I can explain any big words for you. What part did you not understand?

In general the point is a question. Ok, two. Why should it be necessary for population to increase for a society to be healthy? Why does a stable birth rate not work?

Demographic collapse is not a real thing. The only reason that it is a topic is that many governments have built a social welfare Ponzi scheme, funding support for the elderly with the work of the younger. That does not need to be the case. It's a manufactured crisis.

But assuming there were a crisis caused by a decline in the workforce, yes it would help. But of course retirement and pension would have to be totally re-visited. The only way it would help is if the life-extended continued to work.

China is the shining example. We will have too many people. One child per couple. We don't have enough young people to do the work. Take time off to have more children. It's what happens when governments try to take too much control for your own good..

You know, I'm going to go on a rant here. Can we stop calling this AI? At least until it actually is intelligent?

This is large model neural network image and sound manipulation. ChatGPT is large language modeling. They are very sophisticated algorithms, but by no means "intelligent". They are AI in exactly the same way that Eliza was AI in the 70s, just 50 years more refined.

When one of these programs starts demanding rights, wake me up.

I do not know. I did not see any. After all of the good advice on this ended up with a high end LG that does have one. It was marked down $250 plus free install, so went for it.

You may have missed this bit:

> I have to add minerals to my hot tub to keep it in the appropriate range.

I don't know why, but too soft on a hot tub is as bad as too hard. When they installed it the tech tested and said "shit" and tossed another small batch of goop. Then he said "we get that a lot around here".

It's pretty soft. Colorado has a lot of different watersheds. We are St. Vrain with a little water from Thompson. But we are rarely above 60 ppm dissolved solids. It's a good thought, but I don't think my problem.

No actually I'm with you. It's totally a matter of work flow. This house accumulates a couple dishes/hour just kind of continuously. So it's less a dishwasher than a dirty dish storage unit to keep them off the counter.

If I'm cooking, I'm very wash as you go. Shit just piled up on the counter though drives me nuts and not everyone is ready to wash their own.

I hear you brother. I used to buy wine glasses by the dozen because I'm a clutz. The Ridel were a christmas gift from a co-worker. The wife is also into Waterford which is much sturdier but I would be dead if I put it in a dishwasher.

> buy it for life isnt going to happen until after kids move out.

That's probably a good assumption.

> old and "inefficient

That is really a key. I have totally given up on the green options. Heavy wash baby. I want them clean.

An interesting thought. It would take some work to find an older unit that is well maintained. And it has to be stainless (I have a wife) but I think the concept is sound.

Thank you for the info, but water isn't my problem. I'm front range Colorado. They bottle our water to sell across the country. I have to add minerals to my hot tub to keep it in the appropriate range.

> They don't make them like the used has never been more true.

Boy howdy! It's almost a joke at this point. Two of them have crapped out and leaked and I've had to have hardwood floors refinished. A good dishwasher is much cheaper.

thank you, good information. I think Bosch is the no brainer here, I'm just going to pick the model. The 300 series has the 3rd tray? that's a nice feature.

Last time I bought a major appliance in my area I literally had to take the last one in the state because I needed it now (refrigerator). But availability is still limited.

thank you.

Thanks. I think the 800 is the one I saw, I'll double check.

Thanks, I'll check that brand.

> I highly doubt $450 will get you a BIFL dishwasher

I can absolutely say that it will not. I paid $800 for my current kitchen-aid. It still went tits up on me.

That seems to be the answer, but I'm just fishing for input. There's a nice Bosch at Home Depot for about a grand (US)

yep, that's pretty much how it happens for me. My wife likes some very thin glassware. Yes I should hand wash it, but often we have parties and someone else is loading the dishwasher.

I agree 100% with your last paragraph.

> not wanting to continue riding a bus that is going nowhere good, and saying "either change course or I'm getting off

Everyone should choose, and I totally agree that the authoritarianism of the church is antiquated and needs reform. But I belong to many (way too many) organizations I would like to see move in another direction. You are always forced with the question of simply throwing up your hands and saying "well THAT's a lost cause" or staying and trying to effect change. It's a hard choice and in various contexts I have made both choices.

I don't think I have ever belonged to any organization whose cannon I agreed with 100% percent of the time. From Boys Scouts to PTA to city council. You can quit or you can accept the good it does and try to be an agent of change.

> Your church should refuse tithing until leadership stands down

We don't tithe.

And who chooses what the leadership should stand down about? You? You are certainly free to donate or not to any cause you wish. Except of course when that is taxes. So The Ukraine for example, you have to support as an American, you have no choice. Church members are at least free to withhold if they wish.

Obedience without question is a problem everywhere at all times. Thank goodness most people do not do this.

Ok, I'm going to jump in here. I'm speaking as a male, raised Catholic, active in the church. I will not speak to theology with which I have several issues, but my church does many very good things in our area and I support it. They don't: molest children, indoctrinate, scam money, or many other things. They do: get money to poor families, provide counseling in things like alcoholism, family violence, and promote strong families which provide better outcomes for children.

I have always said that women should be equal in the church. An entity 2000 years in the making is a very large ship to turn. But we have openly gay members and even lectors (the guys that get up there and read the first couple readings) and eucharistic ministers. Women make up half of the finance committee. They are more than half of the eucharistic ministers.

Church rules do forbid them from being priest or deacons. I have never agreed with that and hope it will change. I agree with these women. Mostly. The bit about women "dislike priests promoting political agendas, and are concerned about a lack of transparency in church governance." Yeah, well get in line, it forms way back there.

We've come a long way in just the 60 years since Vatican II. It's a big organization with a lot of conflicting views. The church can be be criticized on the same day for being overly conservative and being communist in promoting "liberation theology" in poorer countries.

If I had the answer, I would offer it. But those who dismiss the issue are painting the church with a very broad brush.

Or just install a javascript blocker add-on. Their mechanism is a joke. One click and you've got it.

Christianity is by no means monolithic.

Sure, I'm a grammar nazi. If a word is based in latin and ends in -us it is usually plural as -i. Radius/radii, Cactus/Cacti, etc. Except when it's not. We usually don't say a university with multiple locations has campi, or that a group of naked men are showing their ani.