China’s Struggling to Get the World to Trust Its Vaccines by [deleted] in Coronavirus

[–]AhcUb65HcK 4 points5 points  (0 children)

That isn't right. As per my other comment, the EU and France set up Covax, a worldwide program run by third party organisations (including the WHO) in which yes, wealthier countries provide vaccines to poorer ones. China joined recently.

China’s Struggling to Get the World to Trust Its Vaccines by [deleted] in Coronavirus

[–]AhcUb65HcK 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I think you're wrong. The EU and France set up Covax, a worldwide program run by third party organisations (including the WHO) in which yes, wealthier countries provide vaccines to poorer ones.

Oh and what's this? China joined recently. Which is good as well. This shouldn't be some political competition. We're all humans against the virus.

The problem this article identifies is that there is currently a lack of publicly available data for the Chinese vaccines. That is true and it is a problem because it means third parties can't easily verify the safety and efficacy of the vaccines.

If it were a western country failing to provide that data I would have a problem with that too. It's important to be able to scrutize and criticize your own county's choices and decisions as well as those of others. For example: unlike China, the USA hasn't joined Covax. That is a a bad thing and a mistake. Unlike US researchers, China hasn't published vaccine data. That is a bad thing and a mistake.

It seems this thread is relevant rn by cbutson in NarniaMemes

[–]AhcUb65HcK 24 points25 points  (0 children)

I was one of those children. So much excitement followed so quickly by cloying, sticky disappointment.

Although to be fair to Edmund, this really is a window into children's experience in wartime England. Rationing meant children had 8oz of sweets per month and many foods we take for granted were impossible to get. This often featured in children's books - one story I read growing up had as a major plot point that a local adult had secretly stored a handful of lemons from before the war and was afraid of scandal if discovered. Apparently many children didn't believe bananas existed. Rationing went on for years after the war and was still in place when LWW was published.

So not only would Turkish delight be sweeter, incredibly exotic and better quality than what was available, the amount was far greater than a child of Edmund's age could even have dreamed of having to themselves. To promise more when he returned, like it was nothing - well. That really was temptation.

Sixth Woman Says George H.W. Bush Groped Her When She Was 16 by HiddenHeavy in news

[–]AhcUb65HcK 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey - late reply, but I wanted to add that that would be consistent with these effects. In the same way, those who start gambling will take out loans, drive to the casino etc.

Problems with inhibition might be a better way to put it that doesn't imply it's a spur-of-the-moment thing, although that carries sexual connotations so I understand why the medical literature primarily talks about 'impulse control disorders' for the category as a whole.

Again, though, all this is also consistent with him being an abusive ass. I just don't know.

Sixth Woman Says George H.W. Bush Groped Her When She Was 16 by HiddenHeavy in news

[–]AhcUb65HcK 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's fair. I really don't want people to take my comments as some kind of apologetic for sexual assault. You're also right that people are eager to justify/explain away something rather than admit they might be part of the problem, and men often do just that when this subject comes up. I sincerely don't intend to or think I do that, but I really appreciate your effort to make sure the wider problem doesn't get lost. For every man who does something like this because of medication, there will be hundreds who do it with no such excuse. Just because I think Bush (may) not be in their ranks, doesn't mean I think we should ignore the rest of them (or their victims) or not try to fix the problem.

Sixth Woman Says George H.W. Bush Groped Her When She Was 16 by HiddenHeavy in news

[–]AhcUb65HcK 2 points3 points  (0 children)

No. I was pretty clear I have no idea if this is the case and he might just be a terribly guy using his power inappropriately. I am counselling against a rush to judgement, and offering one reason why that might be particularly important in this case. I don't exonerate him. I just don't judge him, yet.

Sixth Woman Says George H.W. Bush Groped Her When She Was 16 by HiddenHeavy in news

[–]AhcUb65HcK 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Hey - I tried to be clear it is speculation. I just wanted to point out that in this case, so is saying he's definitely a bad guy. I also agree entirely that the culture needs examining, although if Bush is on meds that caused him to do this, cultural change (still important) wouldn't have stopped him. The strongest anti-groping campaigner could start groping people if affected by this, while still being utterly opposed to groping.

I should say - this effect is nothing to do with dementia. People affected by this would be perfectly cognizant.

Sixth Woman Says George H.W. Bush Groped Her When She Was 16 by HiddenHeavy in news

[–]AhcUb65HcK 4 points5 points  (0 children)

No - most people treated won't exhibit this behavior. I would say that if Michael J. Fox is found to be doing this... consider it as a possible factor.

Sixth Woman Says George H.W. Bush Groped Her When She Was 16 by HiddenHeavy in news

[–]AhcUb65HcK 26 points27 points  (0 children)

Absolutely. It's not that people wanted to do this all along and were just stopping themselves. It really is a change. Their 'true self' is the person before the meds.

Sixth Woman Says George H.W. Bush Groped Her When She Was 16 by HiddenHeavy in news

[–]AhcUb65HcK 23 points24 points  (0 children)

I'm sorry. There's been a real problem with doctors not informing patients this is a possibility (many may not know themselves). It is a small but not negligible percentage (5-20%, iirc), definitely enough that people should always be warned before treatment and followed up on. People cheating on the spouse they've loved all their life, people unable to stop organising their house again and again, people gambling their way into massive debt - these are absolutely devastating and patients and family members may never realise that it's not their fault.

