I probably didn't want to see it in the first place. Too many people are desperate for attention.

by which I mean they are desperate not to lose their high playing jobs and will follow what ever direction the business zeitgeist suggest they go in, rather than use any real business insight or follow a moral compass.

How about "no." My lifetime is worth more to me than your bottom line.

Because Capitalism relies on growth. Maybe instead of propping up a financial model we can see is going to fail eventually we should consider alternatives and actually let the population drop. In my lifetime, 3 billion have been added to the global pop. The world isn't necessarily a better place because of that.

As an 8th grader hanging out at the Uni where my mom worked in 1979, i was able to play Super Star Trek. It was the gateway drug to a lifetime of computing.

Frankly, it worked out for my sons, but I honestly still have concerns. Two of my sons went to colleges, one fancy, one not. They both have jobs in high tech making that SV money. Two of my other sons (who are younger) did not. One went to a web Boot Camp and now works for a defense contractor also making that tech money. The other now designs parts for an aviation start up, a skill he learned on the job. I honestly have no advice. "It depends" is the best I can do.

I suspect this benefits Harvard in the long run. They will attract actual smart people who would have otherwise gone to less prestigious schools, and in turn those smart people will make Harvard look good and they most likely end up with even more money. Nepo babies need not apply.

Apparently VPN use has skyrocketed in Texas

Another way to view this is that Bond movies are running out of steam. For all you know, this might actually be the appropriate level for a declining franchise. I have kids in their 20's and 30's who love adventure/spy movies and are indifferent to Bond at best. Amazon certainly has access to data showing who's watching what and Bond has been playing non-stop on Amazon all Christmas. If there was money to be made, I'm sure they'd do it.

There's no agenda against straight white men. The agenda is called "capitalism" and the idea is to appeal to as many pocketbooks as possible and there are a LOT of pocketbooks that don't belong to straight white men. If you're sad because that audience segment is no longer being catered to exclusively I got bad news for you, its not going to go back. Reflect on why that bothers you, and who is telling you that it should bother you. I bet they have their hand in your pocket.

I grew up with Bond. I just watched several Bond films over the holidays and frankly, they don't hold up. They are a product of their time and are frankly more cringe-inducing than I expected. I don't need more Bond films. "The Kingsman" was better than all of the last few Bond movies. Come up with new ideas instead of trying to squeeze the last remaining drops of blood from that tired franchise.

why politicians are suddenly all excited about this issue. Seems like the shiny distracting object could be a UFO or (more likely to me) misdirection.

California uses its purchasing power to improve the environment by demanding better emissions. Texas uses their text book buying leverage to rewrite history they don't like. I'm glad I live in California.

Because it costs car makers money and is generally regarded by wealthy conservatives as "unnecessary" govt. oversight. We have learned over and over that they do need regulation if you don't want to be swimming in toxic bullshit.

And the first time you take it to Smog Inspection, which happens every other year, your car will not pass inspection and will not be renewed. Geez, you think nobody else thought of that? Side note - when I was a kid in the 70's, the smog in LA was so bad you couldn't see the mountains. After regulation and 10+ years, the air has improved significantly. Why are you against clean air? You do realize it affects your health?