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7 votes
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‘Gaming disorder’ is officially recognized by the World Health Organization
7 votes -
I like the 'Solarized Light' theme
That's all. The default "white" scheme is a little harsh on the eyes. I know a lot of other people like dark night themes as an alternative, but I dislike them strongly: seeing bright text on a...
That's all.
The default "white" scheme is a little harsh on the eyes. I know a lot of other people like dark night themes as an alternative, but I dislike them strongly: seeing bright text on a dark background just doesn't work for me.
However, the Solarized Light theme is a nice compromise for me. The beige-y background takes the edge off the brightness. It also resembles a parchment look, which makes the place seem little bit classy.
I think it's good that there are a few theme choices built into the website, to give people options without having to install third-party extensions - and I like the 'Solarized Light' theme.
17 votes -
Is anyone else here into film photography/cameras?
Over the last little while I've started buying (and fixing) up some old cameras, and have really been enjoying the experience of slowing down a tad after so many years of digital. This my...
Over the last little while I've started buying (and fixing) up some old cameras, and have really been enjoying the experience of slowing down a tad after so many years of digital. This my collection at the moment: on the left a Zenza Bronica ETRS, then from top to bottom on the right, a Canon A-1, a Voigtländer Perkeo I with a Sekonic LC 2 meter on top, then a Canon 3000N (not as fun to use as the others, but it takes EF lenses and is super light so it's good to have around).
I've got a few rolls going on the Bronica, some Ektar 100 and some Fuji Acros 100 (I think, it was a while back and I very helpfully just labelled it 'B/W 100 ASA') and I'll definitely post some of my favourites once they're developed if I got anything good. Also, my local photo place was selling expired rolls for just $5 the other day so I picked up a couple of 35mm rolls too - it's always nice to find some cheap stuff as film seems to just be getting more and more expensive...
So, any other analogue enthusiasts? Favourite films or cameras? Got any photos you wanna show off?
10 votes -
Priests won't comply with law: SA church
8 votes -
I think I have a fundamental misunderstanding of how the concept of being transgendered works. Clarifications would be helpful.
So I've been wrestling with this idea for a long time. I get that the idea behind being transgendered* is that you don't feel like you were born into a body of the correct sex. You were born male...
So I've been wrestling with this idea for a long time.
I get that the idea behind being transgendered* is that you don't feel like you were born into a body of the correct sex. You were born male but feel like a woman, or you were born female but feel like a man, and all that. That part I get. I obviously don't "get it" at the level that someone who has that issue would get it, but I know how wonky the mind can be and it doesn't strike me as too hard to believe that this is a thing that happens.
Simultaneously, I see that people of a more progressive mindset are enthusiastic about eliminating gender norms and stereotypes. Women aren't constrained to the kitchen, and men are perfectly fine being stay-at-home dads. All of this I vehemently agree with.
However, I notice a very foundational contradiction when I read or hear about how transgendered people came to realize that they identify as the opposite gender. Pretty much all of the time, I hear them say things like, "I was born a male, but I always enjoyed playing with dolls and wearing dresses," or, "I was born a female, but I always enjoyed rough-housing and trucks," or whatever. Granted, I don't frequently seek these stories out, but whenever I come across them, they follow that general format.
What I don't understand is how you can believe that gender norms are completely arbitrary while simultaneously using those norms as evidence that you were born into the wrong sex. It seems to me that believing in the superficiality of gender norms should automatically render the concept of being transgendered redundant. After all, if being a man or woman isn't determined by the things society socializes us to believe, how would you possibly have any indication that your body has the wrong sex? What would having the "wrong sex" even mean if gender norms are disregarded? If being a man or woman isn't determined by your actions or preferences in life, what left is there to define the genders except your biological sex?
Surely there must be a concept or aspect to this whole thing that I'm missing, because it's hard to believe that such a widespread and vocal social movement has been made out of such a paradox. If anyone has some clarifying information, I'd appreciate it.
*I know "transgendered" isn't the preferred term, but it's clear in meaning and the preferred term is just going to change again soon anyway. So no offense meant by using it.
EDIT: It has since been made known to me that "transgender" itself suffices as an adjective, so my terminology was off on a grammatical basis. For posterity, though, I'll leave the submission as-is.
15 votes -
Are any of your political or social views exhausting to defend?
This thread isn't supposed to be about debating issues, just more of a conversation about the consequences/responsibilities for holding certain views. So what's the best way to talk to people with...
