massive city in new york, popular tourist attraction and dream city for journalists, artists, and businessmen alike. home to broadway, times square, central park, and even the empire state building. new york city really has it all! (see: manhattan)

away from keyboard.

is an area of public land set aside for use by a certain group, such as an american indian tribe.

latin america's deadliest place to be a woman. https://youtu.be/aaWIiAFvZy8

is an acronym for light amplification by the stimulated emission of radiation.

i don't give a fuck.

ruled as dictator of the soviet union from 1924 until his death in 1953. he maintained his grip on power by murdering his political opponents and repressing any segments of the population that he considered disloyal.

late in 1969, americans learned that, a year earlier, an american lieutenant and his unit had opened fire on a vietnamese village they thought was held by communists. they killed an estimated 400 innocent villagers, mostly women and children. descriptions of the my lai massacre were so shocking that in a poll taken in one u.s. city, only 12 percent of the people believed it was true.

rabbi abraham twerski talks about the difference between selfish love and true love, which must be a love of giving and not of receiving.

transcript:

"'young man. why are you eating that fish?' the young mans says, 'because i love fish.' he says, 'oh. you love the fish. that's why you took it out of the water and killed it and boiled it.' he says, 'don't tell me you love the fish. you love yourself, and because the fish tastes good to you; therefore, you took it out of the water and killed it and boiled it.'

"so much of what is love is fish love. young couple falls in love. young man and young woman fall in love. what does that mean? that means that he saw in this woman someone who he felt could provide him with all of his physical and emotional needs, and she felt in this man somebody she feels that she can write, that was love, but each one is looking out for their own needs. it's not love for the other. the other person becomes a vehicle for my gratification.

"too much of what is called love is fish love. an external love is not on what i'm going to get but i'm going to give. we had an ethicist rabbi dessler, who said, 'people make a serious mistake in thinking that you give to those whom you love, and the real answer is you love those to whom you give.'

his point is if i give something to you, i've invested myself in you. since self-love is a given, everybody loves themselves, now that part of me has become in you, there's part of me in you that i love. true love is a love of giving, not a love of receiving.'

brain studies have shown that the withdrawal of romantic love activates the same mechanisms in our brain that get activated when addicts are withdrawing from substances like cocaine or opioids.

"...there could be no new beginning, nor would one be important. we are not aware when new beginnings arrive; we only discover them later when they have already engulfed us, when everything merely continues. then we believe that everything could have been different, but it could not have, and so we rush into springtime, so as not to think about nonexistent beginnings or unpleasant continuations."

the ship of theseus is a philosophical thought experiment that raises questions about the nature of identity and change. the thought experiment goes as follows: if a ship is gradually replaced with new parts over time, at what point does it cease to be the same ship it was originally? this thought experiment is often used to explore questions about the nature of identity and change, and it has been discussed by philosophers throughout history. there is no single "right" answer to the ship of theseus problem, as different people may have different perspectives on the issue.

human zoos, also known as "ethnographic expositions" or "human exhibitions," were a form of entertainment that featured live displays of human beings, often from non-western cultures, as a way of showcasing their perceived differences from western society. these exhibitions were popular in europe and the united states in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and were often presented as a way of educating the public about different cultures and societies.

the history of human zoos can be traced back to the 18th century, when european explorers and colonizers brought back specimens of exotic animals and plants from their travels to be displayed in zoos and museums. in the 19th century, these exhibitions began to include human beings as well, often in a way that was degrading and demeaning.

one of the first recorded human zoos was the "negro village" exhibition at the 1878 world's fair in paris, which featured a group of people from dahomey (now benin) in west africa who were displayed in a village-like setting. this exhibition was followed by others in europe and the united states, including the "indians of north america" exhibit at the 1893 world's fair in chicago, which featured native americans from various tribes living in replicas of their traditional dwellings.

human zoos became increasingly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and were often used as a way of reinforcing racial and cultural stereotypes and presenting non-western cultures as inferior to western society. these exhibitions were widely criticized for their dehumanizing and degrading treatment of the people on display, and for the way they perpetuated harmful stereotypes and prejudices.

