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    1. Surviving the winter

      When I was a child I never seemed to mind the winter, but in the past two or three years it's become exponentially harder for me to live through the cold and dark. I'm dreading the next few...

      When I was a child I never seemed to mind the winter, but in the past two or three years it's become exponentially harder for me to live through the cold and dark. I'm dreading the next few months.

      The lockdowns in March and April were pretty agonizing because I had too many responsibilities but suddenly none of the support systems I had built up in my friend groups. I got through that because it was slowly getting warmer and I could just go on a walk if I needed space. But it's started snowing this week and I don't know how well I'm going to manage for the rest of the season, with it getting dark at 4 PM and seeing so few people. I get caught up in my own head in these destructive patterns of anxiety about past friendships and relationships and obligations that are very hard to escape from around this time of year. I have a lot of hobbies but I can't do most of them right now, so I kind of just end of staring at the wall or my phone for half the day, feeling bad that I screwed up a relationship or said something weird 6 months ago or whatever. On repeat for every day. I have some friends in the area who I like a lot, but I'm a little scared to leave my house from what I hear about the virus on the internet. I've been trying to do phone calls sometimes but they kinda just burn me out and make me feel worse.

      I'm wondering if anyone else has a recurring problem with the winter like I do. I'm not sure if this is a normal thing and I'm just naive and haven't figured it out, or if most people are automatically as happy in the winter as they are in the summer. I've brought this up sometimes with people irl and they say "haha yeah I have seasonal depression too," but they mostly seem to just not like the cold (?), it's not the issue of banal-yet-existential dread and torturous self-probing that I can't avoid. I have a very sweet cat who will keep me company, and she's a good listener, but she doesn't talk a lot and she's hiding in another dimension half the time anyway. I journal and meditate every night, and that helps a little, but I really mostly rely on being able to go to pretty places to keep myself happy, and it's hard to do that when they're all closed or when it's too cold to be outside for a long time. If people have any thoughts or experiences I would love to read them.

      thank you xoxo

      19 votes
    2. Those who are not planning on getting a COVID-19 vaccine, what are your reasons?

      From my understanding, even the usual allergies to like the trace egg proteins of typical influenza vaccines (not some of the ultrapure, though) don't apply to the new mRNA vaccines. So all that's...

      From my understanding, even the usual allergies to like the trace egg proteins of typical influenza vaccines (not some of the ultrapure, though) don't apply to the new mRNA vaccines. So all that's left, aside from some immune disorder I think, there are only personal reason left and I'm curious as to what those are.

      26 votes
    3. What issues or aspects of life are largely one's personal responsibility to deal with?

      Asked mainly because Conservatives say that's one of the things they believe in It often seems to be wrong or misused ("if everyone just used masks and stayed home the pandemic would have ended...

      Asked mainly because

      Conservatives say that's one of the things they believe in

      It often seems to be wrong or misused ("if everyone just used masks and stayed home the pandemic would have ended long ago") ("not using masks during a pandemic has consequences for other people and thus doesn't belong in personal freedom")

      A definition for stuff that fits the question could be this:

      • The credit or blame for consistently failing or succeding at it is largely on you

      • While you can ask for advice to get better, you have to do it yourself

      So the main examples that come to my mind are largely (well) personal:

      • Being motivated and committed to work towards what you want

      • Being hygienic

      • Being good at socializing and figuring out what's your relationship with other people gonna be

      • (although obviously, given socializing depends on other people, this is very dependent on them doing the same and accepting/recognizing you or your choices and so is more accurate on progressive or apolitical social environments)

      Which is good but doesn't explain it being used as a political belief.

      17 votes
    4. Is there any way to estimate how many people in a region currently have coronavirus?

      I've always wanted to be able to run probabilities when considering doing something that could infect me with coronavirus. I know how many people test positive, how many are dying and how many are...

      I've always wanted to be able to run probabilities when considering doing something that could infect me with coronavirus. I know how many people test positive, how many are dying and how many are getting tested. But what I really want to know is what are the odds that a mask-less interaction with one person will infect me.

      12 votes
    5. The Tildes' Make Something Month (Timasomo) 2020 Showcase Thread

      Timasomo is Tildes' Make Something Month: a creative community challenge that takes place in the month of November, where participants from our community self-select creative goals to achieve....

      Timasomo is Tildes' Make Something Month: a creative community challenge that takes place in the month of November, where participants from our community self-select creative goals to achieve.

      Timasomo 2020 is now officially complete! Participants will be posting their creations and efforts in this thread as a showcase! Comments and feedback from the wider community are both welcome and encouraged! Let these creators know what an awesome job they've done!


      Creators: In posting your showcase:

      • Give your project a title, and use the # markdown to make it stand out in the showcase thread!
      • Link to your project in whatever way works best for your project.
      • Give a "creator statement" that contextualizes what your project is.
      • Add anything else you consider relevant! The showcase is yours!

      Community:

      • Treat this thread like a walk through an art gallery or a museum where you get to see different works on display.
      • Comments do NOT have to be in-depth -- it is okay to just affirm that you like/love/appreciate something! (In other threads these might be considered noise, but here they are directly validating the sustained creative efforts of another community member!).
      • Make sure any feedback you give is constructive.
      35 votes
    6. [SOLVED] Looking for the name of a specific board game, recommended on tildes

      As the title suggests, I am lookimg for the name of an existing boardgame. Some time ago (months), there was a discussion about boardgame recommendations. One person described a very interesting...

      As the title suggests, I am lookimg for the name of an existing boardgame.
      Some time ago (months), there was a discussion about boardgame recommendations. One person described a very interesting boardgame, which I wanted to gift my family for christmas, but I sadly closed the tab with it and I can't find the original post anymore.

      The game goes as follows:
      One player builds a construct with different shapes and colours according to certain guidelines. The other players now have to find the rules, which the presentated construct follows, by building their own construct and getting feedback from the gamemaster, if it fulfills their guidelines.

