qob's recent activity
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Comment on A ‘third way’ between buying or renting? Swiss co-ops say they’ve found it. in ~finance
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Comment on How Tea’s founder convinced millions of women to spill their secrets, then exposed them to the world in ~tech
qob Link ParentBut is it really an open standard if Google, Apple and Microsoft design and adopt it?But is it really an open standard if Google, Apple and Microsoft design and adopt it?
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Comment on Does anyone have a digg invite code I can get ? in ~tech
qob Link ParentPeople don't always make good decisions. The fact that most users cling to Reddit and Twitter doesn't mean their services are better. People consume too much junk food and alcohol even though it's...People don't always make good decisions. The fact that most users cling to Reddit and Twitter doesn't mean their services are better. People consume too much junk food and alcohol even though it's unhealthy.
For-profit media are really good at exploiting our emotions and it takes constant conscious effort to see through that.
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Comment on How Tea’s founder convinced millions of women to spill their secrets, then exposed them to the world in ~tech
qob Link ParentIt's the first. Well, kinda. They want an "open standard" like HTML5 for the web or OOXML for documents. (OOXML is Microsoft, but it's the same difference.) Something that is open on the surface...It's the first. Well, kinda. They want an "open standard" like HTML5 for the web or OOXML for documents. (OOXML is Microsoft, but it's the same difference.) Something that is open on the surface but more or less under their control so they can shape it the way they like it.
Of course Google wants people to use the web a lot. But I don't understand why they need an open standard for that. Users don't have any issues with proprietary protocols, formats and software. 99 % don't even know what that means.
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Comment on How Tea’s founder convinced millions of women to spill their secrets, then exposed them to the world in ~tech
qob Link ParentWhat exactly was the fallout? I don't know, but my guess would be that it didn't stop their shares from going up and a few weeks of banter in nerd forums was the worst part of it. I remember that...Remember the fallout from scanning public access points in their street view cars?
What exactly was the fallout? I don't know, but my guess would be that it didn't stop their shares from going up and a few weeks of banter in nerd forums was the worst part of it.
I remember that case because I read IT news daily. But ask 1000 random people on the street, and I'd bet that 0 would know what you're talking about or even understand the issue if you explained it to them.
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Comment on How Tea’s founder convinced millions of women to spill their secrets, then exposed them to the world in ~tech
qob Link ParentBut how would they profit from an open standard? People could just use any service, not just Google. Ideally, they want a proprietary protocol that's complex, riddled with patents and unstable so...But how would they profit from an open standard? People could just use any service, not just Google. Ideally, they want a proprietary protocol that's complex, riddled with patents and unstable so they don't have to spend money on buying the competition.
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Comment on How Tea’s founder convinced millions of women to spill their secrets, then exposed them to the world in ~tech
qob Link ParentTo add to what @zestier said, Let's Encrypt didn't design the underlying protocols browsers and web servers use. They are designed in such a way that it is impossible for any party to track your...To add to what @zestier said, Let's Encrypt didn't design the underlying protocols browsers and web servers use. They are designed in such a way that it is impossible for any party to track your behaviour. If Google could design these protocols now, you can bet your ass they would allow themselves to collect user data.
Ideally, it would be the job of governments to appoint committees that design user ID protocols that don't allow anyone to profit from them. Unfortunately, they are clueless, in bed with the likes of Google and very interested in harvesting data for their own purposes.
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Comment on Europe's rich are watching Norway's election debate on wealth taxes – changes to taxation are at the heart of the centre-right's attempts to retake power in ~society
qob Link ParentI agree, but if only inheritances are taxed, it would take quite a while to get rid of the filthy rich. Even with a 100 % tax it would take upwards of 60 years. Just put a cap on wealth and we're...I agree, but if only inheritances are taxed, it would take quite a while to get rid of the filthy rich. Even with a 100 % tax it would take upwards of 60 years.
Just put a cap on wealth and we're done immediately.
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Comment on The biggest animal welfare victory of the 21st century, explained in one chart | Global fur production has collapsed. Here’s how it happened. in ~enviro
qob Link ParentI'd really like to see a source. As far as I know, nobody has any clue what "sentience" or "intelligence" actually is and where it comes from. But it doesn't matter if animals know what "richness...In general animals don't have a concept of richness of life.
