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mercredi 30 septembre 2020
Them rascally Jews.
"The forced vaccine contains 5G receptors which will allow the Jews to train 5G directly on any person and amp up the 5G, microwaving the person until they are killed. The 5G microwaves cause the body to produce isosomes which are the same isosomes the Jews virus test detects. This is all proven. Thus, the Jews will say the cause of death was the virus, after the Jews murdered them with 5G.
The Jews vaccine changes DNA so that the DNA itself will produce any proteins that the Jews program it to produce via 5G. This gives the Jews the ability to kill you by using 5G to tell the DNA to produce poisons.
One trial tester for the vaccine, literally stated that after being injected with it, they "no longer can feel the presence of God".
Another trial tester for the vaccine immediately developed a severe Multiple Sclerosis type illness.
Whatever you do, do not take the vaccine."
Found the above on a white supremacy website. Wasn't sure if I should provide an actual link but can on request.
Nuttiest conspiracy ever?
The Jews vaccine changes DNA so that the DNA itself will produce any proteins that the Jews program it to produce via 5G. This gives the Jews the ability to kill you by using 5G to tell the DNA to produce poisons.
One trial tester for the vaccine, literally stated that after being injected with it, they "no longer can feel the presence of God".
Another trial tester for the vaccine immediately developed a severe Multiple Sclerosis type illness.
Whatever you do, do not take the vaccine."
Found the above on a white supremacy website. Wasn't sure if I should provide an actual link but can on request.
Nuttiest conspiracy ever?
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mardi 29 septembre 2020
The role of Russia(and other anti-US countries) in spreading 9/11 Conspiracy Theories
In 2016 we witnessed Russia conduct a massive disinformation campaign against Hillary Clinton on Facebook.
I wonder if Russia, or other adversaries of the US, played a major role in spreading false information about 9/11 on MySpace, YouTube or hundreds of other websites in the 2000s.
I wonder if Russia, or other adversaries of the US, played a major role in spreading false information about 9/11 on MySpace, YouTube or hundreds of other websites in the 2000s.
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Watching the debate tonight?
No poll, just wondering. Obviously it won't be available or at a bad time for some of us.
Me? Certainly not. But I'm sure my wife will. I'm thinking of coming in to the office, putting some music on the computer, wearing headphones, and perhaps following a live fact-check.
Me? Certainly not. But I'm sure my wife will. I'm thinking of coming in to the office, putting some music on the computer, wearing headphones, and perhaps following a live fact-check.
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lundi 28 septembre 2020
"No GMOs" on Food
You see it everywhere. An interesting new product, with "No GMOs" or "GMO-Free" on it.
What are they scared of? GMO food is tested and tested and tested.
And, as science-based critical thinkers, are we now resigned to Organic food now apart from the "No GMOs" labelling?
What are they scared of? GMO food is tested and tested and tested.
And, as science-based critical thinkers, are we now resigned to Organic food now apart from the "No GMOs" labelling?
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dimanche 27 septembre 2020
Female athletes who may not be female
Be fair, Caster Semenya was honestly believed to be a girl when she was born and the truth wasn't discovered until she was about 19. Obviously she was going to have superior athletic ability due to being actually male, but she was believed to be an unusually good girl (just as Erik Schinneger was, until the truth was revealed when he was about the same age and headed for the Winter Olympics). Caster Semenya did not "identify" as female in order to win races. It started as an honest mistake, although it was later perpetuated in bad faith for medal-winning purposes.
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[Split Thread] "Pedovores" - evidence?
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Checkmite (Post 13233725)
Uh oh, now we have a Qbot who actually believes the stuff about eating children that Bubba says was just a strawman invented by fake skeptics. This could get awkward.
|
The pedovores are real. The idea that Trump is doing something about it, is not. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Nothing awkward about that.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Why is policy and constitutional law correlated?
I never understood why the position, "healthcare should be universal and government funded" is correlated with, "this 250 year old legal document means abortion is protected."
To me, what the government should do and what some document means are two different things. Asking what the constitution means is like asking how to interpret a rule in tennis...an isolated exercise.
But there are some pretty bright people here who also correlate these two positions. Why does this happen?
To me, what the government should do and what some document means are two different things. Asking what the constitution means is like asking how to interpret a rule in tennis...an isolated exercise.
But there are some pretty bright people here who also correlate these two positions. Why does this happen?
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samedi 26 septembre 2020
How to bring air into space
I've been reading a few articles on potential methods of separating clean air from dusty air in lunar gravity. One method mentioned was cyclonic separation to filter dust from clean air (or at least less dusty air). The main theme was to find out whether the low gravity would affect its separation efficiency.
[yt]tvVj6fx6MNI[/yt]
But they didn't mention how to get the air up to the moon in the first place or how the air would be powered into the inlet of this device. I assume it's going to have to be compressed like how astronauts store oxygen?
I'd appreciate some sources or suggestions for methods of storing/transporting air or some other gas that would work well for this.
[yt]tvVj6fx6MNI[/yt]
But they didn't mention how to get the air up to the moon in the first place or how the air would be powered into the inlet of this device. I assume it's going to have to be compressed like how astronauts store oxygen?
I'd appreciate some sources or suggestions for methods of storing/transporting air or some other gas that would work well for this.
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Gesara / Nesara CT
Has anyone heard of these? Supposedly some acts passed in the US Congress. Looks like a compilation of other CTs. There's a FOAF on Facebook posting about it. Apparently 209 countries have signed up to it (impressive, given that there are only 195 countries...).
Quote:
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GESARA hints in Trumps speech at UN General Assembly Remarks by President Trump to the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly: We will enter a new era of unprecedented prosperity, cooperation, and peace. For decades, the same tired voices proposed the same failed solutions, pursuing global ambitions at the expense of their own people. But only when you take care of your own citizens will you find a true basis for cooperation. As President, I have rejected the failed approaches of the past, and I am proudly putting America first, just as you should be putting your countries first. I am supremely confident that next year, when we gather in person, we will be in the midst of one of the greatest years in our history - and frankly, hopefully, in the history of the world. Thank you. God bless you all. God bless America. And God bless the United Nations. |
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Police shooting, UK
A policeman has been shot and killed in the UK (the first such incident for several years). What's particularly bizarre about this is that the shooter was in custody in a police station at the time, with his hands cuffed behind him. He apparently retrieved a revolver hidden in his clothes (he had been searched, but was about to have a metal detector used on him) and shot the officer in the chest, and himself (not fatally) in the neck.
Quote:
|
The suspect had been flagged over concerns about both rightwing and Islamist indoctrination, sources said, but nothing of concern was found. Mental health is also a consideration in the inquiry, with the suspect understood to have a learning disability – though whether this was a factor is yet to be determined. ... On Friday night, the Independent Office of Police Conduct, which is investigating, said: “What we have established is that the man was arrested for possession of class B drugs with intent to supply and possession of ammunition. The man was handcuffed to the rear before being transported to Croydon custody suite in a police vehicle where he was escorted into the building. He remained handcuffed to the rear and seated in a holding area in the custody suite. “His handcuffs remained in place while officers prepared to search him using a metal detector. It is at the point that shots were fired resulting in the fatal injuries to the officer and critical injuries to the man. A non-police issue firearm, which appears to be a revolver, has been recovered from the scene.” |
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vendredi 25 septembre 2020
claim blindness cured
Dafne Gutierrez' claims a lebanese saint cured her from her Papilledema and her formally dead optic nerve come back to perfect health. I did find a paper about how Papilledema caused by leukemia once went through remission. But I could only find a abstract and it said nothing of the patients sight.
I am sorry I can't post links has I haven't reached the 15 post mark.
I am sorry I can't post links has I haven't reached the 15 post mark.
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jeudi 24 septembre 2020
Who was a worse president? George W Bush or Donald J Trump?
Do you remember how we all thought about George W Bush? Dig out some of the things you wrote at the time. It may have been similar to this from Jeremy Osbourne (NSFW):
[yt]HCuCiDaD-so[/yt]
As bad as people think Donald J Trump is, almost everyone now saying we are in "unprecedented times" forget that they were saying the same goddamn thing about George W Bush.
Remember how he stole the elections, about how he was going to war all over the world (he actually DID begin wars in Iraq and Afghanistan! Remember that, guys?!) and it was argued that he would not step down at the end of his second term and would become a dictator?
In fact, people thought it was even worse than that! Whereas Trump is transparently incompetent and cannot keep anyone on his staff for long, Bush actually did have a competent group of people - Dick Cheney was the brains, the neo-conservatives such as Wolfowitz etc... were the ideological underpinning. He set up the Guantanamo Bay prison camps!
Remember when Kanye West, instead of sucking up to the president in the White House was saying that the president didn't care about black people? Remember Hurricane Katrina and the Astrodome? What about how Neil Young today is complaining that Trump used his music at a rally, when in Bush's term he wrote a whole album denouncing Bush! Radiohead wrote an album called Hail to the Thief about Bush! There were books flying off the shelves about the dark days of the Bush regime and how there was a shift towards fascism. Naomi Wolfe wrote a particularly paranoid pamphlet etc...
I think Trump will lose. He will whine and complain and then he will leave. Or he might not lose (he has a 25% chance of winning according to 538) in which case, there will be some riots, and we will continue to have this tragicomedy for another 4 years.
But anyway, I want to know who you think is worse? Please answer the poll and leave vehement comments on this topic.
[yt]HCuCiDaD-so[/yt]
As bad as people think Donald J Trump is, almost everyone now saying we are in "unprecedented times" forget that they were saying the same goddamn thing about George W Bush.
Remember how he stole the elections, about how he was going to war all over the world (he actually DID begin wars in Iraq and Afghanistan! Remember that, guys?!) and it was argued that he would not step down at the end of his second term and would become a dictator?
In fact, people thought it was even worse than that! Whereas Trump is transparently incompetent and cannot keep anyone on his staff for long, Bush actually did have a competent group of people - Dick Cheney was the brains, the neo-conservatives such as Wolfowitz etc... were the ideological underpinning. He set up the Guantanamo Bay prison camps!
Remember when Kanye West, instead of sucking up to the president in the White House was saying that the president didn't care about black people? Remember Hurricane Katrina and the Astrodome? What about how Neil Young today is complaining that Trump used his music at a rally, when in Bush's term he wrote a whole album denouncing Bush! Radiohead wrote an album called Hail to the Thief about Bush! There were books flying off the shelves about the dark days of the Bush regime and how there was a shift towards fascism. Naomi Wolfe wrote a particularly paranoid pamphlet etc...
I think Trump will lose. He will whine and complain and then he will leave. Or he might not lose (he has a 25% chance of winning according to 538) in which case, there will be some riots, and we will continue to have this tragicomedy for another 4 years.
But anyway, I want to know who you think is worse? Please answer the poll and leave vehement comments on this topic.
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Police killing.
"A black man has been shot dead by homeless outreach police in San Clemente, California, after reportedly being stopped for jaywalking.
On Wednesday two Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) deputies, who were part of the city’s homeless outreach team, approached a man who is thought to have been homeless, according to The Orange County Register.
“Shortly after they contacted him, a physical altercation broke out,” said OCSD Seargent Dennis Breckner. “Shortly after that two gunshots were fired.”
Sgt Breckner said that CCTV footage from a nearby business at the time of the incident showed the man reaching for a deputy’s weapon during the altercation.
Chloe Miller, 23, told The County Register that she witnessed the two officers and the man in the middle of the road before moving back to the pavement where they then tackled him to the floor.
“I heard two shots, and it was after he was on the ground,” Ms Miller said.
Mobile footage taken of the incident reported by KNBC showed the man shouting “stop touching me,” as he attempts to walk past two deputies and the officer's gesturing for the man to sit down.
The man refuses to sit down and deputies are later seen knocking the man to the ground and scream before two shots are fired in succession.
According to CBSLA witnesses said that a deputy screamed that the man had hold of the weapon just before shots were fired. Authorities did not immediately specify if the man was armed."
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world...?ocid=msedgdhp
Another senseless killing or justified?
On Wednesday two Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) deputies, who were part of the city’s homeless outreach team, approached a man who is thought to have been homeless, according to The Orange County Register.
“Shortly after they contacted him, a physical altercation broke out,” said OCSD Seargent Dennis Breckner. “Shortly after that two gunshots were fired.”
