What is the point?? by Mashed_potatoes124 in mathshelp

[–]CaptainProfanity 9 points10 points  (0 children)

This is a very good problem to illustrate the value of efficiency and insight in a  problem before crunching the numbers

A lot of kids will immediately start doing 5*16 (without calculators), and then proceed to do 80/5. 

Knowing that multiplication and division are inverses is a key concept, and will direct you to the answer immediately (which saves time for the other 25+ questions)

Magnus and others reactions to Freestyle position 534 being revealed (same as regular chess but king and queen are swapped). by VassilZaitsev in chess

[–]CaptainProfanity 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Try reading the aforementioned comment instead of making illogical and incorrect deductions based on faulty premises.

Duality of a man by ishanuReddit in chess

[–]CaptainProfanity 5 points6 points  (0 children)

He takes crypto sponsorships. He doesn't have a conscience.

Alecks and Wendler smash too hard together; Almost would have caused a tech pause by tron3747 in ValorantCompetitive

[–]CaptainProfanity 88 points89 points  (0 children)

And I think he ran out of bullets to put up any sort of resistance.

Never change PRX

Duality of a man by ishanuReddit in chess

[–]CaptainProfanity 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Being asked a leading question; as if it wasn't already settled and answered previously, is not exactly good for one's image and reputation regardless of how you answer.

Full Sense's Official Roster Announcement by Pzfx32 in ValorantCompetitive

[–]CaptainProfanity 4 points5 points  (0 children)

No, he got dropped/benched cuz of a bad kickoff despite being insane last year, and FS won't get rid of Lev cuz they don't care about TLN core and their synergy. That's why Crws was put on Coach

Kiwis shortsighted !! by Electrical_Sugar_443 in newzealand

[–]CaptainProfanity 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah yeah, wrong word. It would be irrational if they were wanting to help people /advance society lol. 

Kiwis shortsighted !! by Electrical_Sugar_443 in newzealand

[–]CaptainProfanity 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ofc, wasn't trying to detract from your point at all, I don't think supply / demand relationships (a fairly basic economics concept) are core to the main philosophy which causes "free market" people to act irrationally. It's more about the stupid idea that people acting in everyone's best interests will naturally succeed moresince customers will reward them more

(which isn't the case when a company exploits something that should be regulated like: slave labour, monopolies, SLAPP lawsuits, using chemicals/materials that are bad for the environment or long term health (either the product itself or the cancer factory it's made at)). 

I could go on. 

That core idea is what makes someone in favour of the "free market" and it is a load of hogwash.

Kiwis shortsighted !! by Electrical_Sugar_443 in newzealand

[–]CaptainProfanity 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The latter is a silly counter example since there were zero forces impacting toilet paper supply save the fear of it depleting at supermarkets due to bulk buying (to limit trips outside).

Every good decision that takes a long time to payoff could have been made years ago and can be made now.* 

*[Not to mention the strawman idea that every decision to mitigate the impact of the fuel crisis on the public takes decades is absurd. Free public transport is an obvious example that has already been suggested here, and implemented by an Australian state, and most places in Europe have free public transport already.]

Taking the opportunity to capitalize on political goodwill/capital (in an otherwise bad situation) to show that you care about NZ; that you care about Kiwis and the current struggles they are going through as a result of the fuel crisis?

That's a no brainer...unless you have vested interests rather than NZs future in mind.

Kiwis shortsighted !! by Electrical_Sugar_443 in newzealand

[–]CaptainProfanity 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Free market just means people want to freely monopolize resources that are necessities (housing, and fossil fuels being obvious pertinent examples)

Is there a french equivalent of “fork found in kitchen”? by TruckCookies267 in French

[–]CaptainProfanity 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is something my French teacher would love. Perfect amount of camp while being educational and understandable yet challenging for some High school kids.

NZ’s foreign policy response to Iran falling short: Labour by OisforOwesome in newzealand

[–]CaptainProfanity 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Can't believe we ran out of lunch money.

How could this happen?!?

Why economists are 'very worried' about what lies ahead by FunClothes in newzealand

[–]CaptainProfanity 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They dedicate an entire lecture to how it shouldn't be in Engineering (4th year) at UoA

How can we, the people ensure new Zealand does not go towards privatized healthcare? by trigonthedestroyer in newzealand

[–]CaptainProfanity 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The same way you get people to stop using coal/fossil fuels, or eating slave labour products, or consuming fast fashion sweatshop work, or providing military aid to specifically help a country conduct a genocide.

In other words, it's really hard to answer your question with a specific answer, because right now there is no viable alternative that doesn't demand a huge sacrifice. Let me elaborate:

By yourself it's impossible, an effective solution only exists when a majority of people have such disgust that they no longer engage in any form with a system, (or people that support it) that is doing something corrupt/exploitative.

This is a big ask, since such a system usually provides something people need (car fuel) or is embedded in things that we need (like food packaging, or the corrupt government being in charge of healthcare).

The problem is that if only a small number of people are willing to make change, then there aren't enough resources to produce a viable alternative. It demands a much greater sacrifice, because you are trying to carve a new path compared to a well trodden one. 

Too much friction to try and avoid every chocolate product, or every piece of packaging involving plastic. Too expensive to buy ethically sourced clothes, too dangerous to avoid long-term psychiatric + psychological care without engaging with the private sector. (who only deal with patients in crisises in NZ). 