      According to the poster, this game was originally a game a group of friends played in college, it became so popular that they created a sellable version. Recently they revamped it.

      P.S. I am not really familiar with this kind of post, so if I did anything wrong, some feedback would be nice.

      P.P.S. Is there some kind of function (maybe through tags?) to mark this post as solved, if hopefully someone managed to recognise the game?

      8 votes
    7. Cheap rejection as a mental model feature

      I’m increasingly convinced that worldviews / mental models are not simply modeling devices, but information rejection tools. Borrowing from Clay Shirkey's "It's not information overload, it's...

      I’m increasingly convinced that worldviews / mental models are not simply modeling devices, but information rejection tools. Borrowing from Clay Shirkey's "It's not information overload, it's filter failure", the world is a surprisingly information-rich space, and humans (or any other information-processing system, biological or otherwise) simply aren't equipped to deal with more than a minuscule fraction of it.

      We aim for a useful fraction. It paints an incomplete, but useful picture.

      Even a bad model has utility if it rejects information cheaply: without conscious effort, without physical effort, and without lingering concerns or apprehensions. It's a no-FOMO mechanism.

      Usually, what happens is that we apply our bad models to a given scenario, act, process the new resulting scenario, and notice that that is obviously not favourable, and take appropriate actions to correct the new circumstance. Net loss: one round of interaction. Net gain: not succumbing to analysis paralysis or having to hunt for a new and improved worldview (especially: a new concensus worldview shared with numerous others, creating a large coordination problem).

      Sometimes that doesn't work out and people (or companies, or governments, or cultures) get stuck in a nonproductive rut, often characterised by "doing the one thing we know how to do, only harder".

      The big problem comes when there's a recognition that a former large-scale world model no longer applies. I'm leaning strongly to the notion that this is behind many psychological conditions: Grief, denial, meloncholia, depression, PTSD. Possibly burnout and ADHD.[1]

      Classic grief is triggered by the loss of a loved one, or in the "five stages of grief" study, news of the subject's own impending mortality (a fatal disease prognosis). That is, an invalidation of a previously-defining mental model. This triggers denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and eventually, for some, acceptance of a new world view.

      It's a pattern once recognised that one sees repeated across numerous scenarios, and scales, from individuals to groups to entire countries --- almost any disaster, epidemics, global catastrophic risks, wartime attacks, business failures, relationship breakups, and on. The phenomenon intersects with the problem-solving success (or failure) chain.

      What's curious to me is what the threshold for grief or denial is. There are some surprises which don't elicit this response: almost all humour is based on the principle of surprise, and horror films and thrill rides are based on the premise of surprise or extreme experience, but rarely result in a traumatic response. We go through our daily lives experiencing small and medium-sized suprises and disappointments all the time. The grief/denial response seems to be triggered only above a magnitude or repetition threshold, though that can differ markedly between individuals.


      Notes:

      1. I'm not claiming that all PTSD, burnout, and ADHD are grief responses, but rather that there are at least strong similarities. Early psychologists linked grief and melancholia (itself then considered a much stronger longing, to the point of mental illness). The mechanisms for overload might be internal --- chemical, physical, illness, injury, or genetic in origin --- or external. But there's a common thread that seems to run through these conditions, ultimately an inability to cope with a level of change.

      (Adapted from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22208255.)

      18 votes
    8. Jreg (Greg Guevara) has recently "toured" his apartment and people are genuinely getting concerned about his mental health and wellbeing

      Admittedly the forcibly neutral headline should probably be changed. The video has been unlisted but this is the link. One important thing to note is that he recently made a video satirizing how...

      Admittedly the forcibly neutral headline should probably be changed.


      The video has been unlisted but this is the link. One important thing to note is that he recently made a video satirizing how people pretend your life condition doesn't affect your mental health implies that wasn't satire, which is incredibly concerning.

      He deleted the comment where he talks about his landlord but it has been screenshotted here. It's also proof that's actually where he lives.

      Someone has unironically compiled how that house violates Canadian/Ontarian legislation

      After the house tour, Jregs patreon has spiked to its highest ever, and he has gotten 52 new patrons and 230$ more a month in two days

      r/jreg is in some mix of meme-ing and genuine concern.

      9 votes
    9. What do I need to know about switching from Android to iOS for my phone?

      I've been all in on Android for quite a while, but I'll be making the jump to an iPhone with the next phone I get, which will end up being soon, as my current one is having some hardware issues....

      I've been all in on Android for quite a while, but I'll be making the jump to an iPhone with the next phone I get, which will end up being soon, as my current one is having some hardware issues.

      What do I need to know about crossing over?

      In particular, I would like to leave my Google account behind and NOT have it logged into my new phone. I use Fastmail for my email and contacts -- will I be able to sync my contacts easily to an iOS device from it, or will I have to import them into iCloud?

      I'm also open to app recommendations for basic stuff -- preferably ones that are open-source and privacy-friendly. On Android I run a lot of stuff out of F-Droid, but I know iOS is a lot more locked down, so I'm interested to know what the best options are in their store (I have no interest in jailbreaking mg device).

      Also, are there any huge disadvantages I should be aware of regarding older models? The new line just came out, which means the older ones are cheaper, and I'm a casual enough phone user that I should be fine with older hardware, but I want to know if there are any big tradeoffs.

      Finally, if there are any cool iOS tips or tricks I should know about, let me know!

      16 votes
    10. Beat Saber (and the Oculus Quest 2)

      The first time I saw beat saber was this gameplay video in 2018 and I immediately fell in love with it. I adored the concept and wanted to play it so badly. There's a VR arcade close to my place,...

      The first time I saw beat saber was this gameplay video in 2018 and I immediately fell in love with it. I adored the concept and wanted to play it so badly.

      There's a VR arcade close to my place, where I actually played Beat Saber for ~30 mins last year. Lots of fun! And last week, I bought and received an Oculus Quest 2 and finally played it by myself.

