papasquat's recent activity
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Comment on Ubisoft shut down The Crew. Here is what we can do about it. in ~games
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
papasquat Link ParentOne of the things that I think elden ring really missed the mark on was the level scaling. Dark souls really made you specialize and get a build that did one, and only one thing well. By midgame...One of the things that I think elden ring really missed the mark on was the level scaling.
Dark souls really made you specialize and get a build that did one, and only one thing well.
By midgame in elden ring, your character starts being able to do almost everything really well. It's rare to see an ER character that doesn't use magic in some form, for instance.
In dark souls, you really had to commit if you wanted to be a magic user. The level design also felt the most elegant out of any soulsborn game.
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Comment on Seattle’s law mandating higher pay for food delivery workers is a case study in backfire economics in ~finance
papasquat Link ParentHere's what I don't get. Pizza and Chinese places have done delivery for decades, and they were able to do it at the same cost of dine in food, plus a pretty small tip for the driver. That...Here's what I don't get.
Pizza and Chinese places have done delivery for decades, and they were able to do it at the same cost of dine in food, plus a pretty small tip for the driver. That business model seemed to have been sustainable, because basically every Chinese and pizza places business model was built around it and it had been profitable for years.As soon as Uber eats, door dash, GrubHub and the like came around, that same pizza delivery would cost you an additional 50% on top of the regular price, plus a tip.
Obviously the drivers aren't being paid great, and the companies are now just barely starting to become profitable, and the restaurants aren't getting additional money, so what gives?
Were delivery restaurants operating at a loss with deliveries? Did in person dining subsidize the delivery costs? Did they just inflate their prices across the board so that delivery could be profitable? Did people previously tip much better?
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Comment on Seattle’s law mandating higher pay for food delivery workers is a case study in backfire economics in ~finance
papasquat Link ParentAgreed. I cannot understand the mindset that goes into being able to regularly justify spending that much more for something that's already incredibly expensive (eating out vs cooking at home). It...Agreed. I cannot understand the mindset that goes into being able to regularly justify spending that much more for something that's already incredibly expensive (eating out vs cooking at home).
It also makes me feel incredibly lazy and wasteful. Like, not am I so lazy that I can't be bothered to cook something, but I can't even be bothered to get in the car to go get it either? It feels like a bridge too far too me and the few times I've done it I'm left feeling kind of disappointed in myself.
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Comment on How to tell if a conspiracy theory is probably false in ~science
papasquat Link ParentDisputing very obvious reality is just as bad as making it up. I don't think it's a moving goalpost at all. If you search chemtrails content online, virtually all of it is based on misindentifying...Disputing very obvious reality is just as bad as making it up.
I don't think it's a moving goalpost at all. If you search chemtrails content online, virtually all of it is based on misindentifying contrails from mostly jet airliners as chemical spraying. Not chemical crop dusting aircraft, which fly far lower, and don't create trails that linger in the air.
The core belief isn't "sometimes planes spray chemicals", because basically anyone would dispute that. Obviously planes spray chemicals for various reasons at some times.
The belief is "the contrails commonly seen at high altitude are actually from chemical spraying, and the government is hiding that."
That's why it's a conspiracy theory. There's a conspiracy involved as a core part of the belief.
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Comment on Bike brands start to adopt C-V2X to warn cyclists about cars in ~transport
papasquat Link ParentWe place a lot of restrictions on cars' movements. Speed limits are a thing. Traffic lights are a thing. And the reason we accept centralized control on public transit seems pretty obvious to me....We place a lot of restrictions on cars' movements. Speed limits are a thing. Traffic lights are a thing.
And the reason we accept centralized control on public transit seems pretty obvious to me. They're owned by an outside authority, which is the whole reason they're public, and not private transit. Centralized control is intrinsic to the entire concept.
It's not intrinsic to private transit. Forcing it in adds an entirely new failure mode to a very complicated system.
And GPS failing isn't farfetched at all. The one on my phone fails multiple times a week. I've watched Uber drivers warp to another block on the app before. GPS jammers are very easy to build and already exist. GPS signals are also very easy to spoof.
The reason why people can hack your GPS governer and not your ECU is because your ECU is not connected to a wireless network. GPS intrinsically relies on a wireless network, and for a system that's being to described to be in any way workable, it would need to be able to apply regular updates to its database via terrestrial wireless networks too.
All of those things add immense complexity and vulnerability to the core functionality of what every car does for a living.
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Comment on Bike brands start to adopt C-V2X to warn cyclists about cars in ~transport
papasquat Link ParentIt does, but that's predictable, can be planned around, and isn't the result of a single organization having control of a system. Having a GPS signal able to directly control the speed of my car...It does, but that's predictable, can be planned around, and isn't the result of a single organization having control of a system. Having a GPS signal able to directly control the speed of my car is none of those things if something goes wrong. It's an additional failure mode that relies on a ton of external infrastructure with many, many potential points of failure.
