You really can’t overstate this plain truth, and people will still cling to the illusion of freedom.

Was he on that island discussing whether the billionaires could keep their security detail loyal with shock collars?

Ellison is the world’s sixth-richest man with a net worth of $157 billion, according to Bloomberg.

They are really concerned when people tire of their children dying from hunger and easily treatable diseases, we’ll be coming for them. But rather than give up an iota of the money generations can never spend for our ecology and things people need to live, they resort to things like shock collars and surveillance states.

That was a crazy read. People have invited me to vacation in Miami. Thanks, I’m good

They murdered Fred, while he was sleeping next to his pregnant girlfriend. Then blamed him.

And laughing all the way to their offshore banks, should that happen.

Something seems very amiss with this.

I’m trying to imagine what re-education would look like, in our current environment. A violent revolution may turn against us. It seems the Cuban revolutionaries were financed, at least in part, by wealthy individuals, but in* the United States today, the fascists could very well take absolute control, and use it as a means to make our situation much more dire than it currently is. The only thing I can come up with is winning a few more open-minded wealthy individuals to heavily donate for school not within government control, but exceeds standards of government education,and clinics that are completely free, that do the same. I’m having trouble even imagining how that would work, without being shut down, trying to operate under a legal framework.

I’d prefer rich corporations and individuals be heavily taxed to pay for universal comprehensive care. No means testing, deductibles, or copay.

Absolutely agree with that.

I don’t know how to state it any plainer than I have for months, now. I intend to enjoy my day and not bicker with those I consider equal and friend. You know what the good/bad cop routine looks like. You can consider that in this context or not, at your leisure. Enjoy your Sunday and give Ghost a belly rub for me, if you please.

I get it. People are scared and the major parties are juicing that up to their advantage and our disadvantage. The prefrontal executive functioning center is wired to take a back seat to the fight/flight/freeze/fawn instinct of the amygdala for important reasons. But feedback loops happen. I’m scared, too. And watching things go from bad to worse played into that loop, activating anger that fed right back into the loop. Now I’m calm. That doesn’t mean I don’t experience momentary feelings of fear and/or anger. It means I remind myself that the best decisions aren’t made from that plane 6, and I need to think long term. It’s going to be painful, either way. There’s going to be suffering, either way. There’s going to be an event horizon, either way. The point is, can I muster the courage and face it head on, because delaying the inevitable means pain and suffering will be worse the longer the delay. Am I willing to take the brunt now so the generations behind me have hope of shaping a future for themselves that sees benefits of Gen X and Boomers, on the political landscape? Because if I’m not willing to take that chance, the politicians will make sure the coming challenges weigh most heavily on the many, for the least suffering of the few.

I’m of two minds here. Part says they could and should lose their license to dispense and government contracts; the other part knows this is often the only pharmacy people can access.

I’ve been convinced for some time the whole R-D schtick is good/bad billionaire club routine, but it’s screaming into the void. The rightward sprint continues.

You know it. And people don’t always return books, which I need to get some more together.

Sure, I’m talking about programs, in general. There’s money where I am, but in general, people who have it are mostly investing in Fendi bags, big trucks, private education. There are exceptions, they are even fewer and far between. We did manage to put in a Little Free Library, and I’m currently looking for a space to plan a community garden. It will take time, but the goal is creating things most of us can participate in and enjoy. I’d wanted to plan free transportation for our community, but the insurance was more than we could afford, without large, ongoing private donations. But I’m ok with smaller things that bring our community out to mingle with each other.

Tbf, where I live, they’re few, far between, and not that great.

Being in the Bible Belt, I could see what you were saying, until the last bit.

I remember when Steven Seg*all was a strong supporter of the EPA.

A lot of people also conflate dominion with domination, in certain faiths.

Maybe if I have some pennies to spare, I will donate. I’m just not an Amazon fan. I haven’t given them money in a several years.