Questions you want answered.

hbi2k wrote:

If we're going to have a forum-wide taboo against linking to Twitter now that it's owned by that soulless ghoul Musk...

Is this really the position of the whole site, or just a few members who don't want to see links but are ok with screenshots of Twitter?

So I guess my question is really, if they can have their little performative display of rightthink with no pushback because it's easier for everyone else to go along to get along, can I have mine too? (:

hbi2k wrote:

If we're going to have a forum-wide taboo against linking to Twitter now that it's owned by that soulless ghoul Musk, should we not also have same against linking to Amazon? Amazon does at least as much real-world harm as Twitter, and buying something from Amazon likely does more to materially support Amazon than reading a Twitter thread supports Twitter.

Perfect is the enemy of good.

Trying to achieve perfection before attempting to do anything at all just ensures the needle never moves.

I am conflicted about my heavy use of Amazon for shopping. But, I'm not going to let my conflictedness on that sabotage my attempts to break my engagement with other platforms and services whose behavior is abhorrent.

Count me in for Team "Screenshots Instead of Links Please".

What's this about a forum wide ban on twitter? This is the first I've heard about it. Where was it announced?

CaptainCrowbar wrote:

What's this about a forum wide ban on twitter? This is the first I've heard about it. Where was it announced?

TL:DR - There isn't and it wasn't.

Some regulars have suggested it might be a good way for us to roll. Plenty of folks have adopted it. It's not official

Yeah, that's why I said "taboo," not "rule" or "ban."

My searching isn't working well. Is there a program or something that allows you to create custom 1978 Battlestar Galactica Cylon voices? I'm nerding right now.

There is text to speech software that I am sure you could find a cylon like voice for...

People should stop buying from Amazon full stop. Me? I use Amazon's search function and wish list to keep tabs on the books I want. But then I order them from my local chain book shop.

Nobody needs Amazon. Even if you were housebound there are plenty of other places that offer delivery. And these days most people should be aware why Amazon shouldn't be supported.

We order almost nothing from Amazon anymore. There used to be a reason to when you could get hard to find things and the shipping was fast. Now it's often slower than other stores and finding quality items means wading through tons of knock-off junk that paid for fake reviews.

MaxShrek wrote:

My searching isn't working well. Is there a program or something that allows you to create custom 1978 Battlestar Galactica Cylon voices? I'm nerding right now.

There was a app on steam with a bunch of cartoon like people you could use for streams or chat programs. I'm pretty sure cyclon was one of the avatars. However, I couldn't find it in search.

People who know more about the details of the US govt, maybe you can help me - I can't seem to find the right phrase to successfully google this question.

So, hypothetical and fictional situation: let's say it's the 100th Congress, and the House is controlled by the Happy party. The Happy party passes the Very Good Bill (VGB). But the Happy party only just controls the Senate, and getting the VGB passed in the Senate is a lot harder. So, VGB just waits, having passed the House, but not yet gotten on the floor of the Senate for a vote.

It waits a very long time - so long that an election happens. In this election, the Happy party loses control of the House, but actually gains ground in the Senate. So the 101st Congress has a Senate controlled by the Happy party, but a House controlled by the Angry & Scared party. VGB continues to wait, until the 101st Congress is sworn in. Can the Senate of the 101st Congress vote on and pass the VGB passed by the 100th Congress's House?

(Please ignore the typical passing of the football back and forth to reconcile the language, I know that happens and it's not relevant to the question.)

NSMike wrote:

People who know more about the details of the US govt, maybe you can help me - I can't seem to find the right phrase to successfully google this question.

So, hypothetical and fictional situation: let's say it's the 100th Congress, and the House is controlled by the Happy party. The Happy party passes the Very Good Bill (VGB). But the Happy party only just controls the Senate, and getting the VGB passed in the Senate is a lot harder. So, VGB just waits, having passed the House, but not yet gotten on the floor of the Senate for a vote.

