han2k's recent activity
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Comment on The intense and dangerous training to be a K-Pop star in ~music
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Comment on One Putin move and behold: West’s unity tightens overnight in ~misc
han2k Link ParentI feel this is how we create the next nazi germany. I believe we don't achieve peace by forcing one side to concede.I feel this is how we create the next nazi germany. I believe we don't achieve peace by forcing one side to concede.
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Comment on One Putin move and behold: West’s unity tightens overnight in ~misc
han2k Link ParentYes, I understand the West's perspective. What I'm trying to say is, I don't view that the war in Ukraine was inevitable. A quick search shows a near unending list of people from the 1990s to...Yes, I understand the West's perspective. What I'm trying to say is, I don't view that the war in Ukraine was inevitable. A quick search shows a near unending list of people from the 1990s to 2020s who had warned us about what's happening in Ukraine right now. We had decades to find diplomatic solutions to avoid this crisis. We chose not to. Yes, in the end, Putin pulled the trigger. But blaming Putin won't prevent future wars.
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Comment on One Putin move and behold: West’s unity tightens overnight in ~misc
han2k Link ParentI have to ask, why would that demand be insane from Russia's point of view? George Kennan warned in 1998 that NATO expansion would gradually lead to a bad reaction from Russia. Mearsheimer,...His recent demands that NATO revert back to its 1997 position is insane
I have to ask, why would that demand be insane from Russia's point of view? George Kennan warned in 1998 that NATO expansion would gradually lead to a bad reaction from Russia. Mearsheimer, Kissinger, Chomsky. So many people had warned that this would be the outcome from literally decades ago. Even as their warnings become realized, should we find comfort in blaming this all on Putin's ambitions and desires and pretend his decision to invade Ukraine came out of his aging head only? This has been the West's attitude toward "terrorists" in the Middle East and "the rocket man" in North Korea. When can we accept that these events are highly complex in nature and often results of interactions, not individual entities?
I wish I can say this without sounding like a Russian sympathizer. I feel like I need to stop talking.
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Comment on One Putin move and behold: West’s unity tightens overnight in ~misc
han2k Link ParentI think the timeframe of what we're talking about may be different. Many people were warning that the West's policies were forcing Russia's hands since before the Trump administration. Again, I'm...I think the timeframe of what we're talking about may be different.
It's primarily the Biden Administration that was issuing public warnings that got ignored.
Many people were warning that the West's policies were forcing Russia's hands since before the Trump administration.
Russia was seen by Europe as an authoritarian but rational state that makes calculated trouble but could be diplomatically engaged and reasoned with — but wasn't seen as an active military threat until Putin gave his radical speech that essentially declared that Russia has historical grievances to resolve and seeks to reintegrate what it perceived to be unfairly lost territory, with the implication that Ukraine isn't all that was unfairly lost.
Again, I'm not saying Putin was right in his decision or that we should have appeased him, but the West tend to paint authoritarian states as purely irrational when in reality fully established democracies can easily lean toward authoritarianism and facism in just a few years given the right pressures. I think the question not many people stop to ask is, what pressures did Putin face in the past decade that he chose to go all in to shake up the world order?
Somewhat related, but I'm actually much more familiar with the history of geopolitics surrounding North Korea than Russia. I can't help but draw parallels. I believe that to actually achieve sustainable peace, we should aspire to stop vilifying "the other side" and actually think of a way to coexist. Yes, it might be mere idealism, but it's always innocent lives that end up getting sacrificed for these greater goods.
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Comment on One Putin move and behold: West’s unity tightens overnight in ~misc
han2k Link ParentHmm, I think these statements are in line with what I was thinking. Perhaps I'm missing something? My impression is, until late last year, major NATO powers were basically doing their own thing....There's been a long trend of growing political skepticism toward Atlanticism and European Unionism.
because society gradually forgot the conditions that gave original impetus to Atlanticism and the European Union.Hmm, I think these statements are in line with what I was thinking. Perhaps I'm missing something? My impression is, until late last year, major NATO powers were basically doing their own thing. People were gradually losing interest in having a unified EU. More and more EU nations were forming stronger relationships and dependancies on China and Russia. Then Putin decides he's had enough and invades Ukraine. The West becomes united with a strong sense of purpose.
It's not like nobody saw it coming. Prominent figures had been publicly warning about exactly what's unfolding in Eastern Europe.
Maybe I'm reading too much into this. It's mostly just a knee jerk reaction from seeing how quickly and strongly the West became united.
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Comment on One Putin move and behold: West’s unity tightens overnight in ~misc
han2k LinkI stand with Ukraine and I am so sad to see so many people suffer. But I also feel that a lot of people in power in the West wanted this exact outcome. Strategists have warned for years that this...I stand with Ukraine and I am so sad to see so many people suffer. But I also feel that a lot of people in power in the West wanted this exact outcome. Strategists have warned for years that this would happen. At the end of the day, to these people in power, what happens to Ukraine ultimately may not matter. The West finds itself unified once again. Putin is seen as a mentally unstable fool who now has to deal with troubles at home.
