Last worries that we might now be in a transition to authoritarianism of the kind Russia went through in the 1990s, but I visited Russia often in those days, and much of the Russian democratic implosion was driven by genuinely brutal economic conditions and the rapid collapse of basic public services. Americans have done this to themselves during a time of peace, prosperity, and astonishingly high living standards. An affluent society that thinks it is living in a hellscape is ripe for gulling by dictators who are willing to play along with such delusions.

This is the problem. Americans are not living “affluent” lives. They may have iphones and Netflix, but they are struggling to make rent and buy groceries. Their credit cards are getting maxed out. And their wages are staying flat, certainly relative to the sharp increase in the price of everything.

Americans are hurting economically right now. I wouldn’t compare the situation to Russia, but seeing your bank account disappear, your debt grow, and no solution in sight is a recipe for desperation.

It was the economy, stupid.

“Will the big money interests and well-paid consultants who control the Democratic Party learn any real lessons from this disastrous campaign? Will they understand the pain and political alienation that tens of millions of Americans are experiencing? Do they have any ideas as to how we can take on the increasingly powerful Oligarchy, which has so much economic power?” Sanders asked.

”Probably not”

Bernie has been the Cassandra of the Democratic Party for decades. They need to realize that it has gone too far. The insane wealth gap, which has surpassed pre-Revolution France at this point, combined with the unaffordability of everything has created a crisis that won’t be fixed by platitudes and vague promises.

People are desperate, afraid, and angry. Changing that to hope and enthusiasm requires real plans that average voters can understand and even more than that requires correctly showing people the source of the problem.

Being beholden to billionaires is the real problem. And all their money, advertising, polling, and other bullshit didn’t do a damn thing to help Harris. Take them on the way FDR did or give the country to republicans permanently.

Behold the undecided voter. These people decide the election if they actually show up to vote.

This is the exception to the no preordering games rule. Supporting a co-op.

Monied interests are all supporting Trump, MAGA, and the Christian fascist/nationalist movement.

He held a meeting with oil company executives and promised to kill climate change initiatives for campaign contributions. Nakedly. Openly.

Trump and Thiel’s stooge, Elon, is literally paying people to register to vote and getting away with it.

Even the media sanewashes Trump’s insanity while they pounced on Biden for any slip of the tongue. It’s because they’re owned by billionaires.

“Big number goes up at all costs” is their true religion, and they’ll destroy democracy to worship it.

Republicans have oversaturated the market for hate.

“I don’t care what the patient said before he went under. They say all kinds of loopy things. The chart clearly says to amputate the right leg. Hand me the bone saw.”

The release of this next model comes at a crucial time for OpenAI, which just closed a historic $6.6 billion funding round that requires the company to restructure itself as a for-profit entity. The company is also experiencing significant staff turnover: CTO Mira Murati just announced her departure along with Bob McGrew, the company’s chief research officer, and Barret Zoph, VP of post training.

All the problems with “AI” are suddenly solved now that Altman needs to justify his funding. I’m sure senior executives are jumping ship right on the cusp of their great triumph, because they want to spend more time with their families.

Can you imagine how weird the porn on JD Vance’s phone is? I almost feel sorry for the hackers.

I’m not sure you really need an interpreter to say “march forward” and “get killed.” Seems like a simple enough message. You could probably use hand signals.

Wait until you find out who helped him buy Twitter.

No wonder Trump killed the bipartisan immigration reform bill. I didn’t realize the anti-immigrant sentiment had gotten to this level in so much of the population. It’s frankly horrifying.

GreedFall. Old school RPG that flew completely under my radar. It has a 00s Bioware feel to it, before the dark times. The graphics aren’t perfect, etc., but it’s a really fun game with a decent story (so far).

“But in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly.”

What you’re not seeing is that it’s also a dick-measuring contest. He who dies in a megastorm with the most hoarded toilet paper wins.

If you can’t handle my 20-minute Fat Electrician videos, you don’t deserve me watching your reality television shows with you.

Reading that just broke my hip.

In the decision, U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco, who was nominated by former President Donald Trump in 2020, ruled that the state violated the National Voter Registration Act’s “quiet period” provision and ordered Allen to pause the voter removal program through the election.

All this bullshit vote-rigging nonsense passed in state legislatures needs to be thrown out. At least in time for this election.

What they are doing is blatant and illegal, and there is a mechanism to stop it.

I’m thinking that’s a combination of a lost bet and some cleverness.

“AI,” what should I do about being constipated?

Painfully stretch your rectum to gaping in order to accommodate your constipation.