Is the US a dystopia?

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2023/07/26/hisd-to-eliminate-librarians-turn-libraries-into-discipline-centers-at-28-campuses/

Houston Independent School District will be eliminating librarian positions at 28 schools this upcoming year and converting the libraries into ‘Team Centers” where kids with behavioral issues will be sent, the district announced.

This comes as part of the new superintendent Mike Miles reform program, New Education System (NES). Currently, there are a total of 85 schools that have joined Miles’ program, and of those, 28 campuses will lose their librarians. The district said they will have the opportunity to transition to other roles within the district.

The comments have a reference to "feral attention-seekers."

The comments have a reference to "feral attention-seekers."

Huh, I did not realize my children went to school in Houston

Laws against feeding ppl

A man has been found not guilty of breaking a law against feeding homeless people in Houston, concluding the first trial to be held after dozens of tickets were issued against volunteers for the group Food Not Bombs. https://t.co/g6qCgajNOE

— The Associated Press (@AP) August 2, 2023

I like that this thread and the USpol ones have converged

It's a bad law, but tbc, it doesn't prohibit anyone from giving a sandwich to someone on the sidewalk. The ordinance holds that anyone organizing an event at which food is given out to more than five people in need is required to publicly register the event and get permission from the property owner (in this case the city of Houston since it was on the grounds of the library).

but also tbc the city would not have given permission

Goes without saying the city should give permission, as the least they could do.

It's a bad law, but tbc, it doesn't prohibit anyone from giving a sandwich to someone on the sidewalk. The ordinance holds that anyone organizing an event at which food is given out to more than five people in need is required to publicly register the event and get permission from the property owner (in this case the city of Houston since it was on the grounds of the library).

much like the time a potluck for the homeless was shut down a few years ago in some state, with all of the food seized, and then doused in bleach so nobody would eat it afterwards. they claimed it was because the food handling wasn't up to code/improper temperatures etc and "homeless people deserve the same food standards that everyone else does", but you know damn well that if it was some other type of potluck for any other reason, nobody would have given a shit.

i would imagine it’s motivated more by “CYA” rather than any genuine concern for unhoused folks’ well being

nah table is absolutely otm

the state is great at throwing up a bunch of valid-sounding reasons that ultimately have the same effect, protecting capital

yep, table otm

right, wasn’t disputing his point, more just responding to straw men

I'm ambivalent about 'dystopia' because that implies there's an attempt to create kind of ideal utopian society, but goes horribly awry (1984, Brave New World, etc.)

Any country that can't/won't feed its people, and then criminalizes others who attempt to do so, is in no way a failed utopia.. it's just a failed state

a potluck for the homeless was shut down a few years ago in some state, with all of the food seized, and then doused in bleach so nobody would eat it afterwards

^ if that's not dystopian i don't know what is?

i think it implies a failed utopia, it's comparable to a utopia more in the sense that it seems unreal or impossible

*don't think

like, it's just beyond belief

Yeah, I've always thought of it as the opposite of utopia.

The general "attitude" towards homeless people in this country borders on genocide. Trump is campaigning on a "Escape from the Bronx"-esque roasting homeless alive with flamethrowers.

As a person who lived in a truck while holding a full time job, I can attest to the hatred and loathing that the US and many of its people have for the unhoused or marginally housed. The “fuck you i got mine” bootstraps ethos is so inculcated in the populace, no wonder this country is broken and so full of rage and pain.

It's a problem as well because yea ok we know a lot of liberaly people are massive hypocrites, but homeless people are where many of them dngaf about proudly demonstrating it

ten degrees to the left of center in good times, ten degrees to the right of Mussolini if someone wants to build a shelter in my zip code

The general "attitude" towards homeless people in this country borders on genocide. Trump is campaigning on a "Escape from the Bronx"-esque roasting homeless alive with flamethrowers.

― Moritz von Oswald von Wolkenstein (Boring, Maryland)

y'all i figured out where it all went wrong

A website dedicated to both this film and its predecessor 1990: The Bronx Warriors was set up in 2004.[12] The site contains two interviews with Enzo G Castellari and details an ongoing attempt to locate Mark Gregory (Trash) who vanished from public view in about 1989.[13] There is also a message in MP3 format (in Italian) from Enzo and his son Andrea to Mark asking him to get in touch and saying how much they miss him.

we need mark gregory now more than ever in these dark times

Nearly 4,500 children were found to be working in violation of federal child labor laws in the last 10 months.

Some of them were operating dangerous machinery like deep fryers and meat-processing equipment.

It's corporate profits over everything — including the safety of kids.

— Robert Reich (@RBReich) August 3, 2023

don’t worry, we’re solving that by… loosening the labor laws in states

implies there's an attempt to create kind of ideal utopian society

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_upon_a_Hill

Always makes me flash back upon Land of the Dead

https://scarina.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/fiddlersgreen.jpg

there's an Irish pub here with that name and I always look over my shoulder from time to time due to that movie

from wikipedia: The relationship between utopia and dystopia is in actuality, not one simple opposition, as many utopian elements and components are found in dystopias as well, and vice versa.

WIkipedia otm.

Dianne Feinstein, 90, cedes power of attorney to daughter — but still serves in Congress https://t.co/6ii3oDWEeI pic.twitter.com/HZN99fr0uq

— New York Post (@nypost) August 4, 2023

ugh The NY Post though?

there's an Irish pub here with that name and I always look over my shoulder from time to time due to that movie

It's also the name of an open-air venue south of Denver, Colorado. It's plopped in the middle of a business park. When it was built in the late 80s, it was kind of the pinnacle of corporate rock venues, which is, in a very real way, dystopian.

From 2010 to 2013, it was known as "Comfort Dental Amphitheater."

they got spoon, qotsa, wu tang, weezer, and “lost 80s live” coming this fall. and somehow gwar. overall vibe: preserved in amber.

i would only see gwar if it’s original members. q: how can i be sure

I saw Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Tom Petty (with the Replacements opening), Jimmy Buffett (with the Neville Bros. opening) there back in the day. Kind of the same vibe.

that Petty tour was where he ripped off 'rebel without a clue' from Westerberg

xp Ha i think ima go see weezer (spoon opening). maybe it’s a “savior opening” secret vibe

I don't think they got along too well. The 'Mats played for 30 minutes, announced that that was all they were being paid for, and left.

Hunt3r, Dave Brockie died several years ago. Sorry.

there have been 5 Flattus Maximuses

:( rip

One of my fondest memories of writing for alt-weeklies was getting to interview Brockie in the late 90s/early 2000s. He picked up the phone and said, "So do you want to talk to Dave, or do you want to talk to Oderus?" I opted for Dave, with a little bit of Oderus at the end.

I did not know him personally, but we moved in adjacent circles in 90s Richmond. My tolerance for getting sprayed with fake blood was low, at the time. Should I have seen them more than I did? Maybe. In any case, by all accounts he was a decent fellow.

Lāhainā was once wetland.

Boats circled around Waikoloa Church.

It’s only became dry and fire-prone because of illegal water diversions and land theft by sugar barons in the 1800’s.

Today, the same families reap insane profits off continued control of our irrigation, land…

— Kaniela Ing (@KanielaIng) August 11, 2023

https://www.popsci.com/technology/iowa-chatgpt-book-ban/

School district uses ChatGPT to help remove library books

sounds like that one might be a bit of malicious compliance

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/451367/space-forces-first-targeting-squadron-brought-life

totally normal new Space Force (a branch of the US Armed Forces) logo unveiled