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Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine

 Discussion on question by StudentOfLi…

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Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 26, 2023 21:33
You said your advisor wasn't a very present person to guide you, but you said that he was supportive nonetheless. However his attitude toward you changed abruptly (IIUC). Can you identify an event that could have prompted this sudden change of his stance? BTW, knowing your country and culture you come from could be useful to identify misunderstandings. Academia speaks English and I assume you are highly proficient, but when it comes down to interpersonal relationships cultural mismatches could lead to severe misunderstandings even when both parties know English well.
 

 Discussion on question by dreamforge:…

Imported from a comment discussion on worldbuilding.stackexcha...
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 15, 2023 09:53
@TheDemonLord Well, at the time there was no Australia either. ;-) Everyone knows that Earth was flat until the "spherical Earth" lobby built the other half of the planet to support their absurd claims :-D
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 15, 2023 09:53
@TheDemonLord OK, but the OP is talking about 15th century.
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 15, 2023 09:53
@TheDemonLord Well, in Australia they had a hard time against rabbits, and they didn't spit fire.
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 15, 2023 09:53
@DKNguyen The keyword is finely seasoned :-) Once they acquire this exotic taste, no way the Drakons will risk alienating our army of Masterchefs :-D
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 15, 2023 09:53
@DKNguyen Yep. Maybe addict them to gourmet cuisine humans can do so well. After all roasted humans are sooo boring flavor after a while. What about finely seasoned hippo filet? :-)
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 15, 2023 09:53
This reminds me somewhat of The Reign of Fire film.
 

 Discussion on answer by trikeprof: Ho…

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Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 6, 2023 17:00
@trikeprof Please, don't get me wrong. If the OP audience were not made up of specialists, that is a whole different situation. In that case a rigorous scientific presentation/discussion is not to be expected and there is no need to be completely explicit and preserving the audience from the worst expressions not only is legit but also warranted.
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 6, 2023 17:00
@trikeprof An example of how self-censorship could do more harm than good: imagine doing a research on some terrible nazi texts. If you begin to abridge the material and reach some conclusion then you open the door for neonazis to tell you you "mistook" the sense of what you criticized or analyzed, so doing them a favor.
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 6, 2023 17:00
@trikeprof sorry no, i don't agree. The most subtle kind of censorship is self-censorship. If we are talking about science we must strive for objectiveness. Extreme example, if a scientist's son died from ebola virus should she avoid being involved in studies about ebola virus? Words can hurt and create huge damage, but if any science research is to be done, then it can't be "abridged material". Otherwise we are not talking about science, but about politics, religion or some other discipline, but not science.
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 6, 2023 17:00
I'm not a specialist in linguistics (although I worked on linguistic resarch projects in my past), but I was in academia and research, so I take the scientific approach very seriously. I wouldn't consider science something where people talk about some sensitive argument with some "blindfold" on. Yes, this shouldn't happen before an uneducated audience, but as I understood that's not the OP case.
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 6, 2023 17:00
... How do you talk about slurs without quoting them? With paraphrases? Then you could introduce more misunderstandings. Especially if the scope of the research is to produce useful results (maybe prevention?). To borrow a metaphor used in another comment, if you want to study the effects of bombs, sometimes you have to make the bombs explode (in a contained and controlled environment, I mean).
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 6, 2023 17:00
Caveat: mine is a layman perspective on this, since I'm not a specialist in the field. What I feel is that if the audience is made up of specialists who are there to do science, then censorship for sake of not hurting someone's sensibility may be highly counterproductive. Science needs the maximum degree of objectiveness, especially in fields where "objective", non biased experimental results are not so easily attained (I mean, linguistics is not physics after all). ...
 

 Discussion on answer by Astralbee: Wo…

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Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 1, 2023 14:30
@MichaelHarvey ... When the waiter put the dish in front of him I stared silently at the dish for a moment, then I looked at him and I spelled a single word loudly: meow! He looked at me and at his dish, he was all red in the face, sweared at me half-jokingly and said angrily something that can be roughly translated as "Crap! Now I can't really eat this f... thing!". And he really couldn't force himself to! We all erupted into a mad laughter, tears in our eyes (even the sad guy who had to order something else)! :-)
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 1, 2023 14:30
@MichaelHarvey As far as verbal jokes go, some 30yrs ago, some university fellows and I went to a Chinese restaurant for dinner. Just before we had been joking about the fact that some Chinese restaurants were somewhat shady about the ingredients they used for their dishes. We had already changed discourse, and one of those guys had ordered some kind of rabbit-meat dish. ...
 

