Catallus

Man CATAPULTED during storm in India He flew 40ft up after the roof he was clinging to was torn off by a gale The man luckily survived, Daily Mail reports

To be eligible to win Best Picture at the Oscars… 1. At least 1 Non-White/Non-Straight lead or Significant Role. 2. At least 30% minor roles Non-White/Non-Straight people. 3. At least 2 Departments headed by Non-White/Non-Straight people. This is why Nolan did it. Coward.

I once heard a story about a media studies professor who said, in a guest-lecture on video games, that she had made a George Floyd character in The Sims “so that he could live forever”

we're def "losing" on this one vibes wise because we took it too seriously. we got triggered by it. not for no good reason, it is absolutely wrong in every way. but it's more important to stay cool and loose

Washington State Democrats have terminated pension plans for police officers & firefighters, raiding billions to pay for Democrat Spending It has become the first state in US history to terminate a public employee pension plan. The legislature in Olympia passed the bill and the related federal lawsuit filed in Seattle. Governor Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, signed Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2034 (E2SHB 2034) into law. The termination of LEOFF Plan 1 takes effect June 30, 2029. Details: 🔺️LEOFF Plan 1 covers law enforcement officers and firefighters hired before October 1, 1977. 🔺️It closed to new members decades ago and now serves about 5,500-6,000 mostly retired members and beneficiaries. 🔺️As of the state's own June 2024 actuarial valuation, the plan stood at 160% funded, with a substantial surplus. 🔺️No employer or employee contributions have been required for 25 years since it hit full funding around 2000. 🔺️Projections showed it heading to over 200% funded with a $4.3 billion surplus by 2029. 🔺️The law terminates the existing plan and "restates" it into a new system. 🔺️It transfers enough assets to the new fund to leave it at 110% funded, then sweeps the rest - expected at $3.9 billion - into a pension surplus holding account. 🔺️From there, politicians can redirect it for general spending. 🔺️$569 million goes to the Climate Commitment Account and $880 million goes to refill the rainy day fund that Democrats already drained to cover a deficit they created through overspending. Other portions eyed climate programs and general budget gaps. The Bill was sponsored by Rep. Timm Ormsby (D-Spokane), it passed the House 55-39 (every yes vote was a Democrat, while republicans voted no). The state claims members have a contractual right only to their benefits, not surplus assets, and that ~80% of original contributions came from the state. Critics call this a betrayal of the deal for first responders who risk their lives to protect the public. Retired first responders sued with former King County Sheriff and Congressman Dave Reichert (R), who served as a LEOFF 1 member since 1972 being the lead plaintiff. Other plaintiffs include leaders from retired police and firefighter associations. Many say local and state governments are funding illegal migrants while ripping away pensions for first responders. ChristinaAguayoNews

i don't think you should be proud to be white. or black. or gay. or straight. i don't get the idea of being proud of things you had nothing to do with

and it's obviously a huge part of human psychology to take credit for your ancestors accomplishments and to blame others for their ancestors' crimes, and there is definitely a tension there. i just don't think it's something actually resolvable.

desert and luck are basically incoherent when you're talking about your birth context. you didn't roll any dice. your parents did though, they can be lucky or not depending on how you turn out.

i'm not against reparations in principle, but calculating what's owed is an extremely difficult problem, and it's very unlikely to actually heal any relationships, or make things any better at all.

Chuds will get upset at this, demanding just deserts for the virtues of their lineage, but if you mention reparations suddenly it’s all “sins of the father” If you want moral credit for all the assets of your ancestors, then you must first be encumbered with all of their debts

“What if you were born in Sudan” “But I was born in America” “I know, it’s a hypothetical, how would you feel if you were born in Sudan” “But that’s impossible, I was born in America”