This feels too real. But I’m still grateful for all of you people on lemmy even if I don’t completely fit in

We sure do.

I wonder if the chief justice will keep hanging his flag upside down and blaming his wife…

Every time I see verbs such as “rips” “slams” “melts down” I stop reading because I know it’s going to be hyperbole

And the interviewer wouldn’t have given a shit.

Remember all the garbage about welfare queens? I thought this was something that was morally wrong in the 90s to support people who have kids?

I do yoga multiple times a week, use a rowing machine twice a week, and walk/hike my dogs.

Yoga is the best especially if you are sitting all day. And it’s a nice “third space” where you see the same people every class and make weak links with them that aren’t at home or at work.

Denver had a big turnout

No. See: 2020.

Cool, keep posting comments on Lemmy, that will definitely make a difference.

Which Federal Agency is going to do that? One under the Department of Justice? Maybe after four years, if control of the government flips, the make-up of the supreme court changes, and we don’t get another Merrick Garland?

Yeah, not gonna place a bet on that panning out…

I’ve voted Democrat my whole life out of the lesser evil thing. I think I’m going to vote third party at this point because things are getting eviler and they are part of the problem.

My question is if I vote Democrat again, will they simply maintain the status quo and do nothing until the next fascist runs on blowing up the system that they are defending that isn’t working for anyone and wins again?

Because so far that’s all that has happened. Oh yeah there was also that guy that won on “hope” and “change” and gave a handout to insurance companies instead of a public option.

After citizens united and before they are all owned by the same elites that crush everyone else. One party just does it under a cross and the other does it under a rainbow flag.

If you are commenting or reacting, take the 2 minutes to call your senators and tell them how useless Democrats are showing themselves to be. 5calls.org.

This guy is a clown. The new 3 of the “5 pillars” of his EPA administration don’t have anything to do with its mission. Bringing back the auto industry, empowering the energy industry, and being a leader in AI.

I’ve had to rent out rooms and the basement of my home as a “landlord” and I lowered the rent on people in stead of raising it because they were giving me enough to cover part of my mortgage. It still felt shitty and exploitative to do. Especially if something broke and they had to wait to say, use the toilet.

I’d never want to do that again if possible. Also my “tenants” were not people or friends I knew beforehand. I just tried not to be a piece of shit about it.

When I see “real estate experts” gouging people to buy more real estate and bragging on social media about it - I do think they are, in fact, fucking parasites on people that do actually contribute to society. It doesn’t have to be this way. Housing should not be a commodity.

The secret level from toe jam and big earl.

Doesn’t seem like even existing executives in agencies have any fucking backbone. The AFGE union that represents EPA employees is urging members to personally email the EPA Administrator, Michael Regan, to extend the union contract of career service employees to 2030. This would protect some worker rights under a collective bargaining agreement instead of allowing it to open back up for the Trump admin to gut. Career service employees are the ones doing inspections, developing cases, providing assistance to the public, doing research… The stuff that most people expect the EPA to do, even if they aren’t democrats. Despite what the hyperbolic mainstream and social media spaces report, even Republicans want clean air, water, and soil.

Regan has thus far refused even though he has absolutely nothing to lose since he is out by January anyway to be replaced with Lee Zeldin…I guess he thinks not doing anything to help agency employees at EPA will help his career and that’s his priority. Not actually helping the EPA succeed.

I feel like smartphones + internet peaked about 10 years ago and has now steadily become enshittified. I have never used “google assistant” because it takes less time to just type something in to my phone or tap the setup for my alarm.

So yes, definitely feel that way. Consumer tech had less bullshit masking as improvements ten years ago.

I work as an environmental engineer that does inspections of industrial, government, and military facilities. Every inspection I get to tour a different place and learn how it works and how things are made. I’ve gotten to see some amazing places like

-NASA rocket testing sites -shuttered nuclear weapons production processes, -the factory that makes all the flavoring for Dr pepper/potpourri/cherry/fake almond (it’s made starting with paint thinner, yikes) -refineries -military bases

It’s fascinating to both see how the world actually works, and how stuff is made, the benefits to society/vs costs to society and environment, and every place has its own site-specific culture. I find so many people take for granted how our whole society is so dependent on a few resources, industries, and expert people working together.

I get to use soft skills to interview people and figure out if they are being honest or hiding something, use my engineering and scientific skills to assess sites, and have a mix of inside/outside work.

My work also does some good - helping develop cases to bring to enforcement. My cases have resulted in changes that improve living conditions for people near these sites, the workers at them, or the environment.

Environmental engineering doesn’t pay as much as other disciplines like a senior software engineer or something. But it’s a good income and the work isn’t as subject to boom/bust cycles as other sectors because it’s driven by regulations more than profits.