@VoxelVexillologist's banner p

VoxelVexillologist

🇺🇸 Multidimensional Radical Centrist

1 follower   follows 0 users  
joined 2022 September 04 18:24:54 UTC 

				
User ID: 64


				
				
				

			

		

	














	


		


			



	

		

			

			

				

					

						

							
						

						

							
							

								
VoxelVexillologist


								

								

								
								
								

								
							
					
 
				


				
🇺🇸 Multidimensional Radical Centrist

				
				
				

				

					1 follower  

					follows 0 users  

					joined 2022 September 04 18:24:54 UTC
				


				
					

					
No bio...

				

				

				

				

				

					

					

					
					
					

					
User ID: 64


					
					
					
				

			


					

						
					



		

	

 











			
			

			
			

			




	


		

			
‎

			

				
				

					Hour
					Day
					Week
					Month
					Year
					All
				

			


			
‎

			

	
	

	 Hot Bump Top Bottom Old Controversial Comments
	



		

	






	

		
		

		
		
	

	

  







		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of July 27, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
It does seem odd that a large fraction of recent top level posts have resulted in bans.  I don't think we have a good balance of required effort and culture warring.  Or it's a weird tradition to disallow users that start conversations from participating in them.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of July 27, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
One of my biggest criticisms of HTML and Markdown is how it renders h1 and the other headings.  I really wish it could scale based on the depth of headings, such that a lone h1 rendered as the smallest heading, only getting larger when there were subheadings.


Now I wonder if CSS could do that...


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of July 27, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					


Information should be free! except for distilling.




I largely expect that US courts will eventually find model weights to be uncopyrightable: they're the product of an expensive "sweat of the brow" operation like a phone book, and purely functional in nature.  The information in phone books isn't covered, nor are purely functional inventions.  The process just doesn't strike me as creative at all.


Although I wouldn't bet huge money on it, and there is a nonzero chance Congress decides to modify the law in this instance.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of July 27, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					


So even though Anthropic didn't have to destroy their books, at least they apparently haven't destroyed anything truly rare.




I'm pretty sure the non-destructive scanners are faster and cheaper, and I'm not sure the expense is justified for scanning mass-market "slop" books.  The "rare" books they're trying to invoke here (first printings, etc) are almost exclusively out of copyright (and this likely already scanned and available on Project Gutenberg), and I doubt they're paying extra for anything that's currently in print.




Destroying books for many evokes (or is even the same as) book-burning. And many consider destroying books to be one of the greatest evils imaginable.




Are you familiar with how libraries dispose of old, unread, and poor-condition texts already?  They aren't usually building new storage space to go with the new books they buy regularly.  Unsold books at bookstores have historically been "stripped" (cover removed and returned to publisher for refund) and destroyed.  I can appreciate a general reverence for books, but there was no shortage of books getting recycled before AI.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for July 26, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
At least some people are using distillation or reverse osmosis for desalination.  I'd do that too if my only water supply was the ocean.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for July 26, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
I've at least heard this claim uncited before.  Isn't reverse osmosis filtering pretty ubiquitous on ships these days?  I'm not aware of any literature suggesting major health impacts from this to sailors or long-term cruise passengers, for example.  But maybe tossing in a multivitamin wouldn't be terrible.


ETA: I assume desalination plants like those in the news in the Middle East also use RO.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of July 20, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
It isn't even the current test, but I doubt every quote of "shouting fire in a crowded theater" comes from someone who thinks distributing anti-draft pamphlets is doing so.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Friday Fun Thread for July 24, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					


but I can't make a cappuccino at home without buying a bunch of special equipment




It's not tiny, but I bought one of the smallest espresso machines available on Amazon with good reviews for around $100, and I've been slowly upping my cappuccino game with it.  It's probably 12"x12"x4", and I was able to find counter space for it.  I did already have a burr grinder, though.  I'm not sure if it can make the best coffee, but I think it was a fun choice.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of July 20, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					


Or automation/robotics gets to the point where 90% of jobs are taking care of the young and old (the remaining 10% being managing the robots).




I would expect some resistance to robots to change an infant's diapers, but less to changing grandma's.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of July 20, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
I asked GLM-5.2 and it suggested I find an office supply store.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of July 20, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
Selection/sampling bias in juries is a real concern that the judiciary seems to be backing itself into discovering, if slowly.  There was at least one SCOTUS case peripherally on the issue this last term.


The last time I was in voir dire, I was asked if I could be impartial regarding sexual offenses involving minors.  At least a few jurors indicated that they didn't think they could be, and would, I assume, want to throw the book at them.  I'm not convinced "if they're guilty, throw the book at them" (not far from my personal opinion) isn't impartial, and I said (IMHO truthfully) that I could be.


In this case, I'm somewhat sympathetic to the trial judge: removing all the jurors that think a pro se defendant like this is crazy is not unlikely to select an equally crazy jury and get a crazy outcome.  Also I'd question whether this is a reasonable example of a "right-wing defendant" for the original proposition.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of July 20, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
If I had a nickel for every occurrence of "This AI has proven itself too dangerous a product to release to the Internet!  By the way, we're selling access to it the same thing with an extra three days of engineering work for safety by subscription starting next week." from the usual suspects here, I think I'd nearly have a whole extra dollar by this point.


