ArbitraryValue

joined 2 years ago
sorted by: new top controversial old
Portland won’t weaken its policy to phase out petroleum diesel and replace it with biofuels in c/climate@slrpnk.net
[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago) (1 children)

As far as I know, mandatory use of biofuels is primarily a subsidy for farmers rather than a means of reducing emissions. I'm surprised to see an urban area focus on it.

In his decision, Engstrom said the feedstock restrictions are “core to the original policy intent” and must be preserved because they ensure the policy delivers on promised carbon reductions. Feedstocks made from virgin agricultural products and food crops – such as soybean, canola and palm oils – have been linked to much higher carbon emissions, displacing food production and causing deforestation and are not allowed under Portland’s policy.

It sounds like Portland is making an effort to avoid the farm-subsidy sort of biofuels, but then what is it actually demanding that biofuels be made from?

Just FYI in c/lemmyshitpost@lemmy.world
[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 14 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago) (1 children)

I used to work for a guy who was never wrong. He didn't talk much but when he did say something, it was always correct. He still hedged a lot, so he would say "I'm not sure you're right; I think the answer might be X." What that meant was "You are certainly mistaken and the only reasonable answer is X."

JD Vance slammed for saying he hopes his Hindu wife Usha will ‘join Christianity’ at Charlie Kirk event in c/politics@lemmy.world
[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

He married her and he wants her to convert, but there's no reason to think that he married her for the purpose of converting her.

JD Vance slammed for saying he hopes his Hindu wife Usha will ‘join Christianity’ at Charlie Kirk event in c/politics@lemmy.world
[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 0 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) (7 children)

So people want him to (1) believe that the Catholic faith is essential for eternal salvation but also (2) not care whether or not his wife is Catholic? That wouldn't make any sense. Of course any Catholic who cares about his loved ones is going to hope that they convert to Catholicism.

US Senate votes to rescind Trump’s tariffs on Brazil in c/news@lemmy.world
[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago

True, but I still think it's interesting to consider if some of these people wouldn't have been willing to vote for something with consequences. Or if some people who didn't vote for this would have been willing to vote for something with consequences.

US Senate votes to rescind Trump’s tariffs on Brazil in c/news@lemmy.world
[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 16 points 2 days ago (2 children)

The legislation passed in a 52-48 vote, with five Republicans – senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and the former Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky – joining all Democrats in favor.

I wonder which of these Republicans would still vote for this if it weren't an empty gesture.

Python Foundation rejects $1.5M grant from NSF with "no-DEI" strings in c/technology@lemmy.world
[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works -5 points 2 days ago (5 children)

The PSF is (presumably) already required to comply with Federal anti-discrimination laws. Am I misreading the text or does it not actually create any new obligations for the PSF if they were to accept the grant?

Buy, Borrow, Die: How Billionaires Legally Avoid Paying Taxes While the Rest of Us Can't in c/politics@lemmy.world
[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works -2 points 2 days ago (3 children)

These tax savings come at the cost of having to live off of a small fraction of one's net worth. That provides a social benefit - a fortune that isn't being spent is like a loan to society. Consider, for example, a person with two hundred million dollars of assets. He has the option of selling those assets, paying a tax of, say, eighty million dollars, and then buying a hundred and twenty million dollars of stuff right now. He also has the option of spending ten million dollars per year tax free forever. The latter is worth incentivising - maybe it's not worth incentivising to the extent that it is right now, but a discussion of tax policy without any mention of that is incomplete.

Wrecked 'em 💀 in c/lemmyshitpost@lemmy.world
[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 34 points 3 days ago

Only the foreign objects need to be removed. British rectums are for British objects.

House Republicans want to strip Zohran Mamdani of citizenship, possibly deport NYC mayoral frontrunner over form omissions in c/politics@lemmy.world
[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 52 points 5 days ago (4 children)

It's just two House Republicans, at least so far. Just par for the course of Republicans proposing things like this.

Pentagon to use $130 million donation from anonymous Trump ‘friend’ to pay military members in c/news@lemmy.world
[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 71 points 6 days ago (2 children)

This severe conflict of interests is unlikely to get the attention that it should because objecting to paying soldiers is not a good look for someone who wants to be re-elected. But I hope that I'm wrong, because the potential to compromise America's security interests is huge here.

