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- Re: uncertainty on Forum Discord, robert
- This is true about confidence intervals. I never really understood them until I started working on my spam filter. Before that, they were just words on a page.
- Re: 5/17 (fwd), robert
- I think she's become more talkative. In any case, it was a pleasant visit.
- Re: Revealed: USAID, NED & Open Society Quietly Bankroll Cuba’s “Independent ” Media In Push for Regime Change (fwd ), robert
- It seems like Cuba has become a test ground for how far ideology can be implemented via only the media and digital networks. It's pretty remarkable how effective Fox News has been at dividing political opinion among all Americans.
- Memorial Day 2026 weekend, Robert
- Looks like I'm free all weekend.
- "pardon" was the word that I forgot, Robert
- huffpost.com Specifically, presidential pardons or clemency. Anyway, this "slush fund" intervenes prior to any pardon.
- ratio of heat generated by the CPU and GPU versus the heat generated by PCIe devices that would be controlled by ASPM, Robert
- There is no single fixed ratio because it depends entirely on the workload (idle vs. gaming vs. rendering) and the specific hardware (integrated graphics vs. discrete GPU, high-end CPU vs. low-power mobile chip). However, we can estimate the ratios based o...
- standardized testing, Robert
- I only ever remember taking one standardized test when I was in elementary school. Well, other than the PSAT and SAT and GRE, of course. There is very little correlation between standardized test scores and academic success, of course, which is probably wh...
- Re: standardized testing, Robert
- Not sure why you'd need tests. As an undergrad, I went to a college where there were no grades (written evaluations) and many of the teachers were even reluctant to give tests (some did, and, in those cases, each teacher said it was to figure out whether t...
- Re: standardized testing, Robert
- Clustering grades is very confusing and unpredictable. I'd prefer some kind of defined distribution rather than a non-deterministic algorithm.
- AI and Buddhism, Robert
- medium.com I was listening to a philosophy podcast episode about Buddhism and ethics, and became curious about what Buddhists thought about AI. According to this article, they (generally) are skeptical about AGI.
- Re: Fw: Have you heard about our mobile app?, Robert
- What about the portal? allydvm.com
- harvest now, decrypt later post-quantum attacks, Robert
- Post-quantum SSH utilizes hybrid key exchange algorithms to protect Secure Shell connections against future decryption by quantum computers, specifically mitigating "store now, decrypt later" attacks where encrypted traffic is harvested today for future de...
- Re: May 21 Lunch with League this week (fwd), robert
- Do you know what time you'll be leaving?
- Re: What Beckons - Register Now (fwd), robert
- What time is your ACLU thing?
- Re: What Beckons - Register Now (fwd), robert
- Is your meeting tonight?
- <Possible follow-ups>
- Re: What Beckons - Register Now (fwd), robert
- Are you going to this thing in August?
- Re: What Beckons - Register Now (fwd), Noelle
- no
Re: Reminder about Lunch with League Thursday May 21 at 11:30! (fwd), robert
- What time will you be leaving?
Re: Your Popelouchum Estate shipment (96314100613) (fwd), Noelle
-
Among Neighbors, Robert
- paloaltojcc.org This is also playing at the JCC, if you want to see it in-person.
Re: Take Part in Local in Civic Engagement at KQED - CA Gubernatorial Town Hall with Sheriff Chad Bianco (fwd), robert
- Yes. It's basically vapid crap which usually doesn't make any sense, and, when it does, nobody wants it.
Re: Boosters, robert
- Me, neither. Maybe she could be the one person to save some of the good shows and films on HBO after Paramount takes it over.
Re: 🛍️ Election shopping spree (fwd), robert
- Yeah. That was just one step too far.
Re: Directory Listing "Robert" published, robert
- Yeah, well, it could be worse.
Re: why stock mkt keeps going up, robert
- What Paul Kedrosky says is what I've been saying for a while, that this current regime is doing its best to fill the bubble to be as big as possible so that its popping will be utterly catastrophic. I just hope voters realize that we're in a bubble and vo...
Re: Meta enshitification and steampunk, robert
- Not sure why building your own website is in any way daunting. These days, a single AI prompt can sign you up for a service and build an entire web site. It's better, anyway, since a web site cannot be taken down (except via hackers) whereas you can be re...
