Recent comments

WhyNotKenGaburo t1_jegkoef wrote

Reply to comment by ColdJay64 in Person shot on SEPTA's Market-Frankford Line in West Philadelphia by WestPhillyFilly

I can't speak for DC, but this stuff doesn't happen nearly as frequently in NYC. It's a city of nearly 9 million people, so obviously things are going to happen on occasion, but it isn't a daily or even monthly occurrence.

I never felt unsafe riding the subway in the 2+ decades I lived in NYC. And I rode it through the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens regularly at all hours of the day and night. Sure there were times when my radar went up a bit, but that was infrequently. I do feel unsafe here though, and won't take the subway after rush hour in the evening. I worry about my wife taking it alone in the middle of the day, which I never did in NYC.

As the saying goes: The first step to solving a problem is recognizing that there is one. Obviously Philly has problems that need to be addressed. Shrugging our collective shoulders and saying "mehp, it happens other places too" just diminishes the severity of the problems that Philly faces.

12

LouSanous t1_jegkndd wrote

Reply to ELI5: why does the US need the dollar to be the only primary form of currency for oil? by aresyves

The US maintains the trade of oil for dollars at the point of a gun.

They do this because it allows the US to create a perpetual demand for dollars worldwide. That demand maintains the value of the currency.

This allows for unequal exchange, where the US can purchase goods from around the world for significantly less than they are worth, maintaining poverty and thus cheap labor around the world.

It also simultaneously allows the US to maintain trade deficits without losing the value of its currency. Thus Americans can consume multiple times what other people around the world consume without having to actually produce it. It also allows US people to have an advantage in any transaction abroad.

All currency is convertible to another currency. The arguments that somehow accounting for fluctuating currencies makes the system easier ignores that the US dollar fluctuates in value just as every other currency does. The real reason for this arrangement is that it is a major part of US economic hegemony.

When the US controls oil via its financial systems and enforces this rule militarily, the US becomes, in a sense, the de facto ruler of the world as oil is a necessary resource for every modern economy.

The reason we are starting to see this break down is because the Chinese have shifted the world's economic center of gravity eastward while alternative forms of energy are becoming more and more viable. Oil will have to be abandoned for climate change eventually, so it makes sense for other countries to start pushing back now, rather than waiting for later.

It should be clear that the USD being the forced currency for oil is a great arrangement for the US and a shitty one for everyone else.

−1

AutoModerator t1_jegkn67 wrote

Reply to My cat wondering what just happened, when my ceiling fell down on us! by txdomdad

>This is a friendly reminder to read our rules. > >Memes, social media, hate-speech, and pornography are not allowed. > >Screenshots of Reddit are expressly forbidden, as are TikTok videos. > >Comics may only be posted on Wednesdays and Sundays. > >Rule-breaking posts may result in bans. > >Please also be wary of spam. >

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1