arrza's recent activity
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Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music
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Comment on How Vail Resorts sparked the great Northeast ski revolt in ~travel
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Comment on The real danger to civilisation isn't runaway AI it's runaway capitalism (2017) in ~misc
arrza Link ParentThe biggest reason that these countries who've attempted to do any significant reforms of, or banishment of capitalism have become dictatorial and impoverished is capitalist hegemony. Look at...The biggest reason that these countries who've attempted to do any significant reforms of, or banishment of capitalism have become dictatorial and impoverished is capitalist hegemony. Look at Cuba. They've been under embargo for decades for rejecting the capitalist paradigm.
I highly recommend you read The Jakarta Method by Vincent Bevins. He details the fall of the Communist party in Indonesia at the hands of a CIA backed coup, as well as the spread of anti communist sentiment to South America, the rationale of the government in Washington in performing their coups in south and central America. That book holds the answer to your question.
There are alternatives to capitalism, but they are viewed as existential threats by American aligned interests, and therefore are to be put down and resisted by any means necessary. See also, the Vietnam war.
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Comment on Hungry sea otters play a role in coastline protection in ~enviro
arrza Link ParentI was just posting in the vein of your cheeky, vapid tldr. I actually watched a segment recently in some documentary about these otters in the PNW. I'm glad they're returning, and we can see...I was just posting in the vein of your cheeky, vapid tldr.
I actually watched a segment recently in some documentary about these otters in the PNW. I'm glad they're returning, and we can see they're having a measurable positive impact on their environment.
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Comment on Hungry sea otters play a role in coastline protection in ~enviro
arrza Link ParentIt's all relative. You could also say the simething similar regarding invasive species. Sure, armored catfish are destructive, and the balance that is struck once they are introduced is not...It's all relative. You could also say the simething similar regarding invasive species. Sure, armored catfish are destructive, and the balance that is struck once they are introduced is not desirable for its inhabitants or us, but it still is some kind of equilibrium.
We're talking about different time scales but it's the same concept.
With respect to sea otters, we can now point to their niche in that particular ecosystem. If there are too few of them, sea urchins dont have enough predation and the ocean flora is diminished. Once they start coming back, they prey on the abundant urchins and the kelp and other flora returns, restoring the balance.
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Comment on Hungry sea otters play a role in coastline protection in ~enviro
arrza LinkThis seems pretty elementary. I might also posit that most creatures in an ecosystem help balance that ecosystem. You know, because that's how balance works.This seems pretty elementary. I might also posit that most creatures in an ecosystem help balance that ecosystem.
You know, because that's how balance works.
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Comment on Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce and a MAGA meltdown in ~misc
arrza Link ParentMaybe so, but to lay Hillarys loss solely at the feet of a Russian psyop is ignoring reality. She was, and still is an incredibly divisive figure. Her neoliberal policies are unpopular, and people...Maybe so, but to lay Hillarys loss solely at the feet of a Russian psyop is ignoring reality.
She was, and still is an incredibly divisive figure. Her neoliberal policies are unpopular, and people don't want a continuation of Clinton and Obama style neoliberalism. Her smugness, entitlement, and recalcitrance torpedoed her campaign. I can't believe we're relitigating this. It wasn't a conspiracy. She was and still is an awful person who doesn't belong anywhere near the levers of power.
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Comment on Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce and a MAGA meltdown in ~misc
arrza Link ParentWith all the russiagate nonsense from the Hillary camp.With all the russiagate nonsense from the Hillary camp.
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Comment on Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce and a MAGA meltdown in ~misc
arrza Link ParentSorry, I was wrong. I got my demographics mixed up. I meant to say that there are more gen z of voting age than registered republicans. Thanks for pushing back. I will edit my comment.Sorry, I was wrong. I got my demographics mixed up. I meant to say that there are more gen z of voting age than registered republicans. Thanks for pushing back. I will edit my comment.