Re: AI and middle management, robert
- I doubt it. He has too much corporate knowledge. Of course, that may change in the future, but, for now, he's safe.
Re: May 17, 2026 (fwd), robert
- Yeah. Many of the founding "fathers" were hypocrits, but at least they were smart, unlike many men who have the power in this country in its current form. Many of these men seem intent on destroying everything worthwhile left in this country. I just hope t...
Re: Schmidt booed at graduation, robert
- I'm surprised that Sanders moratorium on data center build-out hasn't got more support via the vox populi.
Re: 🌹 May 2026 SV DSA Newsletter (fwd), robert
- I love what they say about Mahan. Couldn't have said it better myself. Good suggestions.
Re: Private Power and Democracys Decline, robert
- Kurz is right on the money.
Re: millions for MAGA miscreants and malefactors (fwd), robert
- Is this political enshittification?
Re: Gen Z gender and politics, robert
- ...and, then, JD Vance is confused why more people aren't having babies. 🤷
Re: CISA, robert
- Or, using AI. Perhaps we will never know.
Re: The 7: Why the job market is frozen; humidity forecast; reducing your risk of head and neck cancer; and more (fwd), robert
- Just in time for medicaid reforms. 😞
Re: outdoor yoga evenings, robert
- Probably.
Re: Harvard to limit A grades, robert
- "No other grades including A-minuses will be capped." Ah. They're just moving the problem downwards. Doesn't seem like a useful move in any possible way.
Re: Transfer Out Confirmation, Robert
- Looks like we will only be able to make small medical payments (based on my contributions so far this month) using the new Fidelity HSA card between June 1 and June 24 until the transfer is complete. You won't be able to use the old HSA card after June 1 a...
- Re: Transfer Out Confirmation, Robert
- There is $749.92 in the Fidelity HSA at the moment. If you need to use the HSA card between June 1 and June 24, that's the balance from which moneys will be drawn upon. By June 24, it will have added all the moneys from the hsabank.com account, which shoul...
Re: how I'm voting, Robert
- FWIW, here are the sites that I use. siliconvalleydsa.org progressivevotersguide.com workingfamilies.org cagreens.org Unlike you, I don't have an algorithm. Probably should, 'tho. I will vote this weekend. Held out just in case any of my preferred candidat...
Re: caffeine, books, car door handles, Robert
- Too bad. My ex-coworkers and I have been having a heated discussion (on Signal) about the value of testing students after sharing an Alfie Kohn podcast episode.
Re: good grief, Robert
- I included a mention of this in a past solstice message, but my lowback surgery in 2018 cost $72,000 but I had to "only" pay $8,000 for it (via my Flexible Spending Account, so minus the appropriate taxes). Although I was operated on in a hospital, it was...
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- Re: good grief, Robert
- Yeah, you are lucky. My medical insurance at some companies (Microsoft and Salesforce) were way better, but I happen to be at a company with not-so-stellar coverage.
regression to the mean in politics, Robert
- wikipedia.org(short_story) I was listening to a podcast about this short story. There are aspects that are very relevant to our time. I'm always saying the problem with AI is that it will always mediocre because it is essentially wikipedia.org . This short...
Re: May 23, 2026 (fwd), robert
- Yeah, interesting. I wonder if this piece from Heather Cox Richardson will sway politicians to rethink this project.
another soccer game today, Robert
- ticketmaster.com Starting at 2pm. Should we go late to the gym? I could also call them for their hours tomorrow if you want.
how much you owe Heather for Araki Sushi, Robert
- $77.11
caffeine consumption, Robert
- I still put nonnutritive sweetener in my morning beverages. I do not consume caffeine on Sundays so that I get a good sleep the night before work on Monday. â
Re: where-I-live peace and justice calendar, Robert
- I don't see any regular meetings at P&J, surprisingly. Too bad.
- Re: where-I-live peace and justice calendar, Robert
- meetup.com This is insane. 34 attendees. I don't think it will happen.
