patience_limited's recent activity
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Comment on Smartphones arrived just before the US fertility rate plunged. One study says it’s a direct cause. in ~health
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Comment on Four things to know about the newly approved US sunscreen ingredient in ~health
patience_limited Link ParentI'm not really disagreeing with you here, there are some ridiculous gaps in the regulations. But as long as cosmetics and supplements don't make explicit health claims (like "cures/prevents...I'm not really disagreeing with you here, there are some ridiculous gaps in the regulations. But as long as cosmetics and supplements don't make explicit health claims (like "cures/prevents {disease name}"), they're not regulated as strictly within the FDA's jurisdiction.
Sunscreens have the explicit health purpose of preventing sunburn, skin damage, and skin cancer. They're used by billions of people, including infants and children. It seems reasonable to me that they'd be regulated more strictly to ensure they do what's claimed, safely, than the broad range of generally safe products that can ameliorate dry skin and hair.
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Comment on Four things to know about the newly approved US sunscreen ingredient in ~health
patience_limited Link ParentThe agency's ethos is still grounded in avoiding disaster with prescription medications in the wake of thalidomide in the 1950's. Also, the number of people at risk from "gas station heroin" isn't...The agency's ethos is still grounded in avoiding disaster with prescription medications in the wake of thalidomide in the 1950's. Also, the number of people at risk from "gas station heroin" isn't comparable to the number who might use a sunscreen or widely prescribed medication. That's not to say there's never been another major health catastrophe from prescription medication - Fen-Phen and OxyContin come to mind.
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Comment on Four things to know about the newly approved US sunscreen ingredient in ~health
patience_limited (edited )Link ParentLikewise, and the one I'm using (Scinic) definitely has bemotrizinol (Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine) as an ingredient. I'm taking a couple of drugs that increase sun sensitivity,...Likewise, and the one I'm using (Scinic) definitely has bemotrizinol (Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine) as an ingredient.
I'm taking a couple of drugs that increase sun sensitivity, and come from people so pale that melanoma runs in the family. U.S. UVA-only blockers and zinc mineral sunscreen weren't doing the job well enough to handle a few hours outdoors without a burn even with repeated applications.
The formula I'm using is shiny when first applied, but it dries down to a nice natural glow and doesn't cause breakouts.
The only real question I have about bemotrizinol is whether it has the same potential coral reef toxicity as the old FDA-approved sunscreen ingredients like avobenzone, etc.
Note: I'm only using the Korean sunscreen on face and hands (feet if I'm wearing sandals). Everything else gets sun-blocking clothing and hat for any substantial length of time outdoors, so I can't comment on full-body sunscreens.
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Comment on We're so back in ~tildes
patience_limited (edited )LinkI caused the outage by sympathetic magic. I was about to send my very first invite code (in 8 years on Tildes...) to someone I thought would be simpatico (an extremely cool person) and in need of...I caused the outage by sympathetic magic. I was about to send my very first invite code (in 8 years on Tildes...) to someone I thought would be simpatico (an extremely cool person) and in need of a supportive community... and 502 nginx all day.
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Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of June 8 in ~society
patience_limited LinkPostal Service seeks to block mail ballots in states resisting Trump demands There will be a hundred court challenges, but I'm planning on having to vote in person this year.Postal Service seeks to block mail ballots in states resisting Trump demands
There will be a hundred court challenges, but I'm planning on having to vote in person this year.
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Comment on What do you think is the best sandwich? in ~food
patience_limited LinkMy sentimental favorite: Michigan Cherry Chicken Salad on a good croissant. Grilled Cheese with Kimchi Crispy pork belly bahn mi Roast beef and blue cheese. There's a local market which uses...My sentimental favorite: Michigan Cherry Chicken Salad on a good croissant.
Crispy pork belly bahn mi
Roast beef and blue cheese. There's a local market which uses London Broil and cambozola, and it's fabulous. Their Chimp Boy Gravel Pants sandwich is a turkey version with blue cheese and sun-dried tomatoes that's also wonderful.
Finally, the one everyone else will hate... the basic deli corned beef and chopped liver. From a deli that knows the ancient lore, on a really serious caraway rye bread.