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Comment on Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce and a MAGA meltdown in ~misc
arrza (edited )LinkOnce again, rather than do even a modest bit of introspection, an American political party goes conspiratorial at their losing prospects. Dems did it in 2016, Repubs seem to be on a merry-go-round...Once again, rather than do even a modest bit of introspection, an American political party goes conspiratorial at their losing prospects. Dems did it in 2016, Repubs seem to be on a merry-go-round of this stuff that they can't get off.
Bro, your policies are unpopular. Full stop. There are now more Gen z people of voting age in the US than registered republicans. This is what a dying party looks like. And it can't happen quickly enough.
Conservatism is a scourge on humanity.
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Comment on Twenty-six billion records exposed in massive leak, including data from Linkedin, X, Dropbox in ~tech
arrza Link ParentYou and me both! The sad reality for a lot of us is that in order to get ahead, you have to play the game and do some networking on LinkedIn. I'm still figuring it out, and right now its value to...You and me both! The sad reality for a lot of us is that in order to get ahead, you have to play the game and do some networking on LinkedIn. I'm still figuring it out, and right now its value to me is still in question.
As for banking, I don't think that genie is ever going back in the bottle. In spite of all of the risks, the level of services in online banking is too valuable to them to let go.
Its good to be skeptical of new technology, question its value, but don't fall into the trap of dismissing things without first learning a little bit about them. You miss out on some great things by adopting that attitude.
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Comment on Twenty-six billion records exposed in massive leak, including data from Linkedin, X, Dropbox in ~tech
arrza LinkStuff like this reminds me what a hostile and evil place the internet can be. As a sysadmin, the layers of security and endless rounds of patching is getting to be a bit tedious. Recently out of...Stuff like this reminds me what a hostile and evil place the internet can be. As a sysadmin, the layers of security and endless rounds of patching is getting to be a bit tedious. Recently out of necessity, I took a job at the help desk and I am finding it to be a respite from that hamster wheel of security.
So now i find myself working in userland. I am seeing how its effecting people. They're more fed up than I am, the password cycling, the MFA, capchas.... there has to be a tipping point somewhere that the web just becomes unusable for a majority of people. Where is that line?
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Comment on The poverty of anti-wokeness in ~life
arrza LinkQuite a long and worthwhile read. Thanks for sharing this! Adolph Reed Jr's analysis has long resonated with me. The idea that we're ignoring class in favor of race rings so true in my...Quite a long and worthwhile read. Thanks for sharing this!
Adolph Reed Jr's analysis has long resonated with me. The idea that we're ignoring class in favor of race rings so true in my perspective. Race has been a wedge since before the USA was founded, and it continues to be. It seems so obvious to me that poor rural whites have many grievances in common with poor urban blacks. If they could see that there's more in their circumstance that unites them than divides them, a lot could be accomplished that would greatly benefit both groups.
Then there is this gem:
The situation he deplores isn’t the coming Marxist-Leninist dystopia, but the fact that we are “stuck with stagnant institutions that micromanage” the American people.
Stagnant institutions that micro- manage the American people. All this tone policing, all the hand wringing over language, don't use this word or that... It has a chilling effect on discourse, opens up avenues for bad faith actors, and distracts from conversations about actual issues. It happens all the time in comment sections everywhere. I wish people would be more disciplined in their conversations and stop nitpicking over language and tone.
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Comment on Unpopular opinion: Capitalism is a better ideology than socialism or communism because greed is a more tolerable emotion than fear/envy in ~talk
arrza Link ParentPlease have a look at the socialists Thomas Sankara and Evo Morales. Both lifted up the people of their respective countries, drastically reduced poverty, improved literacy, and rejected the...Please have a look at the socialists Thomas Sankara and Evo Morales. Both lifted up the people of their respective countries, drastically reduced poverty, improved literacy, and rejected the capitalist paradigm of exploitation.
