I’ve got a theory about that. As someone from the US, I’ve tried pronouncing “about” the way people from Ontario do… and it’s really hard. It’s a sound we just don’t make in our accent. Which is why I suspect that so many Americans say that you say “aboot” - not because you literally say “aboot,” but because it’s the closest approximation many of us can make to your pronunciation.

In other words, it’s a skill issue on our part.

“I wasn’t drinking, of course, but people were drinking with me who thought this was a good idea,”

Riiiiight. The excuse of college kids caught in an embarrassing scenario, that’s totally legit reasoning.

Pritt was initially elected to the state House as a Democrat in 2022 but changed his political affiliation to Republican the year after. Republican Party chair Elgine McArdle said in a statement that Pritt had realized that the “Democratic Party of today is not the Democratic Party that our parents grew up with.”

So much to unpack here. Originally a Dem, but switched to Rep without realizing how far they are from the Republican party “our parents grew up with”? Or perhaps his pedophilia and instinct to project onto others made him realize the Republicans are a better fit for him?

With how long it takes to become financially secure, women are particularly screwed. Millennial women are in their 30s and 40s, nearing the end of our fertile age, with many of us already in the “high risk” category if we even tried. I’m in that group and still struggling to make ends meet. That’s an entire generation getting passed over for reproductive opportunities due to the economy, and the most bizarre thing is how predictable this all has been. The realities of our biologies is completely overlooked by those in charge.

That movie is so relatable

Republicans are doubling-down on the brain-drain, I see.

If I were a student in that state, I’d make it crystal clear why I’m transferring out by referencing this bullshit. Loudly. To everyone - my classmates, those in charge of the college, the legislators behind it all, and any social media I had access to.

Depends on what I’m doing. It’s usually one voice, but if I’m trying to think through something or if my ADHD is turned up, I get what I call “the committee.” For thinking through something, different perspectives all chime in, and I like to imagine it like some kind of round table debate. I “talk” with myself through ideas, and sometimes I change my mind about what I do because ultimately I know the most sensible talking point is the right one.

If my ADHD is behind it, though, then it’s more like a room full of people all pointing out different things at the same time. One’s complaining that the noise outside is too loud. Another’s distracted by the birds out the window. Another voice is debating what I should eat next (even if I’m not hungry.) Yet another is trying to remember the lyrics to a random song. Then the “responsible adult” of the group is trying to get everyone else to STFU and focus on the task at hand.

I find that caffeine goes a long way in getting the committee to chill and listen to each other. It’s not too surprising that stimulants get them all in line, but it’s still interesting to experience.

That feeling when you’re trying to browse through a creator you like’s page for videos you haven’t seen yet, but you have to scroll past the dozens and dozens of things you’ve already watched, which each take time to load their thumbnails, making the task drag on for ages.

Which sucks when you’re the kind of person that craves novelty. Just because I watched a nature documentary about sharks doesn’t mean all I want to watch are shark videos. YouTube doesn’t seem to understand that.

Thankfully, a lot of people gave really good suggestions when I made this Ask Lemmy post a few months ago. I’m still working my way down the list. Whenever YouTube search fails to give me something new or interesting, I check back on that page and pick a channel somebody suggested. Otherwise, the algorithm gets real stale, real quick.

Their responses are clear and methodical, giving the impression that OP is genuinely trying to discuss a potentially-tricky subject in a calm, rational manner. If they were here to “stir up shit,” surely they’d be responding in a way that encourages more drama. From the evidence, I don’t believe that’s their intent at all.

Sometimes people want to discuss difficult topics, even if there’s a risk of people taking it the wrong way. I’d say OP’s doing a decent job encouraging civility, and that’s something I wish we could see more of online.

I learned a NSFW animal fact the other day. There are some fish that care for their young by holding them in their mouth, it’s called mouthbrooding. That’s not the new or NSFW part though.

Ahh, nature. So beautiful. So like us.

Mid-Altantic region here. Every day I pass a billboard that says, “Shackled by lust? Jesus sets you free!”

Which does nothing but make me think, “I guess Jesus is into domming now.”

this country allowed the idiots to breed and there are no easy way back.

It’s even worse than that. The school system is fucked. A lot of people that could’ve wound up mildly intelligent were denied the skill of critical thinking and the benefits of well-rounded education. Instead, they were taught to game tests and to obey their authorities without protest. Don’t rock the boat, don’t “talk back” when you’re wronged, just do what you’re told and keep your mouth quiet about it.

It’s no mystery why so many people rely on talking heads to direct their political opinions.

She compared that to a “real woman,” a subtype that she said was meant to “catapult a man.”

“We’re powerful women, we are, if we use it in the right way,” Isaak said, specifying the necessity to use that energy for men.

Instructions unclear; man stuck in tree.

When Americans got upset that John Lennon said the Beatles were more popular than Jesus, at least Lennon owned his words. He never called it a joke or belittled his critics. He calmly stated his reasons and eventually apologized for upsetting people.

I’m not saying this to hold up John Lennon as some epitome of goodness (he’s had his share of skeletons in the closet.) Rather, that even a snarky lad who built his public persona on taking the piss at any given opportunity didn’t fall back on the “it’s just a joke, bro” defense.

Random, but this pulled up an old memory. When I was a kid bordering on teenagerhood, one of my friends was excited that her parents were finally permitting her to swear. “No shit, Sherlock,” was her favorite, and it ended up practically becoming her catch phrase.

Didn’t King of the Hill do an episode about the change in cheerleading?

I know compliments we’ve received aren’t necessarily the answer, but it’s hard to think of anything that could top when a former coworker had a baby and told me, "I hope she grows up to be just like you."

Ah yes, high-heeled shoes on a wet deck while leaning on the railing of a giant, moving ship. What could go wrong?

It’s wild how those who made this decision clearly think “hyper-realistic” is an improvement. Have they never heard of the Uncanny Valley? Have they ever actually played a video game? I’m guessing the answer is “no” to both.

I have spent more than enough time playing various games, and not once have I thought, “I wish the game I play to escape reality would better resemble reality.” Imagine the characters start looking like actual people you care about, and you’re in a game where you’re made to shoot them. Or what if one of the characters comes to resemble you, and now whatever that character says or does, it will be associated with you? And random strangers start to call out to you in public, treating you as if you’re actually that character?

Then of course, the Uncanny Valley itself is a treacherous pit to avoid. At a certain point in the journey toward hyper-realism, any minor flaw can become unsettling. That issue doesn’t happen with games that are clearly fictional renderings. There’s a reason many people consider realistic-looking porcelain dolls to be creepy, but they don’t feel the same way about a rag doll (except maybe for those with buttons for eyes. Thanks, Coraline.)