Sgt Breckner said that CCTV footage from a nearby business at the time of the incident showed the man reaching for a deputy’s weapon during the altercation.
Chloe Miller, 23, told The County Register that she witnessed the two officers and the man in the middle of the road before moving back to the pavement where they then tackled him to the floor.
“I heard two shots, and it was after he was on the ground,” Ms Miller said.
Mobile footage taken of the incident reported by KNBC showed the man shouting “stop touching me,” as he attempts to walk past two deputies and the officer's gesturing for the man to sit down.
The man refuses to sit down and deputies are later seen knocking the man to the ground and scream before two shots are fired in succession.
According to CBSLA witnesses said that a deputy screamed that the man had hold of the weapon just before shots were fired. Authorities did not immediately specify if the man was armed."
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world...?ocid=msedgdhp
Another senseless killing or justified?
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Stress ulcers?
I am wondering if any of you have developed a stomach ulcer from stress. I have an appointment to see if that is what is going on with me, but I am wondering if anyone could tell me if it developed from long term stress? Was a surprise? What your symptoms were? What helped?
Thanks.
Thanks.
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Serious question about a (hypothetical) black hole at the center of the Earth
Would it actually matter (so to speak)?
Let's say the Earth's core is primarily molten iron, as is the current mainstream view.
Let's say, hypothetically, that at the center of this core is a black hole. What would that mean to the Earth's core?
A black hole is just a mass that is dense enough to exist entirely within its own Schwarzchild radius. Obviously this mass is already accounted for in our observations and predictions about things like the Earth's gravity, its rotation, its orbit around the Sun, etc.
Since it's surrounded by molten iron, it must be the case (?) that the black hole is getting larger (heavier, denser) as molten iron flows through the event horizon. It must therefore also be the case that the amount of molten iron at the core would diminish over time.
So the overall mass would stay the same, but would we expect to see other phenomena as this process proceeds?
The black hole would not expand in size to occupy the volume vacated by the molten iron it's taking in. So over time a hollow would develop between the hole and the mantle. Would the mantle collapse inward to fill this volume? Should we be detecting a constant series of deep quakes as the inner mantle itself collapses inwards to fill the void left by the vacating iron?
What about accretion-related emissions? One way we detect black holes in space is by the energy given off by matter as it accelerates towards the event horizon. Should we be detecting energetic events from the molten iron as it approaches the horizon?
What about the Earth's magnetic field? As more molten iron gets consumed, shouldn't the field weaken? Or do we hypothesize that the black hole itself is charged and spinning, and that the electromagnetic field generated by the iron is replaced more or less one-for-one by the hole itself as it grows from that iron?
Would the Earth be steadily shrinking in diameter?
Let's say the Earth's core is primarily molten iron, as is the current mainstream view.
Let's say, hypothetically, that at the center of this core is a black hole. What would that mean to the Earth's core?
A black hole is just a mass that is dense enough to exist entirely within its own Schwarzchild radius. Obviously this mass is already accounted for in our observations and predictions about things like the Earth's gravity, its rotation, its orbit around the Sun, etc.
Since it's surrounded by molten iron, it must be the case (?) that the black hole is getting larger (heavier, denser) as molten iron flows through the event horizon. It must therefore also be the case that the amount of molten iron at the core would diminish over time.
So the overall mass would stay the same, but would we expect to see other phenomena as this process proceeds?
The black hole would not expand in size to occupy the volume vacated by the molten iron it's taking in. So over time a hollow would develop between the hole and the mantle. Would the mantle collapse inward to fill this volume? Should we be detecting a constant series of deep quakes as the inner mantle itself collapses inwards to fill the void left by the vacating iron?
What about accretion-related emissions? One way we detect black holes in space is by the energy given off by matter as it accelerates towards the event horizon. Should we be detecting energetic events from the molten iron as it approaches the horizon?
What about the Earth's magnetic field? As more molten iron gets consumed, shouldn't the field weaken? Or do we hypothesize that the black hole itself is charged and spinning, and that the electromagnetic field generated by the iron is replaced more or less one-for-one by the hole itself as it grows from that iron?
Would the Earth be steadily shrinking in diameter?
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A black hole in the center of the Earth is shaping our DNA....
... so says the craziest scientific paper published in a long time.
https://www.iflscience.com/physics/t...y-clever-hoax/
https://www.iflscience.com/physics/t...y-clever-hoax/
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Chinese fighter jets cross dividing line between PRC and Taiwan
So apparently Chinese fighter jets have violated Taiwanese air space by crossing a line dividing the Taiwan Strait. China apparently does not recognise the dividing line, and their propaganda apparatus claims they are preparing to invade the island. Aftenposten quotes China expert June Teufel Dreyer, who says China is taking advantage of the fact that the Americans are busy with a turbulent election, that they wish to test Japan's new prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, and that the Chinese premier is under pressure from the elite and wants to make a show of force.
It remains to be seen if this is a single incident and that the tense situation will fizzle out and just be used as propaganda, and howthe US will respond Trump tweets will further complicate matters.
AFAIK, the current Taiwanese leadership leans towards formally declaring independence... at some point. Don't quote me on that, though.
Norwegian media article, translated
It remains to be seen if this is a single incident and that the tense situation will fizzle out and just be used as propaganda, and how
AFAIK, the current Taiwanese leadership leans towards formally declaring independence... at some point. Don't quote me on that, though.
Norwegian media article, translated
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mercredi 23 septembre 2020
Indictment in Breanna Taylor case.
Just announced, one of the officers was indicted for “reckless endangerment” for apparently shooting into adjacent apartments.
None of the officers actually involved in the shooting were charged, the investigation showed they were acting properly.
This has been pretty apparent from the time that fairly detailed accounts of the incident became public.... The death of Taylor was a tragic accident but not criminal. The officers did not go to the wrong address, they were looking for Taylor’s boyfriend.
They did have a “no knock” warrant, and the boyfriend did open fire on them as they forced their way in.
They returned fire and Taylor caught a bullet. Tragedy, but no “murder”...
Nonetheless, various activists interviewed, including one of the state representatives, continue to call for “justice” and believe there must be some way to charge the other officers.
Demonstrations and protests are already occurring.
None of the officers actually involved in the shooting were charged, the investigation showed they were acting properly.
This has been pretty apparent from the time that fairly detailed accounts of the incident became public.... The death of Taylor was a tragic accident but not criminal. The officers did not go to the wrong address, they were looking for Taylor’s boyfriend.
They did have a “no knock” warrant, and the boyfriend did open fire on them as they forced their way in.
They returned fire and Taylor caught a bullet. Tragedy, but no “murder”...
Nonetheless, various activists interviewed, including one of the state representatives, continue to call for “justice” and believe there must be some way to charge the other officers.
Demonstrations and protests are already occurring.
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Trump/Republican Support is Misanthropy
I've been mulling over a hypothesis for some time that supporting Trump and Republicans is an act of misanthropy.
Even the very rich who support them from pure selfishness tend to indicate misanthropy, because a part of selfishness would be the desire to leave an inhabitable world for their descendants. The likes of Chuck Feeney, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, et al, who have actively donated billions to altruistic causes, while the Robert Mercers & Kochs of the world seek only to destroy, even at the cost of their descendants' future.
Here are some stereotypical Trump supporters:
Considering the party these people support is the party of Reds Under the Beds! and Joseph McCarthy, I'm guessing they don't understand irony, but more important is the fact that they prefer a kleptocratic oligarchy to an elected government. These people and their cronies describe a "Marxist Revolution" if Biden is elected, which shows they can't even think straight - I know a few classical Marxists and Biden sure as hell isn't Marxist.
The supporters sit idly by and watch as Trump & Republicans demolish statutes and preserved land with equal glee, despite them getting no benefit from the changes whatsoever.
The only interpretation I can come up with is that these people hate themselves and their species so much that they want to destroy it for all mankind.
Even the very rich who support them from pure selfishness tend to indicate misanthropy, because a part of selfishness would be the desire to leave an inhabitable world for their descendants. The likes of Chuck Feeney, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, et al, who have actively donated billions to altruistic causes, while the Robert Mercers & Kochs of the world seek only to destroy, even at the cost of their descendants' future.
Here are some stereotypical Trump supporters:
Considering the party these people support is the party of Reds Under the Beds! and Joseph McCarthy, I'm guessing they don't understand irony, but more important is the fact that they prefer a kleptocratic oligarchy to an elected government. These people and their cronies describe a "Marxist Revolution" if Biden is elected, which shows they can't even think straight - I know a few classical Marxists and Biden sure as hell isn't Marxist.
The supporters sit idly by and watch as Trump & Republicans demolish statutes and preserved land with equal glee, despite them getting no benefit from the changes whatsoever.
The only interpretation I can come up with is that these people hate themselves and their species so much that they want to destroy it for all mankind.
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Experts Are Begging You Not To Make And Inject Your Own Homemade Covid Vaccines
Experts Are Begging You Not To Make And Inject Your Own Homemade Covid Vaccines
Well, damn, I guess I better stop all that vaccine stuff I've been doing in the kitchen.
Quote:
|
A new paper in the journal Science has addressed people who may be thinking of using a DIY Covid-19 vaccine, or else creating one themselves, with a strong yet simple message: Please don't, you might end up dead. Aside from the legal, ethical, and public health issues of self-experimentation when it comes to medical innovations, it's not safe. “A homemade Covid-19 vaccine is perhaps more dangerous than people would like to believe,” Jacob S. Sherkow, a professor of law at the University of Illinois and co-author of the paper, said in a statement. “We’re all sympathetic to the notion that people want to inoculate themselves against the virus. But people need to understand that every home remedy is not necessarily going to help, and some may very well be fatal.” |
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Eyeglasses and retail optometry are scams
When I was sixteen, I was diagnosed with progressive myopia (nearsightedness), and prescribed eyeglasses. I was told that this was a genetic condition and that I would have to correct my vision for the rest of my life. Subsequent to that, with nearly each visit to the eye doctor (whose office was usually located in a retail optometry store), I was told that my vision was deteriorating, and I would receive a slightly stronger prescription to correct for this.
Fast forward to about 2014. I remember sitting in front of the computer (where I've spend a large fraction of my life, in front of computers), noticing that I had difficulty seeing clearly. In prior years, I had also tried Orthokeratology - special contact lenses which seek to reshape the cornea, with limited success (the lenses, worn overnight, would grant clear vision for a number of days, then hours) until I gave up. I also wore toric lenses periodically for nearsightedness and astigmatism. Frustrated at the thought of visiting the optometrist and receiving yet another, stronger prescription, I started researching possible alternatives. In 2014 I decided to try the Bates method, which is a series of eye exercises and eye relaxation methods. There was some limited improvement, but since it calls for the complete removal of correction, and the fact that it did not improve my uncorrected vision enough to be functional, I gave up, discouraged.
Fast forward to late 2017. My eyesight was worse than ever, and I was on the verge of getting a new prescription and a new pair of glasses. My latest prescription was OS -1.75 OD -2.0 CYL -0.75. This is quite moderate as far as both myopia and astigmatism are concerned, but bad enough to render me almost practically blind, unable to drive, or perform most tasks requiring distance vision. My right eye prescription with the astigmatism converted into a Snellen fraction was equivalent to nearly 20/300 vision - legally blind!
It was about this time that in the course of research I came across a youtube channel run by a Jake Steiner, advocating something called "Reduced Lens Therapy" for the naturopathic treatment of myopia. After experiencing the mixed results from the Bates method, I was highly skeptical, but I decided that I had nothing to lose and gave it a shot. Steiner advocates using a "normalized" prescription for distance use, which is basically correction to about 20/50, and "differential" lenses which are weaker, for computer or near work.
Fast forward to January 2018. After deciding that I could see the computer well enough after increasing fonts and scale to avoid buying differential lenses, I received my first pair of normalized lenses @ OS -1.75 OD -1.75, with the astigmatism prescription completely omitted (which I would later come to realize was a mistake). The improvement over the course of the next two months was nothing short of miraculous. It was evident that I was overprescribed by as much as .5 diopter in each eye, at least. After progressing to even weaker lenses (OS -1.25 OD -1.25, and then eventually just -1 diopter) by September of 2018 I decided that I could stop wearing glasses permanently, and I did.
