MimicSquid's recent activity
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Comment on Most Ukrainians now favor ending the war with Russia through negotiations, as support for fighting until victory has dropped sharply since the early days of the conflict in ~society
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Comment on Most Ukrainians now favor ending the war with Russia through negotiations, as support for fighting until victory has dropped sharply since the early days of the conflict in ~society
MimicSquid Link ParentIt's also not a sure thing. Notably, while more Ukrainians than ever are willing to negotiate an end to the fighting, this poll doesn't address what they're willing to negotiate on. The major...It's also not a sure thing. Notably, while more Ukrainians than ever are willing to negotiate an end to the fighting, this poll doesn't address what they're willing to negotiate on. The major polls in years past that asked about that in particular showed that a large percentage of people who were willing to negotiate weren't actually willing to concede the major points that Russia was unwilling to bend on, like complete control of territories they don't actually hold in full.
Also, other countries are interfering continuously despite Russia's bluster about nuclear red lines (which have never actually been red lines when tested.) Plenty of countries other than the USA are providing support to Ukraine without getting nuked.
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Comment on See the true relative geographical size of different countries in ~science
MimicSquid LinkI think the one that struck me is that California and Egypt are just about the same length, North to South.I think the one that struck me is that California and Egypt are just about the same length, North to South.
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Comment on Why do so many people think US President Donald Trump is good? in ~society
MimicSquid Link ParentIs your unstated premise that black people can't be racist?Is your unstated premise that black people can't be racist?
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Comment on A ‘third way’ between buying or renting? Swiss co-ops say they’ve found it. in ~finance
MimicSquid Link ParentIm not sure that it's a downside on a broad societal level, but in areas with extreme wealth inequality, housing co-ops that used to be for poorer people will absolutely fill up with richer people...Im not sure that it's a downside on a broad societal level, but in areas with extreme wealth inequality, housing co-ops that used to be for poorer people will absolutely fill up with richer people if housing speculation starts really taking a bite out of the local housing market. At some point even the middle class will give up on getting a return on their house just to have secure housing, and so the prices will exceed the range where the original blue collar occupants can afford to live there. At that point, the organizing body will have issues with managing sociocultural differences between new and old tenants. It wouldn't happen so much in an overall saner housing market, but a single subdivision organized like this cannot cure the overall problems of the housing market.
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Comment on A ‘third way’ between buying or renting? Swiss co-ops say they’ve found it. in ~finance
MimicSquid LinkEven in America there are a few places like that, but they're vanishingly rare. The only one I can name is Atchison Village, in Richmond, CA. It's a brilliant model for separating housing from...Even in America there are a few places like that, but they're vanishingly rare. The only one I can name is Atchison Village, in Richmond, CA. It's a brilliant model for separating housing from investing.
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Comment on Refusing LinkedIn's ID verification is costing me my job in ~tech
MimicSquid LinkMuch like you're creating a LinkedIn account for your job and for no other purpose, what is the concern with creating a Gmail account similarly for this single use, and never connecting it to...Much like you're creating a LinkedIn account for your job and for no other purpose, what is the concern with creating a Gmail account similarly for this single use, and never connecting it to anything else?
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Comment on Duty-free no more: Parcels worth under $800 no longer qualify for a US tariff exemption in ~society
MimicSquid Link ParentIf he didn't, Republicans wouldn't be trying for this mid-cycle redistricting.If he didn't, Republicans wouldn't be trying for this mid-cycle redistricting.
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Comment on Greek-American musician George Smaragdis dies tragically in Manhattan in ~music
MimicSquid LinkMan, what a tragedy, and he was killed in one of the most preventable interactions between bicycles and cars: he was doored. It happens when cyclists are pushed to the edge of the lane by traffic...Man, what a tragedy, and he was killed in one of the most preventable interactions between bicycles and cars: he was doored. It happens when cyclists are pushed to the edge of the lane by traffic that's too fast or trying to claim the lane, and it makes it far to easy for the cyclist to run into a car door when someone doesn't look before opening it. It's a tragedy, and a completely preventable one.
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Comment on Taco Bell rethinks AI drive-through after man orders 18,000 waters in ~food
MimicSquid Link ParentA computer can never be held responsible, so a computer should never be in a position of responsibility. Let it make life and death decisions when it can be put to death for mass murder.A computer can never be held responsible, so a computer should never be in a position of responsibility. Let it make life and death decisions when it can be put to death for mass murder.
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Comment on The founders of this new Arkansas development say you must be white to live there in ~life
MimicSquid Link ParentI suppose I'm dealing with this deluge by thinking about how I want to spend my life, and what the best use of my remaining time in this world would be. Many of the people who died in WWII...I suppose I'm dealing with this deluge by thinking about how I want to spend my life, and what the best use of my remaining time in this world would be.