      First of all, god damn that is a good game. It's perfect at making you feel like you're naturally good at it, too. Or maybe I actually am. With only ~4 hours of played time I'm doing hard or expert on most new songs with faster song mode (+20% song speed). Which has this weird effect of making me feel like that's the natural pacing of the song… super, super weird when they are ones I already know, as now the version I know feels slowed down.

      The campaign felt short and a bit too easy, with one exception (1-hand expert $100 bills with max 4 misses… spent 2 days on that. Looks like I'm not the only one having problems with it). Though it's been frustrating in places; I find the whole "you need to make at least x mistakes to win this level" pretty ridiculous. Min/max movement is an interesting mechanic but I'm not fond of the execution.

      I have some frustrations with the game. No replays I can save to show off the most awesome combos. Hit detection feels way off on some levels. I haven't tried online mode yet, pretty excited about it.

      But god daaaaamn it's an awesome game. I'm finally playing something again! I haven't really played any video games since … shit, almost two years. And the workout you get is fantastic. I am finally getting a handle on my lockdown atrophy.

      Ben Brode once said: "Make your games super easy to get into. The longer it takes me to get into your gameplay, the less interested I will be in playing your game. Except for Beat Saber: I will jump through any hoop just to play that."

      And that brings me to the Oculus Quest 2. I was a 2020 original Oculus Rift kickstarter backer. I actually tried the first dev kit. A pretty awesome and unique feeling, but all that for shitty resolution, motion sickness and 4 cables hanging off your head.

      Well, it's all gone. Integrated audio, fully wireless, good resolution, no cables, no base station, no PC required. And the features just blow my mind. IR cameras to detect objects around you, the guardian mode with its virtual barriers, the pass-through mode which lets you see outside the oculus without removing it (killer feature). Casting support so it's easy to show your gameplay to friends in the same room. Oh and hand detection?! This is some Star Trek shit.

      I recall my reactions to touching and playing with the first iPhone: "Wow, this is game-changing." - Such is my reaction to the Oculus Quest 2. VR is now a console that is, frankly, cheaper and less intimidating than owning a playstation-type console or some such (after all, you need a TV for those). It's on the same level as the Nintendo Switch. I know a lot of people who are greatly intimidated by VR and this removes almost everything scary about it.

      Incremental progress is weird; sometimes you stop following the various upgrades in a field and suddenly you catch up and it's mind-blowing.

      The problem with the Quest 2 is still the lack of true killer games. Right now, I bought a $400 Beat Saber game… though, it's still worth it. Like Ben said: any hoop.

      (I also got The Room VR because I'm a sucker for these kinds of games and it came highly recommended)

      17 votes
    11. How can I buy some Marvel comic books for my Swedish nephew?

      So my nephew is Swedish and lives in Gothenburg. He’s 5. Apart from small kids' stuff, my sister says she never saw comic books being sold in her town. My nephew’s favorite superhero is...

      So my nephew is Swedish and lives in Gothenburg. He’s 5. Apart from small kids' stuff, my sister says she never saw comic books being sold in her town. My nephew’s favorite superhero is Spider-Man. On his last trip to Brazil, he loved my comic books. He cannot read yet, but my sister reads for him (she will skip anything inadequate for his age, of course. He can always reread later). She thinks he would prefer getting several small issues (48 pages usually I believe?) than a single book with the same page count (it's "more stuff" in his mind :P). The preferred languages are Swedish and Brazilian Portuguese (not European Portuguese). I would send him some in Portuguese but shipping would be slow and super expensive.

      So, are Marvel’s monthly issues even published in Swedish? If so, how can she acquire those?

      7 votes
    12. BOTI Science: Best of interval compilations, suggestions? Supporting trends identification

      Discussions of progress or collapse often get mired in the question of significant discoveries and inventions. After wrestling with several organisational cencepts for various catalogues, and...

      Discussions of progress or collapse often get mired in the question of significant discoveries and inventions. After wrestling with several organisational cencepts for various catalogues, and running into the Ever Growing List dilemma, I hit on what I call BOTI, or Best of the Interval (day, week, month, year, decade, century, etc.). It's similar to the tickler file 43 folder perpetual filing system of GTD. For technical types, a round-robin database or circular buffer.

      (As with my bullet journal experiments, the effort is uneven but recoverable, which is its core strength.)

      By setting up a cascade of buffers --- day of month, (optionally week or weekdays), month of year, year of decade, decade of century, century of millennium, millennium of 10kyr, a progressively larger scale record (roughly order-of-magnitude based), with a resolution of day but a maximum retention of (here) 10,000 years but only 83 record bins. How much you choose to put in each bin is up to you, but the idea is that only to most significant information is carried forward. Yes, some information is lost but total data storage requirements are known once the bin size and count are established.

      Another problem BOTI addresses is finite attention. If you limit yourself to a finite set of items per year, say ten to one hundred (about what a moderately motivated individual could be aware of), BOTI is a form of noise-filtering. Items which seemed urgent or captivating in the moment often fade in significance with time, and often overlooked element rise in significance with time and context. 'Let it settle with time" is a good cure to FOMO.

      There's the question of revisiting context. I'd argue that significance might be substantially revised years, decades, possibly centuries after a discovery or inventiion. So an end-of-period purge of all but the top items isn't what we're looking for. Gut a gradual forgetting / pruning seems the general idea.

      Back to science and technology: It's hard to assess significance in the moment, and day-to-day reports of science and technology advances are noisy. I've been looking for possible sources to use and am finding little that's satisfactory. I'd like suggestions.

      There is a goal here: trends over time. I've a few senses of directions of research and progress, possibly also of biases in awards. Looking at, for example, Nobels in physics, chemistry, and medicine from, say, 1901--1960 vs. 1961--2020, there seems to be a marked shift, though categorising that might be difficult. The breakpoint isn't necessarily 1960 either --- 1950 or 1940 might be argued for.

      There is the question of how to measure significance of scientific discoveries or technological inventions. I'm not going to get into that though several standard measures (e.g., counting patents issued) strike me as highly problematic, despite being common in research. Discussion might be interesting.

