terr's recent activity
-
Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (April 2025) in ~health.mental
-
Comment on Donald Trump team revokes $11 billion in US funding for addiction, mental health care in ~society
terr LinkSo... is it over, or did it never start? How does the public move on from something that didn't happen? I know this is just more of the same "words don't mean anything, I can say whatever I want...In a statement sent to NPR, a spokesperson with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said it made sense to freeze the program immediately.
"The COVID-19 pandemic is over, and HHS will no longer waste billions of taxpayer dollars responding to a non-existent pandemic that Americans moved on from years ago"
So... is it over, or did it never start? How does the public move on from something that didn't happen?
I know this is just more of the same "words don't mean anything, I can say whatever I want and that's the truth this week" BS, but it's just so confounding how anyone can read or listen to anything these people say and think it sounds convincing, reasonable, or even like they gave it half a moment's thought. They just don't care, and they'll say whatever comes to mind as an excuse for their actions and call it good enough.
-
Comment on Offbeat Fridays – The thread where offbeat headlines become front page news in ~news
terr Link ParentAs the old proverb goes: "The man who walks around with a sword to defend himself against a bike thief is a fool every day but one"As the old proverb goes: "The man who walks around with a sword to defend himself against a bike thief is a fool every day but one"
-
Comment on Determination: Foreign affairs functions of the United States in ~society
terr Link ParentYeah, it sounds like this is an effort to sidestep having to make any take-backsies due to lack of public consultation from their rush to change a number of rules, probably largely around...Yeah, it sounds like this is an effort to sidestep having to make any take-backsies due to lack of public consultation from their rush to change a number of rules, probably largely around deportations and maybe the trade war as well? But I'm no expert, so it's entirely possible there's more to be found here.
-
Comment on What's a feeling you sometimes experience that you don't have a name for? in ~talk
terr Link ParentLike trying to drive in different shoes! Sometimes in new shoes I find that I catch the side of the pedals with my feet because I've got the muscle memory locked in to exactly the distance I need...Like trying to drive in different shoes! Sometimes in new shoes I find that I catch the side of the pedals with my feet because I've got the muscle memory locked in to exactly the distance I need to move to work with my last shoes. Maybe these gamers having shoes on notice the difference when they shift around and suddenly they're tripping over their own feet in their chairs.
-
Comment on What's a feeling you sometimes experience that you don't have a name for? in ~talk
terr Link ParentMy wife calls this TSF: That Spring Feeling, and treats it as her official (unofficial) start to Spring.My wife calls this TSF: That Spring Feeling, and treats it as her official (unofficial) start to Spring.
-
Comment on US tariff war risks sinking world into new Great Depression, International Chamber of Commerce warns in ~finance
terr Link ParentHonestly, it wouldn't surprise me too much if Musk has started buying wholesale into accelerationism, it's just enough of a terminally-online kind of philosophy that it seems like he'd embrace it.Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me too much if Musk has started buying wholesale into accelerationism, it's just enough of a terminally-online kind of philosophy that it seems like he'd embrace it.
-
Comment on US President Donald Trump cuts short talks with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Oval Office blow up in ~society
terr Link ParentThe subtext was "this is your opportunity to be seen kissing the ring. Just let Putin know I own you and I won't feed you to him immediately".The subtext was "this is your opportunity to be seen kissing the ring. Just let Putin know I own you and I won't feed you to him immediately".
-
Comment on US President Donald Trump shares bizarre AI vision of what Gaza will look like under his rule in ~society
terr (edited )Link ParentTo be fair, the details on the visa haven't been explained yet, but on the surface it appears that they're raising the bar from ~1 million dollars invested into areas that could really use an...To be fair, the details on the visa haven't been explained yet, but on the surface it appears that they're raising the bar from ~1 million dollars invested into areas that could really use an infusion of money to simply allowing the even wealthier to buy a golden ticket from the government.
It looks like it's going to remove potential investment from areas sorely in need of it in favor of inviting additional oligarchs into the country for a fee paid to the government. It just gives me an icky feeling that they're aiming to actively build up a citizenship of
oligarchselites to rule over the masses.Edit: Perhaps better phrasology, given the good point @teaearlgraycold makes below.
-
Comment on US President Donald Trump shares bizarre AI vision of what Gaza will look like under his rule in ~society
terr Link ParentSorry to say you're running very low on time. In two weeks, a path to American citizenship will be for sale to the very wealthy with Trump's new replacement for EB-5 visas: the Trump Gold Card.before the US turns into a full-blown oligarchy-run fascist dictatorship
Sorry to say you're running very low on time. In two weeks, a path to American citizenship will be for sale to the very wealthy with Trump's new replacement for EB-5 visas: the Trump Gold Card.
-
Comment on What low-stakes drama is going on in your circles right now? in ~talk
terr Link ParentHave you considered getting a different contact lens for each eye and wearing an eyepatch that you swap between tasks? Probably not, because the loss of depth perception isn't worth it but well......Have you considered getting a different contact lens for each eye and wearing an eyepatch that you swap between tasks?
Probably not, because the loss of depth perception isn't worth it but well... I wanted to be a smartass.
-
Comment on People named "Null" are being punished by computers in the weirdest ways in ~comp
terr LinkA pizza place I use semi-frequently only required me to enter a first name when I had originally created my account with them, but when they upgraded their system to include a last name, they...A pizza place I use semi-frequently only required me to enter a first name when I had originally created my account with them, but when they upgraded their system to include a last name, they actively gave me the last name "NULL". Apparently it doesn't break their system though, since they still collect my payment and the 'za still arrives hot!
