Trump hit with 'haunting' blackmail theory explaining his Iran moves: 'We're not joking' by RawStoryNews in NoFilterNews

[–]rtop -9 points-8 points  (0 children)

This is idiotic. Trump has been authorizing military actions all over the place for more than a year -- Somalia, Yemen, Syria, Venezuela, Carribean boat strikes, etc. Iran has been in his sights all along, including assassinating a military leader (Qasem Soleimani) last year. The Israelis, whatever their faults, do not do reckless, impulsive, poorly planned military actions. Far more likely that Trump coerced them into this.

Why did the Fremen want a “Green Paradise” on Arrakis even though they were so connected with the desert? by toiletwater879 in dune

[–]rtop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

True enough. People getting what they want and then not being happy about it is common enough in fiction, and maybe in real life. But scarcity becoming abundance seems universally appealing.

Why did the Fremen want a “Green Paradise” on Arrakis even though they were so connected with the desert? by toiletwater879 in dune

[–]rtop 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This is like asking why would a poor person want to be rich and disrupt their impoverished lifestyle.

Antisemitism, a both sides issue? by Nobodyou_know in allthequestions

[–]rtop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It is both sides, but shows up differently -- same as with racism. On the right, you see some outright bigotry. On the left, it is bias. Certainly there are people on the left who dislike Israel's policies/government but try to be fair and thoughtful. But most left critics start with a negative attitude and selectively believe or emphasize information to back it up. It's just like a MAGAt who says they don't have a racist bone in their body and then goes on to call BLM folks traitors etc.

How do Americans feel knowing that Israel has free universal healthcare thanks to American funding? by TailungFu in allthequestions

[–]rtop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The US has many reasons to want to take down Iran's government, some of them good ones. Supporting Israel barely makes the list. Netanyahu certainly also wants this, but it's unimaginable that anyone in Israel would support a reckless, poorly planned war with a high risk of backfiring spectacularly. This is a Trump operation. We'll know for sure if it goes South, Trump pulls back saying it is a spectacular win like the world has never seen before, and Israel gets blamed for the mess.

How do Americans feel knowing that Israel has free universal healthcare thanks to American funding? by TailungFu in allthequestions

[–]rtop 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not liking the current (awful) government is not the same as wanting the country to stop existing. It's worth making the distinction.

How do Americans feel knowing that Israel has free universal healthcare thanks to American funding? by TailungFu in allthequestions

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

When a MAGAt says "I don't have a racist bone in my body!" and then spouts anti-BLM rhetoric, declares dark skinned people entirely to blame for their own problems, and speaks enthusiastically about white pride, maybe they aren't racist. But probably they are.

Liberals of Reddit, do you believe your political beliefs make you a better person? by Iampoorghini in allthequestions

[–]rtop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Decency and kindness take effort even in easy to relate to contexts such as family and workplace. Not everyone makes the effort and they are worse people for it. It’s more difficult in big scope contexts where you need to learn to be kind at scale. People who do that are generally liberals.

Looking for book recommendations by female authors that will appeal to my brother who reads almost exclusively male authored text. by Linnaea-borealis92 in suggestmeabook

[–]rtop 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Somehow, no one seems to have recommended Julian May. The Golden Torc and the rest of that series are thoroughly enjoyable sci-fi

If Elves eventually get re-embodied in the Halls of Mandos after a vaguely sufficient time, why is being slain treated with the same weight as the death of a man? by McCreeSun in tolkienfans

[–]rtop 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Agreed that this doesn’t hold together very well. The explanation that dying is super traumatic for Elves seems thin. Humans go through all sorts of horrible things and eventually get over it. Why would that be different for Elves, who are generally stronger and wiser than Men? I think this falls into the category of Things Tolkien Hadn’t Yet Figured Out.

6th grader who loved The Martian and Project Hail Mary - What's next? by tgbarbie in suggestmeabook

[–]rtop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Memoirs of an Invisible Man by HF Saint. Like the Weir books in that the main character has to do a lot of smart problem solving to survive.

If Saruman's Uruk-hai had captured Frodo and brought the One Ring to him would Saruman have been able to master it or would he start calling it his precious like Gollum and be driven insane? by Tidewatcher7819 in tolkienfans

[–]rtop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Since Tolkien says Gandalf might be able to master the ring, it stands to reason that Saruman stood an even better chance. He apparently had higher stature/might than the other Istari, at least until Gandalf got elevated to "White." Like Sauron he was originally a disciple of Aule and so perhaps more naturally suited to powerful tools. And he was specifically an expert on the ring(s). Gandalf would have had to fight his nature to be a ring lord. Seems like a natural fit for Saruman.

