simplify's recent activity
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Comment on Inside the Coyotes' stunning move from Arizona to Utah in ~sports.hockey
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Comment on Inside the Coyotes' stunning move from Arizona to Utah in ~sports.hockey
simplify LinkI'm torn between calling them the Utah Jizz or the Utah Soakers. In all seriousness, I just don't see how moving from Arizona to Utah will ultimately solve the franchises problems. Is there really...I'm torn between calling them the Utah Jizz or the Utah Soakers.
In all seriousness, I just don't see how moving from Arizona to Utah will ultimately solve the franchises problems. Is there really a call for hockey in Utah that's going to explode? What about Indiana? That seems like a market that could sustain an NHL team. What about Wisconsin? Maybe even Kentucky. I don't know. But Utah just doesn't seem like it.
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Comment on I am worthless, I couldn't write a good article or draft to save my life in ~creative
simplify LinkIt sounds to me that you have an inner critic that's stifling you. You said yourself you want to create "mind-blowing" works. That's a lot of pressure to put on yourself. Mind-blowing works of...It sounds to me that you have an inner critic that's stifling you. You said yourself you want to create "mind-blowing" works. That's a lot of pressure to put on yourself. Mind-blowing works of writing can take years to create. Cut yourself some slack.
As someone who has written and published a lot, my advice is to just sit down and let your fingers fly. Don't worry about what's coming out. Just write anything. Stream-of-conscious, even, if it helps you get words on the page. Whenever I write something that's not very good, I just tell myself "I'll fix it in post" and keep moving. If you're unfamiliar with the axiom, "fix it in post" comes from film-making and means that you'll figure out how to make something better in post-production. With writing, that's the editing process. You shoot as much as you can while filming, and then you stitch it together in a more cohesive way afterwards. So write, write, write, and then later on you can make it better.
I don't believe in writer's block. Writer's block is just the writer letting their inner critic rule. And once you realize that your inner critic is an idiot that's simply projecting non-existent judgment upon your process, you can start to see past it and get some real work done.
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Comment on Jack Dorsey quits Bluesky board and urges users to stay on Elon Musk's X in ~tech
simplify Link ParentI get by pretty well with Apple News. If something truly important is breaking, it's at the top of my feed. My partner is subscribed to NYT breaking news alerts and will get an email if something...I get by pretty well with Apple News. If something truly important is breaking, it's at the top of my feed. My partner is subscribed to NYT breaking news alerts and will get an email if something major is happening. I don't see how either of us would be any more informed by using Twitter. I tend to think Twitter users are just addicts at this point.
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Comment on In streaming milestone, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery team on bundle featuring Disney+, Hulu and Max in ~tv
simplify LinkThe consolidation of streaming services will continue because individually these services just aren't profitable enough for these companies. And "profitable enough" means never profitable enough....The consolidation of streaming services will continue because individually these services just aren't profitable enough for these companies. And "profitable enough" means never profitable enough. The balkanization of streaming is anathema to having it all. The comparison to cable is apt because streaming services host loads of content you would never consider watching and ads are being injected more and more. It's a mess navigating streaming services, just like it's a mess navigating cable.
I don't even care anymore. I've been an unabashed media pirate for decades now, but I've only just begun sharing my bounty with friends and family. It's not my fault people are struggling financially, but if I can help those close to me in a small way, I'm going to do it. If you want to watch a show or movie, text me and you'll have it on your television. I'm sick of being nickel and dimed when, even though I make pretty decent money, I can't afford to buy a house comfortably. I'm sick of this corporate mindset of growth at all costs. I'm going to do what I can in my own life to make it the most comfortable I can, because living any other way is masochistic.
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Comment on Musi’s free music streaming app is a hit with thrifty teens. The app claims to tap content on YouTube, but some in the music industry question the legitimacy of that model. in ~music
simplify Link ParentThe people at the top of our society don't care about ethics, so why should those of us at the bottom? We are taken advantage of left and right, and our government doesn't do anything about it. In...Until that point, I think it's unethical not to compensate them for their work.