As of today, I am glasses free, and I have about 20/30 uncorrected vision on the Snellen test, still with a slight astigmatism in my right eye which is improving on a monthly basis.
Now, here is the science behind this, with a short lesson in optical biology, and the reason why eyeglasses, and the larger industry of retail optometry is a scam.
Light bouncing off of near objects is more divergent than light bouncing off of distant objects, and therefore requires more refractive power by the human eye in order to properly place the image on the retina in the back of the eye obtaining clarity. The ciliary body, which is a circular body of ligaments and muscles, either contracts or expands causing the lens to curve or flatten, enabling the eye to focus on either near or distance objects, respectively. This is the process of visual accommodation.
As 21st century humans, we spend an inordinate amount of time in front of screens, whether they're televisions, monitors, or phones, as opposed to our ancestors. This constant near work, and thus, constant contraction by the ciliary muscle is the principal cause of eyestrain, and when this eyestrain becomes chronic, ciliary spasm occurs where the muscle freezes entirely and the lens is temporarily "locked" in a curved position. This results in blurry distance vision, a condition called "pseudomyopia". Here is where the scam begins. The correct treatment for pseudomyopia, is to simply practice good visual hygiene, which includes taking breaks from near visual work (20-20-20 rule, every 20 minutes stare at an object 20' away for at least 20 seconds), going for walks, taking hard breaks after a few hours of computer use, and generally spending more time outside engaging your distance vision and allowing your ciliary muscle to relax.
Instead, we go to the optometrist with the (chronically but temporarily) blurry vision where we're tested in a dark room with a projected image of the Snellen chart, and we're diagnosed with an "un-curable" genetic condition that requires either surgery, or a lifetime of vision correction to overcome.
At this point, we are usually prescribed glasses for permanent use. The glasses, especially when used with near objects, cause unfocused light to emit *behind* the retina, which causes a stimulus triggering the eye to actually physically elongate in shape (axial elongation), making it impossible for the uncorrected lens to properly focus the image on the retina. This process is scientifically well-documented, and is called hyperoptic defocus. Thus pseudomyopia becomes progressive myopia, and the condition worsens over time depending mostly on the habits of the wearer.
This begets a cycle which benefits lens and frame manufacturers and retail optometrists to the tune of tens of billions of dollars. Most retail optometrists are probably unaware of this, but it's likely that the executives of the lens and frame manufacturers are. Retail optometry is based on junk science and the profit motive, and operates in direct contradiction to actual science.
While overprescribed eyeglasses undoubtedly make everyone see better, and in some cases very happy, they also create a physical handicap, a lifelong dependency, and a lifetime of unnecessary wasted time and money. You have been informed!
Fast forward to about 2014. I remember sitting in front of the computer (where I've spend a large fraction of my life, in front of computers), noticing that I had difficulty seeing clearly. In prior years, I had also tried Orthokeratology - special contact lenses which seek to reshape the cornea, with limited success (the lenses, worn overnight, would grant clear vision for a number of days, then hours) until I gave up. I also wore toric lenses periodically for nearsightedness and astigmatism. Frustrated at the thought of visiting the optometrist and receiving yet another, stronger prescription, I started researching possible alternatives. In 2014 I decided to try the Bates method, which is a series of eye exercises and eye relaxation methods. There was some limited improvement, but since it calls for the complete removal of correction, and the fact that it did not improve my uncorrected vision enough to be functional, I gave up, discouraged.
Fast forward to late 2017. My eyesight was worse than ever, and I was on the verge of getting a new prescription and a new pair of glasses. My latest prescription was OS -1.75 OD -2.0 CYL -0.75. This is quite moderate as far as both myopia and astigmatism are concerned, but bad enough to render me almost practically blind, unable to drive, or perform most tasks requiring distance vision. My right eye prescription with the astigmatism converted into a Snellen fraction was equivalent to nearly 20/300 vision - legally blind!
It was about this time that in the course of research I came across a youtube channel run by a Jake Steiner, advocating something called "Reduced Lens Therapy" for the naturopathic treatment of myopia. After experiencing the mixed results from the Bates method, I was highly skeptical, but I decided that I had nothing to lose and gave it a shot. Steiner advocates using a "normalized" prescription for distance use, which is basically correction to about 20/50, and "differential" lenses which are weaker, for computer or near work.
Fast forward to January 2018. After deciding that I could see the computer well enough after increasing fonts and scale to avoid buying differential lenses, I received my first pair of normalized lenses @ OS -1.75 OD -1.75, with the astigmatism prescription completely omitted (which I would later come to realize was a mistake). The improvement over the course of the next two months was nothing short of miraculous. It was evident that I was overprescribed by as much as .5 diopter in each eye, at least. After progressing to even weaker lenses (OS -1.25 OD -1.25, and then eventually just -1 diopter) by September of 2018 I decided that I could stop wearing glasses permanently, and I did.
As of today, I am glasses free, and I have about 20/30 uncorrected vision on the Snellen test, still with a slight astigmatism in my right eye which is improving on a monthly basis.
Now, here is the science behind this, with a short lesson in optical biology, and the reason why eyeglasses, and the larger industry of retail optometry is a scam.
Light bouncing off of near objects is more divergent than light bouncing off of distant objects, and therefore requires more refractive power by the human eye in order to properly place the image on the retina in the back of the eye obtaining clarity. The ciliary body, which is a circular body of ligaments and muscles, either contracts or expands causing the lens to curve or flatten, enabling the eye to focus on either near or distance objects, respectively. This is the process of visual accommodation.
As 21st century humans, we spend an inordinate amount of time in front of screens, whether they're televisions, monitors, or phones, as opposed to our ancestors. This constant near work, and thus, constant contraction by the ciliary muscle is the principal cause of eyestrain, and when this eyestrain becomes chronic, ciliary spasm occurs where the muscle freezes entirely and the lens is temporarily "locked" in a curved position. This results in blurry distance vision, a condition called "pseudomyopia". Here is where the scam begins. The correct treatment for pseudomyopia, is to simply practice good visual hygiene, which includes taking breaks from near visual work (20-20-20 rule, every 20 minutes stare at an object 20' away for at least 20 seconds), going for walks, taking hard breaks after a few hours of computer use, and generally spending more time outside engaging your distance vision and allowing your ciliary muscle to relax.
Instead, we go to the optometrist with the (chronically but temporarily) blurry vision where we're tested in a dark room with a projected image of the Snellen chart, and we're diagnosed with an "un-curable" genetic condition that requires either surgery, or a lifetime of vision correction to overcome.
At this point, we are usually prescribed glasses for permanent use. The glasses, especially when used with near objects, cause unfocused light to emit *behind* the retina, which causes a stimulus triggering the eye to actually physically elongate in shape (axial elongation), making it impossible for the uncorrected lens to properly focus the image on the retina. This process is scientifically well-documented, and is called hyperoptic defocus. Thus pseudomyopia becomes progressive myopia, and the condition worsens over time depending mostly on the habits of the wearer.
This begets a cycle which benefits lens and frame manufacturers and retail optometrists to the tune of tens of billions of dollars. Most retail optometrists are probably unaware of this, but it's likely that the executives of the lens and frame manufacturers are. Retail optometry is based on junk science and the profit motive, and operates in direct contradiction to actual science.
While overprescribed eyeglasses undoubtedly make everyone see better, and in some cases very happy, they also create a physical handicap, a lifelong dependency, and a lifetime of unnecessary wasted time and money. You have been informed!
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mardi 22 septembre 2020
Interesting science stories.
Occasionally, I come across interesting little science things that I don't really feel like making a new thread to poke at, so I'm making this thread as somewhere to share random cool or potentially interesting things.
For example,
Mechanically robust lattices inspired by deep-sea glass sponges
A significantly stronger and more resilient lattice form than the usual cross hatch.
And...
On Venus, mysterious traces of gas tease the possibility of extraterrestrial life
Scientists are scouring the galaxy for "biosignatures" that could provide evidence of simple forms of life. They didn't expect to find one on our solar neighbor.
Phosphine gas in quantities that are currently only explainable via the presence of life, in short. As an aside, after that news broke, Russia decided to claim that Venus is a Russian planet.
For example,
Mechanically robust lattices inspired by deep-sea glass sponges
A significantly stronger and more resilient lattice form than the usual cross hatch.
And...
On Venus, mysterious traces of gas tease the possibility of extraterrestrial life
Scientists are scouring the galaxy for "biosignatures" that could provide evidence of simple forms of life. They didn't expect to find one on our solar neighbor.
Phosphine gas in quantities that are currently only explainable via the presence of life, in short. As an aside, after that news broke, Russia decided to claim that Venus is a Russian planet.
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Sacked for "Bible Truth"
Here we go yet again...
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-lgbtq-classes
For non-UK-ians (mebbe even some UK-ians), to be sacked from a school is the final stage of a process involving verbal and written warnings and various other things, which suggests that she had continued to "Bible Truth" after being warned not to and that her "Bible Truth" contravenes equality legislation and the local policies. So, she had chance to shut up but chose not to...
Inevitably, the Christian Legal Centre are involved and making their usual claims about her freedom of religion and freedom of speech being curtailed. As usual they miss the point spectacularly: no-one is telling her NOT to be a Christian, just to stop breaching local policies and national law; freedom of speech is not freedom from consequences, ie she can say what she wants, but some things have consequences and she's got them and now doesn't like it.
I have zero sympathy with "Christians" who want to discriminate against other folk, in contravention of their supposed religion to start off with. My sympathy goes down further when they start trying to claim legal protection using the same sorts of legislation they have breached. Then it goes down even further when it involves the issues it does in this case, as, in my former professional life in CAMHS, I spent too much time with LGBTQ+ bairns who were being bullied, having their needs ignored by schools, etc, etc, ended up OD'ing or cutting, depressed, house-bound with anxiety and more.
Really, some of these "Christians" should just grow up and understand some of their own supposed religion...
PS Mods, I wasn't sure whether to put this here or in Social Affairs. Please move if you think it's better there. Thank you.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-lgbtq-classes
For non-UK-ians (mebbe even some UK-ians), to be sacked from a school is the final stage of a process involving verbal and written warnings and various other things, which suggests that she had continued to "Bible Truth" after being warned not to and that her "Bible Truth" contravenes equality legislation and the local policies. So, she had chance to shut up but chose not to...
Inevitably, the Christian Legal Centre are involved and making their usual claims about her freedom of religion and freedom of speech being curtailed. As usual they miss the point spectacularly: no-one is telling her NOT to be a Christian, just to stop breaching local policies and national law; freedom of speech is not freedom from consequences, ie she can say what she wants, but some things have consequences and she's got them and now doesn't like it.
I have zero sympathy with "Christians" who want to discriminate against other folk, in contravention of their supposed religion to start off with. My sympathy goes down further when they start trying to claim legal protection using the same sorts of legislation they have breached. Then it goes down even further when it involves the issues it does in this case, as, in my former professional life in CAMHS, I spent too much time with LGBTQ+ bairns who were being bullied, having their needs ignored by schools, etc, etc, ended up OD'ing or cutting, depressed, house-bound with anxiety and more.
Really, some of these "Christians" should just grow up and understand some of their own supposed religion...
PS Mods, I wasn't sure whether to put this here or in Social Affairs. Please move if you think it's better there. Thank you.
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lundi 21 septembre 2020
General UK politics
Starting this thread as there are quite few policies and stuff happening that aren’t just Covid politics or Brexit.
One I want to raise is the rail system.
The UK government has now extended “support” for the rail operators to 18 months in total: Rail franchises axed as help for train firms extended https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54232015
Surely it would be cheaper and simpler to re-nationalise the rail system? The infrastructure has been nationalised for some time now, several of the franchises have moved back into public control.
What on earth can be the benefit of trying to keep the rail system even nominally “privatised “ in light of the changes of passenger numbers for the foreseeable future?
One I want to raise is the rail system.
The UK government has now extended “support” for the rail operators to 18 months in total: Rail franchises axed as help for train firms extended https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54232015
Surely it would be cheaper and simpler to re-nationalise the rail system? The infrastructure has been nationalised for some time now, several of the franchises have moved back into public control.
What on earth can be the benefit of trying to keep the rail system even nominally “privatised “ in light of the changes of passenger numbers for the foreseeable future?
