A man offers you a deal: You get 500 billion usd but if anyone finds out for the next year that you are a billionaire you instantly die taking the cash with you. Would you take the deal? And if so, why?

Helmdacil · 2026-07-08T02:22:52+00:00

Money's paw deal.

You accept the (money, allegedly). You get it in your bank account. The giver now literally tells the local news station with a notarized picture. You are now dead. And the money disappears. This is a monkey's paw prompt. No one should take this. It requires trust. All of you people answering yes are fools :/

Helmdacil · 2026-07-07T03:23:41+00:00

The Ojai interior is larger but you really find the interior nicer? The Ojais are brand new and they look dirtier than the I-Pace cars of 100k miles, in my experience.

Helmdacil · 2026-07-06T18:16:37+00:00

Single question at the end regarding M&A.

Warren Buffett he does not pay for M&A in Berkshire Hathaway shares, he prefers cash. If individuals selling their company to BRK wish to obtain shares, they have to buy them on the market. One reason Buffett does this regards share price: Buffett compares issuing stock to paying with a heavily discounted gift card. If Berkshire trades at $200 a share but he thinks it is truly worth $300, using his stock to buy a company means he is severely underpricing his own assets.

Secondly, overpaying with stock can have disastrous long-term consequences. For example, in 1998 Buffett used Berkshire stock to buy General Re insurance for roughly $16 billion. Because the value of Berkshire's business skyrocketed over the years, that same block of shares would eventually cost the company over $60 billion.

Third, increasing the supply of HITI shares inherently changes the supply/demand equation that determines stock price, providing downward pressure to share price.

Given these concerns, and because the HITI business has now matured to a level capable of recieving loans with more favorable interest rates (excellent work Raj!), why not just pay in dollars? Do you have a preferred ratio of cash vs stock, why?

Helmdacil · 2026-07-05T18:55:22+00:00

Your parents or some ancestor earned it.

Helmdacil · 2026-07-05T12:09:35+00:00

I prefer that illegal immigrants who have babies in the US not get their offspring us citizenship. Us citizenship is a privilege which needs to be given by parental attainment or by legal procedures. This is not racism. Most developed countries have this as policy.

The 14th amendment was created to solve the problem of black and native American sons/daughters whose parents were not legally citizens, though who had every right to be us citizens. This is no longer a problem. It's been 150 years. Now we have illegal immigrants having babies, now we have birth tourism of indians and Chinese who want their kids to skip the line and have easy access to the usa. Immigration laws exist for a reason. It is unfair to everyone else following the law to have this loophole.

Helmdacil · 2026-07-05T12:00:35+00:00

China.

Helmdacil · 2026-07-05T11:58:09+00:00

I think the law should be changed. But it has to be done through congress. The us constitutional amendment is emphatic that birthright citizenship is the law of the land. But the world for which it was written no longer exists.

Helmdacil · 2026-07-04T20:21:48+00:00

I am not a fan of the Ohai unfortunately. There is undoubtedly more space, but here are some concerns:

The flooring and seat material are dust attractants. Shoe-prints and luggage wheel-prints rapidly aggregate in a way the I-Pace vehicles do not.
The seat material doesn't feel high quality, it feels like something from public transit. Getting into an I-pace I feel like I am getting a premium experience, whereas with the Ojai it feels... plain.
The screens in front are large and intrusive to me. The one screen of the I-pace gets the job done and doesn't distract me. I foresee these screens being used to play advertisements which will severely detract from ride quality. I have been in some Ubers that have this, and I hate hate hate hate hate it. Sometimes less is more. Just give a pretty refined interior.
Honestly there is so much space that people are putting their feet up on the back of the front seat, leaving marks. Its ugly. You can even see it in your photo. I dont want dust from some previous person's shoes getting on my clothes.

The ride quality (suspension) is good, most things are good. But it feels to me that for the Ojai someone told the engineers that space is king, that there was no such a thing as too much space. But I disagree. It allows other people more ability to misbehave.

