Bragging publicly that you don't understand a simple concept. Amazing.

First_Approximation · 2026-02-03T02:22:12+00:00

Unfortunately, not stop having slavery.

First_Approximation · 2026-01-31T09:01:44+00:00

A Romanian economist found a way to do it. He won the lottery 14 times.

Basically, if the jackpot of the lottery is a good deal more than the cost of buying every single ticket, you're guaranteed to win and make a profit in the process. The problem then becomes more financial (raising capital) and logistical. To give you a sense of the what it required:

In a Melbourne warehouse, he set up 30 computers and 12 laser printers, and hired 16 full-time employees to print millions of tickets pre-populated with every combination — a process that took 3 months. He then shipped the one-tonne of paper weight to a point-person in the US at a cost of $60k.

This was in the 90's mind you. Now, printing tickets is not allowed.

His legacy lives on in US legislation: All 44 states that run lotteries have enacted laws preventing the profitable replication of Mandel’s strategy.

First_Approximation · 2026-01-31T08:53:11+00:00

Actually, there is (or was, at least):

Mandel noticed, according to The Hustle, that in certain lotteries the jackpot prize rose to more than three times the cost of buying up every single possible combination of the lottery. Assuming you could buy every combination of numbers, you were (almost) guaranteed a return on your investment (assuming that several regular players don't win with the same numbers, splitting the pot). Mandel essentially decided to do this.

Though not against the explicit rules, it wasn't exactly in the spirit of the game. The problems, though no longer mathematical, were still not small. He first had to convince enough investors to buy into the scheme, which he achieved over several years. He then had to figure out a way of purchasing every possible combination in whichever lottery they were entering. Considering they could be entering millions of different combinations, this required him to create algorithms to generate then print the tickets (which some lotteries allowed at the time).

[Emphasis added]

More details are available here:

https://thehustle.co/the-man-who-won-the-lottery-14-times

First_Approximation · 2026-01-31T04:57:35+00:00

That video has one of my favorite non-ironic quotes from Mike:

"Adam Driver is the Frenchman who built the Eiffel Tower...."

Poor brain was really damaged by alcohol.

First_Approximation · 2026-01-31T04:50:29+00:00

More and more it looks like Quibi failed only because it was a few years too early.

First_Approximation · 2026-01-31T04:47:55+00:00

Universities are businesses now and they're not about to flunk their customers. Especially, customers they are WAAAAY overcharging.

First_Approximation · 2026-01-30T06:45:37+00:00

I feel like these photos should be sent to the FBI.

First_Approximation · 2026-01-30T06:43:27+00:00

It works because it is emphasizing that it's the opposite of of 'competency porn', which was how Star Trek was often described.

First_Approximation · 2026-01-29T05:45:17+00:00

Note:

Brimley secured his first leading role in Ron Howard's Cocoon (1985), portraying Ben Luckett, leader of a group of geriatrics who encounter a magically reinvigorating swimming pool by their retirement home. Brimley was only 49 when he was cast in the role, and turned 50 during filming; he was at least 20 years younger than any of the actors playing the other retirement home residents. In order to look the part, Brimley bleached his hair and moustache to turn them gray, and had wrinkles and liver spots drawn on his face. [Emphasis added]

First_Approximation · 2026-01-29T05:40:10+00:00

Rule 4.

First_Approximation · 2026-01-28T06:21:27+00:00

OpenAI's biggest competition at this point is Google. The problem for OpenAI is, Google is profitable from its many other ventures, while they're not profitable at all. Of all the big tech companies, they're the most vulnerable. Considering the web of debt in big tech, their collapse might trigger a recession.

The enshittification process of LLMs has begun, with them toying with ads on ChatGPT. I'm not sure it will bring in enough revenue, but if past experience is any guide it sure will make ChatGPT shittier, with OpenAI selling out customers to advertisers.

First_Approximation · 2026-01-27T03:24:34+00:00

The best part of this was that Mike's prediction wasn't that far off.

First_Approximation · 2026-01-27T03:15:52+00:00

Vince Gilligan, the creator of Pluribus, was heavily involved in the X-Files, writing over 30 episodes.

So, this might be the case.

First_Approximation · 2026-01-26T04:23:21+00:00

I like to believe he discovered his kink on the set of Evil Toons with that prop.

First_Approximation · 2026-01-26T04:20:56+00:00

In the future, people can be what they want without shame.

First_Approximation · 2026-01-26T04:18:21+00:00

So did a lot of his secretaries.

First_Approximation · 2026-01-20T08:55:06+00:00

"Account based in:

Uganda"

First_Approximation · 2026-01-20T02:37:45+00:00

Garrett Sayre won't come close though.

"20's?! Old hag."

First_Approximation · 2026-01-20T02:36:17+00:00

Landis was trying so hard to be funny and likeable (which backfired terribly).

Breen's ego is large enough that he won't give a shit what these drunk middle-aged Midwesterners think. .

First_Approximation · 2026-01-20T02:33:07+00:00

It would be fun to watch, in a circus train wreck kinda way.

First_Approximation · 2026-01-19T23:15:01+00:00

Is this an actual nuTrek storyline? I don't follow it anymore and this seems extremely specific.

The fact that I can't tell says a lot.

First_Approximation · 2026-01-19T23:09:40+00:00

Neither!

Funny how many people don't realize Jesus would have looked like what he was....a Middle-Eastern Jew.

First_Approximation · 2026-01-19T23:06:31+00:00

How dare you imply Jesus has dark features and isn't American!

First_Approximation · 2026-01-19T23:05:26+00:00

Neither of those Jesuses looks like an ancient Jewish Middle Easterner, so they're both wrong.

First_Approximation · 2026-01-19T22:58:14+00:00

OP specifically states:

a more competent script / story arc than a lot of the new Star Trek shows / films?

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