Halfloaf's recent activity

  1. Comment on Apple TV picks up rights to Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere books for adaption in ~tv

    Halfloaf
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    One addendum I’d have for Warbreaker - it starts out really slow, but it’s such a good book! Absolutely worth the setup.

    One addendum I’d have for Warbreaker - it starts out really slow, but it’s such a good book! Absolutely worth the setup.

    1 vote

  2. Comment on New books aren’t worth reading in ~books

    Halfloaf
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    It’s a bit ironic to have a post including the words “not worth reading” on X, right?

    It’s a bit ironic to have a post including the words “not worth reading” on X, right?

    20 votes

  3. Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of January 26 in ~society

  4. Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of January 26 in ~society

    Halfloaf
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    I’m getting word from other Bostonians that ICE has been spotted around Tufts University and near the Boston Municipal Court. I’m having a minor panic over this, but I’ll be out there protesting...

    I’m getting word from other Bostonians that ICE has been spotted around Tufts University and near the Boston Municipal Court.

    I’m having a minor panic over this, but I’ll be out there protesting and documenting when I can.

    14 votes

  6. Comment on Massive winter storm expected to dump snow and ice across United States in ~enviro

    Halfloaf
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    It’s really coming down! I’m trying to shovel as it comes, but we’re seriously hitting around 3” per hour! It’s like the shovel of Sisyphus! (I still think it’s fun though)

    It’s really coming down! I’m trying to shovel as it comes, but we’re seriously hitting around 3” per hour!

    It’s like the shovel of Sisyphus!

    (I still think it’s fun though)

    4 votes

  7. Comment on Federal officers kill another citizen in Minneapolis, National Guard activated in ~society

    Halfloaf
    Link Parent
    It’s called the Tetris Effect!

    It’s called the Tetris Effect!

    The Tetris effect has been explored as a potential tool for alleviating trauma-related symptoms, particularly in the context of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A study conducted by Iyadurai et al in 2010[12] hypothesised that playing Tetris would disrupt consolidation of sensory elements of trauma memory following a motor vehicle accident. Results vindicated the efficacy of the Tetris-based intervention as there were fewer intrusive memories overall and the frequency of these memories decreased rapidly over time, despite reminding individuals of the traumatic events faced. These reminder cues followed by the interference task of playing Tetris competes for cognitive resources with the traumatic memory, disrupting the consolidation process of the traumatic memory traces, reducing their intensiveness and emotional impact.

    19 votes

  8. Comment on Federal officers kill another citizen in Minneapolis, National Guard activated in ~society

    Halfloaf
    Link Parent
    I fully agree with not watching the video! It’s really bad, and has ruined my brain for a while. Here’s the statement the DHS released about the shooting, again from the Star Tribune (the...

    I fully agree with not watching the video! It’s really bad, and has ruined my brain for a while.

    Here’s the statement the DHS released about the shooting, again from the Star Tribune (the reporters there are doing great work!)

    > "An individual approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun," the agency said in a statement. "The officers attempted to disarm the suspect but the armed suspect violently resisted." > > "Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots," the department's statement continued. "Medics on scene immediately delivered medical aid to the subject but was pronounced dead at the scene."
    17 votes

  9. Comment on Federal officers kill another citizen in Minneapolis, National Guard activated in ~society

  10. Comment on Federal officers kill another citizen in Minneapolis, National Guard activated in ~society

    Halfloaf
    Link
    The Star Tribune is reporting that a number of witnesses were taken to the Whipple building - that’s the ICE detention facility.

    The Star Tribune is reporting that a number of witnesses were taken to the Whipple building - that’s the ICE detention facility.

    28 votes

  11. Comment on US immigration officers assert sweeping power to enter homes without a judge’s warrant, memo says in ~society

    Halfloaf
    Link Parent
    The problem is not a lack of processing. It’s that the administrative warrant allows people to be arrested in public, whereas a traditional warrant is what allows a federal (or other governmental)...

    The problem is not a lack of processing. It’s that the administrative warrant allows people to be arrested in public, whereas a traditional warrant is what allows a federal (or other governmental) agent to invade a person’s private space.

    A traditional warrant is signed by a judge that is a functioning independent party, that can say whether or not there’s a reason to breach a person’s private space, per the fourth amendment.

    Without that clearly defined right, people have zero private space.

    7 votes

  12. Comment on Massive winter storm expected to dump snow and ice across United States in ~enviro

    Halfloaf
    Link Parent
    For my Florida thunderstorm anecdotes - the thunder is just so much louder down there than it was in the Midwest - I always thought it was due to the flat landscape without a lot of leafy...

