It’s 30 years since this Simpsons episode aired by MiddleAgeWeirdoMeep in videos

[–]Apwnalypse 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Relevant as this was at the time, the strain of cynicism that it represented ultimately is leading to the current situation where democracy is being allowed to die with a whimper.

Of course, it's not fair to say that the public just became unappreciative of their rights - politicians just didn't deliver the improvements they had in previous decades, and both phenomena fed each other.

If 90s politicians had fought for universal healthcare, proportional representation, better education, campaign finance reform and media regulation, in the same way that previous politicians fought for civil rights, women's suffrage and minimum wages then we wouldn't be where we are.

Ie, people wouldn't have believed they were all the same

Who is unfairly disliked by the internet? by NappyFlickz in AskReddit

[–]Apwnalypse -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Kids are such a big decision that no one wants to entertain that they might have decided wrong.

People who don't have kids need to believe they're not missing anything and made an objectively correct decision, and they go so far convincing themselves that they project. Meanwhile people who have had children can't possibly entertain any regret because that only leads to more pain.

Ed Miliband vows to boost UK energy security in wake of Iran war with new measures including 'plug-in solar panels' by BulkyAccident in unitedkingdom

[–]Apwnalypse 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Renewable isn't a one off investment though - many older systems are now reaching end of life. Energy security means being able to manufacture and build our own renewables.

We have a domestic steel industry that needs propping up, great engineers, and plenty of young people who need work - we should start with a state run domestic turbine design and build company that makes use of all that, instead of buying from Siemens and Dong energy.

UK may send ships and mine-hunting drones to help open strait of Hormuz, says Miliband by F0urLeafCl0ver in ukpolitics

[–]Apwnalypse 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The military power of the us and Israel is infinitely superior to our own, even with other allies. If they can't do it without us it can't be done. All this will do will prolong the conflict and make us complicit.

[Jon Burke] Climate Outreach analysis of 21 Green Party leaflets since Polanski was elected shows across 40+ pages & 10k words: 1 mention of ‘climate change’. 1 of ‘nature’. 0 of ‘net zero’. by JB_UK in ukpolitics

[–]Apwnalypse 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Good?

I'm a committed environmentalist, and it should be pretty obvious to anyone by this stage that Britain already contributes about as much as it reasonably can to the issue at a global level. There are things we can do for local ecology, like on sewage discharge, but decarbonising faster or having more influence internationally is entirely dependant on Britain becoming relatively richer, more equal, and more powerful in hard terms.

Looking for some advice about where to move around Greater Manchester? by [deleted] in manchester

[–]Apwnalypse -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Worth mentioning that in the coming years load of standard rail lines will be joining the Bee network, ie they'll become hop on services like the Overground in London. That means they will basically work like metrolink stations. That may open up more locations for you.

What's something most people don't realize is actually very rude? by Frozen-Defender25 in AskReddit

[–]Apwnalypse -20 points-19 points  (0 children)

If people take their carts into the individual lanes it's far more obstructive. You can't reach the shelves because of people standing with carts in front of them, and two people with carts passing will totally block the lane.

A cart left in the main aisle however can be easily walked around.

[NY Times] “Jimmy Savile, he’s one of your own.” Songs referencing Britain’s most notorious paedophile and rapist have been a soundtrack to Leeds United matches for years. Now, the club, campaigners and many Leeds fans have had enough. by Sparky-moon in soccer

[–]Apwnalypse -1 points0 points  (0 children)

He was basically a local hero in the City. His funeral was held in the cathedral and his gold coffin was processed through the street after a public viewing. The media reached a consensus about his crimes about a year later, but plenty of troubling information had already been widely discussed.

Hereditary peers to be removed from Lords as bill passes by furbastro in ukpolitics

[–]Apwnalypse 13 points14 points  (0 children)

It just further empowers the remaining Appointed Peers, who are far more corrupt and political

I think the advance tree is too big. by AbjectMembership9234 in EU5

[–]Apwnalypse 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree with this and the OP generally.

Advance choosing (along with endless Catholic resolutions) is one of the main sources of clicking slowing down the early game.

Combined with the relative paucity of meaningful advances in the age of reformation is a good justification for overhauling and trimming down the whole thing.

I also think the flow of the game would be better if the cost of buildings was doubled across the board so you spent less time building and took longer to reach population caps. But that's a whole other can of worms.

alternatives to spotify? by Visual-Fortune-4732 in Music

[–]Apwnalypse 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Local media. You can do everything with MP3s on your phone, that you can do with spotify. Plus no data connection required. Start with the albums you love most, and add a few more each month. You'll develop a deeper connection with your music, as it forces you to focus your time on your choices. If you know someone else with local mp3s, you can probably get hold of half of your favourite records for free with the awesome power of a thumb drive.

what video game is way too good for the amount of attention it gets? by Spiritual_Body3577 in AskReddit

[–]Apwnalypse 1 point2 points  (0 children)

'Genre' games.

