26 July 2024
Supreme Court Reform
Giving as good as she gets
25 July 2024
Who's too old to run for president?
23 July 2024
Republican dumbnitude
RFK Jr shows his true colors?
On to victory, KAMALA HARRIS
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Offsetting Musk's evil influence
On to victory, KAMALA HARRIS
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22 July 2024
Time to unify behind Harris's candidacy
On to victory, KAMALA HARRIS
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21 July 2024
Democratic Unity to SAVE DEMOCRACY
On to victory, KAMALA HARRIS
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On to victory!
08 July 2024
Defeat in this election is UNTHINKABLE
07 July 2024
Tesla set to be a bigger energy co. thru battery storage than it is a car company: comments
29 June 2024
A different perspective on atmospheric CO2
Debate Postmortem
27 June 2024
Losing our rights, step by step
21 June 2024
Netanyahu's regime deserves NO American support
The fight of our political lives
National Justice Law Podcast and Strange New Worlds
19 June 2024
Eight Verses for Training the Mind
1. By thinking of all sentient beings
As more precious than a wish-fulfilling jewel
For accomplishing the highest aim,
I will always hold them dear.
2. Whenever I'm in the company of others,
I will regard myself as the lowest among all,
And from the depths of my heart
Cherish others as supreme.
3. In my every action, I will watch my mind,
And the moment destructive emotions arise,
I will confront them strongly and avert them,
Since they will hurt both me and others.
4. Whenever I see ill-natured beings,
Or those overwhelmed by heavy misdeeds or suffering,
I will cherish them as something rare,
As though I'd found a priceless treasure.
5. Whenever someone out of envy
Does me wrong by attacking or belittling me,
I will take defeat upon myself,
And give the victory to others.
6. Even when someone I have helped,
Or in whom I have placed great hopes
Mistreats me very unjustly,
I will view that person as a true spiritual teacher.
7. In brief, directly or indirectly,
I will offer help and happiness to all my mothers,
And secretly take upon myself
All their hurt and suffering.
8. I will learn to keep all these practices
Untainted by thoughts of the eight worldly concerns.
May I recognize all things as like illusions,
And, without attachment, gain freedom from bondage.
A choice
The choice of a third party candidate is mathematically equivalent in almost all contingencies as a vote for the Fascist. I just hope enough people who are attracted to the Kennedy name, despite the fact that RFK Jr. is almost as nutso butso as Trump, realize that you're not just throwing your vote away, you're voting for Trump for all intents and purposes.
18 June 2024
Esoteric discussion with an AI LLM
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14 June 2024
We cannot afford to just accept the unacceptable status of the Supreme Court
Thomas must be impeached ... and/or PROSECUTED
Joe Biden.... of course.
11 June 2024
Fight of our national life
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The military and Trump
10 June 2024
Time for a Course Correction?
Supreme Court reform
05 June 2024
Still rather be us than them
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03 June 2024
Trump, as convicted felon, kicked off ballot in some states?
I noted on Talkingpointsmemo.com that the State of Washington prohibits convicted felons who have not had their rights restored from running for office. This would not have a huge effect on the election, since there's no way Donald Trump could win Washington anyway. But it occurred to me to ask ChatGPT (not 100% reliable, but basically usually accurate) about other states with similar laws. Here is its response.
There are some states with specific laws concerning felons running for public office, although the details can vary widely from state to state:
Florida: Convicted felons must have their civil rights restored to be eligible to run for public office.
Virginia: Requires the restoration of civil rights for eligibility, and in some cases, a pardon is required specifically to restore the eligibility to seek public office.
Kentucky: Convicted felons need a pardon to restore their eligibility to run for public office, depending on the nature of their crimes.
Nevada: Individuals convicted of a felony are disqualified from holding any state office unless they have received an official pardon. [This would presumably not apply to presidential candidates.]
Connecticut: Individuals convicted of specific felony charges (corrupt practices related to public office or voting) are permanently barred from holding public office unless they receive a pardon.
Louisiana: Felons must wait five years after completing their sentence before they can qualify to run for public office unless they have received a pardon that specifically restores these rights.
Mississippi: Convicted felons are barred from running for public office unless pardoned or their rights are restored by the state legislature through a bill of relief.
These laws are subject to changes, and other states might also have various restrictions, so it's always good to check the most current and applicable laws or consult with a legal expert for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
I can think of ways especially red states can, and probably will, "fix" this from Trump's point of view, but it's an interesting new wrinkle in the whole scenario of whether America is about to elect its first full-on fascist would-be dictator, or not. Interesting times.
(One issue not addressed, which may apply in Florida, is that states may have comity with other states such that if the felon would not be barred in the state where convicted, these state laws might not apply).
31 May 2024
Why the Trump conviction is important
Give Collins no pass
30 May 2024
Stop with all the Self-defeating Speculation Already !
