Can’t find a source for it in the quick, but I remember there being a huge set of claims that were expected to be denied by United Healthcare (corporation who’s leader was killed) based on the historical precedence they’d set, but were approved. I want to say that was still going for at least 6 months following the killing, but sounds like they’re ratcheting back to previous practices.

Ew.

So that is to say, as far as you know, the method I describe above more or less still applies for pigs, sheep, etc?

Eh, I feel like the female cow is still getting a raw deal. Less raw than the classic “breed this bull with this cow” arrangement, but still somewhat not good.

Trying to be “facts forward” so make of this what you will. Source: I was in FFA in highschool in a beef intense-ish area.

The method of collecting semen I’m most familiar with is when they take a female cow in heat and tie her up, then bring a male bull they want to collect semen from into the same pen. The male will smell the female is in heat, gets erect, and will attempt to mount her.

As the male is trying to mount the female, people in the pen with the cattle will have a large rubbery “sleeve” on a pole (imagine a cow sized condom on a stick) that they will maneuver around the bull’s penis as it mounts the cow. He does his thing in the condom thinking he’s inside the female (usually less than 30 seconds) dismounts and then the ranchers have their semen for artificial insemination.

I’ve been out of that area for over a decade now so a new method may have emerged since then, but in my Animal Sciences class, that’s how we were taught semen is harvested for most livestock.

Edit: I distinctly recall the “artificial vagina” being on a stick (and laughing about it in class), but best video I can find on the quick: https://youtu.be/-4ma3WeOxbo

I don’t know what you mean lol

Hard agree on this one (´･ω･`)

Yeah, what’s with boomers and the need to add an emoji at the end if each message?

I actually prefer to microdit.

Largely agree with what you’re saying. I do strongly wish US mass transit didn’t make me feel like I needed a shower the moment I stepped off it (which has been my experience with state run rail systems).

But I’d don’t see the policy changes you lay out as inherently opposed to a liberal state. Yeah, its less capitalist than the current (US) system, but it seems those are talking points and policies often pushed by the American left/Democratic Party (and if I understand correctly that’s typically what’s referred to as the Liberals by communities like this).

Am.i kissing something in that?

Thanks for the reading suggestion. I’ve a feeling I’m not going to agree with the conclusion of the book, but I’ll take a look at it and see what I see.

If you turn up the source on the military ventures = worsening climate change variables, I’d love to read about that.

Also #BigAgree with aviation being a major contributor to climate change. Like, of all the things, that is the one I hear about ad consistently contributing a surprising amount. I would like to see domestic air travel largely replaced by rail (from US, for context).

Should have read more of the thread I spawned before responding to your other comments.

So to me, it seems like the real solution is to begin interplanetary colonization.

That doesn’t fix the problems on Earth, and I don’t want to pretend it does. I also want to be clear that the way that Musk and Bezos seem to envision interplanetary expansion is…not desirable.

But to me, beginning the Terraforming of Mars is a crucial step in human progress. There’s no ecology or biosphere for humans to ruin, but if we can establish a foothold for humans to live there, it let’s off the steam valve of humanity on Earth’s biosphere and let’s us begin the real work of fixing our biosphere without resorting to mass human death.

That probably sounds like a tech-bro pipe dream, and maybe it is, but it also feels like the kind of thing humans will eventually need to do if we want to survive as a species (my main drive for it is so humans can survive the next asteroid, which is a whole issue unto itself).

Okay, just so I’m clear then, you think Eco-fascism is bad, but that there are other flavors of “eco-authoritarianism” that could work in there place?

That probably sounds passive aggressive, but I’m legit trying to learn about Leftist takes on the matter.

I’m a product of the American Public School System, and was taught Leftist can be thought of as just another flavor of authoritarianism. But it seems like there’s more to it than that and trying to “peel back the layers” on that.

Do you think there’s an equitable way to impose de-growth policies (which it feels like is the camp you’re in)?

See and that feels like baby steps towards some flavor of eco authoritarianism (which I suppose I may be conflating with eco-fascism; to me, those both seem bad and in comparable measures).

You seem to be proposing that there is a system (ecologic + economic) that allows for humans to live sustainably at our current-ish population while being mostly free to live their lives with their communities as they see fit and at (at least) a modest level of prosperity.

If there is such a system that doesn’t lean into authoritarianism, I’m unfamiliar with it.

I think it will be difficult to ensure all three of those points (current population + non-authoritarian government + modest living conditions). While I agree Capitalism and Liberalism aren’t doing good on maintaining those three point (gods, are they doing so bad on those three points), I’m unclear what the Leftist suggestions are to fix them.

If you/others here have points that could fill in my gaps of understanding, be interested to hear them. (I worry I’m going to be taken as a Liberal infiltrator, but I feel I know little of the more concrete aspects of Leftist politics and am trying to learn).

Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask. Double checked the rules and it doesn’t look like I’m violating any, but please point me in the right direction if there’s a better place for my questions. I genuinely am unclear and want to learn.

In this context, what are eco-facsists? And then how does that and Malthusian Population Theory inherently relate to Capitalism?

When I imagine Malthusian Population issues, I normally think of it as a left-wing / anticapitalist talking point. Assuming I’m missing the mark on that, what’s the Socialist proposed solution and/or explanation of why that’s not an issue? (Racked my brain for a better wording for that last sentence, but couldn’t think of one on the fly. Please pardon my ignorance if there’s a different phrasing I should have used).

Edit: wanna say thanks for letting a foreigner in a foreigner land come and pick at some of the thinking of the community. I appreciate the civil discussion and sources being pitched towards me.

Link to actual translation?

Because I recently rediscovered this, sharing here:

All right," said Susan. “I’m not stupid. You’re saying humans need… fantasies to make life bearable.”

REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.

“Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—”

YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES.

“So we can believe the big ones?”

YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.

“They’re not the same at all!”

YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME…SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED.

“Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what’s the point—”

MY POINT EXACTLY.

–Terry Pratchett, Hogfather

This reads like an LLM trying to impersonate a human who is trying to impersonate an early generation LLM.

And I am here for it.

I’m out of practice with my physics so apologies if this is a n00b question, but:

I’m unclear what (rho V) is and how you converted to that from mass (m). Further unclear what (rho A d) refers to.

Can you explain / link to an explainer on this?

Is there actually a way to do mapping (like google maps) with Vim? Or am I reading too much into the meme?