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Comment on What are some great documentaries about Asian culture that are easily available? in ~talk
han2k LinkAmerican Factory is a relatively new documentary that juxtaposes the Chinese work culture with the American equivalent. It's surprisingly "conflict-free" even though it was filmed during Trump...American Factory is a relatively new documentary that juxtaposes the Chinese work culture with the American equivalent. It's surprisingly "conflict-free" even though it was filmed during Trump era.
I feel a great way to "experience" a culture from afar is to take a look at the art produced by the culture. In terms of movies, To Live is considered a Chinese masterpiece that displays the sociopolitical aspects of the decades that saw two revolutions. South Korea produces tons of films every year that confronts the contradictions in their society (e.g. Parasite, Burning) and highlights some of their biggest moments in recent history (e.g. A Taxi Driver). Shoplifters is a great movie coming from Japan that predates Parasite and confronts some of the same things that Parasite highlights.
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Comment on What charities/orgs are measurably effective in bringing people out of poverty and violence in US? in ~life
han2k Link ParentHey thanks for the insight. I wonder if these Effective Altruist communities can be found online (e.g. as a Slack/Discord channel) or if they have to be joined in person. If you know of any online...Hey thanks for the insight. I wonder if these Effective Altruist communities can be found online (e.g. as a Slack/Discord channel) or if they have to be joined in person. If you know of any online ones, please do share.
I don't think it's counterintuitive (or vulgar) to think that a top down approach is necessary -- I believe both top down and bottom up approaches are needed to solve systemic problems. It's just that I feel, given our current political climate, this issue may become yet another wedge to drive people apart if further politicized.
I have never donated any money to any lobbyists in my life. If you know any specific avenues and/or causes you're supporting, please feel free to share so people can see.
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Comment on What charities/orgs are measurably effective in bringing people out of poverty and violence in US? in ~life
han2k (edited )Link ParentAll we can do is try to start a ripple :)All we can do is try to start a ripple :)
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Comment on What charities/orgs are measurably effective in bringing people out of poverty and violence in US? in ~life
han2k Link ParentThanks for the list. Donating to orgs that focus on feminism and/or sex workers is something I had not thought of at all until now. I will definitely evaluate them. Regarding joining an...Thanks for the list. Donating to orgs that focus on feminism and/or sex workers is something I had not thought of at all until now. I will definitely evaluate them. Regarding joining an organization myself, I do spend quite a bit of my time volunteering for causes I believe in. Unfortunately, they don't exactly cover this one particular area very much.
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What charities/orgs are measurably effective in bringing people out of poverty and violence in US?
The recent rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans has been an emotional topic for me. The thing that makes me sad is, it seems the most I can do to de-escalate a violent situation I see on...
The recent rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans has been an emotional topic for me. The thing that makes me sad is, it seems the most I can do to de-escalate a violent situation I see on the news without putting myself in clear danger is to basically distract the aggressor from afar and comfort the victim afterwards.
What makes the matter more complicated is, if you look at the demographics of those who tend to commit these violent crimes against Asian people, they're often other minorities. It's so easy to fall into a trap of undermining the progress we've made in racial/social equality the moment we acknowledge that Asians are being targeted. For similar reasons, I view that our political system is entirely ill-equipped to handle this matter in a sustainable matter.
But I'd still like to turn this into something positive. Because I live comfortably as an engineer in the Bay Area, I was thinking I can donate to charities and organizations that are effective at bringing an end to this violence every time I see news about an Asian American getting targeted on social media. I plan on doing my own research as well, but I hope you can also give some suggestions.
19 votes -
Comment on What are you doing in your garden? in ~hobbies
han2k LinkOur front yard is basically a sea of dandelions. This spring, we've been slowly replacing the dandelions with other drought friendly plants and succulents. In the process, we learned that the one...Our front yard is basically a sea of dandelions. This spring, we've been slowly replacing the dandelions with other drought friendly plants and succulents. In the process, we learned that the one tree in our front yard has its roots extending literally everywhere, so digging enough dirt to plant new flowers and bushes have been more difficult than i'd thought.
Last weekend, we planted two lavender plants, put newspapers around the plants, poured mulch all over, and then watered the area. A couple days later, we found 3 dandelions poking through all the layers of newspaper and mulch. we're now thinking about using cardboard boxes instead of newspapers.
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Comment on Commercial "foodcycler" devices - do they do more harm than good? in ~enviro
han2k Link ParentGreat point! I view what's going to ultimately "solve" the climate problem at a fundamental level is a series of changes in our daily lives. Our worldview needs to change, along with our...Great point! I view what's going to ultimately "solve" the climate problem at a fundamental level is a series of changes in our daily lives. Our worldview needs to change, along with our lifestyle. Recycling food waste is EASY to do and easy to replicate, and it's a practical step toward achieving near-zero or total-zero waste lifestyle. In short, I see it as a good way to start a ripple where other people can join in, and it also helps with CO2 emissions (well, maybe not when people start buying expensive machines to recycle their food scraps, hence the post) as well as reducing plastic waste.
