carsonc's recent activity
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
carsonc LinkI started reading The Arrest by Jonathan Lethem. I like it, but I feel like the author is somehow writing himself into the story as the extremely boring main character. For example, the titular...I started reading The Arrest by Jonathan Lethem. I like it, but I feel like the author is somehow writing himself into the story as the extremely boring main character. For example, the titular event wherein all tech stops working is never explained or explored, but can't tell if this is an event that the author has no desire to spend time on, or if the main character is ignorant and unconcerned about why the world just stopped. Is this intentional artistic license or Journeyman's general unconcern with the world around him? Or is this Lethem's unconcern with the event at the center of his character's lives?
If anyone has answers, please share.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
carsonc Link ParentI've been wanting to start reading Kathleen DuVal's Native Nations because it describes a kind of alternative history taking place in the Americas prior to European arrival. Apparently, indigenous...I've been wanting to start reading Kathleen DuVal's Native Nations because it describes a kind of alternative history taking place in the Americas prior to European arrival. Apparently, indigenous Americans rejected urbanization and returned to a hunter/gatherer life style after a long period of centralized government lived in cities.
It's easy to view the life we live as the logical conclusion of an inexorable process, but maybe it's not. Other people in a situation similar to our own found a way back. Maybe we will too.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club Discussion - The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin in ~books
carsonc Link ParentThanks for the good word. I can appreciate a book that rewards persistence. If keep at it, I can get there and revise my view.Thanks for the good word. I can appreciate a book that rewards persistence. If keep at it, I can get there and revise my view.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club Discussion - The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin in ~books
carsonc Link ParentA theme in The Dispossessed seems to be that everything bad in the world is the fault of terrible, sexist men. To me, the overt sexism exhibited by the Urrasti seems over the top today, but I'm...A theme in The Dispossessed seems to be that everything bad in the world is the fault of terrible, sexist men. To me, the overt sexism exhibited by the Urrasti seems over the top today, but I'm less convinced that it was at the time of publishing. I wasn't there, but I would not be surprised if the kinds of outwardly, casually dismissive attitudes that the Urrasti display towards women were probably representative of Le Guin's lived experience.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club Discussion - The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin in ~books
carsonc Link Parent(Caveat: couldn't finish the book) I found it difficult to engage with the... sociological elements of the book. I'm not opposed to odonian principles, but so many of the passages are so...(Caveat: couldn't finish the book) I found it difficult to engage with the... sociological elements of the book. I'm not opposed to odonian principles, but so many of the passages are so uncritical as to read like propaganda. For me, it just made for dull storytelling. It was difficult to find the kind of tension or drama that makes a good yarn engaging.
What was the tension in the story? The war of ideas? What were the stakes? Unfortunately, I couldn't stick around long enough to find out.
Boring utopia aside, I find it interesting to look at The Dispossessed now in the light of the present. The largest bastions of collectivism have either wholly or partially embraced the Market and become "proprietarians". In the first quarter of the 21st century, it's difficult to imagine what a successful large-scale collectivist society would look like. The closest I can think of, off the top of my head, is Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars Trilogy.
Now that I think of it the stories are more similar than I thought: two worlds orbiting a common star, Terra forming, the more collectivist group fighting for survival on the dusty barren planet, thwarting the efforts of the off-world proprietarian Trans-Nats, the mystical and absent spiritual leader, Hirodo, the aloof briliant scientist. Was KSR reading the Dispossessed a little too closely?
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Comment on Carbon dioxide pipelines and underground injection can cut greenhouse gas, but community opposition is fierce in ~enviro
carsonc Link ParentWe should cut climate emissions, but future reductions don't make prior emissions disappear. We have subsidized the oil industry to make the climate hotter. What if we developed air capture...We should cut climate emissions, but future reductions don't make prior emissions disappear. We have subsidized the oil industry to make the climate hotter. What if we developed air capture technology that would allow us to subsidize them to make the climate cooler by sequestering atmospheric CO2? That would be quite the grift, no? First we pay them to take the carbon out of the ground then we pay them to put it back? That doesn't sound fair at all.
Well, what about growing trees and dumping them into the ocean? Or using sustainable farming to sequester all the anthropogenic carbon as soil? Although these carbon sequestration methods are certainly ethically and aesthetically attractive, they don't compete with CCS on scale.
