I feel like this is a self perpetuating problem: Cops experience bad shit, become cynic and corrupt, which leads to a general attitude that increases bad shit. Repeat a few rounds, and you end up with cops viewing citizens (especially of stereotypical minority groups) as enemies.

Eeh, come on. While yes, that is one way to put it, McCarthy has a certain ring to it, especially in left and liberal circles. Something something you cannot not evoke a thing without its frame.

Then please explain what other association you have with McCarthy? Because the one I perceive as commonly used seems to not be it?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism

Current Russia is about as far from communism, socialism or any left-wing agenda as possible. It is a reactionist, authoritarian, pro-tradition anti-progress state run by a wealthy elite. Being against current Russia has literally nothing to do with McCarthyism, other than geography.

McCarthy was anticommunist, if you believe that current Russia has anything to do with worker liberation, I cannot help you.

Really not worth an answer, but I feel I need to give one regardless.

1. If Russia wanted the war (that they started, yes, you start a war if your military moves across a border and starts shooting) to stop, they would suggest any kind of compromise in negotiations. Russia wants to occupy the Ukraine as a whole. It has no interest in stopping a war that they are not losing.

2. There might be no war but class war, but the people in the Kremlin are not exactly happy, socialist proletarians. Quite the opposite. From what I hear from people who lived there, Ukraine was a corrupt and poor country, but still leagues better than Russia.

3. Why would the ruling elite of Ukraine want the war to continue (apparently they have a choice other than surrendering and running away)? So that they might ultimately lose and end up shot by the Russians? Come on, that’s stupid.

More the illusion of being dependable. The deal, at least as I can imagine it, was like this: you buy our stuff, and if shit happens, we come and save the day. Now, with the unpredictability of certain people, this whole deal seems to be up in the air.

That’s just federal democracy, right? :)

Interesting points, this names some of the things I have suspected for a long time but was never able to properly put to words. Basically, it takes a certain kind of person to become “big boss”, whether in social circles, companies or governments.

It is, in my opinion, self-selecting: only someone “wired” to become the big boss will make the necessary decisions to become the boss, which creates an environment where only certain people go to the top, and so on.

I do disagree about hierarchies - in my opinion, hierarchies, if used properly, can be very efficient. But that is a different discussion :)

1. If I only ever wanted to be around people who have my own, objectively right opinions, I would be alone all the time

2. Not willing to use violence at all is, in my opinion, a valid opinion. One I do not share, because, as I said, the world is inherently violent.

3. Given the choice, I much rather work/be around/support people who agree with me on the basics.

4. This is the classic problem of the left: if you are not part of my specific part of the movement, you are barely better than a racist. I have happily stood in a protest beside people who have a very different view (eg. Christians who take “love your neighbour” serious and communists who believe that we need a oppressive government to enforce their utopia), yet agree on the basics (racism bad).

Oh wow. I was referring to aggressive beggars or pickpockets. That seems like a whole different category of problems.

Which itself is a valid philosophy. I might not believe in it, I personally think you cannot afford to be pacifist in a world that is willing to use violence against you. But I’d much rather sit with a pacifist (or someone else who has a philosophy I don’t believe in, yet can understand) than a racist.

Depends? Shady part of the city, late night, slightly drunk and alone? Absolutely. Going for lunch in a nic small town? Absolutely not. The street sign I run into would probably tell me it’s sorry.

So, yeah, depends on the situation. I’ve had most negative interactions either in crowds or at places like train stations, so that is where I am most paranoid

100%. Same reasoning I have for mandatory civil service (instead of military). Even just a shared memory of how doing it sucked balls could do wonders for social cohesion.

Why do you have issues with liquids? Because of the chance of leaks?

Personally, I think 1l or so of oil is pretty handy, and coolant can be topped up with water in an emergency (do ensure the correct amount of actual “coolant” is in there, in a non-emergency, because corrosion is not fun. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think brake fluid is worth it, if there is a situation where I find myself without brake fluid, I probably can’t do anything with small tools.

IMHO it is worth the risk. If I lived away from gas stations, I would probably also have a fuel can.

Naja. Wenn ich so eine im Wohnzimmer stehen hätte, würde ich erst mal nach dem Durchsuchungsbefehl fragen.

Jo. Wildschweine sind die einzigen Viecher, vor denen ich bei uns im Wald Angst hätte. Alles andere haut lieber ab. Aber Wildschweine können auch mal beschließen, dass du heute nicht nach Hause kommst, weil du zu nah bei den kleinen bist.

I like your optimism, but sadly I cannot share it…

I don’t see the frequencies going away internationally, and so much equipment is already out. Plus, antagonizing a bunch of creative engineers who take their hobby way too serious is a great idea for all kinds of mischief to happen.

Nice! I did a FIAE and then studied engineering, both were the right decisions at their time. Look at what you want to do in life and what you can realistically achieve in that direction, and then go for it.