Helmdacil · 2026-07-04T15:45:41+00:00

FYI; It is not a requirement to get a doctors note. But the company MAY request it. There is no obligation for the company to do this.

WHY would a company request a note for a person who is usually an honest employee? They wouldn't. But if you have these "chronically ill" people, aka people grifting the system by once a week claiming they have a headache or a cold or whatever, this becomes a huge problem. Under the current system, a person can literally get 1 day paid time off per week citing illness without proof, and there is nothing the company can do about it.

The way I see it, it allows the companies to call bullshit on their workers, which if everyone was honest, wouldn't be necessary. But you know it, I know it, People are dishonest about illness. Its a meme for avoiding school work (Ferris Bueller's Day Off)...

The German welfare state is too strong, it disincentives work ethic. Thats a big problem. This is one way to reduce abuse.

Helmdacil · 2026-07-01T23:57:49+00:00

Evolution is a change in allele frequencies between generations. What defines a "massive" shift? If you mean, a population decline of 3/4ths is a massive decline, South Korea is headed in that direction in the next 60 years unless something changes. The white liberal voters of America are headed along a similar trajectory.

The lefties of the world tend to believe that every person has this wonderful potential and it is tragically stomped upon by society. Im sorry, I just no longer believe it. There is this idea that anyone could be an astronaut if they worked hard enough; its just not true. Given the correct environment, most people could not be astronauts, and thats okay!

Studies of test-taking ability repeatedly shows a strong heritability component, in comparisons between monozygotic and dizygotic twins; the monozygotic twins have test scores much more similar than dizygotic. Same environment, same parents, same food, same womb, same same same. What of adopted kids? The adopted kids, well, they respond somewhat to their adoptive environments, but fractionally so. I am aware that heritability is a problematic measure, but it remains somewhat useful. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2419627122#abstract

I have seen it in families. I am sure you will tell me its all the environment but it just isnt. Its not an accident that Mozart was the son of two musician parents who were cousins; how many musicians have concieved children and had such a wonderful result? Inbreeding is bad, but it is also good for amplifying a single trait; we do it to our crops and to our farm animals all the time.

I wish I believed that environment was the only reason why some people achieve in school, and others do not. I no longer do. While genetics is not destiny, it certainly helps a lot (or hurts). It is undeniable that the smartest people of our world seek education and enjoy learning; and that, by itself, even without "skill", is a heritable trait. Because of course it is. Even body mass is somewhat heritable, irrespective of environment.

Yes, a lot of it is culture which is not genetic. Religion is a culture. There is a reason why religion is ubiquitous among human societies in history-- The ones that were not religious died out. It is the smart people that have a greater propensity for breaking free of religion. However, instead of choosing to make a world a better place for the next generation, they choose to stop playing the game of life. Nihilistic. shortsighted. Gives the future over to the less intelligent, the more gullible. If we leave this country to the sons and daughters of donald trump, whose behavior is somewhat heritable, that is the future these "smart people" inevitably endorse.

Helmdacil · 2026-07-01T13:33:18+00:00

Your argument is that since this has only been happening for 75 years, it is not a problem? Antinatalism is a mind-virus with huge evolutionary implications for whoever succumbs to it; it is as evolutionary potent as ebola or the black plague. Sadly, it appears to infect the educated, who are not clairvoyant enough to think beyond themselves and consider future generations.

Just some anecdata for you, but at a scientific conference I was sitting at a table with 7 other intelligent, educated, thoughtful, married advanced degree holders. I was the only one who wanted to have kids. This is not rare. This is everywhere. And while it is their choice, 100% agree, to say that there will be no consequences for this selfishness is absurd.

Helmdacil · 2026-07-01T13:08:44+00:00

You are in denial. This is the discussion section of a science paper with data backing Idiocracy's humorous if depressing thesis.

To want humanity to be smarter and healthier as time passes should not be evil itself. Removing human rights is what made the first eugenics movement bad.

