psi's recent activity
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Comment on Non-parents give crappy parenting advice in ~life
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Comment on Kamala Harris lacks charisma and time in ~misc
psi Link ParentOn the contrary, Europeans are more likely to be out in the city center than their North American counterparts given how much more walkable European cities are. In America, when someone stops me...On the contrary, Europeans are more likely to be out in the city center than their North American counterparts given how much more walkable European cities are. In America, when someone stops me on the street, they're usually asking for money; in Germany, they're usually asking for directions.
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Comment on US President Joe Biden announces that he will not run for re-election in ~news
psi Link ParentRegarding the FEC: the current chair of the FEC is a Trump appointee purposefully distorting the law. He cites 11 C.F.R. § 110.1(b)(3) in an attempt to muddy the waters, but its applicability is...Regarding the FEC: the current chair of the FEC is a Trump appointee purposefully distorting the law. He cites 11 C.F.R. § 110.1(b)(3) in an attempt to muddy the waters, but its applicability is dubious. At any rate, he doesn't have the final say -- the FEC board is purposefully split 3-3 Republican-Democratic, so the worse-case scenario is that the decision would be split and sent to the courts, where it would remain unsettled until well after election day.
However, the fact that the chairman has to speak so obtusely proves the weakness of the challenge. And at any rate it's irrelevant, as the issue would be resolved too late to matter.
As for your larger point: I don't see frivolous lawsuits as being much of a threat. On the contrary, I think they often have the opposite effect, making the plaintiff look incompetent and petty.
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Comment on Let's build a playlist! in ~music
psi Link ParentAhhh, it's missing! That is immensely disappointing. But luckily all of their songs are awesome. As a replacement, how about "Catalyst"?Ahhh, it's missing! That is immensely disappointing. But luckily all of their songs are awesome. As a replacement, how about "Catalyst"?
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Comment on US President Joe Biden announces that he will not run for re-election in ~news
psi Link ParentBut even if Paxton were to succeed -- and again, I don't think he would for the reasons @boxer_dogs_dance describes -- he wouldn't be able to prevent a write-in campaign. And it's perfectly...But even if Paxton were to succeed -- and again, I don't think he would for the reasons @boxer_dogs_dance describes -- he wouldn't be able to prevent a write-in campaign. And it's perfectly conceivable that the Democrats could actually prevail under such circumstances (Lisa Murkowski, for example, famously won a Senate seat despite not being on the ballot). Indeed, if there's enough public bashlash against such a blatantly undemocratic measure, it might even have the opposite effect, boosting Democratic turnout.
I agree that a hypothetical legal challenge blocking access to the ballot would be morally reprehensible, but I don't think it would necessarily be catastrophic.
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Comment on US President Joe Biden announces that he will not run for re-election in ~news
psi (edited )Link ParentI think the legal concerns are overblown. As others have said, there does not appear to be any legitimate legal theory for disqualifying the future Democratic nominee. Instead people are worried...I think the legal concerns are overblown.
- As others have said, there does not appear to be any legitimate legal theory for disqualifying the future Democratic nominee. Instead people are worried about non-specific, goal-oriented legal threats rather than any particularized wrongdoing by the DNC. The concern basically amounts to: well, what if the Supreme Court decides to go rogue and disqualify the Democratic candidate anyway? Folk, if the Supreme Court were to do something like this, there would be riots in the streets because that would be the death knell to American democracy, not Trump.
- Speaking of the Supreme Court: as terrible as the majority has been, they were not willing to entertain Trump's frivolous legal challenges in the 2020 election. In fact, the only meaningful consequences of those lawsuits have been civil and criminal actions against those involved in the conspiracy, including some of the lawyers who filed said frivolous lawsuits.
- The optics of attempting to disenfranchise half the electorate will be absolutely awful for Republicans. Democrats are currently campaigning against Republicans on the platform that Trump is a threat to democracy. How will the public take it when Republicans try to disqualify the only other major Presidential candidate?
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Comment on Joe Biden decision surprised most US TV news networks: How CBS, MSNBC and more scrambled to cover bombshell in ~tv
psi Link ParentThis really is the core of it. It is the job of the media to report news, i.e. new developments. Trump's blabbering has no consequences, while Biden's gaffes caused an intra-party revolt. Sure,...I'm sure this will sound biased, and I'm open to being told that I'm wrong, but it seems to me like they focused on Biden's flaws because Democrats and left-wing voters care about that sort of thing, and Republicans don't.
This really is the core of it. It is the job of the media to report news, i.e. new developments. Trump's blabbering has no consequences, while Biden's gaffes caused an intra-party revolt. Sure, you can argue that the media exacerbated the issue by amplifying the voices of defectors, but when Democratic politicians are calling for a President to step aside, how could that not be newsworthy? And it's not as if the media doesn't cover Trump's nonsensical statements -- remember when he extemporized about sharks last month? But ultimately if there's no fallout, there's nothing to follow-up on.
