chrysanth's recent activity
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Comment on Weekly coronavirus-related chat, questions, and minor updates - week of February 21 in ~health.coronavirus
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Comment on Weekly coronavirus-related chat, questions, and minor updates - week of February 21 in ~health.coronavirus
chrysanth Link ParentYLE is alright but that's a rather frustrating quote you pulled here, since Omicron definitely did not "pop out of nowhere" (at least for folks in the United States). We knew weeks in advance that...YLE is alright but that's a rather frustrating quote you pulled here, since Omicron definitely did not "pop out of nowhere" (at least for folks in the United States). We knew weeks in advance that it was coming. This just feels like it runs cover for when Harris made similar remarks ("We didn't see Omicron coming") when everyone who was paying attention saw it coming from miles away. Unfortunate that she isn't critical of that framing at all.
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Comment on Weekly coronavirus-related chat, questions, and minor updates - week of February 21 in ~health.coronavirus
chrysanth Link ParentThe requirement to mask on flights is set to expire March 18. Very possible they might not renew it. I was hoping to move out of my current place soon, might try to aim for before then while it's...The requirement to mask on flights is set to expire March 18. Very possible they might not renew it. I was hoping to move out of my current place soon, might try to aim for before then while it's safest. But yeah, I agree the new recommendations are super dangerous.
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Comment on Daily megathread for news/updates/discussion of Russian invasion of Ukraine - February 25 in ~news
chrysanth LinkIf you're in the U.S., there's a script in the expandable section to use if you'd like to call your senators and representative and ask them to support Ukrainian refugees....If you're in the U.S., there's a script in the expandable section to use if you'd like to call your senators and representative and ask them to support Ukrainian refugees.
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htmScript
Dear [SENATOR/REPRESENTATIVE],My name is [YOUR NAME] and I am a resident of [TOWN/STATE].
[IF YOUR SEN/REP HAS MADE PUBLIC STATEMENTS AGAINST THE INVASION: First, I want to thank you for your public statements condemning Putin’s aggression against Ukraine.]
As your constituent, I ask that you support Ukrainians seeking refuge from Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine. Please urge President Biden to waive visa requirements for Ukrainians traveling to the United States, grant Temporary Protected Status to Ukrainian and other regional refugees, and raise the annual refugee cap. Please introduce and support legislation to expedite the transportation and processing of refugees from Ukraine and fund the resettlement agencies that will provide them with aid upon their arrival. Finally, issue public statements of support and welcome for refugees of the conflict. Thank you.
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Comment on Weekly coronavirus-related chat, questions, and minor updates - week of February 7 in ~health.coronavirus
chrysanth LinkI just built a Corsi-Rosenthal box for use in my home. I'm hoping the box will help to lessen the chances of transmission to me if anyone in my family gets infected (and reduce my anxiety...I just built a Corsi-Rosenthal box for use in my home. I'm hoping the box will help to lessen the chances of transmission to me if anyone in my family gets infected (and reduce my anxiety regarding same). One of my family members works in high-risk conditions (grocery stocking) and we're in Florida, so none of her coworkers wear masks, take the pandemic seriously, etc. I'm mostly hunkering down and avoiding going outside where possible until the surge ends (thankfully I can afford to do so).
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Comment on Got any new electronics? Tell me about them! in ~tech
chrysanth (edited )LinkRecently had the opportunity to splurge on a ton of new adds to my setup. I purchased my second HP VH240a, a 1080p monitor I like for its adjustable stand. I purchased a Blue Yeti for better video...Recently had the opportunity to splurge on a ton of new adds to my setup. I purchased my second HP VH240a, a 1080p monitor I like for its adjustable stand. I purchased a Blue Yeti for better video calling and possibly recording audio for livestreams or let's plays/video essays. I purchased a Sennheiser HD 599 which has been a really great listening experience, though I'm not an audiophile and was happy with my previous wireless Sennheisers as well. I got a new laptop and ended up deciding on the M1 Air (some may remember my previous post on the topic). I got a Samsung T5 to back it up with Time Machine and a dongle with most of the ports I wanted. Unfortunately I have to daisy chain it with another dongle if I want to connect more than 2 older USB devices. I also received a lot of old devices from family members after I convinced them to hand them down as opposed to donating or recycling them (so they're not quite new but new to me). I've already wiped and installed Ubuntu on one and plan on using it to learn some Python free from the distractions I'd likely experience on my daily driver.