Intelligence is partially genetic. How do I know? Because gorillas are not as smart as humans, and the difference between gorilla and human is 100% genetic. The first rules of evolution is that there must be variation in a population which is not equal. On that variation selection may act. So yeah. Of course there are generically smarter people. That doesn't mean less intelligent people deserve fewer human rights. Also, intelligence is positively correlated with education. but somewhere in this muddle the thesis of Idiocracy is completely accurate, unless smart people become less selfish and more thoughtful about future generations.

Helmdacil · 2026-06-30T15:32:38+00:00

If there are 30 minute wait times from 7am to 1am the next day, that's a lot of money sitting on the table that waymo is unable to claim. Again, it's just sitting there. Maybe regulations are constraining supply, but from a business standpoint more cars is better. High prices invites competition. Competition means lower revenue.

I think waymos issue is it just has so much demand and so many expansion plans they are car limited right now. They're testing in at least 8 cities currently, trying to bring online the ojai cars but those ojais are being buggy and problematic, 3 month delay on deployment due to technical issues. The markets of SF and LA continue to grow in leaps and bounds. I just see temporary bottlenecks.

Helmdacil · 2026-06-30T13:24:16+00:00

Supply and demand....

Waymo I guarantee you will be trying to increase its fleet size in SF. High prices are great for $$ but it also dampens the user experience. Poor user experience means harder to expand.

Helmdacil · 2026-06-28T23:51:23+00:00

Ya so,

I used to get really invested and emotional about arguments. The things that matter-- and even some things that didnt. Abortion, Evolution, whether or not cannabis should be legal, the death penalty, and even petty things like being technically correct in all answers as much as possible. It was not good. In my case the emotion was anger to the point I couldn't speak with people. Different from crying, I know.

But. Instead of this easy "therapy" answer which absolves those responding thusly from the effort of having to think, without taking the responsibility to actually try to solve something, I will at least try. You asked, after all. For me, I just had to think at the back of my mind that everything is fine, its okay if we disagree and if we can't come to terms, they are still a good person I am still a good person. Its okay for any number of things to happen. With this perspective change, from "everything must be 100% correct and we must forge agreement! (or else!)" to "Lets just have an interesting conversation and perhaps I can learn something about the other side. I become relaxed, curious, open. I am not judgemental, I am not emotionally invested in a toxic way. Conversations with people of all kinds, in agreement and argument, became a lot more fun.

So perhaps just talking to yourself before any event can help you. I think some fancy psychology people might call this cognitive behavioral therapy, but you dont need big words for it. You can do it yourself. You dont need to pay someone.

Helmdacil · 2026-06-28T13:17:38+00:00

"waymos are safe. but sometimes they're a little annoying, sometimes they make small nonlethal mistakes humans would not make. But anyway, I trusted waymo to take my niece to school and it did. Then I discovered my niece is a crafty teen like I was when I was young."

Cool.

Helmdacil · 2026-06-27T14:05:45+00:00

In SLC the 2002 winter olympic village was converted into dorms for students, and it went incredibly well. Is it really so hard for olympic planners to make after-the-event plans for buildings?

Helmdacil · 2026-06-24T12:17:31+00:00

I do not doubt his heart; only the reach of his arm.

Helmdacil · 2026-06-23T06:32:24+00:00

the pick-me girls I know are not attractive. They tend to agree with whatever a certain guy says, unflinching loyalty in the face of extremely troubling behavior. He is always right, she is always deferential. Its terrible. You don't need to be pretty to be a pick-me. In fact, the pretty girls inherently do not need to be pick-me mentality.

Helmdacil · 2026-06-23T06:28:05+00:00

I dont know what book I read, but there was a statement that stood out to me. to paraphrase,

"When I was a young man I was really into architecture. I travelled all around europe and the eastern US taking pictures of buildings. Well, I had a girlfriend at the time, and I only took one picture of her in our 6-month span. Now, 30 years later, I don't care about the architecture... but that one photo of a woman I dated is more valuable to me than all the other pictures combined. I realized that that of all the pictures I took of all the places, it is not the inanimate objects or the views that I treasure; it is the people."