 Discussion on question by Lorenzo Don…

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Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Apr 27, 2023 16:32
@MasonWheeler Yep! Definitely!
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Apr 27, 2023 16:32
@SteveMelnikoff Thanks for this POV. I didn't really follow the development of Starship, so I thought it were in a more advanced state of development. I was misled by the hype Italian media gave to the launch: although they said it was a test launch, from the TV reports seemed to be it was some kind of "final" test before an actual mission.
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Apr 27, 2023 16:32
Note: I had to roll-back an edit which erased the original Italian text citation and introduced typos. I explicitly cited the original text because it is needed to prove the consistency with my translation, in case the original link go stale (as it is likely with all news links).
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Apr 27, 2023 16:32
@JörgWMittag Please, see my edit for why I was assuming 2 and 5. Your point 3 is part of an answer, so thanks. I assumed they would use pyrotechnics in a way they could reuse the thing anyway, maybe replacing just some joints. I was apparently wrong in this respect.
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Apr 27, 2023 16:32
@GremlinWranger see my edit.
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Apr 27, 2023 16:32
@GremlinWranger Some articles I read and news reports in Italian TV seemed to imply that was the major cause. I'll add something in the question.
 

 Discussion on answer by Ertai87: Is -…

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Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Apr 15, 2023 17:50
@Ertai87 "There are no jobs that are traditionally female-dominant, because there is no traditional dominance for women in the workforce (dating back over a century)." This is absurdly false and really needs fact checking on your side (I'm assuming you are not being intentionally sexist, giving you the benefit of the doubt). There are lots of payed-for activities (what I generally I view as a job without tying the term to specific legislation) where woman were and are dominant.
 

 Discussion on question by nuggethead:…

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Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Apr 3, 2023 04:40
I guess a man walking near the meter can get a photo with a smartphone and leave the actual reading to an employee in front of a PC at the company's building. That would be a very quick procedure and very difficult to spot unless you were monitoring your meter from a window 24/7.
 

 Discussion on answer by Justme: How t…

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Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Nov 10, 2022 14:43
@Kartman Probably you are joking, but just to be sure: there is no "china export" marking. Chinese manufacturer of cheap or bogus devices use to put the CE mark on their product even if it doesn't conform to EU regulation. To avoid incurring in "EU commission wrath", they changed the symbol (the letters are shrunk horizontally) so that possible lawsuits or WTO actions could "fizzle". This practice has lead to naming that squeezed CE symbol "the China Export" symbol as tongue in cheek.
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Nov 10, 2022 14:43
@MrUpsidown Avoid cardboard at all costs! It may not be insulating enough, depending on type, and if it gets wet for any reason it could do nasty thing (never, ever mix electricity and liquids, unless you know VERY WELL what you are doing), and kids are very likely cause for things to get wet in a normal household!
 

 Discussion on answer by Kilisi: How t…

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Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Sep 24, 2022 21:52
@stef If you want to improve your knowledge on cultural differences you could read this book (The Culture Map - Eryn Meyer). It's enlightening and could avoid you fatal blunders in social interactions involving people from different cultures.
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Sep 24, 2022 21:52
@Stef Social interactions are not trials before a judge. There is no universal right to get an answer to any question one may ask. If you ask me something I don't want to answer because I find it an intrusion of my privacy, lying is in my right without being called a liar, as absurd this may sound to you. In some cultures these "non-truths" are not considered "lies", and calling someone a liar because of them can get you into big troubles socially (and sometimes even before a court).
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Sep 24, 2022 21:52
@Stef Please, before judging someone, try to learn that different cultures treat social interactions differently. Social conventions are extremely country- or even region-specific. Even if we could agree to what can be considered a lie ("not telling the objective truth"), in some cultures it could be highly offensive to be asked something that warrants a lie as an answer.
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Sep 24, 2022 21:52
@Stef I would be highly offended by a colleague calling/considering me a liar because I responded to him with an excuse just to be polite to him. Social conventions are highly country-specific and we don't know anything about the country of the OP, so we should assume nothing, although I get some "western country vibe" I couldn't place him in the USA or in some European country, where these social conventions vary wildly, especially between southern "latin" countries (e.g. Spain, France, Italy) and more Nordic countries (e.g Germany, the Netherlands, UK, etc.).
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Sep 24, 2022 21:52
@Stef "This is lying". It depends on the country you live in whether or not this kind of lie is actually something bad. In countries like Italy such "white lies" are quite common and are a socially acceptable way to refuse to do something instead of giving a blunt "no" without explanation. You don't need to give explanations, but in some countries this is considered rude, as it is rude to not catch the hint and still "rise the bet" like "oh, you are shopping, I need go shopping too, I'll tag along"....
 

