Lots of interesting news today

skyhighZJ said:
The big one I’m trying to wrap my head around is there are literally books for sale on Amazon about the great Maui fire that were realised before the fire was even extinguished. Please Marty McFly explain this to me?? So you’re telling me you wrote, edited, and published a paper back book starting on the day the book was listed and had the knowledge of how it all played out prior to the fire actually running its course. WTF.
Click to expand...
I haven’t paid much attention to the fire or the news surrounding it, but you got me now. Link to Amazon books?
 
Monkeynono said:
It is and it's super shitty. Hell they barely try to hide it anymore
Click to expand...
why would 'they' hide it?

they keep getting elected using the same nepotism/friend/donor/LGBTQA?!/certain skin color priorities vs. actually being efficient, effective, frugal, and 'for the people'

if people wanted change, there are elections every year.
 
skyhighZJ said:
The big one I’m trying to wrap my head around is there are literally books for sale on Amazon about the great Maui fire that were realised before the fire was even extinguished. Please Marty McFly explain this to me?? So you’re telling me you wrote, edited, and published a paper back book starting on the day the book was listed and had the knowledge of how it all played out prior to the fire actually running its course. WTF.
Click to expand...
Link / source for this?
 
skyhighZJ said:
The big one I’m trying to wrap my head around is there are literally books for sale on Amazon about the great Maui fire that were realised before the fire was even extinguished. Please Marty McFly explain this to me?? So you’re telling me you wrote, edited, and published a paper back book starting on the day the book was listed and had the knowledge of how it all played out prior to the fire actually running its course. WTF.
Click to expand...
Not saying there isn’t something to this…because if true it’s sketchy on the surface.
But a few factors make it plausible to me…
1- 6 years ago I did a power system for an Amazon print on demand site. They don’t print books until you order them. At the time they said you could click print on the Bible and it 17 minutes they could receive order, process payment, print, bind, package and ship…it eliminated th need for publishers and inventory.

Combine that with chatgpt and news stories about the fire…

Then combine that with the question of - have any of the books actually delivered…and …I see plausibility
 
Ron said:
Not saying there isn’t something to this…because if true it’s sketchy on the surface.
But a few factors make it plausible to me…
1- 6 years ago I did a power system for an Amazon print on demand site. They don’t print books until you order them. At the time they said you could click print on the Bible and it 17 minutes they could receive order, process payment, print, bind, package and ship…it eliminated th need for publishers and inventory.

Combine that with chatgpt and news stories about the fire…

Then combine that with the question of - have any of the books actually delivered…and …I see plausibility
Click to expand...
This.
Entireply plausible it was "written" using 95% AI and details that were available in the press / social media at the time.
I have colleagues using various AI tools to flush out complete legitimate research papers in a day.
 
RatLabGuy said:
Link / source for this?
Click to expand...
IMG_3847.png
 
RatLabGuy said:
This.
Entireply plausible it was "written" using 95% AI and details that were available in the press / social media at the time.
I have colleagues using various AI tools to flush out complete legitimate research papers in a day.
Click to expand...
But if you go into the details of this book I showed it was submitted on the 8th (when the fire started) and published to Amazon on the 10th when the fire wasn’t even under control/ wrapping up till the 13th. So something still stinks.
 
skyhighZJ said:
But if you go into the details of this book I showed it was submitted on the 8th (when the fire started) and published to Amazon on the 10th when the fire wasn’t even under control/ wrapping up till the 13th. So something still stinks.
Click to expand...
I really think this is just somebody using AI to capitolize on a major event. I can't find this Aug 8 submission date you mention, curious where that is. That could be the date that the submission was first started and they saved a draft (which can be a blank page).
But if you look at the fire timeline, by the end of the day on the 8th it was pretty clear where the event was headed (more than enough to entice somebody to say "this is big, I was to make $$ on it" - and certainly within another 24 hours there was enough to generate a complete "story" from, especially given all the reports are that this so-called "book" is just regurgitation of what was already on social media etc.

I'm much less concerned about what may be behind this story than the person or entity that is intentionally making you suspicious and unbelieving.
 
Last edited:
RatLabGuy said:
I really think this is just somebody using AI to capitolize on a major event. I can't find this Aug 8 submission date you mention, curious where that is. That could be the date that the submission was first started and they saved a draft (which can be a blank page).
But if you look at the fire timeline, by the end of the day on the 8th it was pretty clear where the event was headed (more than enough to entice somebody to say "this is big, I was to make $$ on it" - and certainly within another 24 hours there was enough to generate a complete "story" from, especially given all the reports are that this so-called "book" is just regurgitation of what was already on social media etc.