-
Comment on In praise of the ellipsis in ~books
terr Link ParentYou know what, it probably is that. My boss is a genX woman, but she's got 3 millennial daughters so I wouldn't be surprised if she had picked it up from them.You know what, it probably is that. My boss is a genX woman, but she's got 3 millennial daughters so I wouldn't be surprised if she had picked it up from them.
-
Comment on In praise of the ellipsis in ~books
terr LinkI personally quite like a good ellipsis. I have a tendency to trail off or end a thought in a shrug, which I think the ellipsis suits perfectly. My boss, however, uses ellipses frequently and...I personally quite like a good ellipsis. I have a tendency to trail off or end a thought in a shrug, which I think the ellipsis suits perfectly.
My boss, however, uses ellipses frequently and almost always incorrectly. A lot of her messages feel like she's implying something unknown or almost sinister, but I think she just interprets their tone differently: "Come see me when you get the chance..." "FYI..." "Did you see the paperwork I left on your desk..." (all real examples).
I'd love to ask her about why she uses them as much as she does, but I'm sure it would turn into a whole thing that I really don't want to start, so I guess I'll just...
-
Comment on Non-Americans: How's it going? in ~society
terr LinkI'm in Canada and not feeling great about Trump's many "51st state" comments. In particular, I'm in Alberta, and there's already been talk of just AB joining the US, and our premier seems to be...I'm in Canada and not feeling great about Trump's many "51st state" comments. In particular, I'm in Alberta, and there's already been talk of just AB joining the US, and our premier seems to be very ready to keep kissing the ring and licking the boot at the same time.
In the end, I doubt that Canada will succumb to Trump's desires, but the sudden opening of the floodgates releasing all his bullshit just tells me that it's going to be a very long 4 years.
On the up side, Trump's nonsense does seem to be having a negative effect on the Canadian Conservative Party's appeal for the upcoming election, so perhaps the future up here will be tolerable after all.
-
Comment on Google Maps now shows the 'Gulf of America' for US users in ~tech
terr Link ParentI see essentially the same here in Canada. No matter the zoom level, I see "Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)".I see essentially the same here in Canada. No matter the zoom level, I see "Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)".
-
Comment on Donald Trump won’t rule out deploying US troops to support rebuilding Gaza, sees ‘long-term’ US ownership in ~society
terr LinkHaving just watched the video @cutmetal posted here, I wonder if the idea is to make this a new tech-billionaire land startup where they can found one of their first micro-nations. -
Comment on Senior US official to exit after rift with Elon Musk allies over payment system in ~society
terr LinkMy instinctual reaction to this is that Trump wants his government to stop paying their bills, just like he does in his personal life. I can't foresee that ending in anything but disaster, but I...[T]he possibility that government officials might try to use the federal payments system — which essentially functions as the nation’s “checking book” — to enact a political agenda is unprecedented, said Mark Mazur, who served in senior treasury roles during the Obama and Biden administrations.
“This is a mechanical job — they pay Social Security benefits, they pay vendors, whatever. It’s not one where there’s a role for nonmechanical things, at least from the career standpoint. Your whole job is to pay the bills as they’re due,” Mazur said. “It’s never been used in a way to execute a partisan agenda. … You have to really put bad intentions in place for that to be the case.”My instinctual reaction to this is that Trump wants his government to stop paying their bills, just like he does in his personal life. I can't foresee that ending in anything but disaster, but I imagine he would just try to string things along in the courts until either the government's creditors collapse, or until it's not his government any more and someone else has to clean up his mess.
-
Comment on Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport closed after a military helicopter collides with a landing regional jet in ~transport
terr Link ParentGizmodo is reporting (in their scathing but somewhat amusing article) that he named a new one in his press conference about this incident. (last line of the article)Gizmodo is reporting (in their scathing but somewhat amusing article) that he named a new one in his press conference about this incident.
The FAA had been operating without an administrator but Trump named Chris Rocheleau for the post during his press conference.
(last line of the article)
-
Comment on Do you think stressful games are kind of bad for your health? in ~games
terr LinkI know what you mean about that feeling of aggression and stress. I'm generally not very good at pvp games, and I'm definitely not a very competitive person. That really didn't mix well with my...I know what you mean about that feeling of aggression and stress. I'm generally not very good at pvp games, and I'm definitely not a very competitive person. That really didn't mix well with my friends that wanted to play League of Legends back in the day (not to mention the fairly toxic community). I enjoyed playing against bots, but up against other people was simply not my cup of tea. It would ruin my mood for hours to get stomped repeatedly, even if I did have a perfect play here and there.
I've also had some trouble getting too wrapped up in playing harder difficulties on games as well. I was playing the FF7 Remake on hard for reasons I no longer remember, and playing one of the most challenging bosses. I must have tried that boss at least 10 times one night in particular and I was getting really steamed. At one point, I checked my Fitbit and saw that my pulse was about 170 bpm, then decided that the game wasn't worth having a literal heart attack over, lowered the difficulty, and started enjoying it again. I haven't really gone back to hard difficulties since then, I'd much prefer to enjoy my time gaming than stress about it.
At the very least, I hope you're able to get some good sleep soon. Running on constant sleep deprivation is so demoralizing, and even a single night's good sleep can change the way you're able to see the world and give you the energy you need to keep going. I really hope you're able to find the time and space to care for yourself so that all your work caring for others is easier to shoulder.