 Discussion on answer by user6726: Is …

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Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Jul 6, 2022 13:29
@Flater IANAL, so sorry if I don't know USA legal terms with their exact meaning. I repeat, in Italy, there is a specific article (which I cited in a previous comment) of criminal code that comprises the situation the OP has described. I wasn't trying to debate about the finesses of legal jargon. I just wanted to point out that in other countries the approach of the legislator AND the judges is different, in relation of whether or not there is "imminent danger".
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Jul 6, 2022 13:29
@Flater That's not the situation we are discussing. To be clear, my objection to your original comment was that "imminent danger" is not relevant here in Italy if the minor has been left alone (albeit safe). Here is an article of a specialized site (in Italian) describing a case where our supreme court for criminal cases ruled against a mom leaving a 5y old in a car.
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Jul 6, 2022 13:29
@Flater ... and at the end "If the meaning [of abandonment] is the ability of the child to defend himself from [...] dangers, like hunger, hypothermia, [...], the judge must carry out a difficult task of assessment of the environment and the maturity of the minor"
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Jul 6, 2022 13:29
@Flater ... As Wikipedia points out at the end: there are some interpretative difficulties. In particular (translation by me) "The concept of abandonment [...] is not explicitly defined in terms of intent, timing or context. Therefore, during the years, there have been debates and sentences which dictated some boundaries to that notion." ...
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Jul 6, 2022 13:29
@Flater I said "operate". The point is agency. The fact that the person is helpless is fundamental. The problem is not the fact that at a given point in time the conditions are considered safe. The problem is that without agency the conditions could change and the child could do nothing about it. In Italy the crime of abandonment is regulated by art.591c.p.. ...
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
Jul 6, 2022 13:29
@Flater, Here in Italy leaving a child unattended, whether in a car or anywhere else, could be a penal crime in itself "abbandono di minore" ("under-age person abandonment"). The discriminant for the crime is the age of the child and their state of helplessness in the environment where they are left (a 12y teenager that can operate the air-con/get out of the car is different than a 5y child strapped on a seat). If the person is helpless and the caregiver leaves them even for a short time, it's a crime (more or less). This is true also for adults: a caregiver for a disabled person, for example.
 

 Discussion on answer by Anonymous Phy…

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Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 31, 2022 14:27
@Buffy "The child has an interest in doing well and impressing their parent. The parent has an interest in the child actually doing well, not just appearing to do well. " Sorry, this is quite naive or from a perspective where corruption and/or private interests are a non issue. Here in Italy there are plenty of cases where someone in a power position tries to influence the grades of their children at all level of educations.
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 31, 2022 14:27
@Buffy Just in the province where I live the head of Italian-language schools (we are a multilingual autonomous province) is under investigation for allegedly pressuring a teacher to rise his son's grades. Article in Italian: ilfattoquotidiano.it/2022/05/17/…. The article says the investigation is now over and the prosecutor has found evidence of some misconduct. It's not clear yet if the case will reach the court.
 

 Discussion on question by buoyantforc…

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Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 30, 2022 21:00
Knowing the country where this happens could help getting more focused answers. Although general ethics principles may be transnational, local culture, practice and laws varies wildly across countries.
 

 Discussion on answer by ohwilleke: Is…

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Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 30, 2022 19:39
@DJClayworth. Just to be clear, I didn't want to call you out or something. I just wanted to criticize the NRA statement you referred to. :-)
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 30, 2022 19:39
@DJClayworth Good luck with finding good teachers which are also good shooters AND have the training to keep calm during a shooting with assault weapons! Like Rambo (or SWAT leader) with a degree in, say, chemistry, history or engineering (and the patience of a gentle mom while teaching kids)! How much are school institutions willing to pay for such an unusual mix of skills!?!
Lorenzo Donati support Ukraine
May 30, 2022 19:39
@Esther That's the problem, IMHO, of 2nd amendment in USA. USA citizens find it normal to carry a gun even in places where in other (democratic) countries the mere act of carrying a gun would mean jail time. Heck! Here in Italy the mere possession of ANY "war weapon" or a part thereof is a criminal offense. Even the possession of a single cartridge case of expended ammo for an assault rifle is considered illegal!
 