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Comment on Let's build a playlist! in ~music
psi LinkLooking forward to having this playing in the background for the next few months! Here are my offerings: "Full Moon Full Life" (from The Persona3 Reload Soundtrack) "Trail of Fire" by Oceansize...Looking forward to having this playing in the background for the next few months! Here are my offerings:
- "Full Moon Full Life" (from The Persona3 Reload Soundtrack)
- "Trail of Fire" by Oceansize (from Frames)
- "We Forgotten Who We Are" by Crippled Black Phoenix (from I, Vigilante)
- "The Bright Ambassadors of Morning" by Pure Reason Revolution (from The Dark Third)
- "The Beginning" by Magdalena Bay (from Mercurial World)
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
psi Link ParentAh right, after rereading your comment, I missed the speedtech bit (in my defense, I was severely under-rested yesterday). Personally I found Celeste a wonderful game but felt utterly dejected...Ah right, after rereading your comment, I missed the speedtech bit (in my defense, I was severely under-rested yesterday). Personally I found Celeste a wonderful game but felt utterly dejected when I realized I wasn't good enough for the DLC -- so kudos to you for persevering. Maybe I should give the strawberry jam mod a shot, though. I assume the difficulty is generally not too bad (other than a few walls)?
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
psi Link ParentJust in case you aren't aware: you can enable "cheat mode" from the prologue in order to unlock all the B/C sides etc.Wanted to finally beat Farewell and get back into some of the speedtech, but realized I needed to grind through it all again.
Just in case you aren't aware: you can enable "cheat mode" from the prologue in order to unlock all the B/C sides etc.
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Comment on Joe Biden calls Volodymyr Zelensky 'Putin' right before huge press conference in ~news
psi (edited )Link ParentI honestly don't know what would happened. I don't think the legal challenges would be insurmountable, though. Without a doubt, dropping Biden would inject uncertainty into the election, but I'd...I honestly don't know what would happened. I don't think the legal challenges would be insurmountable, though. Without a doubt, dropping Biden would inject uncertainty into the election, but I'd rather be uncertain about the outcome than certain that Biden will lose, which is closer to how I feel right now.
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Comment on Joe Biden calls Volodymyr Zelensky 'Putin' right before huge press conference in ~news
psi Link ParentBut on the other hand, the role of the media is to report the news, and I don't see a universe in which Biden's debate performance and the subsequent fallout isn't newsworthy. I agree with you...But on the other hand, the role of the media is to report the news, and I don't see a universe in which Biden's debate performance and the subsequent fallout isn't newsworthy. I agree with you that mainstream, left-leaning media outlets like the NYT are harming Biden's election prospects with their nonstop coverage, and I suspect they realize that, too -- even when the NYT editorial board called for Biden to withdraw from the race, they still insisted that Biden would be their "unequivocal pick" over Trump. But until there is some definitive resolution to this issue, it will continue to be newsworthy. We can't stem bad press with finger-pointing any more than we can stem a river with our hands.
The most pessimistic perspective to have is that media coverage of Biden's gaffes will doom his campaign. But a more optimistic perspective is to hope that media coverage will pressure him to drop out, allowing a better President to serve instead of merely the less bad option.
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Comment on Joe Biden calls Volodymyr Zelensky 'Putin' right before huge press conference in ~news
psi Link ParentOh yeah, I definitely agree. I don't think anyone here who's calling for Biden to drop out would vote for Trump instead. Hell, I'd vote for a ham sandwich before I'd vote for Trump, and I'm a...Oh yeah, I definitely agree. I don't think anyone here who's calling for Biden to drop out would vote for Trump instead. Hell, I'd vote for a ham sandwich before I'd vote for Trump, and I'm a vegetarian. I think the real concern is that having Biden on the ticket will depress the turnout of Democratic-leaning but largely politically-apathetic voters, thus handing Trump a victory in the few swing states that decide the election.
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Comment on Joe Biden calls Volodymyr Zelensky 'Putin' right before huge press conference in ~news
psi (edited )Link ParentThe only politically-viable pathway to replacing Biden requires him to step down willingly, and Biden has flatly declared that he will not do that. Personally I think Biden's stubbornness is...The only politically-viable pathway to replacing Biden requires him to step down willingly, and Biden has flatly declared that he will not do that. Personally I think Biden's stubbornness is slow-walking us into catastrophe, but ultimately the decision is his to make.
Anything less than Biden voluntarily withdrawing his candidacy will result in a political nightmare like @DefinitelyNotAFae mentioned. Were Biden to step down willingly, Harris would become the obvious contender for the Democratic nominee. But otherwise Harris would be stuck between defending Biden (and therefore rejecting her nomination) or abandoning him (and therefore appearing opportunistic). Imagine months of Democratic infighting before the election, with the most maximalist positions being amplified by Russian propagandists.
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Comment on Please convince me to like Fallout 76, I beg you in ~games
psi (edited )LinkI came across a post in /r/anime that I've been thinking about recently (mostly the "it gets better" bit), but I think it applies to you, too. Just make the appropriate substitutions. I've...I came across a post in /r/anime that I've been thinking about recently (mostly the "it gets better" bit), but I think it applies to you, too. Just make the appropriate substitutions.
