Working on databases from prison • Hacker News Board

Re: Working on databases from prison

#561

Post by bufferoverflow » Wed, Jun 18, 2025, 3:21 PM UTC

jdenning wrote: post #482

bufferoverflow wrote: post #416

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Decriminalization in Portugal and in Oregon ended up in disasters. Resulted in more drug addicts, more violent crime, more crazy behaviors, more people laying or crawling in the streets. https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/the-hard-drug-decrimina...

I agree that decriminalization in Oregon didn't go well, but it's more complicated that "decriminalization doesn't work". I lived in Portland at the time (and yes, I voted for decriminalization). What I observed: - The rehab programs were never properly available - The general culture in Portland made it very difficult for the city to form any coherent response to homelessness. Most people in Portland really want to…

Things got so bad, that you had to move, as a result of all the policies that you support. Consider that your policies are not good, and your defense of them doesn't look like defense at all.

And some of your reasons make no sense. COVID/fentanyl didn't just hit Portland.

> stopped even bothering arresting people

Oh, look, the direct consequence of your actions and your policies. You declare that ALL cops are bad, and then complain when they stop doing what they do. And your DA releases nearly all arrested people without a charge because "compassion", so cops have no reason to arrest anyone.

Again, consider that your policies and ideas are horrible.

Re: Working on databases from prison

#562

Post by snickerdoodle12 » Wed, Jun 18, 2025, 3:30 PM UTC

Retric wrote: post #547

snickerdoodle12 wrote: post #545

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have no idea what you're talking about. Instead of waving around vague accusations how about you say what you mean?

“Sealioning is a form of online trolling where someone persistently asks insincere questions to provoke frustration, all while pretending to engage in a civil debate.“ That’s about as direct an accusation as it gets.

Sounds like you and the other commenter are trying to troll me into saying something inappropriate. Nice try, though.

Re: Working on databases from prison

#563

Post by AnimalMuppet » Wed, Jun 18, 2025, 3:35 PM UTC

snickerdoodle12 wrote: post #562

Retric wrote: post #547

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“Sealioning is a form of online trolling where someone persistently asks insincere questions to provoke frustration, all while pretending to engage in a civil debate.“ That’s about as direct an accusation as it gets.

Sounds like you and the other commenter are trying to troll me into saying something inappropriate. Nice try, though.

Not Retric, no. He just gave the definition, and noted that scott_w was essentially accusing you.

Re: Working on databases from prison

#564

Post by Breza » Mon, Jun 23, 2025, 2:52 PM UTC

rustcleaner wrote: post #475

lo_zamoyski wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This sounds good. It is important that we recognize all of the purposes of punishment instead of overemphasizing one or neglecting the other. Punishment has three ends: retribution, rehabilitation, and deterrence. It is important that you pay for your crime for the sake of justice; it is charitable and prudent to rehabilitate the criminal, satisfying the corrective end of punishment; and would-be criminals must be gi…

>"It is important that you pay for your crime for the sake of justice" Oh dang, there's that pesky religious mechanic again! Why can't we build on pragmatism rather than ensuring the Justice God has enough blood-years drained from criminal-victims? Two crimes don't make a justice! Irrelevant addendum: I think I will mix atheism and anarchism as they are very compatible concepts, in that they stand in skepticism of es…

I've read the Bible. Especially as you get towards the end, the books don't seem to have an especially lofty view of the criminal justice system.

I will agree with you that a criminal justice system built "on pragmatism" would certainly conflict with the tenants of many world religions. I recently read Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal, which outlines why pure pragmatism needs to be tempered by a respect for, and indeed love of, every person accused or convicted of a crime.

Re: Working on databases from prison

#565

Post by Breza » Mon, Jun 23, 2025, 2:55 PM UTC

tired-turtle wrote: post #191

ty6853 wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One of the most baffling elements of the justice system is how little the victim is involved in the justice. 'Society' should not lord the lion's share of the justice decisions over the victims. Quite often the victim would prefer compensation and release over getting fuck all while the perpetrator languages in prison at the tax dollar of the victim. Much of 'justice' has been usurped from the victim into a jobs camp…

Distancing the victim from the outcome of sentencing is by design and, arguably, for the better in a democracy. Crimes violate the social order, not just the victim. It behooves us all to have a system wherein (in theory) the system, not the victim, applies a set of rules to determine punishment, as contrary as that might seem to one’s sense of self, morals, etc. It’s a part of why “justice is blind.”

Very well said. Here's a concrete example. After the Charleston church shooting, some members of victims' families forgave their murderer. Should that mean the shooter should have gone free? Certainly not, he was still prosecuted because that is what is good for society.

https://www.wbtv.com/2025/06/17/what-forgiveness-charleston-...

Re: Working on databases from prison

#566

Post by Breza » Mon, Jun 23, 2025, 2:58 PM UTC

ty6853 wrote: post #362

tptacek wrote: post #347

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, I'll just say, when I referred earlier to institutionalized systems wherein victims are given principal roles in meting out justice, I was specifically using that word to contrast with things like xeer clan law --- a system you just implied might be superior to our common law system (it is not). There are "modern" legal systems descended from that kind of oral tradition honor law. You would not want to live und…

I'll be honest, I have not seen a single implemented legal system I would like to live under, although that's not to dismiss all systems as equally bad. I was imprisoned in the USA once because an officer claimed a dog alerted, resulted in being stripped naked and cavity searched -- but that doesn't mean the entirety of our justice system is bad. Which isn't implied to be as bad as, say, a rapist getting away with it…

The fact that someone can be temporarily jailed without any evidence or a change to challenge the charges is a painful compromise that the Founding Fathers made to balance justice (they themselves were at risk of arbitrary imprisonment by the Crown) with order (sometimes you see someone running with a bloody knife and you should arrest him before you trace his steps to find a corpse). Police departments try really hard to push what they can get away with, and there are certainly areas where I wish the courts would constrain them.

Re: Working on databases from prison

#567

Post by Breza » Mon, Jun 23, 2025, 3:02 PM UTC

GoatInGrey wrote: post #339

badc0ffee wrote: post #318

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Militant", really?

Militant atheists tend to embody anti-theism. It typically manifests as active desire to dissuade anybody from holding religious beliefs or performing religious practices. Any clergy, whether faithful or secular, has the capacity to act in a militant fashion.

This is well said. I enjoy reading Ryan Burge's articles about religion. He delves into the stark differences between, as you say, "anti-theism" and the "nones" who are not a member of any religious group whatsoever.