jabbering gibberish

But as the recovery continues, we cannot forget the long-standing challenges that our economy has faced in recent decades. Chief among these is rising inequality—of income, of wealth, and of opportunity. While inequality is a global challenge, it remains especially important in the United States. Since the late 1980s, the share of income going to the top 1 percent in the United States has exceeded the 1 percent’s share in every other G-7 country in each year that data are available. It has also risen faster than in any of these advanced economies. In 2014, the top 1 percent received 18 percent of income, up from 8 percent in 1975.

While some inequality can result from competitive markets providing higher rewards to the most-productive workers, it is important to design our economic policies to promote inclusive growth that is shared with a wide range of households. In particular, a growing body of evidence suggests that much of the rise in inequality stems from cases where markets fail to be competitive. When barriers to competition such as monopolies or preferential government regulations prevent new entry into markets, incumbents can collect more income than their productivity justifies—capturing what economists call “economic rents.”

A wide range of economic policies can help address inequality by 1) promoting equal opportunity for all Americans through high-quality early education and supportive policies for low-income families; and 2) reducing economic rents through effective and thoughtful regulation as well as policies that increase worker voice.

Shadowbrook Bathroom 3D Faucet by DXV

the best glutinous gooey little CNY goodiessss…

“So perhaps it just speaks to the heartiness of women, that put on your boots and put your hat on and get out, slog through the mess that is out there.” - Senator Lisa Murkowski (R - AK)

like, grass goes in, fast comes out

most things that produce fast (like cheetahs, and cars) use much more heavily processed grass, like horses, and oil

Yes, lightsaber blades are weightless, but resistant to changes in motion, so the 90-degree angle of Ren’s two beams actively make them work against each other, as opposed to the only other known crossguard user Roblio Darte, whose secondary blade emitter was 45 degrees from the first, enabling him to wield it perfectly.

Double-handed strikes are the most common movement among lightsaber users because of the inertia needed to counteract the blade’s initial repelling force. Ren uses a two-handed slash despite being heavily wounded because that will make the blade cut faster and easier than a one-handed grip. That’s why Jar’Kai users (dual-wielders) have to rely on speed and agility to compensate for the lack of power in their strikes.

The combat form that Ren is using here could be Ataru, which is noted for its acrobatic twirls, but it could also be Djem So, due to the switch in grips while spinning and the finishing uppercut slash (theoretically, this move conceals your strikes and does not leave you open to attack, even though your back is turned for a moment). I favor the Djem So headcanon, because this was Anakin Skywalker’s preferred form (and we all know how much Ren idolizes his grandpa).

* Lightsabers aren’t actually frozen beams of light–they’re LOOPS of plasma, that come out of the handle, turn around, and flow back into the handle. They resist motion because they’re actually already IN motion. It’s less like hitting someone with a sword, and more like hitting them with a chainsaw. This explains a lot of things that happen in the duels–any time a lightsaber hits the ground or an obstacle, it skips and kicks away from the absorbed momentum.

* Because lightsabers bend in a loop, they actually have an “edge” and a “flat,” even though it’s not clearly visible–your cutting technique actually matters, A clean cut will pass right through a human body, but a sloppy cut (like the wild swings that Kylo, Finn and Rey are throwing around) is going to contact human flesh and then actually kick away. This is why when Kylo cuts Finn’s back, he leaves a long gouge rather than just cleaving him in half–it’s a sloppy cut, and he has poor control.

* This also explains why the shape of the side emitters on Kylo Ren’s lightsaber aren’t a problem–when two lightsabers connect, they lock together and stick (imagine two chainsaws locked together!). This is why Ren doesn’t have to worry about another blade sliding down his and severing the plasma vent on the side. You can see this in the way Ren manipulates Rey’s sword when they’re in the bind in the end of their duel–he knows that if he’s physically stronger he can actually yank Rey’s saber around in her hand.

* You can tell here that while all of the combatants have at least some close quarters combat training, none of them REALLY know how to use a lightsaber. You can see this especially in when Rey first attacks Kylo Ren–note that she keeps trying to stab him. It’s very rare that we see other lightsaber users attempt a stab in the heat of combat–nearly every other blow attempted is a wide, sweeping slice. Stabbing strokes like that are *quarterstaff* techniques–designed to take advantage of the extra range that comes from having an extra 2 feet of stick to put between you and your opponent. It’s obvious when she attempts these attacks that she overbalances herself (because the lightsaber is shorter than the quarterstaff she’s used to) and that Ren has never been attacked by a lightsaber this way before.

* Also, look at how janky Ren’s lightsaber blade is! The thing is so obviously a Pinto compared to the Ferrari that is Anakin’s old lightsaber, and it’s all beautifully rendered without a word just in the design of the prop and the effects.