NoblePath's recent activity
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Comment on Elon Musk’s attack on F-35s fuels debate over expensive fighter jets in ~society
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Comment on Elon Musk’s attack on F-35s fuels debate over expensive fighter jets in ~society
NoblePath Link ParentI’m sorry, popularity, even longevity , does not mean good performance. The only non government, non supplier sources suggest nothing but trouble. And just thinking it through, what role can these...I’m sorry, popularity, even longevity , does not mean good performance. The only non government, non supplier sources suggest nothing but trouble.
And just thinking it through, what role can these things play that can’t be filled by legacy aircraft + smaller uavs and rockets?
Even if it’s true, however, that they are finally performing to spec AND there is a legitimate role to play, it’s at least plausible that operational costs over three decades would surpass scrapping the program for something smaller and more adaptable.
My gut says this is corporate welfare/mic amok endpoint. It’s not new, the USS nc in 1944 was equipped with an exceedingly complex analog targeting computer that managed to hit something <1% of the time.
Elon and I align on little, but today I agree the f35’s only lasting benefit is to its financiers.
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Comment on Elon Musk’s attack on F-35s fuels debate over expensive fighter jets in ~society
NoblePath Link ParentYou have reliable information about those f35s? What does “well performing” even mean?You have reliable information about those f35s? What does “well performing” even mean?
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Comment on A few questions about replacing our clothes washing machine in ~life
NoblePath LinkThis doesn’t necessarily apply to you, at least not this time, but for anyone who can use it: timing matters for appliance purchases. Different stores have different sales on different stuff at...This doesn’t necessarily apply to you, at least not this time, but for anyone who can use it: timing matters for appliance purchases. Different stores have different sales on different stuff at different times, it can pay to wait and watch.
That said , most appliances I have bought (and I have bought many, I manage rentals) I get by going to the back of the store and getting an “opem box” or refurb. I get a 5% discount by ising the Lowes credit card too.
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Comment on Kagi Small Web in ~tech
NoblePath Link Parentaren’t they just a better front end to google’s database?aren’t they just a better front end to google’s database?
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Comment on What possession(s) do you have that continue to delight you every time? in ~talk
NoblePath LinkI hate that one of my answers to this question is my car. I have an old vw touareg tdi, and it is one of the most amazing vehicles ever made, very rugged and dependable, very long lived, and also...I hate that one of my answers to this question is my car. I have an old vw touareg tdi, and it is one of the most amazing vehicles ever made, very rugged and dependable, very long lived, and also comfortable and quiet on the higway. I wish i had one of the older ones where I could replace the stereo.
I have a very old isaiah suit. Way out of style, but the material is amazing, truly keeps you cool in summer and warm in winter.
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Comment on What possession(s) do you have that continue to delight you every time? in ~talk
NoblePath Link ParentU solicited suggestuon You can get a functional single layer waterproof breathable shell that will add waterproofing and maybe 10 deg extra warmth if you need. You can real brands on sale for like...U solicited suggestuon You can get a functional single layer waterproof breathable shell that will add waterproofing and maybe 10 deg extra warmth if you need. You can real brands on sale for like $50 at rei outlet in us, I’m sure there’s a german equivalent.
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Comment on Your returns most likely end up on the landfill and you are paying for it in ~enviro
NoblePath Link ParentI do that all the time, especially for clothing articles. I always return stuff like new, so I assume it’s just cleaned and repackages and sold as a premium refurb (or just plain new if clothing)....I do that all the time, especially for clothing articles. I always return stuff like new, so I assume it’s just cleaned and repackages and sold as a premium refurb (or just plain new if clothing). But maybe not?
Compared With the drive to the store to demo/try on i figure delivery and return are equivalent, assuming they don’t landfill my returns. But how else can youndetermine suitability or fit?
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Comment on The Mamas & the Papas sing "California Dream" on the Ed Sullivan Show. Michelle Philips clearly hates lip syncing. in ~music
NoblePath LinkI think this may have been a thing among stoner pop bands, a rebellion kind of thing. I remember the Turtles’ Flo grinning like a madman and walking up to the camera when he was supposed to be...I think this may have been a thing among stoner pop bands, a rebellion kind of thing. I remember the Turtles’ Flo grinning like a madman and walking up to the camera when he was supposed to be singing during a tv show “performance.”
I can imagine a fuming Ed Sullivan being told by a producer backstage to stuff it because the kids are spending all their monies on singles and merch because of it.
