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Internet forums are disappearing because now it's all Reddit and Discord. And that's worrying.
  • Discord is OK for real-time chat or VC, but is awful for forum-like discussions. Comment-specific context is lost in the single-threaded noise and search is borderline useless. The true forum-designed format of Lemmy, Reddit, and predecessors is far and away better. In my opinion Twitter - the legacy, ubiquity and tech - would be a better forum than Discord. That was hard to type and I need to quickly bleach my fingers.

  • DFV: 2 questions, observations & theories. This is fun.
  • These are direct quotes from DFV in his livestream. He never says where his mountain of money came from - only that it was his.

    • "I'm the one active on my accounts"
    • "the accounts I'm showing and my positions are MINE"
    • "I'm not working with anyone else"
    • "I'm not working with hedgefunds"
    • "I'm not an institutional investor"
    • "Those positions I posted are my only positions"
    • "...there's no other positions"
    • "...no other folks i'm working with"

    I'm not sure about the "legality" of lying about these things on a Youtube livestream while trolling with buffoonery, but it's a possibility. I personally think he was being truthful, albeit very selective with his words.

    I absolutely doubt he was able to scrape together 200+ million (after taxes!?) by himself. We were all shocked he had the financial means to double down in February 2021, and I assumed he tapped a massive line of credit when he quadrupled his position just a few months later. Hundreds of millions, however, is waaayy beyond a 3rd mortgage. Note he did NOT say how he came up with his mountain of money, only that it was "his".

    Possibilities:

    • A whale individual(s) with a penchant for chaotic good could've gifted him ~$300 million (-1/3 for taxes) with no strings attached - with the assumption, but not the requirement, he'd use the money for a massive GME play. No need to speculate on names.
    • Ironically, he could've been paid as a consultant by Gamestop for something extraneous (no insider info) with a very handsome payout & no regulations on how he spent the money he "earned" without access to insider info.
    • Anonymous crypto donation by Russian oligarch via a proxy to DFV as part of an economic warfare tactic, with the desired effect of discrediting the US stock markets and inducing economic stress to force austerity measures & stifle aid to Ukraine.
  • DFV: 2 questions, observations & theories. This is fun.
    1. Where did DFV come up with this much money? Has he been quietly KILLING IT earning tens of millions with other investments the past 3 years? How would an average guy earn that much cash in such a relatively short period of time?

    -- Observation: The price of his calls & cash on hand is somewhat similar to GME's drop in cash/equivalents. -- Speculation: Is DFV being funded by Gamestop?

    1. DFV continues to use the "power" icon in his memes, and everyone seems to assume it means Gamestop. The company, however, doesn't use the power icon for any current marketing or registered trademarks - you can't actually, it's an IEC recognized symbol based on binary (1, 0). IIRC it used to be loosely affiliated with the PowerUp rewards program marketing, but PowerUp rewards has been defunct for years, with the company using the unified "GS" moniker for brevity. The Gamestop website's favicon is currently the power icon, however this is the default for any Salesforce Demandware e-commerce site, and as a result many other sites share the same favicon. Question: Can anyone find a link to any Gamestop branding or marketing using the power symbol, past or present?
    • Speculation: Could DFV be slyly referring to something else entirely?
    • The power symbol appears in other posts, never in the "12 o'clock" orientation... Signs, Always Sunny, etc. are all askew, even when they could've been aligned properly. With the exception of...
    • In his post from May 15 @ 8:45am Eastern with a scene from Ozark (season 3), the picture above the mantle is the power sign upside down, Q-like. She later defiantly turns it right side-up, returning it to the typical form of line/1 on top.
    • From this scene she illegally enters her family's old home, has moments of sentimentality, then becomes mischievous - turning the current family's portrait upside down & adding food coloring to their milk.
    • Why? Referring to introducing chaos for other companies in various stages of bankruptcy (...Q ticker symbols)?*

    I'm just waiting for the story to unfold, but also very entertained and enjoy attempting to dissect these potential puzzles.