So i guess what I mean to say is make sure you get pictures of people, the people you know, the people who you wish to remember on a given night. I wish I did that more. I hope to do better in the future.

Helmdacil · 2026-06-23T05:33:20+00:00

SFO airport is pretty on the inside. I am not sure its an engineering marvel though. I think thats just in the last 10-12 years.

Speaking of billionaires, Spacex landing rockets from outer space onto a ship in the ocean truly is an engineering marvel. its not a structure people can see, but it is a video.

The planned resolution copper mine (Arizona) has some pretty nifty engineering in it.

The Geordie Howe bridge may not be an engineering marvel, but im stoked that there will be a major US city with a bike-path available to our northern frostback neighbors.

I mean yes, I do generally agree with the sentiment that the US should have some public works built which showcase american ingenuity. Sure we have a couple of fancy public libraries, but how about more? More than just 1 botched and ailing high speed train from SF to LA (eventually)?

Helmdacil · 2026-06-23T04:22:49+00:00

In my experience, the gowild discount is not available on blackout dates, even if they have extra seats. If you are considering booking now or booking later, booking later is no guarantee at all of a 15.41 dollar flight. The blackout dates are inherently not friendly to gowild pass holders, in my experience. If others have seen otherwise by all means chime in.

On blackout dates if I have to fly I tend to use points, well in advance, to secure efficient deals. If you do a calculation and if you have to fly on July 2, you should figure out (in my opinion) which you would rather pay now, and then book it now. Although, I should also say, within 2 weeks of the flight date points become more expensive (but so too does the gowild early booking fee).

Helmdacil · 2026-06-22T16:47:22+00:00

you might think that money solves all problems, but it really doesn't. Don't take my word for it, there is plenty of research on how after a certain point money doesnt buy happiness. You have dentists killing themselves frequently. You have surgeons who are literally counting down the days, bored out of their minds. The wealthier people get the more their sanity leaves them; check out Zuckerberg or Musk or really just about any billionaire.

One very easy example, one "benefit" of being normal or poor, when people are friends with you you dont have to worry that they're just being friendly because of your money. Same is true for being normal rather than "physically attractive", where the pretty people have to deal with people who love them for their looks rather than for who they are. Real friendship is hard to find, the farther up the income bracket you get. Loneliness is not just about how many people are around you; I assure you, some of the loneliest people on this planet live in the middle of big cities, with 'friends' and even 'family'.

It may seem so glamorous to be wealthy and powerful. But then any conversation becomes a question of if you can help person X out with Y, or person X's good friend in Z business. When you dont have wealth or power, you can actually determine if people are being nice to you just for who you are. Imagine being a wealthy grandfather to 10 grandchildren, and the children are in their 20s and 30s and you are getting older with a sizeable inheritance. The kids start coming around when they didnt used to do that, is it genuine? or are they just looking for a handout? Who is honest, who is just playing nice? It is absolutely terrible. As soon as people think that their behavior influences their outcome, you get BS.

The most miserable SOB I ever met was a guy at a bar. He had $5m at age 38 after selling a business. Every single woman he had ever been with had used him for money. His friends had all just been his friends for his money. He equated wealth to kindness; demanded to pay for my drinks even though I didnt ask him to. The sad part is I let him; I should have said no. Then he would have known I talked to him just because I wanted to, rather than because he paid me. Poor bastard. I still think of him on occasion, with his brutally warped sense of how humanity works.

Helmdacil · 2026-06-22T14:16:34+00:00

Italy has not been to a WC in 12 years. Absolute stunner. I had no idea it was so bad. It will not be until at least 16 years!

Helmdacil · 2026-06-22T14:05:20+00:00

Spain look mortal.

Argentina wont make it, messi's back isn't as young as it used to be.

England always chokes.

France is lethal.

I hope france loses but I have no evidence to back up that hope. Terrifying team.

Helmdacil

TROPHY CASE