Zack Hiwiller
@zackhiwiller.com
20+ years as a professional game designer. Author. Football official. Board gamer. Dog lover. I was the main character of video games internet for two days in 2010. Opinions are always my own. No one else would take credit for them.
Reposted by Zack Hiwiller
It's all third spaces, baby. Used to go bowling, used to cover Skynyrd in the garage, used to have a car club. Now we've got Theo Von on in the F-350 on the way home from your 11-hour workday.
Though I'm actually a bit confused on the causation. The idea that American masculinity prevents friendships between men sounds totally plausible to me, but are masculinity norms *that* much worse now than they were in 1990? Something has to explain the huge shift.
July 31, 2025 at 2:50 AM
It's all third spaces, baby. Used to go bowling, used to cover Skynyrd in the garage, used to have a car club. Now we've got Theo Von on in the F-350 on the way home from your 11-hour workday.
Reposted by Zack Hiwiller
It’s not simply doing this, or doing it without congressional approval, or doing it without explanation of risks, or doing it without declaration of war, or doing it on behalf of an ally mid-genocide. It’s the fickleness that suggests what’s to come.
Rule, war, death by his whim.
Rule, war, death by his whim.
June 22, 2025 at 12:09 AM
It’s not simply doing this, or doing it without congressional approval, or doing it without explanation of risks, or doing it without declaration of war, or doing it on behalf of an ally mid-genocide. It’s the fickleness that suggests what’s to come.
Rule, war, death by his whim.
Rule, war, death by his whim.
Reposted by Zack Hiwiller
There are no distractions. It's all bad. Systematically stripping trans people of their rights, guys in balaclavas shoving any brown person with a tattoo into a ummarked vans, ending healthcare for millions. It's all in service of fascism and technofeudalism. It's all one thing. That's the point.
June 18, 2025 at 5:52 PM
There are no distractions. It's all bad. Systematically stripping trans people of their rights, guys in balaclavas shoving any brown person with a tattoo into a ummarked vans, ending healthcare for millions. It's all in service of fascism and technofeudalism. It's all one thing. That's the point.
Reposted by Zack Hiwiller
The MAHA report appears to be almost identical to a 2023 document put out by “Children’s Health Defense,” the antivaxx front that RFK Jr. used to pay himself >$20K/wk for spreading disinformation. It appears AI was used to make the tone more official sounding & add citations, many of which are fake.
🧵New from me:
MAHA Report Appears to Plagiarize a 2023 Document Published During RFK Jr.’s Tenure at CHD
infoepi.substack.com/p/maha-plag...
MAHA Report Appears to Plagiarize a 2023 Document Published During RFK Jr.’s Tenure at CHD
infoepi.substack.com/p/maha-plag...
MAHA Report Appears to Plagiarize a 2023 Document Published During RFK Jr.’s Tenure at CHD
The report maintains a veneer of inquiry, but its structure and many of its claims closely mirror those of a document produced under RFK Jr.'s leadership at another organization.
infoepi.substack.com
June 1, 2025 at 3:34 AM
The MAHA report appears to be almost identical to a 2023 document put out by “Children’s Health Defense,” the antivaxx front that RFK Jr. used to pay himself >$20K/wk for spreading disinformation. It appears AI was used to make the tone more official sounding & add citations, many of which are fake.
Does Doom the Dark Ages pick up after the tutorial time? I played 90 minutes or so and it didnt hook me much? I like 2016 but didnt really like Eternal. I do dig the w40k-style setting.
May 17, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Does Doom the Dark Ages pick up after the tutorial time? I played 90 minutes or so and it didnt hook me much? I like 2016 but didnt really like Eternal. I do dig the w40k-style setting.
Don't write headlines like this and then juxtapose them next to different stories if you don't want me to think they are related.
May 9, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Don't write headlines like this and then juxtapose them next to different stories if you don't want me to think they are related.
Got to see Devin Townsend last night. He's taking a touring break, so who knows if I'll ever see him again.
May 5, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Got to see Devin Townsend last night. He's taking a touring break, so who knows if I'll ever see him again.
Reposted by Zack Hiwiller
Why even have a brain, any ideas, any ability to express them, any kind of communication with other people, any desire to solve problems or invent anything, any reason to learn, any use for your eyes or your heart, or any reason to teach or create
April 15, 2025 at 12:12 AM
Why even have a brain, any ideas, any ability to express them, any kind of communication with other people, any desire to solve problems or invent anything, any reason to learn, any use for your eyes or your heart, or any reason to teach or create
Reposted by Zack Hiwiller
When you lived in the year 2000, everything about humanity was solvable with technology. Hate and prejudice and war was just lack of information to the common people.
We were going to solve everything. It was so easy it was so obvious.
We were going to solve everything. It was so easy it was so obvious.
April 30, 2025 at 9:56 PM
When you lived in the year 2000, everything about humanity was solvable with technology. Hate and prejudice and war was just lack of information to the common people.