    1
    I'm sick of my life and I don't know what to do
  • I'm going to suggest possibly irresponsible advice, but step 1 - you need to solve your depression and porn addiction, and ASAP. For that you could try therapy, and/or psilocybin or DMT... Not a heroic dose, but enough to get introspective from an altered POV. Therapy is the obvious long-term recommendation, but the psychedelic route may get you there faster, and you might learn a few things, such as your social obstructions or root causes.

    Second, you need a close friend, at least one, preferably one who is also your desired romantic demographic. Maybe not someone who you'd normally "go for", but who you'd be happy spending time with - platonically, romantically, whatever it does not matter. The goal is to ground yourself with empathy for that person, and they for you too.

  • A cool guide to Epicurean Paradox
  • Would you be willing to provide more info regarding the sect you're referencing, for instance the name? I have a fascination with "original" gnostic/apocryphal beliefs, but this one is extremely intriguing & I want to learn more.

  • Take care of yourselves
  • If it weren't for DFV's comeback perfectly coinciding with the warm-up & run, I'd also be 100% of the opinion this is the prophesied "fake squeeze". How the absolute fuck did he foresee this run? The movement, volume and speed of this burst is FAR beyond the capabilities retail, even considering DFV.

    • Our buys don't hit lit exchanges
    • Options do force buys via hedging, but this has rocketed past 90% of all call positions.
    • Gamestop corporate is authorized to buy back 100m worth of stock, and at these prices they're not getting less bang for their buck at these prices.
    • Larry Cheng bought just a few weeks ago and is on the GME board & "investment committee", so why would he risk insider trading charges?
    • Even if so, how would DFV have known Gamestop corporate were buying back stock?

    First thought is this is UBS closing out CS' toxic Archegos bags containing GME shorts, but they'd be foolish to do so with such speed - why not draw it out over time to temper the price & close it out cheaper? Maybe they chose to go first & fast before others with massive short positions have a chance to react & follow suit to survive? But if so, how did DFV have recon on this happening?

    Second thought was Icahn - whether finally closing short positions and/or taking a new long position, IEP just dropped an 8K showing they borrowed 500m... presumably for a big move. Like UBS, though IEP would be foolish to do so this quickly - Carl's MO is stealth, and this run is the opposite. Perhaps his health is in sudden decline and he wants to see the system burn before he departs?

    Third, and I think the most likely option, is RC. He is (was?) the largest private shareholder of APPL stock which recently did a buy-back. Did they purchase directly from RC so as not to impact their stock price, leaving RC with billions in cash? What if RC then brought DFV into RC Ventures, or coordinated his move with DFV? I'm convinced RC's GME journey began with DFV, making this a poetic move.

    I think DFV is the new CIO of RCV. Whether the protagonists of this story are attempting a rug-pull or not, the event has finally begun.

  • As bans spread, fluoride in drinking water divides communities across the US
  • Pharmacology implies drugs or synthetic compounds. The RDA stats are officially "guidelines" - Just ask your doctor or nutritionist to explain the fuzzy landscape to you, as well as the interactions & interplay between various compounds as they're processed & stored by your body. Perhaps get a CBC to determine what you specifically need; they're usually covered by insurance (assuming you're in the states).

  • As bans spread, fluoride in drinking water divides communities across the US
  • You're ignoring the overarching debate, but fine I'll address your nit-picky distraction.

    "Small" is a relative term, and to the amounts that would be harmless in all situations would have negligible health benefits, to the point of questioning "why bother". Also even small quantities add up, such as the example of 2-gallon consumption on a hot day. What isn't controversial or subjective, though, is pure water.

    The simplest solution is usually best - instead of a one-size-fits-all "medicated" water approach, just take a multivitamin that works best for your individual biology and preferences... assuming you can't consume foods which contain the variety of compounds our bodies need, being the ideal solution. Even the USDA recommendations for vitamins & minerals are mere guesstimated guidelines which varies per individual & lifestyle.

