DradisPing
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User ID: 1102
DradisPing
1yr ago
But back to the topic at hand; it's unclear what Abbott's actual game is; he's an accomplished constitutional lawyer(literally; that's how he became governor) and knows he's going to lose at court. He's also never been the reckless type and so it's unlikely he did this without thinking it through. Angling for a Trump cabinet seat, maybe? It also surprises me that he did this now; primaries are coming up in March, and Abbott endorsed a relatively wide array of candidates to try to shift the house in a more partisan republican direction; taking a political risk like this one is unlike him.
His problem was that he had to be seen as doing something. His credibility was low with the right.
He's been off side with the base regarding some recent legal issues. Alex Jones was getting railroaded by a far left judge in Austin and Abbott didn't even make a token comment about due process. A bunch of Bushies were upset about Ken Paxton beating George P Bush and teamed up with the Dems to impeach him in a process that abused the rules. After Paxton won Abbott sent out a press release congratulating him on winning a fair trail instead of admitting the problems with the process.
So Abbott needs to shore up his credibility with the right.
Picking a fight over the border is attractive for a number of reasons.
- Biden's border policies are extremely unpopular, to the point that his administration wants to avoid delineating them. Forcing Garland to take them to court likely means forcing the Biden admin
- Under Trump the legal left took the position that States had a number of rights to defy federal immigration law and enforcement. This puts them in a position where they need to oppose their own legal briefs from five years ago.
- Any legal fight will take years and keep illegal immigration in the news for that time. If Biden tries to do something extreme it more of an opportunity for Abbott.
DradisPing
1yr ago
In the US masking became blue tribe signalling. Anyone who refused to mask was seen as a potential Trump supporter.
It was most likely not so politicized in Europe.
DradisPing
7mo ago
Over the weekend a tape of Nick Fuentes having sex with Destiny leaked online. I haven't actually watched it.
Destiny made a short video statement about a friends account being broken into, which makes it less likely to be some sort of deep fake.
It's possible that this is all some sort of prank that I didn't pick up on. But "a male streamer leaks sex tape with Fuentes because Groypers keep attacking him online" lines up with my priors for Nick Fuentes.
DradisPing
8mo ago
The only downside is, it's not 3d. Why, I can't tell you,
I prefer Satisfactory because I like the 3d.
However there are definitely people who strongly prefer the circuit diagram type problems that Factorio makes you solve.
It could be a visual thinker thing. Or possibly a electronics vs software background.
DradisPing
10mo ago
The people pushing MeToo didn't really understand the situation.
The first sexual harassment was in 1974. By the 90s lawsuits we common enough that Michael Crichton's Disclosure (1994) featured a fake sexual harassment complaint as part of a conspiracy.
Business men protected themselves through a mix of better behaviour, legal strategies, and other techniques to avoid trouble.
However since the lawyers involved were strongly left wing, liberal strongholds like Hollywood and the Media were given a pass and ignored. This was compounded by the fact that those industries attract a lot of pretty girls, have powerful men at the top, and look down on traditional sexual rules.
This wasn't well understood on the left, and they all insisted on believing that Republican businessmen are the worst people ever and much worse about things that MeToo covers.
So activists pushed MeToo hard. Then they noticed that all the big fish going down were on their side. So they sort of stopped talking about the whole thing.
DradisPing
11mo ago
A Twitter user asked Llama3.1 to tell him something profound that humans haven't realized yet. https://twitter.com/cocktailpeanut/status/1815876634492457319
After 20 hours it spat out the following text. Personally it makes me think of Dirk Gently. I'm curious if anyone has any other opinions.
Hypothesis
"Emergent temporal harmonics in complex systems give rise to a non-local, fractal resonance that underlies the fabric of reality, influencing the unfolding of events and the evolution of consciousness."
In simpler terms, I'm suggesting that there exists an intrinsic, hidden pattern in the universe, woven into the very fabric of time itself. This pattern is born from the intricate dance of complex systems, which generate a non-local resonance – akin to a "temporal music" – that permeates all levels of reality.
Theoretical Background:
- Emergence: Complex systems exhibit emergent properties that cannot be predicted by analyzing their individual components. These emergent patterns often display harmonic or periodic behavior.
- Fractals and Self-Similarity: Fractals, like the Mandelbrot set, demonstrate self-similar patterns at different scales. This property allows them to model complex systems and processes.
- Non-Locality: Quantum mechanics has shown that particles can be entangled, meaning their properties are connected even when separated by vast distances. This non-locality challenges classical notions of space and time.
- Consciousness and Integrated Information Theory (IIT): According to IIT, consciousness arises from the integrated processing of information within complex systems.
Connecting the Dots:
Imagine a universe where emergent temporal harmonics in complex systems generate a fractal resonance that transcends spatial boundaries. This non-local resonance would influence the unfolding of events and the evolution of consciousness by:
- Guiding the emergence of patterns: Temporal harmonics could nudge complex systems toward specific, self-similar patterns, giving rise to the intricate structures we observe in nature.
