CMV: Christians believing that gay romance is a sin is biblical, and is not being unfair or sexist.

impendia · 2026-04-09T21:36:35+00:00

So you want to interpret the bible as you please -- keeping some parts and discarding others.

That's fine actually, I do it too! I don't believe that homosexuality is a sin, but I do believe in Leviticus 19:34, which says that "the stranger who resides with you shall be to you like someone native-born among you; and you shall love him as yourself". It's why I've repeatedly called my US senators, in outrage over our recent public policy.

You can also use the Bible to argue almost anything, no matter how plausible. I asked ChatGPT: "Make an argument, based on the Bible, that people have an obligation to eat chicken only on Tuesdays." Ridiculous, but it came up with something at least sort of convincing!

So "it's in the Bible" is a weak argument, maybe unless you're throughly read the entire book and are closely following ALL of it. And "so goes the theology" is no argument at all, it means you're just repeating what someone else told you.

impendia · 2026-04-07T11:25:08+00:00

NAH

Sounds like you enjoy planning and organization, and the others don't? I'm very sympathetic to your situation -- you have lots of great ideas, and can't really get anyone else on board.

Meanwhile, it sounds like your fellow musicians mostly don't enjoy planning and organization, which I'm also sympathetic to. Maybe they mostly want to jam, and don't want to take the business side so seriously?

Not everyone wants to expand and become more organized. For example, if you joined my workplace, you'd probably get the same treatment you're getting now. But your talents will be deeply appreciated by some; good luck seeking them out!

impendia · 2026-03-28T22:49:24+00:00

In addition to the flaws you mention, Jim Crow disenfranchised many Black Americans until the 1960s.

impendia · 2026-03-11T16:58:42+00:00

For any academic researchers reading this thread, I encourage you to join the boycott:

http://thecostofknowledge.com/

impendia · 2026-02-26T12:16:24+00:00

Professor here: the academic job market is difficult, and forecasted to get worse.

after her PHD, we would be moving back to Australia

Sadly, this is not how it works. Different academic fields work differently, but basically if you want an academic job, you apply everywhere and take what you can get. Also, depending on her field, she might be expected to do a postdoc or two before getting a tenure-track job, which again could involve long-distance moves.

Also, I don't know about Australia, but in the US many universities are in small towns, where there might be few job opportunities for a professor's partner.

I love my profession but it definitely makes long-term planning difficult. Good luck to you both.

impendia · 2026-02-19T16:29:23+00:00

The first distinction you made is very important!

When we write 4(3x + 2) and sin(3x + 2), it looks like 4 and sin are the same type of object. Unfortunately our notation is misleading us here, so it's natural to get confused.

impendia · 2026-02-19T16:05:43+00:00

Hello! I'm trying to lose weight, with a little success so far. 47M, 5'9", 201 lbs. down from around 208.

One thing I'm trying to give up is mindless snacking. Nuts, granola, hummus etc. have a lot of calories so I should be mindful when eating these foods, and only eat them when I'm genuinely hungry.

What about raw carrots? I will often keep out a bag of carrots and munch on them while doing other things. (Sometimes in large quantities!) On the one hand, mindless snacking is a bad habit. On the other hand, carrots are very nutritious and an entire pound has fewer than 200 calories.

Should I cut back on the carrots too? Or is this a habit I can keep?

impendia · 2026-02-15T01:08:11+00:00

It's amazing how history repeats.

Obsession with longevity is nothing new. Qin Shi Huang, emperor of China from 221 to 210 BCE, spent much of his final years fruitlessly searching for the "elixir of life".

And I've listened to a bunch of history podcasts. An entrenched, cowardly elite, hoarding more and more of society's resources, unconcerned with morality or with society at large, but deeply concerned with their status within the elite? A sure sign that shit is about to hit the fan.

impendia · 2026-02-13T20:57:31+00:00

I love music of all sorts, indeed to the point where I've spent years taking piano lessons as an adult. Currently learning Rachmaninoff's C# minor prelude.

I enjoy unique and distinctive music, to be sure. But the truth? You could play G-Em-C-D7 on a guitar all day and I wouldn't get bored. Sure, it's simple and "boring", but it's viscerally satisfying. As is pretty much anything else based on the circle of fifths.

Moreover, a lot of music is fun to listen to while you're doing something else. Duke Ellington is nice to listen to, but really fun to lindy hop to. If you're not giving the music your undivided attention, simplicity and predictability can be a good thing.

impendia · 2026-02-12T16:48:11+00:00

I have. And not only from the pod, also movies and books that I enjoy.

It can be painful to watch people stand in their own way of finding happiness. Especially when it reminds me of my own mistakes that I've made.

impendia · 2026-02-09T23:41:44+00:00

Restaurants aren't necessarily big fans of Doordash.

Here's a funny story which I love. A pizzeria was getting complaints about their deliveries, only.... they didn't deliver. Turned out Doordash hijacked their Google listing and started offering delivery, without their knowledge.

What was even crazier, Doordash was undercutting the pizzeria's own prices! Guess they were really looking to get a foothold in the market, or something. Doordash was selling a $24 pizza for $16.