  • As bans spread, fluoride in drinking water divides communities across the US
  • I was being facetious and think your argument is completely preposterous, but continuing for fun. Let's say you are dictator of your loyal subjects, and decide to medicate their water with... vitamins, including copper. What if someone is sensitive to added copper, either because of damage to their copper plumbing, copper cookware, or a metabolic issue? What if someone is working outdoors in the summer heat and consumes 2 gallons of water per day, but begins to experience symptoms of copper toxicity due to the volume of water intake? The water is excreted, but our bodies do not excrete most excess vitamins, such as copper. This copper intake then causes an imbalance/deficiency of zinc and subsequently magnesium.

    Should we add prozac/SSRIs to our water to thwart depression and make the populous happier?

    Most of the world doesn't medicate their water, and their citizens are surprisingly healthier than us in the US & Australia where we "medicate" our water. How about we give people access to clean, pure water and let them supplement as they & their doctors see fit?

  • As bans spread, fluoride in drinking water divides communities across the US
  • "The authors conclude that available evidence suggests that fluoride has a potential to cause major adverse human health problems, while having only a modest dental caries prevention effect": https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3956646/

    I’m against removing it completely is because it’s not clear that it isn’t helping prevent tooth decay

    ^ I think this logic needs to be reversed - the burden of proof must be abundantly clear with few to no risks before it should be considered. The paper above also highlights interesting aspects about the initial test which spurred water fluoridation in the US. This was also a time in which broad public awareness of dental hygiene was first entering mainstream - was the causality due to amended tap water, or more tooth-brushing?

    There's a reason most of Europe (and most of the world) doesn't fluoridate their water, and their teeth are statistically healthier than the USA & Australia, where most tap water is fluoridated.

    In my opinion the water fluoridation debate has become associated with nut-job conspiracy theorists and the "don't tread on me" crowd. There are legitimate concerns, and the debate has been ongoing prior to Roswell, etc. There are literal conspiracies diluted in public perception/sentiment by wacky theoretical conspiracies and the types who espouse them.

  • As bans spread, fluoride in drinking water divides communities across the US
  • Without chlorination people would get sick and possibly die. Amoebas & bacteria can enter our bodies when showering or even flushing a toilet - via aerosolization. Chlorination is also important for the water infrastructure itself, and to prevent buildup within home pipes and appliances.

    Should we put multi-vitamin compounds in our drinking water too? It is strange that this one thing is added to water vs the host of other compounds which are shown to benefit human health.

  • As bans spread, fluoride in drinking water divides communities across the US
  • The website in the article, had anyone read it without their personal bias scoffing at the title and going straight to comments, contains much of this info - I recommend giving it a gander.

    98% of Europe doesn't fluoridate their water. IATP provides statistics and primary concerns: https://www.iatp.org/sites/default/files/Facts_about_Fluoridation.htm

    Per the NIH: "Children in endimic areas of fluorosis are at risk for impaired development or intelligence": https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3409983/ Note: the “high” level in the report below is easily achievable by a standard diet and recommended water intake, assuming fluoridated water is both ingested and used in food processing and cooking. This excludes exposure via fluoride toothpaste.

    Fluoride and cancer: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3283934/

  • As bans spread, fluoride in drinking water divides communities across the US
  • There's quite a list of well-documented risks, actually. The anti-fluoride website highlighted in the article goes into some of it, but the one I'm intrigued by is the established link between IQ and fluoride. The "high" level in the report below is easily achievable by a standard diet and recommended water intake, assuming fluoridated water is both ingested and used in food processing and cooking.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3409983/

  • As bans spread, fluoride in drinking water divides communities across the US
  • Please do your own research, as this is a very controversial subject which has been fought since its inception, with entrenched opinions. Here's a primer:

    • Too much fluoride is bad for humans, and the threshold can achieved with a standard diet and recommended intake of water, assuming fluoridated water is used for both consumption and food prep. This excludes fluoride toothpaste.
    • Fluoride can not be removed from tap water using standard water filters, or even R/O filters. Removal requires highly specialized filters which utilize aluminum to chemically un-bind the fluoride, which then require a separate filtration statge to remove the aluminum.
    • This is because fluoride creates some of the strongest chemical bonds, and is the reason it is the primary component in PFAS, or "forever chemicals"
    • Very little of our tap water actually touches human teeth.
    • Fluoride is a problematic byproduct of the production of aluminum and fertilizer industry.
    • Buildup of fluoride in urban/suburban soils is becoming a crop & gardening concern for which there is no viable solution.
    • Fluoride tablets were administered as a remedy for hyper-thyroidism, as it decreased thyroid function. Fluoride is believed to be a factor in the increase of modern hypo-thyroid ailments
    • Fluoride is a known carcinogen.
    • Fluoride is a known neurotoxin, shown to reduce IQ - particularly for children. Many pediatricians advise against fluoride toothpaste at young ages.

    Most of the research done on fluoridating tap water was done in the early 1940s & 50s, well in advance of modern dental hygiene and fluoridated toothpaste use. Studies do definitively show applying fluoride directly to teeth does strengthen tooth enamel, but modern studies are mixed, at best, regarding efficacy of fluoridated tap water between equivalent socioeconomic communities. No studies have been conducted regarding dermal absorption of fluoride , believed to further elevate intake.

    I think the simplest solution is to let people choose for themselves, and add fluoride to their personal drinking water if that's what they choose.

    We don't need to fluoridate water in our toilets, showers, or irrigation.

  • Why still using the imperial system?
  • All plans use mm exclusively. Airport blueprints, for example, are in mm. At first blush it seems excessive, but it makes sense from a consistency & accuracy POV - 6.096m takes up 2 more characters than 6096 - they don't even need to specify the units "mm", because it is assumed, and anything else introduces room for error.

  • Were we delayed due to RC's health?

    ! ! ! !

    TL;DR up top: RC may have recently emerged from a possible health crisis, with a renewed impetus to cement his legacy & seize the day, ready to commence with his plans.

    Please poke holes in this theory. I hope RC hasn't had a crisis, but it may explain some things. If true, he appears to be on the mend so my stance remains optimistic & bullish regarding GME & all possible ventures of RC.

    Everyone was commenting on reddit that something is off about Pulte's original pic; that RC almost looked fake, and without hands/fingers showing perhaps it was AI-generated. I agree, something is off. My first reaction: I've seen this look before. I brushed off the initial pessimism and began to assess it rationally.

    • Unanimous observation that he appears thinner
    • Receded hair line
    • Heterochromia (right eye blue, left brown), but may be lense flare.
    • This is the first image of him we've seen since November 20, 2022 when he did his GMEDD interview.
    • RC pump & dump case continually delayed since July of 2023. Objectively baseless, this should've been dismissed late last year but the wheels of justice are turning inexplicably slowly.

    Unfortunately I've seen the effects of chemo on one's skin. It can give faces a grey-ish "uncanny valley" wax-statue look, with darker leathery skin in the extremities. This was my first impression of RC's face - that he's recovering from chemotherapy. Let's break down the other observations:

    • Thin. Granted, he's not an inherently bulky guy, but compared to his previous appearances he looks like he just returned from a Mexican ayahuasca retreat where he fasted in a sweat lodge for a few weeks. If he actually did, lets hope the experience has granted him the mental clarity and revelations he was seeking.
    • Receding hair line can be accelerated by biologic stressors, but this could also be genetic factors, shorter hair accentuation, and the fact that we haven't seen him in 466 days
    • Heterochromia: one of his eyes looks blue-ish. This may be due to camera lens flare, but I'm uncertain it'd have this effect on rendering the contrast of an eyeball. Perhaps photographers or those familiar with image processing can chime in. Regardless, heterochromia is a known effect of chemotherapy.
    • Not that it's expected, but his hands are hidden in each picture. Is this deliberate? The effects of chemo can be very pronounced in hands, making them look dark and leathery.