      Mostly, though, I'm looking for data sources.

      5 votes
    13. Vimeo is not very good

      (This is kind of a rant about Vimeo's website. It might be better in ~tech, or ~comp. Feel free to move it.) I've always preferred using Vimeo to YouTube for finding interesting videos because...

      (This is kind of a rant about Vimeo's website. It might be better in ~tech, or ~comp. Feel free to move it.)

      I've always preferred using Vimeo to YouTube for finding interesting videos because it's more oriented towards artists than people just uploading random stuff. As mentioned in the recent What Creative Projects Have You Been Working On? thread, I had some nature videos I shot of hummingbirds and wanted to upload them somewhere. My spouse had uploaded videos to Vimeo before, so I thought I'd put them there rather than YouTube because I don't like dealing with Google.

      The site is a hot mess. I've hit the following problems after lightly using it for 2 days. I uploaded a single video and set it to be public:

      • No way to enter keywords or tags. Searching will only find your video if you mention the search terms in your title (and maybe your description).
      • Some of their own pages are broken or missing. If I go to "categories" and click on "documentary" it shows me an error message saying the page doesn't exist. If I click on "arts" or "music" I go to that category and see videos available.
      • No information on how to add your video to a given category. Is it done automatically? Is it done by someone on the staff noticing and adding it? I have no idea!
      • My video has gotten a few views from people here, so it is uploaded and available for anyone to see. But if I search for "hummingbird" and limit the search to videos uploaded in the last 7 days, my video is not displayed. Why not? Who knows?
      • I ran the iOS app without logging in and it showed my account but said I had no videos, even though others were able to see them. Logging in shows the videos and confirms that they are set to allow anyone to view them. WTF?
      • I attempted to send them a message telling them about the broken links. When you go to the help section and click on "Contact Us," you get a fake chat window that's just a bot that will pick keywords out of your question and reply with articles that don't answer your question. In fact, they even ask below each one, "Does this answer your question?" with a button for yes and nothing else. There's no way to say, "No, this was unhelpful." If you scroll to the bottom of the list of articles they recommend, there's a button to send a message to their tech support.
      • I'm on the free tier, so I wasn't expecting any sort of answer to my help question, but still wanted to let them know so they could fix it. But that didn't work either. They have enough sense to copy your question from the chat bot into the tech support form (nice!) but it strips out any URLs. (Thanks! Very useful since I was trying to report a broken URL!) But it doesn't matter anyway because after you choose a category (none of which are correct) and attempt to submit your form, nothing happens. You press "Next" and the button turns into a spinner for a few seconds, and then stops and turns back into the "Next" button. Nothing appears to have been submitted, but no error is presented.
      • The site is full of dark patterns. I get that they want upgrade revenue coming in, and I have no problem with that. But they do things like have a blinking icon in your video's settings for "interaction tools." These are things you can do to monetize your video, or whatever. Stuff I will never need. All the options in this section require a paid upgrade and there's no way to turn off the blinking beacon (except, I assume, by upgrading).

      I was considering upgrading to their bottom-tier paid account, but after seeing how much is broken, I have to wonder if they're circling the drain? I get using chat bots and forms to make it easier for their support people, and making sure users know about ways to upgrade, but this is ridiculous. Anyone else run into this?

      26 votes
    14. Timasomo 2020 Thread #5: Final Update Thread

      IMPORTANT INFORMATION Deadlines The creative portion for Timasomo ends at 11:59:59 PM on November 30, 2020, relative to wherever you are. The showcase will be next Sunday, December 6th (probably...

      IMPORTANT INFORMATION

      Deadlines

      The creative portion for Timasomo ends at 11:59:59 PM on November 30, 2020, relative to wherever you are.

      The showcase will be next Sunday, December 6th (probably posted around 18:00:00 GMT).

      Next Steps

      Finish up your project in the next two days. You have the following week to prepare your showcase. This means you can edit, add polish, find hosting, etc. It's your week to get your project ready for however you're wishing to present it! And if you have to cram in a little creativity in that time too, well, I won't say anything. :)


      Showcase Logistics

      Changes

      You can see last year's Timasomo showcase here. It will look fairly similar, but there are going to be a few changes this year based on feedback from last year:

      • The Showcase will be hosted in ~talk, not ~creative, to expose the projects to the wider Tildes audience.
      • Participants will post their own projects in the comments rather than me posting them within the topic (this is so people don't have to ping creators, and to give participants better control of their showcase entries)

      Preparing Your Showcase

      • Give your project a title, and use the # markdown to make it stand out in the showcase thread!
      • Link to your project in whatever way works best for your project.
      • Give an "creator statement" that contextualizes what your project is.

      Showcase FAQ

      Do I have to share my whole project?

      Nope! Only share what you're comfortable with! Snippets, excerpts, screenshots, or even just a summary from you are all fine. Tildes is a privacy-respecting site, and that extends to Timasomo! :)

      What if I have more than one project to showcase?

      Awesome! Make more than one entry in the showcase!

      What if I didn't meet my goal?

      It's up to you if you want to participate in the showcase. Even if you didn't meet your goal but still feel you want to share what you did accomplish, that's fine! If not, no worries!

      What if I need hosting for files/images?

      Please ask here! There are plenty of people here who can help with that.

      What if I have a question not covered here?

      Please ask here or by PM!


      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. The first ever Timasomo took place last year. You can see the threads for the previous Timasomo using the timasomo tag, and you can see the final showcase thread of creations here.

      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. Below are the dates that I will be posting weekly threads:

      Sunday, October 18, 2020: Announcement Thread
      Sunday, October 25, 2020: Planning Thread
      Sunday, November 1, 2020: Roll Call Thread
      Sunday, November 8, 2020: Update Thread #1
      Sunday, November 15, 2020: Update Thread #2
      Sunday, November 22, 2020: Update Thread #3
      Sunday, November 29, 2020: Final Update Thread
      Sunday, December 6, 2020: Timasomo Showcase Thread

      This announcement will be posted in ~tildes. All Timasomo process threads will be hosted in ~creative. The final Timasomo Showcase thread will be posted in ~talk.

