Soapbox Sam

Just to say; I already have a beautiful woman in my life. What we both look for on BlueSky are beautiful minds. I want real, meaningful debate, not mere affirmation. (Re)learning to separate those with differing opinions from those with hate and selfishness as their driver is how we will all survive

Love the irony in the headline. I hope it was ironic! www.independent.co.uk/news/world/m...

Putting together a small 100W solar setup. What the hell is going on with connectors for this stuff! There's Anderson, SAE, XT60. MC4, DC7909, DC5521 plus plugs and sockets in all but two cases. Trying to find any two bits of kit that don't need an adapter is virtually impossible! Absolute insanity!

Until now, the Israeli people have had the excuse that they did not know what Netanyahu was going to do. That excuse ends today. If they re-elect him, they're endorsing his genocide in Palestine and unprovoked attacks on Iran. The world is waiting to see what's in their hearts; hate or tolerance.

Oh, I like this one🤣

So Melania has secured a one-town ceasefire. This is for a town that is Russian occupied. In other words she has secured that Ukraine isn't allowed to try and reclaim their own territory. Melania, like Donald, is a Russian asset.

Gobsmacked to read that the security vulnerability "discovered" in government website is related to PHP; an inherently insecure system giving websites direct access to the filesystem. Unbelievable naivety.

#Google, what the fuck are you doing? Are you trying to see how much of Android you can break? New: * Voice reco on phone not co-ordinated with Home Mini. * Vertical word suggestion strip hides keyboard if used. * Wi-fi doesn't roam between APs/cellular reliably * Responsiveness visibly slower. FFS!

"Hello World" is the traditional first program you write in a programming language new to you. My wife noted that it is now the utterance of AI, as it opens its eyes. You may shudder in fear.... Now.

While rioting and unrest are not how society should be, sometimes the people have to kick some arse to make things right. I have to ask; where is that spirit in America? Why are Americans so cowed and obedient? Trump would be a greasy stain in the gutter long ago if he'd been a European leader.

I was a hands-on Dad in the early 90s, fully shared parenting. Don't roll your eyes, I was. It's wonderful to see my son-in-law doing the same with my daughter and grandson.

If you are organising action against the establishment, do not use a platform to do so that is controlled by allies of the establishment! Stop being so naive!

Good luck to everyone participating in #NoKings events today. Do not be intimidated, walk only forward. The free world is behind your every step.

Three people have received an innovative treatment to rejuvenate vision cells. The treatment appears safe, and two of the recipients show early signs of improved vision. The novel strategy reprograms cells to restore their normal function—essentially rejuvenating them. time.com/article/2026...

My daughter is (any moment) having a baby. I'm having kittens! Hundreds of the buggers. I need to defend her, but I can't.

It's a mark of desperation that Trump didn't cancel his 'one day's worth of diesel' deal with Putin, even after Putin utterly humiliated him by bombing Ukraine energy sites within hours of Trump claiming an 'energy ceasefire'. No other leader would have just accepted that. He's on the ropes.

Sam says: 1. Only individual UK voters can help fund a politician or party, or participate in politics in any way. 2. £10k pa contribution limit. 3. Elections/referendums publicly funded only, on a per-constituency contested fixed sum basis. 4. Proportional representation. 5. Open lobbyist register.

This is an astute observation.

Correcting the housing market means a lot of negative equity. The answer is to help those in that situation, not prevent the correction. Houses MUST become affordable to people on average incomes again.

I know Americans mostly think/hope they can un-elect Trump, but you cannot. Sadly, until the mid-terms prove this, if the lesson is clear enough, you are simply sitting on your hands while he destroys the hopes of all our children. Your democracy is DEAD. Please understand that. Act on that basis.

My daughter will be giving birth soon. I am bricking it! Why am I not allowed to take the pain for her?! It's my goddam job to do that!

#Science is truth no matter if ignorant folk believe the world is flat. #Vaccines work & I'm looking forward to getting my flu vaccine soon on #NHS & it won't cost me a penny. #Evolution is fact no matter how religion tries to shape minds. Only cells made of DNA 🧬 & viruses made of RNA that's life.

What do you call people who are told that the current administration has completely subverted the democratic process, yet do nothing, believing they can vote them out?

This is what happens when the rich aren't trying to get us to fight each other!

The first Darwin Award in a while... www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

One cannot deny American exceptionalism; the only western nation without free healthcare, but still clinging on to... * gun ownership * the death penalty * political judge appointments * leaders outside the law A 19th century land with 21st century excess.

AI has solved some of the most intractable mathematical conundrums, but still no answer on how to get two cats into one carrier without bleeding.

England ceased public executions in 1868, because they were deemed debasing and prurulent entertainment rather than a deterrent. USA just rolled the clock back 158 years. It is utterly disgusting.

I have 5% of my vision left (which I use to rant on here) but that is SO much better than 0%. I have my incredible eye doc to thank for that difference, who has gone above and beyond for 23 years. I am a lucky guy (who walks into door frames)

There is a large cadre of America, and Uk too but less so, who actively want a society ruled by the rich, for the rich, even if they themselves are poor. A peasant revolt in reverse. How buggered we are.

I'll say it again. Aim a thermal imaging camera at Trump. It will show up a collection of braces, calipers and, possibly, electro-mechanics keeping him upright and mobile. He portrays himself as a superhero. That ridiculous fantasy must be exposed so that MAGA know.

Americans are sleep walking into utter catastrophe in November. The belief that Trump/GOP will meekly accept defeat is unbelievably naive. Students set France on fire for far less than Trump's despotic destruction of USA. Where is American spirit? Will they just capitulate? Give in? 😔

Or 67 senators to convict.

Fuck off...... you don't do that shit if you don't want to in a free country!!!

Oh boy, yes!

My Autistic wife is a marvel. Sometimes her mind is an orchestra that exists in a space around her, and she is conducting it with her hands. It is rather beautiful. #Autism