    For my Florida thunderstorm anecdotes - the thunder is just so much louder down there than it was in the Midwest - I always thought it was due to the flat landscape without a lot of leafy deciduous trees around, but that’s pure speculation on my part.

    1 vote

  13. Comment on We are witnessing the self-immolation of a superpower in ~society

    Halfloaf
    Link Parent
    Slight digression, and not a 1-to-1 comparison, but the additional tax for millionaires in Massachusetts doesn’t seem to be causing migration. Source Note, this is waaaaay different from a wealth...

    Slight digression, and not a 1-to-1 comparison, but the additional tax for millionaires in Massachusetts doesn’t seem to be causing migration.

    The report from a pair of progressive research groups found that the number of individuals in Massachusetts with at least $50 million in total wealth grew from 1,954 in 2022 — the year voters adopted the 4% surtax on household income above $1 million — to 2,642 in 2024, a 35.2% increase.

    The new income surtax, which adds to the existing 5% income tax rate, generated $2.46 billion in its first full year, and Beacon Hill Democrats are spending that money on investments in education and transportation.

    Source

    Note, this is waaaaay different from a wealth tax, but the “the millionaires will flee!” Argument was loud for this taxation plan as well.

    23 votes

  14. Comment on We are witnessing the self-immolation of a superpower in ~society

    Halfloaf
    Link Parent
    I found this analysis pretty interesting, and a lot of it agrees with your quoted statistics. I think your statement about the 200 billionaires only controlling 7% of the wealth is somewhat...

    I found this analysis pretty interesting, and a lot of it agrees with your quoted statistics.

    I think your statement about the 200 billionaires only controlling 7% of the wealth is somewhat misleading, considering that they’re 0.0005% of the population.

    My linked source has an interesting section on the distribution of both income and wealth in California:

    California has a high level of income inequality—but wealth is even more unevenly distributed. Those near the top of the wealth distribution (80th percentile; $1.3 million) have net worth over 100 times more than those near the bottom (20th percentile; $12,000). By comparison, households at the same high point in the income distribution have just four times the annual income of those at the same low point (Thorman and Payares-Montoya 2025). Households near the bottom of the wealth distribution not only have little wealth in comparison with those at the top, they have little or nothing to draw upon at all (Figure 6).

    15 votes

  15. Comment on What are some stories of progressivism gone wrong in implementation? in ~society

    Halfloaf
    Link Parent
    Well said. -another tired and sad individual

    Well said.

    -another tired and sad individual

    7 votes

  16. Comment on What are some stories of progressivism gone wrong in implementation? in ~society

    Halfloaf
    Link Parent
    Does this diversity report count? I’d say it’s an account of honest effort to improve.

    Does this diversity report count? I’d say it’s an account of honest effort to improve.

    2 votes

  17. Comment on What are some stories of progressivism gone wrong in implementation? in ~society

    Halfloaf
    Link Parent
    I think an important part of progressivism (that I haven’t seen explicitly mentioned in this topic) is earnestly listening to feedback. I feel like a progressive grandma would listen to feedback,...

    I think an important part of progressivism (that I haven’t seen explicitly mentioned in this topic) is earnestly listening to feedback.

    I feel like a progressive grandma would listen to feedback, and give an earnest shot at using those slurs less often.

    If that grandma instead continues to use the slur, or increases usage defensively, then that grandma transitions from being “kind”, to being something else. I think they would cease being progressive, at least.

    14 votes

  18. Comment on What are some stories of progressivism gone wrong in implementation? in ~society

    Halfloaf
    Link Parent
    You should read the book! It’s a good and thought-provoking read.

    You should read the book! It’s a good and thought-provoking read.

    1 vote

  19. Comment on US Corporation for Public Broadcasting votes to shut down in ~society

    Halfloaf
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    Between this and the shutting down of NASA’s Goddard Library, it’s already been a sad year for those of us that love the seeking and communication of knowledge. How is 2026 already this...

    Between this and the shutting down of NASA’s Goddard Library, it’s already been a sad year for those of us that love the seeking and communication of knowledge.

    How is 2026 already this depressing?! Rude!

    24 votes

  20. Comment on I am kinda curious about the demographics of Tildes in ~talk

    Halfloaf
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    Late 30’s/M/Massachusetts, US - I’m a signal processing engineer at a startup, which generally means I’m a weird mix of software/electrical engineer/mechanical engineer. I feel like I mostly...

    Late 30’s/M/Massachusetts, US - I’m a signal processing engineer at a startup, which generally means I’m a weird mix of software/electrical engineer/mechanical engineer.

    I feel like I mostly translate / teach stuff from one specialist to another. I love geeking out with people about what they do!

    Also, former home appliance engineer. I will forever know too much about clothes washers and dryers, but a fair amount about the other appliances too.

    10 votes