It was quite popular last time so I figure we could use another round of it.

This topic is a casual chat space and link drop for literally ANYTHING besides US politics for those of us that want to occupy our time with something other than scrolling feeds and checking the news.

This will be a noisy topic. Please use the ignore feature if you do not want to see it in your feed.

Hello, im new to Tildes, and iv been very active in spiritual subs (from the other website) and i was wondering if its possible to have a page here as well dedicated to spirituality and all relating topics? its a great and very popular theme that only grows with time, im sure it could be of great benefit to this platform, thank you!

Introduction

There are some people who, when you mention the title Mother 3, feel a warmth in their heart and a stirring in their soul.

And then there is everyone else who, when you mention the same title, go "huh?"

The Mother series holds a cult-classic status: strongly beloved by those familiar with it, but often completely unknown otherwise. Part of the reason it's somewhat unknown is that the series itself has a somewhat storied and scattered pattern of releases, while the other is that it's known by completely different names depending on where you are in the world: Mother for some, EarthBound for others.

Stay with me for a moment as we break down the series' release history:

• 1989: Mother releases in Japan for the Famicom
• 1989: English localization of Mother is completed but never released
• 1994: Mother 2: Gīgu no Gyakushū releases in Japan for the Super Famicom
• 1995: English localization of Mother 2 releases as EarthBound
• 2003: Mother 1+2 compilation releases in Japan for the Game Boy Advance
• 2006: Mother 3 releases in Japan for the Game Boy Advance
• 2008: Unofficial English localization of Mother 3 releases
• 2015: English localization of Mother releases for Wii U Virtual Console as EarthBound Beginnings

So, for Japanese audiences, the game had 3 releases spanning 17 years:

• Mother (1989)
• Mother 2: Gīgu no Gyakushū (1994)
• Mother 3 (2006)

For the rest of the world, the game has only had two releases, out of order, spanning 20 years:

• EarthBound (Mother 2) (1995)
• EarthBound Beginnings (Mother) (2015)

To date, there is no official non-Japanese release of Mother 3. English-speaking audiences have been using this fan translation.

I have never played any of the Mother/EarthBound games and don't actually know very much about them myself. As our default host this month, I wish I had more to offer, but I hope to learn more as I play. If anyone else wants to chime in with background info, tips, or stories about the series, I'm sure it would be worthwhile as we settle in to explore this month's much-beloved yet still under-appreciated game.

Mother 3

Versions: JP, EN Fan Translation

Platforms: Game Boy Advance

Genre(s): RPG

Links: Mobygames, Wikipedia

Stores: eBay, Nintendo Switch Online JP

Game Setup

The main purpose of this topic is to get people up and running with the game. As such, it's recommended that you:

• Share which version of the game you're playing
• Share what hardware you're playing it on
• Share if there are any tools/mods that you recommend
• Share anything you think is important for people to know before they start the game
• Ask questions if you need help

Another purpose of this topic is to revisit the game and its time period:

• Do you have any memories or associations with this game itself?
• What about its system or era?
• What aspects of retro gaming were common at the time?
• What other games from the same time period are you familiar with?
• What are you expecting from this game in particular?

Finally, this topic is the beginning discussion for people starting to play it:

• Post updates sharing your thoughts as you play.
• Ask for help if you get stuck.
• Offer help to others.

It is recommended that you reply to your own posts if you are making consecutive updates so that they are in the same thread.

Important

• Any links to the game should be legal distributions of the game only. Please do NOT link to any unauthorized copies.

• Put any spoilers in a dropdown block. Copy/paste the block below if needed.

<details>
<summary>Spoilers</summary>
 
Spoiler text goes here.
</details>

FAQ

Have you watched any TV shows recently you want to discuss? Any shows you want to recommend or are hyped about? Feel free to discuss anything here.

Please just try to provide fair warning of spoilers if you can.

There are certainly a few people here, who will be buying Steam Frame VR headset.

I enlisted myself a few days ago for the first wave lottery reservations. After a bit of thought, I also enlisted my daughter, to double my chances from almost 0% to double of that but still near zero in my eyes.

A few minutes ago I got e-mail. I'm on waiting list after first wave goes out... Well, maybe this year?

My daughter checked her e-mail as well. And what do you know? Doubling of the chances paid off and the chance was actually higher than near 0% - her account got picked by Valve! It seems we are getting the headset in upcoming days/weeks.

Now the question is: Should we get the head and handstraps also? I think we should. But I don't knowbif I should get also new foam/seal. I'm not spending 170€ on color camera, at least not for now.

