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17 votes
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US Trade Representative investigation concludes that France's Digital Services Tax discriminates against US companies, proposes retaliatory tariffs of up to 100% on French products
7 votes -
How can I converse with my 4-year-old nephew/godson who lives in another continent?
I am, by all definitions, a strong introvert. Communication is an issue with people that are physically close, let alone on Skype video calls. When my sister got pregnant, I claimed the godfather...
I am, by all definitions, a strong introvert. Communication is an issue with people that are physically close, let alone on Skype video calls. When my sister got pregnant, I claimed the godfather position. She was very happy. We're not even Catholics anymore, but we come from a Catholic background and it's tradition.
She's bringing the kid to get baptized next month. Last time he was here, 2 years+ ago, I was able to "talk" to him and we even became "friends" (he was 1-years-old, so probably forgot about me by now). I have trouble Skyping with him (and everyone else for that matter). Every once in a while my mother asks me I want to get distant from my sister, and this causes some distress. It's not like I want to create a situation. My father is a lot like me in that regard, and it doesn't really bother me that it takes a few months for him to talk to me (I'm 99% sure I'm in the spectrum, not so sure about him). He showed me his affection multiple times before, on his own way.
I'm aware not everyone is like me, and want to be more online-present for my godson and my sister. This may seem silly to some people, but it's hard to start or keep up with a conversation. I cannot talk about any subject, and silence is preferable to conversation for the sake of conversation.
But in this situation, I must give space to his infant world, which obviously does not include my grown-up interests. I don't know how to proceed from that understanding. I actually like the kid, we had great "conversations" when my sister last visited. But it's been really hard to keep an online presence. And I think I should.
22 votes -
Match Group, which owns most major online dating services, screens for sexual predators on Match.com — but not on Tinder, OkCupid or PlentyofFish
10 votes -
Hong Kong democracy slogans heard at mainland Chinese protest
12 votes -
The alt-right playbook: How to radicalize a normie
27 votes -
The Vietnam draft lotteries functioned as a randomized experiment—which has allowed social scientists to study its life-changing effects
7 votes -
Legal reckoning: New abuse suits could cost Catholic Church over $4B
8 votes -
Faith and Reasons: Two authors explore the persistence of religious feeling
3 votes -
The intoxicating history of gin
6 votes -
Gary Kildall: The man who could have been Bill Gates
6 votes -
Email authentication: SPF, DKIM and DMARC out in the wild
8 votes -
Timasomo Post #5: Reflection for Week Four of Four
Timasomo FAQ What is Timasomo? Timasomo is "Tildes' Make Something Month," a creative community challenge that takes place in the month of November. It was inspired by NaNoWriMo, the National...
Timasomo FAQ
What is Timasomo?
Timasomo is "Tildes' Make Something Month," a creative community challenge that takes place in the month of November. It was inspired by NaNoWriMo, the National Novel Writing Month.
What are the rules?
Timasomo is self-driven and its goals are self-selected. On November 1st, participants will commit to a creative project (or projects) that they plan to complete within the month of November. There is no restriction on the methods/products of creativity: writing, painting, code, food, photos, crafts, songs -- if it's creative expression for you, it works for Timasomo!
Though most will be participating individually, collaborations are welcome too!
What is the schedule?
Timasomo begins November 1st and ends November 30th. All creative output towards your goal(s) should be confined to this time. This week prior to the start of November is for planning, and there will be a few days at the beginning of December given to "finishing touches" before we have our final thread, which will be a showcase of all the completed works. The showcase date is TBD and will be decided by the participants toward the end of the month, once we have a better idea of what we'll need to do wrap up our projects.
Can I participate?
Yes! Timasomo is open to anyone on Tildes! If you would like to join, post your goal here. The greater Tildes community is also encouraged to participate in discussion threads even if you are not actively working towards a creative goal. This is meant to be an inclusive community event -- all are welcome! If you are interested in participating but do not have a Tildes login, please e-mail the invite request address here for an invite to the community.
Thread #5: Reflection for Week Four of Four
Timeline for the Close of Timasomo:
- Timasomo officially ends at the beginning of
MondaySunday (lol), December 1st, wherever you are. - I will post a closing thread at that time with next steps for all participants.
- You have until Thursday, December 5th to put the finishing touches on your creative works to ready them for the showcase.
- The showcase will begin Friday, December 6th.
Give a Progress Update
This is the final stretch! What do things look like for you as we close in on the finish?
Remaining Work
What still needs to be done? Are you going to be able to easily finish in time, or will you have to cram things in at the last minute?
Wrap-Up and Polishing
How do you plan to spend the few days of wrap-up time? What edits do you need to make or polish do you need to add, if any?
Discussion Topic of the Week: Ideas for Other Events
Timasomo was my first experiment in doing a Tildes-based "event." I plan to post a thread at the end of it specifically diving into whether we want to do another Timasomo down the road, and, if so, what changes could be made to the processes and setup, but for now I'm curious as to what other ideas are out there: what other Tildes-based events would be people be interested in?
