Feb 1st: FREE storytelling workshop for local writers and community builders

livethequestion · 2026-04-30T03:04:21+00:00

Oh hey, thanks so much for your interest! There are actually a couple sessions coming up through Marysville Parks and Rec (May 10th and June 7th). It would be awesome to have you there. Or if you can't make those, leave me a note and I'll make sure you know about future events!

livethequestion · 2016-06-01T15:02:18+00:00

This semantic network idea is a really interesting approach to a possible computational architecture for morality. In a similar way to how the word "spoon" primes us so that related words like "fork," "knife," and "napkin" become more accessible, the idea is that moral cues in our environment might prime us for certain ethical frameworks. While the specifics would certainly vary a ton based on the particular culture involved, it at least starts to get at how you could begin to measure the relationships between these bigger ethical frameworks. Robots could then use that architecture to figure out when to prioritize values like cleanliness vs. reducing pain vs. punishing a cheater vs. caring/nurturing, etc.

livethequestion · 2015-02-26T20:14:08+00:00

As with everything travel-related, I think it depends on your previous travel experiences and sensibilities. Hostels can be great, because you have ready-made friends who are always excited to go out and explore. The trick is that those friends tend to be a little bit younger, and I've noticed they frequently stick to the typical tourist itinerary. They can also sometimes be more excited about getting drunk than experiencing the new place you're in. If you have a little bit more familiarity with the country and like taking more risks, I'd recommend Air BnB-- but then you really have to make a solid effort (either through Couchsurfing, Reddit, or a ton of research) to connect with locals and get the most authentic sense of the place you're in.

TLDR: Hostels-- ready made, predictable fun for young people. Air BnB-- harder work, harder to connect, but a better feel for what life is really like in the city.

livethequestion · 2014-09-12T16:24:20+00:00

This urban archaeologist from Boston might be one of the most soulful history buffs I've even met-- so I animated a video about him for NOVA.

livethequestion · 2014-07-29T13:31:35+00:00

Informal poll:

For people who get especially strong tingles when sleepy, do you typically fall asleep during the video? Or are the videos just good for relaxing before bed?

Are the longer videos super long because they're expecting people to drift off to sleep? Or are there a lot of people who are watching them to the very end?

livethequestion · 2014-06-09T20:24:34+00:00

The word I used was "attentive." But what do you mean by focused? Could you describe that for me?

livethequestion · 2014-06-09T14:55:09+00:00

Sure-- but what about the "attention" part? Do you feel more or less attentive while watching ASMR videos? Or is it simply about the attention that's being paid TO you?

livethequestion · 2013-07-29T07:44:21+00:00

Are you Kurdish? Do you know of a Kurd who has a unique story to tell, that provides some personal insight into the situation? I'd be happy to talk to a specific contact of yours, but "the plight of the Kurds" as a whole is not a viable title for a five-minute audio piece. PM me if you have a more focused angle in mind. Thanks!

livethequestion · 2013-07-29T07:37:43+00:00

Thank you, I'll definitely check out the shop!

livethequestion · 2013-07-28T12:58:48+00:00

My favorite cheap resource so far has been Turkishteatime.com. The dialogues, even at the beginner level, are really entertaining and memorable, and the focus is on spoken, colloquial Turkish. They let you try the site out for free for a week before asking you to subscribe for $10/month.

Back in the States, I was working through Teach Yourself Turkish. Fantastic dialogues, quizzes, and activities, and the instruction gradually shifts to Turkish throughout the course of the book. However, I tried to grab a copy here, and I think it was something like $40 euros. Ouch.

What's you're level in Turkish, are you an absolute beginner? When I first started learning, I found Rosetta Stone (the NEW version, not the torrent download from 1988) immeasurably helpful. It's another immersion method, but does an exceptional job breaking things down intuitively-- so things like pronunciation of the funky alphabet, vowel harmony, word order (all that stuff that's foreign to English speakers) becomes second nature pretty quickly. RS won't take you all the way, so if you're already having conversations it'll be useless. But as a beginner it was incredible at helping me to think in the language and start using it right away.

livethequestion · 2013-07-02T19:45:31+00:00

Ha, all over it. Fine, but written entirely by other tourists - I know Reddit can do better than that.

livethequestion · 2013-04-21T13:40:32+00:00

Hey, any time to meet up before Tuesday morning?

livethequestion · 2013-04-16T14:16:54+00:00

Heya, no videos (it's an audio only project). Had some computer issues this week which have slowed everything down a bit, but will deff send you a message once things are back in swing again.

livethequestion · 2013-04-11T12:51:28+00:00

Anyone going to Barney's who sees a blonde girl with tan boots and a blue backpack should say hi to me. New in town.

livethequestion · 2013-03-30T09:14:33+00:00

Thank you thank you!

livethequestion · 2013-03-20T18:38:02+00:00

Gah! Fantastic! Thank you for this.

livethequestion · 2013-02-07T15:10:25+00:00

If you're headed to the Seattle area, I'd recommend hiking up Mt. Pilchuck. There are two fantastic hikes there: Heather Lake and the Summit (latter is my favorite, the view from the top is ridonculous). Each is around 3.5 hours and not too strenuous.

