Polls

I saw an article discussing the Great washout of the tech job market. Once an industry that presidents, billionaires, and other prominent people boasted as the pathway to success is no longer.

It speaks volumes when tech majors are struggling more than art history majors. I have come to wonder, has the software engineer the new aspiring "artist" or musician? You know those career paths that are highly unrealistic where people laugh when you tell them? Like "yeah, I want to be the next studio artist for Disney" or some shit like that.

Meanwhile, the middle class is being pulverized and destroyed. Once the beacon of prosperity of the "American Dream" is becoming less and less likely to obtain, especially for younger generations.

I grew up in a typical upper-middle-class family. The two-story family home in a mostly-white subdivision neighborhood with the community pool, attending top-notch schools, and riding in the family SUV. The baseball team, boy scouts, and my regular doctors visits became a common routine as a child. We were able to eat out at modest places after church. The pantry full of food. You know what I mean.

It seems this lifestyle will never be obtainable in my lifetime. My grandparents were wealthy, my parents were strong upper class, my generation is struggling to even afford an apartment or trailer. It is like kicking a can down a road, getting more and more beat up.

https://statehood.dc.gov/page/why-statehood-dc

Taxation without representation:

D. C. residents pay some of the highest federal taxes per capita in the U. S. However, they have no voting representation in Congress, meaning they have no say in how those tax dollars are spent. This directly contradicts the principle of "no taxation without representation".

Lack of voting representation:

D. C. has a larger population than Wyoming and Vermont, yet those states have full representation in Congress while D. C. does not. The city's delegate to Congress can participate in debates but cannot vote on bills.

Unequal treatment:

D. C. residents fulfill all obligations of U. S. citizenship, including military service, yet are denied the fundamental right to participate in their own governance through voting in Congress.

Racial justice:

D. C. is majority-Black and has historically faced systemic inequalities. Statehood is seen by many as a matter of racial justice and equality.

Home rule limitations:

While the Home Rule Act granted D. C. some autonomy, Congress still retains the power to override local laws. Statehood would provide D. C. with full self-governance.

Historical precedent:

D. C. residents have been seeking statehood since 1801.

In summary, granting D. C. statehood would address the fundamental injustice of taxation without representation, ensure equal rights for its residents, and allow the city to have a voice in the decisions that affect it.

"If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent one." -Voltaire

Former has 240hz refresh rate, FreeSync Premium but falsely advertised as having GSync, 25 inches wide, stand can be rotated and adjusted in height (not just tilting), has a fake 21:9 aspect ratio (just adds black bars and zooms out), 400 nits brightness, standard 1 year warranty, and comes with a huge price tag of 300 dollars. Latter has 180hz refresh rate, FreeSync but no indication of GSync, 23.8 inches wide, comes with 3 year warranty, significantly cheaper at 150 dollars, 250 nits brightness, but the stand can only be tilted. Otherwise, both are the same with FHD, LCD IPS, sRGB, GTG 1ms, HDR (not HDR10+), 1000:1 contrast ratio, HDMI 2.0 and DP 1.2 ports along with 3.5mm, crappy monitor speakers, 16:9 flat screen (so not curved), thin bezels, anti-flickering, eye care, and that shadow boost thingie.

Apparently William Shakespeare in Othello first used the expression "wear your heart on your sleeve" It's likely the phrase comes from medieval jousts.

Are you open with your emotions, or do you keep them hidden?