Discrimination? It's just a bookstore that focuses on books with LGBT themes and authors. That's like saying a sushi restaurant discriminates against pizza.

The person on the phone realised they may be gay and probably freaked out about the changes and hardships this may put on their life (work, family, friends, religion, etc.) They probably weren't thinking clearly, and thought that hurting/killing themselves would be easier than dealing with it all.

Ariel's treasure trove was full of human objects because THAT'S what she wanted more than anything. She'd been obsessing about humans for years before she ever encountered Eric; she loves him because he's the epitome of what it would mean to be human, the icing on the cake. When her dad invades her space and wrecks her shit, she's (justifiably) angry and makes a rash decision, as teenagers are wont to do. She leaves a kingdom of expectations and rules for one with more freedom and exploration - Eric barely factors into the equation.

Actually I think feminism wants to destroy the idea that men don't need emotional support and that all men have to think that little gestures of affection are stupid or girly.

So congrats on writing (and making me read) a 2,218 word response. I honestly don't know how to reply since it was less of a coherent argument and more of a loose bundle of facts, anecdotes, unrelated assertions, and deeper philosophy. I agree with a lot that you said, and also disagree with a lot. All I can say is that it's clear we don't agree on the nature of human behavior or the best way to help minimum wage workers.

I have research assistants who work under me. They aren't required to have any qualifications and they don't make much money. If I gave them minimal instructions for their jobs and threatened to fire them for being 5 minutes late, they'd do the bare minimum to not be fired. But a heartfelt thank you and some understanding when they're late or sick makes them happy to come in and they work hard to help me. You can't run every business exactly like that, but it HAS to be a two-way street for companies. Nobody has a passion for fast food - it's not their dream career. If you treat people like they're worthless and lazy, they'll start to act that way. If we treat it like it's a dead-end job, so will the workers. Work isn't (and shouldn't be) the most important thing in these peoples' lives and companies have to stop acting like people are able to give 110% every day.

But nothing about the job encourages someone to do more than the bare minimum to "prove" themselves. These jobs tend to provide little pay and few opportunities to advance and earn more. So why would someone spend their maximum effort if there's no way for it to pay off, even in the form of encouraging words from a supervisor. I think that if there were higher wages and more respect given to these positions, even the "worthless fuck ups" would increase their output.

It's been shown that people work harder when they're shown encouragement and assistance instead of strict rules. Why are we punishing people for taking entry level jobs? What's the motivation to act professional if they are treated like animals, not professionals? Why should they have to earn respect when they're already doing a job that's harder than it looks and I wouldn't want to do?

@guest_ It sounds like you want to see "professionalism" to know if they deserve a wage increase, but how can you expect people to respect their jobs when the jobs don't treat them with respect? It can't just be a wage increase, the entire attitude towards these workers must change. Managers and higher-ups must treat them with dignity, give them enough hours so they don't have to work a second job, and stop acting as though every worker below such-and-such level is replaceable. For people to act professional they need to be treated as such.

I have a Samoyed too! Terrible guard dog (he's blind) but a great floof!

After doing the 30 seconds of googling that you apparently won't, I cannot find any mention of these rooms being messed up. The owner of the Amber Inn was nothing but supportive of the efforts to house people and even lowered the rates so more rooms could be used. Not to mention, there were hundreds of donations to both the organisers and the hotel - enough to cover any damages.

Emergency vehicles have flashing lights so not hearing sirens isn't a big issue. And some places like NYC have bans on honking, so horns aren't necessary for driving and are often more of a distraction.

What the fuck kind of question is that? Does it truly matter if they "respected" the rooms? Even if every single person absolutely trashed and wrecked their room (like so many rock stars, teenagers, and hardcore partiers have done), isn't that better than people freezing to death outside?

A will is a legal document that designates where your assets (money, property, etc.) will go when you die. So it's a dead giveaway in that it gives away your things once you're dead. "Dead giveaway" is also a phrase for something completely obvious, like a clue that solves the whole case. So the definition of a will should be a dead giveaway - completely obvious and something that gives your things away.

Unfortunately, the Academy Awards aren't judged blind which would allow the best art to win. There are internal politics and bigotry that get in the way of a fair contest. When women have been excluded from directing and writing big-name films and films made by women have been undervalued or ignored by the Academy, it's important to note their absence. Feminism isn't saying that a man who makes a good movie shouldn't be recognised, but rather women shouldn't be prevented from making good movies.

She does! In the eighties there was "Spider Ma'am" who said she's "just your friendly neighborhood aunt!"

@catfluff That's totally fine. I'm glad you're taking it seriously and that you want to take care of yourself. Nobody goes into therapy perfect, and you wouldn't be wasting anyone's time even if you weren't trying 100%. It's a process and a professional can help you to help yourself. Best of luck and I'm rooting for you!

@catfluff Just so you know there might be free/low-cost counseling offered through community programs in your area. Or if you reach out to a therapist they may be able to work out a lower price/payment plan with you. Most people just want to help as many people as they can!

Community organisations often offer free or low-cost counseling to those in need. And many therapists in private practice are willing to work out affordable pricing or a payment plan that's best for you. Finances shouldn't be a barrier to getting care and many many people are willing to help!

For people in abusive relationships, giving birth might be the only time they're allowed in a hospital/allowed to be alone with someone who can help. It can be the only time to reach someone who couldn't get help otherwise.

I suppose I should've said "sit comfortably" instead of relax but even so, some people don't find nature relaxing. Not everyone has a home, and not everyone's home is a particularly safe or restful environment. Libraries also have resources that people might not be able to access otherwise, like computers, magazines, and reference books. Not to mention any public outdoor space won't be comfortable when it's too hot, too cold, raining, or snowing. And many outdoor spaces aren't accessible for people with mobility issues, while most libraries are.