I'd really like to see a source. As far as I know, nobody has any clue what "sentience" or "intelligence" actually is and where it comes from.
But it doesn't matter if animals know what "richness of life" is. What matters is that they experience it. Animals (at least the mammals we're talking about) with a dull life get depressed. Just capture a mouse and put it in a bucket with plenty of food and water and see what happens. (Please don't actually do this!)
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Comment on The biggest animal welfare victory of the 21st century, explained in one chart | Global fur production has collapsed. Here’s how it happened. in ~enviro
qob Link ParentI'd argue that a short, rich life in freedom is better than a long, dull life in captivity, but all this is besides the point. It's not your decision to make to put others in prison, no matter how...I'd argue that a short, rich life in freedom is better than a long, dull life in captivity, but all this is besides the point. It's not your decision to make to put others in prison, no matter how wonderful you think it is for them.
Earlier today I had the thought that you are basically arguing for the machines from the movie The Matrix. They wanted to harvest energy from humans, so they enslaved them and put them in an artificial version of what they thought was paradise. In the movie, the machines did that to keep the humans from rebelling. In reality, we do that to keep our conscience from rebelling. That's the only difference I could think of.
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Comment on The biggest animal welfare victory of the 21st century, explained in one chart | Global fur production has collapsed. Here’s how it happened. in ~enviro
qob Link ParentSo while we were hunted really hard by all those predators 24/7, we were hunting them back into extinction? That really does sound like Jurassic Park, and it makes about as much sense. If everyone...So while we were hunted really hard by all those predators 24/7, we were hunting them back into extinction? That really does sound like Jurassic Park, and it makes about as much sense. If everyone was killing everyone else on sight, how come anyone is still alive?
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Comment on What are some great actual comedies made in the last twenty years? in ~movies
qob LinkI can't think of any movie that is just a comedy. They all need a theme they can make fun of where an actual story takes place. Otherwise it would just be a collection of jokes. My favorite...I can't think of any movie that is just a comedy. They all need a theme they can make fun of where an actual story takes place. Otherwise it would just be a collection of jokes.
My favorite (horror) comedies are Tucker and Dale vs. Evil and What We Do in the Shadows.
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Comment on The biggest animal welfare victory of the 21st century, explained in one chart | Global fur production has collapsed. Here’s how it happened. in ~enviro
qob Link ParentNowadays we run for fun and the predators are other humans. You make it sound like we were living in Jurassic Park back then. There are still peoples that live close to nature and the main reason...Nowadays we run for fun and the predators are other humans. You make it sound like we were living in Jurassic Park back then. There are still peoples that live close to nature and the main reason they are suffering is because we come to them with our greed and ideologies to destroy their ecosystems.
It's fine if you want to make this decision for yourself, but it's a different thing to make it for someone else. There's a reason false imprisonment is a felony and not an act of charity, even if the victim is well cared for.
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Comment on The biggest animal welfare victory of the 21st century, explained in one chart | Global fur production has collapsed. Here’s how it happened. in ~enviro
qob Link ParentThat sounds reasonable, but the thing is, foxes evolved to live in the wilderness, not in comfort. It may be possible to construct an environment that they can enjoy, but I'm pretty sure it would...That sounds reasonable, but the thing is, foxes evolved to live in the wilderness, not in comfort. It may be possible to construct an environment that they can enjoy, but I'm pretty sure it would be quite a bit more expensive than an enclosure with a bunch of squeaky toys.
Following your argument, a human prison should be amazing. (Assuming it's not a Russian gulag.) Prisoners don't have to care about food, shelter, bills, politics and all that shit. They are protected from drugs and other bad decisions everyone else has to actively fight every day. Most of your day is structured so you never have to figure out what to do next. And when you hit 60, you could be killed humanely so you don't have to suffer through old age. Would you enjoy that?
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Comment on The biggest animal welfare victory of the 21st century, explained in one chart | Global fur production has collapsed. Here’s how it happened. in ~enviro
qob Link ParentI don't think I get your point. Of course we have the resources to hunt many species into extinction in very short time periods. But then there isn't going to be any animals left to hunt, making...I don't think I get your point. Of course we have the resources to hunt many species into extinction in very short time periods. But then there isn't going to be any animals left to hunt, making it impossible to get more furs.
