The vast majority of the stuff we send to Ukraine is slightly outdated weapons that are sitting in warehouses. The US military isn’t going to use this stuff. Sure they put a dollar amount on it, but that just confuses people to think we’re sending American tax dollars.

We need to send every bit we can in huge shipments before Trump takes office.

I heard rumors of South Korea sending troops to counter. I don’t want world war but that seems fair to me.

Up to 100k North Koreans. I don’t care how inept they are, 100k dudes with guns will utterly wreck Ukraine.

Republicans, who are not showing up to do their job, are mad that Democrats are doing their job.

Love to see it.

Fucking right. You need to change that account image though buddy. Sadly.

Hear hear.

We need tax on every home owned beyond the first, getting progressively higher with each one owned. For individuals and especially for corporations.

Agreed. It’s just now we have more options. At least we did before the Christian Nationalist Supreme Court made abortion illegal in half of the US. Even with this there are still more options and more education than in the distant past.

This is the answer. The problem is the huge expense to adopt at least in the US. Money that could make a better life for the child being adopted is taken by the state.

We need to streamline adoption while still vetting the potential parents as unlikely to be abusive.

2024+: Climate change, water wars, resultant mass migration, worldwide rise of fascism.

It doesn’t matter where you live. Even if you’re in the perfect geography and latitude to make climate change no big deal locally; the mass migration, wars, and production disruption will certainly affect you and especially your children.

Don’t forget soldiers. As George Carlin said, “Live babies make dead soldiers.”

How many of those kids were intentional though? Birth control and abortion were restricted or just not available. I’m sure most of the people who had kids in the past did not regret it but I’m not going to pretend they meant to get pregnant.

And the toilet paper thing is obviously a joke. A bit of levity in the horror.

hopefully give them a tragic enough backstory

What the fuck? Like abuse the shit out of them to toughen them up?

I know you’re not being serious but damn what do you mean by this?

They could always get more involved with their community. They don’t have to be a parent or have some specialized education to be a coach or volunteer at a youth center.

My scoutmaster did more to instill honesty, leadership ability, and respect for community in me than my mom or absent father ever did.

Now in my career I take mentoring new hires more seriously than anything other than general safety. My company hires a lot of young men with no direction and shitty childhoods. It’s not as good as getting to them when they’re young, but when I’m their only friend 200 or 800 miles from home I get the privilege to impart some important ideas and philosophies.

Most kids though? I’m not going to go looking for stats but let’s just say 95% of children are outliving their parents right now. Awkward sentence there. I mean parents who are dying today, 95% of them didn’t outlive their children. I hope that makes sense. Yes that’s not how statistics work, I’m trying to make a point.

What’s an acceptable level to drop to before we say fuck this we’re done having kids? I knew I didn’t want kids when I was a kid, but I’m an outlier.

Let’s say 85% is the number for kids born today. I believe that’s already unacceptable. It’s so unnatural.

I think the number is worse than that. The mass climate migration/water wars are going to really get moving in the 2040s if not earlier. I don’t want to live through that. I definitely don’t want a child to live through that.

Butt babies are funny.

Calling Laos the deadliest place on earth is kind of offensive.

Just so I have this straight- you care deeply about Palestinians but don’t give a shit about Syrians or Afghans? Why?

Fair enough. Honestly the only episode I ever watched was with Survivorman Les Stroud. Les seems absolutely convinced there is a rare ape species in Cascadia, and he convinced me. So many years ago. Now that I’m a stupid old man, I realize he was playing a bit the entire time.

Here’s the whole thing. Which I haven’t watched in forever. I’m stoned. I’m not going to look for the part anymore.

Reminds me of another guy who just repeats the last thing someone said to him. I forget his name.