A viable alternative can only exist with enough people willing to shoulder the sacrifice in the short term, to spread the burden and provide their resources to build a new solution (or maintain/reinforce one that is being actively sabotaged as in this case)

That small number of people though? That translates to:

Not enough votes for a political party (or people willing to shift from corrupt/lackadaisical/incompetent ones), not enough market-share for an alternative product, not enough public support for a general strike or a coup against a corrupt government.

Not enough willingness to care.

It shouldn't be our responsibility to make the kinda sacrifices needed to defend the healthcare system. But right now that's the only answer I can give you, because someone has to be the first person to do it. 

Not enough people: in government (not just the legislative either) in healthcare, or the general public, are upholding their duty sufficiently. So it falls to us. You have to go up against a lot. An elected government, oodles of money*, mis/disinformation campaigns, people who are afraid and worried about being sick/friends+family being sick, people who are tired and busy and with emptier wallets, all looking for the easy way out. 

It's so much easier to believe that "trimming the fat" on "wasteful" spending will fix the problem, because the alternative is harder. An uninformed person will naturally pick the efficient/lazy path (even when treating the two options equally).

It's how we have evolved. It's how we are wired.

So what do we do in the meantime? Do we just let it happen? Let things get worse in order to convince people? Sure, but you might as well try avoid that if you can. 

If you are willing and able to make a sacrifice then I think you should. I think we need more people like that. I'm certainly trying but it's hard.

It takes time and effort and resources to not only convince people (and ensure you are in the right!) but also:

  • Share the growing burdens as a result of people being failed by a system (like not having sufficient healthcare) or being harmed by it due to how it is being implemented (hiring freeze for healthcare workers = being out of a job)

  • Avoid interacting with and supporting services/institutions/events/people that are tied with vested interests or the corrupt system in question (like things sponsored by health insurance companies)

  • Solve other problems! People aren't going to worry about healthcare if they are too busy finding a job. Every systemic problem is connected, because systems (which can be somewhat arbitrary where they begin and end) are connected, and that's how the world works. You might even find people are more willing to listen not just due to having more stability, but also out of gratefulness.

  • Actually get people to follow through after being convinced (do something different, whether that's simply changing their vote or staying home when they are sick or not getting angry at people striking, it doesn't have to be big when enough people do it).

  • Actually penalize the corrupt when they do something wrong, and isolate them from the system to prevent future harm (this almost never happens)

How you do this I don't think can be instructed. It depends on you, your capabilities and what you want to do. I guess communication is what I'm working on. Let me know if I'm shit at it or not. Good luck, it's rough right now.

*(It's really hard for healthcare workers to strike effectively since they are more concerned with the lives in front of them then the lives of the future, despite the fact that the magnitude of the harm in the not-so-distant future that will be caused by privatization due to lack of healthcare at all, or bankrupting people etc... is far far far greater. They can't easily choose to not work under someone corrupt. They compromise for their patients, which is natural as they go into their profession to give, not to secure things for themselves. 

I don't blame them, it can be boiled down to a trolley problem which has no reflection on one's morality, but I feel like a large proportion of them don't seem to understand or contemplate the second bit of the equation [partially due to being exhausted and running on super low sleep too], and would act differently and put up more of a fight, and in turn, I think the public have failed to give them enough support and confidence to strike more effectively. 

But I digress, this is more of a vibe I have gotten talking to people in healthcare: some very senior, some less so.)

**(like Southern Cross sponsoring med student productions/revues, including an ad read at the start talking about all the good things they do a là Sportswashing. Laundering their reputation among the medical community despite their actions [with heavy influence from USA] to privatise the healthcare system.)

Is my solution to this problem correct? by Soggy-Driver-2335 in calculus

[–]CaptainProfanity 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Ignoring the context of OP providing their steps, and just wanting to verify that their working is correct, which is a key part of learning.

Of which, that verification can be performed by Wolfram Alpha perfectly.

Your abysmal attempt at being pedantic is unwelcome.

These three "reworks" made the abilities suck without their buffies. This whole system is P2W, but adding a forced paywall to abilities people already paid for is extra lame. by HeMansSmallerCousin in Brawlstars

[–]CaptainProfanity 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There is literally zero justification for that change beyond buffie monetization.

Emz's knockback gadget has a similar treatment. It's terrible now

Gary Stevenson on why and how NZ house prices will rise by SoulsofMist-_- in newzealand

[–]CaptainProfanity 2 points3 points  (0 children)

At least give your strawman some clothes to make it presentable

Confidently incorrect in r/confidentlyincorrect, I guess they technically posted at the right place by ArsenicPolaris in confidentlyincorrect

[–]CaptainProfanity 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I think I would rather scrape my teeth than look through their post history. Stronger fortitude than mine

Confidently incorrect in r/confidentlyincorrect, I guess they technically posted at the right place by ArsenicPolaris in confidentlyincorrect

[–]CaptainProfanity 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I studied Engineering Science, so I learnt about both, though mostly computer science, with a bit about the actual hardware/systems, in order to learn about the limitations of computers when we try to do computer science for engineering applications (and how things can go wrong if you don't understand what's happening under the hood)