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Comment on Bike brands start to adopt C-V2X to warn cyclists about cars in ~transport
papasquat Link ParentI'd be pretty uncomfortable with that level of centralized control in charge of my main means of transportation. If your solution was guaranteed to always work 100% of the time, then I wouldn't...I'd be pretty uncomfortable with that level of centralized control in charge of my main means of transportation.
If your solution was guaranteed to always work 100% of the time, then I wouldn't have as much problem with it in theory, but we live in the real world.
Abuses of power happen, system outages happen, cyber attacks happen. Having my, and everyone else's main form of transportation centrally controlled by some system somewhere that is potentially subject to all of those things isn't something I, or probably most people would be ok with signing up for.
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Comment on Bike brands start to adopt C-V2X to warn cyclists about cars in ~transport
papasquat Link ParentIt doesn't imply that we don't have better solutions, just that they're not yet implemented. I don't know why people in this thread are acting like it's a zero sum game, and we can either...It doesn't imply that we don't have better solutions, just that they're not yet implemented.
I don't know why people in this thread are acting like it's a zero sum game, and we can either implement technology that may save some lives, OR persue safer street designs, and we can't do both things at the same time.
Even if there was zero chance that streets would never be designed to be safer for cyclists, it would still be worth pursuing technology that might make cycling (and driving) safer.
As an aside, it's incorrect the assume that solutions in the urban design space will never be implemented. Many, many cities are investing more heavily pedestrization, and bicycle infrastructure across the US, and cycling as a form of transportation is increasing.
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Comment on Bike brands start to adopt C-V2X to warn cyclists about cars in ~transport
papasquat Link ParentOne of the selling points of C-V2X is that it doesn't require a cell network. There's a device to device mode that doesn't require a carrier to exchange messages.One of the selling points of C-V2X is that it doesn't require a cell network. There's a device to device mode that doesn't require a carrier to exchange messages.
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Comment on Bike brands start to adopt C-V2X to warn cyclists about cars in ~transport
papasquat Link ParentExcept technology has saved us from a lot of things, especially when it comes to road safety. Three point seatbelts, airbags, ABS, crumple zones, LKA, automatic breaking have saved thousands upon...Except technology has saved us from a lot of things, especially when it comes to road safety.
Three point seatbelts, airbags, ABS, crumple zones, LKA, automatic breaking have saved thousands upon thousands of lives.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't also focus on other ways to make streets safer, but there's no way you can pretend that technology hasn't made it safer to drive.
Like yes, technology isn't perfect, but that doesn't mean we can't pursue imperfect, but better technological solutions while also trying to improve safety in other ways.
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Comment on My not so nice thoughts on Battlestar Galactica in ~tv
papasquat Link ParentI kinda disagree with the poster above about TNG. Personally, Deep Space Nine is my favorite Star Srek, but it's somewhat similar in tone to BSG, which makes sense because Ronald D. Moore was...I kinda disagree with the poster above about TNG. Personally, Deep Space Nine is my favorite Star Srek, but it's somewhat similar in tone to BSG, which makes sense because Ronald D. Moore was executive producer and a prominent writer on both.
TNG is a much different show to both of those though, in Tone, Writing, Characterization, and structure.
TNG is almost entirely an episodic show. There are small elements that carry over from episode to episode, but most episodes have nothing to do with the other ones, they're self contained stories outside of a handful of two-parters.TNG's writing tends towards optimism, while the other two tend toward pessimism. BSG and DS9 are very, very character focused, while TNG is more plot focused, and much of the drama of BSG and DS9 comes from interpersonal conflict within the main cast, while TNG's cast are basically all friends who have no major issues with one another, and the conflict comes externally.
I wouldn't write off TNG just because you don't like BSG. Hell I wouldn't even write off DS9, but out of the two, DS9 is definitely a lot more similar.
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Comment on How the US is destroying young people’s future | Scott Galloway in ~life
papasquat Link ParentThe parties are shaped mainly by primaries, not by people abstaining from voting. The US system is built so that parties have internal election first, and those primaries are where you get the...The parties are shaped mainly by primaries, not by people abstaining from voting. The US system is built so that parties have internal election first, and those primaries are where you get the fidelity you're talking about. But young people don't vote in general elections much, and they especially don't vote in primaries. Abstaining does not push your party closer to where you want them to be. You become a nonfactor in their eyes. Voting in a primary sends a way, way stronger message, even if your primary candidate isn't nominated.
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Comment on How to tell if a conspiracy theory is probably false in ~science
papasquat Link ParentIt's not really a kernel of truth. No one disputes that many organizations have, and still do spray chemicals from airplanes. Crop dusting still occurs, cloud seeding happens, aerial experiments...It's not really a kernel of truth. No one disputes that many organizations have, and still do spray chemicals from airplanes. Crop dusting still occurs, cloud seeding happens, aerial experiments happen.
