R3qn65's recent activity
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Comment on US Congress approves bill banning TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells platform in ~tech
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Comment on San Francisco office sells for a stunning 90% discount from 2016 price in ~finance
R3qn65 Link ParentThe NYT had a really good interactive article on this maybe a year ago.The NYT had a really good interactive article on this maybe a year ago.
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Comment on US Congress approves bill banning TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells platform in ~tech
R3qn65 Link ParentI get where you're coming from in a moral perspective, but I don't think this is a strong argument as to why the US shouldn't force the sale of TikTok, from a national security perspective. It's...As if the US and everyone else wouldn't be using propaganda too.
I get where you're coming from in a moral perspective, but I don't think this is a strong argument as to why the US shouldn't force the sale of TikTok, from a national security perspective. It's sort of like "why should the US try to stop someone from winning the war - as if the US wouldn't be trying to win the war too," you know?
As if people that disagree with a war must inherently be victims of propaganda but not the people that agree with it.
Same here. There's a big difference between a country's citizens having X opinion and a foreign government trying to covertly spread X opinion, from a national security perspective.
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Comment on I grew up in Michigan but currently live in Georgia. My GF and I are looking at buying a house, and both states have first time home buyer incentives, but they're income based. in ~finance
R3qn65 LinkNOT A LAWYER: This is unlikely to constitute fraud because you're basically buying the house and charging your girlfriend rent, which is likely permissible (just like it would be if you bought the...NOT A LAWYER: This is unlikely to constitute fraud because you're basically buying the house and charging your girlfriend rent, which is likely permissible (just like it would be if you bought the house, then put up one of the rooms for lease). However, keep in mind that this arrangement means that...you're basically buying the house and charging your girlfriend rent. Your income will be lower for mortgage applications, so you won't get approved for as large of a loan. And separately, if you break up, your girlfriend will (probably) be left with nothing, instead of being entitled to part of the house.
The latter point is probably a net positive because it makes things less messy, but it's something to be aware of going in. I think it will be very difficult to avoid a scenario in which your girlfriend feels like she's bought the house with you from an emotional (and maybe ethical) standpoint, but hasn't actually done so from a legal standpoint. I can easily see that breeding resentment.
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Comment on Anyone here suffering from low testosterone? in ~health
R3qn65 Link ParentI would like to pleasantly disagree with this. I'm not aware of any studies proving that using exogenous testosterone directly improves health and vitality, but that's more because vitality is a...This is an area where the power of suggestion (ie. nocebo) has a dramatic effect.... testosterone... doesn't seem like a direct measure of health and vitality.
I would like to pleasantly disagree with this. I'm not aware of any studies proving that using exogenous testosterone directly improves health and vitality, but that's more because vitality is a super nebulous concept that's difficult to rigorously measure. That exogenous testosterone has a massive, verifiable effect on the body has been proven conclusively. To the point about how it's more important to focus on exercising, etc, the link above shows that supplementing testosterone and doing no exercise had a greater effect on lean body mass than exercising without testosterone.
I recognize that we're discussing vitality and not lean body mass, but I do think that the one is a reasonable analogue for the other if we're trying to determine whether testosterone has an effect on the body.
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Comment on Anyone here suffering from low testosterone? in ~health
R3qn65 Link ParentThat all looks pretty good. Two additional thoughts - if you've been doing that same workout for quite some time, switch it up a bit and see how you feel. And I'd also recommend playing around...That all looks pretty good. Two additional thoughts - if you've been doing that same workout for quite some time, switch it up a bit and see how you feel. And I'd also recommend playing around with the macro ratios of your diet - spend a week or two with a higher proportion of carbohydrates to see how you feel, then do the same with fat, same with protein, etc.
And feel free to disregard if those thoughts are annoying or if you're set on HRT (which I say without judgement). I know how obnoxious it can be when people give unsolicited advice, but since this is a "what's going on" thread I figured I'd throw it out there.
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Comment on Anyone here suffering from low testosterone? in ~health
R3qn65 Link ParentJust for what it's worth, it's much better to rest by doing light exercise than to stop completely. Let your body be your guide - if after 3-4 light days you're feeling good and eager to get back...Just for what it's worth, it's much better to rest by doing light exercise than to stop completely. Let your body be your guide - if after 3-4 light days you're feeling good and eager to get back to it, go ahead.
(I have a background in human sports performance).
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Comment on Anyone here suffering from low testosterone? in ~health
R3qn65 Linkyeah, unfortunately this is a thing that happens to some people. HRT will help immeasurably, but keep in mind that you'll be on it for basically forever. Two additional suggestions which will not...-
yeah, unfortunately this is a thing that happens to some people. HRT will help immeasurably, but keep in mind that you'll be on it for basically forever. Two additional suggestions which will not work miracles, but may help a little bit in the meantime or if you choose to delay HRT.