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samedi 19 septembre 2020
Will the coming influenza season produce few deaths?
Currently, the forthcoming flu season is about to start and everywhere there are messages to get your flu vaccine to keep the hospitals from being overwhelmed with flu on top of Covid-19 cases. Seems reasonable on its face.
But influenza has a significantly lower R0 than Covid-19 and it is subject to most of the same non pharmaceutical intervention reduction as Covid-19 so I don't see it being a significant factor in hospital loads until a Covid-19 vaccine is widely in use which is not going to occur in this flu season.
What am I missing?
But influenza has a significantly lower R0 than Covid-19 and it is subject to most of the same non pharmaceutical intervention reduction as Covid-19 so I don't see it being a significant factor in hospital loads until a Covid-19 vaccine is widely in use which is not going to occur in this flu season.
What am I missing?
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The Amish And Other Pure Sects
Just been reading about one Misty Griffin who has escaped from an Amish community and sex abuse.
I wonder about the incidence of sex abuse in these, and other, ultra conservative communities. Sex abuse is diametrically opposite to what is supposedly the ideals of a community, that is known to suppress even consensual sex outside of marriage.
Misty's experience was that nobody within the community wanted to know about her abuse. This speaks volumes about sincerity and commitment to the beliefs they supposedly hold sacred.
I wonder about the incidence of sex abuse in these, and other, ultra conservative communities. Sex abuse is diametrically opposite to what is supposedly the ideals of a community, that is known to suppress even consensual sex outside of marriage.
Misty's experience was that nobody within the community wanted to know about her abuse. This speaks volumes about sincerity and commitment to the beliefs they supposedly hold sacred.
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vendredi 18 septembre 2020
2020 Ig Nobel Prize Winners
For some reason they seem even sadder to me this year.
https://www.improbable.com/ig-about/winners/
Sample: PSYCHOLOGY PRIZE [CANADA, USA]
Miranda Giacomin and Nicholas Rule, for devising a method to identify narcissists by examining their eyebrows.
https://www.improbable.com/ig-about/winners/
Sample: PSYCHOLOGY PRIZE [CANADA, USA]
Miranda Giacomin and Nicholas Rule, for devising a method to identify narcissists by examining their eyebrows.
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Do arguments from analogy work?
In another thread we've seen dozens of posts about whether arguments from analogy are valid, sound, and persuasive. Since none of those posts were on topic, I'm opening up the discussion here.
I, for one, welcome analogical arguments, so long as they are truly analogous at certain crucial points which (alas!) vary depending on the topic to hand. I found J.J. Thompson's violinist analogy remarkably compelling at a time in my life when I wasn't particularly inclined to adopt her position, in part because she made key concessions in her thought experiment.
That said, just as most writers can't do satire like The Onion, most thinkers cannot do analogy like Thompson.
Thoughts?
I, for one, welcome analogical arguments, so long as they are truly analogous at certain crucial points which (alas!) vary depending on the topic to hand. I found J.J. Thompson's violinist analogy remarkably compelling at a time in my life when I wasn't particularly inclined to adopt her position, in part because she made key concessions in her thought experiment.
That said, just as most writers can't do satire like The Onion, most thinkers cannot do analogy like Thompson.
Thoughts?
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RBG goes away.
MSNBC and CNN are reporting that Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died at home with her family.
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The greatest legal ruling ever.
The Honourable Mr Justice Turner, in the case of Ms Cheryl Pile (Claimant) and the Chief Constable of Merseyside Police (Defendant).
The complaint was;
"Cheryl Pile brings this appeal to establish the liberty of inebriated English subjects to be allowed to lie undisturbed overnight in their own vomit soaked clothing. Of course, such a right, although perhaps of dubious practical utility, will generally extend to all adults of sound mind who are intoxicated at home. Ms Pile, however, was not at home. She was at a police station in Liverpool having been arrested for the offence of being drunk and disorderly. She had emptied the contents of her stomach all over herself and was too insensible with drink to have much idea of either where she was or what she was doing there. Rather than leave the vulnerable claimant to marinade overnight in her own bodily fluids, four female police officers removed her outer clothing and provided her with a clean dry outfit to wear."
The ruling was;
"All that happened to the claimant was a consequence of what was clearly her own failure to engage and flowed from … the legitimate and good faith concerns of the police to ensure that she was safe while in custody.
This appeal is dismissed."
https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2020/2472.html
In the UK, we have lost the right to spend the night in police cells whilst lying in our own vomit.
The complaint was;
"Cheryl Pile brings this appeal to establish the liberty of inebriated English subjects to be allowed to lie undisturbed overnight in their own vomit soaked clothing. Of course, such a right, although perhaps of dubious practical utility, will generally extend to all adults of sound mind who are intoxicated at home. Ms Pile, however, was not at home. She was at a police station in Liverpool having been arrested for the offence of being drunk and disorderly. She had emptied the contents of her stomach all over herself and was too insensible with drink to have much idea of either where she was or what she was doing there. Rather than leave the vulnerable claimant to marinade overnight in her own bodily fluids, four female police officers removed her outer clothing and provided her with a clean dry outfit to wear."
The ruling was;
"All that happened to the claimant was a consequence of what was clearly her own failure to engage and flowed from … the legitimate and good faith concerns of the police to ensure that she was safe while in custody.
This appeal is dismissed."
https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2020/2472.html
In the UK, we have lost the right to spend the night in police cells whilst lying in our own vomit.
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jeudi 17 septembre 2020
Bill Barr and his October Surprise
This thread is intended for all things Bill Barr, his rank corruption, and the October drop from Durham that Barr has (essentially) promised.
We've had corrupt AGs. But I don't recall seeing anything vaguely like this.
Donald Ayer was Deputy AG under Bush 1. He worked with Barr. His interview on CNN today wasn't hugely revealing. But hearing it from Ayer is chilling. I'll post a link later.
We've had corrupt AGs. But I don't recall seeing anything vaguely like this.
Donald Ayer was Deputy AG under Bush 1. He worked with Barr. His interview on CNN today wasn't hugely revealing. But hearing it from Ayer is chilling. I'll post a link later.
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freedom loving British judge rapped Assange, scare of Killary pressing that button...
https://www.theguardian.com/media/20...radition-trial
I don't blaim them. I wonder what would happen with those funny wigs they wear if that court house gets dronned.
3. Okt. 2016: Hillary Clinton on Assange "Can't we just drone this guy"
https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status...410562?lang=de
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/ju...-drone-strike/
https://www.politico.com/story/2016/...assange-229123
https://www.google.com/search?safe=s...+drone+Assange
I don't blaim them. I wonder what would happen with those funny wigs they wear if that court house gets dronned.
3. Okt. 2016: Hillary Clinton on Assange "Can't we just drone this guy"
https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status...410562?lang=de
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/ju...-drone-strike/
https://www.politico.com/story/2016/...assange-229123
https://www.google.com/search?safe=s...+drone+Assange
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Using your "Pronouns"
As with to do with trans people, what are the thoughts about this subject here?
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mercredi 16 septembre 2020
I so seldom get to use the word Delphic
On another board, someone wrote, “Game over, cucks. Donald Trump will cause a landslide on Nov. 3.”
If Biden wins in a landslide, this prognosticator can say, “it’s clear that all of Donald Trump’s unforced errors, laughably-bad gaslighting, and unmitigated poppycock in the last six weeks of the election are the reason that Biden won in a landslide. Ergo, the original assertion is correct.”
If Biden wins in a landslide, this prognosticator can say, “it’s clear that all of Donald Trump’s unforced errors, laughably-bad gaslighting, and unmitigated poppycock in the last six weeks of the election are the reason that Biden won in a landslide. Ergo, the original assertion is correct.”
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Solutions and Other Problems, Allie Brosh
This might be one good thing in 2020.
I used to really like Hyperbole and a Half, a semi-autobiographical web comic-ish blog by and about Allie Brosh. It focused on Brosh's difficulties, mostly from her childhood but it was done in a comical and at times insanely funny way.
Also painful, as she grew up with very pronounced Attention Deficit Disorder, and later depression. She sort of dropped off the radar after publishing a book of her web comics in 2013, apparently after having gone through a pretty severe depressive episode that is detailed in the book.
But still, you have seen her stuff, there are whole bunch of memes made from her work.
Anyway, after seven years she has a new book out - 1600 pictures over 500+ pages. It will be available on Sept. 22. She announced it on her blog which had been dormant for some time but seems to be reaching out to other social media as well.
Announcement
Solutions and Other Problems Book Page (This link contains links to pre-order information for U.S. and U.K.)
A few of the funnier old web comics (on her old Blogspot page, which does not seem to work perfectly and unfortunately does not display all of the images):
The Party
The God of Cake
This is Why I'll Never be an Adult
I used to really like Hyperbole and a Half, a semi-autobiographical web comic-ish blog by and about Allie Brosh. It focused on Brosh's difficulties, mostly from her childhood but it was done in a comical and at times insanely funny way.
Also painful, as she grew up with very pronounced Attention Deficit Disorder, and later depression. She sort of dropped off the radar after publishing a book of her web comics in 2013, apparently after having gone through a pretty severe depressive episode that is detailed in the book.
But still, you have seen her stuff, there are whole bunch of memes made from her work.
Anyway, after seven years she has a new book out - 1600 pictures over 500+ pages. It will be available on Sept. 22. She announced it on her blog which had been dormant for some time but seems to be reaching out to other social media as well.
Announcement
Solutions and Other Problems Book Page (This link contains links to pre-order information for U.S. and U.K.)
A few of the funnier old web comics (on her old Blogspot page, which does not seem to work perfectly and unfortunately does not display all of the images):
The Party
The God of Cake
This is Why I'll Never be an Adult
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News Article: Abandoning the Electoral College still a bad idea
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CIA Analyst goes off the deep end
Years ago, just post-911, I read CIA Analyst Michael Schueur’s book, “Imperial Hubris”. He was the agent in charge of “Project Bin Laden” and was primarily involved in tracking the guy.
I thought the book made some good points, primarily that in the face of the common (and Bush Administration) idea that this was a religiously-motivated attack, it was instead a political act, a protest against US policies in the region.
However, in recent years, it appears that Schueur has drunk the Q-anon kool-aid and the Trump conspiracy nonsense as well... Openly calling for violence against “Democrats”:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/michae...ticles&via=rss
Pretty disturbing stuff, making you wonder just how deeply this stuff has infected people across the board.
I thought the book made some good points, primarily that in the face of the common (and Bush Administration) idea that this was a religiously-motivated attack, it was instead a political act, a protest against US policies in the region.
However, in recent years, it appears that Schueur has drunk the Q-anon kool-aid and the Trump conspiracy nonsense as well... Openly calling for violence against “Democrats”:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/michae...ticles&via=rss
Pretty disturbing stuff, making you wonder just how deeply this stuff has infected people across the board.
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mardi 15 septembre 2020
[Continuation] Trans Women are not Women 4
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by JoeMorgue (Post 13224103)
No obviously we can't.
This is what is making this fundamentally different from the push for Civil Rights for women, minority races, or sexual orientations. This is the first time "support" has included "Agree with my own completely internal viewpoint." |
Same thing is happening here. The more you try to deny the similarities, the more you point them out further.
 Thread continued from here. You can quote or reply to any post in that or previous parts. |
|
Posted By:zooterkin
|
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A Stupid Question about the Cash Shortage
In many retail places in NJ, they have claimed that there was first a coin shortage, then a cash shortage due to C19. Googling a little, it seems that it is attributed to people using cards instead of cash.
But that seems backwards to me. People are not hoarding pennies. I don't think. Cash should be making its way back to the banks, who supply vendors, resulting in a glut of cash, not a shortage. Is this Visa poised for an economic takeover?
But that seems backwards to me. People are not hoarding pennies. I don't think. Cash should be making its way back to the banks, who supply vendors, resulting in a glut of cash, not a shortage. Is this Visa poised for an economic takeover?
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Mass UFO sighting in New Jersey
This could be bigger than the Hudson Valley flap. This video is a compilation of different YouTube clips and TikTok posts from motorists who stopped by the dozens along a major highway to film a dramatic UFO, which was very absolutely definitely not the Goodyear blimp:
[yt]ds9V9cpKi8Y[/yt]
[yt]ds9V9cpKi8Y[/yt]
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Awe, Wonder and Suchlike
When I was younger I used to listen to certain science popularisers going on and on about the size of the Universe in deep portentious tones.
