Why go to a show when the replay button is, like, right there?

That’s weird, guy.

I’ll take “Hyperbolic & Catastrophic Exaggerations” for $400, Alex.
I’m pretty sure you’re reply is tongue-in-cheek, but that did get me thinking how long it would take to actually destroy the Moon by mining.

Let’s say we used mass drivers to launch 1000kg of material from the Moon to the Earth every second, non stop, until the Moon was completely dismantled. The moon has a mass somewhere around 7.35×10²² kilograms. Dividing the Moon’s mass by the rate of removal, we get Time=7.35×10¹⁹seconds. Divide that by 35,536,000 seconds in a year, and it would take us about 2.33 trillion years to dismantle the moon.

Considering how the Earth only has, maybe, a billion years until the Sun’s natural life cycle makes life on Earth impossible, I’d wager that we’re good. Drill baby, drill.

Copper cables are easier to reuse or sell as scrap due to the intrinsic value of the metal value and simple structure. Fiber optic cables are harder to reuse because they require precise handling, expensive connectors, and special training and equipment to splice together properly. Unless thieves steal pre-terminated fiber and handle it with extreme care or take entire spools with a buyer ready, fiber is essentially worthless to them since it can’t be melted down and reused like copper.

I feel this. There was one time where I was playing metal over my speakers, but I was the only one in the office and I was not playing it loudly. After a while a security guard was doing rounds and asked me “what the hell” I was listening to. “Cattle Decapitation,” I said, and they wrinkled their nose like someone shat in the trashcan and went on about how they can’t how anyone would like “that stuff” – I shrugged and said me neither and got back to my work.

I get the Tesla hate, I’m also not a fan of Musk and his antics, but can you share a source that says Tesla are inherently worse in crashes than other vehicles? The NHTSA gives overall 5-star safety ratings to Teslas, the highest score possible; the leader of the NHTSA is notoriously anti-Tesla (because of Musk’s antics), and is on record saying that she wants to reign him and the company in (and rightfully so).

From this article: https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/18/business/why-do-people-keep-crashing-teslas/index.html

The Highway Loss Data Institute, a US-based organization funded by the insurance industry, has not found higher crash rates for Tesla vehicles or other EVs more broadly based on overall insurance claims. Teslas do tend to have higher claim costs, though, according to the HLDI.

The article goes on to say that research indicates that the likely cause of a higher rate of EV crashes is drivers 1) not being accustomed to the differences between EV and ICE vehicle handling, and 2) EVs overall having more speed and power than ICE vehicles.

there is a long-established connection between horsepower and the frequency and amount of insurance claims. Fast cars hit things more often and they hit them harder, leading to more – and more severe – crashes. Added to this, EVs lack the usual engine sounds that go along with rapid acceleration and high speeds, so it’s conceivable drivers are less aware of how fast they’re going.

I’m interested in learning more about how EV crashes seem to be worse.

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If only; that would be some tasty irony for a theology degree-holding judge

The purpose of prison ought to be reconciliation and rehabilitation, not revenge or forced contrition. Many prisoners do feel remorse for their crimes, but unfortunately recidivism is so high (in America) because our socioeconomic and judicial systems are tooled to undermine a parolee’s attempts to reintegrate into society, setting them up for failure.

Only in extreme circumstances, i.e. truly sociopathic criminals, should sentences that remove all hope of reintegration or release be issued. True sociopaths are incapable of feeling remorse, no matter how long or under whatever conditions they are kept. They do understand the weight and impact their crimes had on their victims, but they do not care. No amount of coercion will change that. In these fringe cases, I’d argue that giving them the choice between lifelong sequestration or self-inflicted suicide is ostensibly the best solution for everyone.

Ah, a classic. ALF truly is timeless.

When I was a kid, I was scared of spiders, house centipedes, and heights. On a school trip to a tall building, I was terrified but eventually worked up the courage to look over the edge. The fear disappeared, and I realized that if I could overcome that, maybe I could face other fears too. So, I started learning about the things that scared me; spiders, centipedes, the dark, etc. I found that the more I learned about something, the less frightening they became. For example, house centipedes are harmless, clean, and even help by getting rid of destructive pests. Understanding really helps ease fear. It confuses me that some people seem to want to stay afraid instead of trying to overcome it.

Username checks out.

A number of studies show that higher speed limits significantly increase the risk of accidents and fatalities for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. A National Transportation Safety Board report and separate study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety both found that the risk of being seriously injured or killed in a crash rises sharply with speed. This isn’t about “bubble wrap,” but real-world safety.

This is especially important in areas where cars and pedestrians share the same streets, such as large car-centric cities and poorly planned suburban neighborhoods. Driving in these environments poses a serious danger to pedestrians and cyclists, who often have limited protection. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, urban areas see the highest rates of pedestrian fatalities due to reckless driving. These laws are not just about controlling traffic—they help reduce the risks created when drivers act carelessly in places where people walk, bike, and live.

God is dead. God remains dead. And ADHD has killed him.