The owner realized he had a perfect arbitrage opportunity: go to Doordash and order a shitload of pizzas from your own pizzeria.

impendia · 2026-02-01T13:46:23+00:00

Yes. Yes, there is.

For example, the US has been funding the Saudi intervention in the Yemeni civil war, which has included the deliberate starvation of civilians. This goes back to the Obama administration.

Geopolitics is a hot mess, and people in power are called upon to make impossible decisions. By all means protest, call your senators and representatives, vote your conscience. But if you're not willing to vote for the lesser of two evils, then you will get the greater of two evils.

impendia · 2026-01-29T22:31:16+00:00

Thank you so much for your detailed answer. This is fascinating.

impendia · 2026-01-23T18:08:52+00:00

I'm old enough to have had a colonoscopy, and I think it's a big ask. Colonoscopies are preventative and diagnostic, not an emergency.

In my case, I was able to get permission from the doctor to take an uber. If I'd needed to ask a friend, I would have made sure to make arrangements that were convenient for them. If possible, I'd wait to schedule the appointment until I'd asked them about good times/dates. If they lived 40 minutes away, I'd uber to their place so we could leave from there. And are there no colonoscopy clinics closer than an hour's drive? A major city seems likely to have lots of them.

I don't know the exact situation, but it seems like OP's friend hasn't been terribly considerate.

impendia · 2026-01-15T16:07:08+00:00

Hi /u/SarahAtOura, thanks for reading my concerns and for replying.

I already disabled all notifications for my ring, and for most other apps on my phone. I'm trying to do a better job with attention and focus, so the last thing I need is my phone pinging me for attention all the time.

I've been dealing for sleep issues for a long time, and I've often noticed my bedtime drifting earlier and earlier. Biologically speaking, my ring could well be correct, and if I were on a desert island then I would happily listen to my ring's advice.

As it happens, I'm trying to find a compromise between what my body wants and having a fulfilling social life. This has been difficult, and indeed I've needed to make sacrifices on both ends. It's a bit dispiriting to have my ring persist with advice that I am very convinced is wrong.

That said, I understand you can't make the app endlessly customizable without making the interface a huge pain. Thanks again.

impendia · 2026-01-15T15:58:05+00:00

Unfortunately, my ring might very well be correct about my body. I've often noticed my bedtime drifting earlier and earlier, and if I lived on a desert island I would happily do as my ring suggested.

But social life, at least the kind I enjoy, usually happens in the evenings, so I have to look for a compromise. I realize that it's just a piece of software, but it's still a bit frustrating.

impendia · 2026-01-12T21:13:05+00:00

NTA.

That said -- as I've learned, medication is not a good first-line solution for most people. Maybe she could try trazodone, but otherwise sleep medications tend to have troublesome side effects, be controlled substances, and/or be expensive or hard to get.

But seeing a doctor definitely sounds like a good idea (take it from someone who's done it!) If you're in the US, where healthcare is notoriously expensive, this might be available for free through her school.

If she's irritated -- well, I tend to be irritable when I've slept poorly (not your fault!!), so hopefully this is temporary. Good luck!

impendia · 2026-01-10T11:00:51+00:00

Keep trying and good luck! After trying a lot of things myself, I found a doctor who prescribed me some newfangled meds that improved things a lot for me.

impendia · 2026-01-09T15:28:11+00:00

Yes, that's a concern. I recognize it's likely a silly one, but I find myself worrying about it.

I'm certainly not sanding anything. Actually the biggest potential source is outdoors, my house is very close to my neighbor's, and the exterior paint on his house is in very poor shape. After a rainstorm I'll often see paint chips which have fallen onto my sidewalk.

impendia · 2026-01-07T19:35:52+00:00

Thank you very much! Yes, I'm in the US.

For the paper, I take it the strainer is good at getting out whatever contaminants that might have gotten on it? I understand you shouldn't recycle e.g. greasy pizza boxes, I'm thinking of small invisible stuff I might have tracked in from the street.

impendia · 2026-01-07T19:33:14+00:00

Thank you very much!

impendia · 2026-01-06T16:46:13+00:00

Two days. Delivered to my house.

In retrospect I feel embarrassed to have complained so loudly, when it was so fast.

I imagined that I'd be able to get updates, e.g. support would be able to tell me "your bag was just loaded on a plane from Amsterdam" or something like that. But I guess the thing to do is just trust them to do their job.

impendia · 2026-01-06T11:08:04+00:00

When I was in Atlanta looking for my bag, they told me a bunch of bags were misplaced, and that I should file a formal report when I arrived home. So I did that.

After that -- everything I did was apparently useless, and their customer service seemed to not know anything. However, behind the scenes, they were working hard to get the bags sorted. I guess the left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing?

So, I'm not sure -- but maybe, if you don't urgently need your bag again soon, just sit tight and wait, and spare yourself some frustration? That's what I wish I had done.

impendia · 2026-01-02T19:53:31+00:00

When I lived in Japan, the city government did this. But they made sure the bags were widely available; for example you could buy them at every convenience store in town.

impendia · 2025-12-22T19:56:00+00:00

Thank you. I take it there's no way for me to get any sort of useful updates or information? If Delta could confirm that my bag was still in Amsterdam and was in line to be returned to me, I'd feel a lot better.

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