We were going to solve everything. It was so easy it was so obvious.
We were going to solve everything. It was so easy it was so obvious.
Reposted by Zack Hiwiller
We went to Southern Hill Farms on this beautiful Holy Saturday with friends! I took so many pics but here are some of me and Zack!
April 19, 2025 at 10:34 PM
We went to Southern Hill Farms on this beautiful Holy Saturday with friends! I took so many pics but here are some of me and Zack!
Finally reached Room 46 in Blue Prince last night. I haven't felt triumph in a game like that in a while.
April 17, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Finally reached Room 46 in Blue Prince last night. I haven't felt triumph in a game like that in a while.
Reposted by Zack Hiwiller
Today is an ABSOLUTELY NUTS day for PC games:
Promise Mascot Agency
Blue Prince
Monaco 2
Talos Principle Remake
Crashlands 2
Hollywood Animal
Pilo and the Holobook
Girls Made Pudding
Signal Creek
Willow Guard
Harpagun
Kaya's Prophecy
Time Gal & Ninja Hayate HD
Snowrunner DLC
Dave The Diver DLC
Promise Mascot Agency
Blue Prince
Monaco 2
Talos Principle Remake
Crashlands 2
Hollywood Animal
Pilo and the Holobook
Girls Made Pudding
Signal Creek
Willow Guard
Harpagun
Kaya's Prophecy
Time Gal & Ninja Hayate HD
Snowrunner DLC
Dave The Diver DLC
April 10, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Today is an ABSOLUTELY NUTS day for PC games:
Promise Mascot Agency
Blue Prince
Monaco 2
Talos Principle Remake
Crashlands 2
Hollywood Animal
Pilo and the Holobook
Girls Made Pudding
Signal Creek
Willow Guard
Harpagun
Kaya's Prophecy
Time Gal & Ninja Hayate HD
Snowrunner DLC
Dave The Diver DLC
Promise Mascot Agency
Blue Prince
Monaco 2
Talos Principle Remake
Crashlands 2
Hollywood Animal
Pilo and the Holobook
Girls Made Pudding
Signal Creek
Willow Guard
Harpagun
Kaya's Prophecy
Time Gal & Ninja Hayate HD
Snowrunner DLC
Dave The Diver DLC
Highly recommend the Boox Palma 2 for working towards curing phone dopamine addiction. (Yes I'm posting from my phone.)
April 9, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Highly recommend the Boox Palma 2 for working towards curing phone dopamine addiction. (Yes I'm posting from my phone.)
Reposted by Zack Hiwiller
Ominous New Report Just Lists Places To Hide
theonion.com/ominous...
theonion.com/ominous...
April 8, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Ominous New Report Just Lists Places To Hide
theonion.com/ominous...
theonion.com/ominous...
Reposted by Zack Hiwiller
I have been running a trade deficit with the grocery store for years. As much as I buy from them, they refuse to publish any of my columns.
The simple truth is that Trump believes that, if we send money to a county in exchange for stuff, we've just lost because now they have our money
Trump: "I spoke to a lot of leaders -- European, Asian, from all over the world. They are dying to make a deal, but I said 'we're not gonna have deficits with your country' ... to me a deficit is a loss. We're gonna have surpluses or at worst we're gonna be breaking even."
April 7, 2025 at 12:51 PM
I have been running a trade deficit with the grocery store for years. As much as I buy from them, they refuse to publish any of my columns.
Reposted by Zack Hiwiller
Blue Prince isn't just going to be the best game of 2025, it's going to go down as one of the best games of all time. If you're a puzzle sicko and you love nothing more than keeping a notebook next to you, this game was designed for you baby
April 7, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Blue Prince isn't just going to be the best game of 2025, it's going to go down as one of the best games of all time. If you're a puzzle sicko and you love nothing more than keeping a notebook next to you, this game was designed for you baby
I will sing the praises of Blue Prince everywhere. I played it for an awards competition and put it down after 12+ hours just so I could come back when it was done. Never done that for a game I've judged before.
The review embargo just went up for possibly one the greatest puzzle games ever created
Blue Prince (Xbox, PS, PC) is stunning, a hybrid strategy/puzzle game, an architectural rogue-lite
Your initial goal: find the 46th room in a 45-room house.
My Feb piece: www.gamefile.news/p/the-develo...
Blue Prince (Xbox, PS, PC) is stunning, a hybrid strategy/puzzle game, an architectural rogue-lite
Your initial goal: find the 46th room in a 45-room house.
My Feb piece: www.gamefile.news/p/the-develo...
The developer of a game called Blue Prince knew exactly what to say to me
Sometimes you get to try out an upcoming game...and the meeting goes perfectly.
www.gamefile.news
April 7, 2025 at 1:55 PM
I will sing the praises of Blue Prince everywhere. I played it for an awards competition and put it down after 12+ hours just so I could come back when it was done. Never done that for a game I've judged before.
