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Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: July 3rd, 2023

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  • Lots to unpack, let’s hit the big ones. Do any means justify peace? Is mass murder of entire countries okay because it would result in less overall friction afterward? How long does peace need to last after for it to make it worth it?

    Displacement. Is it fair to the people who have lived in a country for generations to leave because of other’s actions? Moreso, many of them currently /want/ to leave (really really bad) but can’t, what should they do? And also, how is that fair to neighboring countries, they’re just required to take in refugees because Israel wants more land? (What if there weren’t neighboring countries?)

    Finally, (please educate me), are universities very invested in Syrian companies/industries? That’s what the current protests are about, divestment from Israel. Are you required to care about all atrocities in order to care for one? What line marks which bad things in the world protesters should inclusively be knowledgeable about?




  • Disagree. I won’t say it’s impossible it encourages some antisemitism, but it feels like you’re lumping all these students into that camp. I think the protests provide awareness of where much of the public stands on the issue.

    It feels disingenuous to say these protests are a fun party. I can think of plenty of activities I partook in college that were more fun and with less risk. I think these students (a fairly small percentage of all students, realistically), feel an alturistic need to do something. And there’s not a lot of domestic options available to them, especially ones where their voice is actually heard.

    These protests must be effective if they’re turning the whole world on Israel. But I think that’s much more of Israel’s doing. Surely killing medical staff, journalists, aid workers, and children may factor in? Of course I’m against antisemitism, but I won’t say the same about antizionism.

    There’s also the part where these protests aren’t directly about ending the conflict (of course that’s the ultimate overarching goal). These students are protesting their schools’ investments in Israel. And I think they have every right to have that discussion with the schools they’re attending. This is the impact they’re trying to make, one that /is/ related to them, and one that /is/ possible.

    Like it or not, Joe is the best shot at ending the conflict right now, I agree. But it’s been many months of him appearing to do close to nothing. Is Israel backed into a corner? Looks more like Palestinian civilians are in a corner. A corner that keeps getting moved and then bombed.

    The US has a lot of sway in the world. There’s a lot of options our government could take. Continued financial, military, and political support doesn’t feel like the best option. I’m not saying we should wipe Israel off the map, but surely there’s some sort of middle ground where civilians of the region aren’t just endless collateral damage?



  • How hot is extreme, you and I have now asked ourselves. Well, let me read aloud.

    “as high as 45 degrees Celsius” (113 F)

    “northern province [of Thailand] exceeded 44.1 degrees Celsius on Saturday” (111.4 F)

    “Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, India and Bangladesh, forecasters warned that temperatures could exceed 40 degrees Celsius in the coming days” (104 F)

    “city of Mandalay could rise to 43 degrees Celsius” (109 F)

    “It’s very unpleasant and it takes the energy out of you.”

    Op ed: sounds nasty hot




  • If you’re at all mechanical or work on cars/bikes or a homeowner, the Knipex Pliers Wrench is an excellent tool. It’s a set of leveraged adjustable parallel jaw pliers. So basically you can grab nuts, bolts, or anything with flats with tremendous leverage, and you can do it quickly on a range of sizes. Almost infinitely better than a crescent (adjustable) wrench, fills the spot of a whole set of open-ended box wrenches, and they’re excellent German engineering. Come in a range of sizes (bc there’s still different uses for big and small). Roughly $50-60 each, but sets are cheaper per. Plus, harbor freight makes a nice dupe of the 10in/250mm for $40 (find a coupon tho).

    I was on the fence for a while, but I adore the tool and wish I had it years earlier. For most people, a 7in/180mm and 10in will fill most needs. The hype is real. Lifetime warranty too if you buy from authorized retailer (habor freight is also lifetime eyy)