Oak

Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.

This is the age of RTO and TRO (Return to Office/Temporary Restraining Order).

Netanyahu has spent the better part of two decades trying to strong arm the United States into an unprovoked war against Iran and finally found a president stupid enough to do it for him. Unbelievable.

I'm not a perfect person and that's why I'm trying to absorb the Dharma.

Donald Trump does NOT want you to share this footage of his pathetically tiny birthday parade crowd.

Importantly, Buddhist practice is not about achieving a future state of awakening, as though it were a distant goal. Awakening is already present within us — not as an idea, but as a capacity for direct knowing. Goodnight everyone sleep tight.

Um, how about neither? I don't think this "ensure security in the middle east" thing would be too wholesome in practice. More like killing lots of people for Israel.

I’m so damaged that the more fucked up things get the more hopeful I become that we’re getting closer to the breaking point. It will burn very brightly.

Summer 2025 edition

I have this theory. You may disagree, and that’s fine, I’ve gone back and forth too over the decades. A two state “solution” is a Zionist ploy. In case you missed it, Zorhan said it correctly the other night. There needs to be one state with equal rights and justice for all.

How old are you in images?

Informative vid on Buddhism's different refuges.

Three Marks of Existence (Buddhism): 1. Conditioned things are impermanent. 2. Conditioned things don't satisfy. 3. No thing has an unchanging self.

This is happening in Florida.

Morning meditation — To experience the Buddha directly. https://wp.me/pFy3u-a8c

I take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.

This has always been the GOP's strategy: 1) Cut taxes for the wealthy & corporations by claiming they'll pay for themselves. 2) Explode the deficit. 3) Demand cuts to vital programs that help millions. 4) Repeat. They're trying to get away with it again.

Started doing 'meditation on the breath' as a teen with some positive results. I'm taking it back up now.

The reason you're having trouble concentrating if you are here in the US is because we're basically being chased around by serial killers and being asked to disregard the fact.

Buddhist meditation: If a major fear or worry arises, tell it you’ll give it attention later. Remarkably, this works. The mind, like a restless child, often settles once it knows it will be heard. Goodnight everyone take care of yourself.

Watermelon is popping right now. Sweet with a slightly grainy texture that I favor.

My process for SAN DIEGO SUNSET

Whoever lets passion, aversion, Conceit, and hypocrisy fall away Like a mustard seed from the tip of an awl, I call a brahmin. Dhammapada (407) [Gil Fronsdal translation]

Gray hair does not Make one an elder. Someone ripe only in years Is called "an old fool." It's through truth, Dharma, harmlessness, restraint, and self-control That the wiae one, purged of impurities, Is called "an elder." Dhammapada (260-261) [Gil Fronsdal translation]

And a bonus for those enjoying aspects of past reading: here are eyeglasses hidden within the papers! Reading was part of the material worlds of paper usages.

As a smith does with silver, The wise one Gradually, Bit by bit, Moment by moment, Removes impurities from oneself. Dhammapada (239) [Gil Fronsdal translation]

You won't believe what this is a reaction to.

Insightful thread. We're used to the left-coded antimarket rhetoric of "filthy lucre," and the antisocial nature of selfish transactions in the market. But Trump's hatred of the market is that of the pirate or warlord, who respects gains from domination but has only contempt for peaceful exchange.

So true. I find that after a certain point, rolling problems around in my head just causes my brain to overheat (as opposed to revealing potential solutions).

Currently reading Shambhala Publications' version of the "Dhammapada" and Penguin's "Buddhist Scriptures".

Noble Eightfold Path for ending suffering (Buddhism): 1. Right view. 2. Right resolve. 3. Right speech. 4. Right action. 5. Right livelihood. 6. Right effort. 7. Right mindfulness. 8. Right concentration.

White supremacy is brewing the IRL "planes falling from the sky" scenario.

So many people have grown up to be the villains of our stories.

MET Gala wardrobes (not just this year's) are annoying as Hell. Can't explain why.

Thus, Tathāgata is not merely a title but a profound expression of the Buddha’s journey — his departure from delusion and his arrival at truth — serving as an inspiration for practitioners seeking ultimate awakening. Goodnight sleep tight.

We live in the dumbest timeline ever.

It seems like ages ago that Donald Trump turned the South Lawn into a car showroom to boost the profits of Elon Musk’s sputtering Tesla business. But it was just over a month ago. That’s the kind of daily, open corruption that’s just another day in this administration.

Trump taking monies going to those pesky intellectuals and minorities.

Always funny to me that Yarvin is held up as the great intellect of the New Right and then when he argues for stuff it's this - here's some etymology for a synonym of a word you're using, so we gotta have a tyrant -- checkmate libs. Behold the philosopher.

Three quick points: 1) Performativity has an extremely valuable place in opposing Trump. 2) Opposing him reflexively is fine, and more than merited by his track record. 3) The idea that the way to oppose him is via a non-ideological coalition free of any belief in anything is a weird centrist kink.

I'm getting more sad about getting laid off. My work means so much to me. I'm a really good reporter. I've been getting scoops every single week lately, while also doing in-depth, award-winning reporting. I have good ideas! New email: nicolecarpenterwrites@gmail.com www.polygon.com/23776996/bar...

Sometimes it feels that half of the people here are non-voters

the conservative vision for america: life should be as painful as possible until somebody shoots you to death