Notices by Derek Caelin is writing a book (derek@social.coop)

Milestone hit. 101 miles on the #ebike.

📣 #Connecticut residents, he's a call to action from @citizensclimate. Please consider providing comments in favor of HB5156. Right now the "supports" have a narrow majority over "opposes": this should be a blowout in favor. Request from the CCL:

> Please provide your SUPPORT for the CT Superfund Bill HB5156.  Comments MUST be submitted by Friday, FEB 20th.  You can provide comments or just say that you SUPPORT the bill.  The Climate Superfund Bill requires some fossil fuel companies who are the biggest CT polluters to pay the damages that they have caused.  Such damage has cost CT residents and businesses billions in damages.  Fossil fuel companies are already subsidized by our taxpayer dollars.  Allowing them to skirt paying for damage they have caused is a further subsidy that we taxpayers are required to pay. To provide support, first click on this link, then click on the "Click to Submit Testimony" link at the top right corner of the page.   

https://www.cga.ct.gov/aspx/CGADisplayTestimonies/CGADisplayTestimony.aspx?comm_code=ENV&date=02/20/2026&sess_year=2026

@susankayequinn Bless Solnit.

@luis_in_brief Give it a few minutes for the next flight.

It's been a cold few weeks in #Connecticut but I finally broke out the #ebike again for a ride a local coffee shop. An hour ride a day keeps the bad mood away.

This time, sporting a few stickers from my favorite fictional resistance groups. :)

#halflife #finalfantasy7

I present to you... the Argus One UAV

#airship

@rnd this is my belief as well.

@curtismchale this one has been on my "maybe" list for a while. Might have to pick it up!

Can folks recommend resources for organizing a mutual aid system?

A snowstorm in our area has prompted the complete evacuation of a 5-building poorly-maintained apartment complex. Our local democratic committee has mobilized a few dozen people last night to collect donations and help tenants evacuate. The owner of the building refuses to release tenants from their leases. More work will need doing to protect the tenants in the weeks and months ahead.

We have a website and a WhatsApp group. I'm proud of the work we've done but it's adhoc. Would love a guide or detailed case studies if anyone knows of one.

Alternatively (and somewhat less satisfying): keep the big choice, but have Neelix and Tuvok look aghast at Janeway when they are restored. (After all, they both remember Janeway looking them in the eye and killing them just moments ago.) Add a brief apotheosis in which Janeway experiences grief for her actions. Reveal her to know that she has done something wrong and sense that she has lost something of what she values: she's damaged her relationship with the crew.

This could also be very satisfying. We've established that Janeway is a very moral person and having her sacrifice her morality to get the crew home is a good story. It's "dark" and doesn't fit the tone of the show, but it would at least address the character issue.

I've been watching #StarTrek #Voyager with my son. Last night we came to the #Tuvix episode. Here's my hot take, 30 years after the episode aired.

Janeway's decision to kill Tuvix to restore Neelix and Tuvok is unsatisfying because it is out of step with the character.

Janeway's central dilemma is that she puts Star Fleet principles above everything, including her deep desire to get her crew home. A central part of the drama of the show is when she wrestles with these conflicting priorities

That isn't to say that she *couldn't* make the opposide and be in character, but to ring true she has to acknowledge that she is committing a wrong for her crew. Here that doesn't happen.

They could "fix" it by having Janeway refusing to kill Tuvix, and grieve. Tuvix sacrifices himself when he sees Kes' grief.

This would be the "easy way out", but one of the rules of old Star Trek is that doing the right thing ends up with good consequences.

Me, a biker in New England.

Hooray for Better World Books! I have a copy of "Deep Ecology" by Bill Devall and George Sessions (1985). This was an early work that outlines the Deep Ecology platform.

@Roots isn't too focused on philosophy and theory, but any discussion of the modern environmental movement has to address the "how" and "for what" of the struggle. I've wanted to read Deep Ecology because it's supposed to be focused on the first part: the ontology of environmentalism.

Opinion: #ACLU calls for bold action to 'protect our people' from Trump
https://www.ncadvertiser.com/opinion/article/ct-aclu-trump-voting-21307527.php

#connecticut

@elena I finally found that old kindle and used WinterBreak to jailbreak it. It's bruised and battered but now runs KOReader! Thanks for the tip.

How do things get better?

@DMakarios 💯

@DMakarios Yes, I agree! A steward who prioritizes self over the thing stewarded is no longer a good steward.

And in the Tolkien universe, the good/bad steward dichotomy continues. Denethor is a bad steward because he became enamored of the power that came with it, and placed himself and his own dignity above the wellbeing of his people.

@adamgreenfield what was it like getting published through Verso? They're on my list to contact

@adamgreenfield I haven't read that particular Bookchin, onto the list it goes! Thanks for the recommendation.

I've read some other Bookchin, though. He's the rep of "social ecology", and this vision of small, low-impact, decentralized, sustainable and egalitarian societies. You mentioned 'BAU' earlier; Bookchin and Ted Trainer are about as far from status quo as you can get.