Prometheus720's recent activity
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~misc
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Comment on What is something you've never done, that most people probably have? in ~talk
Prometheus720 LinkI've never had any social media other than Farcebook. And that is gone now. I have never asked a total stranger on a date (though one girl was almost a stranger). I have never paid for any music.I've never had any social media other than Farcebook. And that is gone now.
I have never asked a total stranger on a date (though one girl was almost a stranger).
I have never paid for any music.
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Comment on What is something you've never done, that most people probably have? in ~talk
Prometheus720 Link ParentI have never had one without physical trauma. Closest thing would be bloody boogers overnight in the winter with the heat on and no moisture.I have never had one without physical trauma. Closest thing would be bloody boogers overnight in the winter with the heat on and no moisture.
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Comment on What is something you've never done, that most people probably have? in ~talk
Prometheus720 Link ParentI think that the most promiscuous I could get would be FWB. I think I would not enjoy a one night stand very much. But in the past I've had friends who I would have been ok with sleeping with and...I think that the most promiscuous I could get would be FWB. I think I would not enjoy a one night stand very much. But in the past I've had friends who I would have been ok with sleeping with and it not turning into anything recurring.
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Comment on The world might be better off without college for everyone in ~humanities
Prometheus720 LinkEveryone misses the point here. College is extremely expensive. Someone should only go through an extremely expensive process if it is economically worthwhile--there are exceptions but anyone who...Everyone misses the point here. College is extremely expensive. Someone should only go through an extremely expensive process if it is economically worthwhile--there are exceptions but anyone who has enough money not to worry about a sum like that doesn't need to be considered by public policy.
Everyone is always so attached to COLLEGE rather than EDUCATION. I am all for people receiving an education which is even content-identical to a college education--but I don't want everyone to do it at a college.
The very best thing we can do to help people is not to pay for their college. That is such a stupid use of money. The very best thing we can do is pay some money to develop better techniques and technologies that make education EASIER and CHEAPER for people to pursue.
I want to see state money put to use making open-license textbooks. Give Rice University another grant for them to update OpenStax and expand their offerings. I want to see grants to universities (and public schools!) who transition to free books. I want to see expansion of CLEP and CLEP-like programs, mandated in all universities (if you can figure out a way to do that without basically subsidizing college board). I want to see grants for high schools that offer dual credit courses. I want to see a push for every single paper funded by public money made open to the public. Every single one. I want to see ACTUAL mental health professionals hired at high schools around the country to help kids actually be able to survive school and get to college in the first place.
I want to see private money spent on the MOOC industry and expanding it. I want to see more websites like Lynda and Skillshare and Coursera. I want to see Khan Academy expand. I want to see more educational content on YouTube. I want to see websites that provide a template of resources that a student can follow right through, in a guided fashion, to learn in order just like they might at a university. I want to see more open-license books at a deep level, at the 300 and 400-levels.
It has a much bigger return on investment than just buying college degrees for people. That degree helps educate one person. But investing in lowering the economic barriers to education? Permanently? Once a textbook is written and uploaded, it's out there. People can read it for free and it costs almost nothing to anyone. That is a permanent upgrade to our educational abilities as a society. And it has effects well outside America.
The UK, Australia, Nigeria, South Africa, India, Jamaica, and probably dozens of other countries I'm not thinking of all have tons of English speakers. Millions and millions of first-language speakers. That's not considering how many people learn English at a very high level as a second language. These books can be used by ALL of those people.
Once we have spent some money on making education easier, on lowering the costs to students and to universities, then it makes sense to start paying for people to go.
But we HAVE to start cutting the hobbyists out of college. Not by kicking them out. But by giving them viable alternatives for learning what they want to learn, that have a fraction of the cost. It is an outrage that someone should have to spend thousands on a philosophy or art degree that they will not get to use in the market--they should have cheaper options. And by paying to give those people cheaper options, we will avoid having to pay for them to use the expensive and inefficient options in the future.
I hope to see, by the end of my lifetime, that it is not only possible but EASY for someone to receive the equivalent of 2 years of gen eds, outside of any traditional college ecosystem and for less than $500 disregarding inflation, assuming they have internet/electricity already, and including the cost of a computer. No textbook costs. No tuition. "Lab" classes could be done in VR or simulated closely by watching videos. The $500 would go towards any "premium" classes that someone wanted to take at a real university or get certificates for, and for basic equipment and supplies like calculators, pen and paper for notes, a printer if needed, and so on.
