It is probably worth noting that I am removing the DRM so I can read them on devices that do not have Kindle apps.

Nothing is certain, but it looks like you will still be able to download books into local memory so you can read them. As long as the apps still work that way, it will be possible to access the book files.

You do need a tool that can remove the DRM from the books files the Kindle uses. DeDRM used to do this nicely, but it has not been updated to handle the most recent version of Kindle DRM. It will not works on any books published since early 2024.

There are commercial options that can remove even the latest DRM from Kindle books. I use Epubor Ultimate. It was the first to handle the most recent Kindle DRM, but I’m sure there are others by now.

Not complete, but fairly close. Any background talking makes it difficult.

Well, not legally. We need to make that matter again.

I’m still looking for ways to work toward that, short of violence.

Blazing Saddles (1974) The Yakuza (1974) Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

All three movies are exceptional in their own right and all three broke a lot of new ground by blending cultural and genre conventions in new ways.

Television Announcer: And now, the penguin on top of your television set will explode. {BOOOM!} Watcher: How’d he know that? Television Announcer: It was an inspired guess.

The multiple layers of cognitive dissonance are wonderful.

Even if it’s a symbolic gesture, it’s one that needs to be made.

People complain all that time that the Democrats are just ignoring this mess. Don’t complain too much when a legislator proposes legislation to fix some of it. That is what they’re supposed to do.

Pocan is doing his job. By doing it, he is also bringing public attention to a situation that Musk and Trump would much rather didn’t get any.

USAID is one of the few cases where the President probably can shut it down, because it was created by an executive order. That is not true of most other agencies that are currently being gutted.

Under the Constitution, the Congress passes laws to create agencies and control the budget. The President is responsible for executing those laws, but does not have the power to remove them or change them. Malicious compliance is a violation of the oath of office. Failing to comply at all is just plain illegal. If Congress were doing its job there would be a quick impeachment and removal from office.

The problem we face is not that the Constitution allows most of what’s going on. It is that the checks and balances in the Constitution rely on the majority of Congress and the courts to act in good faith. The founders never imagined a situation where a majority of those people would be so corrupt that they would allow a situation like this.

Those qualities occasionally help people break through to wealth, but mostly the economy rewards already being rich. Having rich parents is how you become rich.

Well, they have almost always circumvented them instead, but that impacts the bottom line too.

Of the two of you, I’m inclined to believe her. She looks trustworthy.

That looks very comfy. For both parties.

“Downplaying the financial strain his policies could impose” translates as “lying”. He knew perfectly well what would happen. He also knew that if he told the truth about it he was unlikely to be elected. So he lied. That pretty well describes his entire campaign.

What worries me is that Trump no longer has any reason to care what people think. He doesn’t need their votes or their support. And while people keep talking about how he wants to be loved, I don’t think that’s true. He wants to be important to people, but he can achieve that through fear and intimidation too. Which is what he’s doing now.

At this point I don’t expect any elected Republicans to stand up to him. Those who had a conscience have been driven out or have put it in storage for the duration. Sadly, our greatest hope is that the ultra-wealthy who financed this mess may turn on him and put pressure on the legislators they own to do something about it.

The Scandanavian countries currently look the safest to me. I think Iceland would be nearly ideal, in a lot of ways. but I worry that they may be annexed by one of the larger powers as things get uglier.

I suggest that you spend the up-front money to consult with a lawyer. A lot of them will do an initial meeting for relatively little. They will be able to give you some idea of what risk, if any is involved in this. Then you can make a better informed decision about whether to ignore this, fight, or conceded and change the name.

I find out a few years ago that there are whole law firms out there who basically just send threatening letters for low fixed fees. They don’t litigate or even provide real legal advice. It’s one step above selling pages of their letterhead.

You won’t know how serious these people are, or how serious their complaint is, without consulting a lawyer.

Best of luck!

Health Insurance Companies

My concern is that I expect those incentives to be removed very quickly under the next administration.

I don’t have a general answer for you, but I did want to say that you should not rule out depression as a major component of what’s going on with you. I have a genetically-based cyclic depression that’s been with me more than four decades. Despite that, I have managed to remain employed. It has sometimes been very difficult, but it is possible to remain somewhat functional even when severely depressed. I have had to change jobs a few times because of it, but I’ve been able to make a steady living.

Depression can leave you with very little energy or volition, but very little is different from none. The worse it gets, the more you have to focus on your most critical necessities, which is not pleasant, but it can keep you going. Small victories like that can actually help counteract it. I think a lot of depression is “living to fight another day”.

If you do have depression, there are many things you can try. Therapy, medication, exercise, meditation, mindfullness, support groups, volunteering, hobbies, etc. Start by talking with a doctor.

I wish you the best!

The big problem is that those billions of dollars in savings would cost billions of dollars in profits for energy companies. As long as Citizens United remains in place, we are unlikely to see any legislation to encourage people to switch.

The Lemmy Lick.