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Comment on Neomercantilism: an interview with Prof. Eric Helleiner on his book, "The Neomercantilists: A Global Intellectual History" in ~books
patience_limited LinkAfter reading this interview, I'm enthusiastic to wade into The Neomercantilists. The interviewer is clearly a fanboy, but the book discussion reveals what might be a great synthesis of...After reading this interview, I'm enthusiastic to wade into The Neomercantilists. The interviewer is clearly a fanboy, but the book discussion reveals what might be a great synthesis of international intellectual traditions of political economy, infused with local knowledge in a broad range of countries that hasn't been available from other Western-centric texts. I'm very much an armchair amateur economics reader for whom this sounds like an accessible survey.
Eric Helleiner: I would be happy to. First, let me thank you for the invitation and for your deep interest in my work. It is a pleasure to discuss this subject with you. Your question about methodology is interesting because I am a political scientist by training. I have always felt like a bit of an interloper when working on history—even though many of my collaborators are historians—since I was not formally trained in the discipline, let alone in global intellectual history.
Consequently, my method is heavily informed by my political science background. In this particular case, the driving force behind the project was a deep frustration with my own field’s parochialism. The way political science told its own history was extremely Western-centric, or more specifically, Eurocentric. Having taught for over three decades, I was always waiting for someone to write a history of the field that looked beyond Marx, Keynes, Adam Smith, and Friedrich List to explore how thinkers in the rest of the world approached the politics of the global economy.
That was the catalyst for the project. However, addressing your specific question about method: I encountered several practical challenges. The most immediate was the language barrier, an obstacle that faces anyone attempting to work within a truly global frame. Compounding this was a lack of specialist knowledge regarding many of the specific countries and regions I wished to explore.
To overcome these hurdles, my primary strategy was to partner with scholars who possessed the linguistic skills and regional expertise that I lacked. For instance, I collaborated with a Korean scholar who could interpret late-19th-century Korean texts with a nuance I could never achieve. I also worked closely with one of my own PhD students, an American, whose knowledge of Spanish texts and Latin American intellectual history proved invaluable. Furthermore, I partnered with a specialist in Chinese history and political economy. Recognizing that I could not undertake this monumental task alone and actively seeking expert collaboration became a cornerstone of my methodology.
Beyond collaboration, the method required absolute immersion in the literature. I delved into intellectual, economic, and political histories, familiarizing myself with the secondary literature to understand established narratives and references. From there, I went to the original texts as often as possible. I am a staunch advocate for reading primary sources. It is not necessarily that secondary literature misinterprets these works, but rather that subsequent authors might overlook elements that are crucial to your own specific research questions.
In this pursuit of original texts, I benefited immensely from the labor of others. Countless scholars working in global history have translated vital works that would have otherwise remained inaccessible to me. I am enormously grateful for their efforts. For example, Fukuzawa Yukichi’s famous Japanese texts are now available in English, and a new translation of Zheng Guanying’s influential 1890s work was recently published. Realistically, I could not have written this book twenty years ago. The fantastic translation work historians have done allows outsiders to the discipline, like myself, to access these global perspectives.
In short, executing this kind of global history is incredibly difficult and exceptionally time-consuming. It requires reading vast amounts of secondary literature, rigorously pursuing original texts, and painstakingly tracing international connections. All told, this project took me seven or eight years to complete.
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Additionally, I deliberately presented my findings at various institutions to solicit critical feedback. I would outline my thesis and essentially say, “Here is what I think; please tell me why I am wrong.” Those sessions provided extraordinarily valuable critiques that further refined the book.
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I define neo-mercantilism primarily as a belief in strategic trade protectionism. I must emphasize “strategic”—these thinkers did not advocate for autarky. They were certainly fierce critics of free trade, but their goal was to use protectionism surgically to cultivate specific domestic sectors, usually industry, during the periods I examined. However, protectionism is only the first component. The ideology also encompasses various other forms of government economic activism, such as establishing state-owned enterprises or implementing controls on foreign investment.Crucially, the ultimate objective behind this strategic protectionism and state activism is the promotion of state power and wealth. This sets them apart from other ideologies. Neo-mercantilists view power and wealth at the state level as fundamentally interconnected and mutually reinforcing: a country cannot be truly wealthy if it is not powerful, and it cannot be powerful without wealth. Their orientation is deeply statist. Unlike classical liberals, who operate with an individual, market-driven, or globally integrated orientation, the neo-mercantilist’s primary unit of analysis is the state.