It waits a very long time - so long that an election happens. In this election, the Happy party loses control of the House, but actually gains ground in the Senate. So the 101st Congress has a Senate controlled by the Happy party, but a House controlled by the Angry & Scared party. VGB continues to wait, until the 101st Congress is sworn in. Can the Senate of the 101st Congress vote on and pass the VGB passed by the 100th Congress's House?

(Please ignore the typical passing of the football back and forth to reconcile the language, I know that happens and it's not relevant to the question.)

bills don't carry over

Thank you!

"Reconciliation" might be the term you want to Google. It may not be the correct term from what you are describing, but it involves the interplay between the House and Senate and will put you on the path.

Not so much a question as a request, but if anyone making an IKEA run soon would be willing to pick up one of these and these, I would happily pay for the items + shipping to get them. Have money, can Venmo/Zelle/CashApp/PayPal/whatever.

Wife and I went to IKEA in Palo Alto last weekend, and they only had one of the 2 house sets, and none of the domed villages. And IKEA doesn't make them available for shipping.

Is James Corden necessary?

MaxShrek wrote:

Is James Corden necessary?

Nietzsche would say yes.

I had a dream that I was coughing up paperclips (regular size and large) by the handful. Everyone treated this as odd but not a big deal. Would this condition be deadly? Is there a market for natural grown paperclips?

Stealthpizza wrote:

I had a dream that I was coughing up paperclips (regular size and large) by the handful. Everyone treated this as odd but not a big deal. Would this condition be deadly? Is there a market for natural grown paperclips?

Yes.

See:
Paperclip Optimization AI or Parable of Paperclip Maximizer
Paper Clip Optimizer Game

Who knew quote was not edit?

Sleep well children...

strangederby wrote:
MaxShrek wrote:

Is James Corden necessary?

Nietzsche would say yes.

Gorillas read Nietzsche.

*Legion* wrote:

Not so much a question as a request, but if anyone making an IKEA run soon would be willing to pick up one of these and these, I would happily pay for the items + shipping to get them. Have money, can Venmo/Zelle/CashApp/PayPal/whatever.

Wife and I went to IKEA in Palo Alto last weekend, and they only had one of the 2 house sets, and none of the domed villages. And IKEA doesn't make them available for shipping.

I’m going to be by an IKEA a little later today, I can swing in and have a look.

Why does no channel in the U.K. broadcast new episodes of Sesame Street? Complete pervasiveness of American culture and somehow Sesame Street is the one thing the British people want nothing to do with? Feels like there is a story there.

Was that something that happened when HBO bought and gentrified the show, or even before then?

Stengah wrote:

Was that something that happened when HBO bought and gentrified the show, or even before then?

No idea. We don’t get HBO in the U.K. I only just have a toddler who is now aging into the demographic. I watched it as a child myself, RTE used to show it in Ireland. My brother says it’s now available there in the Irish Language on TG4.

We’re getting by with what episodes have been uploaded to YouTube.

Wikipedia says: "After much public debate, the BBC chose not to air Sesame Street for several reasons, including the show's educational methods, its creation for American audiences, and the UK's long history of quality educational television programmes for young children."

Having been exposed to the acid trips (and Peppa Pig) that are British toddler television, I don’t quite believe those as reasons. All of those reasons would apply to nearly every non-British children’s program they show here.

Mantid wrote:
*Legion* wrote:

Not so much a question as a request, but if anyone making an IKEA run soon would be willing to pick up one of these and these, I would happily pay for the items + shipping to get them. Have money, can Venmo/Zelle/CashApp/PayPal/whatever.

Wife and I went to IKEA in Palo Alto last weekend, and they only had one of the 2 house sets, and none of the domed villages. And IKEA doesn't make them available for shipping.

I’m going to be by an IKEA a little later today, I can swing in and have a look.

Just so you all know, Mantid is a legend.