tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.comments2024-03-05T05:13:14.325-08:00A Meaningful Life, A Better WorldMatt Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12389020149472026193noreply@blogger.comBlogger503125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-82335957253538150452024-03-05T05:13:14.325-08:002024-03-05T05:13:14.325-08:00Probably that Anne hasn't loved me during thes...Probably that Anne hasn't loved me during these past decades. Or, well, I could be convinced I'm in a simulation, and Anne is a simulation. But short of that, I don't think I could be convinced that she didn't love me. "Love," of course, just being those evolutionarily-adaptive chemical reactions. <br />She could, of course, cease loving me at some point in the future.Matt Ballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02137415162558919893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-74439653635710226922024-03-04T14:14:49.154-08:002024-03-04T14:14:49.154-08:00I think probably I "believe" in my own &...I think probably I "believe" in my own "self" or my own "free will" even though I know it is just a natural phenomena, or an "illusion". This is one of the only things I believe that is in any way at odds with my knowledge. I'm not sure if this is believing something unfalsifiable, because as far as I can tell determinism is also unfalsifiable. But it's the only thing I can think of that I believe (and act in accordance with) that is unfalsifiable or potentially falsified by the unfalsifiable logic of determinism.<br /><br />My belief that my family loves me is falsifiable by any action they might take that would express otherwise. My belief that my dog is puzzled when it looks at me in that puzzled way, is falsifiable probably with brain scans, but is a belief I hold based on the evidence that evolution is lazy, and the easiest way for an organism to fake some emotion is to have that emotion. I don't for instance believe that when my dog is "smiling" at me that it is happy, I believe, as science suggests that that indicates that the dog is stressed.<br /><br />What about you?NonZeroSum Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09389594533438085446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-78812377183329892412024-02-29T03:37:39.986-08:002024-02-29T03:37:39.986-08:00Thanks Tony. Added to the post.Thanks Tony. Added to the post.Matt Ballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02137415162558919893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-14668887521970606492024-02-28T18:59:32.650-08:002024-02-28T18:59:32.650-08:00Here’s the link.
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073...Here’s the link.<br /><br />https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2203150119<br />Tony Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11688318289784215712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-15300189841036512732024-02-26T20:06:26.963-08:002024-02-26T20:06:26.963-08:00I really like this one. Perspective is so importan...I really like this one. Perspective is so important. Tony Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11688318289784215712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-61434394556828569752024-02-22T19:38:16.386-08:002024-02-22T19:38:16.386-08:00Nice. A unique way of making the point, the look I...Nice. A unique way of making the point, the look I’m saving you work method of argumentationAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-5778342987927804972024-02-18T15:24:13.586-08:002024-02-18T15:24:13.586-08:00Ada, I couldn't take that. Ugh. :-PAda, I couldn't take that. Ugh. :-PMatt Ballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02137415162558919893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-33063838230874569882024-02-18T12:13:20.441-08:002024-02-18T12:13:20.441-08:00Thank you for this.
Some Democrats have to pour t...Thank you for this.<br /><br />Some Democrats have to pour the whiskey to get through Thanksgiving with their crazy Fox News watching Trump loving relatives. Not me. I have to pour the whiskey to get through Thanksgiving with my crazy Democrat-hating Green Party-voting lefty relatives.ada47https://www.blogger.com/profile/07518135598811100411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-55942455078783163282024-02-16T21:56:12.856-08:002024-02-16T21:56:12.856-08:00200 chickens! I'd wondered about this before d...200 chickens! I'd wondered about this before didn't realise it was that many. A well made and well supported case Matt. I hardly eat meat, but this will add to my calculus.NonZeroSum Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09389594533438085446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-2652461570701766692024-02-16T21:52:42.306-08:002024-02-16T21:52:42.306-08:00Okay, you've convinced me, we (y'all) shou...Okay, you've convinced me, we (y'all) should wheel him out one last time :) He really is the anti-trump in so many ways.NonZeroSum Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09389594533438085446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-8160274626146690772024-02-09T13:09:18.926-08:002024-02-09T13:09:18.926-08:00Any list that has His Dark Materials as no good......Any list that has His Dark Materials as no good... Well, they're allowed to be wrong ¯\_(ツ)_/¯WolfKenobihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06296610015301805118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-26026699371437038472024-02-04T13:02:31.944-08:002024-02-04T13:02:31.944-08:00Oh right. I think that's why I started to foll...Oh right. I think that's why I started to follow your blog in the first place. Lol.Tony Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11688318289784215712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-19803323615212339162024-02-03T11:12:59.854-08:002024-02-03T11:12:59.854-08:00Andrew has actually promoted my book several times...Andrew has actually promoted my book several times!<br />https://andrewtobias.com/the-seventh-impossible-thing/?hilite=%22Matt+Ball%22<br />And wrote a review on AmazonMatt Ballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02137415162558919893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-85104531331656101112024-02-03T10:32:44.502-08:002024-02-03T10:32:44.502-08:00That is the way.
