oh look. it's the brave little cis boy

Today we're preoccupied with getting rid of the Tories -- so finally we'll be able to unite in celebrating 4th July!

He's pledged to set up a nationalised green energy company, increase funding to the NHS, and build 300,000 new homes per year. That seems a fairly decent start.

Issue is the Tories have tanked the economy and cut taxes, so Starmer's got fuck all money without raising taxes (unpopular, even though I think it's the right thing to do). Post election and with a massive amount of political capital to spend, I think we will see tax rises on those that can afford it, to help fix some of the damage.

FUCKING DOING OUR JOB AS TRANSPORT MODELLERS AND DOING A FUCKING COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS THAT SHOWS YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET FUCKING MODE SHIFT FROM RURAL USERS UNLESS YOU RUN A FUCKING METRO STYLE 10 MINUTELY SERVICE WHICH IS FUCKING UNFEASIBLE WITH THE FUCKING RESOURCES WE HAVE AVAILABLE.

IN THE FUCKING UK WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF FUCKING ABANDONED RAILWAYS FROM THE PERIOD OF FUCKING COAL MINING THAT WOULDN'T HAVE ANYWHERE NEAR THE FUCKING DEMAND NECESSARY TO JUSTIFY SETTING UP AN EXPENSIVE AS FUCK SIGNALLING SYSTEM TO BRING THEM UP TO MODERN FUCKING SAFETY STANDARDS, ALONGSIDE REPLACING THE FUCKING RAILS, SLEEPERS AND BEDS.

IF INSTEAD YOU CAN HAVE A FUCKING PUBLICALLY OWNED FLEET OF FUCKING ELECTRIC 'MINI TRAINS' THAT PEOPLE COULD USE FOR INFREQUENT BUT NECESSARY TRIPS, THAT COULD REMOVE A FUCKING SIGNIFICANT BARRIER TO MODE SHIFT, WHICH WOULD BE PRETTY FUCKING RAD

I think there's some 'truth' to it in some ways. Dolly acknowledges that she plays a lot with femininity and feminine expectations, and that 'look' she has is a costume in many ways. She doesn't dress like that when she's out incognito.

In the same way drag is a costumed examination of what makes someone look 'like a woman', subverting in some ways and embracing in others

Eh, I think it's good to make sure kids don't pin their self esteem on anything overly tangible.

Grades are something that's inherently tied to cultural capital. If your parents are able to teach you the skills needed to succeed in academic subjects, you're going to do better. Pinning kids' self worth to grades often leads to kids with disadvantages like a disrupted home life becoming disillusioned with the education system and suffering as a result.

I got good grades; I do not think the grades themselves are anything to be especially proud about. What's more important is the effort that went into getting them, and that's something more worth focusing on.

A parent saying they think their kid is cool is a value judgement from their perspective. They have a child they enjoy spending time with and with whom they have a good relationship. That's something that I think anyone can get behind.

I would also point out that Paris is the capital city. London pretty much already has the 15-minute city ideal. The tube network is world-leading in its technology and just how dense the network is.

We'd be a good match, I think

(For context: their profile said 'meows on command')

This was shortly followed by the French overthrowing the old, corrupt regime in favour of a radical, egalitarian government, before descending into violent internal conflict.

Hmm...

I regret to inform you that it is in fact a Reddit copypasta, and not original content.

(i am a fruit)

Reminds me of a lot of the debates around kink at pride/ddlg kink stuff. The latter is really not my thing and makes me uncomfortable, but I recognise that that's a personal thing between me and my partners that I can't, and shouldn't, police among others.

There's also ethical debates to be had on porn in places like Lemmy/pornhub/etc. -- we can't know that the person has consented to being posted, or that they have recourse to get it taken down and stop it being spreaded if they do not.

Then there's the realpolitik of, regardless of ethics, whether it's better to have porn of this type in visible, well moderated communities, or whether it's better to try to close off ethically dubious posting.

It's one I don't really have squared off in my head quite yet. Similarly with kink at pride; I've read about the historic importance of kinksters and recognise that, but at the same time I want there to be a space where queer kids can be involved with pride without being exposed to kink. Is that just prudish social norms talking? Idk; I'm still working it through.