I felt like a literal god playing a wizard in 3.5. The summon table was silly.

Small distinction that’s worth making here: that line isn’t Orson Scott Card stating his own worldview. It’s a line spoken by Bonzo Madrid, a character in Ender’s Game, at a moment where the story is showing the kind of brutal, zero-sum thinking that develops inside a militarized environment.

In fact, the novel spends most of its time pushing against that mindset. Ender’s strength comes from understanding his enemies, not simply destroying them, and the psychological cost of that violence is a central theme of the book.

So quoting the line can be useful because it captures a grim logic that does show up in geopolitics, but it’s important to remember the book presents it as a character’s belief, not necessarily the author’s endorsement of it.

I always call the trope “Steve” when I see it.

“Hey look, Steve left the door open so the dinosaurs got out.”

“Oh no, Steve forgot to zip his hazmat suit now all the apes are smart.”

“Steve took his helmet off on an alien planet because the air smelled fine.”

Technology Connections has a great video covering Rice Cookers.

The concern about a persistent pattern is understandable, and it is true that Western media often display asymmetries in how they frame casualty reports from different states. However, the consistency of the pattern does not automatically imply intentional bias. It usually stems from the same structural constraints repeating themselves across many events.

Verification works unevenly across countries. Israel, for example, allows extensive access to foreign journalists, has numerous independent local outlets, and provides casualty figures that can often be corroborated through hospitals, international observers, or on-the-ground reporting. Because multiple independent channels confirm the information, newsrooms feel justified presenting it as established fact.

Iran, by contrast, restricts foreign reporters, tightly controls internal media, and limits access to strike sites. Independent verification is much more difficult. That constraint shows up every time there is a major event inside the country. Reporters default to “Iran says” not because of a conscious editorial decision to cast doubt, but because they cannot authenticate the numbers through independent means. When this dynamic recurs across decades, the headlines reflect that repetition.

This does not mean the outcome is neutral. The effect can resemble a double standard, and journalists should be aware of how repeated verification asymmetries shape public perception. But the underlying cause tends to be logistical rather than ideological. The pattern persists because the same structural limitations persist, not because editors are intentionally trying to signal doubt toward one side and certainty toward the other.

The criticism raises a legitimate issue, but the cause is usually structural rather than intentional. News outlets often use phrases like “X says” when they cannot independently verify the information. That situation is more common with casualty reports from states where they have limited access. When the outlet has confirmation from sources it considers reliable, it will report the deaths directly. This creates a pattern that looks biased even though it often comes from verification constraints instead of design.

Iran’s reports are frequently treated with caution because the state tightly controls information, foreign journalists have restricted access, and strike sites cannot be independently examined. Casualty figures released by Iranian authorities have also been revised or withheld in past events. These conditions lower outside confidence in the accuracy of initial statements.

The first headline uses “Iran says” because the newspaper likely could not verify the reported casualties inside Iran, especially during a breaking event. The second headline states the deaths as fact because the information from Israel was independently confirmed. The result may look like a double standard, but it generally reflects what reporters can confirm at the time rather than an intentional bias.

War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.

“Politician Ignites Explosive Firestorm With Routine Decision as Critics Slam Controversial Move, Outrage Erupts Nationwide, Panic Surges Over Alleged Hidden Agenda and Demands for Answers Detonate Across a Shocked Public”

Translation:

“A politician carried out a routine administrative action. A small number of opponents criticized the choice publicly. Some people posted complaints online. Nothing about the situation indicates any misconduct.”

By that logic, nothing exists beyond what I can see.

My friend and I ordered dried Gros Michel from the same vendor Hank ordered after watching his video. They do indeed smell like banana candy. It tasted great!

Answer the phone like you are a business receptionist.

“Hello, this is Fronz Frunickal with Yogurt O’ Try-it Froyo, how can I serve you?”

It’s funny listening to them silently process what they just heard before hanging up.

My wife and I bought a dehydrator and tried all kinds of different fruits. Pears are our favorite.

I like to slice an apple, drizzle a little honey over the slices, and dip in peanut butter.