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Comment on How to judge relative dangers of chemicals for someone too busy (or lazy) to keep up with the science? in ~health
NoblePath Link ParentThere’s at least one substance, dioxin, that’s pretty well understood to have no safe exposure level. Asbestos might be another. It’s been a minute so don’t quote me, but i think also that dioxin...There’s at least one substance, dioxin, that’s pretty well understood to have no safe exposure level. Asbestos might be another.
It’s been a minute so don’t quote me, but i think also that dioxin does cumulative damage without accumulating. That is, each exposure does permanent damage that gets worse with each exposure even though the substance is eliminated from the body.
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Comment on How to judge relative dangers of chemicals for someone too busy (or lazy) to keep up with the science? in ~health
NoblePath LinkI actually researched environmental toxicology for a time. It's been a while and I haven't kept up with the science, but something it's important to point re: chemical exposure and problems. I...I actually researched environmental toxicology for a time. It's been a while and I haven't kept up with the science, but something it's important to point re: chemical exposure and problems.
I don't know anything about the research on aspartame, but generally speaking, chemicals follow a dose-response curve. At high doses, a short exposure creates problem, and at low doses, a long-term exposure can create the same problems. We can much more easily test for high-dose, short-term exposures to see what the issues are, and if we get some data for different points along the axes, we can extrapolate a graph down the low-dose, long-term and make an educated conclusion about the problems we'll face.
So if we test rats at a dose of 100, 200, and 300, and we find a response of 8, 9 and 10, we can calculate that a does of 10, 20, and 30 will give a response of .8, .9, and 1 (gross oversimplification). We can also run on the time axes, so an dose of 1 at 10, 20, and 30 time produces an effect of 4, 5, and 6, so we extrapolate a dose of 1 at 100, 200, and 300 time produces an effect of 40, 50, and 60.
A lot of people with a vested interest in chemical deployment will argue that the problem with these curves is that there's a threshold dose below which no effect occurs. The science on this is controversial, and the godfather of this idea, Dennis Paustenbach, gets paid $1000.00 per hour to explain why toxic tort offenders should not have to be liable for damages. Oh he's also on the editorial board of a few "peer reviewed" toxicology journals (or was). I don't like this guy, and I don't like the theory.
That said, the theory is probably true for some toxic substances that don't accumulate in the body, but almost certainly not true for any known toxic that does accumulate. Also, unless we have actually done the studies for the actual times and doses, we have no idea where the threshold lies.
And if you want get really mad at American justice, note how many verified toxic exposures don't manifest until well after the time limits in the statutes of fraud and repose.
Edit: also don't forget synergistic effects of multiple exposures. Different chemicals can cause lots of add-on and on counfounding effects for each other, then think about things like radiation, biological exposures, poor nutrition,
crystal alignments. . . -
Comment on How can it take 3GHz to emulate a Super Nintendo? One man’s quest to build a perfect SNES emulator. (2011) in ~games
NoblePath Link ParentSidetracking a touch here, but is there a rationally defensible reason for lucas not releasing a 4k original? I mean what did he have to lose? What does Disney have to lose now? My only thought is...Sidetracking a touch here, but is there a rationally defensible reason for lucas not releasing a 4k original? I mean what did he have to lose? What does Disney have to lose now? My only thought is that it will cause like 0.003% drop in merchanides sales. Otherwise it just seems like "We don't want that just because we want to feel in control of it."
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Comment on Fragile promise of psychedelics in psychiatry in ~science
NoblePath LinkPart of the problem with attempting to study psychedelics in a double blind kind of paradigm is that it could be that the wild experience is part of mechanism. In other words, there is no effect...Part of the problem with attempting to study psychedelics in a double blind kind of paradigm is that it could be that the wild experience is part of mechanism. In other words, there is no effect separate from the subjective experience of taking them. This obviously makes it impossible to do a double blind study, but this is a limitation in the mechanism by which we identify effectiveness and has nothing to do with actual effectiveness.
To my mildly trained scientific mind, longitudinal studies that do a good job accounting for a complex constellation of confounding factors will be the most useful evidence of this kind of intervention.
Side note, there are plenty of other interventions susceptible to this kind of limitation, chief among them being residential care, which might be suffering from the intervention equivalent of inverse-agonism at a neural receptor site. That is to say, it might increasing the opposite of its intended effect, doing my harm than good, at least in some circumstances.