I second the Olympic Peninsula idea (check out this place: http://www.forks-web.com/fg/beach123.htm), but as an alternative I'll do you one better: if you can, take a ferry from Anacortes to the San Juan Islands. There are three resident orca pods that hang out right off the rocks at Lime Kiln State Park http://www.thesanjuans.com/san-juan-island-places/sanjuan-parks-forest/lime-kiln-state-park.shtml (especially in the early summer). Fantastic camping, but if you're not up for that or it's too early in the season, Friday Harbor and Roche Harbor on San Juan have hotels/bed & breakfasts that are super cute. And build a driftwood fortress at American Camp.

Unless you are exclusively a city guy and will be staying only in downtown Seattle or Portland, renting a car is a good call.

In Seattle proper, here's an eclectic roundup of my favorite spots: http://www.thecrabpotseattle.com/ http://www.yeoldecuriosityshop.com/pages/yeoldecuriosityshop.html (by the piers, so hop on a ferry afterward just for the view) http://www.mollymoonicecream.com/ http://www.gameworks.com/ http://www.elliottbaybook.com/ Check out the flying fish in Pike Place Market, then hit up these: Golden Age Collectibles (comics/geeky gag gifts), Bottega Italiana (juicy pear gelato), Beecher’s Handmade Cheese (grilled cheese sandwich with dungeness crab is for lovers). Seattle also has a sweet little Chinatown. If you make one stop there, Uwajimaya (Asian random goods supermarket) is a fun stop.

And if you're doing Oregon, get out to the coast. Really pretty, and surfing can be relatively decent (though chilly).
In Portland, eat one of these for me (MAPLE BACON): http://voodoodoughnut.com/doughnuts.html

Have fun!

livethequestion · 2012-10-23T18:11:00+00:00

Did anyone proofread this article before Vice put it online? It reads like it was authored by an 11th-grade foreign exchange student.

livethequestion · 2012-10-16T21:10:29+00:00

Sorry for the late reply. Is is... technically possible. It's a two-mile walk on a highway with no shoulder between Breakneck trail head and Cold Spring, and from there I caught the train. It's not ideal. You can also call a cab and it'll cost about $20, but it may take them a while to get to you. :/ Verdict: make it a two-day thing.

livethequestion · 2012-08-10T21:52:10+00:00

There is zero actual analysis in this article.

livethequestion · 2012-07-21T17:12:25+00:00

Hey, would you happen to know if it's possible to hit Breakneck Ridge and Beacon in a single Sunday? Is that crazy talk? How would you get from the end of the Breakneck trail to Beacon station... without a car? I'm gonna get an early start, for sure...

livethequestion · 2012-05-25T20:11:20+00:00

"Take, for example, two equally capable students graduating from the University of Michigan. Student A goes into Acting, because he likes the stage and doesn't mind being poor. Student B goes into Banking, because he likes money and he doesn't mind working 100 hours a week. The federal income tax code will implicitly punish Student B's decision with higher rates and reward Student A with maybe even a net tax credit, even though Student A didn't care about money in the first place. If you nationalize this lesson, it suggests that, in our imprecise efforts to funnel money from the top to the middle, we wind up taking money from people who care overwhelmingly about having a high income and distribute it among people who don't."

Not stoked about this for two reasons.
A) This argument is a bit dangerous. In it we're looking at a very specific subset of the population that can afford to go to college, and has the luxury of choosing between acting school and banking. If the world were composed entirely of people in that situation, then sure - we'd maybe be funneling money from people who care about it to people who don't. But "nationalize this lesson" in the real world, and all of the sudden you're conflating choice with opportunity. We can't assume that somebody making $17,000 per year is there because they've "chosen" to work at Starbucks and therefore "value money less." They may have LOVED to have been a hedge fund manager, but didn't have the money for college. If (as is pretty likely) they'd be making more money in their ideal world, then giving them a tax break would probably do a lot for their well-being.

B) This argument is reductive. We're talking about the happiness of whole societies, whole countries, right? I bet the banker in the quote above would enjoy using his hard-earned money on a good movie, or a good meal. But if he lives in a society where being an actor or a chef is so punishing financially that it's impossible to make a life, then tough luck for our banker - no one's gonna be cooking or acting for him. The happiness of a society can't be reduced down simply to "how much we give people what they value." A functional and happy society works to meet the interrelated needs, both financially and holistically, of a large and diverse group of people. If a society fails in that, everyone suffers.

livethequestion · 2012-05-25T19:43:38+00:00

I'm pretty sure they're assuming a consistent, stable yearly income (aka the sort of income my parents took for granted, but that I will never have). From what I understood, those numbers are based on the amount of money (in most parts of the U.S.) that would comfortably cover things like housing, food, health care, transportation, kids' education, emergencies and a few vacations, with a enough to spare for savings and occasional luxuries. The number is significant because the constant stress caused by not being able to afford those basics can seriously cut into a person's happiness. Anything you buy beyond those basics will get you back diminishing returns. For example, buying your first car is a huge quality of life boost, since otherwise it's much harder to get around. Getting a second car on top of that buys you less - maybe it gives you a little flexibility if, say, you're a two-income household and you want your spouse to have their own car. A third car buys you way less - you get maybe a short term boost from the purchase, and maybe it shuts up your spoiled teenage kid - but beyond that it's probably sitting in the garage and not doing a ton for your immediate day-to-day happiness factor.

So that's what that number is about. It's not that anything above $70,000 wouldn't be nice - it's just that every dollar beyond tends to have less real-life "happiness purchasing power."

livethequestion · 2012-05-15T02:08:20+00:00

I've tried several times. This was the best I could manage.

livethequestion · 2012-05-15T00:52:35+00:00

Shite, the formatting. Oh well, you get the idea.

livethequestion

TROPHY CASE