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You may be undertraining a little bit, just based on the workout you posted.
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didn't see anything on diet in there - what does that look like? Are you getting enough healthy fat and HDL?
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Comment on The internet used to be ✨fun✨ in ~tech
R3qn65 Link ParentI think you're right that at least a portion of the nostalgia for the old internet is just a reflection of normal human nostalgia for the "good old days" of anything. And I feel it too, so I'm not...I think you're right that at least a portion of the nostalgia for the old internet is just a reflection of normal human nostalgia for the "good old days" of anything. And I feel it too, so I'm not criticizing that nostalgia so much as cautioning that we need to be aware of what it is - because there's no recapturing that feeling. Objectively, were janky 90s websites with questionable functionality really better than what we have today? Was the discussion on Usenet (mostly between young, white, male, Americans) really better than the diversity of viewpoints you see on something like tildes?
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Comment on Botswana threatens to send 20,000 elephants to Germany in ~enviro
R3qn65 Link ParentFair enough. Bad word choice on my part. I understand and respect this viewpoint. I glossed over it because I don't believe that anybody will change their mind on an ethical stance because of a...I would say it's a fairly strong condemnation of trophy hunting.
Fair enough. Bad word choice on my part.
your post glossed-over the most important counterargument against trophy hunting: that killing large game for sport -- especially elephants, which live for decades and practice death rituals -- is wrong.
I understand and respect this viewpoint. I glossed over it because I don't believe that anybody will change their mind on an ethical stance because of a post on the internet, so it is more worthwhile to talk about some of the other factors.
Reading your post, I was under the impression that trophy hunting was single-handedly raising a significant fraction of people out of poverty, but now I see that the number is almost negligible.
With respect to chingshih, I don't think it's correct to call hundreds of millions of dollars a year negligible in Africa. They cited a report to disprove the economic effects of hunting. The cited report was commissioned by an anti-hunting lobby, which is normal and appropriate, but I am mentioning it because chingshih made a lot of hay out of the figures from a report commissioned by a hunting lobby, suggesting that those figures were overstated. That is certainly true, but we should keep in mind that the figures from the negative report are then likely understated. In any case, the negative report suggested that the marginal effects of hunting probably only resulted in an additional 7,000-15,000 jobs. Let's split the difference and call it 10,000. The bottom line is this - 10,000 jobs in rural Africa is not negligible.
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Comment on Botswana threatens to send 20,000 elephants to Germany in ~enviro
R3qn65 Link ParentThis is a very interesting point. Thank you.This is a very interesting point. Thank you.
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Comment on Botswana threatens to send 20,000 elephants to Germany in ~enviro
R3qn65 Link ParentThis: Makes this: Seem very sarcastic, in retrospect. Your post spent a lot of time arguing that trophy hunting isn't as economically beneficial as a pro-hunting lobby has claimed. Not that it's...This:
Really makes the whole situation worth it, doesn't it? Want to talk real solutions? They exist and you're not talking about them. Let's do that when I get back instead of talking about myths.
Makes this:
What a even-tempered and well-considered post!
Seem very sarcastic, in retrospect.
Your post spent a lot of time arguing that trophy hunting isn't as economically beneficial as a pro-hunting lobby has claimed. Not that it's not beneficial, but that it's not as beneficial as some might think. Which is a fair point, but hardly a condemnation of trophy hunting. You didn't touch at all on the assertion that hunting helps conserve land for wildlife instead of, for example, being slashed and burned for palm oil plantations.
As I said in the beginning, I am not a hunter. I think shooting an elephant is horrible. But when you conclude your post, quite literally, with "your solution is wrong and there are real solutions, but you're not talking about them... anyway, no time to detail those solutions now," I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with that. Your tone really rubbed me the wrong way.
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Comment on Botswana threatens to send 20,000 elephants to Germany in ~enviro
R3qn65 Link ParentYes I agree these people are assholes, but I don't think it changes any of my arguments. The money still mostly goes to conservation and the local community, no matter how much work the hunter (or...I take particular issue with “trophy hunting” generally and the method these sort of trips employ, where the animal is essentially corralled for the client who doesn’t do much more than pull a trigger.
Yes I agree these people are assholes, but I don't think it changes any of my arguments. The money still mostly goes to conservation and the local community, no matter how much work the hunter (or "hunter") put in (or didn't).
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Comment on Botswana threatens to send 20,000 elephants to Germany in ~enviro
R3qn65 Link ParentWell, yes. But if the argument is "allowing trophy hunting provides a financial means to keep game preserves and national parks functional, without which they will necessarily be turned into...Sounds like the problem is humans encroaching on elephants and not Germany banning trophies (as well as a whole host of other issues that have put the Global South at a great disadvantage).