Please, get comfortable with dropping anime you are not enjoying.
"When does this show get better?"
If you spend any time on this sub and dare to venture into the "new" tab, you see 5 of these posts every time you open reddit.
"I never drop any anime. If I start something, I have to finish it."
The amount of times I have seen this exact sentiment is genuinely baffling to me.
Please, for the love of god, instead of wasting your time on watching something you don´t find fun or arguing over whether it gets better on reddit, get comfortable to make the decision to stop watching something, no matter if its a highly acclaimed show or not. Trust yourself.
When someone says "just keep watching, it gets better" about a show you dislike, most of the time the better stuff won´t do it for you either. When people say it "gets better", what that usually means is "it will be more of the same, but better", but what you want to hear is "it gets good in a different way". It gets better holds true for people who are already fans, but for someone who is not enjoying it, 9/10 times, nothing will change.
But then, what about that one time out of 10 where it would? The reality of it is, there is such a huge amount of great anime, you will never to be able to come close to watching all of them. Even if you never drop a single anime to never miss anything good, it´s still not going to change that. If anything, the time you waste watching shows you don´t enjoy in hopes of it "getting better" is time you could spend watching something that you actually like.
If you feel "this show is not worth watching", trust yourself, and drop the anime. There are too many great anime out there to spend your time watching something you don´t want to. [...] Should you ever feel like it, you can pick it back up at any point in the future.
I've generally found this advice to hold true, including the idea of giving shows a second chance. As an example, I originally dropped Konosuba, wondering what "the point" of the show was. But after returning to it much later, I realized "the point" was the characters, and now Konosuba is one of my favorite anime.
Maybe you'll return to Fallout 76 one day and be able to appreciate it in a different light. Or maybe it's just a game you'll never vibe with, and that's fine too.
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Comment on Tildes Game Giveaway: June/July 2024 in ~games
psi Link ParentThanks for compiling this list! There are some real bangers on here, too. I'm going to second your comment about Crosscode -- it's criminally underrated, definitely one of my favorite games of the...Thanks for compiling this list! There are some real bangers on here, too. I'm going to second your comment about Crosscode -- it's criminally underrated, definitely one of my favorite games of the past decade.
As for what I'm interested in: I had never heard of Souldiers, but it looks exactly like the sort of game I'd enjoy. I'd like to request a copy, please!
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Comment on Tildes Game Giveaway: June/July 2024 in ~games
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Comment on Tildes Game Giveaway: June/July 2024 in ~games
psi LinkUnfortunately I only have one game to offer, but fortunately it's one of the all time greats! First come, first serve! Borderlands 2: Game of the YearUnfortunately I only have one game to offer, but fortunately it's one of the all time greats! First come, first serve!
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Comment on Tildes Game Giveaway: June/July 2024 in ~games
psi Link ParentI'd like to stake a claim for Wandersong. Thanks!I'd like to stake a claim for Wandersong. Thanks!
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Comment on Read the US Supreme Court’s ruling on immunity (gifted link) in ~news
psi (edited )Link ParentI honestly think this opinion provides legal cover for assassinating political rivals, and in their dissents, Jackson and Sotomayor both seem to think so, too. Put aside the question of whether a...I honestly think this opinion provides legal cover for assassinating political rivals, and in their dissents, Jackson and Sotomayor both seem to think so, too.
Put aside the question of whether a President could immunize himself by carrying out the assassination using "official acts". There's an even more straightforward approach the President could employ: he 1 could organize a hit and then pardon everyone involved in the plot. According to this opinion, the power to pardon is considered "core" and therefore absolutely immune from prosecution. Moreover, this opinion does nothing to assuage us that a President cannot pardon himself -- if anything, this opinion, in its deference to the Presidency and reluctance to put any limits on his power, could be used to support the position that the power to pardon is unlimited.
So what about impeachment? Impeachment is not ideal for multiple reasons:
- Impeachment is a slow process. Usually murderers are held without bond while awaiting trial, not permitted to helm the most powerful office on Earth.
- While the trial is underway, there's nothing stopping the President from continuing to try to murder more of his political rivals, including those who would vote to impeach/convict him.
- If the power to pardon is "core", can an abuse of the pardon power be a "high crime" or "misdemeanor"?
Let me expand on the last point. One way of interpreting the impeachment clause is that it's a political process, so Congress could impeach a President for virtually anything as long as they have the votes. Another way of interpreting the impeachment clause -- as Trump argued during his impeachments and as Republicans seemed willing to endorse -- is that it only applies when there's an underlying crime. And if the power to pardon is absolutely immune from prosecution, then there exist no circumstances in which a President could have acted criminally when abusing his pardons and therefore be subject to impeachment.
This opinion is truly terrible.
1 he because the threat is Trump, not Harris, Clinton, or some other imagined threat
When my brother was about the same age he behaved similarly, to which my aunt quipped, "That child never has a private thought." But that was later proved untrue when she started preparing some fish and my brother kept quiet while making this face 🤢 the whole time.