HNHacker News
TopNewBestAskShowJobs

Zarath

845 karma · joined October 18, 2016

submissionscomments
Zarath··on Google is investigating the actions of another top AI ethicist
What if Google is doing something unethical?
Zarath··on Apple’s longtime supplier accused of using forced labor in China
I think even more than that they simply do not have a choice. Yes, it sucks that Apple's suppliers are unethical, but what am I supposed to do if I want to Snapchat my girlfriend or talk to my friends, or have a phone that is compatible with itunes/apple music? If my choice is between Apple and Google, how do I know that Google's ethics are any better? Am I supposed to spend hours and hours of my life investigating whether one is marginally more ethical than the other?

We simply have to stop making consumers responsible and accountable for every unethical thing a company does. Why is the status quo that every company is evil and that's ok? You'll see AMEX commercials imploring you to "shop local" during the pandemic but where is their relief for small business? Why is it my responsibility to save them but business as usual for those that want to exploit me?

Zarath··on What Did the Past Smell Like?
Funnily enough I find the most offensive smells to be way too much perfume, or scented laundry detergent.
Zarath··on MicroStrategy's Bitcoin Debt Bet
The US stock market is nearly always at or near an all time high
Zarath··on The public has a right to know how companies that pay no taxes pull it off
If you are upper middle class it is possible to pay zero taxes. Between tax loss harvesting, 401ks, opportunity zones, and LLC formation, a citizen can legally pay no taxes some years. It's a bit of a learning curve but none of the mechanics are particularly difficult.
Zarath··on Twitter and Facebook's action over Joe Biden article reignites bias claims
Tell that to megacorporations? Why are prescription drugs allowed to be advertised on TV? Free speech.
Zarath··on Researchers have invented a new way to thwart facial recognition
Maybe just placebo here, but I can notice a difference between the left and right images. The right definitely seems blurrier or harder to focus on.
Zarath··on The global fertility rate is falling
You're getting downvoted but I think there is some truth to this statement.
Zarath··on America is giving up on the pandemic?
Policing doesn't even make it near the top of a list of dangerous professions
Zarath··on Jack Dorsey is giving Andrew Yang $5M to build the case for a basic income
"One of the big reasons for UBI is the belief that an individual can better assess their own needs and wants, and procure them more cheaply than the government"

Perhaps, but many of the major problems we have today are tragedy of the commons situations, and that's precisely when we need government to step in, not just leave it up to individuals.

Zarath··on Bitcoin Halving Just Occured
Does anyone actually use stocks? I mean, it's not like I can show up at AAPL and demand their espresso maker because I own enough shares of their stock. The "partial ownership of the business" is a complete myth. In reality, unless a corporation pays a dividend, or goes bankrupt and is liquidated and shareholders are paid, stocks are just liquid vehicles of speculation.
Zarath··on Bitcoin Halving Just Occured
A vast majority of transactions don't need to wait for a full confirmation, simply existing in the mempool is enough. Just like my electric bill doesn't need to wait for the ACH transfer to complete before it's considered paid.
Zarath··on U.S. Economy Shrinks at 4.8% Pace, Signaling Start of Recession
Yep, I've seen places close in even the richest (read: highest rent) areas of town
Zarath··on At least 11 cities use automated surveillance in the EU
Actually, I do.
Zarath··on The San Francisco Bay Area shelter-in-place order is being extended through May
Get off reddit, you won't regret it or miss it at all tbh.
Zarath··on The Obsolescence of Advertising in the Information Age (2018)
Right, but it redistributes demand around. Ever been to a busy boardwalk with people hired to call out and give samples out to get people to come in? It's an arms race like that, it redistributes the demand of eating on the boardwalk, and those that don't pay for the advertising don't survive, so everyone does it, but ultimately the boardwalk would be more or less the same without it
Zarath··on Not everyone has an internal monologue
They are different IMO. There are thoughts, which are just abstract forms, and there is the response to thoughts, which are emotions and monologues.
Zarath··on Toyota will transform 175-acre Japan site into a ‘prototype city of the future’
A corporate sponsored city is a city of the future? I actually think it is, sadly.
Zarath··on Disinformation for hire: how a new breed of PR firms is selling lies online
Blockchain would also mostly solve the corrupt ICANN issues being discussed on another thread, but people here don't really want to hear it for some reason.
Zarath··on Disinformation for hire: how a new breed of PR firms is selling lies online
Honestly I'm surprised more people aren't burnt out on this. I can only be angry and get triggered by the same bullshit for so long before it just doesn't work.
Zarath··on Hospitals mergers do not improve quality: study
Yep, I laughed the other day when I saw an article in WSJ that was talking about a billion dollar business responsible for putting drug ads in doctors offices. That billion dollars is coming from somewhere and I think I have a good idea of where.
Zarath··on To everything there is a season – Why we're shutting down
What? No. If Y2K was the beginning of a new millennium then Jan 1 2020 is the beginning of a new decade.
Zarath··on Counterfeits on Amazon cost Warren bird feeder business $1.5M
Just over Christmas I heard a story from my Aunt who had their basement flooded because of a fake replacement water filter she bought on Amazon. The entire filter unit exploded and water just poured out of the pipe.
Zarath··on Homelessness rises in U.S., driven by California housing crisis
The same people that are paying 1bn to build unprofitable housing? (I have to assume the housing is unprofitable or else it wouldn't be so difficult to build it)
Zarath··on Apple's products are getting harder to use, ignore principles of design (2015)
Or just highlight the word and a spelling correction will be suggested, or just use the backspace when you make the mistake instead of continuing to type.
Zarath··on Apple's products are getting harder to use, ignore principles of design (2015)
Right, and you don't. Going to settings and toggling it is fairly obvious.
Zarath··on Apple's products are getting harder to use, ignore principles of design (2015)
Hmm interesting. I always knew I had to press and hold with different pressure on songs in my library to pull up different menus but I didn't realize that this is what that was. Thanks
Zarath··on Apple's products are getting harder to use, ignore principles of design (2015)
That's like saying you took the pedals out of a car and people couldn't drive, it's to be expected unless they are driving a Flintstone's car.
Zarath··on Recycling Rethink: What to Do with Trash Now China Won’t Take It
Another anecdote, but I was in Shanghai last month and they recently started an initiative to sort trash/recyclables much more strictly. The people I was staying with were telling me that they could be fined if they don't properly sort their trash.

Not sure if it's related.

Zarath··on Homelessness rises in U.S., driven by California housing crisis
I wonder how many people you could pay to just sweep streets and clean up garbage for 1 billion.
Page 1 of 13Next →