I'm much less concerned about what may be behind this story than the person or entity that is intentionally making you suspicious and unbelieving.
Click to expand...
I get it and probably me just wearing my hat a bit to tight. Just smells. That and all the other stuff I’m seeing from locals on the ground is making my conspiracy spidey senses go full potato.
 
Life is a conspiracy.
 
this is sweet, but imagine having this much land to burn
 
I'm bringing this back only to say I'm predicting within 24-48 hours Southern Californians are going to be rethinking it :D
www.mortonsonthemove.com

California's Generator Ban: What You Need to Know

The California generator ban will limit the sale of gas-powered generators to reduce the environmental impact of these machines. Learn more.
www.mortonsonthemove.com www.mortonsonthemove.com
 
RatLabGuy said:
I'm bringing this back only to say I'm predicting within 24-48 hours Southern Californians are going to be rethinking it :D
www.mortonsonthemove.com

California's Generator Ban: What You Need to Know

The California generator ban will limit the sale of gas-powered generators to reduce the environmental impact of these machines. Learn more.
www.mortonsonthemove.com www.mortonsonthemove.com
Click to expand...
I’ll be interested to see what kind of support the federal government gives them after this impending hurricane/natural disaster, in comparison to Hawaii
 
skyhighZJ said:
I’ll be interested to see what kind of support the federal government gives them after this impending hurricane/natural disaster, in comparison to Hawaii
Click to expand...
Before the tin foil hats come on keep in mind there are waaaay more people there. SoCal alone is 20x the population of all of Hawaii. There could be easily a 20-40x difference in the # of people affected.

The devastation in Hawaii is tragic and horrific, but in population its like the same as a single suburbian town outside a big city.
 
Last edited:
jeepinmatt said:
Racial justice.
apnews.com

Starbucks told to pay $2.7 million in lost wages to manager fired after arrest of 2 Black men

Starbucks has been ordered to pay an additional $2.7 million in lost wages to a former regional manager who was fired after two Black men were arrested at a Starbucks in 2018.
apnews.com apnews.com
Click to expand...
Soooo... this leaves me with a lot of questions and mixed feelings.
First of all - good to see the justice.
Second - its clear the real winner is the IRS, who gets to collect a lot of random cash for doing absolutely nothing, when no actual work was performed by anybody, especially since as noted its a giant lump sum putting the receiver in a higher bracket.
Third - wtf is the expected annual income value of a Starbucks manager? How many years are they assuming this career would have lasted? Seems like a lot of conjecture, and a really inflated value. Maybe they are anticipating a lot of inflation too :laughing:
Fourth - this person has already received a snotpile of cash in settlements. I'm struggling to understand the logic of piling this on, aside from lawyers, IRS, and individual greed.
Finally - Starbucks has a valid point in their complaint IMO. They are paying out the assumed amount the person would have made had they kept working there. OK, that's fine, but if they just get another job that pays the same or higher, then the plaintiff has no real case about a loss and is just double-dipping. You'd really need to prove they are now unemployable.
 
RatLabGuy said:
Soooo... this leaves me with a lot of questions and mixed feelings.
First of all - good to see the justice.
Second - its clear the real winner is the IRS, who gets to collect a lot of random cash for doing absolutely nothing, when no actual work was performed by anybody, especially since as noted its a giant lump sum putting the receiver in a higher bracket.
Third - wtf is the expected annual income value of a Starbucks manager? How many years are they assuming this career would have lasted? Seems like a lot of conjecture, and a really inflated value. Maybe they are anticipating a lot of inflation too :laughing:
Fourth - this person has already received a snotpile of cash in settlements. I'm struggling to understand the logic of piling this on, aside from lawyers, IRS, and individual greed.
Finally - Starbucks has a valid point in their complaint IMO. They are paying out the assumed amount the person would have made had they kept working there. OK, that's fine, but if they just get another job that pays the same or higher, then the plaintiff has no real case about a loss and is just double-dipping. You'd really need to prove they are now unemployable.
Click to expand...
1. Agreed
2. Agreed
3. Figuring 30 years at $90k/year gets you $2.7mil
4. Agreed
5. I imagine this is a case of "My life is ruined because the doxxing liberal media played me as a racist when that had nothing to do with it", which could make it hard to get an equivalent job of Starbucks Manager. Where else could they work? Target? Same politics.
 
Back
Top