I’m pretty sure that the people that want to “fix” LGBTQ people with violence don’t differentiate between being forced to submit and be silent versus actually being converted/fixed/whatever. It doesn’t matter if you are satisfied with your role in the hierarchy, only that you submit.

I think Samsung subs in their own “Gallery” software on their phones. Other manufacturers may as well.

That is exactly the XKCD I pictured.

It’s the exclusive deals that fuel the fragmentation. If you could watch the same content on any streaming service, you wouldn’t need to subscribe to a half dozen (or turn to piracy).

Of course that’s exactly why Netflix, Prime, Apple, et al started making their own exclusive content that they totally control.

Just finished the James Burke “Connections” reboot on Curiousity. It will probably be the last thing I watch as a subscriber.

The last few years have been nothing but price hikes, fragmentation, and reduced offerings among the streaming services.

I’ll pay for a seedbox again before I pay for another streaming service.

But still, what is the difference between a Syrian refugee in Jordan being served by the UNHCR and a Palestinian refugee in Jordan being served by UNRWA?

As a staunch critic of Hamas, and having been long dubious of UNRWA, I think having a smaller organization looking just after Palestinians as opposed to using the UNHCR was always kind of weird. Hearing overwrought pundits proclaiming how only the UNRWA can look after refugees, when the UNHCR is already running refugee services all over the world, including for Syrian refugees in Jordan seems nonsensical.

Why not just dissolve UNRWA and hand their responsibilities over to the UNHCR?

I’d be happy to have an “official” Mastodon instance. If individual politicians want to engage with their constituents, they can use any old Mastodon (or Lemmy, or whatever) instance. But having government agencies use a Mastodon instance for official communications would provide some insulation from the whims of capricious corporations.

Thanks! Much more readable.

I’d rather retain the monarchy without an actual monarch (like RL Gondor or something) than have a President.

Inconceivable! That sounds like CoMmuNisM!!1! ☭

Next you’ll be telling us that Corporations shouldn’t be allowed to ravage the planet to maximise returns.

of course

Yeah, with discounts, my phone plan is down to around $24/30 days, 40GB of data (unlimited at reduced speed), Canada-wide talk & text. Granted I’m on the legacy rewards, but even someone new signing up would have got around $29 for the same plan, IIRC.

Also, use Public Mobile referral codes. It costs you nothing, and usually gets both parties (referrer and referrer) a little bonus. Reddit has a PM referral code bot to avoid people spamming their referral codes. If you are signing up two or more people, chain the referrals to save yourself a little extra.

Yarr!

In another world, maybe we would have had a conservative party that proposed a Cap-and-Trade as an alternative to a Carbon Tax, rather than just sticking their heads in the (oil) sands. But that’s not the world we live in.

What you’re touching on is a fundamental problem with any attempts to solve carbon emissions by “market forces”, ie carbon tax or cap & trade. Those with the easiest access to capital are able to adjust their situation, such as shelling out for a BEV or heat pump. Those without can’t and need to keep their old 2002 Toyota Corolla or oil furnace until they can save up enough to replace it, which is hard because their old stuff just got more expensive to run.

At best, carbon taxes or cap & trade is only half the solution. For the heat pump thing, I’d like to see a “rent-to-own” sort of scheme. If you can install a heat pump in my home today, and save me 10% on my heating bill, great! Meanwhile, the installer “owns” the heat pump, and the difference in the discounted they offer and the actual cost of power is their take. After some time, they sign over the heat pump, and I get an even cheaper rate without the middleman. Great in theory, but I don’t trust “the market” to come up with something like this without specific legislation to support it.

But to OP’s point, I have zero trust in PP to actually meaningfully improve anything. I’m pretty sure his entire platform boils down to “it’s not perfect, so scrap everything and we’ll commission another study to find the perfect solution”. Meanwhile, do nothing.

That’s why they have lobbyists…

In theory there are also panels and advisory boards for technical things. Of course, the same monied interests who pay the lobbyists also try and get people into those roles. Heck, I would wager a good chunk of the lobbying is in the form of a non-governmental policy advisory group.

Elected representatives don’t need to be experts in everything, but they should be able to get technical advice. Unfortunately this is where much of the lobbying comes in.

That’s what happens when I request Kosher meals in the last decade or so on flights. Vegan satisfies Vegetarian, Kosher, Halal, etc. so Vegan meals for all special meal requests.

I think it was in Grade 10 Social Studies, BC, back in the eighties mind, so it was pretty fresh then and long in the past now. We didn’t exactly commit it to memory, just “this happened in 1982, here is the text” 10 question quiz or something, probably a question or two at the most on the final. Even when something is covered in school, and is on the final, the details will be hazy within a few years, although hopefully the general concepts will endure.

Of course, some of these people calling out groomers were probably in High School before the Constitution Act of 1982.

I’d say move to someplace like the Cowichan Valley on Vancovuer Island, but even rural property is expensive. Maybe Edmonton? Urban, fairly progressive, cold (and therefore less expensive), lots of work.

Varies a lot by region. Out here on Vancouver Island you can see it in microcosm. Still, I would be curious about teasing out stats on how different.

My impression from relatives in even Alberta would (anecdotally) seem to back this up. Edmonton would be fine, but Lloydminster maybe a little rough.

The first amendment you say? They’re still salty about the formation of Manitoba out of the Northwest Territory?