updawg's recent activity

  1. Comment on Determination: Foreign affairs functions of the United States in ~society

    updawg
    Link Parent
    I think this confirms that the part I initially highlighted was the important part from a layman's perspective. Basically, they can make shitty rules, not ask anyone if they're shitty, and then...

    Public notice and comment gives interested parties a chance to weigh in on draft regulations, typically for a period of 30-60 days. For rules subject to that process, federal agencies are required to consider comments and respond to issues they raise in final regulations. Failing to adhere to those requirements can lead to a regulation later being tossed by a court.

    I think this confirms that the part I initially highlighted was the important part from a layman's perspective. Basically, they can make shitty rules, not ask anyone if they're shitty, and then the rules can't be invalidated for being shitty.

    2 votes

  2. Comment on Determination: Foreign affairs functions of the United States in ~society

    updawg
    Link Parent
    Not really because I still don't understand what labeling something as foreign/domestic actually does. I get that foreign affairs don't require public comment, but I don't even know what that is...

    Not really because I still don't understand what labeling something as foreign/domestic actually does. I get that foreign affairs don't require public comment, but I don't even know what that is in this context. This is a technical and obscure legal area where most of us have zero knowledge whatsoever, so we need a very simplified explanation of the practical effects.

    That's not to say that you are obligated to be the one to provide the explanation, just that we don't understand the starting point of the explanation.

    It would be like if I told you the below. You'd likely still have no clue what I was talking about:

    To get a grasp on quantum chromodynamics, just know that QCD is like quantum electrodynamics but different because where QED says electric charge is conserved and mediated by photons, QCD says color charge is conserved and mediated by gluons, which themselves carry charge and interact with each other.

  3. Comment on Determination: Foreign affairs functions of the United States in ~society

    updawg
    Link Parent
    This does not help those of us who do not understand the implications. The rest of your first comment didn't really explain them either (at least not at a layman level). We don't understand why...

    The important part is the bolded portion of the first block quote. Hypothetical implications are numerous and their impacts are themselves hypothetical.

    This does not help those of us who do not understand the implications. The rest of your first comment didn't really explain them either (at least not at a layman level).

    We don't understand why foreign vs. domestic affairs matters.

    2 votes

  4. Comment on Determination: Foreign affairs functions of the United States in ~society

    updawg
    Link Parent
    Is this the important part?

    If, however, one of the APA’s few exceptions to its rulemaking requirements applies, rules that would otherwise be reversed for not properly conducting public notice and comment can remain in force.

    Is this the important part?

    4 votes

  5. Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of March 10 in ~society

  6. Comment on Danish deposit system: 93% of bottles and cans are returned and of those, 99.7% recycled (translation in comment) in ~enviro

    updawg
    Link
    I've actually been seeing some Danish Coke cans here in Germany for some reason (not in the grocery stores). It surprises me that cans can't be returned in different countries. It seems like it...

    I've actually been seeing some Danish Coke cans here in Germany for some reason (not in the grocery stores). It surprises me that cans can't be returned in different countries. It seems like it would be simple to work a partnership together. I see that you can return a German can at a Danish machine—although you don't get the Pfand back. It would be nice if you could at least return Danish cans, even if you couldn't get the pant back.

    3 votes

  7. Comment on What are the best truly unbeatable E2EE, presumably P2P messaging apps? in ~tech

    updawg
    Link Parent
    I'm just going to say you really don't know what my threat model is but it's not just simple privacy protection or paranoia. I generally operate on the assumption that if thing x breaks, I'll be...

    I'm just going to say you really don't know what my threat model is but it's not just simple privacy protection or paranoia. I generally operate on the assumption that if thing x breaks, I'll be worried about something else much more, but some things still need to be protected even when everything else is broken.

    2 votes

  8. Comment on What are the best truly unbeatable E2EE, presumably P2P messaging apps? in ~tech

    updawg
    Link Parent
    We could always make a Tildes messaging app designed solely with simplicity, confidentiality, and integrity in mind while externalizing availability. Given that my knowledge is me (mis)reading...

    We could always make a Tildes messaging app designed solely with simplicity, confidentiality, and integrity in mind while externalizing availability.

    Given that my knowledge of the one-time pad is derived primarily from casual reading science fiction, then I should not be surprised if there were gaps in my understanding.

    Given that my knowledge is me (mis)reading your comment, saying "I think I've heard of that," reading the Wikipedia page and remembering that I'd learned about it before but forgotten much of what I'd learned, I'd trust you over me.

    1 vote

  9. Comment on Offbeat Fridays – The thread where offbeat headlines become front page news in ~news

    updawg
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    Shawn P. Wiener.

    Shawn P. Wiener.

    3 votes

  10. Comment on What are the best truly unbeatable E2EE, presumably P2P messaging apps? in ~tech

    updawg
    Link Parent
    Appreciate it. I've already set up chats with disappearing messages in Signal with certain people. Signal gets bonus points for being quantum resistant, so in a worst case scenario with no...

    Appreciate it. I've already set up chats with disappearing messages in Signal with certain people. Signal gets bonus points for being quantum resistant, so in a worst case scenario with no "insider threats" ruining things, that should provide at least 25 years of privacy, according to current estimates (which I don't trust given that I don't trust any estimated tech timelines).

    2 votes

  11. Comment on What are the best truly unbeatable E2EE, presumably P2P messaging apps? in ~tech

    updawg
    Link Parent
    Actually, I was mistaken. For some reason, I was thinking that being longer than the plaintext would be a security issue, but that's only because I was inferring that you were suggesting to use a...