The people at the top of our society don't care about ethics, so why should those of us at the bottom? We are taken advantage of left and right, and our government doesn't do anything about it. In fact, they seem to encourage it. There's a difference between buying an album from some indie artist you enjoy because you know that it helps them individually and finding a way to stream content for free from one of the biggest corporations in the world that holds some responsibility for how bad things have gotten. Google should lock down YouTube if they feel they deserve more money, but the fact that they haven't shows they know how that will go.
"Ethics" becomes a quaint notion when you get enough life experience to see that ethical people don't seem to thrive in modern capitalism. Until those at the top truly lead by example, you can't expect us nobodies to live by some fake social contract that never seems to apply to us.
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Comment on Three Cheers for Tildes: App updates and feedback (May 2024) — Version 1.0 is out for iOS! in ~tildes
simplify LinkThis is great. Thank you so much for all your hard work. I'm wondering if there is any way to hide the Groups pane on the iPad app. If not, I'd like to humbly suggest it as a setting/option.This is great. Thank you so much for all your hard work. I'm wondering if there is any way to hide the Groups pane on the iPad app. If not, I'd like to humbly suggest it as a setting/option.
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Comment on How do I fix my (stupid) use of excessive punctuation? in ~humanities.languages
simplify Link ParentEvery time you shoot your shot, you get a little bit better, learn a little bit more, and grow as a person. A semi-colon is just stringing two complete sentences together that have a connection;...Every time you shoot your shot, you get a little bit better, learn a little bit more, and grow as a person. A semi-colon is just stringing two complete sentences together that have a connection; succeeding with a crush you deem out of your league is just understanding leagues are relative and connections are more important.
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Comment on How do I fix my (stupid) use of excessive punctuation? in ~humanities.languages
simplify Link ParentHappy I could be of service! And congratulations on your successful use of a semi-colon.Happy I could be of service! And congratulations on your successful use of a semi-colon.
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Comment on How do I fix my (stupid) use of excessive punctuation? in ~humanities.languages
simplify LinkWhy? I think your punctuation is fine and your conversational tone helps convey who you are. I can understand if you're self-conscious because you feel others might judge you, but I would posit...Why? I think your punctuation is fine and your conversational tone helps convey who you are. I can understand if you're self-conscious because you feel others might judge you, but I would posit that you shouldn't change the way you communicate to appease ghosts. Just keep being you and don't worry. If you want to improve, read novels by writers you enjoy and just let your voice keep developing naturally.
Source: me, with an MFA in creative writing and having written over 30 novels.
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Comment on Steve Albini, storied producer and icon of the rock underground, dies at 61 in ~music
simplify LinkWay too young. Albini was an icon and an iconoclast. Here's a list of albums he produced. The music industry is worse off without him.Way too young. Albini was an icon and an iconoclast. Here's a list of albums he produced. The music industry is worse off without him.
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Comment on The Intel NUC replacement is here! GEEKOM MiniAir 12 review in ~tech
simplify (edited )LinkI had an Intel NUC in a fanless Akasa case for a long time as a home server and it was awesome. However, it was getting pretty old (4th Gen Intel) and I wanted a replacement. I spent a long time...I had an Intel NUC in a fanless Akasa case for a long time as a home server and it was awesome. However, it was getting pretty old (4th Gen Intel) and I wanted a replacement. I spent a long time researching all these new mini-pcs, trying to find the right replacement for my use case, and I came to the conclusion that these no-name brands were just a bit too much of a gamble and nothing they were offering really hit the pricepoint/features I was searching for.
