Americans, certainly white Americans, are what Israelis would be if permitted all of their genocidal aims and then told myths for several more generations. Kids are the product of their social circumstances, it is the societies constructed around them that are at fault. But those kids grow up and then become the enforcers of that society or fight against it - and settlers tend to reinforce it.

"Should know better" is basically a question of agency and we always have to think about how we balance thinking of people as products of circumstance vs. moral agents, as the former can lead to sympathy for the oppressor that is counterrevolutionary. But we also do need to understand that it is not just people choosing to be demons, they are deeply propagandized and conditioned to accept and normalize a settler-specific as well as capitalist hosts of violences.

Being disgusted by ubiquitous war criminals is reasonable and on a personal level a righteous position. But if we live in a state with many, we have to formulate our (cynical) approach towards them and construct a political program that accounts for this. Not tailist, but not overlooking the situation nor becoming complacent by writing off every person, which can also happen if you start thinking about how many degrees removed any American is from the imperial war machine. We have to build something oppositional and practical, even if it means small orgs doing outsized direct action or building on and towards generational change, to make joining the war machine shameful and recruit the like-minded. If we hate current society we have to build towards what it could be and have sympathy for who people could have been without this society.

So I agree as well but just wanted to add an addendum that is sometimes missing.

US education is usually poorly funded and supplemented by local levies so that poor areas get worse resources and the teachers that can make poor pay work while rich areas have fancy schools and can hire anyone. The poor areas generally need more resources, not fewer, to reach parity, because there is more need for things like free food (US schools usually hold back food from poor kids), transportation, and after school programs.

On top of this, the US is socially bankrupt. Community is regularly disrupted and so even is the capitalist nuclear family. Kids are raised in abusive conditions and have high stress households with reactionary parents that often do not care for their kids when they step outsids their preferred views. Students are often tired, hungry, and stressed. So even when they have "access" and "opportunity" on paper, they can't make use of it, logistically or emotionally. They're told to have drive while also lacking the energy and support to make themselves a sandwich.

So most US citizens can't read at a "high school level".

If you planned it out you could have it done in 10-15 minutes. The process is the same for basically every cable so I'll just describe one:

1. If the brake has a barrel adjuster, loosen it (rotate it back into itself).

2. Snip off cable end where it's crimped, like on the derailleur or brake.

3. Loosen where it's attached to the derailleur or brake.

4. Locate where the cable is secured in the brake lever or shifter. This usually should not require disassembly, just moving stuff around a little. Hold the lever or shifter "open" and push or pull the cable out - with the crimped end cut it will just go through the housing.

5. Remove the old housing(s) you need to replace.

6. Eyeball the new housing length. Give yourself enough length to steer. It's best to install the new handlebars and overlay the housing stock while the handlebars are turned to the most extreme direction opposite the origin of the housing from the frame. You want the housings to enter the shifter/derailleur and frame straight-on for all normal handlebar positions, so have a nice curve in all positions (not stretched). If too short, your bike will shift or brake when you turn the handlebars. Mark the cut location on the housing.

7. Cut the housing with good cutters.

8. Install ferrules on the housing.

9. Install the housing.

10. Run new cable through the housing and secure in the lever or shifter.

11. Secure cable on the derailleur or brake under light tension. Use a torque wrench to spec, especially for the brakes.

12. Snip the cable with around 4 cm left over.

13. Crimp a new cable end.

14. (Can be done later if necessary) adjust the barrel adjuster until up/down shifting is even or braking is to your preference.

I listed 14 steps but they go fast. The only places to take time are on sizing the new housing and attaching ferrules properly. Note that you likely don't need to lubricate the cables or housing, they are likely already coated with something.

You may also want to use this opportunity to ensure your derailleur limits are set properly and your brake pads are in good shape and positioned very close to (but not touching) the braking surface.

It is extremely easy but you will need ways to cut the cables and housing. You will need cable cutters or a dremel tool for the housings. If you get the cutters then you can also use them on the cables of course. Get decent ones - better than Harbor Freight.

But if I were you I'd give the swept back bars a few more chances, they are rad and more ergonomic than you'd think. Maybe play with your seat height, too.

Kidnapping the captain and then, relatedly, amphibian impregnation and babies.

Pretty significant chunk gone then, especially given that a lot probably aren't working (since it's the F-35).

How many F-35s does Israel have?

Since the 80s

Being a socialist is all about the superposition of panic, dread, hope, celebration, and nothing ever happens.

You've gotta be all of them at once.

More of this

Wait what does the red actually mean? And how does it apply tp the entirety of the Big Island of Hawaii?

This seems absurd on its face. Human nutrition can be fulfilled with a few basic staples and many countries produce huge quantities of these, or could do so rapidly given their industrial base.

Just with B12 vitamins, legumes, and vegetables a population could survive just fine and vegans do this on a regular basis. Dairy is not necessary for human nutrition, it just was (and sometimes still is) a valuable way to get nutrition in food-scarce conditions, with cows turning grass into milk. With industrialized agriculturalism it is much more efficient to just eat the plants. The conditions in which dairy is still helpful is when malnutrition conditions are imposed by capital.