- Re: where-I-live peace and justice calendar, Robert
- There is an "Add your event" at the top of where-I-livepeace.org . So, if you want, you could create your own regular meeting there. Alternatively, via Adventures in History and Culture meetup, you could set up regular meetings to discuss Joanne Freeman's ...
summer potluck, Robert
- I have a lot of free Saturdays, including: July 11, 18, 25 August 8, 15, 22, 29 (I'm leaving Aug 1 open in case we want to go to Santa Cruz to see the Mime Troupe on that day.)
- Mime Troupe, Robert
- sfmt.org This is on Wed Sep 2 2026 at 6:30pm. Whaddya think?
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- Re: Mime Troupe, Robert
- Last time, the play itself was just one hour, unlike previous years. I'm expecting the same again.
Re: summer potluck, Robert
- I guess July 11 is out due to thing in Japantown.
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- Re: summer potluck, Robert
- Her birthday is the same as Harvey's.
- Re: summer potluck, Robert
- My ophthalmologist appointment is the day before. So, I'll be out of commission the night before. But, OTOH, I'll be taking that day off from work, which will give me time to work on cleaning up the yard.
talks at Kepler's Book, Robert
- This is on June 21. keplers.org We'll have to leave the cohousing meeting early on that day.
ACLU: Fighting the Voter Suppression Ballot Initiative, Robert
- aclunorcal.org This is the so-called 2026 Ca voter ID initiative. Maybe your ACLU buds already know about it. I hope they add another proposition to the ballot to make voting even easier.
The Cuba Libre Story, Robert
- According to netflix.com, Unavailable on an ad-supported plan due to licensing restrictions. So weird.
Re: LOL (fwd), robert
- 😏
renting versus owning, Robert
- As a thought experiment, if rent were considered a debt based on a monthly payment for the remainder of the renter's life, what would be the comparison of renter's debt versus homeowner's debt? In this thought experiment, treating rent as a "life debt; rev...
- Re: renting versus owning, Robert
- Still using the lifetime debt calculations, if broken down by person within a household, how much debt per person does a renter hold versus a homeowner? Breaking down the "lifetime debt" by person reveals an even starker disparity because renter households...
Shell Imprint credit card "upgrade", Robert
- Apparently, this card "upgrade" has been a complete disaster. A lot of people are just giving up and canceling their cards because, like you, they've had so much trouble trying to get the "upgrade" to work. See reddit.com , for example. Anyway, I did a web...
Re: Fwd: Voice message from DONALD to our-San-Jose-phone-number (fwd), robert
- There should be an "audio" attachment, just like American Voicemail.
Bernie for Burlington, Robert
- libro.fm We should probably give this to Flora for her birthday.
Tech Bros Utopia, Robert
- existentialcomics.com I think the only point of the comic was just that workers generate value and, of course, do all the work. And that, without workers, no value is created and, therefore, no profits. That's all. In some ways, this kinda comes back to th...
- Re: Tech Bros Utopia, Robert
- existentialcomics.com Speaking of AGI. I am always saying that people are conforming to machines, not the other way around. This really took a quantum leap when Steve Jobs came on the scene when he declared that people don't really know what they like, but...
- Re: Tech Bros Utopia, Robert
- I agree that, traditionally, socialists have focused on the lowest-level workers, but, recently, they have focused on all workers. But, yeah, it does get tricky since some people are both owners and workers. The problems always seem to arise when you try t...
changing one's mind, Robert
- a.co I'll add this book to my (very long) list. Thanks. Recently, I heard the replay of radiolab.org . Not sure I'd advocate for psychedelic drugs, but an interesting point of view. Also, recently, I heard a show on the radio about how people avoid uncerta...
will need to reboot your computer this weekend, Robert
- Again. Just a heads-up.
emoji token usage, Robert
- brave.com This is really bizarre. Not sure I'd try it, but I think people are trying to squeeze out their token usage as much as possible. Which made me think of a video I was about the guy who used $1 million worth of tokens: youtube.com .
Re: #Freebeerday Sentiment is on the Nose, but the Democratic Establishment Hates It (fwd), robert
- Sure. Why not?
Re: electoral-vote.com on the governor race, robert
- I don't like Steyer's position on age verification and social media restrictions. Obviously. But, I like the other stuff, mostly.
Re: May 27, 2026 (fwd), robert
- Interesting how "vegan" has migrated to one of the worse things you can be named. I guess being called "racist" is worse, but also the hardest to refute.