The final component of my definition is that this intellectual project occurs in the post-Smithian age. This means these thinkers were writing with a full awareness of Adam Smith’s devastating critique of traditional mercantilism. Pre-Smithian mercantilists did not actually call themselves mercantilists; Smith invented the concept of the “mercantile system” as a target for his own aggressive critiques. Therefore, to embrace a mercantilist framework after Adam Smith—whose work was globally influential—required a deliberate intellectual response. Neo-mercantilists acknowledge Smith’s critiques but maintain their belief that state intervention and protectionism remain essential for cultivating national prosperity. They are “neo”-mercantilists precisely because they are updating the ideology in the wake of classical political economy.
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There are countless examples of neo-mercantilists who viewed their ideology as entirely compatible with international cooperation. Initially, I found this surprising, but upon deeper reflection, it makes perfect logical sense. A 19th-century classical liberal advocated for laissez-faire policies: dismantling barriers and allowing the frictionless flow of goods, services, and people. A neo-mercantilist, conversely, demanded state control and strategic protectionism, yet they still desired an integrated global economy. If multiple nations are actively intervening in their respective economies while engaging in international trade, sophisticated international cooperation becomes an absolute functional necessity to manage those complex state-to-state relations.Therefore, their internationalism is a logical extension of their statism. This is a vital historical corrective when analyzing contemporary figures like Trump. Critics often assume that his neo-mercantilist leanings preclude any belief in international cooperation. Yet, the very tradition he draws upon contains a rich history of supporting—and indeed, pioneering—international cooperative frameworks that are foundational to our modern world order, such as structured trade organizations and international development initiatives.
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Beyond proving the endogenous origins of these ideas and decentering List, the research profoundly changed my view on how neo-mercantilism intersects with internationalism. As we transition back into a neo-mercantilist world order today, it is vital to remember that historical advocates of this ideology were not inherently hostile to international cooperation; indeed, they pioneered concepts of international development. We see this historically in Latin America, where structuralists like Raúl Prebisch seamlessly integrated import substitution industrialization with robust advocacy for international cooperative frameworks.Additionally, it is crucial to understand that neo-mercantilism is entirely politically promiscuous. It belongs to neither the left nor the right. We see radical left-wing neo-mercantilists in 19th-century Bolivia and in the socialist framework of Sun Yat-sen. Simultaneously, there are countless reactionary, right-wing iterations. We are witnessing this exact ideological fluidity today, with both left and right populists globally embracing state-led economic nationalism.
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The primary value of intellectual history for economics students is the realization that the parameters of current economic orthodoxy are historically contingent. Studying history reveals a vast, rich spectrum of debate regarding economic organization that far exceeds the narrow methodological consensus of the present moment. Economic paradigms shift rapidly; policies deemed impossibly archaic a decade ago—like neo-mercantilism—can suddenly become the dominant global reality. A student equipped with historical knowledge is intellectually agile and prepared for these inevitable paradigm shifts.Regarding the global dimension: it is a truism that we live in a deeply interconnected world. To navigate it, we must strive to understand the intellectual heritage of nations outside the Western core. While we may never perfectly translate the cultural nuances of distant political traditions, engaging seriously with the historical thinkers that shaped their current geopolitical strategies is indispensable. Those historical ideas leave powerful intellectual residues that dictate modern policy.
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Neomercantilism: an interview with Prof. Eric Helleiner on his book, "The Neomercantilists: A Global Intellectual History"
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Comment on Website showing spuriously correlated affects in ~science
patience_limited LinkI adore the correlation between library science degree awards and Google "how to hide a body" searches. The AI-generated "explanation" is chef's kiss.I adore the correlation between library science degree awards and Google "how to hide a body" searches. The AI-generated "explanation" is chef's kiss.
