Is the US a dystopia?

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

that’s not really that, but if you’re interested in the weird history of that stuff:

I Could Tell You But Then You Would Have to Be Destroyed By Me: Emblems from the Pentagon's Black World

https://a.co/d/3fSdgQc

huh, okay

Charles Haywood, creator of the Society for American Civic Renewal, has said he might serve as ‘warlord’ at the head of an ‘armed patronage network’

The founder and sponsor of a far-right network of secretive, men-only, invitation-only fraternal lodges in the US is a former industrialist who has frequently speculated about his future as a warlord after the collapse of America.

good luck fella

Pic of this man pls

Idahohoho: Other filings identify three lodges in Idaho – in Boise, Coeur d’Alene and Moscow – and another in Dallas, Texas.

https://theworthyhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/CRH-12-22-2-1024x1536.jpg

Not super warlordy imo

he made his fortunes in shampoo, which is also not very warlordy

Smash his glasses and he is defeated

https://nypost.com/2023/09/18/armed-security-guards-patrol-philly-cheesesteak-shop/

At least it’s sunny take that britishes

this too I guess

WARNING: GRAPHIC ⚠️ Police in Alabama used a stun gun on a high school band director at a football game just for letting his students finish playing a song. 85% of the students at Minor High School are Black. Cops attacked a teacher and traumatized these kids forever. pic.twitter.com/Wn2xSYZPKY

— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) September 18, 2023

“You want people to feel safe and be safe.

Yeah man, nothing feels safer than a random dude dressed up like a Blackwater merc walking up and down the street while I get lunch.

Fwiw, i live somewhat close to that cheesesteak shop, and it’s in a “transitional” area that is equal parts working class families, light industrial, and social service agencies. Also important to note that the old original steaks shop closes in 2019 and this new iteration is the result of a guy from Delco coming in, buying the building, and creating a new version of the place while hiring all the old staff. I

Gotta send a message to the guys who robbed the 200$

seriously fucking angry at that stun gun band director story

“It’s a little overkill. Even if you have an armed guard, OK. But, walking around with a machine gun, it’s not family-friendly,” he added.

Come on, it's the perfect ambience.

no no see these are the good guys with guns, you can tell because they're holding guns and a bunch of innocent people are dead on the sidewalk

assault weapons to whet the appetite

Manson family friendly, maybe

Utopia now

he got acquitted lol https://t.co/wUoA7TSyEs

— Shaun (shaunvids on bsky) (@shaun_vids) September 30, 2023

ok guns are good now

^^^

I don’t know, is it

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/01/us/security-guard-public-safety-portland.html

"They were all doing their best. The police officers whose active patrol force had shrunk by 20 percent to crisis levels because of attrition, recruiting challenges and the impact of calls to defund the police." get fucked n y times

sounds like the NYT is actually the dystopia here