Re: OUT FOR DELIVERY: Silhouette Glasses C... (fwd), robert
- I plan on going to the gym today. Hopefully, it will get delivered at a time other than when I'm out.
Re: Court-Ordered Notice of Class Action (fwd), robert
- I would do a web search to find out what the expected pay-out would be to see whether it's worth all the paperwork.
Re: Book Group Schedule - no 6/4th YES 6/11th (fwd), robert
- Looks like the schedule has returned to the status quo ante. (That might be redundant. Not to mention redundant.)
Re: Why don't I learn?, Robert
- I was listening to a podcast yesterday, and so many of the programmer ones, even the Linux ones, are hosted by people who are Apple enthusiasts. And, then, I started remembering how much I hate Apple products. Even though AI is well on the path to killing ...
- Re: Why don't I learn?, Brian
- Well, one of the things I like about the Mac is that there's a NetBSD inside, so I can do real computing on it. But I can also watch DVDs without fighting with DRM issues.
earning income power, Robert
- youtube.com "Permanent" seems like such a strong word. I was interested in the chart showing generational degradation of income earning power. A personal testament: I did a calculation about 4 years ago and found that I was (and, presumably, still am) earn...
C++ dominance, Robert
- youtube.com I guess this would fall under "pre-enshittification" rather than just "enshittification". I do have to say that I lean more towards the west coast mindset here. But, although this is not mentioned, this probably also explains Javascript and, to...
killing open source with AI, Robert
- youtube.com Another "the sky is falling, the sky is falling" video about open source, this time taken from the monetary point-of-view. Convincing, yes, but this is just one among a myriad of reasons why open source will have to die.
distributed model training, Robert
- youtube.com Although I don't agree with the politics, a possibly optimistic way to tame the AI big tech from the bottom by using distributed computing in a SETI project-like way.
Re: ⏰Noelle, Take Time For A Midyear Retirement Account Check-In (fwd), robert
- Is it time to review?
rsync, Robert
- youtube.com While I do think that adding as much AI slop to open source code as possible may be one way to bring down the big AI companies, losing rsync would be disastrous for me.
Re: Sonic.net Graymail for Jun 04, 479 new messages for noelleg. (fwd), robert
- Sorry, yeah. Feel free to delete. I fixed the emails, I think.
anti-capitalism, communism, socialism, and the total mess, Robert
- Unfortunately, what ends up happening most of the time is ... nothing. I was listening to a story, npr.org , and basically both the far-right and the far-left end up being utterly corrupt, and, the same system, in different forms, end up in the same mess. ...
voting in Ca, Robert
- democracy everywhere. 😁 BTW, I only recently found out that state-wide initiatives in Ca are no longer allowed in primaries, but only in the general election. Initiatives in primaries were being passed by a smaller electorate and tended to be older and wh...
Paypal Park games, Robert
- ticketmaster.com There aren't any games until July.
Re: Art Boutiki Happenings - We Will be at SubZero this weekend (fwd), robert
- Yeah. I'll go tonight, but feel free to go before that if you want.
Re: CA tech lobbying, robert
- They're probably just fine with Becerra as governor. And, probably not so much Steyer. We'll see if people can be manipulated by money or not -- either Steyer's or others.
Re: Special Screenings & Streamings This Month ⭐ (fwd), robert
- kinema.com says that there is no Roku channel. Using a direct HDMI connection is the only option.
Re: CA election vote counting, robert
- Yeah, who cares about the outcome of the horserace? As long as it resolves before the fall general elections.
Re: Check out this week's newsletter for how we're investing in District 3! (fwd), robert
- Better than nothing, I suppose.
Re: retirement, robert
- Wow. I definitely never do this at work. Why would I want to do it at home? I do organize my off-work hours and weekends similarly to the way I do at work, but it is not defined by time but rather by tasks.
Re: The 7: A DOGE plan to mark living people as dead; the Senate votes to fund ICE; flesh-eating screwworms; and more (fwd), robert
- Brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "you're so dead to me!"
Re: Alamo theatres, robert
- I guess not. But, requiring a phone to order food seems bad in any context.