Even if I had major concerns about AI safety --- I don't think it's a totally unreasonable concern --- the same people who claim to be the most concerned about it keep acting like they're crying wolf.  I think the export control drama over Mythos is almost funny, because nobody there seems to be acting earnestly.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of July 20, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
I think it'd be really difficult to fairly test, but the correlation between increasing global CO2 and BMI strikes me as a potential causation that would, if nothing else, be funny.  "We're getting fat because average CO2 concentrations have increased 50%" isn't something I've seen tested, even if the linkage isn't understood.  IIRC someone here once linked to a study showing that lab mice on the same controlled diets get fatter than they did decades ago.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of July 20, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					


People show up to events no problem,




It's possible it's a generational thing, but I remember the era of Facebook event invites where everyone seemed to come to the consensus that "RSVP maybe means no, and yes means maybe".  My wife was once particularly frustrated trying to host a small social shindig more than ten years ago where a dozen people (coworkers) said yes, but none showed.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for July 19, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					


Even the Japanese play rugby.




When I last visited Japan I took some pictures out of a Shinkansen of kids playing in a field, and only later realized they were playing American Football from the ball and formations (the train was moving  too fast to tell at the time).  The Internet tells me it is played there at least a bit, and there is even a professional league.  I was surprised, but it's also possible I found the local American expat school.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for July 19, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					


I think it would fair to say that other countries don’t play American Football because they can’t afford to so I guess that could be considered as them being inferior.




I am at least curious to see what happens with the inclusion of Olympic (flag) football for 2028.  One of the benefits of being host country is influence over choosing demonstration sports -- baseball/softball is also coming back like it did in Tokyo.  It looks like the NFL (and CFL) will allow their athletes to play in the games, but of course flag is a very different game: unclear if NFL players would dominate like the NBA Dream Team. IMO it is a variant more likely to sell as a viable sport internationally.  It looks like cricket, squash, and lacrosse will also make an appearance, but breakdancing isn't coming back.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of July 20, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
I was once given a pair of crutches by a doctor for a stress fracture and told to minimize weight on one leg for a couple weeks.  The pain was never that bad, but it was persistent, and the crutches actually did help it heal.  I was perfectly capable of walking almost normally without them, and it felt weird (and probably looked weird) to just set them down and walk from time to time when I needed two hands.


Crutches also suck to use and I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemies.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for July 19, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					


the US national cricket team I guess would likely lose to Zimbabwe. Perhaps even Hong Kong.




It made minor news a couple years ago (2024) when the US team beat Pakistan (generally one of the top teams).  Of course, the usual suspects noted that most of the team was first or second generation South Asian immigrants.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for July 19, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
This thread really could use a link to the "that's not a knife" scene from Crocodile Dundee.


Also this seems like a good question to add to the next user survey.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for July 19, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
It probably gets most of its use cutting boxes, zip ties, those infuriating plastic clamshell packages, and once or twice has cut and stripped copper wire.  Often enough that it's worth carrying around, but not used daily, and not always at home where I know where the scissors are.  I can't undo zip ties by hand.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for July 19, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					


I cannot fathom why anyone would carry a knife with them to a social occasion.




I carry a small multi-tool on my keychain, and other than having to remember to remove it before air travel or large venue events with metal detectors, I've never stabbed someone with it in the almost two decades I've carried it.  The closest I've gotten there has been on myself.  Also useful as a screwdriver and small pliers.  The knife on it is maybe two inches long and would be a very ineffective weapon.  I know folks that carry a full-size multi-tool around, too.


Hopefully you wouldn't kick me out of your social occasions, but I suppose standards for edged "weapons" vary a lot by country: it'd be legal here for me to concealed carry a firearm many places I go, but I don't.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Small-Scale Question Sunday for July 19, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
The time I've heard the most complaints about these was from a friend (grad student) trying to find housing in a college town and complaining that lots of the (good) places were 55+ and obviously not available to students.  Honestly, in-context I can imagine older adults appreciating some guarantee that the neighbors won't throw a kegger and loudly play beer pong into the wee hours of the morning.


I'm less content with, but maybe understand, not wanting young families adjacent.  We should really do better about making most spaces more family-friendly.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of July 13, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
I think the implication is "if my lawyers say I can" is roughly the same as "in Minecraft".  I'm not sure I buy it completely here, but "I'm going to murder [person] if my lawyers say I can" does seem dumb enough to express such an intent.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of July 13, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					
I wasn't expressing an opinion on Baumol more broadly than the one specific example, which I think has plenty of logic to show exists.


				

				

						

							

								
							

						


						
					

				
			


			
			
			
				

			
		

	






		

			
			
				Culture War Roundup for the week of July 13, 2026
			
		

	

	

	

		
			

			

				

			

		

			


				

					


Strictly speaking, this is a pseudoscientific attitude.




Do you have a suggestion for how an above-board business that requires one employee per four paying customers (well, per infant the customers are paying for) can cost less than a quarter of a minimum employee salary for that duration?  I was suggesting it as a pretty obvious bound from a business perspective, absent subsidies (which have their own bounds).


Nobody seems to be seriously considering AI and robotics to let a single human watch more than four infants at once, and frankly I'm not really sure I would either.  But without that, the bounds apply.