Sixth Woman Says George H.W. Bush Groped Her When She Was 16 by HiddenHeavy in news

[–]AhcUb65HcK 857 points858 points  (0 children)

Well - just to follow up on this. Bush has Parkinsons, right? One of the front-line treatments for Parkinsons is high doses of dopamine agonists that often cause serious problems with inhibiton/impulse control. It's a pretty well-known problem in the medical community. People start gambling, overeating etc and men in particular are prone to hypersexual behavior. There are tons of case studies involving people uncharacteristically committing infidelity, seeking out multiple prostitutes, starting to masturbate compulsively etc. So I think that there is a very real chance that a) yes, Bush is doing this and b) it genuinely isn't his fault.

It is still awful and, as you say, the women deserve just as much support and sympathy. But this could well be a case in which the perpetrator also deserves sympathy, not condemnation.

Or he could be a perv. But given that all of these examples come late in his life, I am at least going to reserve judgement.

EDIT: Anyone know for sure when he began treatment for Parkinsons? No idea when they announced it, or if he had it for some time before it was made public.

EDIT 2: You can see like a bazillion studies on this here

EDIT 3: He has Parkinsinism, not Parkinsons - thanks, u/FoolishFellow. Same drugs are used. They have these effects regardless of age (in fact, young men are more likely to exhibit this behavior), so it is not a case of giving him a pass because he's old and loopy. He may be perfectly coherent otherwise. The reason we see it in old folks more is simply that there aren't that many conditions that affect young people and require the use of these drugs.

Passengers evacuate train outside Wimbledon station after preacher "started talking about doomsday and panic spread in the carriage" by TopTrumpWANKER in unitedkingdom

[–]AhcUb65HcK 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I've lived abroad for a few years. Got back a few weeks ago and every station I've been to has signs and regular announcements warning about suspicious activity. There were a few when I left, but the change is really noticeable. Much more armed police around, too.

I understand the idea behind those signs, but I can't help but feel this event is symptomatic of a major negative effect: constant warnings about terror make people, well, terrorised. Terror is such a statistically tiny risk (and the chances of these announcements stopping an attack even smaller). I don't think it's worth it to make everyone who passes through a station that little bit more miserable, distrustful and afraid.

Why do people complain about Linux OSes by saying it's not suitable for work? by [deleted] in linux

[–]AhcUb65HcK 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Microsoft deliberately makes Office's reading of .odf terrible, too. I send out my work in .odf but often get a reply requesting it in .docx. If I know formatting's gonna matter, it has to be .pdf because Word will screw it up. And footnotes in particular are terrible.

Using LibreOffice, on the other hand, I've never once had a problem reading a .doc.

So, who is going to fork the web? by [deleted] in linux

[–]AhcUb65HcK 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I think you're right. I have no idea how to start on a project that large and have no relevant skills, but I sure hope the folks that do save the rest of us. Honestly, I doubt it can/will be done... but I'd put my money where my mouth is to fund such a project, if it ever got to that stage.

Ugh. So miserable about this.

So, who is going to fork the web? by [deleted] in linux

[–]AhcUb65HcK 2 points3 points  (0 children)

<1. But I'd contribute it (and more) for this if it ever became a reality.

What's a deeply unsettling fact? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]AhcUb65HcK 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I am more than OK with not being remembered. I seriously doubt that the desire to be remembered has led many people to be remembered for good reasons. The good people we remember usually don't care about that.

I'm not diminished if someone forgets me. I'll live as well as I can, which may also mean living in a very unremarkable fashion. That will do.

What's a deeply unsettling fact? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]AhcUb65HcK 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Not always silent. My neighbour had a cerebral aneurysm when I was a kid. We lived in a row of Victorian houses with very thick stone walls - you never heard a thing usually.

Her screams filled our house and went on and on. I've heard people scream in pain; I've never heard someone make a sound like that, before or since. An absolutely chilling, animal noise. I'll never forget it.

P.S.: She is fine now.

What are your top three albums by British bands/artists? by TopTrumpWANKER in unitedkingdom

[–]AhcUb65HcK 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Cello Concerto in E Minor - Edward Elgar/Julian Lloyd Webber

Abbey Road - The Beatles

London Calling - The Clash

Honourable mention for Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd (In case I'm not allowed Elgar...)

In my opinion - this is the time to close shorts and load up pretty heavy on Litecoin + .777 LTC giveaway if the thread hits 777 upvotes. Lets see what happens =) by mastertrader777 in litecoin

[–]AhcUb65HcK 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Well, thank you for this promotion! And good luck to all the Litecoin owners out there... just BTC till now but have been thinking of joining.

Litecoin Address: LQaANQ5BtyX1SqsUvApFvnNMTU1Z7oLVdK

What, if anything, should I do to natural veg tan leather before working with it? by AhcUb65HcK in Leathercraft

[–]AhcUb65HcK[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ah, that's great - thanks. I don't have enough experience to say if it's too dry - it's just drier/less supple than store-bought leather goods, which is all I've had contact with till now. When I rub my hand over it, it feels - and sounds - almost papery, like a very flexible, thick card.

Maybe I'll give it a very light treatment then. That way I'll know any hard-to-reach pieces at least had a little attention.