AI calorie counter is smart to think that I would eat the entire package of Vanilla Oreos, but it shouldn't make that assumption.
April 7, 2025 at 1:45 PM
AI calorie counter is smart to think that I would eat the entire package of Vanilla Oreos, but it shouldn't make that assumption.
My manager is sleeping on the job again.
April 4, 2025 at 6:25 PM
My manager is sleeping on the job again.
Reposted by Zack Hiwiller
It is 2002. I am 18 years old. We are in a once-in-a-generation economic crisis.
It is 2008. I am 24 years old. We are in a once-in-a-generation economic crisis.
It is 2020. I am 36 years old. We are in a once-in-a-generation economic crisis.
It is 2025. I am 41 years old. We are in a—
It is 2008. I am 24 years old. We are in a once-in-a-generation economic crisis.
It is 2020. I am 36 years old. We are in a once-in-a-generation economic crisis.
It is 2025. I am 41 years old. We are in a—
April 2, 2025 at 10:01 PM
It is 2002. I am 18 years old. We are in a once-in-a-generation economic crisis.
It is 2008. I am 24 years old. We are in a once-in-a-generation economic crisis.
It is 2020. I am 36 years old. We are in a once-in-a-generation economic crisis.
It is 2025. I am 41 years old. We are in a—
It is 2008. I am 24 years old. We are in a once-in-a-generation economic crisis.
It is 2020. I am 36 years old. We are in a once-in-a-generation economic crisis.
It is 2025. I am 41 years old. We are in a—
Reposted by Zack Hiwiller
Nothing - absolutely nothing - prevented news organizations from running this headline before the election, when it was equally true as now and could have made a difference.
April 2, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Nothing - absolutely nothing - prevented news organizations from running this headline before the election, when it was equally true as now and could have made a difference.
Reposted by Zack Hiwiller
Economic Suicide by Dipshittery
April 3, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Economic Suicide by Dipshittery
Reposted by Zack Hiwiller
guess where they got their weird trade deficit math from?
i went to the pit for y'all and brought back the screenshots with alt text
i went to the pit for y'all and brought back the screenshots with alt text
![chatgpt log:
What would be an easy way to calculate the tariffs that should be imposed on other countries so that the US is on even-playing fields when it comes to trade deficit? Set minimum at 10%.
Reasoned about trade tariffs and deficits for 10 seconds v
A straightforward (if naïve) method is to set the tariff rate for each trading partner equal to the percentage share of the trade deficit relative to that country's total imports-always no less than 10%. In formula form:
Tariff Rate (%) = max(10, (Trade Deficit ÷ Total Imports) *
100)
For example, if the US runs a $20 billion deficit on $100 billion worth of imports from a country, the calculated rate is (20/100)×100 = 20%. If the deficit were only 5%, you'd still impose a 10% floor.
This method ignores the intricate dynamics of international trade-such as elasticities, retaliatory measures, and supply chain nuances-but it provides a blunt, proportional rule to "level the playing field." One might implement it in Python like so:
[code]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:iyz5zf463ic52vqbonyu2ebu/bafkreigbalqxjorllnpelbwe5kcla5fdedxvgv3cicxdsrbdxarodif5ba@jpeg)
![Grok:
the deficit. The deficit as a percentage of total trade is
$295B/$582B = 50.69%. Using the formula Tariff% = 10% +
(Deficit% × Scaling Factor), we choose a scaling factor of 50 for illustration:
• Tariff = 10% + (50.69% × 50) = 10% + 25.345% = 35.345%, rounded to 35.3%.
This means a 35.3% tariff on Chinese goods could be proposed to offset the imbalance, aiming to reduce imports and encourage domestic production or exports.
Extending to Other Countries
To provide a broader view, here's a table of top US trading partners with 2024 deficits, using data from The Motley Fool and similar calculations (assuming scaling factor of 50 for consistency):
[data table headings]
Country
Deficit
(USD
Billion)
Total
Trade
(USD
Billion)
Deficit %
Calculate d Tariff %
China
-295
582
50.69%
35.3%
Mexico
-172
840
20.48%
20.2%
Vietnam
-123
(Data incomplet e, estimate)
~30%
25.0%
Ireland
-87
(Data incomplet e, estimate)
~25%
22.5%
Germany
-85
(Data incomplete estimate)
~20%
20.0%](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:iyz5zf463ic52vqbonyu2ebu/bafkreietqlxsi5akdrvtp2rwqpc6kt6g6bbb2dppqcfn2j4q7xkofn4f4y@jpeg)
April 3, 2025 at 12:42 AM
guess where they got their weird trade deficit math from?
i went to the pit for y'all and brought back the screenshots with alt text
i went to the pit for y'all and brought back the screenshots with alt text
The great thing about having close to no non-bot followers here is I can post my absolute dog-water Switch 2 takes and still get those endorphins.
April 2, 2025 at 7:39 PM
The great thing about having close to no non-bot followers here is I can post my absolute dog-water Switch 2 takes and still get those endorphins.