And yes, if we hunt sustainably so their numbers can recover they won't go extinct, but if a single fox needs square miles of land (and we have been destroying these ecosystems for decades by the way) the amount of fur you get is so small that it's basically nothing compared to the billions of humans.
But the fur would be so expensive that only billionaires could afford them, which might solve this problem. But I still don't understand why someone who has so much money that they can't spend it reasonably should spend it unreasonably by killing sentient beings. There are so many other stupid things you can spend billions on without hurting anyone.
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Comment on The biggest animal welfare victory of the 21st century, explained in one chart | Global fur production has collapsed. Here’s how it happened. in ~enviro
qob Link ParentLife itself is not without sin. The moment you are born, you interfere with the world in unpredictable ways that will often have negative impacts on your fellow beings. Consuming is always bad and...Life itself is not without sin. The moment you are born, you interfere with the world in unpredictable ways that will often have negative impacts on your fellow beings. Consuming is always bad and you can only make it less bad, never good.
If you hunt wild foxes for their fur to sell, you are doing a much, much better job than the farmer who breeds thousands of wild foxes in cages, but you are still killing to make something nobody needs anymore.
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Comment on The biggest animal welfare victory of the 21st century, explained in one chart | Global fur production has collapsed. Here’s how it happened. in ~enviro
qob Link ParentSure, if you live completely off the land in Alaska, you can hunt wild animals to make clothing. But how many of those still exist? 3? If you watch shows like Life Below Zero, you see indigenous...Sure, if you live completely off the land in Alaska, you can hunt wild animals to make clothing. But how many of those still exist? 3? If you watch shows like Life Below Zero, you see indigenous people driving quads, watching TV and wearing synthetic clothing. Presumably because it's a lot of hard work to make a coat from wild animals and it may not last as long and could be less functional. I don't really know.
But this is about the fashion industry that raises wild animals in unimaginably horrible conditions to make their business profitable, and the resulting product is still very expensive. It's simply not possible to harvest these vanity products from the wilderness.
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Comment on The biggest animal welfare victory of the 21st century, explained in one chart | Global fur production has collapsed. Here’s how it happened. in ~enviro
qob Link ParentYou could probably say the same thing about human leather. If we could only raise humans in an engaging environment with a rich social life and breed them for willingness to sacrifice themselves...It's a wonderful material and less damaging to the environment.....if we could manage to limit consumption, raise the animals in comfort, and kill them without pain, fur can be appreciated.
You could probably say the same thing about human leather. If we could only raise humans in an engaging environment with a rich social life and breed them for willingness to sacrifice themselves while still making a profit, we could have such a wonderful material. Unfortunately, people are too stingy and won't spend millions on a leather coat.
Sorry for the sarcasm, but I really don't understand how anyone can think it's ok to kill for a vanity product.
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Comment on China begins building world's largest dam, fuelling fears in India in ~enviro
qob Link ParentThat's true, but but national governments only have power over smaller jurisdictions because those smaller jurisdictions grant them that power. If every municipality would stop paying state and...That's true, but but national governments only have power over smaller jurisdictions because those smaller jurisdictions grant them that power. If every municipality would stop paying state and national taxes, governments would be as powerless as the UN. It's social contracts all the way down.
And it doesn't really stop at national governments either. International organizations like the European Union or BRICS have some power over their members states.
Look at Europe a few hundred years ago compared to today. When people whine about the toothless UN, they want that on a global scale. Some kind of governing body that can make decisions that everyone will accept because they can't go to war with everybody else. Just like no village is refusing to accept national law because they can't afford to go to war with every other village.
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Comment on Rubber pads for stacking laptops? in ~comp
qob LinkI would try stacking them as they are and monitor temperatures. Unless you are mining bitcoins, they won't overheat so fast that you can't turn them off. And even if they overheat, they should...I would try stacking them as they are and monitor temperatures. Unless you are mining bitcoins, they won't overheat so fast that you can't turn them off. And even if they overheat, they should turn themselves off before they are damaged. You are going to have to check the temperatures anyway, so you might as well start with the simplest setup.
You can also try standing them up vertically like books. Just sure you don't block any fans.
In Germany, we have the Mietshäusersyndikat. It's structured a bit differently from a legal perspective, but in practice, it's the same idea: You own the house that you live in. The general idea is actually over 100 years old. I don't understand why it is still perfectly normal to profit from housing.