If you go to the ER in Texas you DO NOT HAVE TO ANSWER if you are a citizen.

Abbott added that as an executive order, but you DO NOT have to answer it.

“However, advocacy groups and the American Civil Liberties Union have said that patients are not legally required to answer this question — and some medical professionals have taken to social media to spread awareness.”

“No one has told us what people are going to do with this information.”

https://www.expressnews.com/news/texas/article/texas-hospital-citizenship-status-question-19938573.php

@sheseala

How energy intensive is it to make?

That wasn’t answered.

But it’s even older than Star Trek (see The Fly). Transporter gone wrong is an old trope. The book takes a different take, but it is essentially the same idea and the book adds very little to the exploration of “what is self?”

In my humble opinion I think it is an overly cavalier book until the last 10% (YES! 90% of it is padding!) when it FINALLY gets to its central thesis.

And it wasn’t a “Wow, I didn’t see that coming” as much as a “Wow, finally.”

Very disappointed.

Last night finished the book Mickey7 (soon to be a movie named Mickey17).

Was underwhelmed. It felt like an overpadded novella. Turns out it started life out as a novella and was pushed into a novel.

Has a lot of “You can see where this is going…” and then he EXPLAINS where it is going.

If you are going to write a book, never, ever treat your readers as if they are morons.

Sadly, most of the book isn’t new or unusual territory (despite the testimonials)—its standard Star Trek material.

#AI

I sampled(?) a character from Final Fantasy IV using LoRA(?)—pardon my ignorance, I’m not an AI expert—and manage to get this from my MacBook Pro using Draw Things.

It got the earring and the beauty mark!

Pretty spiffy.

(Don’t hate her for the tiny hand)

@grrlscientist

Well, actually he was still found guilty and the sentence being postponed doesn’t change that. He is also still a rapist.

The fact he won’t serve time or punishment doesn’t change any of it.

But, yeah, being rich does seem to imply that if you are a lifelong criminal, as long as you are popular, rich and pasty white, you will never serve time.

Musk is another: I have no doubt he is well known for violating drug laws (at a minimum) but will never be prosecuted. Ever.

I get spammed by a company called Cologuard. Turns out a clinic I dumped (because they were way too scammy) sent them my name and address WITHOUT my permission (likely I signed something that said they could do it or they are just pond scum).

I even got a test kit I didn’t ask for. We contacted the scum clinic and they said throw it away (oh… I was seriously think of collecting a fecal specimen and keeping it 🙄).

Under Trump these scams will be more prevalent.

@ToolPackinMama

It won’t happen.

Because if it does, we will look like Russia in the 60’s. Food will be scarce and prices will be insane. Beef will be insane (who will cut it?). Ranchers will lose money (like penny’s on the dollar) for heads they can’t sell.

Lumber imports will drop precipitously. People won’t be able to move to jobs because there will be no housing.

The blowback will affect business locations. There will be an insane number of working unhoused.

Then, again, I didn’t think they would ever be the party of rapists and pedophiles.

Program spending is a Congressional thing and NO CONGRESSPERSON is going to kill programs in their state.

None.

Fuck the other states, but they are smart enough to realize if you cut spending in Vermont, they’ll cut spending in Oklahoma.

As bad as Republicans are, and yes, they are really, really bad—after all they are the party of pedophiles and criminals—the last thing they want is to be the party that throws constituents out of work.

Maybe.

Musk thinks firing Federal workers will balance the budget. The current budget is about $2 trillion dollars. There are a little over 2 million workers. Musk has never done the math: there is not ONE FED WORKER who makes $952,381 / year.

The boy does to many drugs.

It’s called basic math. Take one number and divide by another.

He’s gaslighting everyone.

As is this article: Musk was talking about headcount. Trump can NEVER affect program spending by fiat.

https://www.vox.com/policy/387382/musk-trump-balance-budget-doge

@Jorro

At best it tolerates. At worst it is actively hostile.

When we were walking the dog I realized that when I was young, I was looking forward. Now, I look more to my feet, sometimes even backwards.

Like many things, I don’t know when I started—when did I become a different person?

And, worse, who is the me in the future?

@matuzalem

Those are insane!

I ended up with two LG or Samsung 4K monitors. Not as good, but suitable.

@matuzalem

Nice! I went with 48 GB.

Jelly.

I have only used it once as a laptop. It’s been closed most it the time (I have to external displays).

@matuzalem

I only needed Linux and Windows for work, but since I’m retired, no need.

@matuzalem

That!

The directions are awful, but it’s pretty cool and can natively use the GPU. Ive trained it on one of my Final Fantasy characters and it’s pretty wild.

@matuzalem

Nice.

For hours of fun, download Draw Things. It takes a bit to figure out, but it’s a hoot.

@IrelandTorin

At times it’s hard to tell the difference between malice and stupidity. Like cutting Fed workers: do they know it will crater the economy? If they don’t, stupidity, but if they do, malice…

The interchangeability of the two makes one wonder about the true foundation of the universe.