I ended up getting a refurbished (basically brand new) Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Tiny (10th Gen Intel) on eBay for $472 (they can be found even cheaper now). It has x2 NVME slots and x1 SATA. I dropped 64GB RAM in it, I have an 8TB Samsung SATA SSD and a 4TB NVME for storage, plus a 1TB NVME for Proxmox. The key for me was the x3 drive slots. It's a great little server. It has plenty of power for me, and reusing parts I already had saved some cash. I think if you go with a Lenovo or Dell refurb on the secondary market, you'll find they're very capable and pretty easy to find parts for. If something goes wrong with one of these newer Chinese brand machines, you may have trouble with getting a resolution.
If you're looking for a gaming PC in a small form factor, these new companies do have some very interesting offerings. But I don't game on a PC. If you're looking for a capable and small desktop computer, it's kind of hard to beat the Mac Mini right now, which often goes on sale for $499. The 8GB of RAM is a pisser, but I've got a Mac Mini M2 Pro with 16GB for my desktop/programming machine and memory pressure is never an issue. I love the Mac Mini and I'm confident it will be capable for quite a long time.
Overall, I'm a Linux/Mac user, and none of these new mini-pcs are compelling enough to me. I've got a Linux laptop, the Mac Mini, and the Lenovo as a Proxmox server. My needs are pretty well met. But then again, I can sense a Synology on the horizon. My current storage is getting pretty slim.
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Comment on Sony and Apollo express interest in buying Paramount in $26 billion deal in ~tv
simplify LinkHere's a good article from a few months ago about Paramount's troubles. They went hard into streaming and failed. Paramount+ only has like 1% of the market. They lost $1.5B in 2023. It's not long...Here's a good article from a few months ago about Paramount's troubles. They went hard into streaming and failed. Paramount+ only has like 1% of the market. They lost $1.5B in 2023. It's not long for this world.
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Comment on Into the Tubi-verse in ~tv
simplify (edited )Link ParentI think what caused Tarantino's adaptation to fall apart was that they couldn't get the animatronic cut-out to replicate Lovitz's "Buy my book!" refrain as perfectly as he had envisioned....The Critic: the fantastic Jon Lovitz animated series that I believe Tarantino was going to adapt into his tenth and final film until recently.
I think what caused Tarantino's adaptation to fall apart was that they couldn't get the animatronic cut-out to replicate Lovitz's "Buy my book!" refrain as perfectly as he had envisioned. Tarantino is an auteur, after all, and precision in adaptation is paramount. I can't say I blame him for cancelling the project.
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Comment on What do I do if I don't have any clothes? in ~life.style
simplify Link ParentThat sucks. I wasn't aware of the fees. I think the sizing problem can be solved by measuring yourself and your current clothes that fit well, and then doing it about a dozen more times to be...That sucks. I wasn't aware of the fees. I think the sizing problem can be solved by measuring yourself and your current clothes that fit well, and then doing it about a dozen more times to be sure, and then just rolling the dice. Mack Weldon, for example, is very high quality basics, and their sizing is very reliable from piece to piece. With the fees... personally, I really love clothes and would probably just pay all those fees if I had to. Otherwise, if you truly feel like your only option is Russian brands, you may have to pose this question on a Russian forum because the brands and services you'll get recommended around here probably won't be Russian.
Another thing to consider... maybe you just buy a shit load of stuff, import it all, pick out the stuff you like for yourself, and then sell the other items that you don't like or don't fit to friends who are in a similar situation.
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Comment on What do I do if I don't have any clothes? in ~life.style
simplify Link ParentSo a few years ago, I was selling my FIL's original jazz vinyl collection of rare records. I wasn't really shipping internationally because of the hassle, but a Russian guy reached out to me...So a few years ago, I was selling my FIL's original jazz vinyl collection of rare records. I wasn't really shipping internationally because of the hassle, but a Russian guy reached out to me because he really wanted this specific record as a gift to his girlfriend. He used a third-party shipper called Fish Is Fast to ship stuff from the US to Russia. I was skeptical at first, but looked into it and it seemed legit. So I shipped to the shipper, they shipped it to him, and it all worked out fine. I don't know if things have changed in the last few years, but you could consider looking into that. Russia is on their supported countries list.