And I would think "OK, I get it. It's big. So what? Why wouldn't it be big?"
And sometimes they would suggest that it puts all of our problems in perspective, and then I think "No, my problems are still the same as they were".
After all I didn't previously think "My problems are big because the Universe is so small".
The bigness of problems and the bigness of the Universe is using "big" in two different senses, so it is just an equivocation to suggest that one thing gives perspective on the other.
Of course there are lots of wonderful feelings that come from, for example, lying on your back in the desert and seeing all those stars that are invisible in the city.
But I often think that maybe I am lacking in something that others feel when seeing such things, lacking in a sense of awe and wonder at things like the size of the Universe.
I was thinking of this in relation to an essay I was reading from a philosopher suggesting that awe and wonder were grounds for believing in God (but not necessarily a personal God).
And maybe my "awe and wonder" capacity isn't powerful enough to find this plausible.
On the other hand maybe it is just an equivocation like the "bigness" of problems and the "bigness" of the Universe.
If I find the night sky in the desert then it is proof that something is majestic (at least to me), the night sky in the desert.
If I wonder about something then it is proof that there is something that I don't know about, but I have no idea why I should overload the stuff that I don't know about with the name "God".
Again when I say "I am filled with wonder" and when I say "I wonder what is in this box?" then surely I am also using "wonder" in different senses.
Anyway, I would welcome comments.
https://theelectricagora.com/2020/09...elief-part-ii/
And I would think "OK, I get it. It's big. So what? Why wouldn't it be big?"
And sometimes they would suggest that it puts all of our problems in perspective, and then I think "No, my problems are still the same as they were".
After all I didn't previously think "My problems are big because the Universe is so small".
The bigness of problems and the bigness of the Universe is using "big" in two different senses, so it is just an equivocation to suggest that one thing gives perspective on the other.
Of course there are lots of wonderful feelings that come from, for example, lying on your back in the desert and seeing all those stars that are invisible in the city.
But I often think that maybe I am lacking in something that others feel when seeing such things, lacking in a sense of awe and wonder at things like the size of the Universe.
I was thinking of this in relation to an essay I was reading from a philosopher suggesting that awe and wonder were grounds for believing in God (but not necessarily a personal God).
Quote:
|
God, throughout western history, has been considered that thing in the unknown which instills wonder in us. It is the thing that is beautiful, epistemically beyond us, and awesome. If we agree that the experience of a passion alone can provide overriding confidence in a belief, then when one feels wonder, when he looks into the unknown, I see no reason why this couldn’t be such a case. Why isn’t that passion alone sufficient to ground overriding confidence in the existence of something majestic in the mysteries of the cosmos? |
On the other hand maybe it is just an equivocation like the "bigness" of problems and the "bigness" of the Universe.
If I find the night sky in the desert then it is proof that something is majestic (at least to me), the night sky in the desert.
If I wonder about something then it is proof that there is something that I don't know about, but I have no idea why I should overload the stuff that I don't know about with the name "God".
Again when I say "I am filled with wonder" and when I say "I wonder what is in this box?" then surely I am also using "wonder" in different senses.
Anyway, I would welcome comments.
https://theelectricagora.com/2020/09...elief-part-ii/
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lundi 14 septembre 2020
What is Due Process?
I've been arguing with some of my Facebook friends about why Trump is not a good president. I was finally able to convince some of them that the C-Span video of Trump detailing his red-flag law proposal of "take the guns 1st, due process 2nd" is not fake.
One of my friends is a police officer who claims that he has used reasonable suspicion to seize firearms from people who might be a threat. I said this is a form of due process, he says it is not. I'm claiming that seizing property without any sort of prior due process is the same as stealing. Am I wrong?
I can't find the answer online. I have read about reasonable suspicion and probably cause, but not how they are related to due process. Links would be helpful. Thanks.
Ranb
One of my friends is a police officer who claims that he has used reasonable suspicion to seize firearms from people who might be a threat. I said this is a form of due process, he says it is not. I'm claiming that seizing property without any sort of prior due process is the same as stealing. Am I wrong?
I can't find the answer online. I have read about reasonable suspicion and probably cause, but not how they are related to due process. Links would be helpful. Thanks.
Ranb
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Orcas attacking boats - several incidents
Quote:
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Scientists baffled by orcas ramming sailing boats near Spain and Portugal In the last two months, from southern to northern Spain, sailors have sent distress calls after worrying encounters. Two boats lost part of their rudders, at least one crew member suffered bruising from the impact of the ramming, and several boats sustained serious damage. ... On 29 July, off Cape Trafalgar, Victoria Morris was crewing a 46ft delivery boat that was surrounded by nine orcas. The cetaceans rammed the hull for over an hour, spinning the boat 180 degrees, disabling the engine and breaking the rudder, as they communicated with loud whistling. It felt, she said, “totally orchestrated”. Earlier that week, another boat in the area reported a 50-minute encounter; the skipper said the force of the ramming “nearly dislocated the helmsman’s shoulder”. At 11.30 the previous night, British couple Beverly Harris and Kevin Large’s 40ft yacht was brought to a sudden halt, then spun several times; Harris felt the boat “raise a little”. Earlier that evening, Nick Giles was motorsailing alone when he heard a horrific bang “like a sledgehammer”, saw his wheel “turning with incredible force”, disabling the steering as his 34ft Moody yacht spun 180 degrees. He felt the boat lift and said he was pushed around without steering for 15 minutes. ... |
So, this is it. That's how the end times start. Good luck everyone.
:boxedin:
Ok, seriously. Must be pretty scary being on a boat and getting attacked by a group of Orcas, for almost an hour.
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Having a mental health event while white
Sorry about the title. It fits the general theme though. It happened in Melbourne, Australia yesterday.
https://www.9news.com.au/national/ep...e-9d6417a017bf
A couple of disclosers. I know the family involved very well. The victim’s father was once my best friend, but we have grown apart in recent years, mainly because he moved far away. My children played basketball with the victim and his brothers.
What I can confirm is that the victim did suffer mental illness but ran a plumbing business, had a wife and children and had no history of violence. I also know the area it happened very well. It’s 100 meters from where I worked. It’s usually a very busy traffic thoroughfare, but we are in strict lockdown. There would have been few if any pedestrians theoretically in danger by the victim.
I’ve been a defender of police often, and acknowledge the tough job they have. But at least one cop, the one who kicked the victim after he surrendered, is in deep trouble. The other body which will face close scrutiny is Northern Hospital which failed to deal with someone who needed assistance. He is now in a coma.
I wish the victim a successful recovery.
And, yes I know he lashed out at the police car, but the police were aware he was mentally unwell. They handled this extremely poorly.
https://www.9news.com.au/national/ep...e-9d6417a017bf
Quote:
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A man is in an induced coma after he was allegedly struck by a police vehicle and kicked in the head by an officer during his arrest in Melbourne's north yesterday. Video shows a group of six police officers pinning the man to the ground in Epping about 4.10pm, with one officer allegedly stomping on his face. The father-of-three, 32, was waiting for a mental health bed at the Northern Hospital but decided to leave after waiting more than a day in emergency. Hospital staff then called police to bring him back, where the violent arrest unfolded outside on suburban Cooper Street. |
What I can confirm is that the victim did suffer mental illness but ran a plumbing business, had a wife and children and had no history of violence. I also know the area it happened very well. It’s 100 meters from where I worked. It’s usually a very busy traffic thoroughfare, but we are in strict lockdown. There would have been few if any pedestrians theoretically in danger by the victim.
I’ve been a defender of police often, and acknowledge the tough job they have. But at least one cop, the one who kicked the victim after he surrendered, is in deep trouble. The other body which will face close scrutiny is Northern Hospital which failed to deal with someone who needed assistance. He is now in a coma.
I wish the victim a successful recovery.
And, yes I know he lashed out at the police car, but the police were aware he was mentally unwell. They handled this extremely poorly.
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Life on Venus?
There might be life on Venus! They have found a bio signiture in the form of Phosphine, so as I interpret it, its not 100% certain that they have found life yet, but exciting news away...
http://astrobiology.com/2020/09/phos...ible-life.html
Correct me if I'm wrong in that interpretation. Even one of my very sciency friends on FB says "There's life of Venus!".
http://astrobiology.com/2020/09/phos...ible-life.html
Correct me if I'm wrong in that interpretation. Even one of my very sciency friends on FB says "There's life of Venus!".
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[Ed] What would an Illuminati say? & secret knowledge and more than that
Hi all :)
I've got a question (this is kinda off-topic, so don't know if this is right here):
Let's say you've got an Illuminati from Germany. This male Illuminati is really passionate about leaving the country, changing his name and doin everything to get a completely new identity.
So now (whilst the process of creating his new life) someone asks him the following questions?
1. Why did you leave Germany?
2. Why did you go to Finland? Why exactly Finland?
3. Why did you change your name?
4. Why did you take on this hebrew first name? Why a hebrew one?
Well, the correct answers would be: 1. mind control is destroying my life. 2. I get thinner and smarter. 3. this name is one reason for the mind control inmy life. 4. its connection to God, even though I am extremely atheistic, it provides good stuff.
The majority of the people mustn't get to know about mind control and its existence.
This question feels so important to me. I need to know that.
Thank you very much for each serious answer.
Yours sincerly,
Isaak
I've got a question (this is kinda off-topic, so don't know if this is right here):
Let's say you've got an Illuminati from Germany. This male Illuminati is really passionate about leaving the country, changing his name and doin everything to get a completely new identity.
So now (whilst the process of creating his new life) someone asks him the following questions?
1. Why did you leave Germany?
2. Why did you go to Finland? Why exactly Finland?
3. Why did you change your name?
4. Why did you take on this hebrew first name? Why a hebrew one?
Well, the correct answers would be: 1. mind control is destroying my life. 2. I get thinner and smarter. 3. this name is one reason for the mind control inmy life. 4. its connection to God, even though I am extremely atheistic, it provides good stuff.
The majority of the people mustn't get to know about mind control and its existence.
This question feels so important to me. I need to know that.
Thank you very much for each serious answer.
Yours sincerly,
Isaak
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dimanche 13 septembre 2020
Tickling - Harmless laugh with ya kid or child abuse?
While I agree if the kid doesn't like it then stop as you are being a prat and frankly a bit odd, this seems a bit OTT.
Think the bigger issue is why random people's posts now make NZ National news
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle...ectid=12364456
Think the bigger issue is why random people's posts now make NZ National news
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle...ectid=12364456
Quote:
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Mum's claim that tickling is child abuse divides the internet A mum's extreme view on social media has divided the internet, as she has controversially claimed that tickling should be considered "child abuse". According to the mother, if a child does not consent to tickling, the parent should stop immediately. If not, it should be construed as an act of child abuse. "If they [kids] come looking for it/ask for it, they like it [tickling]," she wrote in a message to another mum, which has since been widely shared on Facebook. "It's about consent and you are teaching them their body, their rules." The other parent was taken aback. "So it'd be child abuse to do it to my kids?" the parent replied in the text message exchange. They pointed out that most kids are extremely fickle and will change their mind constantly. "They will literally tell you to stop, then immediately ask to be tickled more." "Stop when they ask you to stop."............... |
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samedi 12 septembre 2020
Mingun Sayadaw and his exceptional memory abilities
Hi all,
recently I stumbled upon an article about a Myanmar monk called Mingun Sayadaw, a Myanmar monk who in 1954 has been able to (apparently) flawless recall and recite all the content from the 16000 pages of the Tipitaka in front of other people. This is over 2 million words.
Just Google "Mingun Sayadaw Book of World Records"
The feat has been listed in at least two editions of the Guinness of World Records.
I know about people with exceptional memory abilities but I am wondering whether this is not beyond what an human mind can be able to do so I am wondering if there is anybody out there who knows more than me about the subject.
recently I stumbled upon an article about a Myanmar monk called Mingun Sayadaw, a Myanmar monk who in 1954 has been able to (apparently) flawless recall and recite all the content from the 16000 pages of the Tipitaka in front of other people. This is over 2 million words.
Just Google "Mingun Sayadaw Book of World Records"
The feat has been listed in at least two editions of the Guinness of World Records.