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Comment on Do you feel like many systems are on the verge of collapse? in ~talk
chrysanth Link ParentIt can be a useful general rule for viruses, but because COVID does most of its spread when the infected are asymptomatic, the selective pressure on the virus to evolve decreased severity is not...It can be a useful general rule for viruses, but because COVID does most of its spread when the infected are asymptomatic, the selective pressure on the virus to evolve decreased severity is not as strong in this case. It's important to note the specificity of COVID in this regard, it is a bit misleading to say that it applies to COVID as it would any other virus.
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Comment on Reviewing the introduction to FE7x: Immortal Sword in ~games
chrysanth LinkBit of self-promotion here: this is a piece I've written. Mostly I chose to write this review so I could get more practice using HTML in different capacities, but of course the content of the...Bit of self-promotion here: this is a piece I've written. Mostly I chose to write this review so I could get more practice using HTML in different capacities, but of course the content of the piece is also substantive. Used this let's play of The Last Promise as a guide. Happy to hear any feedback regarding web design (e.g. how the dialogue is presented) or the review itself (also the game really is quite good, it's a must-play if you enjoy turn-based strategy at all, and even if you don't the writing is some of the best I've seen ever, both in and outside of video games).
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Reviewing the introduction to FE7x: Immortal Sword
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Comment on US schoolteacher says she spent five hours in voluntary self-isolation in a plane's toilet after testing positive for Covid-19 on a flight to Iceland in ~health
chrysanth Link ParentFolks are in fact doing this. On a separate note, I'd guess that most of these people aren't Trump-loving denialists so much as they've just rationalized their decision to fly while positive given...It dawned on me the other day that there is no guarantee that people aren't traveling while knowing they are infected. What's to stop a person from testing positive mid-trip and hopping on a plane home anyway? Am I wrong for not trusting the guy in the seat next to me with a 'Dont Tread on Me' t-shirt and an InfoWars sticker on his laptop?
Folks are in fact doing this. On a separate note, I'd guess that most of these people aren't Trump-loving denialists so much as they've just rationalized their decision to fly while positive given our current context. People are still insisting that "omicron is mild" (may in fact be intrinsically milder than Delta but still dangerous), the White House is still insisting that if you're vaccinated there's nothing to worry about (just not true), and the fact that everyone else is just going about their business suggests to me these people have just thrown their hands up and decided they don't care anymore because no one else seems to.
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Comment on Weekly coronavirus-related chat, questions, and minor updates - week of December 27 in ~health.coronavirus
chrysanth LinkMy immediate family has planned a trip in early-mid January to see extended family outside the country (we live in the US). I've been thinking since early December or so that the smart thing to do...My immediate family has planned a trip in early-mid January to see extended family outside the country (we live in the US). I've been thinking since early December or so that the smart thing to do would be not to go (don't want to bring Omicron with us and it's likely we could even catch it there as other countries begin to have their own waves). However, it's unclear that the members of my immediate family take the virus seriously enough to agree and cancel the trip entirely. I'd been wanting to talk it out with my therapist and make my peace with it before announcing my decision to my family, but of course... he tested positive for COVID and had to cancel our appointment. Not at all reassuring.
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Comment on What do you think are some good things about the US? in ~talk
chrysanth Link ParentThis isn't very welcoming to people who identify with those labels, especially when you place them in scare quotes as if they aren't legitimate political tendencies. Many of these people recognize...Not people who vote Democrat or voted for Bernie in the primaries.
In certain online spaces (places with self-professed tankies, anarchists, “libertarian socialists”) you get a lot of America hate that is often blind and performative. Saying stuff like “death to America” and “Amerikkka.”
This isn't very welcoming to people who identify with those labels, especially when you place them in scare quotes as if they aren't legitimate political tendencies. Many of these people recognize that elections still happen and still matter and vote in them while acknowledging their limited capacity to change the system, and many of these people recognize the value in a liberal democratic system which allows them to make social critique without fearing persecution. You're also waving away a ton of political diversity in opinion by equating tankies and libertarian socialists on the basis of their critiques of U.S. imperialism, which are distinct.
