We chose to do a little bit of “buying ahead.” Where I would buy one pack of TP, I bought a second one, and when we use the first I’ll get another. Nothing we’re not going to use within a few months anyway, not looking to build a TP throne but just a bit of cushion. We were already mostly doing this anyway since covid because it seems like there’s random shortages here and there that didn’t happen prior, or at least not enough to notice.

Really, nothing beyond what I’d want to have for a natural disaster where we’re on our own for a few days. Trying to be prudent without being a weirdo.

Village idiot

That’s exactly what we got, an I6. Love it.

We bought a Hyundai EV. Would have seriously considered a Tesla, but.

I know the argument constantly rages - too left! Too centrist! and I don’t know which one would be more effective.

On the other hand, the closest we’ve come to a real left candidate at least in my lifetime was Sanders and the thumb on the scale against him was pretty corporate blue - and the mainstream lost, so maybe we should try it the other way?

I would support a cutoff for president at say 60 when starting office, that would keep us below 70 for a two-termer. That’s plenty old enough.

Also the 18 year rolling term limit idea for SCOTUS.

This was a great podcast episode that addresses the young men issue directly. Scott Galloway has been talking about it for a while.

https://overcast.fm/+ABEb8GDsq4Q

At about 70 minutes, he states that the greatest innovation from the United States is the middle class, and he makes a good argument IMHO. He talks about how there were about seven million men that came back from World War II having proven themselves, with some confidence, and of course being in uniform doesn’t hurt. They had opportunity for education, help with starting a career and affording a home, and all that made them attractive mates and led to the baby boom and the rise of the middle class. (I know it’s an oversimplification, of course.)

Here’s a fun conspiracy theory for you – what if somebody recognizes that sequence of events and thinks the best thing we could do would be to replicate it? If that was your goal, what would you do to make it happen, but with a twist to the far right?

I’d be happy to see an AOC/Buttigieg ticket in 2028.

Warren for sec of treasury. Walz for HUD or even better, cabinet level position in charge of figuring out the young man problem. He’s representative of the role model a lot of young men are missing imho.

I don’t wanna see another dem pres candidate that’s older than me (mid 50s) EVER AGAIN. The problems my kids are facing aren’t going to be fixed by old people, and while I’m not quite there yet, I’m fucking close enough.

I was using AI to explore this idea a bit just messing around and it brought up similarities to the Milgram experiment - “the experiment requires that you continue” electric shock experiment.

This is the AIs words to be clear, not mine: “people often obey, even absurd or cruel commands, out of fear, conditioning, or unwillingness to challenge authority—even when they have the power to say no.”