That's the way forward. Embrace technology, and speed it up. Cut through the public's desire for short-term gains and follow the long-term strategy. That is the purpose of a government--not pandering to people who are uneducated precisely because the government has traditionally not given a shit to do so.
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Comment on Work less, get more: New Zealand firm's four-day week an 'unmitigated success' in ~life
Prometheus720 LinkI'd like to see this in schools. I personally would have liked it if summer break had been drastically shortened and all those days off were used to make long weekends throughout the school year....I'd like to see this in schools. I personally would have liked it if summer break had been drastically shortened and all those days off were used to make long weekends throughout the school year. I would want like a 1 month summer break instead of 3 months. Summer break was always too long for me--I would develop poor habits, boredom, and my family was always poor so our house usually wasn't air conditioned (or at least not very much).
I didn't have too many issues with forgetting things over break, but I was a really good student. The majority of kids have major problems with this, and I still had SOME problems.
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Comment on Work less, get more: New Zealand firm's four-day week an 'unmitigated success' in ~life
Prometheus720 Link ParentAlso, what about vacations? Nobody wants to leave on a Friday--you're tired and you just want to relax. Airports suck now and driving is grueling. So if you leave on Saturday, you basically have...Also, what about vacations? Nobody wants to leave on a Friday--you're tired and you just want to relax. Airports suck now and driving is grueling. So if you leave on Saturday, you basically have the rest of the day and then maybe some of Sunday. You have to be back Sunday night. So you don't even get a full 24 hours to just not worry.
With a 3 day weekend, you aren't as burnt out on Thursday, so leaving that night is fine. Even if you leave Friday, you can spend ALL of Saturday doing anything you like, and then Sunday you can come home. You can actually get a real vacation.
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Comment on Reddit reinvents the chat room with subreddit chat in ~tech
Prometheus720 Link ParentI have the desktop client--I found this out long after I downloaded it. I'm very much tempted to just use the webapp now.I have the desktop client--I found this out long after I downloaded it. I'm very much tempted to just use the webapp now.
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Comment on Reddit reinvents the chat room with subreddit chat in ~tech
Prometheus720 Link ParentDiscord Rich Presence detects apps that are running on your computer so that your friends can see what you're playing. Games don't "announce" to Discord that they are running. Hell no. Discord...Discord Rich Presence detects apps that are running on your computer so that your friends can see what you're playing.
Games don't "announce" to Discord that they are running. Hell no. Discord "checks" to see what games are running. Games can integrate to be more specific and make sure Discord sees the correct thing--this is common, and some emulators are actually trying to make it so that the game you are playing rather than the emulator shows up on Discord.
This is not a feature which can be disabled. You can disable showing it to people. But Discord still sees what you have running.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~talk
Prometheus720 Link ParentI can't right now but I see one at my university for free. Not too long until then. I don't have insurance.I can't right now but I see one at my university for free. Not too long until then.
I don't have insurance.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~talk
Prometheus720 Link ParentThank you for the advice. Her brother is probably the only person I could look to IRL, besides a therapist--and let's be frank, this is not what a therapist is for. I have been trying to get her...Thank you for the advice. Her brother is probably the only person I could look to IRL, besides a therapist--and let's be frank, this is not what a therapist is for.
I have been trying to get her to use a password manager for years, partly so that I can help her. She is a terrible password reuser, but what's worse is that she can never remember what her accounts are called. So a database would be good for me to see every thing I need to tie up. In fact, I set up mine with a "dead man switch" (really more of a dead man drop) so that if I pass I can have detailed instructions for my digital life, in a place which will never be seen by the law or by anyone I do not trust.
I'll try to discuss some of this with her but I don't know how she will receive it. Thanks, though.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~talk
Prometheus720 Link ParentIt's a real problem in parts of the US, even. Many people don't have a family doctor, or any ongoing relationship with any healthcare provider. They go from clinic to clinic, but never really get...It's a real problem in parts of the US, even. Many people don't have a family doctor, or any ongoing relationship with any healthcare provider. They go from clinic to clinic, but never really get help.