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Comment on Commercial "foodcycler" devices - do they do more harm than good? in ~enviro
han2k Link ParentThe way I do bokashi composting is, I chop up food scraps (manually or using a food processor), put them in a bottle (plastic or glass), add bokashi bran, shake, let sit for about a week, then mix...The way I do bokashi composting is, I chop up food scraps (manually or using a food processor), put them in a bottle (plastic or glass), add bokashi bran, shake, let sit for about a week, then mix in soil. It's been working amazingly well and I didn't have to buy anything but a bag of bokashi bran, which I hear can be made at home as well. I have yet to try with meat and bones because I've heard they're much more likely to attract bugs and animals, and apparently the smell could get unbearable for those who compost indoors. I will probably try it out in the near future, though, since I have a small backyard.
I agree that it's probably not ideal or necessary for someone like us, but I'm wondering if my bougie engineer friends will find it in themselves to reuse their food waste if they can just dump it in the foodcycler. i can't go around recommending it if it causes more harm than good, though. I wish we have a proper framework with which to evaluate whether something will be a net positive for the environment or not.
Thanks for your feedback :)
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Commercial "foodcycler" devices - do they do more harm than good?
Hello Tildes, I've been doing bokashi composting for pretty much all my vegetable and fruit scraps since last year. Lately, I've been wanting to level up my game and recycle meat scraps and...
Hello Tildes,
I've been doing bokashi composting for pretty much all my vegetable and fruit scraps since last year. Lately, I've been wanting to level up my game and recycle meat scraps and chicken/fish bones as well. That's how I came across these "foodcycler" devices. They basically chop up and dry food scraps in a sealed container. I assume it works much like how industrial composting machines work, except it's scaled way down. At around 300-400 dollars, they're certainly not cheap, and probably generate a lot of greenhouse gasses during the manufacturing process. What's more is, every time you run a cycle, it has to run for 4-8 hours, though the manufacturer says the device is "energy conscious."
I'm trying to assess whether I'll do more harm than good by buying one of these things to convert more of my food scraps. My ultimate goal is to try many different ways to recycle food waste and try to get my friends to try it out as well. Some of them have already shown interest in bokashi composting, but none has actually tried it out (too much work).
Do you think commercial "foodcycler" devices do more harm than good? How should we go about evaluating this?
Edit: I've asked this question on many different places, and it looks like the general consensus is there's no strong need for something like this unless you live in apartments, in a city/town that does not collect food waste. Some believe recycling food waste via the more traditional methods (e.g. bokashi, vermicomposting) would yield better results because the foodcycler would dry up and kill a lot of the bacterial presence, though I believe the dried up scraps can be somewhat "revived" by mixing them in wet soil. Nobody seems to be able to definitively tell whether using the foodcycler would be a net positive or negative, because there's no way to verify its manufacturing process. I may do an experiment on how much power it draws if I get my hands on one in the future.
6 votes -
Comment on Who's on the fediverse? in ~tech
han2k LinkDoes fediverse just refer to Mastodon instances? Or is it just that Mastodon is the biggest player in the scene?Does fediverse just refer to Mastodon instances? Or is it just that Mastodon is the biggest player in the scene?
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Comment on What projects/orgs are you donating to? in ~talk
han2k Link ParentYeah, I agree that climate change would probably be a lost cause unless we bring fundamental changes to our civilization, but for what it's worth, ITIF apparently scores very highly on effective...Yeah, I agree that climate change would probably be a lost cause unless we bring fundamental changes to our civilization, but for what it's worth, ITIF apparently scores very highly on effective altruism metrics 1. That's what convinced me to donate to them (or was it just Bill Gates?).
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What projects/orgs are you donating to?
Every year, I donate a modest sum to combat climate change. Since my employer matches my donations up to a certain amount, I try to maximize their contribution. This year, most of my donations...
Every year, I donate a modest sum to combat climate change. Since my employer matches my donations up to a certain amount, I try to maximize their contribution.
This year, most of my donations have gone to the following two orgs:
- Information Technology and Innovation Foundation - a highly regarded US think tank focusing on clean energy research and advising policymakers
- Eden Reforestation Projects - apparently $7 donated here offsets a year worth of personal carbon emissions
Are there any projects/causes/orgs you are very keen on donating to? Are there any that we should look out for?
Edit: Please feel free to list technical projects, Kickstarters, Patreons, etc.
23 votes -
Comment on Bad arguments against teaching Chinese philosophy in ~humanities
han2k Link ParentI think we agree for the most part. I view that any sense of superiority comes from ignorance. Clearly these academic people think otherwise :pI think we agree for the most part. I view that any sense of superiority comes from ignorance.
I don't see why this should be regarded as an unusual viewpoint in any way
Clearly these academic people think otherwise :p
I wouldn't really focus on the gender dynamics personally. To my knowledge, plenty of Korean boybands go through the same thing. And if we turn our eyes to the entertainment industry in America, well, there's a lot to fix here too. Didn't Dave Chappelle write about how young Hollywood stars are encouraged to use addicting drugs, so they become easier to manage? I think it's time we try to get over the celebrity culture together, if we want to see less of these practices.