Everything posted by iNow
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Please tell me we have free will
Unless you’re citing the Bible as evidence of human gullibility, willingness to accept as true internally inconsistent and contradictory messages, or the idea that popular fictions existed even thousands of years ago, then no. It’s not the type of “evidence” that belongs anywhere near a scientific discussion. Unless you’re saying humans would be somehow immune to this type of parasite, then this example actually speaks to the absence of free will, not the existence of it. It’s directly counter to the conclusion at which you’ve arrived for seemingly religious reasons.
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Corona virus general questions mega thread
You sample an early patient. You sample a later patient. You compare them. You see how much it’s mutated. You do the same for flu. You see if covid mutates as quickly as flu. How is this a question for you? Depends on human behavior
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Corona virus general questions mega thread
They’ll be mostly immune unless/until the virus mutates. Once they’re sick and recover, it will generally be safe for them to go out and socialize again... unless/until the mutation occurs.
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Corona virus general questions mega thread
Apologies if this has already been shared, but it's too good not to be sure. A dashboard with drill-down capability for infections and recoveries from Johns Hopkins: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6
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How do memories work?
Fair enough. Maybe this is better. Haven’t read it. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuronal_memory_allocation
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How do memories work?
The brain is not a computer. Analogies are sometimes useful in aiding understanding, but they also often lead to seriously flawed assumptions. https://aeon.co/essays/your-brain-does-not-process-information-and-it-is-not-a-computer
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How do memories work?
Many of the tests being done are by the military, but we don't generally have access to those results as members of the the public
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How do memories work?
You can amplify the learning process and enhance long-term consolidation of newly formed memories through techniques like transcranial magnetic stimulation, but you cannot upload memories directly. No, you DON’T know Kung fu. There IS a spoon.
- Political Humor
- Political Humor
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Political Humor
Our pregnant friend had a sonogram yesterday and there was a Bloomberg 2020 ad on the readout
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Only 10% of the Nobel prize winners are atheist ?
The peace prize is just one type. Most scientists win prizes relevant to their field
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Corona virus general questions mega thread
It’s entirely possible to remove a cig from the pack with your teeth, but if you’re smoking then good health is likely not your primary concern or motivator
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Corona virus general questions mega thread
Which of course makes it taboo and paradoxically MORE likely they will. Humans are dumb
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Corona virus general questions mega thread
Yeah, when he said utensils, I’d assumed he was speaking of ones that were just used to eat by an ill person.
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Corona virus general questions mega thread
Utensils, yes. Clothes, maybe, but probably not. Pets, not likely. See here for more: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters Similarly, and given your level of concern, information is power: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 Unfortunately, it is getting worse. https://abcnews.go.com/International/white-house-requesting-125b-part-25b-plan-fight/story?id=69190968
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Corona virus general questions mega thread
Indeed, and quite fair. Our OP, however, is in the US and is what promoted my introduction of the word hysteria. While the US is way down at 45th on the global press freedom index (and Japan closer to 65th), most here can still access sources of mostly objective numbers and examine the overall risk with reason and perspective. Maybe that’s the better word... many of the posts and comments I keep seeing on this issue seem to lack appropriate perspective. Of course, even the concept of appropriate itself is subjective, so alas... around in circles we continue to go.
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Corona virus general questions mega thread
Sensei - You’re generally quite calm and logical in threads, yet here you’re coming across as a bit panicked and emotional. You’re also lashing out at folks like me who push back even slightly on the scale, scope, and risk being suggested around this health problem. If hysteria is the wrong word to describe otherwise bright and very rational people like you doing this, then what’s the right word?
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Corona virus general questions mega thread
Also, because they're xenophobic thugs, but I live in Trump's america so may have a cynical view right now of where our culture stands.
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Corona virus general questions mega thread
That’s because businesses are stopping shipping and air travel is locked down, not bc people are dying in huge numbers. Apple has already shared earnings will be down and they’re a bell weather. It’s an issue we need to address. It requires focus. I feel compassion for those affected. As of today, I’m still more worried about the hysteria, especially here in the US. YMMV
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Corona virus general questions mega thread
To be clear, are you implicitly confirming my suggestion that the hysteria on this topic is too high, or are you trying to rebut it? It sure feels like the former.
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Corona virus general questions mega thread
Okay. You're clearly very emotional about this topic. That sort of adds weight to my suggestion that the hysteria is an issue with this one. Thanks for the exchange. As I already said more than once, my heart aches for those affected. That doesn't mean it's an issue worthy of the anxiety we're seeing. This is my opinion. Feel free to disagree and hold a different opinion, preferably without making it unnecessarily personal or attacking me personally. Not helpful, mate. Again, seems a bit... hysterical.
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Corona virus general questions mega thread
Lol. Well, thanks for your reasoned and diplomatic response to my post. Perhaps you could tell us all how you really feel next time? Let's look at your numbers. 620 people infected on the ship, most quarantined, 2 died. Now, I'm very sorry for those families and would hate for the same to happen to me, but that's a death rate of only 0.3% (zero point 3 percent). Across the entire planet, something like 2100-2200 people are dead from coronavirus. Meanwhile, according to the CDC this years common flu virus has been remarkably mild yet 14,000 people have already died from it... just in the US alone. Also, 10 million people die from air pollution every year. 1.25 million from car crashes... So, yeah. I'm sympathetic to those people who died from this thing and the families they left behind, but perspective matters. It's important to watch how this thing evolves and progresses, but IMO the hysteria doesn't match the risk. Perhaps if I personally lived in a densely populated area or was regularly visiting China I'd present a different opinion, but I don't. One person across my entire state has been infected and they were okay after quarantine, so my stance is hardly "ridiculous," but you suggesting I'm somehow ignorant or dumb very much is.
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Political Humor
It’s not actually humor, but is instead commentary on policy
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Implications of movie physics
I suspect this depends on how wet or dry the snow is. Wet snow tends to retain its shape better than dry powdery snow and could maintain shape around the cabin... freeze into that shape and show a flat wall when the door/window gets opened. As you rightly highlight, depth of the snow matters, but I'm not personally aware of any formulas to describe this (though they may very well exist). Also, I imagine the angle of incidence (which direction the light is coming from and how that compares to where the windows in the cabin are) plays a fairly significant role, too.