Heh.. co-writing assistant based on my writing tics and bad habits? How anyone doesn't see that output as pure parody that should crush your soul? Shit, only the least self-aware writers will ever keep writing... and commenters.
It's pretty interesting in that clearly McConnel and Pelosi had moved into a Post-Trump mode and it turns out the king isn't quite dead yet.
Also interesting because while Trump is doing this to screw a) McConnel, b) Pelosi, c) Congress, d) Post-Trump Republicans, e) Post-Trump Democrats, and f) Yes, a big 'F' to all'y'all... He's doing it from the "High-Ground" of giving people *more* money. Heh.
I mean... he loses nothing... if they don't pass anything, its because Post-Trump Dem/Repubs are just the same as Pre-Trump Dem/Repubs... never doing enough for the little guy... always buying off their sponsors and making you grateful for scraps... etc. etc. And if they *do* turn around and increase the grant to $2k... well who did that?
The Presidency in the hands of a competent President who wasn't also part of the take* would be a fascinating thing to behold.
*I recognize that Trump is doing this purely for Trump and *his* Take/Grift... but its still interesting to see McConnel/Pelosi with their underwear around their ankles - just because Trump is playing a solo grift doesn't end the collective grift that's the status quo.
Yeah, I had the exact opposite experience... every time I went outside there was this guy in my neighborhood who kept staring at me and my bespoke mask.
I haven't changed jobs in quite sometime... but when I've entertained some interviews I've noticed a massive sea change in the questions.
The new code is: Culture is very important here, and we want to make sure this is a good cultural fit for you. For *me* mind you... this is for my benefit.
What I'm looking forward to is not only the moral impact of your choices, but also the aesthetic - cultural - impact.
You played Shadowbane? Could go one of two ways:
1. I'm sorry, but studies show PvP games indicate reduced levels of collaboration and...
2. Lolz SB.exe right? You're hired.
I have no idea how many 'cultural fits' I've failed.
Wow, this game is fraught with a capital F. I'm taking my gaming $$ elsewhere.
Future employers: So March, we see from your steam profile (standard background check in future world) that you played Cyberpunk2077... tell us about that.
In the scenario we're living through? Yes. The partial benefit back to us the community is that the size of the subsidy might be proportionally less if the business(es) can operate at some reduced capacity.
If we through Govt. are unilaterally changing the rules of the market - especially at this scale and not simply an accidental byproduct of some other law - then that cost is a social cost we [ought] to account for.
Administering these subsidies? Well, mostly a nightmare.
The only thing Congress wants to do is raise funds (for themselves and their allies) and allocate tax expenditures... when they don't have a green light for expenditure expenditures.
One of the reasons why I could be persuaded by an overhaul of the tax code and/or UBI would be to reduce some of the directed spending they do via taxation. Note, this isn't to say taxes should be lower or higher... just that they shouldn't be policy proxies.
Lady Marchmaine and I considered going to the Movies one of our "lame" date nights. But after a year of not having even lame dates we''re dreaming of lame. But even then our go-to was an Alamo which is like combining lame dinner with lame drinks and a lame movie. But it's still better to have a beer and some quesadillas while watching super heroes destroy critical infrastructure.
I'm thinking that there's even more room for a Movie 'Experience' than Alamo. I mean, we already pay Alamo more than the price of the ticket... bump up the 'experience' and I'll pay even more so that the lame date becomes a date date.
The whole "you have to see it on the big screen" thing?... I believe that's true for a tiny fraction. Most of us are fine watching movies -for the first time- one the back of an airline seat, on our computers, and heck, on our phones. It isn't the screen. Change the experience, sell the experience. Otherwise I'm perfectly happy to experience the genius of Fatman this Christmas season on my TV.
But I'd like to go out on a date with my wife again.
Well, everyone loses a little bit in a compromise...
Think of it more like building your Citizen Social Presence Score. On the plus side, we're tightening up the vote and making it more secure, on the negative side we live in a society.
Sometimes we just need the middle to step-up and broker a compromise.
Voter ID : Vaccine ID
=
Unity in ID
Of course it is preposterous to question the outcome of the election as illegitimate.
It is, however, a rather preposterous system and we should make it less so. In these fractious days, I think all legislation should be of the "I cut / You chose" methodology.
This is sort of a musical blind-spot for me. As a child of the 70s there are swaths of music that hit me like an allergic reaction... the Carpenters are one of those allergies.
That said, one of the many things I love about Christmas Music is that they are all (almost all) covers! It's 100% about mood and style... there's no originality involve... well, other than arranging the covers into the right mood and style.