This thread isn't supposed to be about debating issues, just more of a conversation about the consequences/responsibilities for holding certain views. So what's the best way to talk to people with fundamentally different values from you?
38 votes -
Satisfactory | Reveal gameplay trailer E3 2018
5 votes -
"The ABC is an indulgence we can no longer afford"
There's been a bit of a fuss about the Australian Broadcasting Commission over the past week or so, since the Federal Council of the Liberal Party passed a (non-binding) resolution that the ABC...
There's been a bit of a fuss about the Australian Broadcasting Commission over the past week or so, since the Federal Council of the Liberal Party passed a (non-binding) resolution that the ABC should be privatised.
In this context, I found this opinion piece by the President of the Young Liberals, explaining why he thinks "the ABC is an indulgence we can no longer afford", and thought it was an interesting read.
6 votes -
China says Pacific debt claims 'ridiculous' after Julie Bishop raises Australian concerns
5 votes -
The Cathedral and the Bazaar
7 votes -
Books like Flash Boys?
I really liked this topic and I've since read The Buy Side by Turney Duff which was also a compelling read. Does anyone have any other examples of books with this kind of subject matter?
2 votes -
How to comment on a post?
I can reply to a comment but I can't find a way to add a top level comment.
5 votes -
Listen to children who’ve just been separated from their parents at the border
13 votes -
What are some of the lesser known upcoming games that you're excited about?
With the focus on the big budget games at E3, smaller releases and indie games tend to get lost in the noise, or just ignored. Are there any upcoming games you're excited about, but don't see...
With the focus on the big budget games at E3, smaller releases and indie games tend to get lost in the noise, or just ignored. Are there any upcoming games you're excited about, but don't see anyone talking about?
Personally, I've been keeping an eye on Noita, which was just added to Steam listings. The particle effects look amazing, let's hope the gameplay lives up to it!
23 votes -
Tags and regional spelling?
In ~comp, there's a post about optimizing a string parser, and one of the tags is "optimisation" instead of "optimization". This makes me curious, what's the official policy for regional spelling...
In ~comp, there's a post about optimizing a string parser, and one of the tags is "optimisation" instead of "optimization". This makes me curious, what's the official policy for regional spelling differences in tags? Will people be encouraged to use exclusively American or British spellings, or will the search feature (when it arrives) automatically link results for both if you search for either?
7 votes -
Pokémon Go adds friends and trading options
8 votes -
Iroh - a father without his son
Happy Father's Day! I thought I will chat a bit about my very favourite cartoon father figure - Iroh from The Last Airbender. What I find really interesting about this character, and honestly fans...
Happy Father's Day!
I thought I will chat a bit about my very favourite cartoon father figure - Iroh from The Last Airbender.
What I find really interesting about this character, and honestly fans can probably write novels about him, is that while he plays a major father figure to the cast, his own son is never really seen on screen and not given much development.
Still, he openly and freely offers his wisdom and help to anyone, whether they are seeking or accepting of it or not. This is not to say that he forces his views on anyone, but is usually the opposite, allowing the kids to weigh and process issues on their own with his guidance, which ends up visibly frustrating for him when it comes to Zuko.
There are lots of examples of him being a good "father”, but most notable for me is his quick forgivess of Zuko.
For all who have seen the series, what do you think? And for those who haven't, you really need to.
21 votes -
Bitcoin Phishing Attack
Got this phishing SMSmessage today. I spun up a VM and investigated the domain provided in the message. Found the provider and reported it to them. The phishing page is a replica Coinbase login...
Got this phishing SMSmessage today. I spun up a VM and investigated the domain provided in the message. Found the provider and reported it to them.
The phishing page is a replica Coinbase login page.
10 votes -
Westworld - S02E09 "Vanishing Point" - Post-episode discussion thread
Use this thread to post your questions, theories or comments about S02E09 of Westworld.
17 votes -
Octopath Traveler: No current plans for DLC
8 votes -
Airgeddon - Wireless auditing made easy
3 votes -
Time lapsed digital painting of actress Daisy Ridley by artist Gabrielle Brickey
7 votes -
Why Skylake CPUs are sometimes 50% slower – How Intel has broken existing code
14 votes -
New technique could help scientists creat custom genes in twenty-four hours
11 votes -
What the stock market's most crucial week of the year tells us about the road ahead
5 votes -
Hard versus soft shell lobsters
5 votes -
What happened last time it was as warm as it’s going to get later this century?