Many of the people who died in WWII fighting the facists did it with the hope that it would lead to a better world. It wasn't an ideal outcome for them as individuals, but it made a better world for everyone else. Did they know that they were going to their deaths? No, but they went knowing that it was a possibility and they went anyway. Was it necessary to pave the path to a better world? Yes.
But beyond that, thousands of people in Nazi-occupied territory engaged in acts of bravery to protect their friends and neighbors from the occupiers and laid the groundwork for the people who engaged in more direct action. Their community networks literally saved lives when the powers that be were attempting to crush them.
So I suppose I'm musing on themes of community and self-sacrifice in the face of dominant power structures that are inimical to my way of life. Talk to your neighbors. Take care of your friends. Figure out what's worth fighting for, and if it comes to it, what's worth losing things to protect. Fight for it. Protect it.
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Comment on Valve's secretive 'Fremont' gaming device surfaces in benchmarks in ~games
MimicSquid Link ParentGood news, it already exists. The Steam Deck Dock allows exactly that.Good news, it already exists. The Steam Deck Dock allows exactly that.
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Comment on Czech Post halts parcel deliveries to US amid new tariff rules in ~society
MimicSquid LinkMy wife follows a lot of vintage clothing sellers and enthusiasts online, and many of them are pauseing sales to the US over similar concerns. The de minimis exemption covered millions of packages...My wife follows a lot of vintage clothing sellers and enthusiasts online, and many of them are pauseing sales to the US over similar concerns. The de minimis exemption covered millions of packages a day, and no one is actually prepared to handle its cessation. The infrastructure just isnt there yet.
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Comment on McDonald’s is cutting prices of its combo meals to convince customers it’s affordable again in ~food
MimicSquid Link ParentYeah, that's absurd. I could have a much better burger & fries in a sit-down restaurant for that price.Yeah, that's absurd. I could have a much better burger & fries in a sit-down restaurant for that price.
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Comment on Europa Universalis V release date announced (Nov 4th) and prepurchase now available in ~games
MimicSquid LinkAs a player with more than 10,000 hours across Paradox games, I'll wait a few years for it to flesh out. They've lost a lot of goodwill lately with releases failing to get the sort of post-release...As a player with more than 10,000 hours across Paradox games, I'll wait a few years for it to flesh out. They've lost a lot of goodwill lately with releases failing to get the sort of post-release support they used to do. Maybe it'll trump their other games eventually, but how much will I have to pay to get there? I think I'm kind of burnt out on paying again for them to work through the same basic concepts again.
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Comment on 7/11 closing down 444 locations in ~finance
MimicSquid Link ParentThe 8:30 was AM rather than PM, but it's still wild.The 8:30 was AM rather than PM, but it's still wild.
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Comment on 2SAXY - Mykonos (Live saxophone improv session while walking around, 2025) in ~music
MimicSquid LinkEvery one of their walks is worth watching. In an era where music is more and more smooth and processed, there's something about the raw improvisation and referential nature of them just playing...Every one of their walks is worth watching. In an era where music is more and more smooth and processed, there's something about the raw improvisation and referential nature of them just playing jazz while they walk that makes it great. A single half hour take of them walking and playing sax is just an incredible feat of artistry, and they've got a collection of these going back years. Each one is fun, even as they're not perfect. These days perfect is easier than real, and they take the hard, real way.
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Comment on Why the internet really wants your ID... (and why now?) in ~tech
MimicSquid Link ParentMuch more valuable ad sales. No more will they have to guess at general geographic vicinity. If someone wants to microtarget an ad so that only the people on my block see it, that would be trivial...Much more valuable ad sales. No more will they have to guess at general geographic vicinity. If someone wants to microtarget an ad so that only the people on my block see it, that would be trivial once everyone's home address is part of their profile.
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Comment on California is moving forward with a partisan redistricting effort to counter Texas’ move in ~society
MimicSquid Link ParentI'm not a Newsom fan; I think that he's only a Democrat to the degree that it's the political party that gave him a route to power in California. He's been happy to support any given cause exactly...I'm not a Newsom fan; I think that he's only a Democrat to the degree that it's the political party that gave him a route to power in California. He's been happy to support any given cause exactly as much as it provides him political capital, which makes him an unreliable ally. But even unreliable allies can be worked with when you're on the same side of a given issue.
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Comment on California is moving forward with a partisan redistricting effort to counter Texas’ move in ~society
MimicSquid Link ParentIt's explicitly a map that will only last until the normal redistricting based on the 2030 census.It's explicitly a map that will only last until the normal redistricting based on the 2030 census.
It's the case that, in a war of attrition, Russia has consumed the entirety of its inheritance of USSR military gear to get the territory it already has. There's no reason to think that the force they've been able to bring to bear in the past is the same as what they'll have in the future. Both sides are wearing down in their own ways.