    Actually, I was mistaken. For some reason, I was thinking that being longer than the plaintext would be a security issue, but that's only because I was inferring that you were suggesting to use a one-time pad more than once, which, I highly suspect, you were not saying.

    2 votes

  12. Comment on US Immigration agents arrest Palestinian activist who helped lead Columbia University protests in ~society

    updawg
    Link
    Obviously, all of this is important, but I think the end is the most important stuff to know about this:

    Obviously, all of this is important, but I think the end is the most important stuff to know about this:

    The university’s allegations against Khalil focused on his involvement in the Columbia University Apartheid Divest group. He faced sanctions for potentially helping to organize an “unauthorized marching event” in which participants glorified Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack and playing a “substantial role” in the circulation of social media posts criticizing Zionism, among other acts of alleged discrimination.

    “I have around 13 allegations against me, most of them are social media posts that I had nothing to do with,” Khalil told the AP last week.

    “They just want to show Congress and right-wing politicians that they’re doing something, regardless of the stakes for students,” he added. “It’s mainly an office to chill pro-Palestine speech.”

    10 votes

  13. Comment on US Immigration agents arrest Palestinian activist who helped lead Columbia University protests in ~society

    updawg
    Link Parent
    Incredible how she can be such a piece of shit while standing up for what's right.

    “There’s almost no one I don’t want to deport, but unless they’ve committed a crime, isn’t this a violation of the First Amendment?” Coulter said on the social platform X in response to a report from the New York Post.

    Incredible how she can be such a piece of shit while standing up for what's right.

    15 votes

  14. Comment on Syria merges Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces into state institutions in ~society

    updawg
    Link Parent
    This seems like great news. Sad that all I can think about is looking back on these hopeful moments in a few years when everything goes to shit. I don't like this pessimistic outlook and I hope...

    This seems like great news. Sad that all I can think about is looking back on these hopeful moments in a few years when everything goes to shit. I don't like this pessimistic outlook and I hope I'm very wrong.

    8 votes

  15. Comment on What are the best truly unbeatable E2EE, presumably P2P messaging apps? in ~tech

    updawg
    Link Parent
    You're most likely right. I know my position, how it may evolve, and what my concerns are. I don't expect anything to happen, at least not for a while. I just want to have a plan and I've been...

    You're most likely right. I know my position, how it may evolve, and what my concerns are. I don't expect anything to happen, at least not for a while. I just want to have a plan and I've been concerned about sharing certain thoughts given the above.

  16. Comment on What are the best truly unbeatable E2EE, presumably P2P messaging apps? in ~tech

    updawg
    Link Parent
    I knew people always talk about Signal, but looking into it, it's good to see that the app is made to not trust the servers, so even if the server side were to try to pull something from the app,...

    I knew people always talk about Signal, but looking into it, it's good to see that the app is made to not trust the servers, so even if the server side were to try to pull something from the app, the app wouldn't do it. My concern is mainly with trusting the app to not decrypt and then give the plaintext to the server given the political climate and that you never know what could happen going forward (e.g., Google/Facebook say "yeah, I don't mind telling you what that dude said," or worse, "yeah, we can pull what everybody has ever said and analyze it." So default Signal is good for some things, but it seems building it yourself is the only way to make sure they don't update the app in the future without me knowing.

  17. Comment on What are the best truly unbeatable E2EE, presumably P2P messaging apps? in ~tech

    updawg
    Link Parent
    Not that it matters, but you're slightly mistaken about the one-time pad. It is a good theoretical solution, though.

    Not that it matters, but you're slightly mistaken about the one-time pad. It is a good theoretical solution, though.

    The resulting ciphertext is impossible to decrypt or break if the following four conditions are met:[2][3]

    1. The key must be at least as long as the plaintext.
    2. The key must be truly random.
    3. The key must never be reused in whole or in part.
    4. The key must be kept completely secret by the communicating parties.
    1 vote

  18. Comment on An appeal to the community for non-algorithmic recommendations in ~talk

    updawg
    Link
    You want niche? I'll give you niche. https://medievalportablealtars.com/the-database/ "This is a database on known surviving medieval European portable altars, created between 600 and 1600 CE....

    You want niche? I'll give you niche.

    https://medievalportablealtars.com/the-database/
    "This is a database on known surviving medieval European portable altars, created between 600 and 1600 CE. Links to the current institution’s information and/or object biographies are provided where available."

    This was compiled by someone I knew in college. She studied these for her PhD, I believe. I don't understand them and I am not sure exactly what their purpose was, but it's interesting to see someone take such a great interest in something so obscure.

    14 votes

  19. Comment on An appeal to the community for non-algorithmic recommendations in ~talk

    updawg
    Link Parent
    I often agree that constraints provide freedom, but in this case, I'm pretty sure it's just "tell me what you like," and not "tell me what you think I'll like."

    Thing is, when you give absolutely zero parameters like this, you make the recommender do a lot of work to figure out what to say. There are no guidelines so idk should I say fiction? Nonfiction? Favorite series? Favorite standalone? Book I think has a deep message? Book you won't get recommended by most people? etc.

    I often agree that constraints provide freedom, but in this case, I'm pretty sure it's just "tell me what you like," and not "tell me what you think I'll like."

    9 votes

  20. Comment on What are the best truly unbeatable E2EE, presumably P2P messaging apps? in ~tech

    updawg
    Link Parent
    Yes, but I was asking if one is better than others.

    Yes, but I was asking if one is better than others.

    1 vote