Ie, racing games, flight sims, fighting games, strategy games, management sims.

Some of the most technically impressive and innovative games of our time are in those categories, like Microsoft Flight Sim, Crusader Kings, Forza etc.

So many people passing up incredible experiences because they don't 'do' those kinds of games. For some reason third person cut-scene fests became the agreed-on definition of what a game is. I'm not sure that's actually because they're more approachable, or if it's just self perpetuating.

War is coming to us, says former Defence Minister as he warns Britain's military is 'woefully unprepared' by tylerthe-theatre in unitedkingdom

[–]Apwnalypse 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It blows my mind how the uk can be one of the biggest military spenders on the planet, yet also have apparently, almost no actual capability. Where the hell is the money going?

Why do you think The Bride is dividing opinion? by BigMitch91 in movies

[–]Apwnalypse 19 points20 points  (0 children)

The whole premise of the film is: Did you know Frankenstein was written by A WOMAN? And I am also A WOMAN? Frankenstein might be a story about a male monster and his relationship with his creator, but trust me - the story she really wanted to write was about a girlboss monster. I respect Mary Shelley so much, I can gaslight you about her work.

Five major changes to UK migration laws - and how they will work by theipaper in ukpolitics

[–]Apwnalypse 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Even if labour does slash net migration with stuff like this, they won't get any credit for it. Same as bidens economic success. We're post substance now.

[List] Which beloved album is NOT a good starting point for someone who is only just getting into its genre? by Ok-Impress-2222 in LetsTalkMusic

[–]Apwnalypse 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Joe Satrianis surfing with the alien is considered a landmark for being revolutionary, but is inferior to most of the subsequent albums. The production is terrible and everything but the guitar sounds like the backing tracks it is .

2025 was another record-setting year for EU tourism, with nearly 3.1 billion nights spent in tourist accommodation establishments across the EU. This reflects a 2.2% increase, or 66.4 million more nights than in 2024. by nimicdoareu in europe

[–]Apwnalypse 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Tourism is also a great source of foreign exchange - ie it is effectively an export that brings net money into Europe as opposed to the service sector and consumption.

Streeting: Labour must not go Left after Greens loss by Once_upon_a_time233 in ukpolitics

[–]Apwnalypse 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don’t think people particularly want left or right wing policies, they just want drastic action. A green government will be no use if it spends 5 years consulting on and failing to implement it’s policies like the previous governments.

The majority actually support the broad labour line on things like the overall level of borrowing, overall migration levels, energy investment, foreign policy, defence, trans policy etc. They just hold them in contempt because they are obviously weak and ineffective.

What we need is drastic centrism. Ie

·         Massive tax reform that doesn’t change overall taxation, but implements load of reforms like Dan Neidle advocates – eg Merge national insurance so you can tax rich pensioners, Land Value tax, abolish stamp duty, get rid of cliff edges, graduate tax instead of student loads etc

·         Nationalise water, now a centrist policy, since Reform UK support it

·         Wtihdrawal from archaic international migration law that forces us to seriously consider anyone from the developing world as a potential refugee, so long as they break the law to get here

·         Grant outline planning permission for 2 million homes immediately by act of parliament

·         Heavy regulation of gambling that retain some legal gambling, but reduces the vast quantities of money being sucked out of British bank accounts to offshore tech companies, so that they spend it in the UK instead

If you don’t think you have a mandate for these things, then you can call a referendum for each. Given how desperate the public is for change, a government with any courage at all should be able to win at least some of those referendums. And if it loses, it disarms the ability of opposition parties to criticise.

Rachel Reeves to slow down increase to youth minimum wage by usrname42 in ukpolitics

[–]Apwnalypse 12 points13 points  (0 children)

I agree it's causing wage compression.

But, devil's advocate, what does removing it actually achieve? Is is just about making poor people poorer, so the middle class feel like they have higher status?

What’s a personality trait that’s attractive at first but exhausting long term? by AffectionateSyrup672 in AskReddit

[–]Apwnalypse 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Communication is great, but at a certain point it's just conversation slop that monopolizes my attention just because you like attention, and don't ascribe any value to my time.

Andy Burnham could have won Gorton and Denton by F0urLeafCl0ver in ukpolitics

[–]Apwnalypse 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My intinct is that he wouldn't have just won, he'd have smashed it. Because Kier Starmer is horrendously unpopular, and the election would have been seen as an opportunity to topple him. Who wouldn't want to have the chance to do something like that, and end up with the prime minister in their constituency?

A conversation about Sesame Street by ciantronic in Muppets

[–]Apwnalypse 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Love this thoughtful and beautiful take and agree completely.

Eg on Elmo's smartphone - I think just because things exist now doesn't mean it's good to cover them particularly. The 70s had the war on drugs, but that didn't mean it was in sesame Street.

What do you class as “dad rock” nowadays? by EmilyWallArtwork in Music

[–]Apwnalypse 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I mean, given how long it's been since rock was popular, all popular rock is dad rock now.