sysadmin1138

Recent Actions

• Commented on The coming storm
  We're gathering momentum on a different front besides political: the regulatory split between the EU and the country where all the big-tech money is. This feeds into the political since it would be fodder for NATO breakup talks ("they don't...
• Commented on Pushing it back
  The Broken Earth trilogy touched on this tangentially, but I keep coming back to how we typically identify wooden structures: from the earthworks that go with them. At least for land-based civilizations, you have a chance to discover regular patterns...
• Commented on "It'll all be over by Christmas"
  This matches my view in broad strokes. I see a few variations that will heighten class-based stresses, though. The biggest will be the difference between the work-from-home class and the physical-presence glass. The WFH folk may stay on WFH for...
• Commented on COVID-19
  The sort of generational wealth-transfer I'm thinking of is the decidedly American style of retirement savings: tax-sheltered stock-market accounts. When someone who is 6 years into a 30 year retirement dies early, most of their accumulated value is still there....
• Commented on COVID-19
  I've been helping tamp down hysteria locally in my peer group. Death rate, like Spanish Flu, is going to vary. The topline rate is averaged across many different vulnerable populations. The over 70 set having a much higher rate is...
• Commented on Test Case
  To me, the interesting question currently isn't whether fatal accidents will happen (they will), but where does liability get apportioned. Historically, vehicle manufacturers were effectively unitary entities, vehicle drivers were another, and the victim was (usually) a third. The arrival...
• Commented on Test Case
  Once we get into the full automation vehicle versus legal code intersection, immediate human judgment becomes less of a factor in the failure-path. I'm reminded of complex-system failure theory and all the horrible ways that can go wrong. And my...
• Commented on The Nakamoto Variations
  Intro: Fred gets handed a consignment of computer-bits from the Estate Sale agency he works with. Find the resellable parts, get money the estate. Sell everything else at the estate sale. He scans a bunch of old stuff. Not much...