OpenStars

While 99% of the news media at this point is clickbait, this one at least adds new information: "Enshittification... has been named 2023's Digital Word of the Year." The original article did not say that:-).

Also, yes there are ads, but also it's not blocked by a paywall so... checks and balances. Whereas X is basically just fully trash at this point, now that Musk has cancelled Twitter:-P.

The article ends with:

it is only going to get shittier

(in reference to a comment that Musk had said to advertisers to go ‘fuck themselves’, so meaning i.e. X, not necessarily overall, i.e. Fediverse)

I have yet to actually be killed by it yet - so far - but several drivers seem to enjoy getting WITHIN INCHES of my body as I walk through a crosswalk, sometimes in heavy snow in sub-freezing temperatures where I struggle to even walk while they enjoy their climate-controlled cockpit with all the comforts of home, yet still want to shave off a few seconds of their commute. This has happened in both areas that heavily lean Democrat as well as ones that heavily lean Republican. In the former it is usually a smaller Lexus or BMW, while in the latter it is usually a giant vehicle, either truck or SUV. Also from what I have been told, the concept of "soccer mom" is a real one - a tiny person who can barely see over the wheel of a vehicle not made for tiny people, who drives perhaps once a month when their rotation comes up, not bothering to adjust the vehicle better for them, or to practice more often to become a safer driver.

In all of the above, as with the virus, the underlying attitude (whether rich or poor, liberal or conservative, whatever) is the same: I want MY way, the rest of you can deal with it as best you can - or die, whatever.

Somehow this idea of people abusing their vehicles with extreme negligence in the form of literally running over children like they are in a video game offends people's sensibilities, yet the same identical thought applied elsewhere gets the opposite reaction. e.g. if you knew that you had COVID, and you visit someone anyway (your >80-year-old grandparents?; crucially: before the vaccine existed) over their explicit objection that you only come if you have no symptoms, and then they die, how is that not "murder", or at least a form of almost murderous negligence? Not only did MANY people die (or get long-term symptoms) from exactly and precisely this scenario (a wedding, a funeral, a party or church service, etc.), but it also spread the pandemic much faster than it would have otherwise, flying in the face of the "flatten the curve" advice from scientists, affecting whole entire schools, churches, hospitals, and entire communities by the actions of just a few.

This is also btw the identical reason why groceries cost so much right now: they want to get THEIR way, so they just... do.

This is why society has rules: to provide a guiding light showing us how we all need to behave, or else experience the consequences (though anyone can be MORE friendly than those mandate, at any time). Hence why we might want an evidence-based policy on vehicles with higher hoods. Because people are literally dying here. We'll see if anyone cares, more than simply saying platitudes I mean, in the sense of taking any action to help stop it.

pedestrian deaths

I believe they call those "bonus points".

Brought to you by someone who ripped the mask right off your face, before the vaccine existed.

Wow, adjusting for inflation, by now that pizza should be worth a fortune!? :-D

They... knew? :-P

I dunno, that sounds suspiciously like... socialism! (gasp):-P