As a result, while CCS poses rightly objectionable local environmental and ethical hazards similar to oil production, it will eventually be the only viable option to reduce existing greenhouse gas concentrations and reverse global warming. I mean, aside from nuclear winter, of course.
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Comment on I am worthless, I couldn't write a good article or draft to save my life in ~creative
carsonc LinkStick with me: ChatGPT. The other day, I had to write some copy on short notice, late at night, that I did not want to write, and had no energy to write. Still, I have standards. I was reluctant...Stick with me: ChatGPT.
The other day, I had to write some copy on short notice, late at night, that I did not want to write, and had no energy to write. Still, I have standards. I was reluctant to turn in garbage, as I often receive garbage from others and know well how disappointing it can be. I needed to turn something respectable around quickly and get to bed.
I fired up the ol' LLM and started forming my prompt. As you could predict, the results were not satisfying, so I kept refining the prompt to get rid of the things that I didn't want in the piece. After about 3 rounds of this I knew what I wanted to say and, thanks to ChatGPT, what I didn't want to say.
Shortly thereafter, I had something that I was not embarrassed to send out. It wasn't amazing, but I slept well that night. A win, all told.
My advice is this: try telling an LLM what you want to write about, then eliminate most of what it gives you back to find a thread worth developing. You'll have something you wrote and no one has to know your little secret.
Unless you tell everyone on Tildes.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club - Voting thread 2 results - requesting feedback from library users in ~books
carsonc Link ParentI bit the bullet and bought the book. It was for sale on Kobo for a few dollars. I anticipate that I will probably have to do the same if the books are in demand.I bit the bullet and bought the book. It was for sale on Kobo for a few dollars. I anticipate that I will probably have to do the same if the books are in demand.
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Comment on Early tests of H5N1 prevalence in milk suggest US bird flu outbreak in cows is widespread in ~health
carsonc Link ParentNo, but not because the viruses are damaged. Attenuated viruses have been used in a wide range of vaccines. Vaccines work because they (1) have proteins associated with a particular target...No, but not because the viruses are damaged. Attenuated viruses have been used in a wide range of vaccines. Vaccines work because they (1) have proteins associated with a particular target pathogen and (2) are associated with some kind of damage to the body. This damage often comes from the subcutaneous injection with a needle and causes the immune system to start searching for a culprit. The immune system finds the vaccine particles and associates the damage from the needle with the antigens in the vaccine and produces antibodies for the pathogen.
If there is no damage, there will likely be no immune response and therefore no immunity.
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Comment on A golden age of renewables is beginning, and California is leading the way in ~enviro
carsonc Link ParentThanks! It seems that is exactly what happened: "Jacobson withdrew his lawsuit in February 2018, two days after a court hearing on the defendants’ special motion to dismiss pursuant to the D.C....Thanks! It seems that is exactly what happened:
"Jacobson withdrew his lawsuit in February 2018, two days after a court hearing on the defendants’ special motion to dismiss pursuant to the D.C. Anti-SLAPP (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation) Act." (Wikipedia)
That inertia would lead to higher rates seems odd too. Is the "Emulated Inertia" discussed here ineffective or not widely implemented? -
Comment on A golden age of renewables is beginning, and California is leading the way in ~enviro
carsonc Link ParentI don't know who Mark Jacobson is. What makes you sceptical about his analysis? I do think this part is not the strongest part of the piece, but what do you see as the positively correlated or...I don't know who Mark Jacobson is. What makes you sceptical about his analysis?
I do think this part is not the strongest part of the piece, but what do you see as the positively correlated or possibly causal link between the high prices and renewables use?
I can imagine that the inability of a utility to throttle back supply results in energy that has to be sold when demand is saturated, resulting in the forced sale of energy at low prices and difficulty making the debt servicing payments. This might make the utility raise prices across the board. But I'm just guessing, at this point.
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Comment on Rooftop solar panels are flooding California’s grid. That’s a problem. in ~enviro
carsonc Link ParentIn thinking about your comment, I came to agree with it more and more. We just got approved for a lower rate at off peak levels because we have a plug in hybrid. Right now, we have net metering...In thinking about your comment, I came to agree with it more and more. We just got approved for a lower rate at off peak levels because we have a plug in hybrid. Right now, we have net metering and solar, so we don't benefit from additional storage. As long as watts of net consumption come in at night, we pay half price.
