It just doesn't seem like that big a deal to me.
640 karma · joined March 31, 2019
They should have instead said "We don't know whether they're effective yet, so don't hoard them, because doing so could cause X."
There's nothing wrong with admitting you don't know something yet.
Instead, they make commands without supporting evidence. That implies total disregard for the peoples' intelligence. Upon realizing this, trust is lost and dissenting actions increase.
I feel bad about it. I hope people are able to find my posts in archived formats somewhere. But I just didn't feel comfortable on there any more. Reading around there is just gross now. I think I will concentrate on posting on my own website now.
I also think most people lack the resolve to stop.
But why not call the body's bluff? Cut input further! And then cut it again. Be more stubborn than your body.
Not saying it would be easy. It would probably be really hard. Not sure if I could actually do it if I had to. But surely, it is possible?! What little physics I know seems to strongly support it.
If I was heavier than desired, and I noticed my body was gaining weight while I am suppressing caloric intake, I would reduce intake even further. Call the bluff.
Of course, easier said than done. It's perhaps a masochistic mindset, forcing yourself to feel hunger, and obstinately refusing to give in. Since I was young, my conscious response to hunger seems different than many. I can easily ignore it for hours, if I am focused on something interesting. Hunger is an annoyance I typically ignore. The body screams "Wahh, I'm hungry! I'm going to make you feel bad until I eat!" and my internal voice says "Go right ahead. Suck it up, you're fine. I'm having too much fun to tend to you. Maybe you get something in a few hours."
If anything, I probably don't eat 'enough'. But I don't try to eat less. I eat whatever I want whenever I want. I am very happy with my weight. I eat a wide variety of nutritious food. But ultimately it's just annoying that we have to eat at all.
The frustrating thing is, there is no way to verbalize the meaning of this data, without immediately being labeled a 'bigoted right-winger'.
People just don't want to hear it. I tend to believe all people have the capability to understand this nuance. Unfortunately, they openly refuse, because it contradicts their perceptions.
It's honestly kind of scary.
I'll be watching for proliferation of this technique in other devices, and will promptly trash any that implement it. (I already avoid uploading unencrypted content to cloud services.)
In this imperfect world, privacy keeps innocent people free. Long live AES-256.
Privacy is about the only thing keeping innocent people free in today's world.
The first three groups may shy away if the price crashes, but the fourth group will (mostly) not. Because what the fourth group is doing (mostly) does not care what the price is.
They can buy their goods whether it costs 0.00001 or 100 BTC, because those goods are indexed against fiat prices. As Bitcoin goes down, prices on the markets that sell these goods automatically rise to counter.
Perhaps the price gyrations would be more aggravating for the sellers of these things. They rely on converting cryptocurrency back to fiat to finance their business, (although perhaps some are able to buy their wholesale product with crypto directly). Volatility exposes them to a risk of losing value if Bitcoin falls between the point in time a buyer places an order, and the time the seller is able to withdraw and convert the payment to fiat.
Ultimately these buyers and sellers support some price floor for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as they exchange real goods and services.
There's a lot of hype around cryptocurrencies, but ultimately this is the true killer use case. And there are millions of people who value that >$0.
I had something long typed out, but it's just not worth it. When I (rarely) comment, I am usually reminded how debilitating it is. It's probably an indication that I should just stay silent, so I think I'll stick to that more.
I'll try though: People eat meat their whole lives, but never feel the act of killing and consuming first-hand. I find that rather sad, like they have lived their life never emotionally acknowledging this innate drive that enabled their existence. If anything, the act forces upon you greater respect and compassion for life and what it means to be an animal.
Hunting in my part of the US is very common, and over 160,000 deer were taken in my state last season. The deer population is doing well, and the act is well-regulated by government. I don't see anything wrong with killing for sustenance, even though it's no longer remotely necessary.
Observing the forest with my eyes and ears, waiting in still silence for hours in chemical and visual camouflage, lining up with its chest, making a slight sound to get it to pause... You feel a certain focused hunger as you gaze down the barrel, that you've never felt before. But the way it feels... It's something you know. Something that is deeply ingrained in you. The moment feels like forever, as you release a deadly projectile from your species' 'advanced technology'. Then, gutting it in the forest, dragging it out, hanging it up on the gambrel, cutting all the meat out, seasoning it, grilling it, and eating it...
Probably the most powerful, self-realizing, humbling, spiritual experience I have ever had. For the first time in my life, I actually felt like an animal! A real animal!
Did I have to kill that doe to survive? Absolutely not. I could have driven down the road to McDonalds and had a burger in my stomach in under 10 minutes.
Once I found the doe on the ground, I sat with it for a couple minutes in silence. I felt very thankful for it. "My God! I just killed this thing!" (I'm agnostic.) There is a certain realization - that we are all simultaneously frail, and immensely powerful. In that moment, you feel your place in the hierarchy.
I have a feeling that many among us today choose to actively fight this innate reality. People implicitly reject the concept that they are animals. They don't like the idea that they exist today because their ancestors killed things. Did things we now consider immoral. It can manifest in to a sort of self-hatred that is reflected on to others.
"Why do we even eat meat today? It's not necessary." Absolutely true! But to that, I say, because I enjoy it, and because I can. No other support is needed. My species has clearly evolved to enjoy consuming it, and to devise technology to acquire it. Become comfortable with what you are made of, animal spirits and all.
But above all, with great power, comes great responsibility. Hone your sense of morality, as we are in a position privileged to do so. Thanks for reading my rambling. :)
Among many sentences that made me chuckle, "Millimeter waves can ... promote the growth of drug-resistant pathogens." What? How?
You don't have to tell me it's a bad idea to stand on top of an FM radio tower emitting kilowatts of RF energy in the VHF spectrum. That's gonna burn pretty bad.
But I'm going to need some more serious scientific analysis of how a <5W transmitter in my pocket or home is doing anything more serious than my yearly dental X-Ray's.