      Can I participate?

      Yes! Timasomo is open to anyone on Tildes! 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.

      Participants will formally announce their plans to enter into Timasomo on Sunday, November 1st, in the Roll Call thread. If you are planning to participate or just want to follow the event, please make sure you are subscribed to ~creative where all of the update threads will be posted.

      What if I have ideas for how to run the event?

      Please share them here! I am facilitating the event, but I am completely open to feedback and suggestions to make this the best event possible. I want this to be Tildes' event, not kfwyre's!

      14 votes
    15. Can you write ad-blocker rules to essentially blacklist mention of certain people?

      I've just read a journal from someone on another site saying that they wished there was a blacklisting system which stopped them seeing submissions from, to or about certain other users in their...

      I've just read a journal from someone on another site saying that they wished there was a blacklisting system which stopped them seeing submissions from, to or about certain other users in their feed, as it is potentially trauma-inducing for them to log in and keep seeing them come up. I assume that the person looking for this blacklist isn't realistically able to just leave the site, because it's the most populous of its kind and serves as an art portfolio or source of income.

      Is this, or something like it, actually possible to do with custom ad-blocker rules, or do they need to just wait for the site's admins to get around to it?

      6 votes
    16. Timasomo 2020 Thread #4: Update Thread 3

      Weekly Task Last full week to work on your projects! I'll post the final weekly update next Sunday, and then you'll have Monday the 30th to finish up with the creation part. Do NOT worry about...

      Weekly Task

      Last full week to work on your projects! I'll post the final weekly update next Sunday, and then you'll have Monday the 30th to finish up with the creation part. Do NOT worry about having everything perfect by the 30th -- a rough cut is enough! You will have the first week of December to polish, edit, configure, tweak, etc. and get your piece(s) ready for the Showcase.

      Update us on your progress so far. What did/didn't you get done this week? Anything go according to plan? Anything go off the rails? Any successes or struggles to share?

      Next Steps

      Just over one week left! We'll discuss Showcase logistics next week.


      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. The first ever Timasomo took place last year. You can see the threads for the previous Timasomo using the timasomo tag, and you can see the final showcase thread of creations here.

      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. Below are the dates that I will be posting weekly threads:

      Sunday, October 18, 2020: Announcement Thread
      Sunday, October 25, 2020: Planning Thread
      Sunday, November 1, 2020: Roll Call Thread
      Sunday, November 8, 2020: Update Thread #1
      Sunday, November 15, 2020: Update Thread #2
      Sunday, November 22, 2020: Update Thread #3
      Sunday, November 29, 2020: Final Update Thread
      Sunday, December 6, 2020: Timasomo Showcase Thread

      This announcement will be posted in ~tildes. All Timasomo process threads will be hosted in ~creative. The final Timasomo Showcase thread will be posted in ~talk.

      Can I participate?

      Yes! Timasomo is open to anyone on Tildes! 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.

      Participants will formally announce their plans to enter into Timasomo on Sunday, November 1st, in the Roll Call thread. If you are planning to participate or just want to follow the event, please make sure you are subscribed to ~creative where all of the update threads will be posted.

      What if I have ideas for how to run the event?

      Please share them here! I am facilitating the event, but I am completely open to feedback and suggestions to make this the best event possible. I want this to be Tildes' event, not kfwyre's!

      11 votes
    17. Could "fuzzing" voting, election, and judicial process improve decisionmaking and democratic outcomes?

      Voting is determinative, especially where the constituency is precisely known, as with a legislature, executive council, panel of judges, gerrymandered electoral district, defined organisational...

      Voting is determinative, especially where the constituency is precisely known, as with a legislature, executive council, panel of judges, gerrymandered electoral district, defined organisational membership. If you know, with high precision, who is voting, then you can determine or influence how they vote, or what the outcome will be. Which lends a certain amount of predictability (often considered as good), but also of a tyranny of the majority. This is especially true where long-standing majorities can be assured: legislatures, boards of directors, courts, ethnic or cultural majorities.

      The result is a very high-stakes game in establishing majorities, influencing critical constituencies, packing courts, and gaming parliamentary and organisational procedures. But is this the best method --- both in terms of representational eqquity and of decision and goverrnance quality?

      Hands down the most fascinating article I've read over the past decade is Michael Schulson's "How to choose? When your reasons are worse than useless, sometimes the most rational choice is a random stab in the dark", in Aeon. The essay, drawing heavily on Peter Stone, The Luck of the Draw: The Role of Lotteries in Decision Making (2011), which I've not read, mostly concerns decisions under uncertainty and of the risk of bad decisions. It seems to me that it also applies to periods of extreme political partisanship and division. An unlikely but possible circumstance, I'm sure....

      Under many political systems, control is binary and discrete. A party with a majority in a legislature or judiciary, or control of the executive, has absolute control, barring procedural exceptions. Moreover, what results is a politics of veto power, where the bloc defining a controlling share of votes effectively controls the entire organisation. It may not be able to get its way, but it can determine which of two pluralities can reach a majority. Often in favour of its own considerations, overtly or covertly --- this is an obvious engine of corruption.

      (This is why "political flexibility" often translates to more effective power than a hardline orthodoxy.)

      One inspiration is a suggestion for US Supreme Court reform: greatly expand the court, hear more cases, but randomly assign a subset of judges to each case.[1] A litigant cannot know what specific magistrates will hear a case, and even a highly-packed court could produce minority-majority panels.

      Where voting can be fuzzed, the majority's power is made less absolute, more uncertain, and considerations which presume that such a majority cannot be assured, one hopes, would lead to a more inclusive decisionmaking process. Some specific mechanisms;

      • All members vote, but a subset of votes are considered at random. The larger the subset, the more reliably the true majority wins.
      • A subset of members votes. As in the court example above.
      • An executive role (presidency, leader, chairmanship) is rotated over time.
      • For ranged decisions (quantitative, rather than yes/no), a value is selected randomly based on weighted support.