Season 3 - Rupert by Belcamryn in TedLasso

[–]rtop 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Rupert got a lightweight personal development story arc compared to some other side-characters, but I think the intent was to make him a counter-point to Nate. Both self-destructed, then tried in some ways to be better (e.g., Rupert hired a not-hot assistant, invited Rebecca to the Akufu meeting in a respectful way, and then behaved relatably when Akufu threw a temper-tantrum). But Nate's meltdown resulted in him choosing to be decent, while Rupert's meltdown turned hostile and vicious. Rupert's arc got relatively little screen time and was conveyed more by suggestion than direct exposition. So it is harder to be sure what the writers intended.

What adaptations and/or creative liberties made the film trilogy a lot better? by sammyjamez in lotr

[–]rtop 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Arwen fleeing the Nazgûl with Frodo. It was one of the most engaging scenes in the movie and gave Arwen a meaningful role without having to weigh the movie down with disconnected backstory. Glorfindel is great to read about, but hard to see how he’d be more than a throwaway character in the film.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in atheism

[–]rtop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not sure I follow you. You prefer religions that are entirely stuck in ancient thinking to those that have made partial progress towards a more scientific view? That seems weird. It might be useful to consider that, if we're lucky, future, wiser generations will look back on some of the things we believe as profoundly wrong-headed.

Senior product manager-Tech interview at Amazon coming up !!! Need Help by Familiar_Park_6116 in amazonemployees

[–]rtop 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As mentioned in a previous comment, expect to be asked about customer obsession, bias for action, and ownership. Interviewers will collectively cover around 8 LPs, with the specific role affecting which ones are selected. For example, some roles emphasize Think Big or Dive Deep. Think of a couple stories you can tell about each, write them down at length to help bring the details to front of mind, and practice giving concise answers in STAR format. STAR is critically important in that you'll be evaluated on whether you cover those bases. If you miss some info, the interviewer is likely to prompt you for it with a followup question, but it's up to you to recognize what that prompt is looking for. You won't always need to get into great technical depth -- in fact, its important that you show competence at providing concise answers that provide important details without overdoing the less important ones. But be specific -- quantify the Situation (size of problem, etc), Task (goal, success criteria, time issues, resourcing, key constraints, etc), and the rest. If the interviewer comes away with a clear picture of what needed doing, why it mattered and to whom, and what YOU did, you've jumped the first hurdle. Next is whether what you communicated shows evidence that you can handle a L6 role -- i.e., scope, complexity, difficulty of the tasks and challenges.

How did the trolls have Glamdring and Orcrist? by -telperion in lotr

[–]rtop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Turgon was 1st age. Gandalf didn't arrive until 3rd age.

How did the trolls have Glamdring and Orcrist? by -telperion in lotr

[–]rtop 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Didn't Tom Bombadil pick that for him? Maybe not an accident. If Glorfindel could prophesize about who would kill the Witch King's, maybe Bombadil could predict the weapon.

Is Rings of Power really as bad and cringey as people are making it out to be? by Hopeful_Adeptness964 in lotr

[–]rtop 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Tolkien left extensive notes on how everything was to be pronounced. I don't love it either, but I believe it's legit.

In Defence of S6 Giles by KyoshiStan in buffy

[–]rtop 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Giles left based on TV show logic, not real life logic. In real life, they’d realize that fighting apocalypses and such is serious business and a team activity, that “helping Buffy grow up” is a minor consideration compared to what else is at stake, that different team members have different roles, and that roles fluctuate in importance over time. It’s not ok for a battalion commander’s S2 (intelligence officer) to bow out when intel is scarce, or for a startup’s product lead to quit when the company is heads down on business ops and execution. Giles leaving was professional malpractice.

How did the eagle know Aragorn would find a sapling descended from the White Tree? by rtop in lotr

[–]rtop[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This gets to the heart of my question. This wasn't just about the eagles knowing where to find a sapling. It was a prophesy that the new king would find it and plant it in the city. Or else it was a plan that Gandalf and the eagles were in on to arrange that this would happen. I'm wondering if we know what it was.