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Comment on Storied Colors - indexed and searchable color history in ~arts
patience_limited (edited )LinkAbout the site: Found via Kevin Kelly's Recommedo "Cool Tools Lab" newsletter. The color stories are timely in that I'm off to an arts and nature retreat later this week, hoping to make a start on...About the site:
One color a day, told as it ought to be told: with its provenance, its chemistry, and the people who paid for it in poison.
Every pigment in this catalogue has a paper trail. Where it was first ground, in whose workshop, on whose canvas it dried, when it was banned, what replaced it. We do not invent provenance and we do not edit out the unflattering parts.
New entries arrive each Sunday at 06:00 GMT. Older entries are continually amended as conservation laboratories publish corrections.
Found via Kevin Kelly's Recommedo "Cool Tools Lab" newsletter. The color stories are timely in that I'm off to an arts and nature retreat later this week, hoping to make a start on pen and watercolor illustration.
Some of the stories are singularly entertaining (to me, anyway), like Midnight Blue and Baker-Miller Pink.
A couple of recurring themes in the discussion of historical colors:
Many pigments are extremely light-sensitive, fading to obscured or distorted hues in a few years. The first color on the site's list, Aigami, is a exceptionally fragile flower petal-derived blue that fades to near-white in a couple of years, rendering pre-Prussian Blue Japanese block prints untrue to the original coloration.
The second theme is that historical colors were often deadly poisons, containing lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, antimony, chromium, cobalt, and other toxins. Much of the early history of organic chemistry was devoted to finding less toxic pigments. Although azo and aniline dyes are now known to be mostly carcinogens, they don't tend to sneakily migrate throughout the environment from the medium they're coloring the way old arsenic, lead, and mercury pigments did.
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Storied Colors - indexed and searchable color history
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Comment on Emacs bra size calculator in ~comp
patience_limited Link ParentThe constraints for "A Jock That Fits" or "A Condom That Fits" are a little... looser? Though my spouse used to do MMA and there's some serious engineering in those cups...The constraints for "A Jock That Fits" or "A Condom That Fits" are a little... looser?
Though my spouse used to do MMA and there's some serious engineering in those cups...
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Comment on Emacs bra size calculator in ~comp
patience_limited Link ParentThe infuriating thing is that those body variations aren't rare. You don't have to be AMAB to have widely separated breasts with non-nursing shapes and firmness, and that's not even accounting for...The infuriating thing is that those body variations aren't rare. You don't have to be AMAB to have widely separated breasts with non-nursing shapes and firmness, and that's not even accounting for body composition or stature. The range of genetic, environmental, and hormonal variations is amazing, and change never stops throughout a boob-haver's lifetime.
While I don't think there's any way to design a single perfectly adjustable bra that will accommodate all of the requirements (comfort, support, modesty, fashion, etc.) the garment has accumulated, if you read through bra reviews there are many, many people with unmet needs.
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Comment on The dead economy theory in ~society
patience_limited Link ParentThose tasks are a big chunk of what I do, and I'd have to agree. Though calling them "non-cognitive" is a definitional error (unless only software development or theoretical mathematics are...Those tasks are a big chunk of what I do, and I'd have to agree. Though calling them "non-cognitive" is a definitional error (unless only software development or theoretical mathematics are "cognitive").
It might be better to divide out activities that require tacit knowledge/boots on the ground and human interaction, from those reliant on pure reasoning?
I'm in the peculiar middle of programming, implementation, clinical workflow design, physical engineering, QA, documentation, and training, with some support, sales engineering, product and project management thrown in for seasoning. It's the kind of bespoke work that occurs in many fields where technology has to be carefully fitted to human needs and physical/financial reality.
While LLM supplementation works for some tasks, that middle ground is exactly where automation fails. Automating something that hasn't been well understood or defined is a recipe for real-world waste, failure, and dissatisfaction. Tyrannically imposed one-sided "solutions" that don't effectively satisfy any need but profit are a substantial part of why so many people are rejecting our AI future.
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Comment on Emacs bra size calculator in ~comp
patience_limited (edited )Link ParentSpeaking as a boob-haver with non-standard, muscular dimensions, all bra size calculators bear only the slightest relationship with bras as they're actually constructed. Calculators don't account...Speaking as a boob-haver with non-standard, muscular dimensions, all bra size calculators bear only the slightest relationship with bras as they're actually constructed. Calculators don't account for breast placement on the ribcage (height and separation) or firmness/pendulousness.