      Concensus/majority decisionmaking tends to locked and unrepresentitive states. Fuzzing might better unlock these and increase representation.


      Notes

      1. A selection of articles on Supreme Court reforms and expansion, from an earlier G+ post: https://web.archive.org/web/20190117114110/https://plus.google.com/104092656004159577193/posts/9btDjFcNhg1 Also, notably, court restructuring or resizing has been practiced: "Republicans Oppose Court Packing (Except When They Support It)".
      14 votes
    18. „Hating Men is a freeing form of hostility”

      When Pauline Harmange published her Essay “I hate men” (in French: “Moi, les hommes, je les déteste”) – the first edition with only 400 copies printed by a small French publisher – the 25 years...

      When Pauline Harmange published her Essay “I hate men” (in French: “Moi, les hommes, je les déteste”) – the first edition with only 400 copies printed by a small French publisher – the 25 years old blogger and author expected, that only feminist activists would be interested in it.
      But then Ralph Zurmély, an advisor of the French Ministry for Equality, read the text and publicly threatened Harmange with a lawsuit for “Inciting Hatred”. The ministry quickly distanced itself, but the public had already gotten wind of the manifest. For the author, this meant a flood of insults and threats over social networks, but also attention from international publishers. Her book is now being translated into ten languages; in German it is being published by Rowohlt. At this point, the 25 year old can laugh about Zurmélys threat, “because it proves my thesis beautifully”, she says on the telephone.

      ZEIT Campus ONLINE: Feminists worldwide are justified in defending themselves against all forms of misogyny, the hatred of women. Now you are advocating for hating men. Fighting hate with hate, can that be a good idea?

      Pauline Harmange: Now, hating men and hating women are not the same thing. Behind misogyny, the hatred of women, there is a system, which is extremely dangerous and violent in many ways. Misandry, hating men, is a way for women to protect and defend themselves from the violent behaviour of men. It is a counter-reaction. There would not be a need to dislike or hate men, if hating women would not systematically exist. Men are in many ways simply a danger to our life.

      ZEIT Campus ONLINE: But does that justify a general hate against men, all men?

      Harmange: For me and a lot of other feminists men form a social class. The phrase “I hate men” means that I hate the social group of men, because of all the privileges that they enjoy. I’d like to tell everyone that it is okay and important to be tired of this group. Misandry is a freeing form of hostility, and it covers a wide range of emotions and needs: It can mean, that we publicly fight against the violence of men against women. It can also mean personal consequences, like making the decision to not meet with men anymore and not trust them. All those things are okay and legitimate.

      ZEIT Campus ONLINE: Is it not more important to differentiate, which men and which behaviours are problematic?

      Harmange: When we take the time and effort, to exactly decide which men are good and bad, we lose a lot of our feminist energy, which we need in the fight against the patriarchy. The “Not all men” argument isn’t a strong enough answer for the systematic oppression which women experience through men. When we as feminists say, that we hate all men, that doesn’t mean that we don’t make any differences.

      ZEIT Campus ONLINE: Which differences do you mean?

      Harmange: Picture the system of misogyny like a pyramid. On top we have a few extremely violent men. Under that comes a large portion of men, which can be good, for example to the woman that they love. But that doesn’t mean that they don’t live in a misogynist system and support it in other ways. For example if they make sexist jokes or speak badly of women with their friends.

      Zeit Campus ONLINE: You are married to a man and have male friends. How do you live with the contradiction, hating all men, but loving one and liking some?

      Harmange: That is not a contradiction. I’m only married to a man, because we grew together as people. I live in a relationship which allows me to be the person I want to be. But yes, it was tiring to become a feminist and kind of take my husband with me during that process. I don’t know if I could do that again with a different man. My husband and my male friends know, what I mean when I say that I hate men or “men are trash”. They understand, that masculine ideals are not good for themselves or society. Only because one dislikes men as a social group, does not mean that one cannot have individual, very good relationships to men. The prerequisite for that however is, that you have men in front of you who are ready to listen and understand.

      ZEIT Campus Online: You don’t seem to have a lot of faith in the introspection of men. In your text you write that behind every man that takes an interest in gender equality, “there are multiple women which have opened his eyes with hard work.”

      Harmange: It is very frustrating for me and a lot of other feminists that men don’t use any of their time to learn anything about gender equality. A lot of women don’t get the choice but learn about the topic of sexual violence, for them it is only a choice of life or death. They have to learn to protect themselves. We get taught from small age to always learn and better ourselves to find a place in society. Men don’t feel that need. They grow up with the idea, that they are good the way they are. For them it is easier to say “I don’t hate women, I treat my girlfriend well, I’m one of the good ones.” That’s not enough, because it’s not just about the women they love. Men have to think about privileges and the system of oppression of women through men.

      ZEIT Campus ONLINE: But if you advocate misandry, wouldn’t the opposite happen? Wouldn’t men feel appalled by feminist discourse and stop taking an interest in it?

      Harmange: I find this idea horrible, that men have to feel liked by women to be interested in the feminist fight and gender equality. We don’t have the time or energy to convince men or give them a good feeling just to hope that they maybe do something for us. This inequality between the genders exists since hundreds of years, thousands of smart things have been said and written about it. Now it’s one the men to take an interest in it. By motivating themselves. It can’t be, that this interest is only done for their girlfriends.

      ZEIT Campus ONLINE: What does that mean for you? Do you not talk to your male friends about gender equality?

      Harmange: I’m ready to discuss with individuals I like and where I know that they want to learn and be better. But I won’t be a teacher for men in general. It is extremely tiring and gives me no benefit.

      ZEIT Campus ONLINE: What about a man who takes interest in gender equality and wants to do something? What can he do?

