hobbes64's recent activity
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Comment on Help me understand how half of USA is on board with the idea of creating "short term pain" in ~society
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Comment on How have US food prices changed? Our tracker can give you a sense. (gifted link) in ~food
hobbes64 Link ParentI agree. Also, this is worse than a recession. It’s not just economic supply problems or whatever. Trump is doing long term harm to trade partners and they will find other more reliable partners....I agree. Also, this is worse than a recession. It’s not just economic supply problems or whatever. Trump is doing long term harm to trade partners and they will find other more reliable partners. He’s also permanently damaging American companies whose products are being boycotted in Canada and Europe and anywhere else trump has threatened or mocked.
This is an absolute disaster for the United States and for the world. -
Comment on See Donald Trump's list: More than 180 countries and territories facing reciprocal tariffs from the US in ~society
hobbes64 LinkI hope that everyone is clear that he can't just "do" this. It requires that congress allows it. Specifically, the republicans in congress. So they could put an end to this all quickly. He would...I hope that everyone is clear that he can't just "do" this. It requires that congress allows it. Specifically, the republicans in congress. So they could put an end to this all quickly. He would veto, then they would need 2/3 vote to end it again. And that would be it. Also, they could impeach him and remove him from office if they chose to.
It's too bad that political parties have disabled the checks and balances that we are taught about in school. -
Comment on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds | Season 3 teaser trailer in ~tv
hobbes64 Link ParentHmm maybe I'll give Discovery another try. When SNW comes back I'll re-subscribe to paramount and watch both. Also I haven't watched much of The Lower Decks and I know that is pretty good. One...Hmm maybe I'll give Discovery another try. When SNW comes back I'll re-subscribe to paramount and watch both. Also I haven't watched much of The Lower Decks and I know that is pretty good.
One thing I'll note is that I kept hearing over and over again that The Orville was a great show. I watched a few episodes of that and just hated it. But then a year later I went back and watched it and it really got better and I liked it a lot.
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Comment on You get to choose your favorite director's next project. What is it, and why? in ~movies
hobbes64 Link ParentIt's been years since I read Ringworld but I don't remember anything problematic. At least I can't remember anything like that which would ruin the story if it was removed. In another book,...It's been years since I read Ringworld but I don't remember anything problematic. At least I can't remember anything like that which would ruin the story if it was removed. In another book, Lucifer's Hammer, which he co-wrote with Jerry Pournelle:
I don't think that Niven or Pournelle advocate the behavior, but it's just a thing in the book that can make people uncomfortable.Plot point spoiler
After society collapses, there are some middle-aged men who take underage girls as wives. There is no organized society to stop it. Also there's cannibalism and some other unpleasant stuff.If there is stuff like that, I guess it can kind of be spoofed or mocked as was done by Verhoeven with Heinlein's Starship Troopers
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Comment on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds | Season 3 teaser trailer in ~tv
hobbes64 Link ParentI watched all 3 seasons of Picard. It's definitely not good. But not as bad as Discovery, I think I made it through 2 seasons of that one. I agree that SNW is great and the trailer looks like the...I watched all 3 seasons of Picard. It's definitely not good. But not as bad as Discovery, I think I made it through 2 seasons of that one. I agree that SNW is great and the trailer looks like the new season will be a lot of fun.
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Comment on You get to choose your favorite director's next project. What is it, and why? in ~movies
hobbes64 LinkI want Spielberg to do Ringworld by Larry Niven. I don’t think he’s particularly off track, but I like when he does sci fi like “A.I.”. I also just want someone to make that movie. I guess Amazon...I want Spielberg to do Ringworld by Larry Niven. I don’t think he’s particularly off track, but I like when he does sci fi like “A.I.”.
I also just want someone to make that movie. I guess Amazon announced a tv series back in 2017 but I don’t know if it’s been canceled.
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Comment on How do you find new movies to watch? in ~movies
hobbes64 LinkMy local library has a lot of DVDs that can be borrowed for free. They also have some for purchase for under a dollar. More are added pretty frequently. So every few weeks we browse through those,...My local library has a lot of DVDs that can be borrowed for free. They also have some for purchase for under a dollar. More are added pretty frequently. So every few weeks we browse through those, and if something looks interesting we check a few reviews online to see if it’s worth it.
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Comment on An engineer says he’s found a way to overcome Earth’s gravity in ~space
hobbes64 Link ParentBut the print version of the magazine would at least have a cool artist’s conception of the article that a preteen nerd could hang on the wall next to the Millennium Falcon poster.But the print version of the magazine would at least have a cool artist’s conception of the article that a preteen nerd could hang on the wall next to the Millennium Falcon poster.
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Comment on Virginia lawmaker says he called Social Security Administration and it hung up on him: 'It's very concerning' in ~society
hobbes64 Link Parent"He's finally hurting the people he needs to be" https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/8/18173678/trump-shutdown-voter-florida"He's finally hurting the people he needs to be"
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/8/18173678/trump-shutdown-voter-florida
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Comment on US Defense secretary Pete Hegseth’s younger brother is serving in a key role as liaison and senior adviser inside the Pentagon in ~society
hobbes64 Link“DEI must be stopped so that the most qualified person is hired” says prominent practicer of nepotism.“DEI must be stopped so that the most qualified person is hired” says prominent practicer of nepotism.
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Comment on Disney faces US investigation over Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices in ~society
hobbes64 Link ParentI assume the hypocrisy of maga people is at least partly intentional. They are virtue signaling that anything done by the in group is acceptable and anything done by the out group must be...I assume the hypocrisy of maga people is at least partly intentional. They are virtue signaling that anything done by the in group is acceptable and anything done by the out group must be controlled and condemned.
The supposed problem with DEI is because it puts people in unearned positions based on some quality other than competence.