It’s a perfect “I want something sweet” treat.

Let’s not forget that they are subject to taxes yet lack any representation.

I’m pretty sure I remember a country that was pretty pissed off about that in the past…

Polls are not the mechanism parties use to “pick” candidates. That’s just not how the process works. Pollsters aren’t arms of the DNC or the RNC. They’re independent firms measuring name recognition and voter preference at a given moment, and the only way to do that is by giving respondents a fixed list of relevant, high visibility figures. It’s a methodological constraint, not a political command.

The real issue is subtler. Media ecosystems amplify a handful of names, donors flock to whoever looks viable, and voters often gravitate toward whoever they’ve heard of. That creates a feedback loop where the visible become even more visible. But polls are downstream from that loop, not upstream. They reflect the landscape; they don’t choose it.

If you want to critique the system, aim at the actual gatekeepers. Ballot access rules, debate thresholds, fundraising networks, and media exposure do far more to narrow the field than a Rasmussen questionnaire ever will. Blaming the poll is mistaking the thermometer for the weather.

Cats can associate negative experiences with events, but they do not learn rules or specific behaviors from punishment the way people hope they will. Their learning window is only a couple of seconds, so anything aversive that happens after that just feels random to them. What they actually learn is that the person or place involved is unsafe, not that the behavior was wrong.

That is why punishment often leads to fear, hiding, aggression, or avoidance instead of fixing the problem. It damages trust faster than it changes behavior.

Positive reinforcement, environmental management, and redirection work far better because they match how cats naturally learn. Reward the behavior you want, set up the environment so the unwanted behavior is less appealing, and guide them toward better choices.

In practical terms, aversive training with cats is almost always counterproductive. Positive methods are both more effective and more humane.

I was in the same situation a few months ago. I wanted to try Linux but had no real experience with it. To experiment safely, I built a computer from old parts and installed Linux Mint. I then swapped it with my Windows machine and committed to using Mint exclusively for a month. That hands-on approach helped far more than reading guides. I now use Mint on my primary system.

Here is what I learned along the way. Mint has excellent documentation because it is one of the most popular Linux distributions. When I ran into problems, I could generally find reliable answers through the official forums, community wikis, or by asking ChatGPT for step-by-step instructions. So far, there has not been a single issue I could not eventually fix with some experimentation.

If you are coming from Windows and want to game, there are several points worth knowing upfront:

1. Steam on Linux is straightforward

Steam has a native Linux client. Most Windows games work through Proton, which Steam handles automatically. For many titles, you simply install the game and press play. Performance can be very close to Windows.

2. Expect some trial and error

Although many games work out of the box, some require you to switch Proton versions or install small compatibility tools. It is usually not difficult, but it is different enough from Windows that patience helps.

3. Modding takes more effort

My most recent challenge involved getting game mods working. Tools like Proton, Wine, and mod installers sometimes interact in unexpected ways. It took me a few hours of reading and experimenting, but I eventually got everything running. Once you understand where games store their files and how Proton prefixes work, modding becomes much more manageable.

4. Linux teaches you how your system works

If you are willing to tinker, Linux rewards you. You learn how your files are organized, how applications install dependencies, and how to fix problems yourself. That knowledge makes troubleshooting less intimidating over time.

5. You can always dual-boot

If you are nervous about switching completely, you can dual-boot Windows and Mint. That way you can learn Linux without losing access to anything critical.

If you are starting from zero, the biggest advantage is the size and friendliness of the Linux Mint community. You do not have to figure everything out alone. With a bit of persistence, you can build a fully functional gaming setup that performs well and is easier to maintain than you might expect.

The Godmonster of Indian Flats.

You could pause the movie after any scene, try and guess what will happen next, and always be wrong.

Technology Connections just dropped the most thorough argument for renewables.

https://youtu.be/KtQ9nt2ZeGM

Watch till the end.

This argument persists because it is easier to believe that everything is rigged than to engage with the complexity of political institutions. It provides an emotionally satisfying shortcut, but it collapses under even a minimal amount of empirical scrutiny.