I know about people with exceptional memory abilities but I am wondering whether this is not beyond what an human mind can be able to do so I am wondering if there is anybody out there who knows more than me about the subject.
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Congress or Parliament?
The writer makes the case that the U.S. would be better served with a parliamentary system, like most other Western democracies.
https://nationalinterest.org/feature...rliament-17220
Discuss.
Quote:
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A parliamentary system of government is preferable to a presidential system. Parliamentary systems are common throughout much of Europe, South Asia and many former British colonies. Parliamentary systems are characterized by executives, usually called prime ministers, who derive their legitimacy from an assembly or legislature, usually called a parliament, after the “mother of parliaments,” in Britain. The executive is the head of government and is usually a member of the legislature and also held accountable to that legislature. |
Discuss.
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vendredi 11 septembre 2020
Countries normalising relations with Israel
UAE, and now Bahrain, brokered by Trump's son-in-law if the report I read, reads right. Analysis suggesting Saudi Arabia garnering allies against Iran, but so much of middle-eastern politics appears to be anything but straightforward.
Convenient timing for the president I suppose.
Convenient timing for the president I suppose.
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Shetland Islands makes move towards independence from Scotland
Shexit?
If the Shetlands became a crown dependancy, how much of the oil would they take? And would this weaken calls for Scottish independence, as there wouldn't be as much oil revenue to enrich an independent Scotland?
If the Shetlands became a crown dependancy, how much of the oil would they take? And would this weaken calls for Scottish independence, as there wouldn't be as much oil revenue to enrich an independent Scotland?
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jeudi 10 septembre 2020
Smartphone upgrade treadmill
Thread inspired by the following two posts in "The all-new US Politics and coronavirus thread pt. 2"
As for being "wedded" to to my seven year old phone: It works! It makes and receives calls. The MP3 player (which I use for podcasts) works. GPS works. The camera and the barcode reader app work. The sensors work. Why should I have to get a new phone to replace a device that currently does pretty much everything I want it to do?
And why is it that this technology goes stale so bloody fast? A forty year old vehicle can still fill up its tank at a gas station. Fifty year old touch tone phones still work. Seventy year old AM radios can still receive over the air broadcasts. A hundred year old clock, if maintained, will still tell the time. My mom had a kitchen scale her grandmother used; it still accurately registers 1 pound when an pound weight is placed on it.
Yet I'm "wedded" to a seven year old phone?
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Blue Mountain (Post 13219207)
Link to the app on GitHub. Unfortunately it doesn't work on older versions of Android and iOS. Google Play indicates the app needs Android version 6 and up; the Apple version requires iOS 13.5 or later.
I have a Samsung Galaxy S4—a perfectly serviceable device that can run a lot of Android software—but it's running Android 5, not 6. To me this is a huge problem with the Android ecosystem: the OS gets a refresh every year, but older devices don't. As time goes by the older devices get further and further behind until eventually otherwise good hardware can't run the latest software. With desktop systems this usually doesn't happen for ten to fifteen years, but with smartphones the horizon is shorter; in my case, a seven year old smartphone can't run this app. At the same time, I can connect a fifty year old touch-tone telephone to the POTS ("plain old telephone system") and it will work. (Yes, 50 year old phone; DTMF phones have been around since 1963.) |
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Babbylonian (Post 13219343)
There are options for upgrading the S4 to a newer version of Android. If you’re really wedded to a 7-year-old phone, I think it’s on you to update it instead of complaining that your OS is out of date.
|
And why is it that this technology goes stale so bloody fast? A forty year old vehicle can still fill up its tank at a gas station. Fifty year old touch tone phones still work. Seventy year old AM radios can still receive over the air broadcasts. A hundred year old clock, if maintained, will still tell the time. My mom had a kitchen scale her grandmother used; it still accurately registers 1 pound when an pound weight is placed on it.
Yet I'm "wedded" to a seven year old phone?
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Northrop Grumman cancels Omega rocket
Northrop Grumman will not continue development of its Space Coast-focused Omega program after the Space Force left the rocket out of its latest round of national security launch contracts, the aerospace and defense giant confirmed Thursday.
https://eu.floridatoday.com/story/te...sc/3457469001/
https://eu.floridatoday.com/story/te...sc/3457469001/
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FBI’s Terror Hunters Turn to a Different Threat: Incels
FBI’s Terror Hunters Turn to a Different Threat: Incels
What the hell is with these bastards? Apparently they have no ability to bathe or shower, wear clean and neat clothes, speak nicely to women, etc. Finding a partner isn't some kind of grand mystery, these clods are just incapable of normal behavior and thinking.
Quote:
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The FBI’s top terrorism cops took down a different kind of alleged terrorist in a complaint filed earlier this month: an incel. In a complaint filed in federal court in White Plains, New York, an FBI agent with the Bureau’s Joint Terrorism Task Force detailed a year-long campaign of harassment, rape, and death threats levied at a Long Island couple by David Kaufman, a self-described member of the “incel” movement and supporter of one of its most notorious murderers, Elliot Rodger. Prosecutors alleged that Kaufman terrorized a couple he knew from college and their friends in a series of messages on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube in retaliation for “for rejecting and depriving him of sex to which he believed he was entitled,” according to the complaint. He’s charged with making threatening interstate communications and stalking. |
Quote:
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In his alleged threats, Kaufman adopted the language of the incel movement, derisively referring to his victims’ high school classmates as “normies” and to one of his alleged victims as a “Chad,” which the complaint describes as “an Incel term that refers to an archetypal white alpha man.” He also allegedly adopted the movement’s misogynist goals, telling one victim that “it should be illegal for a woman to say no” to sex. The complaint alleges that Kaufman began tormenting a woman he knew from college, her partner, and their friends in October 2019 after years of not speaking. The harassment began on Facebook when Kaufman allegedly falsely accused the woman’s partner, identified as Victim-2, of beating her. |
Quote:
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The harassment included both rape and death threats against Victim-1 and her social circle. “I'll have sex with a woman one day. One way or another [wink emoji],” he wrote to her in one missive. Kaufman expanded his alleged campaign of terror to include friends of the couple, one of whom allegedly received a bomb threat from the defendant in her mailbox along with a note that said “I'm going to tear your skin off and rape your face open stupid whore!!!” |
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The Oscars
Oscars have introduced new rules changes for a film to be chosen best picture:
The first category of standards (which the Academy calls Group A) deals with the stories or characters on the actual screen. In this category, movies must have one of the following:
At least one “lead or significant supporting actor” from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. Or ...
At least 30 percent of a cast in secondary and minor roles from two underrepresented identity groups. Or ...
A main storyline or subject that centers on an underrepresented identity group.
Group B standards regard the creative and production team behind the film. To meet these standards, a film must meet one of the following criteria:
At least two heads of major departments (such as editing, director, makeup and hairstyling, costuming, or sound, as well as many others) must be from an underrepresented identity group. Additionally, a minimum of one of these must be from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. Or ...
At least six people on the crew (excluding production assistants, generally the entry-level position on set) are from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. Or ...
At least 30 percent of the crew are from an underrepresented identity group.
https://www.vox.com/culture/2020/9/9...sity-inclusion
There are a couple more categories that a film must meet the standards to as well.
Do you think this is a good idea that will lead to positive changes in the film industry?
The first category of standards (which the Academy calls Group A) deals with the stories or characters on the actual screen. In this category, movies must have one of the following:
At least one “lead or significant supporting actor” from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. Or ...
At least 30 percent of a cast in secondary and minor roles from two underrepresented identity groups. Or ...
A main storyline or subject that centers on an underrepresented identity group.
Group B standards regard the creative and production team behind the film. To meet these standards, a film must meet one of the following criteria:
At least two heads of major departments (such as editing, director, makeup and hairstyling, costuming, or sound, as well as many others) must be from an underrepresented identity group. Additionally, a minimum of one of these must be from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. Or ...
At least six people on the crew (excluding production assistants, generally the entry-level position on set) are from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. Or ...
At least 30 percent of the crew are from an underrepresented identity group.
https://www.vox.com/culture/2020/9/9...sity-inclusion
There are a couple more categories that a film must meet the standards to as well.
Do you think this is a good idea that will lead to positive changes in the film industry?
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Right wingers CT that "antifa" is starting west coast wildfires.
As wildfires grow across the west coast here in the US, right wing conspiracies are spreading across facebook claiming that anarchists and/or antifa are seen setting the fires.
Calls for violence are growing, with many calls for "shoot on sight" for "suspicious" people.
Facebook has become a den of conspiracy theories cooked up to justify right wing violence.
As more and more become displaced by the fires, the danger of facebook-poisoned boomers taking direct violent action against "antifa arsonists" will become greater.
https://twitter.com/LincolnGraves/st...03643150610433
https://www.facebook.com/MedfordPoli...96916293848945
Claims are being spread by notorious right wing propaganda outlet "Turning Point USA".
https://twitter.com/SethCotlar/statu...32100442087426
Calls for violence are growing, with many calls for "shoot on sight" for "suspicious" people.
Facebook has become a den of conspiracy theories cooked up to justify right wing violence.
As more and more become displaced by the fires, the danger of facebook-poisoned boomers taking direct violent action against "antifa arsonists" will become greater.
https://twitter.com/LincolnGraves/st...03643150610433
https://www.facebook.com/MedfordPoli...96916293848945
Claims are being spread by notorious right wing propaganda outlet "Turning Point USA".
https://twitter.com/SethCotlar/statu...32100442087426
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mercredi 9 septembre 2020
Resolved: Trump is guilty, literally, of murder
So, it's now proven beyond any semblance of a doubt that Trump knew that COVID-19 was a significant threat to the lives of Americans who would contract it, but chose to lie and downplay the threat to further his own agenda. I submit that, by refusing to tell the truth, and refusing to take actions he knew were needed to protect lives, and actually taking actions that increased the risk of infection and death in the United States, Trump is literally guilty of murder in the deaths of an indeterminate, but significant, percentage of the total deaths that have occurred in the US.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depraved-heart_murder
Under this standard, Trump is guilty. Case Closed.
Quote:
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In United States law, depraved-heart murder, also known as depraved-indifference murder, is a type of murder where an individual acts with a "depraved indifference" to human life and where such act results in a death, despite that individual not explicitly intending to kill. In a depraved-heart murder, defendants commit an act even though they know their act runs an unusually high risk of causing death or serious bodily harm to a person. If the risk of death or bodily harm is great enough, ignoring it demonstrates a "depraved indifference" to human life and the resulting death is considered to have been committed with malice aforethought.[1][2] In some states, depraved-heart killings constitute second-degree murder,[3] while in others, the act would be charged with varying degrees of manslaughter[4] or third-degree murder. |
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depraved-heart_murder
Under this standard, Trump is guilty. Case Closed.
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Kyle Rittenhouse, accused multi-murderer from Kenosha BLM shooting
Seems relevant to make a thread for Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17 year old who drove from out of state to carry a rifle at the chaotic protests and riots in Kenosha following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
Kyle was seen on multiple videos of the events shooting an unarmed protester, then shooting his way to safety as others came to try to apprehend the apparent active shooter.
He shot 3, killing 2. See link for criminal complaint detailing the events
https://www.theherald-news.com/lists...dex.xml?page=1
He is charged with:
- 1st degree reckless homicide for the killing of Rosenbaum, the first victim that was shot in the car lot.
- 1st degree intentional homicide of Huber, the man seen trying to stop the fleeing killer with a skateboard.
- 1st degree reckless endangering, for shots that endangered a journalist near the Rosenbaum killing.
- 1st degree attempted homicide, for the maiming of Grosskreutz, another man seen alongside Huber trying to stop the fleeing killer.
- 1st degree reckless endangering, for shots at third unidentified man attempting to stop him in the street alongside Huber and Grosskreutz.
- Possession of a dangerous weapon by a minor. Self explanatory, he was illegally carrying a rifle.
The NYTimes put together a timeline of the night from available live streams and other videos showing Rittenhouse roaming the street with the rifle leading up to the killings.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/27/u...ing-video.html
Rittenhouse is being charged as an adult and is being held without bail. Rittenhouse is being proclaimed by right wingers as acting in defense, and so far this seems to be the strategy of his legal defense.