I read "The only investment...That is the way.<br /><br />I read "The only investment guide you'll ever need" by Andrew Tobias about 40 years ago. It greatly changed and shaped my views about investments and economics.<br /><br />It worked for me, and I still follow the tenets as much as is reasonable. <br /><br />https://amzn.to/3UmKG3p<br />(affiliate link)Tony Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11688318289784215712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-23396772324826961592024-01-28T09:39:21.901-08:002024-01-28T09:39:21.901-08:00I think you should now do an entire short story se...I think you should now do an entire short story series based on your sex life <b>"Matt Ball's Balls and other Teste Tales"</b>NonZeroSum Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09389594533438085446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-48495277956730203992024-01-26T17:41:54.161-08:002024-01-26T17:41:54.161-08:00Could you give citation information on Dr. Sara Sh...Could you give citation information on Dr. Sara Shields's research and possibly a valid link? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-76435126358227812512024-01-25T03:22:56.817-08:002024-01-25T03:22:56.817-08:00My understanding is it is security perimeter. The ...My understanding is it is security perimeter. The buildings themselves don't take so much room.Matt Ballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02137415162558919893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-15379673706661769112024-01-24T22:11:39.637-08:002024-01-24T22:11:39.637-08:00I’m surprised a. Nuclear plant takes so much space...I’m surprised a. Nuclear plant takes so much space. 4000 acres is about 6 sq miles, like 3x2 miles. Hm. Interesting.Tony Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11688318289784215712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-22354320867800442372024-01-23T07:31:30.503-08:002024-01-23T07:31:30.503-08:00For me, Anthropocene works better listened to (e.g...For me, Anthropocene works better listened to (e.g., as a podcast). Like David Sedaris' books are much funnier listened to. IMHO.Matt Ballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02137415162558919893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-29596534126325977482024-01-23T07:20:10.078-08:002024-01-23T07:20:10.078-08:00I especially like your connection to John Green’s ...I especially like your connection to John Green’s comment (isn’t the Anthropocene reviewed brilliant?) very insightful.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-5603575091236494162024-01-12T17:57:16.787-08:002024-01-12T17:57:16.787-08:00With SCOTUS at 6-3, there will be decisions I fear...With SCOTUS at 6-3, there will be decisions I fear set the country back even beyond my lifetime. Matt Ballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02137415162558919893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-14375592058788171232024-01-12T13:45:26.325-08:002024-01-12T13:45:26.325-08:00The 2016 election, combined with the electoral col...The 2016 election, combined with the electoral college, will continue to echo for the rest of my lifetime.Tony Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11688318289784215712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-5907599775833440432024-01-11T03:58:35.566-08:002024-01-11T03:58:35.566-08:00Well, Anne is now a Irish citizen, and thus an EU ...Well, Anne is now a Irish citizen, and thus an EU citizen....Matt Ballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02137415162558919893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-44814575064003323882024-01-10T19:44:01.613-08:002024-01-10T19:44:01.613-08:00I do t think so. Rs, despite being I. The minority...I do t think so. Rs, despite being I. The minority in the country have way too much power (tyranny of the minority). I thimpnk they’ll either explode with a new pretend moderate party rising from the ashes, or will cement power through fascism. <br /><br />My guess is the dysfunction continues until late in the decade when the demographic forces overcome the minority bias in our system. <br /><br />Tony Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11688318289784215712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593026103512648416.post-46994169610424318002024-01-08T03:42:22.116-08:002024-01-08T03:42:22.116-08:00Tony, do you think we can go back to a world like ...Tony, do you think we can go back to a world like Obama vs Boehner, or have the Tea Party and then MAGA-its broken this country in a fundamental way?Matt Ballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02137415162558919893noreply@blogger.com