 Discussion on question by Struggling_…

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Lorenzo Donati -- Codidact.com
Feb 12, 2022 09:28
@Arno The relevance is context and country dependent. I made also a reference to an abrogated Italian law to show the relevance. What constitutes "public decency" is highly subjective, hence rules that go against swearing are liable to be a mean of curtailing free speech: today "fuck" is against decency, tomorrow accusing a corrupt politician is, the day after tomorrow dissenting with the government becomes "indecent". We have plenty of countries even nowadays in which this is true sadly.
Lorenzo Donati -- Codidact.com
Feb 12, 2022 09:28
Keep in mind that freedom of speech is taken very seriously in western democratic countries. If swearing is not targeted at people (so is non-discriminatory), rules against it are somewhat a sensitive subject, since it's easy to fall into censorship abuse, which reminds too much of old regimes that ravaged Europe decades ago. There is a thin line between ruling against too much "bad words" and shutting people mouth.
Lorenzo Donati -- Codidact.com
Feb 12, 2022 09:28
In Italy we had an article of criminal law that punished with a somewhat harsh fine someone who "used expressions contrary to public decency". Although it was almost never enforced in later years, still it was abrogated in 1999.
 

 Discussion on answer by Steeven: Why …

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Lorenzo Donati -- Codidact.com
Jul 30, 2021 11:23
@CarlWitthoft "...it's easier to 'break stiction" by rotating..." that's not generally true. This is true if you use your hand on those mushroom-shaped corks used for champagne bottles. As DKNguyen said, it's because of leverage. Some corkscrews used for "plain" wine bottles have a lever mechanism that greatly ease pulling the cork out straight.
 

 Discussion on answer by o.m.: Why doe…

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Lorenzo Donati -- Codidact.com
Jul 27, 2021 00:46
@Heinzi The sad thing is that "everyone" wants the advantages of EU, but none of the obligations (Hungary and, to a lesser extent, Poland, for example; many nationalists or populists parties in several EU countries). This completely defies the spirit that made EEC become the EU in the first place. We are falling prey to the egoism and nationalisms that the "fathers" of EU wanted to get rid of. EU has lots of problems, but divided we'll be crushed by other great powers in no time (economically). China and Russia already tried to foster divisions among EU members. Even Trump tried it.
 

 Discussion on answer by 3C273: In a l…

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Lorenzo Donati -- Codidact.com
Jul 23, 2021 12:03
@BprDM Well, although the OP may ask for X, a reasonable answer may also be "no, you really should do Y". That is, an acceptable answer could be based on rejecting some of the premises of the question (in this case, that 5e is well suited for the light-combat style). Of course the answer should be well researched and supported by data/examples/information as this answer actually is (not that I agree on every point of it, but the OP is actually asking for somewhat opinion-based answers).
 

 Discussion on answer by Winchell Chun…

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Lorenzo Donati -- Codidact.com
Jul 20, 2021 11:33
@sharur ... moreover, the motors needed to move the whole "revolver" would have to be overpowered, since at each "click" they have to move every fighter in the "drum", not only the one being launched. So there are a number of fighters that cannot yet launch, and are there like sitting ducks, not (completely) protected by the carrier's hull. And this latter will be "open" when "drum" is deployed. If you want to retract it, it will take much longer than closing all the "torp tubes" or hangar hatches, since it's mass is going to be much bigger. And you need an external door there anyway.
Lorenzo Donati -- Codidact.com
Jul 20, 2021 11:33
@sharur You make some good points, on which I agree (although in real warfare, being able to land on a carrier even when under fire is a real concern -- you don't always choose your combat scenario). And the railgun/catapult thing is also a good point, and also reinforces my point: the "revolving chassis" is utterly complicated and inefficient. If the chambers are to be used as railguns/catapults you need big power lines and fluid conduits to reach the chambers. With a revolving structure it's incredibly hard, it introduces a lot of failure points and it's maintenance nightmares. ...