Residential rooftop solar is expensive and difficult to install, but residential batteries are much more amenable. With batteries, I could buy and hold electricity only when it is cheap. But more to the problem of the duck curve, the utility can just incentivise purchasing energy during excess production and at night, when demand would normally be low.
Incentivising residential battery purchase with lower time of use prices would ameliorate a lot of the demand curve problems with solar without making utilities install capacity.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club - Second nominations thread in ~books
carsonc LinkMinistry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson is the first book that comes to mind. I would love to discuss Annihilation by Jeff Vamdermeer with someone, no one around me has read it and it can...Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson is the first book that comes to mind.
I would love to discuss Annihilation by Jeff Vamdermeer with someone, no one around me has read it and it can be a tough sell from a casual reading perspective. -
Comment on Tildes Book Club - Meta discussion - Should we read nonfiction as well as fiction and with what frequency? in ~books
carsonc Link ParentI did. I voted and commented, but I can withdraw my comment if that's not helpful. I think this group is great and I'm glad to participate.I did. I voted and commented, but I can withdraw my comment if that's not helpful. I think this group is great and I'm glad to participate.
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Comment on Rooftop solar panels are flooding California’s grid. That’s a problem. in ~enviro
carsonc Link ParentPerhaps in some states, but not in all. Besides, if the US keeps pursuing electrification, the demand will continue to increase, which is a problem that batteries can ameliorate but not solve....Perhaps in some states, but not in all. Besides, if the US keeps pursuing electrification, the demand will continue to increase, which is a problem that batteries can ameliorate but not solve. Today, do we have enough locally produced electricity to meet the peak demand that exceeds transmission capacity in a decade or five years?
If so, I would say that we should do as you suggest and level out solar power production and focus on improving storage. If not, though, then ramping up solar installations are a great way to ensure that the supply and transmission capacity are expanding to meet future demand.
Things are going to get uncomfortably hot and people will depend on electrically driven mechanical heat pumps for cooling. If that fails, the health and safety of many will be in jeopardy. For some, I predict that having electricity will be a matter of survival.
What do you think?
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Comment on Tildes Book Club - Meta discussion - Should we read nonfiction as well as fiction and with what frequency? in ~books
carsonc Link ParentNon-fiction always has an "eat your vegetables" feel to me. I always feel that I should do it more than I actually do, yet I never want to. If this group can encourage me to delve into it more,...Non-fiction always has an "eat your vegetables" feel to me. I always feel that I should do it more than I actually do, yet I never want to. If this group can encourage me to delve into it more, great. I think a one-to-three ratio is what I can enjoy.
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Comment on Help me ditch Chrome's password manager! in ~tech
carsonc LinkI wanted to put a plug in for Enpass. I've now compelled several people around me to start using it. I really like it and, if you are in the market, you should give it a look.I wanted to put a plug in for Enpass. I've now compelled several people around me to start using it. I really like it and, if you are in the market, you should give it a look.
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Comment on What is it like to have both ADHD and autism? in ~health.mental
carsonc Link ParentNo problem. I have complete confidence in your capacities and no doubt that you will obtain your accomplish your objectives. I am happy to help in any way I can.No problem. I have complete confidence in your capacities and no doubt that you will obtain your accomplish your objectives. I am happy to help in any way I can.
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Comment on What is it like to have both ADHD and autism? in ~health.mental
carsonc Link ParentI apologize that it came off as a criticism; I certainly didn't intend it as such. I was speaking narrowly to the decision to get a diagnosis, and not the condition itself. I avoided diagnosis for...I apologize that it came off as a criticism; I certainly didn't intend it as such. I was speaking narrowly to the decision to get a diagnosis, and not the condition itself. I avoided diagnosis for a long time for fear of being constrained by it, and only realized afterward that it could play a positive role in my life.
You are very correct: it is not very empathetic to assume that others aren't living well or working hard with what they have. I agree completely. We are doing the best with what we have.
If I may, what's one closely held supposition that Galileo's Error made you question or reassess and how would that reassessment change the way you view the world or your relationship to it?