Well, yes. But if the argument is "allowing trophy hunting provides a financial means to keep game preserves and national parks functional, without which they will necessarily be turned into something else that makes money because Africa is poor" responding "well the real problem is that you Africans are encroaching on elephant territory" doesn't actually solve anything. (I know you didn't mean it in a bad way. I am not offended.)
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Comment on Botswana threatens to send 20,000 elephants to Germany in ~enviro
R3qn65 Link ParentI am not sure I agree with this. I really don't see it adding much to just say "I despise what you said" - especially if you don't even say why. If the point is "you're an asshole for being so...I am not sure I agree with this. I really don't see it adding much to just say "I despise what you said" - especially if you don't even say why.
If the point is "you're an asshole for being so jaded towards the shooting of animals," then fair enough, but you've got to at least say that.
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Comment on Botswana threatens to send 20,000 elephants to Germany in ~enviro
R3qn65 Link ParentI am not understanding what you mean by this.I guess due to site rules I can't actually articulate how I feel in the way I'd like
I am not understanding what you mean by this.
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Comment on Botswana threatens to send 20,000 elephants to Germany in ~enviro
R3qn65 (edited )LinkMuch like the American clothing company Patagonia's recent stand against hydropower dams, I am frustrated by rich European governments taking a stand against big game hunting. Yes, dams kill fish...- Exemplary
Much like the American clothing company Patagonia's recent stand against hydropower dams, I am frustrated by rich European governments taking a stand against big game hunting. Yes, dams kill fish and change the environment, and yes, hunting kills animals, but in both cases there are no obvious alternatives and the benefits seem to outweigh the drawbacks. (In several African countries more than 80% of the power comes from hydro. What would you prefer? Burning even more coal?)
I am not a hunter. But I live in a country that is visited by big game hunters, and every trophy is essentially a direct transfer of cash from a wealthy country to a poorer country. Game tags cost thousands - sometimes tens of thousands - of US dollars, which goes straight to the government and the park. Then there are the flights, the car rentals, the local guides, the safari lodge, the food... All of this boosts the local economy, which is generally speaking sorely needed.
There are some downsides. If poorly managed, the benefits of allowing game hunting can entice governments to issue too many tags, depleting herds. If we're talking about elephants specifically, they have very long memories, so if they have learned to fear vehicles and people, it makes non-hunting tourism more difficult, because you can't get as close to the animals. There are also some ethical questions regarding whether it is ever right to kill an animal.
But on the other hand, there are massive benefits. Yes, governments might be enticed to allow too much hunting, but they then have massive incentives (and enough cash) to stop poaching (bigger, healthier herds = more opportunities to get money from hunters). Poachers, obviously, have no limits on how much they will kill and are often far, far crueller to the animals than the big game hunters who are looking to kill with a single bullet. And regarding the impacts to non-hunting tourism, poaching is much, much more damaging than big-game hunting is.
At the end of the day, I see it like this: humans are going to kill animals, whether it be through poaching or through hunting. You can either regulate it, control it, and turn it to good, or you can try to ban it and know that it will happen behind the scenes without your consent. And regarding the ethical questions over whether it is ever right to kill an animal... animals are typically still alive for the first minutes/hours that they are being eaten by predators. I find it hard to argue that hunting is crueller than nature.
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Comment on What's something you've been mulling over recently? in ~talk
R3qn65 Link ParentWell, this is a fun new discovery for me. Thanks!Dicey Dungeons
Well, this is a fun new discovery for me. Thanks!
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Comment on US told Russia that Crocus City Hall was possible target of attack in ~news
R3qn65 LinkI think it is truly remarkable that the united states is willing to give warnings to Russia and Iran, given that they say it It is difficult to imagine Russia or Iran returning the favor, but I...I think it is truly remarkable that the united states is willing to give warnings to Russia and Iran, given that they say it
...risks revealing how the United States obtained the intelligence, potentially putting clandestine surveillance activities or human sources at risk.
It is difficult to imagine Russia or Iran returning the favor, but I guess who knows.
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Comment on US police are using GPS tracking darts to avoid dangerous pursuits in ~transport
R3qn65 Link ParentThat may well happen in a few cases, though most car thieves are not particularly likely to be thinking "I wonder if this vehicle has been tagged, I should stop and check." Even if it doesn't...That may well happen in a few cases, though most car thieves are not particularly likely to be thinking "I wonder if this vehicle has been tagged, I should stop and check." Even if it doesn't always work, though, isn't it still a win? High-speed chases are crazy dangerous and anything that lets them not happen as much is a good thing in my books.
I'm not sure I agree with that - or at least, that's not what I meant to imply. There are degrees of justification; just because the US perceives a chinese media company as a threat, that doesn't mean that, say, the BBC is likewise threatening.
And finally, I don't think it needs to be a hot war, either. Just look at Russia's attempts to influence the elections of multiple European powers - this is all pre-war (e.g https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/resrep21009.6.pdf).