      Harmange: There’s a feminist influencer on Instagram which I really like, @irenevrose, and she wrote “When men ask me what they can do for the feminist fight, I always say: Watch the kids while your girlfriends go take part in demonstrations.” Even when the women in their surroundings aren’t activists, men should ask themselves: How can I support them and help? It’s important that men don’t push themselves into the foreground. It’s not their fight and not their stage.

      ZEIT Campus ONLINE: But isn’t it important that men call themselves feminists in public and talk about gender equality, so the work doesn’t just stay with the women?

      Harmange: Men who call themselves feminist in public often sadly want to be the star of the show. Many of them want to get compliments, without ever asking themselves: “When have I benefited from my male privilege? How did I treat the women in my life?” There was surely problematic behaviour at some point. If a man is serious about his fight against the patriarchy, he has to start with himself. And his friends. Men can talk with friends about how to treat women and can criticise it, when someone makes a sexist joke or comment. That’s much more important than any kind of interview or text, in which a man celebrates himself as an exemplary feminist.

      ZEIT Campus ONLINE: Back to the hate on men: Which social vision is connected to this? If you think it through – do we really want to live in a society, where all women hate men?

      Harmange: I think the chance, that we wake up tomorrow in a matriarchy, in which all women hate men is fairly small (laughs). But seriously: We women know how hard it is to be oppressed in a society and treated harshly. All women have lived through it at some point. We wouldn’t wish that experience on anyone. To think, that from critical feminist discourse a matriarchy would arise which oppresses men is a too simple view on the subject. I see this fear of men of man-hating, female wielders of power as admitting their own wrong behaviour.

      ZEIT Campus ONLINE: How do you mean?
      Harmange: Well, they seem to think that systematic oppression of women in the patriarchy for hundreds of years could evoke a strong counter reaction. The best thing would be to reflect on this fear and ask yourself: In which society do I want to live? A lot of men would conclude that the patriarchy hurts them too. Of course, in the first step they lose the as naturally viewed confirmation from women. But in the second step they gain a new equality between the genders. Men and women would learn to be more honest to each other, in their relationships as well.

      ZEIT Campus ONLINE: What personal consequences have you drawn from hating men?
      Harmange: I’ve realised that my well-being is not depended on the acknowledgement from men. I’ve shifted my focus radically on the women in my surroundings, whose support I need and whom I can offer help and support myself. I think that allowing yourself to hate men can help a lot of women in deepening the relationships to their female friends. Through this I have discovered a new quality of sisterhood.

      ZEIT Campus ONLINE: What defines this sisterhood?

      Harmange: One thing in which women are better than men are building up emotional relationships to other people. That can help us build deep connections. Moments, in which women are between each other, are important. We collect our energy, charge our batteries for the feminist fight. It doesn’t matter if we meet to knit, read, network or protest. I believe firmly that the private and intimate is political, so a round to knit can be political. Just sitting down with female friends and drinking tea helps the feminist fight, because we say things that we wouldn’t be saying if men were present. Because we talk about our experiences in a patriarchal society. And because we realize that it’s beautiful that men don’t play a role in every aspect of our lives.


      This text is a translation of the German original. The translation is written by me. Not because I agree with the person, I think her views are abhorrent and self-absorbed, more because I think it's a good basis for discussion, and because I liked the exercise. Link to the (paywalled) original

      29 votes
    19. Do you read 'old news'/article archives?

      Asked because I like the idea of reading about the past and feel unsatisfied by r/history and r/askhistorians mainly because reddit's search isn't that great and those subs have a much wider scope...

      Asked because I like the idea of reading about the past and feel unsatisfied by r/history and r/askhistorians mainly because reddit's search isn't that great and those subs have a much wider scope than most news archives.

      I'm gonna do this on a Q&A format. Note that "old news" doesn't need to be news articles, it can be blogs for example.

      If you read old news/articles, where do you get them from/find them?

      What kind of "old news" do you read?

      What historical period do you tend to read about?

      If you're reading an article about a historical event you remember, how does your memory tend to compare to those articles?

      How often do you do it?

      What do you think about subreddits like r/twentyyearsago, since they're basically trawling through those news archives?

      7 votes
    20. Timasomo 2020 Thread #3: Update Thread 2

      It was AMAZING to see everyone's progress from last week! I didn't get to respond to everyone but I am so excited to see everything that's shaping up. Weekly Task We're at the halfway point!...

      It was AMAZING to see everyone's progress from last week! I didn't get to respond to everyone but I am so excited to see everything that's shaping up.

      Weekly Task

      We're at the halfway point! Update us on your progress so far. What did/didn't you get done this week? Anything go according to plan? Anything go off the rails? Any successes or struggles to share?

      Next Steps

      Continue creating! Two weeks left!


      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. The first ever Timasomo took place last year. You can see the threads for the previous Timasomo using the timasomo tag, and you can see the final showcase thread of creations here.

      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. Below are the dates that I will be posting weekly threads:

      Sunday, October 18, 2020: Announcement Thread
      Sunday, October 25, 2020: Planning Thread
      Sunday, November 1, 2020: Roll Call Thread
      Sunday, November 8, 2020: Update Thread #1
      Sunday, November 15, 2020: Update Thread #2
      Sunday, November 22, 2020: Update Thread #3
      Sunday, November 29, 2020: Final Update Thread
      Sunday, December 6, 2020: Timasomo Showcase Thread

      This announcement will be posted in ~tildes. All Timasomo process threads will be hosted in ~creative. The final Timasomo Showcase thread will be posted in ~talk.

      Can I participate?

      Yes! Timasomo is open to anyone on Tildes! 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.

      Participants will formally announce their plans to enter into Timasomo on Sunday, November 1st, in the Roll Call thread. If you are planning to participate or just want to follow the event, please make sure you are subscribed to ~creative where all of the update threads will be posted.

      What if I have ideas for how to run the event?

      Please share them here! I am facilitating the event, but I am completely open to feedback and suggestions to make this the best event possible. I want this to be Tildes' event, not kfwyre's!