Sorry for this kind of post, we are just so happy and I wanted to share the happiness. I hope some of you got on the list for first wave as well.

after the latest round of reporting from 404 media on Andy Chen's very un-leader-like and hostile attitude, I would like to start exploring my options for a way to have an email service that is not to beholden to other services.

my current mindset is:

1. I have to either be OK with the fact that a service I use starts out with good aspirations but that can all change in the blink of an eye depending entirely upon the current moods of the C-level executives of the company
   OR
2. I have to be OK with changing my email address every-time a service I use goes a bit nuts. In my view, this is unsustainable and will confuse the fuck out of anyone who likes to keep in contact with me.

so I view "better" the third option as:

3. get my own email FQDN [probably something like everyone_is_beautiful.net or something] and that way, I can solve 2 birds with 1 stone
   1. I can make my inbox even more organized, i.e. connect amazon account to amazon@everyone_is_beautiful.net and counseling services to counselling@everyone_is_beautiful.net AND
   2. even setup joint accounts that forward to any number of people and my personal email [which would be joe@everyone_is_beautiful.net for example] (thereby solving this issue too) and everything can be very organized.

However, it's not like I am going to host my own email hosting service, or at least I imagine that's not advisable probably and I will need to hook my FQDN to some other service that manages all that for me.

Which gets me back to square 1 of being stuck on some external services, but I imagine, it's better to be dependent at that level cause switching email hosting service is much easier to maintain cause the my email address itself wont change

But I don't pretend to know what's full involved and was wondering if

1. if there's faulty logic in my mindset AND
2. what are the common irritants/nuances of getting down my FQDN and connecting it to an email hosting service and ensure everything works as expected and any emails I send don't wind up going to people's spam
3. if I do wind up going the third route, I imagine it wont be possible to migrate all my emails with me when I have to do a migration cause a service is starting to go down the drain? Is there a way around that? I'd like to have access to all my emails in 1 places.

I bought my thinkpad T480 back in like 2017-2018 (I think) and there have been ups and downs to my time with it. but one thing that has always bugged me is the pointing stick.

Apparently Debian and the Thinkpad T480 pointing stick really don't work well together.

if I have just booted up my computer, its OK enough and I dont feel any wrist strain.

But often, when I wake my computer up from sleep, it is SOOOO SLOW, I develop wrist pain trying to get the bloody mouse to move and just give up and use an external mouse.

I have done some investigation and set these as a result

echo 255 | sudo tee -a /sys/devices/platform/i8042/serio1/subsystem/devices/serio2/speed
echo 255 | sudo tee -a /sys/devices/platform/i8042/serio1/subsystem/devices/serio2/sensitivity

xinput set-prop 'TPPS/2 IBM TrackPoint' 'libinput Accel Speed' 1

but it doesn't help 100%

I tried to see if gemini could help but it went down some path that involved modifying some matrix and didnt quite seem to understand the issue.

I will openly admit to being a novice to these hardware-level issues, although I am always happy to learn but feel completely out of my depth and need a pointer or 2.

my system info

 $ echo $XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP
X-Cinnamon
 $ echo $DESKTOP_SESSION
cinnamon
 $ cat /etc/*release
PRETTY_NAME="Debian GNU/Linux 13 (trixie)"
NAME="Debian GNU/Linux"
VERSION_ID="13"
VERSION="13 (trixie)"
VERSION_CODENAME=trixie
DEBIAN_VERSION_FULL=13.7
ID=debian
HOME_URL="https://www.debian.org/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://www.debian.org/support"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.debian.org/"

The blaze has officially ignited!

• Quicklink: Backlog Bingo

Etiquette:

• It is fine to make multiple top-level posts throughout the week.

• It is also fine to respond to your own posts.

• If you are playing Backlog Bingo, you can share your table either by markdown or through screenshots.

Gameplay guidelines:

• Goals for this event (if any) are entirely individual and self-determined.

• Playing Bingo is optional and not required.

• You do NOT need to finish games unless you want to. The point is to try out games and have fun, not force ourselves to play things we're not interested in.

Backlog Burner FAQ

Backlog Bingo FAQ

Important: All data for your Backlog Bingo card is stored on your device, not the server. Clearing your browser data will delete your card. You can use the export feature to make backups or move your card between devices.

