Ask Lemmy

The calendar's arrangement, at least for America. I think would be better if we had 13 months, having 12 of them with exactly 30 days in their block. The 13th month has all the extra days, and is extended during a leap year. Coincidentally, elections for president should be held during the leap year, to give people an longer voting window.

During the voting window each year, the last five days of December, all the days in the 13th month, and the first 5 days of January, are eligible as vacation days. Voters pick five days during the 15 day voting window to be on paid vacation. If they fail to vote and have a job, their employer will be penalized with an amount of money that is double the pay of the worker for five days of work. Citizens, if they vote, get a $100 check from the government.

This creates a carrot for everyday people to vote, especially workers. Employers are punished if they try to interfere with voting and vacation days during the voting season, which in turn makes it easier for people to participate in democracy. The vacation days allow for research, to have ample time to send a ballot or go to the booth.

Also, I personally dislike the regular months having variable lengths. It is disorderly and annoying, to have them stretch and bend seemingly at random.

Coal. Coal should be over as a fuel, no ifs ands or buts. Arguing for coal right now is like arguing that whale oil is still a viable fuel.

The US has been completely eclipsed by other countries who are now making more or less free electricity from wind and solar. All arguments against them have been debunked to hell, if they were at all true we wouldn't see China now mostly running of of renewables. While we listened to fossil fuel lobbyists push propaganda they were getting ahead.

Executive Orders in the U.S. political system

I'm Canada we have the "Notwithstanding clause" which can serve a similar function; allowing a premier to unilaterally decide something without the approval of parliament.

Neither should be allowed to exist.

Also remove the entire idea of some countries having "veto" power in NATO and UN matters.

Private health insurance companies. Study after study has shown that Americans pay more, get worse care, and are completely at the whim of these unnecessary middlemen. What the fuck!? EVERY OTHER MODERN COUNTRY HAS SINGLE-PAYER. It's efficient, it's obvious, it works.

The United Healthcare CEO further enriched himself by denying more legitimate claims than any other company. A private company, that can decide whether you can afford to live or die. Entire families are completely bankrupted over medical bills. Every. Single. Year. In the United States of America. It's the entire reason Luigi Mangione garnered so much understanding and sympathy. (Not that it could have been him, he was at my place, we were playing Super Nintendo...)

The Electoral College

If we want to say we're a democracy then we need to be a democracy.,

Imperial measurement system. Ffs just convert to the metric system already

Here in Canada, parliament has been discussing universal basic income for years. Economists have proven it would save the government money. It would be a win-win. Do it already.

Disposable plastic. It should never have been a thing, but by now it really shouldn't be a thing. No plastic food containers, no plastic textiles, damn near everything should be in cotton bags or paper boxes or glass jars or unlined metal cans but we're so damn accustomed to convenience that the permanent externality is seen as necessary. I'm willing to make allowances for safety and medicine but even there the focus should be developing good biodegradable plastic.

• Expensive education

• Cities planned for cars

• 5-day work weeks

• Grey's Anatomy

• Nuclear weapons

• Racism

And I agree with the others who've said:

• Fossil fuels, particularly coal

• Private health insurance

Religion

Trump

Capitalism

Oof, where do I begin?

• Fossil fuel companies
• cruises
• diesel cars
• low-cost fast fashion retail companies
• modern slavery
• racism
• misinformation
• political scapegoats
• two-party systems
• billionaires
• polyester
• Artificial food colouring
• non-medical drugs and smoking
• alcohol
• low-cost greasy fast-food chains
• kids on social media

I'm tired! 😩 We've normalised unhealthy, unsustainable, and elitist lifestyles way too much! There are ways to be successful, happy, stylish, and joyful without these things. Many countries are already committing themselves to such efforts, so I know I'm not asking for much. I understand freedom of choice, and I'm usually quite libertarian, but some things just bring temporary fun and no benefits at all. In fact, some harm those around us too.

Renewable energy, electric cars, second-hand retail, artisanship, fair trade, multiculturalism, science-based education based on facts and credible sources, government transparency and accountability, a true democracy where the electoral candidates actually represent their party's base and voters don't feel hopeless, economic equality, socialism, natural fibres in fabrics, simple and natural food, therapy, mindfulness, healthy homemade packaged food, and kids staying off social media needs to be good again!

Mr Beast. Can we please?

Daylight savings, pennies, the electoral college, gerrymandering, monopolies, the oil industry, for profit prisons healthcare and education, poverty, borders, militaries/armies, interest, capitalism, countries, shirt tags

Interestingly

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-adopting-year-round-daylight-time-9.7111657

We just got rid of it

AI datacenters.

Aside from the huge drain on resources and the carbon emissions, it's just leading to a future where the younger generations grow up dumber and dumber..

I’m sure I’m gonna get some spicy replies to this, but guns and gun culture in the US. There was a major shooting in my city in the past couple of days, and you can’t even guess where because it happens every goddamn day somewhere in the country.

Any situation where there is a gun or the likelihood a gun is present immediately escalates it. Everyone is on edge because at anytime someone might be carrying. A minor argument or altercation can easily turn into a homicide. I avoid large crowded events when it’s outdoors and there are no security gates and checks. I stay away from bar districts on weekends because the chances of someone intoxicated and carrying is much higher. I’m tired of having my head on a swivel everywhere I go.

And for the 2A folks, that used to work back when you can actually successfully take up arms against the government when they’re oppressing you. Joe Redneck’s 500 guns in his house won’t help stop the government from taking away his rights.

People with young kids do not want daylight savings time all year around because it would be dark when they go to school. People like myself would like dst all year around because we hate it being dark at 4pm.

I'd rather have accurate noon / celestial time for the few months it is still allowed and still have to switch twice a year than let the government make wrong-noon ("daylight saving") time permanent. So, many of the "end time switching" movements I actively resist rather than support.

I imagine things like this aren't "done and over" because there is no majority opinion.

RCV / a Condorcet Method might help.

Authority, hierarchy, government, capitalism.

I still propose to turn the clock halfway between standard and dst.
Why have one extreme when you can do middle?
There are already countries doing that like Sri Lanka.

Fossil Fuels

On the topic of daylight savings, I used to prefer that we stay on the daylight savings side of the time. But honestly at this point I am fine with staying on standard time if that means no more switching.

Otherwise one thing lately that I wish was done and over with by now is physical junk mail. Literal paper showing up in my mailbox that I now have to dispose of. Something I don’t ask for and will never look at. And I can’t help but think that happens to millions in my country every single day all for an irrelevant number of people to even look at. I can’t imagine how many trees are lost each year for something that has zero usefulness.

Neither time matters, it's all the same. But don't change it!

Its the adjustment that sucks.

Daylight is going to be the same length either way, it's just an arbitrary number, but if you keep changing that number it gets very annoying.

The Big Bang.

...What do you mean it's expanding still?