His case has attracted questionable lawyers, such as defamation attorney LL Wood, famous for the Covington case. His case has become a large cause celebre for right wingers who see him as a hero standing up to antifa. His defense attorney, John Pierce, has resigned from the legal defense fundraising org after it was revealed that his firm was deeply in debt to prior creditors.
https://www.wpr.org/rittenhouse-lawy...s-defense-fund
Kyle was seen on multiple videos of the events shooting an unarmed protester, then shooting his way to safety as others came to try to apprehend the apparent active shooter.
He shot 3, killing 2. See link for criminal complaint detailing the events
https://www.theherald-news.com/lists...dex.xml?page=1
He is charged with:
- 1st degree reckless homicide for the killing of Rosenbaum, the first victim that was shot in the car lot.
- 1st degree intentional homicide of Huber, the man seen trying to stop the fleeing killer with a skateboard.
- 1st degree reckless endangering, for shots that endangered a journalist near the Rosenbaum killing.
- 1st degree attempted homicide, for the maiming of Grosskreutz, another man seen alongside Huber trying to stop the fleeing killer.
- 1st degree reckless endangering, for shots at third unidentified man attempting to stop him in the street alongside Huber and Grosskreutz.
- Possession of a dangerous weapon by a minor. Self explanatory, he was illegally carrying a rifle.
The NYTimes put together a timeline of the night from available live streams and other videos showing Rittenhouse roaming the street with the rifle leading up to the killings.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/27/u...ing-video.html
Rittenhouse is being charged as an adult and is being held without bail. Rittenhouse is being proclaimed by right wingers as acting in defense, and so far this seems to be the strategy of his legal defense.
His case has attracted questionable lawyers, such as defamation attorney LL Wood, famous for the Covington case. His case has become a large cause celebre for right wingers who see him as a hero standing up to antifa. His defense attorney, John Pierce, has resigned from the legal defense fundraising org after it was revealed that his firm was deeply in debt to prior creditors.
https://www.wpr.org/rittenhouse-lawy...s-defense-fund
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[Split From] Discussion about CO2/O2 and breathing/respiration
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Planigale (Post 13214025)
... The childhood thing of hyperventilating, then holding your breath and passing out is due to low oxygen levels not raised carbon dioxide levels. Oxygen levels drop far quicker than carbon dioxide levels rise due to buffering of carbon dioxide. ....
|
You blow off too much CO2 and get slightly alkalotic . That's why we have people who are hyperventilating breathe into a bag.
Quote:
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The point of breathing into a bag is to “re-breathe” your exhaled carbon dioxide (CO2) in the hopes of bringing your body back to a normal pH level. |
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mardi 8 septembre 2020
USA Summed up in One Photo
This one:
On one side, a bunch of young women, protesting peacefully.
On the other, a bunch of white male cowards with trigger fingers at the ready.
There aren't many places in the world idiots are allowed to behave that way, but thanks to theSacred Scroll Second Amendment, it's perfectly acceptable in USA.
I bet those guys had to race home and have a wank after showing such bravery in the face of unarmed girls.
Any Americans wondering why the civilised world thinks you're all mad should take a look at the photo and never wonder again.
On one side, a bunch of young women, protesting peacefully.
On the other, a bunch of white male cowards with trigger fingers at the ready.
There aren't many places in the world idiots are allowed to behave that way, but thanks to the
I bet those guys had to race home and have a wank after showing such bravery in the face of unarmed girls.
Any Americans wondering why the civilised world thinks you're all mad should take a look at the photo and never wonder again.
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American Politics is a Prisoner's dilemma game
Americans seem to be trapped in a Prisoner's dilemma game, and instead of trying to cooperate to make things better for everyone, they do their utmost to be the ones to defect, first.
I find numerous analogies in current discourse, which strongly focuses on vilifying the opposition, questioning their motives in any negotiation and the massive efforts to make communication between the sides impossible.
The rhetoric of "triggering the libs" directly translates into "I'm fine with going to prison as long as the other guy is locked up longer than me" .
And then there is clear "tit-for-tat" tactics in Congress and the White House whenever power shifts: norms once broken are not re-established: when one side transgresses, it is considered politically naive not to pay them back in kind.
Muddying the communication by deliberate Fake News and foreign influence campaigns seems to be deliberately aimed at moderates on both sides who would otherwise be able to find common ground.
I don't see any way out of this apart from a focus on very local politics where everyone as to live next to their political opponent every day.
I find numerous analogies in current discourse, which strongly focuses on vilifying the opposition, questioning their motives in any negotiation and the massive efforts to make communication between the sides impossible.
The rhetoric of "triggering the libs" directly translates into "I'm fine with going to prison as long as the other guy is locked up longer than me" .
And then there is clear "tit-for-tat" tactics in Congress and the White House whenever power shifts: norms once broken are not re-established: when one side transgresses, it is considered politically naive not to pay them back in kind.
Muddying the communication by deliberate Fake News and foreign influence campaigns seems to be deliberately aimed at moderates on both sides who would otherwise be able to find common ground.
I don't see any way out of this apart from a focus on very local politics where everyone as to live next to their political opponent every day.
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Eastern WA Fires creating thick smoke in Bellevue/Seattle
Relatively thick. The Moon is blood red. I've lived here more than 30 years and I've never experienced the smell of smoke like this. I actually went outside to see if there was a fire nearby and until I saw the Moon I wasn't sure.
Last year (or the year before, I lose track) there was smoke from the fires north of here in Canada. I seem to remember there was a bit of noticeable ash fall. Still it wasn't like this.
I knew this was coming with global warming. Some states are getting droughts or floods. The whole west coast is getting fires. Like Australia, and there must be many areas on the planet that have had or will get massive fires like this.
NPR: Wildfire smoke billows into Seattle area with flurry of 911 calls
They had to announce not to call 911 unless you could see flames. Apparently the smoke literally billowed across the Snoqualmie pass.
Like Paradise CA, a couple of towns burned down.
Last year (or the year before, I lose track) there was smoke from the fires north of here in Canada. I seem to remember there was a bit of noticeable ash fall. Still it wasn't like this.
I knew this was coming with global warming. Some states are getting droughts or floods. The whole west coast is getting fires. Like Australia, and there must be many areas on the planet that have had or will get massive fires like this.
NPR: Wildfire smoke billows into Seattle area with flurry of 911 calls
They had to announce not to call 911 unless you could see flames. Apparently the smoke literally billowed across the Snoqualmie pass.
Quote:
|
On the Washington Smoke Information blog, readers were reporting smoke rolling across Snoqualmie Pass and into Puyallup and Maple Valley about 7 p.m. An experimental forecast from NOAA showed near-surface smoke flowing over the mountains.... The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency's air monitoring system showed a spike in fine particulates in North Bend and nearby areas in the evening. It forced authorities to issue Level 3 evacuation notices to the town of Bridgeport and to close highways in the area, including US 97 between Brewster and Omak and US 2 in several spots.... |
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Skeptical of "pedophile ring" testimony. How to approach the issue with skepticism?
A good friend of mine sent me a link to this video as "proof" that high level pedophile rings exist on a global level, filled with the elite and powerful. I watched the video and had the impression that this woman must be lying, or mentally ill in some way, compulsively seeking attention or meaning.
Here's the video; it's pretty short and safe for work, it's just a Belgian woman non-graphically describing how she experienced 1700 hours of rape by the age of 12 and how she was almost ritually murdered on a butchers block stained black with the blood of the previous sacrificial victims.
https://youtu.be/zQFOrwyFopA
I'm curious if most skeptics here have the same impression upon viewing it, and, if so, how you recommend approaching the issue of sensitively letting it be known that I'm extremely skeptical of her story while still making it clear that I have empathy and compassion for survivors of real abuse.
I also want to get opinions on if I'm wrong to immediately doubt this story. Part of me is scared that my BS detector is wrong and that I'm the fool. Do these things actually happen and I'm jusy naive about the world?
Serious questions, I'm not trying to be snide or sarcastic in any of this.
Thanks for any feedback.
Here's the video; it's pretty short and safe for work, it's just a Belgian woman non-graphically describing how she experienced 1700 hours of rape by the age of 12 and how she was almost ritually murdered on a butchers block stained black with the blood of the previous sacrificial victims.
https://youtu.be/zQFOrwyFopA
I'm curious if most skeptics here have the same impression upon viewing it, and, if so, how you recommend approaching the issue of sensitively letting it be known that I'm extremely skeptical of her story while still making it clear that I have empathy and compassion for survivors of real abuse.
I also want to get opinions on if I'm wrong to immediately doubt this story. Part of me is scared that my BS detector is wrong and that I'm the fool. Do these things actually happen and I'm jusy naive about the world?
Serious questions, I'm not trying to be snide or sarcastic in any of this.
Thanks for any feedback.
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lundi 7 septembre 2020
What Music are you listening to RIGHT NOW? Part V
Saint Louis tickle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWrsoW6R1dA
Hold Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAoydhB7Eow
Don't vote for Mr. Nobody
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh_XezbCDOc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWrsoW6R1dA
Hold Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAoydhB7Eow
Don't vote for Mr. Nobody
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh_XezbCDOc
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What Music are you listening to RIGHT NOW? Part V
Saint Louis tickle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWrsoW6R1dA
Hold Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAoydhB7Eow
Don't vote for Mr. Nobody
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh_XezbCDOc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWrsoW6R1dA
Hold Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAoydhB7Eow
Don't vote for Mr. Nobody
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh_XezbCDOc
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making slideshow videos
I have been making videos that are made entirely of still images and audio, with each image getting its own custom duration so what's shown at any time is relevant to what the audio is talking about. I guess you could say it's like a recording of a PowerPoint presentation where you can't see the speaker or any of the stuff in the room around the screen, just the slides.
I was using Windows Movie Maker for this, which was part of a package of programs called "Windows Essentials". Support for and re-downloading of Windows Essentials apparently ended a few years ago without my knowing it, until I got a new computer. I keep the installer EXEs for all my programs that don't come with Windows in a folder to copy to & run on a new computer without needing to find them online again, but, when I ran the installer for WMM, it apparently tried to contact Micro$oft anyway; it gave me a message saying it couldn't be installed (and this is on the same version of Windows). I thought of locating its folder on the old computer and moving that whole thing to the new one, but I can picture Micro$oft having set a few traps to make that not work anyway, if they're already going as far as blocking an installation from a saved EXE.
So, presuming that doesn't work, what else does that leave me other than keeping the old computer around for only this particular task? The new computer came with a new Micro$oft video editor creatively called Video Editor, but it doesn't fit the bill in a few different ways:
►It doesn't allow slide durations under 2 seconds; I need to define slide durations in 0.1-second increments, including at least down to 0.5.
►When I opened a video with it and finally found how to supposedly step forward & backward one frame at a time to locate precise cut points (because I do occasionally want to clip clips too), the image that I was being shown would not actually change with each step. It changed once in every several steps, but that always meant that by the time I could see where I was, I was already past the point where I wanted to be. It's like driving with a passenger giving me directions but only announcing the turns after we've passed them.
►It adds a watermark in the lower right corner in its free form. The paid form without it only costs a few dollars so I figure Micro$oft is just making a point, but it's annoying anyway. And right now I don't have any reason to think that paying would fix the other two problems
So, does the paid version of MVE have the minimum slide duration & frame-by-frame navigation problems? And if it does, what other slideshow-maker would would you recommend? (I just tried one out and was reminded of why I almost never just try out things I find on Download∙Com. It's always just a bunch of rounds of finding random programs that just aren't very good and discovering a long list of creative new ways for programs to have weird problems I never imagined before. The most obvious one that came up sounding like an answer to my problems in this case might allow small enough slide durations, but gives no way to play the audio while I'm adjusting those durations, which is like driving blind, and I'd rather not waste a bunch of time on more discoveries like that.)
I've only used free programs for this before, but wouldn't mind actually buying one this time, especially if it means getting one with less-limiting abilities so I could use it to learn & practice more video work to use later.
Or would copying the old WMM files from my old computer have some chance of working?
