not_a_moth (u/not_a_moth)

not_a_moth commented on Fusion startup plans reactor with small but powerful superconducting magnets sciencemag.org/news/2021/... · Posted by u/rbanffy

not_a_moth · 5 years ago

For context on fusion reactors I recommend edx's plasma physics and fusion course. From that it seemed fusion reactors that give a net power surplus, maybe, are just not possible in such confined envs on earth. 80 years of incredibly smart people with billions chasing the problem, with the first Tokamak reactor going back the 60s. Even ITER, the world's most expensive scientific endeavor ever, is still a question mark if it will work.

Would love to be convinced otherwise to be hopeful of confined fusion reactions on Earth.

not_a_moth commented on Book Review: Fussell on Class astralcodexten.substack.c... · Posted by u/DaoIsTheWay

not_a_moth · 5 years ago

Would love to see the 40 year update...

Shelling out our industrial/manufacturing economy for a "services economy" + big government/welfare economy has ended the middle class; meanwhile the political class (and media) have consolidated into a front group for an increasingly hidden ruling class/aristocracy, who like the companies behind shell companies are pretty hard to identify and lampoon.

This of course would be an intriguing book to read should someone dare to write it.

not_a_moth commented on House cancels Thursday session as FBI, Homeland Security warn of Capitol threat axios.com/fbi-homeland-se... · Posted by u/samizdis

enkid · 5 years ago

This is less than two months after our Capitol was stormed by people with bombs and zip cuffs.

not_a_moth · 5 years ago

Just FYI no death has been officially linked to a "rioter", no firearms have been found in connection with it. Sites like ZH are tracking all this, because to many it smells like yet another staging of political capital.

not_a_moth commented on Godot maintainer removes controversial satirical piece from documentation github.com/godotengine/go... · Posted by u/phreack

kodah · 5 years ago

I think the problem is that the temperature in the room has changed.

I've seen people get bent out of shape because people put politics in music, yet Forever Young by Alphaville was written about the prospect of dying during the Cold War. Now, there's definitely a difference between Forever Young and some artist making overt statements, that nuance is not lost. The difference is that these aren't seen as humor, insightful thinking, or light-hearted attempts to nudge us in a direction anymore. Discourse has degraded to the extent that anything you mutter must be an absolute belief and there is some inclination that you ascribe to all ecosystems of belief around that idea as well.

If you previously used inflammatory speech (like this) for effect, you're now viewed as someone who has taken a side not only with ideas discussed here but any ideas which may be distantly related to that idea too.

not_a_moth · 5 years ago

Discourse degraded or maybe it's the coordination of thought made possible from the consolidation of media and the internet, that's made it now possible to target those who seem to threaten the ruling class and their ways.

not_a_moth commented on House cancels Thursday session as FBI, Homeland Security warn of Capitol threat axios.com/fbi-homeland-se... · Posted by u/samizdis

not_a_moth · 5 years ago

Political theater be political theater. Wonder what new measures they want to push, for "safety" against "domestic terrorism"?

not_a_moth commented on AAA survey finds 86% of drivers afraid to ride in automated vehicles 8newsnow.com/news/local-n... · Posted by u/jocker12

not_a_moth · 5 years ago

People won't trust the technology until people around them are safely riding in it. To be expected.

not_a_moth commented on Second Citizenships, Residencies, and/or Temporary Relocation lesswrong.com/posts/jHnFB... · Posted by u/apsec112

atweiden · 5 years ago

I left the US pre-pandemic for a country that eradicated Covid, and couldn't agree more with the author's decision to leave.

Particularly if you're in your 20s and fully remote, I'd highly encourage you to look into Australia or New Zealand's working holiday visa.

For fans of E.Asia, the Taiwan gold card [1][2] may be of interest.

[1]: https://notebook.wesleyac.com/taiwan/

[2]: https://notebook.wesleyac.com/taiwan-gold-card/

not_a_moth · 5 years ago

A nitpick, I'm living in one of these countries that "eradicated Covid" and the frankly obvious truth is they didn't, their borders were completely open for months after covid was detected and spreading like fire, and they never adapted the widespread testing and mortality classification regimes like the US did.

not_a_moth commented on I'm an interviewer at my company and burnt out dear.mariechatfield.com/i... · Posted by u/mooreds

not_a_moth · 5 years ago

I don't know, anecdotally, relationships broke down with me and other stakeholders, and I ended up leaving the company, after I pushed hard for an amazing candidate, the first to ever ace my interviews, whereas said other stakeholders wanted a certain diversity candidate, who while I enjoyed meeting didn't do that well. The funny thing is in SF it's the bro-y white guy CEOs who push the wokeness the hardest. Almost feels performative. SF needs to solve these problems if they want to be a tech mecca.