The claim that chemtrail advocates make specifically is that contrails currently coming from commercial airliners are actually some sort of chemical agent intentionally being released. That's not the case, is provably false, and there's no aspect of truth about it at all. -
Comment on Macklemore - Hind's Hall (2024) in ~music
papasquat Link ParentLet's not pretend that it's maybe. Trump is actively campaigning on making life for Palestinians worse than it is already. He's literally staring in black and white what he'll do if he gets...Let's not pretend that it's maybe. Trump is actively campaigning on making life for Palestinians worse than it is already. He's literally staring in black and white what he'll do if he gets elected, and it's the exact opposite of "prevent innocent suffering"
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Comment on Macklemore - Hind's Hall (2024) in ~music
papasquat Link ParentYou live in a two party system, that's the reality of the situation. Voting for a 3rd party because Biden isn't left enough may encourage the Democratic party to make a leftward turn in the...You live in a two party system, that's the reality of the situation. Voting for a 3rd party because Biden isn't left enough may encourage the Democratic party to make a leftward turn in the future, or it could as easily encourage them to become more conservative in an attempt to gobble up more moderates.
The one thing that it would do in the upcoming election would be to help Donald Trump get elected, who I think we can all agree would not show the same level of restraint towards Israeli foreign policy as Biden has. So who really has blood on their hands?
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Comment on How to tell if a conspiracy theory is probably false in ~science
papasquat Link ParentChemtrails is a tough one, because it's always so slippery. I've known people who believed in it, and I was in a somewhat unique place to debunk it, having been an aircraft mechanic in a past...Chemtrails is a tough one, because it's always so slippery.
I've known people who believed in it, and I was in a somewhat unique place to debunk it, having been an aircraft mechanic in a past life.
The theory always starts with a very strong assertion like "all commercial airliners are constantly dumping clandestine chemicals in the atmosphere for nefarious purposes". As you start logically tearing that very obviously provably false claim down, it gets narrowed and the goalposts shift.
For me, it was bringing up that aircraft maintenance people have to do regular inspections of an aircraft, and they're familiar with every major system on the aircraft.
It would be literally impossible to not notice huge tanks of chemicals, pumping equipment, and spraying nozzles even on the biggest, most complicated aircraft on a preflight inspection, which every commercial aircraft undergoes by multiple people every time it flies, which would require tens of thousands of aircraft maintenance people, one of whom is me, (most of whom don't even have security clearances) to maintain a massive lie that they don't even benefit from.
Then the claim gets narrowed to "well not all of them do it, only some", and they have dedicated teams.
Which, yeah, the thousands of airport staff would definitely notice an entirely new, shady crew with their own hangar popping up every so often and messing with airliners.
This goes on and on until the claim eventually becomes "well crop dusters exist", to which I agree that yes, crop dusting aircraft do indeed exist.
Then they've "won" the argument and I've conceded that chemtrails are a real thing. It's a really irritating tactic.
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Comment on Fear the Mad Catz - The worst video game controllers ever in ~games
papasquat Link ParentButtons aren't well suited to analog control. It feels very unclear where the end and beginning of the range is. It isn't intuitive to feel how lightly you can touch it and still register an...Buttons aren't well suited to analog control. It feels very unclear where the end and beginning of the range is. It isn't intuitive to feel how lightly you can touch it and still register an input, or how hard you have to mash it to get the maximum input. Triggers and sticks don't have that issue. You get very clear visual and tactile feedback when you're at zero and when you're at maximum.
That's the main reason they've never been appealing for me.
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Comment on Nathan Berman has helped rescue Manhattan’s financial district from a “doom loop” by carving attractive living spaces from hulking buildings that once housed fields of cubicles in ~design
papasquat Link ParentI mean, the experts are the ones that designed the fire codes, so by definition they're not over strict according to experts in the field. NYC isn't unique in that requirement either. Most (maybe...I mean, the experts are the ones that designed the fire codes, so by definition they're not over strict according to experts in the field. NYC isn't unique in that requirement either. Most (maybe even all?) states require egress windows in bedrooms. The international building code also does. It's not just an arbitrary quirk of a specific jurisdiction.
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Comment on Nathan Berman has helped rescue Manhattan’s financial district from a “doom loop” by carving attractive living spaces from hulking buildings that once housed fields of cubicles in ~design
papasquat Link ParentWell yeah. It's not hard to get around any part of an apartment building in an emergency, unless those parts are on fire or full of smoke. Smoke inhalation can knock you unconscious in 2 minutes....But usually, when an apartment is small, it’s not hard to go to another room in the same apartment in an emergency.
Well yeah. It's not hard to get around any part of an apartment building in an emergency, unless those parts are on fire or full of smoke.
Smoke inhalation can knock you unconscious in 2 minutes. In the amount of time it takes you to wake up, realize what's going on, freak out, jump out of bed, open the door, run through your smoke filled living room, go into your smoke filled bedroom, where some other person(s) are doing the same thing, open the window and get out, there's a very good chance you've already hit the floor.
If the living room is on fire, you're not doing any of that. You're trapped, and all you can do is wait to die.
There's a very good reason fire codes exist, especially in a place like New York city.
The game's been out for 10 years at this point. The people still playing it have gotten god knows how many hours of entertainment out of it after paying what, 60 bucks for it? Yeah it sucks they can't play it anymore, but it's not like they were ripped off or anything.