waxwing's recent activity
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Comment on Weekly Israel-Hamas war megathread - week of May 6 in ~news
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Comment on ChatGPT provides false information about people, and OpenAI can’t correct it in ~tech
waxwing LinkSetting aside for a moment the processing of personal data in the training of these models, I think that the question of whether these models store personal information is interesting. They...Setting aside for a moment the processing of personal data in the training of these models, I think that the question of whether these models store personal information is interesting. They certainly respond with it, but can they be said to be storing it, or are they generating it?
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Comment on 17-year-old Gukesh wins the Candidates, becomes youngest ever Chess World Championship challenger in ~games.tabletop
waxwing LinkThe final game between Caruana and Nepo was just brutal to watch. A fantastic display from both players: it's a real shame that Fabi played Ka1 after move 40 and threw away that advantage, but on...The final game between Caruana and Nepo was just brutal to watch.
A fantastic display from both players: it's a real shame that Fabi played Ka1 after move 40 and threw away that advantage, but on the other hand Nepo is phenomenally resourceful in those kinds of positions.
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Comment on Iran launches dozens of drones toward Israel in ~news
waxwing Link ParentThere's certainly a balance of short-term vs long-term concerns here. If you want to affect the next election, then threatening to withhold support is effective, but it loses its effectiveness if...There's certainly a balance of short-term vs long-term concerns here. If you want to affect the next election, then threatening to withhold support is effective, but it loses its effectiveness if the support never goes down despite the threats.
The other thing to consider is that, while our votes only matter on aggregate, we can only make decisions as individuals. When considering the prospect of who to vote for, when you're in the booth, what you have to weigh up is the impact of your one, single vote on both the outcome of the election and the subsequent statistics. My argument would be that the impact on the election is more important than the subsequent statistics, especially if you live in a swing state/marginal constituency. If you live in an area that will only vote one way, your impact on the election is so low that statistics take on greater meaning.
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Comment on Iran launches dozens of drones toward Israel in ~news
waxwing Link ParentThe thing is, nobody knows whether or not you have followed through: your vote is private. If you really want to employ this tactic, and live in a swing state, probably the best thing to do is to...The thing is, nobody knows whether or not you have followed through: your vote is private.
If you really want to employ this tactic, and live in a swing state, probably the best thing to do is to talk loudly about how you might not vote for your candidate and then secretly do it. You can even claim you didn't, since nobody knows.
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Comment on Iran launches dozens of drones toward Israel in ~news
waxwing Link ParentThat's all morally true, but in practice, not voting for the candidate closest to you politically does make the other candidate more likely to win. Threatening not to vote for the candidate...That's all morally true, but in practice, not voting for the candidate closest to you politically does make the other candidate more likely to win.
Threatening not to vote for the candidate closest to you can be effective in exerting some pressure, but actually not voting or voting for someone else has only a negative effect on the current election.
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Comment on Executions in ~humanities
waxwing Link ParentI've been watching LWT from a foreign country for some years when the segments are released on YouTube. Usually they're region-locked for a month or so and then made available more widely.I've been watching LWT from a foreign country for some years when the segments are released on YouTube. Usually they're region-locked for a month or so and then made available more widely.
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Comment on Here are thirteen other explanations for the adolescent mental health crisis. None of them work. in ~health.mental
waxwing Link ParentIn particular, the dismissal of #4 (it's the economy) feels very blasé. It's certainly true that during the 2010s economic indicators were generally recovering. But in many western countries, for...In particular, the dismissal of #4 (it's the economy) feels very blasé.
It's certainly true that during the 2010s economic indicators were generally recovering. But in many western countries, for pretty much the whole decade, public services were being systematically underfunded, wages were going down in real terms for most junior workers, and house prices were increasing well above inflation: the broader economic picture for young people did not look great (and of course, it still doesn't).
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Comment on Iowa hospital IT systems architect used a fake identity for thirty-five years in ~life
waxwing Link ParentIt seems that it's not a credit union, it's a company insured by the National Credit Union Association.It seems that it's not a credit union, it's a company insured by the National Credit Union Association.
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Comment on Iowa hospital IT systems architect used a fake identity for thirty-five years in ~life
waxwing LinkThose are some fascinating sentencing guidelines! Why is "aggravated identity theft" only punishable by two years in prison, and why is lying to an insured institution much more serious?Matthew David Keirans, 58, was convicted of one count of false statement to a National Credit Union Administration insured institution — punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison — and one count of aggravated identity theft — punishable by up to two years in federal prison.
Those are some fascinating sentencing guidelines! Why is "aggravated identity theft" only punishable by two years in prison, and why is lying to an insured institution much more serious?
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Comment on Nintendo is suing the creators of popular Switch emulator Yuzu, saying their tech illegally circumvents Nintendo's software encryption and facilitates piracy in ~games
waxwing Link ParentThis was a strange case, because gun manufacturers do have broad immunity from prosecution under US federal law: you can't sue a gun company simply because one of their guns was used to commit a...This was a strange case, because gun manufacturers do have broad immunity from prosecution under US federal law: you can't sue a gun company simply because one of their guns was used to commit a crime.
What this case shows is possible is that you can successfully pursue these companies under state law for related reasons, in particular that the marketing of the gun was a factor in the crime (as far as I understand it).