And this is a great thing! We can make Christmas playlists (thanks Cloud!) for every mood and style imaginable. And for someone such as myself who makes a Christmas playlist almost every year (and labels them by mood/style and year - thanks Cloud!) I really appreciate this shared culture.
My playlists start with Advent: Benedictine Sisters of Mary and Roger Wilcock make up two excellent lists which dominate airtime between 1st and 3rd Sundays of Advent. We're sort of semi-Pelagian purists when it comes to Thanksgiving/Christmas... we insist on some Advent... right up until Gaudete Sunday, then we fall apart in our self-defined works of virtue.
After Gaudete Sunday (yesterday, by the way), we jump into the popular milieus... Country, Crooner and Jazzy ...depending on the time/mood of day: Afternoon, Cocktail hour, Supper. Mornings are still contemplative Advent Benedictines of Mary... the Semi part of the Pelagianism. These are the songs of communal friendship, wintertide musings, and the silly goings on of romance and party planning... maybe a few country singers thinking about Mary.
We don't really break out the Choral powerhouses until the last few days... the Christmas Eve anticipatory days. Kings College, Choer Rhapsodes and other choirs who have mastered mood/style/technique. These are the big hymnal songs, the lessons mixed with the carols. Arrangements that make Phil Spector weep in awe. I still spend hours looking for Choirs that have a 'take' on these Christmas covers. Kings College is the baseline... after that I'm looking for style and nuance... I abhor the dirgey style of false liturgy that some choirs produce. Ugh.
BUT NEVER ADESTE FIDELIS... this alone must be saved for Christmas Day. Even as we sneak in a few of the others on the anticipatory days to the anticipatory day.
So mood, style, technique and themes can all be grouped as we listen to the same songs that we all know. I even revisit playlists (hence the dates) to see if new entrants have arrived... Dean, Bing and the Andrews sisters joined by Michael and the Puppini Sisters... even found a new crooner this year.
Someday, maybe, I'll even make a Carpenters Christmas mix. Or, more likely, my children will make one.
I suppose I'll virtue signal that that I think the outcome is correct.
On the lesser point of Standing, I'd appreciate some constitutional lawyerly thoughts on how to read the plain text.
If it were I, I'd simply assume that this is denied owing to Article II and the selection of Electors and *therefore* Texas, et al. don't have standing to bring suit.
But, if I were writing such an opinion, I'd include the part about Article II which makes the part about Article III relevant. Because if its not simply assuming and skipping over Article II and is making an Article III claim, then I think Alito and Thomas are correct.
But, it seems to me so obviously an Article II issue that I can only wonder why only Article III is specified.
We finally saved up enough to enclose a screened porch into a sort-of she-shed for my wife... a room for her projects, computer, homeschool, etc. etc. I'm told I'm allowed to use the room conditionally. It is something we've been planning for a long time. And it was her Birthday Month (it used to be Birthday, then weekend, then octave, now Month, soon to be quarter) so we pulled the trigger. Found a young contractor just getting started (a friend of my daughter) who was reasonable and available, because... everyone in the entire world is doing home renovations.
Everything is going along swimmingly, work is great, contractor shows up every day, the usual things that pop-up are quickly resolved and the project is more-or-less on schedule. Just waiting on the ceiling insulation - that we ordered 6-8 weeks ago - no biggie, just a couple of annoying snafu's on the supplier side. Right?
Friday the supplier informed the builder that there's no R38C (for vaulted ceiling) anywhere in the US because... everyone in the entire world is doing renovations.
This is where being young/new will cost us in a delay... he didn't have the juice or experience to make sure his materials were held for him and not delivered to another project... and/or making sure the supplier gave him warning with enough advance to make alternative plans.
So now I'm researching whether we can compress R49 with a baffle or whether new materials (hey, Mineral Wool is thinner!) would pass code. Code sometimes being outcome based - does it conform to the spec? Yes? Good, pass. Versus Inspectors being process based - hey this isn't R38C... we like to see R38C here... why aren't you using R38C?
But we don't know if the inspectors will be jolly, it being the holiday season and all, or grumpy... because everyone in the entire world is doing renovations.
"Now, THEREFORE, I, GERALD R. FORD, President of the United States, pursuant to the pardon power conferred upon me by Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, have granted and by these presents do grant a full, free, and absolute pardon unto Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 20, 1969 through August 9, 1974."
