The public services are not supposed to be run for profit. The problems you list are the result of steady defunding by the public sector, in the name of “efficiency” and privitization. The Flint water crisis was an example of a human rights violation being perpetrated by multiple government agencies in the name of…

While single payers is not a perfect solution it is (a) far preferable to what we have now; and (b) we have several other countries’ examples to study and learn from so we can improve on it.

The “negotiation” you speak of is non-existent, since consumers have virtually no power over pricing. That’s like saying I can…

A few less constructive additions to the above article:

#6: divorce your husband. Problem solved! Now you no longer have to hate him.

All of your above points are true. And a land invasion may have actually united the increasingly factitious forces within the government who were pushing for surrender (since they saw the handwriting on the wall). I’ve heard about the blockade debate, but not about the POW counter-strategy.

That argument has been used... in defenses of suspects charged with criminally negligent homicide. Again, armed adults in authority allowed/encouraged this to happen.

To all the people below who feel that this is the kid’s fault... hello, he was sixteen. In most states, that’s a juvenile. The ARMED adults in the room with all the power knowingly put him in harms way.

So basically, this movie:

There were behind-the-scenes negotiations already in progress for Japan’s surrender. The firebomb campaigns, combined with the fact that Japan is an island nation, had depleted the country’s supply of oil and even staple goods. What motivated the decision to drop the bombs was to show off to Russia (and possibly…

Where’s the spice kit? You know, so when they’re trapped in the woods and they have to resort to cannibalism...

To test your college is optional statement, I dare you to take your college experience off your resume and any other online sources that can be easily checked. Then apply for any job above minimum wage - actually, include those minimum wage jobs too. Tell them you don’t have a college degree. Apply across the country,…

This is true. But again, you’re basically caught between disabling features you may want (and at some point even be required by the TV to operate properly) and operating your device securely. That shouldn’t be a choice a consumer has to make for an appliance.

That is AWESOME! That’s from “Brave Little Toaster,” no?

That’s a good point. I do think that there’s always going to be a segment of the population that will want to be on the edge. But these devices (the ones that make it past the Kickstarter stage) are largely being aimed at consumers who don’t necessarily understand the security problems inherent in them. Also, given…

WE have not chosen this future. This has been foisted on us by equipment manufacturers and marketers. They are hoping to cash in on data mining a la Facebook and Google, and want to connect us to companies that will pay them some kind of percentage of sales.

Turn those tears into gasoline for your eventual revenge.

This is an interesting conundrum that sci-fi/fantasy writers face. You have handle exposition properly so that people are along for the ride, but not bore them to death either. Or, if you want them confused, you want them to still be interested in finding out what’s going to happen next.

So if my character has an 18 Charisma and I’m trying to keep a wizard with 17 Intelligence from tuning out and maybe zapping me with a fireball out of boredom, I’m probably okay (at least if my story involves magic). But telling the same story to a goblin will probably result in my head being caved in with a…

WHAT? That movie was utterly brilliant, as long as you didn’t try to link it at all in your mind to the videogame. If you see it as some kind of acid-trip-induced storyline, it works great.

Their whole relationship is all kinds of ick, starting with the 24-year age difference. He mostly seems to treat her like a child or arm candy.

Totally agree with this. I’ve spent a lot of time in government offices, and known many government employees at all levels (state, federal, local). With few exceptions, they work in crappy offices with little support and make a lot happen with very little to work with. OTOH, I’ve worked in plenty of private sector…