I agree with the observation that Gorsuch is qualified, but definitely not mainstream. That’s not even a controversial statement. He was purposefully marketed and sold as being far right.

Ugh. I hear you. That’s ridiculous. I’d stick to cabs exclusively because both companies are fairly terrible on regulation and labor issues. But the Taxicab Commission in my city made their own bed by being similarly terrible to your town and assholes to boot. So no love lost.

I’m not sure it’s hyperbole so much as a different customer service rating model. If one gets me where I’m going in a pleasant manner, they’ve fulfilled every expectation I have of them and will get 5 stars and a tip. For anything that goes awry, I’ll dock either tip or a star. For exceptional rides, I leave a comment.

I don’t know what it would take to get me using Uber again. I had so many bad experiences with them. I switched to Lyft and cabs like 2 years ago and never looked back. And I don’t even understand the difference because they’re all the same pool of drivers.

That depends significantly on the city you’re in. People call cars for all kinds of conveniences—because you’re carrying a bunch of crap or public transit is too annoying or you just missed a bus. I live in a city with robust public transit so time often isn’t that big a deal (because a bus or train may actually get…

Whatever. Enjoy that bone. Constance Baker Motley FTW.

And his bellyaching about being called racist. Which he is.

FWIW, I read that there was an error for who got invited so they uninvited some folks because you had to fit certain criteria. But then some of the people who fit those criteria were also uninvited presumably because of fear they would protest.

I was so worried about balancing the humor with the very un-funny issue of the prison industrial complex. But damn, this show is good. In all the seasons it’s been on, there’s only one episode, I thought was in really poor taste (the police conference one). For someone like me that hates how law enforcement shows…

Recognize that if you’re not prepared to be active outdoors, you won’t get the most out of your visit.

The farmers markets are fantastic, the best of any place I’ve lived. Even if you can’t make a meal during a visit, they’re worth just a stroll through to pick up a snack and revel in the beautiful bounty.

As you mentioned, I think Uber (or Lyft, which is what I use) is economical if you’re traveling with others. For solo travelers, it can add up. And it’s also dicey for getting to places outside of SF, although a good option once you get there.

Pop’s great. I think it also helps running a franchise in San Antonio where there’s certainly privilege and supremacy issues abound, but where white people aren’t the majority. That puts a different flavor on things.

For SF and the East Bay (Oakland and Berkeley), learning and taking the bus will open up a much wider experience. Driving can be a bear and BART and Muni trains don’t actually go many places and really don’t get you to the great nooks and crannies of the city. But having a car is a bonus since it allows for…

That’s already been happening by nominating really problematic people to the courts without home-state senator approval and ramming them through the confirmation process.

A major move has been an aggressive transformation of the courts by shoehorning judges who are proud conservative ideologues—and ignoring decades’ old democratic procedures and traditions to do so.

I actually went from LOL to haha, partially because LOL feels dated and partially because, as stated, haha is easier to scale to actual funniness. That seems more useful.

Oh, no doubt!

For some people, just knowing that it’s not socially acceptable to broadcast racist views is enough to keep them quiet, and if you can help with that, it’s worth it.

Queens is wonderful. I love the museums and art spaces there and agreed that there’s some amazing food. I’ve had top-notch Indian, Filipino, and Chinese food in different spots in Queens. I do wish I had spent more time in the Bronx when I lived there.