And it even happens with "real" medical relationships too. When nobody pays directly for their care, nobody cares as much to say, "Hold on, you ripped me off." I had a gf who went to like 4 doctors for horrible migraines, and they were all idiots. One of them basically told her just to lose weight. I was astounded.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~talk
Prometheus720 LinkIt is incredibly hard to care for someone who doesn't think they need care. Whether it's a degenerative disease like Alzheimer's or a mental health issue, it is tough. I don't want to be doxxed...It is incredibly hard to care for someone who doesn't think they need care. Whether it's a degenerative disease like Alzheimer's or a mental health issue, it is tough.
I don't want to be doxxed but suffice it to say that I don't remember my mom as much of anything but a shell, and she has gotten worse as I've gotten older. I'm not even through college yet and I'm trying to wrap my head around her medical and mental deterioration on a daily basis. I am trying to wrap my head around the knowledge that, not only will she die, but I will have never had a good relationship with my mom as an adult, and I'll never remember what she used to be like--at this point there is no possibility.
She will likely begin to die alone or with only me around, likely before I have the financial means to take care of her, and she is equally likely to die suddenly. Not only will I be the only one to have responsibility for her, I will be the only one to handle her worldly affairs--and she has not even finished processing the affairs of HER own mother. I will be forced to deal with a house full of things I do not understand or know what to do with, to make decisions which people will look at me for but will not help me with. She doesn't trust anyone, including me, but she trusts me the most, and respecting her wishes will mean that I am not supposed to ask help from practically anyone when it comes to her affairs after her death. That is an incredible amount of responsibility for me. And it is not fair, it's not morally right, and it's not technically right--I think it's a poor decision to only let me in.
Truth be told, I really just want to run away from the problem. But I can't. I know that's not possible for me.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~books
Prometheus720 Link ParentYeah, I definitely remember skipping characters and going to others that I liked. And in the later books, you can totally get away with it.Yeah, I definitely remember skipping characters and going to others that I liked. And in the later books, you can totally get away with it.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~books
Prometheus720 Link ParentIt's GREAT for TV though. Expensive. But it's really cool to do the scene changes and parallel storytelling.It's GREAT for TV though. Expensive. But it's really cool to do the scene changes and parallel storytelling.
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Comment on What are some Blind Spots of your political compatriots? in ~talk
Prometheus720 LinkI think that people in general have trouble with this, but in a unique way due to their ideology, so I'll give examples from ancapism (though I'm a little less cap than I used to be). I think...I think that people in general have trouble with this, but in a unique way due to their ideology, so I'll give examples from ancapism (though I'm a little less cap than I used to be).
I think people misinterpret politics as a game with a winner and a loser, or as a fight with a good guy and a bad guy. There is right and there is wrong--that's all that many of us know. Many of us seem to think that there really is a BEST way to run a country--and when you put it like that, a good portion of us will (to our credit) at the very least scratch out heads and say, "huh, that IS strange."
How many fields are there in which there is one single best way to do something? In medicine? It depends on the patient and their symptoms. In education? It depends on the child and even the teacher. In economics? It depends on dozens of factors. In science? Hell no, it depends on just what you are trying to accomplish.
There can be a best way, but it is a BEST way to do something very, very specific. There can be a best way to draw a circle, or to play a scale on a piano, or to tie a certain knot. There might be a best way to swim when you are tired or when you want to go really fast--but we look at politics like everyone wants to swim the same way. Like there is a best way to swim in general, and the other way is not only incorrect--it's immoral, maybe even evil. They want you to drown. They want you to lose the race.
So look. I'm an anarchist. And as an anarchist, I'm focused on certain principles--minimize hierarchy, maximize individual empowerment (focusing on people who are not currently powerful), focus on non-legislative and nonviolent methods of bettering the world/society, separate the charity functions of government from the violent functions, follow the NAP as an immensely powerful rule of thumb (if not a hard line), allow free trade and free conduct, and when possible, use distributed methods to democratize society and decrease hierarchy.
But in some cases, those principles run directly against good evidence that the democratic-socialist direction works, and works well--if it is not the right choice for industrializing countries, that's one thing, but for a wealthy state like America it ought to work.
But here's the thing. Mixing strategies does not work. The principles of anarchism do not function at maximum efficiency. without a full suite of policies enabling them. And democratic socialism does not work very well when you completely disband something like the EPA.
I believe there are multiple good ways to swim for general purposes. There are some other good ways to swim in odd cases--like if one hand is disabled, or when your country is in a recession, for example. But what we want to do is SWIM, damn it, and whether it's your way or my way, we need to get our asses to shore together. I will support whoever is able to do that.