No, I certainly wouldn't call any counterfactual pre-determined. But I kinda think this post combined with Veronica's hits on the uncertainty I'm pointing out. What you say seems perfectly reasonable, and yet simultaneously obscene.
But the other thing I'm noting that's interesting (at least to me) is that there are some Liberal voices that are trying to do the whole 'velocity' thing and its not at all clear to me that Liberals can alter the velocity... never mind Conservatives or Republicans.
I don't disagree... I don't think the Republican party is 'conservative' in any meaningful way.
But, what is 'conservative' is tiresome and probably past its sell date; so not really what I'm going for here.
On the one hand, I do think there's a notion (often expressed here [cough]) that 'conservative' is just slow motion change... and in practice that seems to be the case - Hey, why can't we have Friday13 level violence? Porn uploaded from *verified* users is the answer - so, maybe that's just true in that we're all really just Liberals. But on the other hand, if we had a conservative political philosophy and a conservative political party, it would be based on different principles and not simply velocity.
But the Republican Party as a conservative political movement isn't a hill I'm going to defend. Heck, I'll probably join you in storming the ramparts.
Sure, but the flip-side question is if Civil Unions had been done, would we all be conservatives defending the sanctity of Civil Unions vs. Marriage... because that was the deal?
That's why the though experiment strikes me as intuitively true but practically a non-starter cause there's no way to make anything 'stick'
On “President Trump Demands More Cowbell”
Yeah... that's why it's so funny... if they could've waited until Jan 21 all of this would have come off the usual way(TM).
"
I think there's a Tumblr for that.
On “TextSpark AI leaves Beta”
Heh.. co-writing assistant based on my writing tics and bad habits? How anyone doesn't see that output as pure parody that should crush your soul? Shit, only the least self-aware writers will ever keep writing... and commenters.
On “President Trump Demands More Cowbell”
It's pretty interesting in that clearly McConnel and Pelosi had moved into a Post-Trump mode and it turns out the king isn't quite dead yet.
Also interesting because while Trump is doing this to screw a) McConnel, b) Pelosi, c) Congress, d) Post-Trump Republicans, e) Post-Trump Democrats, and f) Yes, a big 'F' to all'y'all... He's doing it from the "High-Ground" of giving people *more* money. Heh.
I mean... he loses nothing... if they don't pass anything, its because Post-Trump Dem/Repubs are just the same as Pre-Trump Dem/Repubs... never doing enough for the little guy... always buying off their sponsors and making you grateful for scraps... etc. etc. And if they *do* turn around and increase the grant to $2k... well who did that?
The Presidency in the hands of a competent President who wasn't also part of the take* would be a fascinating thing to behold.
*I recognize that Trump is doing this purely for Trump and *his* Take/Grift... but its still interesting to see McConnel/Pelosi with their underwear around their ankles - just because Trump is playing a solo grift doesn't end the collective grift that's the status quo.
On “Saints, Sinners, and the Limits of Public Policy”
Yeah, I had the exact opposite experience... every time I went outside there was this guy in my neighborhood who kept staring at me and my bespoke mask.
On “The Political Cyberpunk 2077 Thread”
I haven't changed jobs in quite sometime... but when I've entertained some interviews I've noticed a massive sea change in the questions.
The new code is: Culture is very important here, and we want to make sure this is a good cultural fit for you. For *me* mind you... this is for my benefit.
What I'm looking forward to is not only the moral impact of your choices, but also the aesthetic - cultural - impact.
You played Shadowbane? Could go one of two ways:
1. I'm sorry, but studies show PvP games indicate reduced levels of collaboration and...
2. Lolz SB.exe right? You're hired.
I have no idea how many 'cultural fits' I've failed.
"
Wow, this game is fraught with a capital F. I'm taking my gaming $$ elsewhere.
Future employers: So March, we see from your steam profile (standard background check in future world) that you played Cyberpunk2077... tell us about that.
On “Wednesday Writs: Win Stupid Prizes In Leonard v Pepsico Edition”
He is.
On “Desperate Times Call For Disparate Measures”
In the scenario we're living through? Yes. The partial benefit back to us the community is that the size of the subsidy might be proportionally less if the business(es) can operate at some reduced capacity.
If we through Govt. are unilaterally changing the rules of the market - especially at this scale and not simply an accidental byproduct of some other law - then that cost is a social cost we [ought] to account for.
Administering these subsidies? Well, mostly a nightmare.
On “Crossing the Suburbicon”
The only thing Congress wants to do is raise funds (for themselves and their allies) and allocate tax expenditures... when they don't have a green light for expenditure expenditures.