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Comment on Coming to terms with a lifetime of depression in ~talk
chrysanth LinkI just wanted to say how much I identified with your story. I'm a couple years younger than you but I feel very similarly. It was only recently that I fully internalized that there was more to...I just wanted to say how much I identified with your story. I'm a couple years younger than you but I feel very similarly. It was only recently that I fully internalized that there was more to life than what my parents wanted me to do, and that their manipulation and gaslighting was not something that I had to deal with if I didn't want to (the alternative being walking away). That moment came after I did something similar to you as well, I quit all of my extracurricular activities to try and get more in touch with my feelings, even if it would be a painful process as many of those feelings are ones of suffering and loneliness. I'm still coming to terms with it, like you are, that I've basically just been living 20 years of neglect. There is a lot of hurt and I'm trying to be patient with myself when it comes to developing new, healthier relationships (including romantic ones). You should be too. And you're right that the possibilities feel like they've opened up, it's scary and intimidating to me, but also nice to finally start experiencing the full range of human emotion rather than just grayness.
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Comment on Which language do you think is best? in ~talk
chrysanth LinkHangul was actually invented in 1443 but the modern form was indeed standardized in 1946.Hangul was actually invented in 1443 but the modern form was indeed standardized in 1946.
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Comment on Weekly coronavirus-related chat, questions, and minor updates - week of May 31 in ~health.coronavirus
chrysanth Link ParentI get what you're saying, but what bothers me about the framing is how narrow-minded it is. What's happening in the rest of the countries, which don't have robust vaccine access and which actually...I get what you're saying, but what bothers me about the framing is how narrow-minded it is. What's happening in the rest of the countries, which don't have robust vaccine access and which actually represent most of the world, and the hundreds of thousands of deaths in those countries due to coronavirus that could have been mitigated if the former countries had shared the vaccine and resources to produce it, should not be an "addendum." I feel it's intellectually irresponsible to publish pieces saying "the pandemic is over" when it's only "over" for a small fraction of the human population lucky enough to be born in the right countries. To me, this piece acknowledges the reality you're describing but re-frames it in a way that centers the humanity of people living outside the core, which is really important right now.
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Comment on Weekly coronavirus-related chat, questions, and minor updates - week of May 31 in ~health.coronavirus
chrysanth LinkCounterpoint to all the "pandemic is almost over" posts and discourse in the New York Times by Zeynep TufekciCounterpoint to all the "pandemic is almost over" posts and discourse in the New York Times by Zeynep Tufekci
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Comment on Apple’s software head Craig Federighi openly admits that the Mac has a security problem in ~tech
chrysanth LinkBeing able to download third party apps onto your device without Apple's permission isn't a security problem, it's what you should be able to do with your device that you purchased. It makes sense...Being able to download third party apps onto your device without Apple's permission isn't a security problem, it's what you should be able to do with your device that you purchased. It makes sense that Federighi is making this argument in the context of the legal battle with Epic but it's an absurd one. As the article suggests, if downloading third-party apps is a security risk then Apple is selling insecure computers to its own customers, which doesn't make any sense. I'm not a lawyer, but it seems like this argument could have serious implications for privacy and freedom if the judge takes it seriously? Apple would have successfully made the case that people shouldn't have the right to download whatever they like onto devices they purchased and legitimately own because they are too stupid to protect themselves from security risks and need Apple to stop them from hurting themselves. I suppose this already characterizes the situation with the iOS app store, thus why the case is being litigated, but I wouldn't want to see this right strengthened or further legitimated, because it would give Apple more control over what users can do with their own devices and limit their freedom.
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Comment on Medication for depression in ~health
chrysanth LinkI don't have any experience with antidepressants, so I can't help you there exactly, but I will say that if your therapist is rarely useful, you should try to find another who is more helpful. It...I don't have any experience with antidepressants, so I can't help you there exactly, but I will say that if your therapist is rarely useful, you should try to find another who is more helpful. It can be frustrating to have to explain your whole deal to a new therapist when you switch but it will be worth it to find someone who's right for you (or who is at least a better fit) since you will actually be able to rely on that person to help you, advocate for you, and diagnose you with more accuracy than we ever could (since we don't know you beyond your posts and aren't mental health professionals).