They don't have to follow the same format as this, and they don't have to be entire months. The format and function are totally open. Would you want to do a Tildes game jam? A poetry contest? A donation drive? Pen pals?
Share your ideas here for what community-based "events" you would like to see here on Tildes.
Let's go FINISH SOMETHING.
12 votes - Timasomo officially ends at the beginning of
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Behind the one-way mirror: A deep dive into the technology of corporate surveillance
9 votes -
Every character actor behind a desk in a Coen Brothers film
8 votes -
Nobel prize for literature hit by fresh round of resignations – two members of the external committee set up to oversee reforms quit on Monday
6 votes -
Spanish Big Brother made contestant 'watch her own rape'
13 votes -
What programming/technical projects have you been working on?
This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...
This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?
12 votes -
The citizen scientist who finds killers from her couch: How CeCe Moore is using her genetic knowledge to expose murderers
8 votes -
A slower speed of light
8 votes -
Why impact-per-dollar is a terrible, harmful way to measure nonprofit effectiveness
13 votes -
Norwegian convicted of spying in Moscow says he was wrong to trust an intelligence officer who recruited him to pass on payment for secrets about Russia's submarine fleet
4 votes -
Abigail Williams - I Will Depart (2019)
3 votes -
The Real Class War
18 votes -
Music Makers: Guitarists, Bassists and other Stringslingers
Let's talk. What do you have and what do want to have? It's holiday season....don't pretend you're not G.A.S.ing over something right now. We all do it.
7 votes -
Tildes Pen Pals
So today I decided to ditch instant messaging / texting / whatever in favor of longform emails, phone calls (which I'm terrible at), and proper physical letters. I want to focus on the physical...
So today I decided to ditch instant messaging / texting / whatever in favor of longform emails, phone calls (which I'm terrible at), and proper physical letters.
I want to focus on the physical letters part because that's a skill I'd like to train, but I only have a couple people who it looks like will go through with that. Most will either let me float away (understandably!) or will contact me in the more convenient ways I'm allowing myself to engage in. So after playing Kind Words, I'm thinking that writing to strangers could be a fun exercise! This could be a couple people meeting here and writing letters, or it could be a whole thing, depending on interest. Casual letters are beautiful things, let's try to make some :)
If you want to participate, please post at least the following:
Age group:
Topics of interest:
Country / Region (please don't post your address, that can be done through PMs):27 votes -
I'd like to talk about the world these days, care to join in?
Hey, friends. I'd like to take a few minutes of your time to talk and converse. Please, feel free to join in. I'm not trying to make any points or whatnot, but I need to get this out of my head....
Hey, friends. I'd like to take a few minutes of your time to talk and converse. Please, feel free to join in. I'm not trying to make any points or whatnot, but I need to get this out of my head.
It doesn't take a rocket surgeon to see that there is a lot going on these days. I know that there's always a lot going on, but it just seems to be on my mind a lot more than it used to. I'm unsure if it's because things out there actually are heating up, if the current news cycle is finally paying some attention, if I'm just more interested/aware as I get older, or if it's some combination of these. Regardless, it just seems like there's so much to think about.
To begin, there's the domestic stuff. We have an inevitable recession coming our way sooner than later (recessions being a feature of our application of Capitalism, after all), and, of course, the mess in the other Washington. I'm doing my best to keep up with the impeachment, while not letting it really "get to me". As I get older, I find that I care more and more about the wellbeing of my country, and the utter shame that is this current administration makes me genuinely concerned for the health of our nation and the people in it. I cannot help but think to myself that I am watching the arguably most significant political crisis since Watergate unfolding before me - live, in real-time. It's wild, as you know that you live through history in the making, but you never really think that you're going to live through something of this caliber.
While I'm hopeful that our own brush with populism will turn out OK (our 3 branch government is remarkably robust), I still worry about us and the other countries that are dealing with it now too. We have Bolsonaro and Duerte, Brexit and Trump. We have the mess in Bolivia, and frankly I still don't exactly have my head wrapped fully around what the hell is actually going on there. We have the trickery of Putin and his loyal cronies. Even populism aside, we have the unrest and violence in Lebanon, Syria, Chile and Iran. And of course, let's not forget our friends in Hong Kong.
I look at the HK situation and feel extra helpless. I was 7 when Tiananmen Square happened, and I kinda remember it. I certainly remember tank man on the news, but that was about it. I see what's going on in Hong Kong and I cannot get past the feeling that they're literally fighting a losing battle for their lives. I can't imagine how they'll survive this without getting steamrolled, unless a foreign power steps in. You know that'll alter the course of the 21st century. I mean, hell. Even if things turn out rosy, this is still probably one of the most significant events of this century. And here I am, watching it in real-time again.
This isn't even touching on the literal concentration camps that China is running for the Uighur Muslims. Shit, even my own country is running camps for children right now. How TF does this even happen? By the time half of us even find out, these camps have already been up and running for a good while. What can you even do?