10 votes -
England earns 2-1 victory over Tunisia with stoppage time heroics from Harry Kane
8 votes -
Blizzard Dev Watercooler - World of Warcraft Classic
19 votes -
A program from a thirty-five year old magazine for “BASIC Month” and a chat with its author
4 votes -
On the sad state of Macintosh hardware
32 votes -
Massachussetts renewable energy bill clears Senate
8 votes -
Macedonia changes name, ending bitter dispute with Greece. Leaders sign historic accord that will lead to country becoming Republic of North Macedonia.
14 votes -
Perl 6 weekly - 2018.25 A Quick One From Salt Lake City
4 votes -
Dreamworld reputation 'irretrievable' after inquiry evidence: analysts
2 votes -
Barry Trotz is stepping down as head coach in Washington
@friedgehnic: Sources: Barry Trotz is stepping down as head coach in WASH. Please follow the thread...
3 votes -
Kim Jong Un more popular among Republicans than Nancy Pelosi
10 votes -
The life and times of the Stopwatch Gang
4 votes -
Man goes to prison for attempting to hijack web domain at gunpoint
16 votes -
Favorite non-fiction subjects and recommendations
Non-fictions lovers, what are your favorite subjects to read about, and what are your recommended readings for them? My personal areas of interest are: American Civil War Battle Cry of Freedom by...
Non-fictions lovers, what are your favorite subjects to read about, and what are your recommended readings for them? My personal areas of interest are:
American Civil War
- Battle Cry of Freedom by James McPherson - Perhaps the definitive overview of the Civil War
- The Confederate War by Gary Gallagher - A look at the war from the perspective of the Confederacy
- A Short History of Reconstruction by Eric Foner - A relatively brief but complete analysis of the years following the war
Custer
- Cavalier in Buckskin by Robert Utley - A very balanced, comprehensive study of Custer’s life (there is a large hardcover version available that also contains a lot of interesting pictures)
- A Terrible Glory by James Donovan - Well researched and covers more of the aftermath of Custer’s Last Stand than the typical Custer book
- Custer Victorious by Gregory J.W. Urwin - An extensive examination of Custer’s distinguished Civil War career
OJ Simpson
- Without a Doubt by Marcia Clark - A fascinating, detailed read written by the lead prosecutor herself
- The Run of His Life by Jeffrey Toobin - The best book written about the case by someone not directly involved in it
- Murder in Brentwood by Mark Fuhrman - Despite what reservations people may have about Mark Fuhrman, his account of the trial is thorough and eye-opening
The Atomic Bomb
- The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes - A long-winded history of the creation of the bomb, including the physics behind it
- Hiroshima in History and Memory by Michael J. Hogan - A collection of essays detailing the decision to drop the bomb, and the effects it had on Japan and American afterward
- In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Richard Polenberg - Contains the transcripts of the J. Robert Oppenheimer trial, “father of the atomic bomb,” who was put on trial several years after the end of World War II for being a suspected Soviet spy
5 votes -
Anybody here interested in ham/amateur radio?
I was wondering if there's anybody here who's interested in ham/amateur radio. I'm somewhat interested in it myself, and am planning on getting a BaoFeng BF-F8HP soon as my first radio, as well as...
I was wondering if there's anybody here who's interested in ham/amateur radio. I'm somewhat interested in it myself, and am planning on getting a BaoFeng BF-F8HP soon as my first radio, as well as a Tech (or maybe even General) license.
12 votes -
What's the plan for deciding moderation policies that go beyond removing trolls?
So I noticed the entire front page getting clogged with "question" type posts, ranging from "what are your favorite..." to "pls help me choose..." type posts. This might be mainly due to...
So I noticed the entire front page getting clogged with "question" type posts, ranging from "what are your favorite..." to "pls help me choose..." type posts. This might be mainly due to "activity" sorting (sorting by votes is a little better), but that's still the default and doesn't change the general dominance. I took this screenshot earlier and I did not see a non-question post without scrolling. None of them were from ~talk, either.
I know people have different views on this, but I remember from my brief time moderating that it's generally a good idea to restrict these types of posts, for the simple reason that people love to dump their "favorite" lists, which makes these types of threads dominate the frontpage, while they tend to produce always the same responses (intuition might suggest they produce great discussion but that's usually not the case). They're best pushed into specific subreddits (subgroups?).
I think this is a rather small and specific issue, but it might be a taste of future difficulties with voting/moderation. Banning content for being disruptive/abusive is one thing, but the best places I know for discussion also ban via more subtle rule sets. They take measures into account (often at the cost of facing a ton of backlash from users seeing their posts removed for "unfair" reasons) that keep one type of post from taking over the frontpage, potentially drowning out more interesting ones. I'm still trying to picture how this would translate from Reddit's moderation model to Tildes'.
