apart of a series called the reckoners

• To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini. Paolini wrote the fantasy series "Inheritance" which I though was great and gave this a shot. It's was pretty good, a little slow, but I think that was more to show how slow would be in space even at >C travel.

• Probably missed it, but have you tried any of Andy Weir's books? I really enjoyed Artemis and Project Hail Mary has been in my queue.

Harry Wolfe IV

Are you sure it's not, grandmother on both sides share the same percentage with you

I'm curious about where you find your music. When I looked into an indexer for music ~3 years ago, it was slim pickings. I recently found that there a method to download from Spotify, but haven't had a chance to try it out

Sorry for bring up an old thread, but yeah... I'm super disappointed that trump hasn't been convicted yet. I know the gears of justice turn slowly for a reason, but damn. Four years feels too slow. Sometimes it feels like the democratics intentionally shoot themselves in the foot to make it 'fair' fight. Or love tripping over their moral high ground.

Yeah, but to me that seems worst. If the fascist comes to power by a slim a majority, it's these 'honorable' citizens to blame. Voting is a simple act that holds tons of power. I'm not gonna say that one vote could change the tide, but the past two elections have been slim where key voters in certain states can certainly change the outcome of the election.

If you want to change the system, you don't fix it by throwing your hands up and say 'I don't want to play anymore'. You fix it by voting and pestering the fuck out of your representatives to change the laws.

Huh, had no idea about the EV1. I'm bitter that the Volt was cancelled.