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Comment on Unpopular opinion: Capitalism is a better ideology than socialism or communism because greed is a more tolerable emotion than fear/envy in ~talk
arrza (edited )Link ParentThe problem with this attitude is that its not possible, or desirable even, for everyone to achieve staggering levels of wealth. I just want everyone to be able to live a life of dignity. Thats...The problem with this attitude is that its not possible, or desirable even, for everyone to achieve staggering levels of wealth. I just want everyone to be able to live a life of dignity. Thats why capitalism is untenable and we need to move past it as a society. Capitalism depends on an underclass to exploit. That is one of its core principles. I want to move past that paradigm and deliver a better life for everyone, especially the poorest and most exploited amongst us.
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Comment on Jeffrey Epstein: documents linking associates to sex trafficker unsealed in ~news
arrza LinkCan someone please explain the implications of this to me? From reading the article, it doesn't seem to me that there's anything new here. Nobody named in the article wasn't already known to have...Can someone please explain the implications of this to me? From reading the article, it doesn't seem to me that there's anything new here. Nobody named in the article wasn't already known to have had dealings with epstein, and prince Andrew already received his slap on the wrist.
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Comment on What was your first computer game? (Soundcheck question 2023) in ~games
arrza LinkFor me, it would either be Frogger on the Atari, or a computer game called 13 ghosts on a Tandy TRS-80. 13 ghosts was fun from what I remember, it was a side scrolling shooter that took you...For me, it would either be Frogger on the Atari, or a computer game called 13 ghosts on a Tandy TRS-80.
13 ghosts was fun from what I remember, it was a side scrolling shooter that took you through wild west style towns and desert landscapes, shooting all the ghosts as you went. I don't remember what the controls were but it had to be all keyboard based since there was no mouse on the Tandy.
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Comment on "The secretive industry destroying the economy" (it's private equity) in ~finance
arrza (edited )LinkPrivate equity has been quietly acquiring companies and corporations over the past 25 or so years. This is really problematic in my view because not only does this ownership model encourage the...In 1996, about 8,000 firms were listed in the U.S. stock market. Since then, the national economy has grown by nearly $20 trillion. The population has increased by 70 million people. And yet, today, the number of American public companies stands at fewer than 4,000. How can that be?
Private equity has been quietly acquiring companies and corporations over the past 25 or so years. This is really problematic in my view because not only does this ownership model encourage the worst tendencies of capitalism by super prioritizing quarterly(actually yearly, quantified as EBIDTA). They scoop up companies and brands using some of their own money as well as a lot of borrowed money. Believe it or not, they are able to have the very loans used to purchase these companies put on the books of the very company they bought! Quite the accounting sleight of hand there. Not only that, they will have the controlling private equity company purchase whatever property the acquired company owned, and then have the company rent the property back from the private equity firm. All of this stacks the deck against the acquired company in terms of profitability. Its by far the most extractive form of capitalist ownership. These firms scour around, looking for healthy companies to pillage, and they've become quite rich in the process, leaving a trail of hollowed out husks of formerly sustainable, healthy businesses in their wake.
The prime example of this is toys r us. Here was a business that was nominally profitable, owned the property their stores were built on in a large percentage of their locations which could keep overhead low. They were working through the transition to digital sales. Bought out by private equity, sold their property to the PE firm and forced to rent it back and from there it spiraled. Locations closed, people fired in droves, and eventually the entire brand imploded.
Something needs to be done to curb this trend in the ownership of a large swath of the American economy. This ownership model is highly exploitative and extractive, and is completely incompatible with any kind of sustainability.
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Comment on Paris is saying 'non' to a US-style hellscape of supersized cars – and so should the rest of Europe in ~transport
arrza Link ParentThis is satire right? I mean, you hit the nail exactly on the head. To a lot of people that own these vehicles, the rationale is based on irrational fear.This is satire right?
I mean, you hit the nail exactly on the head. To a lot of people that own these vehicles, the rationale is based on irrational fear.
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Comment on Link's Awakening DX HD - PC port (unofficial) in ~games
arrza Link ParentCopyright for anything shouldn't last more than 20 years.Copyright for anything shouldn't last more than 20 years.
I just started the new Justice album last night! I only got about halfway through before I needed to go to bed, but its awesome! These guys didnt skip a beat. This one is up there with Cross.