As you may know, I like trying out alternative operating systems. I bought a Pixel 6 device and installed GrapheneOS on it. The web installer instructions are pretty easy to follow, and I was able to do it in less than an hour. It took longer to do the Android updates it recommends doing before … Continue reading Installing GrapheneOS on a Pixel Device
Category: writing
Schools of Virtue
"Marion Turner, professor of English literature at Oxford University, put it frankly: “I’m not trained to teach students how to be good people, and that’s not my job.”It’s a fair point. It is very pleasant to make a list of intellectual virtues, but why should we believe that academics can teach students courage, humility or … Continue reading Schools of Virtue
A Turning Point in Cancer
"The narrative has been incubating for many years, but in recent days we are witnessing some extraordinary progress in treating and monitoring cancer. The convergence of genomics of the cancer—be it from the person’s DNA or tumor directly or the blood (known as liquid biopsy)—matched with the appropriate therapy is leading to outcomes that are … Continue reading A Turning Point in Cancer
Letter in Support of Responsible Fintech Policy
"Blockchain technology cannot, and will not, have transaction reversal mechanisms because they are antithetical to its base design. Similarly, most public blockchain-based financial products are a disaster for financial privacy; the exceptions are a handful of emerging privacy-focused blockchain finance alternatives, and these are a gift to money-launderers. Financial technologies that serve the public must … Continue reading Letter in Support of Responsible Fintech Policy
Georgia Guidestones, a.k.a., The Ten Commandments of the Anti-Christ
Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature.Guide reproduction wisely — improving fitness and diversity.Unite humanity with a living new language.Rule passion — faith — tradition — and all things with tempered reason.Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts.Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court.Avoid petty … Continue reading Georgia Guidestones, a.k.a., The Ten Commandments of the Anti-Christ
The Evil in the World
The evil in the world is the same evil that is in ourselves, most of it rooted in indifference. It's when you start looking outside for evil that is when you know you are on the evil path.
Seven Varieties of Stupidity
"1. Pure Stupidity...2. Ignorant stupidity...3. Fish-out-of-water stupidity...4. Rule-based stupidity...5. Overthinking stupidity...6. Emergent stupidity...7. Ego-driven stupidity...-Ian Leslie, "Seven Varieties of Stupidity." ianleslie.substack.com. May 21, 2022 It's a fun classification exercise. I'd say that 3 is a subset of 2, being in an unfamiliar environment is a variety of ignorance. However, if you think about the kinds … Continue reading Seven Varieties of Stupidity
Proton Is Trying to Become Google—Without Your Data
"These days, all Google and Apple and Big Tech talk about is privacy, so the best way to give our definition is to give the contrast. The way Google defines privacy is, “Nobody can exploit your data, except for us.” Our definition is cleaner, more simple, and more authentic: Nobody can exploit your data—period. We … Continue reading Proton Is Trying to Become Google—Without Your Data
Black Hole as Metaphor for Climate Change
"Imagine a black hole. Humanity’s lined up before it. Everyone has to march through. Some are at the front of the line. They reach the other side first. Some are at the back of the line. They’re still laughing and joking and pretending, maybe. Nobody much hears from those who’ve gone through, because, well, it’s … Continue reading Black Hole as Metaphor for Climate Change
Sympathy for the Autistic / Being Autistic
"Having any child is a life-changing experience. Having one who isn’t like you, though, is also a learning experience. I think I cried when it fully sunk in that “childhood wonder” is a real and short-lived thing for allistic children, and I did a double take recently when my wife stated that soon our son’s … Continue reading Sympathy for the Autistic / Being Autistic
Woke or Witch-Hunt?
"At the protest, I met Tulsi Patel, a postdoc at Columbia. Patel tells me about a new bullying policy at Columbia, which she helped to write, to deal with “power-based harassment” that doesn’t fall into the already illegal categories like sex and race-based harassment. “We recommended calling it the Office of Conflict Resolution, just to … Continue reading Woke or Witch-Hunt?
Flyting
"Flyting or fliting is a contest consisting of the exchange of insults between two parties, often conducted in verse."-Wikipedia contributors, "Flyting," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flyting&oldid=1066666401 (accessed May 17, 2022). Hipshitical and batshittery, complete coprolite words, drop like poop from a mouth, a sewer of deceit, ears, a sonar for the snoop. You're wealthy, you're pale are you eunuch or male? … Continue reading Flyting
Online Techno-Polymath Guy
"I was discussing with Sam the “genre,” so to speak, of the Online Techno-Polymath Guy. You know this guy. He (and it’s usually a he) has his own website, probably hand-crafted in Kirby, Github, or WordPress, as well as a well-regarded, personable Twitter presence. He keeps track of everything he reads, writes pithy blog posts on esoteric subjects. … Continue reading Online Techno-Polymath Guy
Making Friends [on the Internet]
Summarized: "[1.] follow people you resonate with. [2.] engage with bigger accounts, support smaller accounts. [3.] ask questions, offer suggestions, share learnings. [4.] pay attention to who keeps popping up. [5.] use the algorithms to your advantage. [6.] attend virtual events. participate! [7.] attend offline events! Be adventerous.[8.] send that dm / email / offer to … Continue reading Making Friends [on the Internet]
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