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Serak The Preparer

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Posts posted by Serak The Preparer

  1. 3 hours ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

    It's a generalization I cannot abide. Yes, in the more rural parts of Texas you're going to find ignorant and bigoted people. I challenge you to name a state where that isn't true. picking on Texas is just low hanging fruit. there are plenty of bigots in New York too - but I'm guessing you don't call them out equally

    The very core of Texas is built on a pile of hate and bullshit unlike any other state. The "rugged individualism" that is the root of Texas pride is just a vehicle for the in-group to shit upon the out-group. Nobody can succeed as a lone individual any state - that's why we have public roads, bridges, fire stations, etc., but in Texan culture those benefits have to be "earned" by those with resources. Rather than support public resources that go out according to actual need, it is apportioned on a select bases by individuals. That's awesome if you're white, straight, pretty, and Christian (and the right kind of Christian at that). If not, you are kindly fucked. 

    Of course there are awesome Texans, great and caring people who are swimming upstream to help others. But the core is rotten and will not change until Texans examine what it actually means to be Texan and why place of birth makes one exceptional. I was born and raised in Texas, and when I left 30 years ago I always assumed I'd be back but now it's one of the bottom-tier states. If I had to decide between Mississippi and Texas I honestly don't know what I'd choose. At least Mississippi knows it's a piece of shit state.

  2. 1 hour ago, Blotto said:

    At this point in our idiocracy, I'd be surprised if even 5% of the US population has read a single article in its entirety from any scientific journal in the last year. We're much  more comfortable building our opinions by listening to our favorite comedian's podcast (or AM talk radio for the olds). I'm not arguing the dysfunction of the industry, I just dont think it matters as it relates to public trust. 

    If you are only including academic science journals (e.g., excluding Scientific American, Nat Geo, Popular Mechanics, etc.) then I doubt 5% of the US population (or 5% of adult US population even) has ever read a single article in a given year. It's a pretty small population who even has/had access to most journals, let alone the ability to go through methodology, analysis, etc. Without trying to do more rigorous analysis I would suspect that the percent of the population that has read a journal article / year has not changed significantly over the last century or so.

    Now if you broaden to the popular magazines mentioned earlier, undoubtedly there is less readership than there used to be. This is problematic for a number of reasons, but science reporting has never been particularly good, at least in my lifetime.

    • Hook 'Em 2
  3. This obviously isn't going to close the book on study into COVID-19 origin but just saw that a paper was published in Cell (a very high quality journal) that supports origin of spread from the meat market. Very importantly, the paper does not state the the market actually is the source.

    From a Nature release on the paper: "The study establishes the presence of animals and the virus at the market, although it does not confirm whether the animals themselves were infected with the virus."

    I haven't read the paper because even if I did I wouldn't have a clue how to interpret / critique methodology or analysis but figured worth sharing.

  4. 46 minutes ago, South Austin said:

    I mean, if Biden hadn't dropped out after the assassination attempt, that forecast would have been perfectly reasonable.

    Hell, even if I knew at the time that Biden was going to drop out, I still would have thought Trump runs away with it. There was so much risk with infighting, lack of party unity, and just general Democratic incompetence that it truly feels like a miracle that Biden's withdrawal didn't lead to even more support for Trump. 

    • Hook 'Em 2
  5. In this case I think the codes link to OSU general athletic fund so legally, wouldn't that be okay? And don't tell me that Ohio State wouldn't get butt hurt about mocking the sticker system (and yes I know that they're not the only school that does it, just the most obnoxious), which is just added bonus.

  6. On 8/15/2024 at 7:43 AM, mantis toboggan said:

    I wasn’t aware of this. This is a real bad idea. No way I’m voting Kamala now. 

    See this is why we need the hard hitting journalism folks at <squints> RSBN to inform us of these things and take on the deep state.

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