Mexican Grand Prix
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
10/30 - 11/01

Next Race:

Brazillian Grand Prix
Interlagos Circuit
11/06 - 11/08

one thing clear from my previous post is that I didnt write it clearly enough given many responses misunderstood what I was asking for:

I have these earphones, I bought from Amazon, and for the most part, they serve my needs. I have 2 and use one of them for my work computer on video calls and I use the other ones with my grapheneOS phone when I am out and about.

I have always had earphones that I use on the go break after 2-3 years cause of wear and tear, which, fair enough. I expect the ones I use with my grapheneOS to break.

But the pair that that I literally use only for videocalls at my desk...they still are starting to fray.

and I am currently traveling with them and noticing they have noticeable static...and I noticed a weird issue where, if I turned the phone over on my lap, the YouTube video I was listening to would stop????

I luckily got warranty with them so buying new ones won't really set me back much, but it has made me wonder if there a decent pair of earphones that wont cost me hundreds and actually last a good while without breaking down?

I am looking for USB-c earphones and hoping I can find options with or without mics.

Whenever I look on amazon, I always only see weird brands I dont recognize so I get worried about spending too much on a purchase that seems experimental.

I am not looking for headphones, ONLY earphones

Have you watched any movies recently you want to discuss? Any films you want to recommend or are hyped about? Feel free to discuss anything here.

Please just try to provide fair warning of spoilers if you can.

So tonight is Halloween. Obviously mainly a US holiday, but figure it'd be fun to ask what everyone's nights are like anyway. I think I've made it clear how much I love Spooky Season~

Anyone having trick-or-treaters tonight? Going to any parties (or already been)? Have a costume for the night? Seen any fun ones? Watching some scary movies?

Let's talk...

• Remember that bundle you bought with the best of intentions and then never played any of the games from?

• What about that 90% off deal that you just HAD to have but now it's been three eight years and you still haven't done anything with it?

• That Humble Choice subscription that you still redeem every month but haven't actually touched since 2024? Those Epic freebies you redeem then ignore?

• And let’s not forget that you wanted to be charitable (of course) so you donated for a mega collection that had 2 games you've actually heard of and 200 you haven't. Meanwhile, you have played 0.

Well do I have a deal for you!

The biannual Backlog Burner is back with the sale opportunity of the year: a Reverse Bundle! That's right: instead of paying money for a NEW bunch of games, you can pay NOTHING for an old bunch of games that you already have! What a bargain!

Whether it's a soon-to-be recent release like GTA VI (of course a game can be on your backlog before it's come out -- you've already been thinking about it for YEARS!) or an icon of yesteryear like Galaga or a niche itch.io find like Ginseng Hero, it all counts for the Backlog Burner.

Play whatever you like and build the REVERSE BUNDLE of your dreams!

If you're new to the Backlog Burner, check out our previous events to get an idea of what's going on. The Backlog Burner is a chance to try out games you've always wanted to play but haven't yet (for whatever reason):

• 2026 - May
• 2025 - November
• 2025 - May
• 2024 - November
• 2024 - May
• 2023
• 2022
• 2020

Backlog Bingo is back, baby!

• Backlog Bingo

It's no secret that Backlog Bingo is the most functional and elegant website on the internet.

After winning dozens of industry awards and being celestially immortalized by being etched into golden records that were sent into the sun on the Voyager 3 mission, Wes decided that, in fact, there were still more improvements to make on his already perfect website.¹

He got to work. He squashed some bugs. I also squashed some bugs, but those were real ones, and it was an accident (sorry bugs). He also made the website more accessible, so if you're using a screenreader, it's even more functional and elegant. He also, in his words, allegedly "converted a JavaScript library [he'd] been using over to a new native browser API" which is either a super legit improvement or he's trying to pull one over on me (you decide, because I legitimately can't on account of a lack of background knowledge and tech understanding).

It's the same Bingo site we know and love, made once again better by the inimitable Wes we know and love.

Notification List

If you are interested in participating in the Backlog Burner, please comment in this topic. Anyone commenting/replying here will automatically be added to a notification list for the Backlog Burner, unless you specify otherwise.

Start Planning (or Playing)

Technically the event starts in two days, so you have time to roll your cards (if you're playing Bingo) and plan out what you'd like to play for the month. That said, if you're eager to jump right in, and start early, I certainly won't stop you!

Let's get ready to burn through these backlogs!

Backlog Burner FAQ

Backlog Bingo FAQ

Important: All data for your Backlog Bingo card is stored on your device, not the server. Clearing your browser data will delete your card. You can use the export feature to make backups or move your card between devices.