I was using Windows Movie Maker for this, which was part of a package of programs called "Windows Essentials". Support for and re-downloading of Windows Essentials apparently ended a few years ago without my knowing it, until I got a new computer. I keep the installer EXEs for all my programs that don't come with Windows in a folder to copy to & run on a new computer without needing to find them online again, but, when I ran the installer for WMM, it apparently tried to contact Micro$oft anyway; it gave me a message saying it couldn't be installed (and this is on the same version of Windows). I thought of locating its folder on the old computer and moving that whole thing to the new one, but I can picture Micro$oft having set a few traps to make that not work anyway, if they're already going as far as blocking an installation from a saved EXE.
So, presuming that doesn't work, what else does that leave me other than keeping the old computer around for only this particular task? The new computer came with a new Micro$oft video editor creatively called Video Editor, but it doesn't fit the bill in a few different ways:
►It doesn't allow slide durations under 2 seconds; I need to define slide durations in 0.1-second increments, including at least down to 0.5.
►When I opened a video with it and finally found how to supposedly step forward & backward one frame at a time to locate precise cut points (because I do occasionally want to clip clips too), the image that I was being shown would not actually change with each step. It changed once in every several steps, but that always meant that by the time I could see where I was, I was already past the point where I wanted to be. It's like driving with a passenger giving me directions but only announcing the turns after we've passed them.
►It adds a watermark in the lower right corner in its free form. The paid form without it only costs a few dollars so I figure Micro$oft is just making a point, but it's annoying anyway. And right now I don't have any reason to think that paying would fix the other two problems
So, does the paid version of MVE have the minimum slide duration & frame-by-frame navigation problems? And if it does, what other slideshow-maker would would you recommend? (I just tried one out and was reminded of why I almost never just try out things I find on Download∙Com. It's always just a bunch of rounds of finding random programs that just aren't very good and discovering a long list of creative new ways for programs to have weird problems I never imagined before. The most obvious one that came up sounding like an answer to my problems in this case might allow small enough slide durations, but gives no way to play the audio while I'm adjusting those durations, which is like driving blind, and I'd rather not waste a bunch of time on more discoveries like that.)
I've only used free programs for this before, but wouldn't mind actually buying one this time, especially if it means getting one with less-limiting abilities so I could use it to learn & practice more video work to use later.
Or would copying the old WMM files from my old computer have some chance of working?
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So, about those 39 sex-trafficked kids rescued from a trailer in Georgia...
It didn't happen.
No, The Government Did Not Break Up A Child Sex Trafficking Ring In Georgia
The truth: This was not a sex trafficking sting operation, most the kids were not victims of sex trafficking, they were not found in a trailer. Most of them were runaways, and they were found across six states over a period of two weeks.
How does this kind of ****** reporting happen? Because nobody's doing any real reporting:
"A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." -- Terry Pratchett.
No, The Government Did Not Break Up A Child Sex Trafficking Ring In Georgia
Quote:
|
Human trafficking has been having an eventful summer. In July, internet sleuths accused online retailer Wayfair of selling missing children in overpriced cabinets. In August, QAnon supporters (along with some well-meaning if ill-informed influencers) held nationwide “Save the Children” rallies. And last week, there was the trailer story. “U.S. Marshals Find 39 Missing Children in Georgia During ‘Operation Not Forgotten,’” proclaimed the government’s official press release. Federal agents and local law enforcement, it said, had rescued 26 children, “safely located” 13 more and arrested nine perpetrators, some of whom were charged with sex trafficking. |
How does this kind of ****** reporting happen? Because nobody's doing any real reporting:
Quote:
|
The facts of the operation weren’t clear (what does “safely located” mean, exactly?), but it didn’t stop media outlets from taking up the story. “Missing Children Rescued in Georgia Sex Trafficking Bust” wrote The Associated Press, a headline dutifully repeated in The New York Times. “39 Missing Children Located in Georgia Sex Trafficking Sting Operation” was People magazine’s version. Few media outlets contributed any original reporting; the vast majority of stories were little more than rewritten versions of the U.S. Marshals Service’s press release. Within hours, social media users continued the game of telephone. “39 kids were just recovered from traffickers in Georgia,” Charlie Kirk, the founder of the right-wing student group Turning Point USA, wrote in a tweet. “Law enforcement officers saved their lives. How is this not the biggest story in America right now?” |
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Driving a car while black
It seems a bunch of white people were harassing a black woman who was trying to drive her car on a public road.
https://twitter.com/joelpollak/statu...45344603340801
https://twitter.com/joelpollak/statu...45344603340801
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Some of my students believe in ghosts, demons, and extraterrestrials
I don't post in or read this section that much, but it seems the obvious place to ask for help.
I've recently changed careers and become a secondary school teacher. At the moment I'm mostly teaching sixth-grade remedial math, with one seventh-grade advanced math class.
At the beginning of every day we have a shorter class that's called Critical Thinking, but it's actually what we referred to as "home room" when I was in school: a time for announcements, taking attendance, the Pledge of Allegiance, etc. According to the teacher whom I replaced, after those activities have been completed, the students are to have some kind of a "fun" activity for the rest of the time, usually, but not always, related to the teacher's subject area. Everyone in my Critical Thinking class is in one of my 6th-grade remedial math classes, so, for those unfamiliar, they're all about 12 years old.
The other day I couldn't find the worksheet I thought my predecessor had left for the students to work on during "Critical Thinking," so I decided that we would actually discuss critical thinking for a change.
As it turns out, at least three of my students believe in ghosts and demons, and at least a couple believe that UFOs are extraterrestrial space vehicles. One claimed to have seen a ghost himself, and to have observed other evidence that his house is haunted; another claimed that "the Air Force" has recently released documents proving that "UFOs are real," or words to that effect. He also asked me if I'd heard of Roswell.
I tried explaining to them about urban legends, extraordinary claims, the null hypothesis, and how our minds can play tricks on us sometimes, but those didn't convince them. I also read to them the Snopes page on Slender Man, which from a conversation I overheard before class, they seem to believe is real, and I told them to always check out any urban legends on Snopes. They seem to be okay on some subjects, though, such as Bigfoot ("It's just a guy in a suit") and the moon landings, so I believe there is hope for them.
So my question is, does anyone have any suggestions for resources or activities I could use in the future to help steer them (or other students) away from woo beliefs? It might be relevant to mention that I'm also qualified to teach middle school general science, high school physics, and high school earth and space science.
I've recently changed careers and become a secondary school teacher. At the moment I'm mostly teaching sixth-grade remedial math, with one seventh-grade advanced math class.
At the beginning of every day we have a shorter class that's called Critical Thinking, but it's actually what we referred to as "home room" when I was in school: a time for announcements, taking attendance, the Pledge of Allegiance, etc. According to the teacher whom I replaced, after those activities have been completed, the students are to have some kind of a "fun" activity for the rest of the time, usually, but not always, related to the teacher's subject area. Everyone in my Critical Thinking class is in one of my 6th-grade remedial math classes, so, for those unfamiliar, they're all about 12 years old.
The other day I couldn't find the worksheet I thought my predecessor had left for the students to work on during "Critical Thinking," so I decided that we would actually discuss critical thinking for a change.
As it turns out, at least three of my students believe in ghosts and demons, and at least a couple believe that UFOs are extraterrestrial space vehicles. One claimed to have seen a ghost himself, and to have observed other evidence that his house is haunted; another claimed that "the Air Force" has recently released documents proving that "UFOs are real," or words to that effect. He also asked me if I'd heard of Roswell.
I tried explaining to them about urban legends, extraordinary claims, the null hypothesis, and how our minds can play tricks on us sometimes, but those didn't convince them. I also read to them the Snopes page on Slender Man, which from a conversation I overheard before class, they seem to believe is real, and I told them to always check out any urban legends on Snopes. They seem to be okay on some subjects, though, such as Bigfoot ("It's just a guy in a suit") and the moon landings, so I believe there is hope for them.
So my question is, does anyone have any suggestions for resources or activities I could use in the future to help steer them (or other students) away from woo beliefs? It might be relevant to mention that I'm also qualified to teach middle school general science, high school physics, and high school earth and space science.
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dimanche 6 septembre 2020
Would you like some Greece with your Turkey?
Nice to see these two NATO partners getting on so well after all the wars they've fought over the years.
Erdogan seems to have taken Putin's playbook as his own, presenting the most aggressive international stance since Ataturk, it seems to me.
Not content with drilling for oil in waters Greece believes belong to it, he's currently raising tensions sharply in Cyprus.
Nice name for the exercise: Mediterranean Storm. I wonder what gave him that idea?
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/...155131714.html
Erdogan seems to have taken Putin's playbook as his own, presenting the most aggressive international stance since Ataturk, it seems to me.
Not content with drilling for oil in waters Greece believes belong to it, he's currently raising tensions sharply in Cyprus.
Nice name for the exercise: Mediterranean Storm. I wonder what gave him that idea?
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/...155131714.html
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2020 Congressional Election
General thread for news, discussion, debate, etc.
____________________________________
Background info:
The United States Congress is the head of the Legislative Branch. It consists of two houses:
- The Senate. 100 seats. Each state, regardless of population, gets to elect two Senators each.
- The House of Representatives. 435 seats. States get a number of Representatives ranging from 1 to 53 depending on population.
//These number do not account for non-voting members elected by American territories such as Puerto Rico//
All 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives and 35 out of 100 seats in the United States Senate are up for grabs in November.
Currently the Democrats hold a majority in the House (232 to the Republicans 198, with one Libertarian and 4 vacant) while the Republicans hold a majority in the Senate (53 to the Democrats 45, with 2 Independents who generally caucus and vote with the Democrats giving them a de-facto 47)
Current political polling suggests a tight race for the Senate, with a 50-50 split not being one of the less likely outcomes, with the Democrats retaining a majority in the house.
Either party achieving a super-majority in either of the Houses looks extremely unlikely.
____________________________________
Background info:
The United States Congress is the head of the Legislative Branch. It consists of two houses:
- The Senate. 100 seats. Each state, regardless of population, gets to elect two Senators each.
- The House of Representatives. 435 seats. States get a number of Representatives ranging from 1 to 53 depending on population.
//These number do not account for non-voting members elected by American territories such as Puerto Rico//
All 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives and 35 out of 100 seats in the United States Senate are up for grabs in November.
Currently the Democrats hold a majority in the House (232 to the Republicans 198, with one Libertarian and 4 vacant) while the Republicans hold a majority in the Senate (53 to the Democrats 45, with 2 Independents who generally caucus and vote with the Democrats giving them a de-facto 47)
Current political polling suggests a tight race for the Senate, with a 50-50 split not being one of the less likely outcomes, with the Democrats retaining a majority in the house.
Either party achieving a super-majority in either of the Houses looks extremely unlikely.
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[Split Thread] News blackout in Birmingham stabbing event
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by zooterkin (Post 13214063)
= unsubstantiated rumour by persons unknown
|
From the police press conference we can glean that one man died, two are critically injured in hospital and eight have non-life-threatening injuries and have been discharged from hospital.
The big takeaway is that THERE IS ONE LONE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS THE SUSPECT AND IS STILL ON THE LOOSE.
I think given the news blackout, this is politically sensitive so perhaps people can draw their own conclusion as to the nature of the stabbings.
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Correlation between earthquakes and solar activity?
This headline seemed far-fetched to me, but it's in a respectable journal and the correlation does seem to be rather strong.
On the correlation between solar activity and large earthquakes worldwide
Correlation doesn't always mean causation of course, but this seems to be a very clear correlation and the correlation increases with the magnitude of the earthquake. Could there be something to this "reverse piezoelectric effect" idea?
On the correlation between solar activity and large earthquakes worldwide
Quote:
|
Abstract Large earthquakes occurring worldwide have long been recognized to be non Poisson distributed, so involving some large scale correlation mechanism, which could be internal or external to the Earth. Till now, no statistically significant correlation of the global seismicity with one of the possible mechanisms has been demonstrated yet. In this paper, we analyze 20 years of proton density and velocity data, as recorded by the SOHO satellite, and the worldwide seismicity in the corresponding period, as reported by the ISC-GEM catalogue. We found clear correlation between proton density and the occurrence of large earthquakes (M > 5.6), with a time shift of one day. The significance of such correlation is very high, with probability to be wrong lower than 10–5. The correlation increases with the magnitude threshold of the seismic catalogue. A tentative model explaining such a correlation is also proposed, in terms of the reverse piezoelectric effect induced by the applied electric field related to the proton density. This result opens new perspectives in seismological interpretations, as well as in earthquake forecast. |
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