Depending on the cut and manufacturer, I wear anything from a 36C to a 40A (official "Bra That Fits" size 38B), based on tried-on fit and strap adjustments. And the effects range from Pancake House to Mad Uniboober to Valley of the Shadow of Death.
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Comment on How has inflation changed your quality of life? in ~finance
patience_limited Link ParentThis is true. Spouse picks up occasional work at a boutique wine shop with an avid clientele, and the tariffs have had a major impact even before the current bout of inflation. Prices jumped 25%...This is true. Spouse picks up occasional work at a boutique wine shop with an avid clientele, and the tariffs have had a major impact even before the current bout of inflation. Prices jumped 25% to 50% depending on the country of origin. Customers who used to buy top shelf are now buying middle/bottom tier, and fewer bottles. U.S. wines are still pricy by comparison with imports, and costs are rising here, too.
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Comment on How has inflation changed your quality of life? in ~finance
patience_limited Link ParentI live in farm country, and it's advantageous in so many ways to use the farmer's market - freshness, better-tasting varieties than the ones bred for long shipping/storage, lower environmental...I live in farm country, and it's advantageous in so many ways to use the farmer's market - freshness, better-tasting varieties than the ones bred for long shipping/storage, lower environmental impact, making community connections, supporting sustainable farming and local small businesses, trustworthy organic foods...
And yet I haven't been going lately because the prices are just painful and the seasonal selection isn't great right now. I can get twice as much conventional grocery store produce for the farmer's market price, and a much wider range of (usually imported) products. I don't want the farmer's market to be a "luxury", but it is.
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Comment on What are your personal crackpot conspiracy theories about the world right now? in ~talk
patience_limited LinkI don't know if it counts as a "conspiracy theory" when there's widespread public evidence to support it, but I'll connect the dots as I see them... Public fear over contagious disease provides...I don't know if it counts as a "conspiracy theory" when there's widespread public evidence to support it, but I'll connect the dots as I see them...
Public fear over contagious disease provides cognitive exploits for malicious implantation of right-wing ideology. There are replicable psychology studies indicating that disgust and preference for social order are reliable predictors of conservative ideological bias. It's easy to promote "dirty foreigner" narratives that amplify disease anxieties and reduce scrutiny of authoritarian encroachment on former freedoms of movement, speech, association, etc.
I saw this as a clear strategy of the U.S. right wing as far back as 2014, when a few cases of Ebola reaching the Americas had a measurable impact on the election of loonier conservatives to Congress that year. It's only gotten worse since.
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Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of May 25 in ~society
patience_limited LinkThis is "old" news, but it's gobsmackingly symbolic of the kakistocracy we're living in: Penile implant specialist with history of far-right comments led hantavirus presser U.S. public health has...This is "old" news, but it's gobsmackingly symbolic of the kakistocracy we're living in:
Penile implant specialist with history of far-right comments led hantavirus presser
U.S. public health has become a not-at-all funny joke. There's an Ebola outbreak of international concern, a new human-transmissible hantavirus strain, millions of HIV sufferers who now can't get medication and millions of at-risk people who can't afford PrEP without USAID, antibiotic-resistant TB and other bacterial infections, new fungal diseases without effective treatments... and influenza and COVID are still continually mutating. Endless wars and famines just make matters worse.
These problems are relatively cheap and easy to fix if addressed early and competently. If I had any skills or talents for public office, I'd be running - encourage your science and health-affiliated friends to throw their hats in the ring.
This is going to be a controversial reply, and I'll preface it with the statement that it's 100% personal choice.
I'm aiming for 80ish and done, the "Harold and Maude" (spoiler warning) solution. I have no intention of hanging on past the point where I can enjoy life and take care of myself and others. I also intend to leave whatever financial resources I can conserve to those who'll use them in support of the next generations.
We can debate the ethics of this terminal effort all day long. But I will also fight any forces that push people towards suicide/euthanasia or away from their own chosen endings.