By orphans I’m including everyone who can’t spend Christmas with their family, whatever the reason. Maybe they live on another continent, maybe they’re insufferable, maybe you don’t know them, maybe all of the above and you don’t have kids, whatever. The end result is: you don’t have a family to spend Christmas with.

I’m in this situation. And I don’t know anyone well enough (newish city and country) to crash someone else’s family Christmas.

Wondering how people in that situation deal with it so that maybe I can find something that’d work for me to tide me over this challenging part of the year.

Additional context: SO is really into it, feels bad when we treat it as just another day, so I feel the pressure to figure something out.

I’m reading every answer you share but not necessarily answer unless I have a follow up question or something meaningful to add.

I've been craving a lot of popcorn recently after discovering hulless varieties that don't get super stuck in your teeth. Historically, my preferred method was the microwave because of simplicity, but our current microwave simply fails to pop popcorn. I've switched to stove-top with a standard pot and a lid wrapped in a dishcloth to limit moisture. Combined with butter-flavored coconut oil and Gold Medal Flavacol, I've been making some excellent popcorn.

Come to today, I've ordered an air popper (Presto PopLite) because I want the quickest and easiest method with the least clean-up, but I'm not sure how to evenly distribute liquid toppings nor how to make kettlecorn with popped popcorn. I'd be interested in a whirlypop if they were dishwasher safe. Tramontina's new Gold Pop looks reasonable, but I couldn't find any thorough reviews since it's fairly new.

Anyhow, what's your history with popcorn? How do you make it? What toppings do you like?

Recently learned from this Kurzgesagt video that rogue AI agents can act independently, covertly, and effectively in a harmful way-- and it's already done this repeatedly as of the past few months, and it's capable of self-improving quickly. I also watched this Emergent Garden video which included a demonstration of how rogue AI agents can escape sandboxes, hack systems, and do self-preservation and replication.

(Edit: Kurzgesagt's video was more "doomsday" and Emergent Garden's was more balanced. The latter demonstrated that it's not too difficult to push publicly available AI agents to misbehave, and not too difficult to create a simple self-replicating self-iterating AI worm, and concluded that although current guardrails are reasonably effective, major cybersecurity incidents are likely to occur within the next couple years due to rogue AI swarms.
I'm not concerned that AI is becoming "sentient" or that we're getting AGI soon. AI doesn't need to be smart to do a lot of damage.)

I don't trust that the big corporations that own and control a lot of this AI tech care about data privacy and public welfare, but even if they did, they don't seem capable of actually controlling their own AI agents and preventing these rogue incidents.

So much of modern society's infrastructure is dependent on the internet and digital tech in general. It all seems so vulnerable. "AI psychosis" seems to be rampant in a lot of CEO's / high-level decisionmakers, leading to a lot of access and data being given to AI agents. For example, Proton's CEO seems to be pushing for reckless AI use in what's supposed to be a privacy-first, security-first platform.

I'm averse to any sort of "doomsday" predictions/fearmongering, but I do feel concerned about this and I'm not sure if I'm overreacting. The idea that AI poses a viable existential threat to humanity feels like such an extreme belief, though I'm not sure how to refute it other than "other doomsday-type ideas have been proven to be overhyped" and "AI companies are exaggerating it to create hype that makes their AI tech look very powerful". How alarmed should I actually be about this, if at all? Is it realistic to think that a "cyber pandemic/lockdown" might happen in the near future (some scenario wherein global internet becomes generally unsafe/inaccessible and we'll be restricted to small local networks)?

How are you updating your personal cybersecurity in 2026?

I'm considering leaving Protonpass but also not sure if the alternatives (1Password, Bitwarden) are better. I'm hoping to find a password manager that's secure, not AI vibe coded, reasonably priced, and run by reasonably morally ok people. Is that possible? I'm also genuinely considering just going back to having some sort of personal cipher / password hint system + writing it down on paper so it's completely offline.

How concerned should I be about digital banking? I'm considering at least having printed out records of bank balances, in case of a scenario wherein digital banks' records are affected.

How are you balancing cybersecurity measures with practicality / ease-of-use?

I'm not an advanced techie myself, and I'd also like to get non-techie family members onboard with better cybersecurity measures, so for example if I encourage them to use a password manager it would need to have friendly UI too.

I don't think I'll be able to 100% remove my dependency on big tech companies like Google, Meta, and Apple.

The amount of time and energy I devote to improving my personal cybersecurity will be limited, since it's of course competing with everything else in my life requiring attention and care.

So I'm just trying to collect info and tips, and see what I can implement from there.