[spoiler] Ruff v COVID (and other political topics)

[Charriu]

I like the era code and thanks to it was easier for me to integrate the known tech items.

The part on the left is the bulb order, which is shown when you hover over the buttons there. That's a base BUG feature.

[Ruff_Hi]

Turn 1 report ... Moved Scout.

Edit: Still unclean / Orange.

[442]

[Ruff_Hi]

No change at all. Scout and color.

[465]

[Ruff_Hi]

More scout moving.

I am giving up on any color change.  Orange it is.  Might have to change my city naming approach.



Edit: A couple of players moved their settler first turn and settled second turn. Maybe that is the trick with this game?

[479]

[Ruff_Hi]

Black Lives Matter

I have to admit, I have been putting off this post.  Anyway, I think the very early and pre-announcement version of this was 'Black Lives Matter Too'.  I can fully understand why the 'too' was dropped as it makes the tag line a little long and doesn't really add very much.  In hind sight, this was probably a mis-step.

Why?

Because when people saw 'Black Lives Matter' they read it as 'Only Black Lives Matter' and hence the push back with 'All Lives Matter' and 'Blue Lives Matter'.

I, puersonally, think that all lives matter ... but no one will understand me (or maybe they will look to mis-understand me) if I go down that track.

Let me reset to 'Black Lives Matter'.  You answer is is either YES or NO.

YES - yes, black lives matter.
NO - no, black lives do not matter.

You have to think of people's response via words, their response via actions and the general community response.

I think it is fair to say that, in America, based on how African American's are treated, the general attitude (via actions) is that black lives don't matter.  They are arrested for insignificant actions, or no actions at all.  They are looked at suspiciously and, generally, treated as if their individual lives don't matter.

Should it be this way?  No, absolutely not.  Is it this way?  I think the answer is YES.  I believe that this is the #1 message that the BLM movement is trying to get across and are asking for it to change.

[Ruff_Hi]

Scout to the pigs. I see bananas under jungle. In fact, I have a fair amount of jungle.

[503]

[Charriu]

More scout moving.

I am giving up on any color change.  Orange it is.  Might have to change my city naming approach.

No, you don't. I just changed your color to #17

[Cornflakes]

Electoral Collage: Think of this somewhat like a weighted average, where the area is factored in addition to the population. Initially I don't think a popular vote was even made for president (nor the senators either). I think the process went:
1.a: people voted for their representative to the House of Representatives, and voted for their state legislature
1.b: state legislators selected 2 representatives to the Senate (representing the interests of the state)
2: The house and senate representatives together selected a president and vice president

More populated states get more votes, but a collective group of smaller states could still maintain weight in government and not get bullied by a couple high-population states.

America is not a democracy, but rather a republic governed by representatives. Decisions are made by a smaller group of (supposedly informed and deliberative) representatives, not an uninformed mob of 51% chanting whatever catch phrase sounds good in the moment. The government is set up specifically to impede changes, so that the whims of the moment don't make drastic changes in direction or policy:
- Senate requires 2/3 majority ... and only 1/3 of the senate is up for election in each election cycle
- President can veto anything and everything passed through the House and Senate (but House can overrule veto with 3/4 majority)
- Changes to the constitution require 2/3 majority of congress AND 3/4 majority of states

Fun Fact: Constitutional republic is not America's first form of government. Initially the colonies joined together under the Articles of Confederation. After several years of dysfunction (nearly collapsing), the constitution was drafted based on the "lessons learned" in order to provide a more functional government.

[Cornflakes]

Black Lives Matter: It is important to make a distinction between the idea/moral question of "do black lives matter?" and the "black lives matter movement" (regardless of whether the movement is spontaneous or organized).

- Absolutely YES, black lives matter! ... but all lives of any color (including unborn life ) matter.
- Violence does not correct wrongs (especially violence against innocent 3rd parties). 
- Destruction of property does not correct wrongs.
- Obliteration of historical memories and destruction of historical monuments does not correct wrongs.

[Ruff_Hi]

No, you don't. I just changed your color to #17

Logging in now ... will let you know

Edit: Be uuu tiful!

more to come.