John BS @johnabs@qoto.org

I never thought I could hate Microsoft more than I already did, and yet my school's IT administrators have managed to make the impossible possible.

I hate dealing with telecom companies.

My first book chapter/(conference proceedings for a conference I didn't know was a conference???) is out today! Not my first peer-reviewed paper, but definitely the first that went into a book 😁

The title is "Systematic Review of Inclusive Design via Neuroergonomics as Assistance for Atypical Neurology"

The book is here, my article/chapter is at the end of the first page (and starts in the book on page 272)
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-44373-2

It's not what I normally work on, but I'm grateful that I was able to find a gap in the literature that I think needs to be filled and to hopefully put some attention toward it!

(Note the paper isn't as polished as I would have liked, the professor who ended up submitting it didn't do as many revisions to what was originally a just supposed to be a term paper as we expected, though I'm sort of a perfectionist 😓 )

@vicgrinberg Who got stabbed? I hope she’s alright 😂

@yukiame @coolboymew *minecraft pigs*

@BerLinguistin What was it? I see a croissant, but is that jam and coffee? I'm honestly jealous rn, but one day I'll be able to have nice European croissants with my wife...I hope 😩

@BerLinguistin

I wouldn't need grace or strength if my breakfast looked that good, but I'm trying to get healthy right now so...yeah, more wishes for grace and strength please 😂

@Amikke @kilroy_was_here @freemo

RHNB vs FOOF
RHNB vs Titanium Tetraazide
RHNB vs Closed Demon-Core
RHNB vs False Vacuum Decay Event

@vicgrinberg Looks amazing! Have you tried puff pastry wrapped baked brie with (apricot or fig) and pistachio filling? Absolutely delicious as well, and I can send a recipe if you would like!

@voidabyss @freemo @bii Thanks! I appreciate the positive feedback 😁

@bii Bruh I saw the two lines on the picture and almost congratulated you on the pregnancy before realizing what it was 💀

Also, pain != flavor, so it makes sense, but can understand how that would be disconcerting. I've never experienced that symptom with covid before (though I'm miserable every time I get it), but it's the only one my wife gets and she's otherwise fine.

@freemo @bii

Not my point or what I believe (I'm a divine command theorist lmao), but from a secular perspective, I think that's one of the strongest possible arguments for it.

Additionally, it does not mean that society itself is thriving (such a definition of morality would permit rape/pillage for the benefit of MY society over yours, not the cosmopolitan ideal of humanity as a whole), but that each individual has sufficient resources and the ability to control themselves in such a manner that maximizes their ability to self-realize.

Lack of self control is arguably the root of all moral failings; hence, the ability to control oneself in each tempting moment to favor long term chances of self-actualization is the best secular definition of acting morally I can think of.

@freemo @bii

Philosophically, I would argue that unchecked libertarianism, which permits "two consenting adults" to do anything they want (so long as consent was obtained) and allows individuals to act in whatever way they want without imposing moral imperatives unless they harm another person, is not a good system to achieve widespread eudaimonia. Instead, it ultimately results in most individuals being slaves to their desires.

Without a defined set of boundaries on "sin" (i.e. what is morally wrong), societies ultimately end up expanding liberties into those boundaries to the point that ostensible self-harm becomes the norm (see the obesity epidemic for an alternative example; note I'm saying this as a current fat guy).

Gluttony "used to be" a sin for a multitude of reasons, and we are now acutely aware of all the negative impacts on the body and mind that over consumption has, and yet the issue persists (please note that I am not claiming those with real biological issues are necessarily at fault, but most obese individuals are not biologically impaired beyond their control).

The question we must then posit is thus: does consuming explicit sexual material (or producing it) have similar harmful effects on the body and/or mind? The answer to this is yes, both on an individual and societal level. Individually, many men report early-onset erectile dysfunction, inability to achieve orgasm with real partners, and diminished appetite for actual partners but increased appetite for the illicit substitute. Enough of these individuals in a population, may have untold impacts on the culture itself (e.g. japanese herbivore men and their plummeting birthrate).

Thus, if consumption of the product is harmful, then production of it is also harmful (both for society but also the "stars", you can see loads of examples of this in the industry with predatory contracts, grooming of under-age women to take jobs upon turning 18, trafficking, kidnapping, spread of STIs, etc.). There may be a case for "responsible use" or "free-range production" but substances that are targeted as super-normal stimuli are highly addictive and blunt our responses to "realistic" stimuli, thus making the super-normal stimulus more desirable (an effect mentioned above). Of course, there's also the hedonic treadmill effect which causes people to seek ever increasingly stimulating material (that is, their tastes may change over time to desire material that is more explicit than they started on).

Of course, this is all the worst case, but the existence of this case and its prevalence, I think, speaks volumes.

That's my 2 cents, take it for what you think it's worth.

P.S. I have citations for the claims I've made but I'm at work and can't look them up right now. If you want me to link them in a followup toot, lemme know.

@lucifargundam Well I save about 40 minutes of driving per day, which works out to be 200 minutes per week, if we only include my commute to work.

If we factor in the weight loss benefits and my health, it helps there, and it's a great way to guarantee I can go the distance in the event I'm tired, sick or sore.

Finally, while all batteries go out eventually, they can be recycled and have a nearly negligible carbon footprint while in use, and only a moderate one to recycle, which I think is an overall win.

(Also, mine is made by Bosch, which has a lot of safety controls for preventing catastrophic battery issues, as compared to many others which are cheap Chinese products which don't have the same high quality manufacturing standards).

@lucifargundam Edit, nope, 800....that's a bit much q.q but there's no way I can make it up and down these crazy hills without it,