Minori's recent activity
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Comment on Bricks & Minifigs corporate stole a man's $200,000 Lego collection and told him to get bent in ~hobbies
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Comment on I think Anthropic and OpenAI have found product-market fit in ~tech
Minori Link ParentWe're not running out of space for data centers. There's plenty of empty space.We're not running out of space for data centers. There's plenty of empty space.
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Comment on I think Anthropic and OpenAI have found product-market fit in ~tech
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Comment on Audible mandating authors transition to new royalty system or lose payments in ~books
Minori Link ParentThat "one thing" can very broad without reducing competition. Integration can combat cartels and align incentives. Why do so many companies build rather than buy? Let's say I start a company...That "one thing" can very broad without reducing competition. Integration can combat cartels and align incentives. Why do so many companies build rather than buy?
Let's say I start a company bottling Himalayan spring water. Business is going great...except for the insane costs of shipping empty glass bottles up the mountains. So, I start importing silica and mining the other necessary chemicals nearby.
My water bottling company is now turning a larger profit and producing more than ever! We import more bottle caps than ever, but we no longer buy finished glass bottles. We've also created a booming mining industry from nothing.
I completely agree we should encourage competition and lower barriers to entry. The size of companies is related to but not 1:1 with market competition.
Bundling and unbundling can be cyclic in healthy markets as we see with television and streaming: https://stratechery.com/concept/business-models/bundling-and-unbundling/
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Comment on Use AI this election in ~society
Minori Link ParentBut the whole crux of the article is this outro... While it's secondary to everything else, I also think he's an incredibly generous person in some ways for donating a kidney:...But the whole crux of the article is this outro...
Overall I think Lynn’s IQ data is, in some sense, reason for optimism. The large difference between sub-Saharan Africans in developed countries (eg the US) and in sub-Saharan Africa demonstrates that the latter aren’t performing at their genetic peak, and that developmental interventions - again, nutrition, health care, and education - are likely to work.
There’s probably a bidirectional relationship between national IQ and development; development improves nutrition/health/education and boosts IQ, but IQ allows more advanced industries and boosts development. It’s unclear how strong each direction is, but probably the IQ → development direction is greater than zero. Even if you’re generally skeptical of charity because all good things come from development, Lynn’s IQ estimates suggest there’s lots of room for charitable nutrition/health/education interventions to work.
While it's secondary to everything else, I also think he's an incredibly generous person in some ways for donating a kidney: https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/my-left-kidney
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Comment on Use AI this election in ~society
Minori (edited )Link ParentI don't have evidence from every psychiatry residency, but I can confidently say The Bell Curve used to be regularly taught and widely discussed. Some people take differences in IQ scores to...I don't have evidence from every psychiatry residency, but I can confidently say The Bell Curve used to be regularly taught and widely discussed. Some people take differences in IQ scores to racist extremes. There's a much more nuanced discussion to be had.
On some topics, he is an expert and genuinely insightful. On others, you're completely justified in ignoring him.
Edit: I don't expect to change your mind, but I think you should genuinely read and engage with this piece: https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/how-to-stop-worrying-and-learn-to
As a choice quote:
Overall I think Lynn’s IQ data is, in some sense, reason for optimism. The large difference between sub-Saharan Africans in developed countries (eg the US) and in sub-Saharan Africa demonstrates that the latter aren’t performing at their genetic peak, and that developmental interventions - again, nutrition, health care, and education - are likely to work.
I think he's over-hated. Here's another controversial pundit's take if you prefer second-hand analysis: https://www.slowboring.com/p/slate-star-codex
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Comment on Audible mandating authors transition to new royalty system or lose payments in ~books
Minori Link ParentHaven't publishers and distributors commonly been the same entity? Publishers directly owning their own printers and selling directly to readers can be a good thing, much like self-publishing....Haven't publishers and distributors commonly been the same entity? Publishers directly owning their own printers and selling directly to readers can be a good thing, much like self-publishing.
Intermediaries can be a bad thing like car dealerships.
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Comment on Audible mandating authors transition to new royalty system or lose payments in ~books
Minori Link ParentCorrect. That's why it has so many links to Amazon product pages. They also own IMDb.Correct. That's why it has so many links to Amazon product pages. They also own IMDb.
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Comment on Japan is gripped by mass allergies. A 1950s project is to blame. in ~enviro
Minori Link ParentFull coverage in the US doesn't mean it's free. It only says that insurance will pay after the deductible is hit, and it'll be free after the out-of-pocket max is hit. Same as full coverage...Full coverage in the US doesn't mean it's free. It only says that insurance will pay after the deductible is hit, and it'll be free after the out-of-pocket max is hit. Same as full coverage (comprehensive) car insurance still having a deductible. For people with regular healthcare needs, it's necessary to financially plan around hitting the deductible.
Regarding immunotherapy, I hadn't heard about the sublingual tablets. That's really cool—thanks for the link!
