Day: January 11, 2026, 8:04 PM

CA FL

Chill Evil, Political Economy

The Dream of a Florida Retirement Is Fading for the Middle Class.

In only a short time Florida got extremely expensive. It used to be vastly cheaper than California. Now it’s only slightly cheaper, comparing like-for-like areas, etc. And yes, I do know; I’ve now lived in both places.

One of the things I liked about Florida-that-was is that it was one of the few places in the country where lower-middle-class people and the rich lived right next to each other1. Up until about 10 years ago there, that was widely true. Now neighborhoods like that have mostly disappeared.

Too bad. I liked the old Florida better.

  1. A colleague of mine from the UK commented on this, and that it reminded him of Australia in that respect

Maytag

Chill Evil

This is completely apart from my opinions on AI. I just hate hypocrites, so: Any clown idiot who went full copyright maximalist after the advent of modern AI, I will do everything to make sure I never give you a single cent ever and attempt to prevent anyone else from doing so as well.

You’re worse than pond scum. You deserve to live in that refrigerator box by the side of the road that’s in your future.

Equality

Chill Amusing, Annoying

I think one of the reasons women have trouble on the internet is that in real life, they are used to special treatment most of the time. They are accustomed to being handled gently the vast majority of the time by most people.

On the internet, that goes away. I certainly do not attempt to treat women cautiously here. They said they want equality; I give it to ’em. Others are the same. Turns out equality feels like punishment and being mistreated.

Welcome to the world men have always lived in! Nice to have you!

Discursive

Chill Annoying, Clowns

Why do math and physics come so easily to some people but feel almost impossible to others? What actually causes this gap?

Despite this being the disfavored explanation, it’s probably mostly genetic combined with congenital non-genetic brain differences.

I’m extremely good at anything verbal or language-based. And I can study 100x or even 1000x as long anything involving math and never achieve really anything. Yes, even if I understand the concept or practicum at the time perfectly, can do all the practice problems and apply it. As soon as I move on from that, it’s gone like smoke in the wind. It’s like I never learned it.

Whereas if I only glance for something for a second or two in the language realm, I’ll remember it forever.

It obviously is just built in and people hate that idea. Nevertheless, it’s true.

I do wonder, though, if some of my math incapacity comes from actual brain damage. I’m pretty sure I used to be a good deal better at math before I got hit in the head a lot as a kid and young teenager.

But what happened happened; can’t change it now.

Chill Links

ESA considers righting the wrongs of Ariane 6 by turning it into a Franken-rocket.

Greenland sharks maintain vision for centuries through DNA repair mechanism.

Finnish children learn media literacy at 3 years old. It’s protection against Russian propaganda.

2026 Looks ominous for media, from Hollywood to journalism.

What’s hilarious about that difference in “What turns you on” is that both sides are utterly blind to “this is a built in thing. They can’t change, because this is part of how it is. And no, they’re not just pretending, they really are different.”.

This under-the-radar labor market chart is scaring economists right now.

ICE Can Now Spy on Every Phone in Your Neighborhood.

I Tried to Be the Government. It Did Not Go Well.