    This is conjecture on top of speculation, but consider these points as well:

    • In the GMEDD interview, RC said he doesn't want to ever be CEO again. He gets too absorbed into the job and it destroys his work-life balance. We may be witnessing the physical toll of being the CEO of Gamestop. With his wealth he has the option of never stressing about anything, ever again. Instead, he has chosen to see the mission through & help secure our investments. For that, I am extremely grateful. If he took on that role while also undergoing treatment... I cannot fathom.
      • I'm still dismayed he took on the CEO role. My only interpretation is that it is a temporary gambit due to imminent M&A.
    • The P&D class action against him has been dragging on forever. The claim is baseless and holds even less (approaching log 0?) merit considering the shares were extinguished AND he never exceeded the 10% threshold, considering options don't equate to ownership & stock buy-backs, likely fraudulent, were a contributing factor. Yet the judge continues to delay the case, month after month. Could it be the delays were at RC's request due to his health? If so, perhaps the next court date won't be delayed, finally?

    Not to be dismissed as shillery, I think the leap day pictures indicate optimism - he's likely on the mend. The fact that he has hair, albeit short, and is in the presence of others in public (not in isolation) bodes well to this speculative prognosis - chemo nukes your immune system and, much like AIDS, a common cold could become life-threatening. His hair is also short; chemo doesn't always result in hair loss, but his short hair could indicate a recent re-emergence of hair follicle growth.

    TL;DR up top: RC may have recently emerged from a possible health crisis, with a renewed impetus to cement his legacy & seize the day, ready to commence with his plans.

    ...or I may be a moron who watched too much Dr. House, MD back in the day.

    2
    This seems significant given recent speculation & Xbox's news about going all-digital.
    www.gameinformer.com Phil Spencer Teases "Future Of Xbox" Event Next Week

    Potentially addressing the rumors of exclusives going multiplatform.

    Phil Spencer Teases "Future Of Xbox" Event Next Week

    There's some dk-butterfly-related excitement and speculative hype around next week which will likely be a nothing-burger, but this is the promise of GME-affecting news (for better or worse), considering Microsoft's initiative to no longer sell physical game "tokens" (that's all the discs are these days).

    This reminds me of RC's tweet/reply on July 17th 2023 to Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, saying "Satya, GameStop is a large Microsoft customer. I've been trying to reach you and being ignored."

    We can only hope this is good news. Perhaps the broader Xbox community's massive negative feedback regarding this revelation has forced Microsoft to either A) reverse the decision and promise continued physical game discs/tokens, or B) reveal their future plans for cryptographic game authorization tokens, IE NFTs, which might provide answers (or somehow tie into) regarding GME's cancelled NFT marketplace & Playr.

    2
    Help designing a tiny solar system

    For several years I've used a Raspberry Pi Zero for sensors, camera & door motor control which opens & closes a chicken coop door. The Rpi & controller is 5v, the motor is 12v. This has been powered by around 50' of extension cord, but the elements are beginning to weather the cord & we also need to move the chickens further away from our mains. I think it is time to implement solar. I aspire to assemble a PV, battery, & converter system which:

    • Uses an off-the-shelf 12v PV panel (30w or so)
    • Uses LiFePO cells for heat resiliency & stability
    • Provides both 12v & 5v power
    • Isn't proprietary; uses standard, easily-sourced components... unless it meets specs perfectly & isn't terribly expensive.
    • Minimal power draw; at most 2 amps @ 12v for 10 seconds twice daily.

    Does anyone have suggestions regarding this configuration, know of a post, blog, or video which does something similar, or is willing to ID components you'd recommend for this project?

    5
    InitialsDiceBearhttps://github.com/dicebear/dicebearhttps://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/„Initials” (https://github.com/dicebear/dicebear) by „DiceBear”, licensed under „CC0 1.0” (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)MO
    MossyHabitat @lemmy.world
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