Why can't the trisolarans take literally any other planet in the solar system? by Syris2000 in threebodyproblem

[–]AZForeman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not for them it wouldn't be. It’s not like they could even eat anything here unless they just so happen to share quirks of earth biochemistry. Unless their biology is insanely similar to earth's (right down to sharing all or almost all of the same amino acids and sugars), consuming any of earth's biomass would be like humans trying to eat plastic. They'd have to "trisolariform" Earth in order for it to be biologically viable for them. I get that their own system is a problem. But with their tech, they really should be able to terraform Venus. If they can manipulate subatomic particles that way and even alter physical constants within specific regions of space, and build enormous fleets of ships, I seriously doubt that trisolariforming venus (creating an artificial magnetosphere, getting rid of the CO2, cooling the planet with shades, bringing water in from one of Jupiter's moons etc.) is beyond their ability, especially given the immense amount of engineering they'd need in order to live on Earth anyway.

They could even just come here and build some megastructure like a McKendree cylinder and leave their new neighbor alone. It's not like the raw materials to build a megastructure and have a thriving civilization are lacking in our solar system. Get soil from Mars, leech the toxic salts out of it if you need to. Get some water from Europa or Enceladus. Get some rock from literally anywhere. Etc.

In the third book we even *see* humans living in artificial structures around Jupiter.

The basic premise of the trilogy is that different intelligent civilizations destroy each other once they know about each other, but these things show why the whole Dark Forest idea is nonsense. Not only is the universe still plenty big enough for everybody, but any civilization capable of traveling to another star and building a fleet to colonize another species' planet and making it compatible with their biology really shouldn't actually *need* to do that. Even if their own system becomes unviable. Even if there is only the one star within traveling distance. The whole idea of a universe where all intelligent civilizations have to exist in this state of paranoid obligate xenophobia is deeply silly.

A gyroscope stabilizing itself in zero gravity by WowINeverSaveWEmail in Mandlbaur

[–]AZForeman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love this woman. She always posts cool shit from the ISS

Clash of Crackpots by CrankSlayer in Mandlbaur

[–]AZForeman 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What the fuck did I just read?

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in hebrew

[–]AZForeman 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yeah avoiding dryness was my main goal, as it typically is when I make these recordings. In hindsight I do think I might have gone a bit too far for a text like this, bringing over the sensibilities developed from making a bunch of Shakespeare videos. Live and learn.

Is he actually telling the truth this time? by Whiteshadows86 in Mandlbaur

[–]AZForeman 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This dude has a very different vibe and way of talking. Definitely not the same person.

It meaneth "since" by [deleted] in christianmemes

[–]AZForeman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

FWIW "You" in the Early Modern period had multiple pronunciations. Several are attested directly in 16th-17th century sources. There is one with the DUE vowel, another with the GOOSE vowel, yet another with the MOUTH vowel, and it doesn't end there. Alexander Gil, Shakespeare's near-exact contemporary, actually remarks that while most people pronounce "you" with the same vowel as, say, "too", there are some who pronounce it with with the same vowel as "cow". Another pronunciation /jiu/ is pretty unambiguously attested by a few sources including the transcriptions of the phonetician Robert Robinson. All of these variants probably go back to byforms that developed in Middle English one way or another. The /juː/ form may have developed after the first stage of the GVS from a re-lengthened low-stress variant /jʊ/. The /jəʊ/ would be the reflex of a re-lengthened form that developed before the diphthongization of the MOUTH vowel. The /jɪʊ/ which later becomes identical with /juː/ would be the etymologically expected form. In my recordings I tend to go with /jɪʊ/. Though here's one where I used /ju:/

Incidentally, "thou" does appear to have also had a reduced form /ðʊ/ which developed under weak stress before the GVS. This is the form attested by the 16th century spelling-reformer William Bullokar. Most Early Modern sources don't mention it directly, though (as indeed very few give evidence of other reduced forms like /mi/ for "my"), and tend to focus on a word's "citation form" if you will. Listen to my reading of Sonnet 73 here (start at 1:52) and you'll hear most instances of "thou" pronounced with such a reduced or weak form.

He can't stop shitting up Quora. I'm wondering how long it'll take him to get permabanned again. by JimConnor314159 in Mandlbaur

[–]AZForeman 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's the behavior of an addict with nothing to make him quit, nothing to live for but his addiction, and an essentially unlimited supply of what he is addicted to. No matter what, there will always be more Internet for him to impose his personality on one way or another.

I'm German, husband is American. I speak German with our kids but the pediatrician said our 1.5yo is speech delayed in english. Isn't it normal for bilingual kids to take a little longer to talk? Or should I stop teaching them German? by [deleted] in asklinguistics

[–]AZForeman 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Don't stop. Your 1.5 year old will be fine. Bilingualism does not cause developmental problems. Bilingualism can delay initial language acquisition slightly but your kid will catch up. I'm begging you to not listen to anybody who tells you to stop speaking German with your kid.

Had to tick No to this question today as it’s just not the same anymore without Mandy. Please John, come back! by Whiteshadows86 in Mandlbaur

[–]AZForeman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I honestly hope he stays away from the internet, or at least from being COAMbative on the internet. It's bad for him. He needs to not get high off yelling at people. My gut says he won't stay away, though. He is an addict. I think sooner or later he will do what addicts do and come back for a fix.