But look at Trump’s cabinet and think about whether any of them are qualified for their jobs. They are not. They are loyalists and sycophants and immoral and some of them have expressed a desire to undermine or remove the department that they head. Most lack experience for the position, or have obvious conflicts of interest.I was going to list the problems with RFK, Hegseth, Gabbard and others but I don’t have time right now but anyone can review the controversies around their appointments and their actions in the last few months. Also Trumps Supreme Court picks were highly suspect for either ethical issues or lack of experience.
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Comment on US Department of Government Efficiency plans to rebuild Social Security administration codebase in months, risking benefits and system collapse in ~society
hobbes64 Link ParentNo you can’t really port anything line by line if you want to be accurate and efficient. You could be accurate maybe if you had really good automation testing and you could do A-B comparisons of...No you can’t really port anything line by line if you want to be accurate and efficient.
You could be accurate maybe if you had really good automation testing and you could do A-B comparisons of the output for all reasonable input. There’s a good probability that the government has such tests. There’s a much lower probability that people working for DOGE will find the tests or listen to the people who know about them.
That doesn’t solve the efficiency problem or maintainability. New code written by “Big Balls” associates working under time constraints won’t be properly structured or documented. -
Comment on US Department of Government Efficiency plans to rebuild Social Security administration codebase in months, risking benefits and system collapse in ~society
hobbes64 Link ParentThis is going to be an absolute clusterfuck. If they are going to replace old code quickly, all they will do is something like a line by line port. As someone who used to be a junior developer who...This is going to be an absolute clusterfuck.
If they are going to replace old code quickly, all they will do is something like a line by line port. As someone who used to be a junior developer who did this more than once, it’s fucking stupid and will be a disaster.
And as a junior developer I was way smarter than AI and less arrogant and reckless than someone called “Big Balls”. -
Comment on US Department of Government Efficiency plans to rebuild Social Security administration codebase in months, risking benefits and system collapse in ~society
hobbes64 Link ParentI feel sorry for people working at The Onion. It’s hard to satirize something that’s already an embarrassing farceI feel sorry for people working at The Onion. It’s hard to satirize something that’s already an embarrassing farce
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Comment on US Department of Government Efficiency plans to rebuild Social Security administration codebase in months, risking benefits and system collapse in ~society
hobbes64 LinkThis is the type of thing that could finally break support of republicans by most voters. Because the republican control of Fox, Twitter, Facebook, Talk Radio, Joe Rogan, and YouTube won’t be able...This is the type of thing that could finally break support of republicans by most voters.
Because the republican control of Fox, Twitter, Facebook, Talk Radio, Joe Rogan, and YouTube won’t be able to convince people they aren’t getting checks.
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Comment on Yuki Tsunoda set to replace Liam Lawson at Red Bull in ~sports.motorsports
hobbes64 Link ParentBy the way I like Coulthard’s commentary on the F1 tv broadcasts. He’s a lot more modest than you would expect and usually has good insights.By the way I like Coulthard’s commentary on the F1 tv broadcasts. He’s a lot more modest than you would expect and usually has good insights.
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Comment on Things progressives get wrong in ~society
hobbes64 Link ParentThere is a particular thing that republicans are good at and democrats are bad at. And that’s messaging. The reason they are good at messaging is because they have spent time and effort and money...There is a particular thing that republicans are good at and democrats are bad at. And that’s messaging. The reason they are good at messaging is because they have spent time and effort and money on creating a messaging pipeline. They have whole tv networks like fox which give only the republican perspective. They have almost completely captured social media: twitter, facebook, all that stuff gets republicans elected.
Why are they able to do this? Because they have money behind them to make it happen. Because their policies benefit people with the resources to buy and control all that media.
What is the core of their message? Culture wars. They convince people that the culture is sinful and evil and is controlled by democratic politicians, and if you don’t like that you need to vote against democrats.
Most of what they say are lies but they are consistent with their messaging over many years. (Decades). Meanwhile democrats are imperfect and similarly captured by capital but way more responsive to voters (since they can’t just plant a narrative).
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Comment on What keeps you up at night? in ~talk
hobbes64 Link ParentDo you think that you have a medical issue or is it anxiety related? If it's anxiety, I don't know what things you've tried but this book may be helpful: "The Anatomy of Anxiety" by Ellen Vora....Do you think that you have a medical issue or is it anxiety related?
If it's anxiety, I don't know what things you've tried but this book may be helpful: "The Anatomy of Anxiety" by Ellen Vora. The book talks about different things that affect anxiety levels, from a physical baseline to diet to habits to ways of thinking.
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Comment on What keeps you up at night? in ~talk
hobbes64 LinkI sometimes have an existential crisis about the concept of now. It's sort of always now, and also never now. Whenever you realize the present moment, it becomes a memory. And then you realize...I sometimes have an existential crisis about the concept of now.
It's sort of always now, and also never now. Whenever you realize the present moment, it becomes a memory. And then you realize whole years disappear and you still have a now but it's always gone as soon as you realize it.
I first realized this when I was about 12 years old and that was a long time ago. It was helpful at the time because it helped me get through some unpleasant things. But then I realized that both good and bad things are "dust in the wind".
I know that this isn't a deep thought compared to mindfulness talk you would get from a meditation book or video. But it's so odd if you try to be in a moment. Since time seems to speed up as you get older, this feeling keeps being weirder and can be quite upsetting.
The “for nothing” part is uncertain.
It is clear that the tariffs won’t achieve the stated goal of helping the US economy.
It might achieve other goals that trump and his associates have. This may include intentionally crashing the economy so rich people can get more wealth from bargains. Or it may be that he’s actually Agent Krasnov who is a Russian asset and the biggest traitor in history.
Trump supporters don’t seem to consider these realistic possibilities.