One of the reasons why I could be persuaded by an overhaul of the tax code and/or UBI would be to reduce some of the directed spending they do via taxation. Note, this isn't to say taxes should be lower or higher... just that they shouldn't be policy proxies.
On “2020 In Film: The Virus Complicates Cinema”
Lady Marchmaine and I considered going to the Movies one of our "lame" date nights. But after a year of not having even lame dates we''re dreaming of lame. But even then our go-to was an Alamo which is like combining lame dinner with lame drinks and a lame movie. But it's still better to have a beer and some quesadillas while watching super heroes destroy critical infrastructure.
I'm thinking that there's even more room for a Movie 'Experience' than Alamo. I mean, we already pay Alamo more than the price of the ticket... bump up the 'experience' and I'll pay even more so that the lame date becomes a date date.
The whole "you have to see it on the big screen" thing?... I believe that's true for a tiny fraction. Most of us are fine watching movies -for the first time- one the back of an airline seat, on our computers, and heck, on our phones. It isn't the screen. Change the experience, sell the experience. Otherwise I'm perfectly happy to experience the genius of Fatman this Christmas season on my TV.
But I'd like to go out on a date with my wife again.
On “Taking The Joy Out of a Raise”
Yeah, I always thought she peaked in Community anyway.
On “Up The Union”
Imagine thinking bankers were just transactional middle men with government sponsored fiat and not the forces for social good we know them to be.
"
Well, everyone loses a little bit in a compromise...
Think of it more like building your Citizen Social Presence Score. On the plus side, we're tightening up the vote and making it more secure, on the negative side we live in a society.
"
Sometimes we just need the middle to step-up and broker a compromise.
Voter ID : Vaccine ID
=
Unity in ID
Of course it is preposterous to question the outcome of the election as illegitimate.
It is, however, a rather preposterous system and we should make it less so. In these fractious days, I think all legislation should be of the "I cut / You chose" methodology.
On “Carpenters Christmas: The Definitive Christmas album?”
This is sort of a musical blind-spot for me. As a child of the 70s there are swaths of music that hit me like an allergic reaction... the Carpenters are one of those allergies.
That said, one of the many things I love about Christmas Music is that they are all (almost all) covers! It's 100% about mood and style... there's no originality involve... well, other than arranging the covers into the right mood and style.
And this is a great thing! We can make Christmas playlists (thanks Cloud!) for every mood and style imaginable. And for someone such as myself who makes a Christmas playlist almost every year (and labels them by mood/style and year - thanks Cloud!) I really appreciate this shared culture.
My playlists start with Advent: Benedictine Sisters of Mary and Roger Wilcock make up two excellent lists which dominate airtime between 1st and 3rd Sundays of Advent. We're sort of semi-Pelagian purists when it comes to Thanksgiving/Christmas... we insist on some Advent... right up until Gaudete Sunday, then we fall apart in our self-defined works of virtue.
After Gaudete Sunday (yesterday, by the way), we jump into the popular milieus... Country, Crooner and Jazzy ...depending on the time/mood of day: Afternoon, Cocktail hour, Supper. Mornings are still contemplative Advent Benedictines of Mary... the Semi part of the Pelagianism. These are the songs of communal friendship, wintertide musings, and the silly goings on of romance and party planning... maybe a few country singers thinking about Mary.
We don't really break out the Choral powerhouses until the last few days... the Christmas Eve anticipatory days. Kings College, Choer Rhapsodes and other choirs who have mastered mood/style/technique. These are the big hymnal songs, the lessons mixed with the carols. Arrangements that make Phil Spector weep in awe. I still spend hours looking for Choirs that have a 'take' on these Christmas covers. Kings College is the baseline... after that I'm looking for style and nuance... I abhor the dirgey style of false liturgy that some choirs produce. Ugh.
BUT NEVER ADESTE FIDELIS... this alone must be saved for Christmas Day. Even as we sneak in a few of the others on the anticipatory days to the anticipatory day.
So mood, style, technique and themes can all be grouped as we listen to the same songs that we all know. I even revisit playlists (hence the dates) to see if new entrants have arrived... Dean, Bing and the Andrews sisters joined by Michael and the Puppini Sisters... even found a new crooner this year.
Someday, maybe, I'll even make a Carpenters Christmas mix. Or, more likely, my children will make one.
On “The Swing States Messed with Texas…Or Did They?”
I suppose I'll virtue signal that that I think the outcome is correct.
On the lesser point of Standing, I'd appreciate some constitutional lawyerly thoughts on how to read the plain text.