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Comment on US President Joe Biden pardons son in ~society
NoblePath Link Parentas @boxer_dogs_dance pointed out, that's also true for a lot of other people. If we don't see them pardoned as well, this makes Biden and Co. smell badly, and that stink will transfer to Kamala...as @boxer_dogs_dance pointed out, that's also true for a lot of other people. If we don't see them pardoned as well, this makes Biden and Co. smell badly, and that stink will transfer to Kamala and any dem associated. FWIW, I've smelled this smell from the DNC since at least 2016.
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Comment on US President Joe Biden pardons son in ~society
NoblePath Link ParentThe narrative at the time was "they go low, we go high. We don't try to exempt our family and friends from legal process." I hear the comments here and elsewhere that Jr's crimes rarely result in...hoped to gain
The narrative at the time was "they go low, we go high. We don't try to exempt our family and friends from legal process."
I hear the comments here and elsewhere that Jr's crimes rarely result in custody sanctions, or are rarely brought independently, and that it was politically motivated. That's fine, but the time to make that argument loudly was when prosecutions were ongoing. Also, Sr. could easily have maneuvered the ADA's involved to quietly make it all go away. The stand then, coupled with the reversal now, is really stinky.
Unless, that is, there are many pardons far and wide. As I heard in another forum, Free Leonard Peltier! But given the ongoing support for Israel especially now that there is no political reason (he's a lame duck), I doubt we will see any principled pardons.
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Comment on US President Joe Biden pardons son in ~society
NoblePath Link ParentThat's a great suggestion for folks who, myself included, have time to participate in the process beyond voting. But many folks have busy lives and the best they can offer is their vote. If they...That's a great suggestion for folks who, myself included, have time to participate in the process beyond voting. But many folks have busy lives and the best they can offer is their vote. If they don't perceive meaninful differences between choices, they will reasonably withdraw. And, quite frankly, this looks like privileged folks protecting their own even to me; I don't blame anyone who walks away from this feeling like there is an unreasonable, and un-American, distance between the leadership elite and regular citizens.
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Comment on US President Joe Biden pardons son in ~society
NoblePath LinkI feel angry about this, for two reasons at least. First, he said he wouldn’t do it, and now he has. Politicians lie and reverse course all the time, but it still hurts when the reason seems to...I feel angry about this, for two reasons at least. First, he said he wouldn’t do it, and now he has. Politicians lie and reverse course all the time, but it still hurts when the reason seems to benefit themself or just a select, privileged few. Second, this is going to enhance the narrative that there is no meaningful difference between the parties, and many will legitimately ask, “why bother?” A more consequential example of this is the arms sale Biden just approved to Israel. I cannot imagine any legitmate basis for what is happening in Gaza; any public support for that from leadership serves to highlight the value gap between myself and people like me and our potential leaders. And again, without any meaningful alternative, it’s tempting to simply drop out.
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Comment on Is Wise bank safe? in ~finance
NoblePath Link ParentJust to amplify this, a CD, probably at your US credit union, might be the safest bet. It's not as liquid as a savings account, and may not even give you as good a return, but it's likely insured....CD
Just to amplify this, a CD, probably at your US credit union, might be the safest bet. It's not as liquid as a savings account, and may not even give you as good a return, but it's likely insured. Although, you will need to check on this, insurance for credit unions is a little different than fdic insurance at banks. You might also be able to purchase EU treasury bills, which might be safer than US CD's or treasury bills depending on just how bad a situation the US is actually in. None of this should be construed as financial or legal advice, I'm just some dude on tildes.
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Comment on DuSable Bridge Chicago: is this dangerous infrastructure decay? Should I report it and where? in ~engineering
NoblePath Link ParentGood catch. I emailed the city. Seems unlikely it’s uninspected, but who knows?Good catch. I emailed the city. Seems unlikely it’s uninspected, but who knows?
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Comment on DuSable Bridge Chicago: is this dangerous infrastructure decay? Should I report it and where? in ~engineering
NoblePath Link ParentI would like to believe what you say is true, but I would have previously thought that an interstate bridge of the Mississippi R would be among the thoroughly inspected bridges of the world. Also...I would like to believe what you say is true, but I would have previously thought that an interstate bridge of the Mississippi R would be among the thoroughly inspected bridges of the world. Also didn't a major bridge catastrophically and unexpectedly collapse in Minneapolis not too long ago? I'm not so sure our intelligence on this stuff is very high or broad. I do my best to suppress my doubts when I leave the house . . .
Popularity is no substitute for meaningful performance data. “We’ve managed to log x hours of flying” is a meaningless metric for a project of this cost.