Mark Webb

Science fiction writer, clinical oncology researcher

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@chriswithans @wadeere Versus $15k in closing costs, then he's hoping to make up the balance in the spread between investments and mortgage over time? No.

Maybe he pulls the money over years to reduce capital gains? Either wait to buy the house or take the tax hit. Don't play dumb loan games.

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@aforevered @DropSiteNews Tarmac is quick to rebuild. But then again, so are many of these buildings. People forget that the other side also adapts, recruits, and rebuilds. Today's success is only good for today. Both sides will study it for tomorrow.

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@orsonscottcard Don't make yourself part of the momentary propaganda. Trump will shift and call you stupid when his whims change:

"No new wars"
"Trump does quick strikes, not regime change wars"
"It's not a war"
"Regime change through bombing only"
"A long war is good"
"Boots on the ground"

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@mayank5885 @ayeshavisk41781 You only need the first 3 hints. H1&2 eliminate 6. H3 says 2&0 are in, but where? Last # is 1 or 4 from H2, not sure yet. H1 says 2 at 3rd spot. Back to H3, 0 must be 1st spot. H2 again, can't be 1, since it's in the wrong spot. Ergo 042 with only 3 hints.

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@ComicDaveSmith @AugusteRodin16 @shawna_a_vet Right. Everyone - including you - says the war propaganda this time is ineffective. This explains why the war started out as uniquely unpopular. I wonder what kind of propaganda a different DNI would have churned out.

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@AlexStepherylh @ryangrim Best I can guess: he survived, but is injured in hospital. The strategy is to hide damage, not death. They expect him to return to health and then they'll pretend nothing happened. It's the same strategy as hiding satellite images of strikes: never show weakness.

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@chriswithans Wait, I calculated that wrong. They didn't have the whole $112k to invest on day 1. They paid an extra $1,867.59/mo. TMV of that PMT over 60 mo says they could have made $40k in stocks over 5 years, vs. $60k in interest savings.

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@chriswithans Looking at the TVM math, it's still not that bad a trade-off. $150k @ 3% 30yr PMT=$632.41. That's $38k @ min PMT, so they paid an extra $112k. Interest diff on 30 vs 5 yr payoff = $60k.

Could have gained $90k at risk in stocks. They got $60k no risk.

That's ... not bad.

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@kolstIRL @theficouple @money_cruncher 1. You're right. I read that wrong.
2. I would personally rather take out a loan at 8% interest than 28%. But I have an emergency fund for that kind of expense so it doesn't come up.

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@theficouple @money_cruncher The catch is the second part: liability protection. When you use the card as an emergency fund, once the emergency hits, you'll carry a balance, and get stuck in a hole where you'll struggle to pay the balance each month.

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@ryangrim I'm not sure about "deservedly so" because the American majority consistently votes for candidates who run against all the wars and belligerence. We still believe in the virtues, but our government trashes our standards. Best we can do is denounce them and vote them out.

Again.

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@theamelia__ Time is probably the right answer.

But the BEST answer is SOCKS 🧦!! A new pair every day. Going for a walk? Pull a fresh pair from the drawer, never been worn before. Step in a puddle of water? Just an excuse for that fresh new sock feeling. That's luxury.

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@Matt_Pinner Catsbane, the eviscerator

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@HardcoreHistory Lots of numbers in this episode, with lots of uncertainty. How much of this comes from the problem with all large numbers before the invention of Arabic numerals? Both initial counts and records kept as strings of letters were notorious for error.

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@TruthHolder2023 @imetzach By this line of logic, LDS don't believe Jesus is God (not really, even in they claim to), and therefore they're not Christian in the most meaningful way.

Of course, LDS get off that line of logic right from the start by rejecting creation ex nihilo.

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@TruthHolder2023 @imetzach This is a subtle point that it took me a long time to understand. It starts from belief in ex nihilo creation and follows to the belief that God alone is the uncreated creator. If Father and Son are separate, the Father created the Son, who must then not be God.

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@_coconutts Do it with a microtome blade. Accidentally slid my thumb on one of those once. It was a quick, delicate, and surprisingly deep cut.

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@ThisMomSaid President Kimball once said, "there's not enough of the smell of smoke in our sacrament meetings."

Not that I care about your nose ring. More to others reading, who feel like their sins are visible when they walk in the door: if sinners weren't welcome, church would be empty.

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@stackerco @FatherChrisVor1 Hadn't Smith previously floated plans to settle in the Great Basin? If Young had led a military action, they'd have gotten bogged down defending Nauvoo instead of migrating.

Young had to know from the 1830's that a 2-center church was unworkable. He had to choose.

[Mark Webb @sclmlw]

@ryangrim If I say I don't like broccoli, then someone murders blind orphans in the name of broccoli hatred, that doesn't say anything about me.

One or two data points do not a trend make. We don't have to throw out all context and reason to be sad and outraged.