I suppose that’s one way to prevent US drones from being fully self-driving.

Tell them they sound like Libertarians, who don’t want to pay for road repairs because “the roads are already built.”

Shut the fuck up, Donny!

Mine are teens now, here are a few pointers:

Let them help with the dishes/garbage/sweeping. I know they’ll make a bigger mess now, but in a few years they take well to chores.

When they start asking questions, always treat them with respect like they’re a smart person who’s missing a chunk of knowledge.

How you respond to falls and failures shapes their lives. When they fall, ask if they need help up. If they ask if it’s okay, say it’s going to be okay. When they mess up, ask if they can help you clean up without going into blame, other than discussing how to avoid that in the future.

Imagine if a great artist had some notebook sketches, and his son finger-painted all over them and then tried to sell them.

Contact the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and they can probably help point him to a group interested.

For the military, think about Amazon. They can get you a new dildo tomorrow because they have a huge infrastructure of warehouses around the country. The US has a world network of “supplies” for war that will be reduced and create more risk and a time delay if US interests are threatened. In practical terms, you don’t punch an American because America can punch you back tomorrow. If the US maybe can punch you back next week, you’re less concerned with ignoring their interests.

Practically, the local economies will hurt badly, like the Philippines after they reduced the US navel presence. There is also a “living next to a cop” effect that has had more value in the past, but has soured like the idea of living next to a cop.

For the US, we would now need to house all these troops locally, and would end up greatly reducing force size over 20 years. A big pile of active tanks training in Germany doesn’t get much news, but a bunch of expensive tanks training next to a huge line at a soup kitchen is a great photo op.

If you are and you admit it, you’ll get more grace from intelligent people. Sometimes.

I once was taking a nice old man to the hospital, when he stopped breathing. I gave him a second and tried to rouse him, and he was pretty stubborn about it, but he still had a weak pulse. I called to my partner.

“Hey, how close are we to the hospital?”

“About 5 minutes, why?”

“Well, he’s not breathing. So if you hit any traffic, hit the lights, will you?”

I bagged him for about 3-4 minutes. Traffic was light, and we were making pretty good time, so we decided not to freak anybody out. The guy came to, and looked confused.

“What happened,” he asked.

“You stopped breathing, so I was breathing for you.”

“Oh. Thank you.”

“You are very welcome.”

He’s still the only person who ever said thank you when I tried to save their life.

This won’t help your mom, she won’t change her mind and will try to drag the argument or will just attack until everything is destroyed. But here’s a clear rebuttal of the idea.

The failure of demanding everyone showing worth is determining what is worth and who gets to define and assign it. Every petty warlord believes they are the one to decide… and oh gee, amazing how they have the most worth.

If you tell your mom you will only accept her argument if she accepts you have more worth than her - and demonstrates it to you every day - it will probably make her go no contact until she needs you again for emotional affirmation.

Depression is real, I don’t have it but it’s real and I have friends that deal with it as part of their lives. It sounds like getting out of your mom’s sewer might help, but you might need medication as well.

Only Jesus takes the wheel. God is his copilot.

Santlantis

I feel like you have the ethical upper hand, keep doing what you’re doing.

I’ve started making claim email chains with the state ombudsman cc’d in the first email. Saves so much time.

That’s correct. Everyone here making six figures will have some form of asset they could cash in if the chips came down. I sometimes feel underwater, but if I made painful cuts, I could survive. Real Americans are living day to day knowing if things get bad, they might have to sell more blood.

Every drop of water makes the river, don’t forget you’re a part of the world, and you’re important, even if it doesn’t always feel that way.

Do you mean academy award nominated actress MargotRobbie?

Did you… “sign the minerals deal” after, as the kids say these days?

I thought she was only nominated?

“He’s coming, guys… hide! …omg he’s gonna be so surprised when he walks out on that balcony!”