I also think it's a mistake to ask "Am I actually depressed or is it just the pandemic and the associated restrictions on social activity?" It's valid for the stress, anxiety, and uncertainty of the pandemic to cause or intensify depressive symptoms in people, and it's valid to seek help for that. We often look for excuses so as to not draw this conclusion (e.g. the pandemic affects everyone so everyone is feeling this way) when in reality it makes perfect sense to acknowledge that different people's mental health will respond differently to the challenges of the pandemic, since people are affected by it in different ways. Not to mention that even with vaccines the uncertainty of the pandemic is going to continue for who knows how long. I don't know where you're located, but variants will continue to emerge in other countries for as long as the vaccine patents remain in place and a not insignificant number of people in the United States may not get vaccinated. Even if it's "just the pandemic" causing you symptoms it isn't necessarily going away soon and you should look into treatment if it affects your quality of life. Honestly, I think I could take this advice as well. I hope that makes some sense, since this is the first time I'm sharing these thoughts about the pandemic and mental health with others.
That being said, it seems great that you've identified things that mitigate your depressive symptoms in the meantime. It's super frustrating to be told to just keep doing those things (i.e., if you're feeling bad just go for a walk!) but as much as you can, carve out that space to take care of yourself and the people around you.
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Comment on There is no ‘Israeli-Palestinian Conflict’ in ~misc
chrysanth Link ParentI'm sympathetic to your point that we can't possibly understand what people on the ground are going through right now. It can feel weird to talk about a struggle that isn't one's own. I don't know...I'm sympathetic to your point that we can't possibly understand what people on the ground are going through right now. It can feel weird to talk about a struggle that isn't one's own. I don't know about you, but I'm from the United States. The U.S. is a huge part of this conflict, because it supports Israel militarily and diplomatically. Therefore, I believe I have a responsibility to do my research, have an opinion, and advocate for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and the liberation of Palestinians from oppression. Although I am not on the ground, my country is part of perpetuating this violence and represents me in some way. Palestinians can't afford for me and others to stay silent on the issue because "we don't know what it's like."
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Comment on There is no ‘Israeli-Palestinian Conflict’ in ~misc
chrysanth (edited )LinkI don't see any top-level comments actually discussing the arguments the author is putting forward, so I'll add my thoughts. I agree with the notion that there is more to the conflict than just...- Exemplary
I don't see any top-level comments actually discussing the arguments the author is putting forward, so I'll add my thoughts. I agree with the notion that there is more to the conflict than just two sides, and that the term "Israel-Palestine conflict" doesn't do justice to the diversity of opinion represented by all the involved parties. However, he recycles the oft-cited discourse that Israel's enemies represent unacceptable threats to national security and that Israel's military occupation of Palestine is primarily intended to serve as a bulwark against these threats. If we take this logic to its extremes, we can justify atrocities in the name of prevention, e.g. the Iraq war (in that case, the supposed "threat" turned out to be nonexistent, and we now understand the Iraq war as the illegitimate power and resource grab that it was, an act of aggression which blatantly violated international law). The possibility of a sovereign Palestinian territory that cooperates with Israel in good faith to ensure joint security is hand-waved away, because "it will wind up creating not a state but a power vacuum destined to be filled by intra-Muslim chaos, or Iranian proxies, or some combination of both." This presumes the inability of Palestinians to govern themselves, which is a poor justification for having Israelis rule over them instead. Yet the conflict is not solely about protecting Israel from external threats like Iran. I doubt these Israeli settlers pushing Palestinians off their farmland, for example, are doing so because they want to make sure they're safe from Iran. Dynamics other than national security are at play, and the way the author presents those concerns as overdetermining the nature of the relationship between Israelis and Palestinians is meant to justify the status quo.
I dunno, I think it's fair to say another wave is likely enough that we ought to be preparing for it now, but you're right that no one knows exactly what that timeline will be like.