25 May 2024
Flipping the House (and keeping the White House and Senate)
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24 May 2024
America's less than stellar future
20 May 2024
Threat, not vibes
Roberts/Alito
12 May 2024
Trump dementia
11 May 2024
The essence of small-d democracy
29 April 2024
Unions coming back
27 April 2024
Data from exoplanet research points to a "rare earth" conclusion
Yes, it would be accurate to make such a statement. Observations of exoplanets have indeed shown that planetary systems exhibit a remarkable diversity, much greater than what was anticipated based on our Solar System alone. Many exoplanets discovered do not fit into the neat categories previously envisaged from our Solar System's structure. For instance, the discovery of "hot Jupiters" (gas giants that orbit very close to their stars) and "super Earths" (rocky planets larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune) challenged our conventional understanding of planetary system formation.
These findings imply that systems similar to our Solar System might be less common than once thought. When it comes to Earth-like planets, while many have been found in the habitable zone (where conditions could potentially allow liquid water to exist), the additional conditions necessary for Earth-like life—such as significant liquid water oceans, plate tectonics, and a stable climate system—are not easily inferred from distance observations alone. These factors contribute to the complex environments needed for life as we know it, suggesting that truly Earth-like planets could indeed be rare among the vast array of planetary systems.
Thus, the growing catalog of exoplanet characteristics has indeed led to a broader understanding that while star-like our Sun may be common, planets with conditions similar to Earth might be much rarer in the universe. This adds an important perspective to our search for extraterrestrial life and the study of planetary habitability.
24 April 2024
David Wallace Wells on Ozempic and its relatives ...miracle drug?
Ketamine and Kava... not so benign?
23 April 2024
Cheapest form of new power sources?
21 April 2024
Simon Rosenberg on pro-democracy messaging and the state of the election
20 April 2024
Vote on Ukraine aid
"I am going to allow an opportunity for every single member of the House to vote their conscience and their will. I'm willing to take a personal risk for that, because we have to do the right thing. And history will judge us."
19 April 2024
ChatGPT lists some supplements to stay away from
There are several dietary supplements that many doctors generally disapprove of and may recommend against in most circumstances due to concerns about their safety, effectiveness, or potential interactions with other medications. Some of these include:
Kava: Often used for stress and anxiety relief, Kava has been linked to serious liver damage, including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver failure in some cases. Due to these risks, it is banned or restricted in several countries.
Colloidal Silver: Touted for its supposed immune-boosting properties, colloidal silver can cause serious side effects, such as argyria (a permanent bluish-gray discoloration of the skin) and potential kidney damage. It provides no known benefits in the body when taken orally.
Aristolochic Acids: Found in some traditional herbal remedies, aristolochic acids have been linked to kidney failure and urinary tract cancers. They are considered carcinogenic and have been banned in many countries, but they might still be found in some supplements.
DMAA (1,3-dimethylamylamine): Often included in weight loss and bodybuilding supplements, DMAA has been linked to serious health issues such as cardiac arrest, headaches, and tremors. The FDA has warned against its use due to safety concerns.
Yohimbe: Used as a treatment for erectile dysfunction and also in weight loss supplements, Yohimbe can cause erratic blood pressure, rapid heart rate, headaches, seizures, and kidney failure. It has significant potential for serious side effects, particularly in people with heart disease or hypertension.
Comfrey: While traditionally used to heal wounds, bruises, and for joint inflammation, comfrey has substances called pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can cause liver damage and are also carcinogenic. It is unsafe for ingestion and advised against even in topical use over large areas or on broken skin.
Bitter Orange (Synephrine): Commonly marketed as an alternative to the now-banned stimulant ephedra for weight loss, bitter orange can cause increased heart rate and blood pressure, leading to cardiovascular problems.
Doctors typically advise that supplements should not replace whole foods and a balanced diet. Before starting any supplement, especially for those with pre-existing conditions or who are taking other medications, it is crucial to consult a healthcare professional to assess potential risks and benefits.
Fortunately, I don't take any of these. I did try Kava (which I consider a drug, not a supplement) once, but didn't like it and wouldn't take something like that on a regular basis anyway. (Portland actually has at least one "kava bar," which seems to me to be a very questionable business venture, especially without prominent health warnings, of which, I gather, there are none). Yohimbe is pretty well known to be dodgy, and all the ephedrine-adjacents are pretty obvious stay aways.
The list is hardly exhaustive, especially if you include "traditional herbal remedies," which is sort of a euphemism for "raw plant material drugs." Quite a few of these, such as Ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis spp., often mixed with Psychotria viridis), are as dangerous as cocaine or opium, just not as well known. I'd say the jury is out on kratom (Mitragyna speciosa), which some doctors think of as just another addictive opioid-adjacent, but which remains legal and pretty widely used in many parts of the US. As a friend of mine wisely pointed out, just because plant alkaloids have been used in some traditional societies for a long time doesn't mean they're safe; different people, often with particular genetic profiles common in a regional population, may have very different tolerances and variations in liver function, such that what is a benign drug to some people may be toxic and quite dangerous to other people. This is even more true across species lines, interestingly: I read where the commonly used topical NSAID diclofenac is so toxic to cattle that a normal human dose can actually kill them. Just something to think about. Unfortunately, supplements and "herbals" aren't really regulated for safety. If you use them, it's caveat procuator.