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Comment on Use AI this election in ~society
Minori Link ParentThis is common in psychiatry. If mental illness has a genetic component and intelligence is at least partially heritable, you can logically end up in a very uncomfortable place. The rational...This is common in psychiatry. If mental illness has a genetic component and intelligence is at least partially heritable, you can logically end up in a very uncomfortable place.
The rational critiques are questioning IQ metrics (psychometric surveys aren't infallible) and debating exactly how much of intelligence is genetic (twin studies are always interesting). There's also a whole discussion to be had about EQ, but many in the rationalist community are emotionally blunt to say the least.
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Comment on Audible mandating authors transition to new royalty system or lose payments in ~books
Minori Link ParentBecause they might try to integrate audiobooks with their books and music businesses? Doesn't seem much different from Spotify's recent expansion.Because they might try to integrate audiobooks with their books and music businesses? Doesn't seem much different from Spotify's recent expansion.
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Comment on Audible mandating authors transition to new royalty system or lose payments in ~books
Minori Link ParentAmazon has a lot of businesses like that. Twitch is still kind of doing its own thing too.Amazon has a lot of businesses like that. Twitch is still kind of doing its own thing too.
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Comment on Audible mandating authors transition to new royalty system or lose payments in ~books
Minori LinkThis is likely happening because Audible is trying to more tightly integrate with Amazon systems used by other businesses like Kindle. Subsidiaries maintaining separate, duplicate infrastructure...This is likely happening because Audible is trying to more tightly integrate with Amazon systems used by other businesses like Kindle. Subsidiaries maintaining separate, duplicate infrastructure is expensive and can be bad for business. There are a lot of consolidation and deduplication efforts in the age of massive data center spending.
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Comment on Waymo pauses Atlanta service as its robotaxis keep driving into floods in ~transport
Minori Link ParentPretty huge project that relies on up-to-date highly-detailed topography. I'll be interested to see how they solve this problem!Pretty huge project that relies on up-to-date highly-detailed topography. I'll be interested to see how they solve this problem!
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Comment on Waymo pauses Atlanta service as its robotaxis keep driving into floods in ~transport
Minori Link ParentAren't they still in a testing phase? They haven't even be available for a year in Atlanta, so this all seems normal and expected. Unless I missed something, nobody has been harmed nor directly...Aren't they still in a testing phase? They haven't even be available for a year in Atlanta, so this all seems normal and expected.
Unless I missed something, nobody has been harmed nor directly endangered. Waymo voluntarily suspends service during severe weather.
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Comment on 'The report's so stupid': The DNC 2024 autopsy is roiling US Democrats in ~society
Minori Link ParentThere's a good book about the paradox of parties in the US: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691248554/the-hollow-parties In short, the US political system was not designed around...There's a good book about the paradox of parties in the US: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691248554/the-hollow-parties
In short, the US political system was not designed around parties. Parties fundamentally break some of the founders' incorrect assumptions. As a simple example, the founders never pictured congress refusing to impeach a sitting president because of party allegiances; they expected each branch to jealously and independently guard their influence.
You mostly have to look outside Anglophone countries to find better democracies. Australia's is arguably the best in the English speaking world due to mandatory voting.
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Comment on 'The report's so stupid': The DNC 2024 autopsy is roiling US Democrats in ~society
Minori Link ParentLiterally Bernie Sanders. Figures like AOC are also increasingly influential.Literally Bernie Sanders. Figures like AOC are also increasingly influential.
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Comment on Japan is gripped by mass allergies. A 1950s project is to blame. in ~enviro
Minori Link ParentImmunotherapy is actually better for environmental allergens than pets afaik. In the US, allergy shots are fully covered by every health insurance plan (except maybe catastrophic plans). I'm...Immunotherapy is actually better for environmental allergens than pets afaik. In the US, allergy shots are fully covered by every health insurance plan (except maybe catastrophic plans).
I'm mostly discussing how individuals' problems can be treated in less time than it takes to reforest a country.
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Comment on Vaping DMT in ~talk
Minori Link ParentYeah, I know my supply and dosage is legit. 1P-LSD is legal in Canada. Starting small is always safer. You can't untake the drug.Yeah, I know my supply and dosage is legit. 1P-LSD is legal in Canada.
Starting small is always safer. You can't untake the drug.
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Comment on Vaping DMT in ~talk
Minori (edited )Link ParentUnless someone is dosing regularly or a huge person, this is way too much for occasional use. 200 μg is nearly a heroic dose, and ego death for 6+ hours can lead to a terrible trip. Speaking from...200-300μg orally after Friday sunset was their recommendation.
Unless someone is dosing regularly or a huge person, this is way too much for occasional use. 200 μg is nearly a heroic dose, and ego death for 6+ hours can lead to a terrible trip. Speaking from experience, I cannot recommend that much for the vast majority of people!
100 μg is much more reasonable.
Edit: by "huge" I meant the person is physically massive.
All the evidence I've seen says that veterans are actually the most disciplined cops. The military has serious professional standards and training, unlike many buddy-buddy police departments.