If it were I, I'd simply assume that this is denied owing to Article II and the selection of Electors and *therefore* Texas, et al. don't have standing to bring suit.
But, if I were writing such an opinion, I'd include the part about Article II which makes the part about Article III relevant. Because if its not simply assuming and skipping over Article II and is making an Article III claim, then I think Alito and Thomas are correct.
But, it seems to me so obviously an Article II issue that I can only wonder why only Article III is specified.
On “Weekend Plans Post: It’s Out”
We finally saved up enough to enclose a screened porch into a sort-of she-shed for my wife... a room for her projects, computer, homeschool, etc. etc. I'm told I'm allowed to use the room conditionally. It is something we've been planning for a long time. And it was her Birthday Month (it used to be Birthday, then weekend, then octave, now Month, soon to be quarter) so we pulled the trigger. Found a young contractor just getting started (a friend of my daughter) who was reasonable and available, because... everyone in the entire world is doing home renovations.
Everything is going along swimmingly, work is great, contractor shows up every day, the usual things that pop-up are quickly resolved and the project is more-or-less on schedule. Just waiting on the ceiling insulation - that we ordered 6-8 weeks ago - no biggie, just a couple of annoying snafu's on the supplier side. Right?
Friday the supplier informed the builder that there's no R38C (for vaulted ceiling) anywhere in the US because... everyone in the entire world is doing renovations.
This is where being young/new will cost us in a delay... he didn't have the juice or experience to make sure his materials were held for him and not delivered to another project... and/or making sure the supplier gave him warning with enough advance to make alternative plans.
So now I'm researching whether we can compress R49 with a baffle or whether new materials (hey, Mineral Wool is thinner!) would pass code. Code sometimes being outcome based - does it conform to the spec? Yes? Good, pass. Versus Inspectors being process based - hey this isn't R38C... we like to see R38C here... why aren't you using R38C?
But we don't know if the inspectors will be jolly, it being the holiday season and all, or grumpy... because everyone in the entire world is doing renovations.
On “Wednesday Writs: The Mess is Growing, So Here Are Links Edition”
Yep.
Ford pre-emptively pardoned Nixon.
"Now, THEREFORE, I, GERALD R. FORD, President of the United States, pursuant to the pardon power conferred upon me by Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, have granted and by these presents do grant a full, free, and absolute pardon unto Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 20, 1969 through August 9, 1974."
On “The Political Cyberpunk 2077 Thread”
Hmmn, from my vantage American culture and economic issues are moving rapidly in multiple directions. As might be expected with a broken consensus.
But yes, I see change happening along all these vectors, 'liberal' and 'conservative' alike.
"
No, I certainly wouldn't call any counterfactual pre-determined. But I kinda think this post combined with Veronica's hits on the uncertainty I'm pointing out. What you say seems perfectly reasonable, and yet simultaneously obscene.
But the other thing I'm noting that's interesting (at least to me) is that there are some Liberal voices that are trying to do the whole 'velocity' thing and its not at all clear to me that Liberals can alter the velocity... never mind Conservatives or Republicans.
"
I don't disagree... I don't think the Republican party is 'conservative' in any meaningful way.
But, what is 'conservative' is tiresome and probably past its sell date; so not really what I'm going for here.
On the one hand, I do think there's a notion (often expressed here [cough]) that 'conservative' is just slow motion change... and in practice that seems to be the case - Hey, why can't we have Friday13 level violence? Porn uploaded from *verified* users is the answer - so, maybe that's just true in that we're all really just Liberals. But on the other hand, if we had a conservative political philosophy and a conservative political party, it would be based on different principles and not simply velocity.
But the Republican Party as a conservative political movement isn't a hill I'm going to defend. Heck, I'll probably join you in storming the ramparts.
"
Sure, but the flip-side question is if Civil Unions had been done, would we all be conservatives defending the sanctity of Civil Unions vs. Marriage... because that was the deal?
That's why the though experiment strikes me as intuitively true but practically a non-starter cause there's no way to make anything 'stick'
There's no deal to be had.
"
Heh... imagine if this bold party were to negotiate The Grand Deal:
We agree to everything you ask TODAY... but there can be no further adjustments changes for 25-/50-/100-years.
Would that be a good deal? Would 'today' be limited to what we/they want today or would it turn in to what we/they want 50-years from now?
Who would defect first?
"
Now I finally get why the liberals think conservatism is just slowing down the change...
"why can't we go back to Friday 13th part 1 levels of violence is the 21st century conservative movement"