So while ideologically I believe that anarchism is far and away the more moral system, I am choosing to have faith that the rest of the world will eventually come to that conclusion as it improves--as it learns to swim another way, it will eventually discover my way, and evaluate it. Perhaps while I am alive, perhaps while I am dead. And what matters most is that right now, we find a GOOD way to swim. It doesn't have to be perfect.
I will continue to let anarchism inform my politics--there are certain issues which I agree with leftists on, but which I feel anarchism has better explanations for or defenses of, there are issues that leftists never really consider on their own which must be brought to the table by someone with a different viewpoint, and there are anarchist policies which are fairly compatible with a more mainstream leftist system but which are, in my opinion, much better from a moral perspective. Examples would be drug legalization, FOSS/libre philosophy, and heavy reduction of copyright protection, particularly on software, in that order.
But in general, I am willing to accept a "liberal" framework, even though I am a staunch anarchist. It isn't me abandoning my principles or being a traitor--it's realizing that there is more than one way to do things, and that in general it's best not to have too many cooks. I still want to see more influence for anarchists and libertarians. I will still try to spread my ideas. But I don't need us to take over the god damn world--I don't need to be a crusader.
I just want us to swim.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~talk
Prometheus720 Link ParentChrome and all Chromium projects should support a nice little extension called Video Speed Controller. You may be accustomed to YouTube's speed controls, and they're alright, but this works on ANY...Chrome and all Chromium projects should support a nice little extension called Video Speed Controller. You may be accustomed to YouTube's speed controls, and they're alright, but this works on ANY HTML5 video anywhere. What's even better is that you have much finer control over the speed--you choose the increment.
You can also go slower than .5 or faster than 2.00.
Highly recommend it. I picked it up for language-learning and kept it when watching lectures for university on crappy Pearson-esque websites.
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Comment on What is tildes' take on NSFW content? in ~tildes
Prometheus720 Link ParentI'm kind of arguing that the distinction is pretty difficult to make and that we shouldn't attempt to make it. There is no hard line where you can call something a pornographic image vs. a...I'm kind of arguing that the distinction is pretty difficult to make and that we shouldn't attempt to make it. There is no hard line where you can call something a pornographic image vs. a discussion.
I also think that we fundamentally disagree in that I don't mind literal porn on this site just like I didn't mind it on Reddit. That isn't a semantic disagreement.
Thank you very much for attempting to be a moderator here. I think that is really noble and I hope you do it for someone else in the future.. But this one is just plain old disagreement.
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Comment on Elon Musk criticized for trying to help. Accused of selfish PR stunt. in ~tech
Prometheus720 Link ParentAt the same time, public philanthropy is actually a very helpful way to stimulate others to follow in your footsteps.At the same time, public philanthropy is actually a very helpful way to stimulate others to follow in your footsteps.
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Comment on What is tildes' take on NSFW content? in ~tildes
Prometheus720 Link ParentI would personally never open those posts at work, and I think many people would feel the same way as me. Going by a "fail-safe is better than fail-dangerous" framework, it would be good to have...I would personally never open those posts at work, and I think many people would feel the same way as me. Going by a "fail-safe is better than fail-dangerous" framework, it would be good to have an NSFW category which is a little too broad than a little too narrow.
Most people don't only use NSFW to determine what is acceptable at work. Some people don't even work--it is NSFSchool or NSFPublicViewing or whatever. That is a variety of different contexts with different needs and taboos.
I think that NSFW is in general a fairly broad category and I can see plenty of evidence for that based on how Reddit handles NSFW posts. Plenty of text posts are tagged NSFW.
I think you're extending the meaning of "NSFW" far beyond what most people understand it to mean in order to make your point about free speech. They're two separate issues: displaying content which isn't suitable for viewing in workplaces, and freedom to discuss ideas even if they're controversial. By conflating them, you're undermining your argument.
I could make this exact argument in reverse and claim that you are intentionally making it too narrow to further your point about porn (implying that you have a bias around porn as you imply I have around free speech). Generally, arguments that are reversible like this are not particularly productive to a conversation or to truth-finding.
I wish that English could be a medium of contact WITHOUT displacing local/smaller languages--I wish that it would stay a second language for people.
I don't see what can be done about it, though.