in the mid-20th century, human zoos began to fall out of favor as attitudes towards race and culture began to change and people became more aware of the harm they caused. today, human zoos are generally considered to be a deeply troubling and unethical aspect of the history of colonialism and racial discrimination, and they are widely condemned as a form of exploitation and dehumanization.

steelmanning is a critical thinking technique that involves trying to understand and present the strongest possible version of an argument or position, even if it is one that you disagree with or find flawed. the goal of steelmanning is not to defend or advocate for the argument, but rather to understand it more deeply and to better understand why someone might hold that position. this can be useful in a variety of contexts, such as when you are trying to have a productive conversation or debate with someone who holds a different perspective, when you are trying to anticipate objections to your own argument, or when you are trying to identify the underlying assumptions or values that inform someone's argument.

here are a few examples of how steelmanning might be applied in different contexts:

imagine that you are trying to have a conversation with a friend about the value of wearing masks to prevent the spread of covid-19. your friend argues that masks are unnecessary because they don't provide complete protection and can make it harder to breathe. to steelman their argument, you might try to understand why they might hold this view, even if you disagree with it. you might ask questions like: "what do you think are the main reasons that people might believe masks are unnecessary?" "what kinds of experiences or evidence might lead someone to conclude that masks don't provide enough protection?" by asking these questions, you are trying to understand the strongest version of your friend's argument, rather than simply dismissing it as misguided or wrong.
suppose that you are writing an essay in which you argue that the government should invest more in renewable energy sources. one of the objections to your argument might be that renewable energy is too expensive and that it is not feasible to rely on it as our primary source of energy. to steelman this objection, you might try to understand the underlying assumptions and values that inform it. for example, you might ask yourself: "what do people who believe that renewable energy is too expensive think are the main costs associated with it?" "what do they see as the main benefits of non-renewable energy sources, and how do they weigh those benefits against the costs?" by answering these questions, you can better understand the perspective of those who disagree with you and anticipate their objections more effectively.

imagine that you are trying to have a productive conversation with someone who holds a very different political perspective from your own. one way to approach this conversation might be to try to steelman the other person's arguments. for example, if they argue that the government should not provide social services because it is not the government's role to take care of people, you might try to understand why they might hold this view, even if you disagree with it. you might ask questions like: "what do you think are the main reasons that people might believe that the government should not provide social services?" "what kinds of experiences or evidence might lead someone to conclude that it is not the government's role to take care of people?" by asking these questions, you are trying to understand the strongest version of the other person's argument and to identify any common ground you might have, rather than simply dismissing their perspective as misguided or wrong.

one of the must-read george orwell books to read. another one:
(see: animal farm)

some fav quotes:
--spoiler--
who controls the past controls the future.
who controls the present controls the past.

doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them:
war is peace.
freedom is slavery.
ignorance is strength.

big brother is watching you.

freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. if that is granted, all else follows.

we do not merely destroy our enemies; we change them.
--spoiler--

antilia is a private residence in the south mumbai district of mumbai, india, notable for its stature as one of the most valuable private homes in the world. named after the mythical island in the atlantic, antilia is a 27-story skyscraper with a height exceeding 170 meters (560 feet). the building is owned by mukesh ambani, the chairman of reliance industries, one of india's largest conglomerates.

designed by the chicago-based architects perkins and will, with construction managed by the australian company leighton holdings, antilia is distinguished by its unique design inspired by the lotus and the sun. the structure features a high degree of customization and includes extraordinary elements such as a multi-story garage capable of holding 168 cars, three helipads, gardens, a temple, guest suites, health level with fitness facilities, and an ice room infused with artificial snow.

antilia employs a construction philosophy that adheres to the principles of vaastu shastra, a traditional indian system akin to feng shui, ensuring that energy flows optimally throughout the towering structure. its design incorporates a series of staggered double-story garden floors intended to sustain the integration of nature even at soaring heights.

not just a marvel of luxury, antilia is also engineered to withstand an earthquake of magnitude 8 on the richter scale, reflecting a blend of ultra-luxury with robust practicality. its construction and opulence have stirred a mix of admiration and controversy, representing a beacon of economic disparity yet remaining a hallmark of architectural innovation and personal wealth. image