Letting Silicon Valley Geoengineer the Atmosphere Will End Badly in c/climate@slrpnk.net
72
Do you ever feel full and hungry simultaneously? (sh.itjust.works)
 

I recently ate a big lunch and I feel full (even too full) but I also feel hungry somehow. There's a lot of saliva in my mouth and I have the urge to go to the fridge, but if I do and look inside then the thought of eating any of the foods that I'm looking at feels unappealing. I leave without eating anything but then I feel the urge to go right back again.

This isn't unusual for me but I don't know why it happens. Maybe it's because I'm feeling anxious and the anxious part of me wants to eat to feel better even though my stomach is full? Or maybe I don't feel satisfied because I didn't eat the right nutrients?

154
I'm getting better at making pancakes (sh.itjust.works)
 

Apparently the main problem was that the batter I made according to the instructions on the bag of pancake mix was way too viscous. A friend told me to add more water and showed me the consistency it's supposed to have. Now my pancakes are round and thin instead of being two-inch thick lumps. I still need to work on finding the right temperature. I used to burn the outsides without cooking the inside and I've gotten better but I think I still had the heat up just a little too high today.

150
A dog hit me with a stick (sh.itjust.works)
 

He picked up a big stick in his mouth, spun around, and whacked my hand hard enough to leave a small bruise. I thought it was funny, but not so funny that it would make sense to share the story anywhere but here.

374
Federal judge orders return of man Trump administration accidentally sent to notorious El Salvador jail (www.nbcnews.com)
 

The fascinating thing here is that the government's lawyer, the one supposed to argue against this guy's return, appears to have sided against the government.

"Give us 24 hours to get him back, Reuveni said. "That was my recommendation to my client but that hasn't happened"

77
Are old people usually attracted to other old people? (sh.itjust.works)
 

When I was a teenager, I thought people in their 20's were the most attractive. Now that I'm about 40, I still think people in their 20's are the most attractive. It's hard for me to believe that I might ever be attracted to someone past retirement age, even when I'm past retirement age myself, unless the person is like one of those celebrities who look way younger than they are.

This isn't something I can comfortably ask most older people I know, but there's one man who admits that he isn't and one woman who is. Which is more normal?

233
"Deleted by creator" sounds like the poster was destroyed by God. (sh.itjust.works)
 

"Deleted" sounds so casual too, like God did it as part of some routine cleanup.

44
Saw a mouse in my apartment. (sh.itjust.works)
 

I live a bachelor lifestyle, so I have no food in here. Just alcohol. I hope the mouse figures that out and goes away. I should get some traps in case it doesn't. I hate killing animals but there's no practical alternative.

1
Share if you agree! (sh.itjust.works)
 
60
I got a parking ticket. (sh.itjust.works)
 

I was supposed to move my car last night but I forgot. The ticket is for $65 but I found a dollar on the ground near my car so I'm actually only out $64.

I set an alarm in my calendar so I won't forget next time.

-77
There's a new toll I'll have to pay to drive anywhere. (sh.itjust.works)
 

It'll cost $9 each time. They're raising money for the mass transit system by charging specifically those people who don't use the mass transit system and that feels really unfair to me.

60
Shopping website search is terrible (sh.itjust.works)
 

Pretty much every major shopping website has terrible search functionality.

I usually want something very specific, for example 60w dimmable e12 frosted warm led bulb. I have not found a single shopping website that won't show me results without many of these terms in the description. I don't want to see listings that say 40w and don't say 60w anywhere, and it isn't hard to filter them out!

Are these shopping websites bad on purpose? What's in it for them?

-1
Not wearing a respirator in crowded places is dumb. (sh.itjust.works)
 

Before covid, I would be sick with a cold or flu for a total of about two weeks every year. That means I spent 4% of my time sick; one out of every 25 days. Since covid appeared, I've been wearing an N95 in crowded indoor areas whenever I reasonably can. (Obviously I can't if I'm eating something.) My main goal initially was to protect my elderly relatives, but during the last four years I have not gotten sick even once, except from my elderly relatives who didn't wear masks, got sick, and then infected me when I was caring for them.

Why isn't everyone wearing N95s? Sure, it's uncomfortable, but being sick is much more uncomfortable. And then there's the fact that wearing an N95 protects other people and not just the wearer...

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