In any case, the analogy to video game piracy isn't particularly good here, since as mentioned there are gun-sector-specific laws granting them certain immunity: this isn't the case for people who make video game emulators.
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Comment on King Charles III diagnosed with cancer, postponing public duties in ~news
waxwing Link ParentIn fact, the one type of cancer that Buckingham Palace has ruled out is prostate cancer.In fact, the one type of cancer that Buckingham Palace has ruled out is prostate cancer.
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Comment on Hugo voting data from Chengdu WorldCon raises suspicions of vote tampering and incorrect eligibility rulings in ~books
waxwing LinkIt's a terrible idea to host a culture convention in a jurisdiction whose laws prohibit free cultural expression. It would be like hosting a track and field event somewhere where you aren't...It's a terrible idea to host a culture convention in a jurisdiction whose laws prohibit free cultural expression. It would be like hosting a track and field event somewhere where you aren't allowed to throw things too hard or bend your knees while running.
I understand the impulse to making these events as global as possible so that people everywhere feel included—the science-fiction community certainly feels too western at times—but that can't come at the expense of being able to run them properly.
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Comment on The Daily Wire is making a live-action Snow White movie starring conservative YouTuber Brett Cooper in ~movies
waxwing Link ParentIt's a really interesting question. I don't know the answer (and I'm not sure how one could find it out). I think a plausible explanation is this: conservatives have disproportionate economic and...It's a really interesting question. I don't know the answer (and I'm not sure how one could find it out).
I think a plausible explanation is this: conservatives have disproportionate economic and political power because economic and political structures favour them. Cultural power is harder to "game": art has to resonate to be popular, and conservative ideas do not resonate with the public as a whole. That's not to say that there aren't lots of conservatives in the art world who are good at their jobs, there are (Kelsey Grammer, JD Vance, etc). But art made from a conservative perspective is not economically viable and so the only people who make it aren't very good at it.
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Comment on FIFA could make the Women's World Cup more competitive in ~sports.football
waxwing (edited )Link ParentI think this is exactly the point. Competitiveness is only one aspect of a successful world cup. Actually, I'd argue that 2023 went rather well in that respect, relative to previous women's world...I think this is exactly the point. Competitiveness is only one aspect of a successful world cup. Actually, I'd argue that 2023 went rather well in that respect, relative to previous women's world cups. 7-0 was the highest score, and that is not unheard of in the men's tournaments. (Spain 7-0 Costa Rica, 2022; Portugal 7-0 North Korea, 2010; Germany 8-0 Saudi Arabia, 2002).
Much more important for FIFA (rightly) is to grow the game by inviting a diverse yet high quality set of teams, and I think the current qualification format and number of teams does this fairly well.
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Comment on Here's the plan - a video to the audience from LTT in ~tech
waxwing Link ParentThey could always do something like prepend "[INACCURATE TESTS, SEE DESCRIPTION]" to the video title, with a full explanation of the issues with the video in the description. Alternatively, they...They could always do something like prepend "[INACCURATE TESTS, SEE DESCRIPTION]" to the video title, with a full explanation of the issues with the video in the description. Alternatively, they could make a video explaining what went wrong, unlist the original video, and link to it from the mistake explanation video.
There are several ways for them to admit that the video was wrong while leaving it up.
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Comment on England win shootout to scrape into quarter-finals in ~sports.football
waxwing Link ParentCould go with "England v Nigeria: Post-Match Discussion" or similar I suppose. (side note: good idea to have post-titles be approval only to edit!)Could go with "England v Nigeria: Post-Match Discussion" or similar I suppose. (side note: good idea to have post-titles be approval only to edit!)
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Comment on England win shootout to scrape into quarter-finals in ~sports.football
waxwing Link ParentI didn't notice the Lauren James incident as it happened, but the replays... yikes. I suspect she'll get a 3 match ban, ruling her out of the rest of the tournament. I think England showed some...I didn't notice the Lauren James incident as it happened, but the replays... yikes. I suspect she'll get a 3 match ban, ruling her out of the rest of the tournament.
I think England showed some pretty incredible resilience in the end. Nigeria were relentless and it must be a horrible sap to your energy having to play extra time against such a fast, aggresive team a player down. Nonetheless the back line looked solid throughout (England look much better with 3 center-backs), and apart from the odd scare all of Nigeria's crosses were well dealt with.
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Comment on England win shootout to scrape into quarter-finals in ~sports.football
waxwing Link ParentAh, didn't see that discussion - apologies. Doesn't seem that it's possible to edit titles on here either, otherwise I would.Ah, didn't see that discussion - apologies. Doesn't seem that it's possible to edit titles on here either, otherwise I would.
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Comment on England win shootout to scrape into quarter-finals in ~sports.football
waxwing Link ParentOh sorry, should I not have used the article title verbatim? I just copied the format of the Japan one from a few days ago. Can delete/repost (or edit the title, if possible here) if necessary.Oh sorry, should I not have used the article title verbatim? I just copied the format of the Japan one from a few days ago. Can delete/repost (or edit the title, if possible here) if necessary.
I think it's pretty clear that neither the Israeli government nor Hamas are negotiating in good-faith here; neither party wants a ceasefire.
It's an odd situation: there is significant international pressure on both sides to continue negotiations, but it's harder to apply pressure to agree a deal, since each side can blame the other for being unreasonable.