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Comment on What do I do if I don't have any clothes? in ~life.style
simplify LinkKeep your minimalist aesthetic. It’s cool. My advice would be to upgrade your basics. Just get more (and nicer) versions of the stuff you already wear. For t-shirts and underwear (and a whole lot...Keep your minimalist aesthetic. It’s cool. My advice would be to upgrade your basics. Just get more (and nicer) versions of the stuff you already wear. For t-shirts and underwear (and a whole lot of other things now, too), I highly recommend Mack Weldon. For socks Darn Tough. And for jeans, head down the selvedge denim rabbit hole and see what you come up with. Maybe start with Naked & Famous but get prepared to move on to some of the nicer Japanese brands like Oni or Iron Heart. Even though you’ll just be in a t-shirt and jeans, you’ll look much nicer with these premium brands.
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Comment on Self published authors, how do you market your books? Nothing I've tried has had any success. in ~creative
simplify (edited )LinkI self-published over 30 pulp fiction novels and I never found success with traditional marketing. In my experience, the best marketing for your books is your next book. And then your next book....I self-published over 30 pulp fiction novels and I never found success with traditional marketing. In my experience, the best marketing for your books is your next book. And then your next book. And on and on and on. I did this full-time for 7 years.
If this is something you want to try to make a career out of, you have to write and publish a lot. The best advice I can give is to 1) write what people want to read, 2) make sure your covers hit the tropes that are most successful in your genre, and 3) write and publish like an insane person. If you want to just self-publish one book as a nobody, you’re not going to get any traction. Loads of books are published every second on Amazon.
Once you have a handful of books in your back catalog, you can start running freebie promotions on your older titles. Make sure the backmatter of these books advertises your newer books. Update backmatter frequently as you publish, cycle through freebies of old books, and keep publishing. This cycle works even better if you write in a series. Which, if I could do it all over again, I would have written one long series. Series readers just gobble it up and are always excited for new books in the series. If you’ve got a series going, it’s best to make the first book in the series permafree so the lead in to get readers hooked costs them nothing.
You don’t need to pay a ton for advertising. You just need to write a ton, hit the tropes, make the cover look professional (readers most definitely judge a book by its cover), and get readers into the funnel of your series. Easy peasy, right? It’s not hard to see success fast on Amazon if you follow this method. But it’s a recipe for burnout. That’s why I gave it up. I was fried from all the writing I had to do. I was also in a smaller niche, which limited my income and I wouldn’t do that again.
I wish you luck!
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Comment on FKCaps launches URSA keycaps for topre switches in ~tech
simplify Link ParentHere's a couple reviews I stumbled on that might help you. The first one, from Gizmodo, has a lot of hate in the comments, but they're worth reading to see how you feel. The second one is very...Here's a couple reviews I stumbled on that might help you. The first one, from Gizmodo, has a lot of hate in the comments, but they're worth reading to see how you feel. The second one is very in-depth.
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Comment on FKCaps launches URSA keycaps for topre switches in ~tech
simplify Link ParentYou’re totally right. I’m really interested in Hall effect switches. Once those become more widespread, I can see myself giving them a go.You’re totally right. I’m really interested in Hall effect switches. Once those become more widespread, I can see myself giving them a go.
I can understand that. Though I was in SLC about 10 years ago and it just seemed like a quiet medium-sized city. Plus, it just kind of seems like if you're in a place where people didn't grow up watching or playing hockey, it's more of an uphill battle to get the sport to catch on. Vegas is a different story because it's Vegas. Phoenix was a good, albeit failed experiment because there are so many retirees there from the midwest. If the Jizz aren't a contender out of the gate, I could see a rough road to getting Utahns passionate about the team. Another thing I wonder about, are Mormons interested in hockey? It's a pretty violent sport and it might be against the sensibilities of the older population. I see a lot of roadblocks to success, but I'm happy for the hockey fans in Utah that they're getting a team.