Then there is a the ever-looming specter that haunts us and feels inescapable: global warming. I don't think I need to elaborate on this one, just a quick peek at the fires and floods, droughts and melting glaciers says it all. Again, we're along for this ride in an enormous mechanism that individually we are wholly powerless against. I sincerely hope that we do manage to engineer our way out of the worst of climate change, but I am honestly not hopeful that we will limit our emissions enough to keep us under the 4° warming that we're seemingly on the trajectory for. I sure won't be alive in 2100, but my youngest nibblings just might - or at least their kids will be. What kind of world are we leaving for them?
How will these things affect and feed off each other? Will we look at the period between WWII and the early 21st century as one of unusual peace and prosperity?
This stuff keeps me up at night, and sometimes it feels like doing your best is just a vain exercise in futility. I know it's not, in that everyone doing their best would make huge changes, and that no matter what happens, I can go to my grave in good conscience knowing that I did what I could. Still, some days it all feels like too much, you know?
Anyway, thank you for listening to me, and letting me talk. There's a few people in my life that share the same concerns, but it's hard to find anyone to talk to about the breadth of all this shit that there is to worry about.
So, anonymous strangers on the internet, how are you feeling about the world situation these days?
21 votes -
E-books at libraries are a huge hit, leading to long waits, reader hacks and worried publishers
25 votes -
ryzen build (for openbsd)
7 votes -
I was a drug rep. I know how pharma companies pushed opioids.
12 votes -
Some squirrel photography
8 votes -
China threatened Sweden with unspecified counter measures if its culture minister attends a literary award ceremony for Gui Minhai
17 votes -
How to build a forest
5 votes -
DEF CON 27 conference - Nina Kollars - Confessions of an Nespresso money mule
6 votes -
Let's rename some gaming genres to make them more accurate
A recent discussion got me thinking about how a lot of the standard genre descriptions for games are either opaque to the unfamiliar or seemingly incongruous with what they are describing. Almost...
A recent discussion got me thinking about how a lot of the standard genre descriptions for games are either opaque to the unfamiliar or seemingly incongruous with what they are describing. Almost any game can be described as a "role playing" game because you "play" the "role" of a given character. Adventure games often aren't very "adventurous" and often just mean that characters talk to each other instead of shoot each other. In survival games you survive; in racing games you race; in casual games you... well, usually match 3 but not always? Also why are we so focused on camera for some games (e.g. first-person shooter) but not for others (e.g. third-person sports)?
So, let's throw away everything we know about genres and start fresh. No baggage from gaming history; no widely understood conventions; no games that reference other games (e.g. "Souls-like"). Your goal is to make gaming genres as clear and accurate as possible, at the expense of convenience, tradition, and, in some cases, good taste.
Turn "roguelike" into "procedural death labyrinth". Turn "battle royale" into "shrinking-zone dead-is-dead killfest". Feel free to propose not just genre redefinitions but whole a whole taxonomy if you feel it's warranted. After all, some genres need a hierarchy of identifiers.
Be as formal or loose as you want, and the main purpose of this is to have fun, though if some great new terms happen to fall out of it you won't hear me complaining.
25 votes -
David Siegel’s chocolate porn
5 votes -
Tag formatting inconsistencies
I've been noticing a couple of weird formatting issues with tags on topics. For some posts, the first tag is shown before the metadata, then the rest of the tags are on a new line below. This...
I've been noticing a couple of weird formatting issues with tags on topics. For some posts, the first tag is shown before the metadata, then the rest of the tags are on a new line below. This isn't always the case, and so far I can't find any rhyme or reason for whether it does or not. It's not like some CSS float issue or anything, it's actually creating two <ul>'s. — example
The second issue I've noticed is sometimes the dangling part of a letter like lowercase "g" will be cut off by the footer. It seems like this is caused by
.label {line-height: 1.2;}
, but it's also inconsistent, and I haven't figured out why. In this example the "g" in "climate change" is not affected.Maybe it's just me, I dunno. Firefox 70 on linux. I'd create a gitlab issue, except I am very lazy.
7 votes -
The trouble with the video game industry
17 votes -
Why TikTok is now the number one social media app
9 votes -
Only two road traffic deaths per 100,000 inhabitants were reported in Norway in 2019, making it the best-performing country for road safety
10 votes -
How a meteorite ruined an Alabama woman's afternoon sixty-five years ago
9 votes -
Denmark's industrial pig farms are stunningly productive, but there is another side to their success
5 votes -
In a major ethical leap for the tech world, Chinese start-ups have built algorithms that the government uses to track [Uighurs] members of a largely Muslim minority group
13 votes -
How to increase taxes on the rich (if you must)
14 votes -
What are your favorite RSS feeds?
I particularly enjoy Voice of America for political news, Hacker News for tech news, and a Craig's list filter for particular cars in my area (since I might be getting one soon).
19 votes -
Vulfpeck - Lost My Treble Long Ago (2018)
5 votes -
Denmark has for the first time put mineral-rich Greenland top of its national security agenda, ahead of terrorism and cybercrime
10 votes -
All you need to know about UEFA EURO 2020 Group B contenders Denmark, Finland, Belgium and Russia
6 votes -
A dialect dissection of Britney Spears
8 votes -
Adam Sandler’s everlasting shtick
8 votes