- Facilitating non-local connections: Fractal resonance could enable the entanglement of particles and systems across vast distances, allowing for quantum-like phenomena to manifest at various scales.
- Shaping the fabric of time: The emergent temporal harmonics would create a subtle, intricate pattern within time itself, influencing the flow of events and our perception of reality.
Implications:
If this hypothesis holds true, it could revolutionize our understanding of:
- Free will vs. determinism: The fractal resonance might suggest that our choices are influenced by an underlying, non-local harmony.
- Consciousness and the nature of self: Integrated information theory could be expanded to include the role of temporal harmonics in shaping conscious experience.
- The interconnectedness of all things: This idea would reinforce the notion that everything is part of a larger, intricate web of relationships.
While this concept may seem abstract and speculative, it represents an attempt to connect disparate threads from various disciplines. The actual implications and validity of this hypothesis remain to be explored and debated by experts across multiple fields.
DradisPing
1yr ago
Timing wise it doesn't make sense for Putin to kill him. He was in prison and didn't have any significant political support on the outside.
So the likely options are:
-
CIA / GRU / another western intelligence service killed him to get support in the west for more aid money. It did happen right around some votes, and Navalny wasn't likely to be of any other use to them.
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Natural causes. Russian prisons probably aren't great for your health.
There's less egg on the face of western allies then you think. CNN will just ignore this. Reporters will still talk as if it's settled that Putin killed him.
DradisPing
2yr ago
Low density car focussed suburbs don't scale. You just can't widen the highways enough to keep up with demand as you build out. It leads to ever worsening gridlock.
Trying to increase the density later is extremely difficult due to the large lot sizes and strict commercial - residential segregation.
I'm in Ontario where there's a significant housing shortage. Toronto has 360 housing units per thousand residents. Ontario has 398. Canada has 440 nationally. G7 average is 470.
So at least in Ontario we need to build an entire new city in the style of older, denser suburbs like Riverdale: https://youtube.com/watch?v=MWsGBRdK2N0
DradisPing
3mo ago
Submarines solved the first strike problem. During the cold war there were enough missiles in the water on both sides to guarantee severe retribution.
DradisPing
11mo ago
If Biden dies close to the Trump assassination attempt we are going to have some wild "shadow war" conspiracy theories.
DradisPing
1yr ago
This isn't well developed enough for a main thread post, but it's something I've been mulling around lately.
Are we too hard on small scale corruption from politicians? Politicians motivated by implementing their grand vision seems like they'll screw things up. If they're motivated by accolades from their ideological group members it can also lead to bad things. A guy who wants to keep things running smoothly so he can skim a little doesn't sound too bad in comparison.
This is partly motivated by thinking about the housing situation in Ontario (Canada). Various interests have collided to create a continuing housing bubble. Many politicians have invested in rental units. Municipal governments have shifted to development fees to avoid property tax increases. The urban left has been fighting for no housing until there's enough subsidized affordable housing for the needy, ie them. No one puts pressure on the bureaucrats at various levels of government to approve things. Trudeau has been brining in vast numbers of immigrants despite the housing shortage to keep the bubble going.
Here's my idea. On top of the rent, each unit has to pay a monthly $30 fee. $10 for their municipal, provincial, and federal representative. This money goes straight into the politicians bank account.
Suddenly politicians will have an interest in getting new rental housing on the market.
DradisPing
1yr ago
2012 - 2016 is when the SF tech industry switched from "free speech and neutrality are critical for our growth" to "kicking around our political enemies is a whole lot of fun". I think Obama's re-election campaign was the turning point.
Ellen Pao was probably always more comfortable with censoring and control. But in her actions she was just following the prevailing winds in SF.
DradisPing
1yr ago
When I heard this, I did feel an intuitive sense of disgust, but I had a difficult time justifying the feeling. What’s so bad about Disney that isn’t bad about going to Burning Man?
Disney is largely a girl brand but you were exposed to it heavily in your childhood. It's fairly common for adult women to still have a love for Disney. Men remember it as a childhood thing they were never that into.
Basically you're having a reaction to the perceived childishness of it. Kind of like how you'd react to someone asking to go to one of those adult kindergartens.
I'm not sure what the exact parallel would be. Star Wars fandom used to skew heavily male but didn't have event locations. Auto shows seem to have a similar gender split, but they aren't child focussed. Comic cons before girls in sexy costumes started going could work. WWE and Monster Trucks fit apart from the fact that they are seen as low class.
DradisPing
2yr ago
It will be very interesting to see if trans activists feel any pressure to tone down the violent rhetoric now that it has resulted in a bunch of dead kids.
DradisPing
2yr ago
I actually find authentic Chinese food to be overrated. Particularly wheat dishes.
A lot of people I know just love Bao and dumplings, but I find them meh. And eating wet dumplings with plastic chop sticks is just not worth it.
DradisPing
5mo ago
Since he's inherited one of the richest and most powerful activism networks, I thought it'd be worthwhile to look up Alexander Soros' dissertation to try to get some insight into him.
