Notices by Jan Koekepan (jankoekepan@freehold.earth), page 6

@cypnk The tactic that your reference elucidates is a form of dismissal that does not engage the core argument, but discourages further participation by suggesting that it is fruitless or even counterproductive.

This is a well-established pattern that I have seen, in various forms, from various activists, on various ends of the political vector space, and only new arrivals would seem to be surprised by it. But telling them is worthwhile.

@cypnk The same thing goes for all sorts of dismissal. I can't even remember all the veg(etari)ans that dismiss everything I say just because I'm a farmer and therefore I'm obviously in the pocket of ConAgra or Monsanto or something, or repeat the old saw about me being unable to understand something because my pay depends upon not understanding it ....

I guess it's fine to explain to newbies online, but to me it's just another day on the internet.

@cypnk It's not particularly novel. That sort of thing has been a staple of activists for ages. I've seen it from LGBTQA activists, vegans, green activists, pro-choice and pro-life ... really, it's not new at all.

@ink_slinger Use of encryption on ham radio is illegal.

Better approach: be proficient at roll-your-own local and regional networks and store-and-forward and BBS systems.

@augustus "Pics if it didn't happen."

@ninjawedding It is an economy of scale.

The HFT stuff happens in narrowly defined, controlled formats between known participants.

Three business days to do one trade for you is more of a custom job, in those terms.

Often it comes down to how things can filter through the regulatory system.

@maiyannah This is precisely why I want to be an embedded developer.

I can deal with total determinism. Layers and layers of politics, ideology and visits from the Good Idea Fairy resulting in modern high level programming are like an ocean of clay mud in comparison.

@Verus @djabadu It's free, open source, cross platform and pretty mature at this point.

@Verus @djabadu I discussed a couple - audacity was a key one.

@djabadu For the same reason that all the zebras in the herd worry about lions.

You don't need to be a special zebra to get eaten.

All this Prime Day Strike stuff, and Boycott stuff is making me want to get a prime account.

@Verus Imagine that standup routine.

"My ram can impregnate 17 ewes in under half an hour ... ladies ..."

@Verus It results in weird insights.

The conventional wisdom is that the gestation period for sheep is 5 months.

Because of a combination of the USDA, and one ram that saw his opportunity and in under half an hour impregnated no fewer than 17 ewes, I know that in the breed I keep it's 6 months, practically to the day.

... 17. In under half an hour.

Makes a guy feel a little inadequate, you know?

@Verus So what you're saying is that my secret superpower is that I pay attention?

@Verus My plan is to die in harness. Everyone in my family pretty much keels over five years after retirement, if they don't stay very active.

@Verus Sorry for venting, but I hate it when medicos stare at numbers and ignore patients.

A number is not a diagnosis. It is one piece of evidence to be taken into consideration in a context.

@Verus Good to know.

And yup, pretty much spot on. If anything, over the period since I bought the farm, I've lost an inch or two around my waist and gained over 20 pounds. Stacking and packing a pallet of sacks is routine. Muscling around 50 gallon drums of wine is a working day's occupation for me.

But the last time I went to the GP, he ignored me, looked at his screen and mumbled about being technically obese.

@Verus I actually don't even have a pot belly. Seriously, I don't have a sixpack, but I'd have one if I dropped twenty pounds. I'm just muscular. Not gymbunny muscular, but doing fucking work muscular.

The BMI was never calibrated for me.

@Verus Did I tell you that the insurance carrier called me, quizzed me, then sent me a health scorecard? They say I'm fine except that I'm overweight.

I'm 6 foot and I do manual labour on a daily basis. I can cut down a tree with hand tools and not get stiff muscles. Could I lose a few pounds? Sure. But I bet I could also benchpress the cubiclewalrus that sent me that damn card.

@Verus Ask me again - or just favourite the post so that it's in your list.