Re: clean house!, Robert
- That seems much cheaper than the cleaners that we hired last year. Could you send me their contact info? I'll check whether they serve the south bay. Thanks.
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- Re: clean house!, Robert
- yelp.com I asked Brian what service he used. Looks like they do not cover the south bay, unfortunately.
renewing minutes on phone, robert
- I'm planning on going to the T-Mobile Store on Thursday morning before my dentist appointment to add more to my cell phone minutes.
libertarianism, Robert
- I really don't under libertarianism, honestly. I mean, allowing murder through guns seems like the same as allowing "murder" in other forms. Anarchists (libertarians who think there should not be any government) at least are consistent in that they think a...
social security insolvency, Robert
- I was confused about the concept that the politicians stole from the social security. legalclarity.org reveals a more nuanced explanation. The excess is actually invested in treasury bonds, and those bonds offset the national debt, allowing more government...
data saver on cell phone, Robert
- I turned on data saver on cell phone. If it causes problems, feel free to turn it off.
43%, Robert
- diversifiedtrust.com That's the number of college grads who end up in a job that does not require the degree that they graduated with.
Re: BJ's menu, robert
- veggl.com says that ordering the BJ's Brewhouse Bowl without feta or greek yogurt is vegan.
- <Possible follow-ups>
- Re: BJ's menu, robert
- That would work.
- Re: BJ's menu, robert
- Bossman's was pretty empty. I guess we could get the royal treatment.
Re: From Gail re: today at Best Buy I bought a new cell phone to replace my flip phone, robert
- This seems to be a smart phone, not a flip phone with buttons. I included info below about the phone (as revealed by ). There will be, no doubt, a learning curve to use this phone. But, it shouldn't be too difficult considering that you use Windows 11 and ...
historical violence, Robert
- Just statistics over historical time. Which is probably mostly valid, but I'd argue that you want the total amount of violence to decrease, not just a percentage of violence. Nevertheless, I could see his argument -- except that the amount of violence, eve...
Brexit and authoritarianism, Robert
- I'd argue that Brexit was more than half the issue. If the UK had still allowed European immigration, it would be in a lot better shape than it is now. And, w.r.t. the political parties: it seems like they are just as a bad as the United States and Canada ...
Re: The 7: An agent who sent models to meet Jeffrey Epstein; El Nio impacts; coffee timing; and more (fwd), robert
- I have to finish my coffee before 10am in order to ameliorate its effects. For tea, it has to be before noon. For cocoa, it has to be before 3pm. At least, that's what I've found for myself. Having no caffeine at all during the day gives a greater probabi...
Re: AI boom, robert
- “investment in information processing equipment & software” accounted for 92% of the US’s GDP growth in the first half of 2025. Holy shit. No wonder Donald Trump and his ilk do not want any limits or restrictions put upon AI or data centers.
Re: fans blame tRump for Knicks loss, robert
- Well, they did win without Trump at the game. So, perhaps there's something to this.
Re: Congress Just Snuck In Uber Immunity (fwd), robert
- Unsurprising. Not sure that there is any value in driving for Uber or Lyft to earn money. Although this legislation was formed to keep Uber and Lyft alive, it will only hasten their demise by alienating anyone who could possibly want to work for them.
Re: The Movie Trope That Explains American Politics (fwd), robert
- I'm not sure that it was these movies that drove the ideology, but, rather, the ideology drove the content of these movies. It's natural that people would want to break out of the endless cycle of Republican pro-wealthy politics and Democrat mostly pro-wea...
Re: 9 political groups, robert
- pewresearch.org This is what I got after taking the test. Not a surprising result at all. I wonder if this spectrum carries over to all countries worldwide, or if it's only an American thing.
civil disobedience, Robert
- According to various searches, civil disobedience never includes violence against individuals; some think there should be no violence whatsoever, including property; others think that violence against property is covered under the umbrella of civil disobed...
dementia advanced directives, Robert
- According to startpage.com a AHCD and a POLST can cover dementia, to some extent. There are no suicide machines, but rather things covering food and water, and, when necessary, what happens during hospitalization. I'll add this to my death plan.
Re: actor as the dad in Women in Love, robert
- Oh, yeah, the gay guy in Foundation. (Or, maybe, one of the gay guys.) Cool.
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