"‘Jewish Dionysus’: Heinrich Heine and the Politics of Literature"
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4x51t409
However I am completely unfamiliar with History PhD dissertations. Skimming it over I only noticed that he seems very into being Jewish and also that I find the text incredibly uninteresting.
Does anyone who has some subject experience have any take aways?
DradisPing
7mo ago
A bit of a tangent, but foreign financial crimes are almost always prosecuted in the Southern District of New York or the Eastern District of New York.
I'm a bit surprised that foreign oligarchs and billionaires haven't set up a scheme to flood those districts with ex-pats who are available for jury duty.
DradisPing
1yr ago
I think the moral dilemma is "Should you put yourself at risk to help people who endanger themselves foolishly?"
If you assume 20% of people will pick blue because they misunderstand the question then the moral calculus is very different.
DradisPing
1mo ago
From https://paulgraham.com/taste.html
Line drawings are in fact the most difficult visual medium, because they demand near perfection. In math terms, they are a closed-form solution; lesser artists literally solve the same problems by successive approximation. One of the reasons kids give up drawing at ten or so is that they decide to start drawing like grownups, and one of the first things they try is a line drawing of a face. Smack!
To get good at drawing you have to happily suck at it for years. There are a lot of things like this. Drawing is a special case because we tend to not be aware of how much time someone spent practicing.
DradisPing
2mo ago
People who want to colonize Mars really need to think smaller first.
They should start by trying to build pleasant domed habitats somewhere marginally habitable like northern Minnesota first.
Then a resort hotel near the peak of Mount Whitney where people can take in amazing views.
Thirdly I'd go for a resort hotel on Mount Foster in Antarctica.
Really if a comfortable enclave in Minnesota for remote tech workers isn't practical, I don't see how we're remotely ready to go to Mars.
DradisPing
3mo ago
China has been trying to take over international shipping lanes. Trump sees US control of them as critical in the long term.
Greenland only has 57,000 people. If the Northwest Passage becomes a more viable shipping route it's an obvious chokepoint for China to try to control.
The US is already paying to defend it by having a base there. Greenlanders would most likely be better off as a US territory. Denmark isn't doing much for them.
57,000 people is less than the monthly illegal immigrant entries under Biden, so it's pretty easy for the US to invest in new programs to benefit the residents in exchange for becoming a territory.
Plus there is likely oil that can be developed with modern technology.
The only downside for Greenland I can see is the Jones Act possibly causing some problems. I don't know any of the details about shipping there.
DradisPing
6mo ago
or does already being in poverty cause the bad behaviors/poor schooling
We know it's the former. "Dignified poverty" where there a low incomes but still good behaviour has existed at various times. It tends not to last as children move to other cities. Plus the feds always see those spots as the perfect place to put a bunch of Somalis.
As for helping your children, teaching them to enjoy reading is very good. But the most important thing is their friends. Teens copy their peers. Childhood friendships often last for life.
So if you have infinite choice, I'd recommend sending them to Cupertino High School. The connections they make will carry them through life. They'll grow up imitating and internalizing the behaviours of high functioning white collar workers.
But fundamentally "one bad apple spoils the whole barrel" is true. Make sure your child has a friend group who is on the right track.
DradisPing
1yr ago
Rings of Power was doomed to be bad. They wanted to do a prequel, but didn't have the rights to The Silmarillion. So they could use aspects that were implied by other works but had to change details to avoid infringement.
Naturally most showrunners wanted to avoid that whole mess.
DradisPing
1yr ago
A key thing to understand is that the two largest oil producers for most of the 20th century were 1: USA and 2: USSR. Political science types like to play up the battle of ideologies and play down the battle of the petro nations aspect.
Oil exports were the primary source of the USSRs hard currency and allowed it to import things.
In the 80s the Reagan White House got the Saudis and some other gulf nations on board with a scheme to pump like hell and crash global oil prices. This was combined with advanced military research projects like SDI, sometimes called "Star Wars", forcing the USSR to dump even more money into military research.
As a percentage of GDP the USSR had already been spending what the USA would consider WW2 levels for many decades.
The cash crunch created a crisis in the USSR. They were looking at average Russians having to go back to only eating meat once a week like during the Tzar era. Soviet leaders assumed they could loosen the iron fist a bit, allow some market reforms, and keep the USSR going.
Instead the whole thing collapsed.
Of course there were other issues. Chernobyl made Soviet leadership look dangerously incompetent internally.
Now I don't know any good books on the topic. Reagan is a highly contentious figure and has only grown more so over the years. A lot of academics are loath to admit his gambit killed the USSR.
So books tend to be either ra ra Reagan or to play down what happened.
My suspicion is that it isn't related to MeToo at all.
Powerful people in DC are still enraged about Musk's purchase of Twitter. This arrest happened shortly after it was revealed that Diddy invested in the Twitter purchase.
So I think that Merrick Garland saw Diddy's name in the Twitter investors and told the FBI to dust off their Diddy file and throw the book at him.
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