One way would be to open up a subgroup for any sufficiently large category of posts and give moderation the option to move posts to a subgroup that people can opt-out from. Another is very diligent tagging and filtering. My concern is that neither could produce the complex, fine-grain type of moderation that distinguishes really good subreddits (yea, they exist!) from spammy ones. "Hide all posts tagged 'question'" could hide "what's your favorite...?" type posts but also posts that ask a really deep and interesting question. So would you filter "question && favorite"? That turns filtering into almost a scripting job. It doesn't seem reasonable to expect users to put this much effort into content filtering and it wouldn't help "shape" discussion culture, as the default (no filters?) would keep most users jumping from one "favorite game/band/movie/programming language" post to the next.
So far, it seems rules are set site-wide based on mostly removing blatantly off-topic, bad faith or trolling content. As the groups grow, however, I believe it's absolutely vital to also allow more subtle policies (think "only original sources for news articles" or "only direct links to movie trailers", etc). As groups branch off into further subgroups, it might suddenly also be reasonable to have very specific rules like "no more individual posts about hype topic X, keep discussion in the hub thread until Friday".
The only way I can see this work out (and maybe I lack imagination) is via a "meta" section for each group that allows whoever is decided to be part of the moderator group to decide upon and clearly formulate rules specific to it. It could be a wiki-like thing, it could involve voting on changes, maybe automation via "default tag filters", etc. Other users could see the policies mods have decided upon and maybe even "opt out" from moderation actions being considered in filtering, to have no reason to be paranoid about "censored" content.
Am I too pessimistic about tagging/voting solving this on its own? Am I too stuck on doing it "the reddit way" (albeit with hopefully better tools)? I just really believe it's subtle moderation like this that might make or break Tildes in the long run.
TL;DR: How would more subtle or group-specific moderation policies be decided? Just tags+votes? Should there be a "meta" sections for each group where mods can agree upon specific rules?
8 votes -
The hidden history of the women who built the computer age
13 votes -
Mammals are becoming more nocturnal to avoid humans, study finds
29 votes -
Vermont artist Wolf Kahn shows true colors
4 votes -
Microsoft acquires Flipgrid, classroom video platform
3 votes -
You can no longer book Uber rides inside Google Maps
7 votes -
Good mobile games
I don't play mobile games very often but every now and then I want to load up something a bit more substantial than your average mobile game without having to log hours like Fallout Shelter. I...
I don't play mobile games very often but every now and then I want to load up something a bit more substantial than your average mobile game without having to log hours like Fallout Shelter. I played something called (I think) Pixel dungeon in the past that was a sort of roguelike and I enjoyed that. What do you guys play and recommend?
30 votes -
On the matter of calling a child "they"
I thought about posting this as a comment in the other active pronoun conversation but I didn't want to derail it with a tangent. For starters I should make it clear I believe honoring someone's...
I thought about posting this as a comment in the other active pronoun conversation but I didn't want to derail it with a tangent. For starters I should make it clear I believe honoring someone's pronoun preferences is a matter of basic decency and respect. Conversely, insisting on using a different word when you know someone doesn't like it is, frankly, a jerk move. It's being antagonistic for no good reason.
That said, an acquaintance recently informed me that her 4-year-old prefers to use the pronoun "they." I have to admit something about this situation doesn't sit right with me. I'm also the parent of a 4-year-old, and it's clear to me that kids that age aren't developmentally equipped to make an informed decision about gender identity.
I can't help but feel like the parents are putting words in their kid's mouth, projecting a non-binary assumption onto a minor who lacks the cognitive and emotional maturity to manage it in any meaningful way. Saddling a preschooler with that kind of baggage just strikes me as irresponsible parenting.
I'm not saying there should be some kind of hard-line age of consent, just that four is too young. One ought to be far enough along developmentally to come to one's own conclusions about pronouns and gender presentation.
Apologies if I'm strawmanning, but I guess the argument could be made that all kids should be referred to as "they" — by default — until they reach an appropriate age to choose their own gender identities. I can sympathize with that as a goal, but it strikes me as unrealistic. I don't think society would ever be able to attain that kind of widespread change.
I'm curious what my fellow tilders think about this subject. (FWIW, I am referring to this kid as "they" and keeping my objections to myself, apart from this discussion.)
11 votes