Definitely read the sequel -- it really adds to the contrast between Paul and your standard sci-fi protagonist. The effort that went into building the world of Dune is something that has stuck with me through all of my writing. The civilization presented is completely different from our own, but all of those differences have a reason for existing within their own universe, and nothing felt like it was added just because it sounded cool. IMO this is the biggest reason Dune has remained popular so long after its release.

Nice, those are the best kind

Abdicate and use your obscene, inherited, colonial wealth to build worker power** FTFY

IMO all monarchs are evil not for their actions themselves, but for the good they could accomplish with their wealth and platform that they actively choose not to.

Here's a pretty good video on making pies/pie crust: https://basicswithbabish.co/basicsepisodes/pies

I'm a big fan of using a food processor to cut in the butter instead of by hand because the results are pretty much the same, but it takes like 1/5th the time. But really as long as you got the butter and flour into a cohesive mass and don't stretch it much, everything will work out fine. Good luck!

Honestly? Not much. Yeah a lot of focus is/was on individuals not believing in a pandemic, and therefore doing a bunch to spread it, but it's really a lack of education and aid from the government that has allowed this to spiral as it has. Sure, a Clinton administration might have done less obvious "science denying", but I truly believe they would not have done more to educate the public, offer aid to those who needed it, or do anything besides try to "help the economy during these trying times". Maybe means-tested tax rebates on food based on your 2019 tax filing.

Honestly most of the features that come with "sophisticated" food processors are worthless anyways. For 99% of what you could do with a food processor, all you need are the blades to spin. As long is it fits comfortably on your counter you're good to go.

Thank you! I think it would be helpful for our working relationship to better understand where they are coming from, but I don't want it to see like I no longer trust them or think they're incompetent.

Yeah that's a really good point; conversations about mental health and well-being can be pretty stigmatized in STEM, and I'm trying to get more people in my group to talk openly about it, but so many see it as admitting fault or weakness. I'll continue for looking for resources about what resources I can provide and how to discuss these kinds of things professionally thank you!

I like to put my bagels on a wire rack on top of a sheet pan in the oven, then put some boiling water in the sheet pan. This both helps keep them from drying out, but also to prevent burning. I usually do 10 min at 450F, then flip them and continue for another 10 min.

Anyone have some good resources on learning more about ADHD or neurodiversity in general? Someone in my research group told me they were formally diagnosed with ADHD and I want to do some reading to better understand their perspective & how to better accommodate them.

The Trans Liberation thread has been unpinned, but I finally got around to reading it and I'd like to share my perspective.

For years before becoming a "leftist", I had vague moral positions loosely based on being kind to people whenever possible. Sometimes, my co-workers would make offensive "jokes" about people's sexuality/race/etc, but one thing that would always come up is a "joke" about how many genders there are, and how people can identify as anything [insert helicopter transphobia here]. Generally, my only response to this was along the lines of "who cares, it takes so little effort to just address people in the way they want, so we should just do that", which got mixed responses.

However, Leslie's writings have not only expanded my own understanding of gender, but also provided me with the tools and vocabulary to more effectively confront transphobia when it appears. A more comprehensive understanding of the gender spectrum hasn't really changed how I view myself or my gender identity, but does help me to better understand and support my comrades who exist on a spectrum, and not in a box labelled "M" or "F".

I think it's incredibly important that we all take time to better educate ourselves on the struggles and perspectives of oppressed people, because doing so gives us the tools to better represent them and stand together whenever possible.

./rant

Good point, my university has several frats/sororities attached to the marching band which do a lot of great service stuff for the department and local music groups. They also function as effective mutual aid groups when it comes to academic or music stuff, and would be a really great structure to emulate in socialist groups/communities. Problematic frats are allowed to continue, especially at more expensive universities, because they can connect students to influential alumni/opportunities, making them more "successful", and able to donate enormous sums of money to the university.

I think a big reason for this is the high barrier of entry to the medical field. The admissions process for medical school alone can easily cost upwards of $1500. So it ends up being a mix of people from privileged backgrounds, and people who made it in thinking "fuck you I got mine".

We love college bureaucracy don't we folks

Thank you! Headache has finally started to subside so things are looking up!

Very true, I'm a healthy young person who used to run at least a couple miles every day, and since first being symptomatic on Monday have barely been able to get out of bed.

I wear a size medium

Yeah I can't wait for them to inject some good old American sinophobia into a great sci-fi story

Nothing like a condition being inaccurately normalized by memes so that people can assume they understand you because you have that condition.

What did you think of The Irishman? I ended up watching it on a whim recently and thought the ending was a great deconstruction of the mafia/crime genre, but I don't know if those last ~20 minutes justify the runtime.