      10 votes
    21. Major police operation at Ubisoft Montreal in response to a hoax, originally believed to be a hostage situation

      Live feed in French - in the last 10 minutes nobody really knew what was happening according to my relatively bad french. Montreal Gazette - will be updated The trend on twitter - for some...

      Live feed in French - in the last 10 minutes nobody really knew what was happening according to my relatively bad french.

      Montreal Gazette - will be updated

      The trend on twitter - for some up-to-the-minute information and slight hysteria

      An article via Gamasutra - this just happened to be the first one I read, will also likely get updated.

      26 votes
    22. How have you changed over the course of your life?

      Asked mainly out of curiosity and because, personally, most of the changes I've been through (well, that I remember, with I don't do nearly as well as I'd like) as a person are basically the...

      Asked mainly out of curiosity and because, personally, most of the changes I've been through (well, that I remember, with I don't do nearly as well as I'd like) as a person are basically the implications of autism often getting weaker with age and just getting hormones like most people instead of anything deliberate or conscious, with the exception of this.

      16 votes
    23. What's something you don't understand the appeal of?

      The question is straightforward, but the point of the thread isn't to just signal your dislike about or confusion towards something -- it's to hopefully get an explanation from someone who can...

      The question is straightforward, but the point of the thread isn't to just signal your dislike about or confusion towards something -- it's to hopefully get an explanation from someone who can actually put the appeal into words.

      Thus, for everyone reading this thread, if you see something in the comments that you actually do like -- or that you feel like you know enough about to do it justice -- then explain away!

      36 votes
    24. Privacy is a lonely bastion. Anyone know how to meet friends online these days?

      At some point we recognized the signs of desperation. My wife and I had been running to the window like puppies for a glimpse of any unusual traffic. We caught ourselves bingeing on news articles,...

      At some point we recognized the signs of desperation. My wife and I had been running to the window like puppies for a glimpse of any unusual traffic. We caught ourselves bingeing on news articles, as if saturating ourselves with reporting could somehow make us relevant to a world that saw less and less of us. We even resorted to calling my mother. After listening to 90 uninterrupted minutes of narration regarding her most recent routine doctor’s visit, we broke down. We resolved to end the isolation that was slowly killing us. Then the pandemic hit.

      Our biggest stumbling block is figuring out how can we make friends online using only privacy-respecting platforms and software? We would like to see some friendly faces in real time without being simultaneously, you know, mined. Could anyone in the know share suggestions?

      Edit: I'm grateful people are considering this. Thank you! I find it helps to ask people what their ideal solution would be, no matter how far-fetched. So, in response to that: My dream platform/venue/project would meld aspects of Lunchclub with The Human Library. I have stories to tell. I would love to video chat with fully-clothed individuals drawn from all over the world, chosen based on their stories and ambitions. It would work the way a good host does. You know, "Greta once had the job of getting sweat stains out of Bruce Springsteen's guitar strap. You two should swap cleaning stories, since you work at that drycleaner's, right, Butchie? Is it true it's a front for the mob? Oh, excuse me, I have to disinfect the pizza guy. I'll leave you to it." Maybe I should flesh this out more.

      36 votes
    25. Timasomo 2020 Thread #2: Update Thread 1

      Weekly Task Update us on your progress so far! What did/didn't you get done this week? Anything go according to plan? Anything go off the rails? Any successes or struggles to share? Next Steps...

      Weekly Task

      Update us on your progress so far! What did/didn't you get done this week? Anything go according to plan? Anything go off the rails? Any successes or struggles to share?

      Next Steps

      Continue (or, if you're like me and didn't get anything done this week due to US election anxiety -- start) creating!


      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. The first ever Timasomo took place last year. You can see the threads for the previous Timasomo using the timasomo tag, and you can see the final showcase thread of creations here.

      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. Below are the dates that I will be posting weekly threads:

      Sunday, October 18, 2020: Announcement Thread
      Sunday, October 25, 2020: Planning Thread
      Sunday, November 1, 2020: Roll Call Thread
      Sunday, November 8, 2020: Update Thread #1
      Sunday, November 15, 2020: Update Thread #2
      Sunday, November 22, 2020: Update Thread #3
      Sunday, November 29, 2020: Final Update Thread
      Sunday, December 6, 2020: Timasomo Showcase Thread

      This announcement will be posted in ~tildes. All Timasomo process threads will be hosted in ~creative. The final Timasomo Showcase thread will be posted in ~talk.

      Can I participate?

      Yes! Timasomo is open to anyone on Tildes! 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.

      Participants will formally announce their plans to enter into Timasomo on Sunday, November 1st, in the Roll Call thread. If you are planning to participate or just want to follow the event, please make sure you are subscribed to ~creative where all of the update threads will be posted.

      What if I have ideas for how to run the event?

      Please share them here! I am facilitating the event, but I am completely open to feedback and suggestions to make this the best event possible. I want this to be Tildes' event, not kfwyre's!

      17 votes
    26. What movie (or series) really speaks to you, but which most people don't seem to "get"

      ... and, if you know ... why? ETA: I'm honestly not looking for movie recommendations here. Oftentimes, a "regular" movie for the masses, just happens to hit the perfect note for one or a few...

      ... and, if you know ... why?

      ETA: I'm honestly not looking for movie recommendations here. Oftentimes, a "regular" movie for the masses, just happens to hit the perfect note for one or a few people. I'm interested in those "it's special for me, because..." stories.

      We have a dozen different "what's the best ___", but I haven't seen this discussion here in awhile.

      My first pick here would have to be Mystery Men, which—for me—ranks as one of the best comic book / superhero movies of all time, right up there with the first X-Men and Ironman. However, broad critical concensus, as well as everyone I've ever shown it to, seems to be, "meh, that was cute; what else ya got?"

      I honestly have no idea why this movie resonates so strongly with me, and not with the gen pop. My best guess is that I tend to identify more than average with the whole "well-meaning underdog screw-ups prevail" theme, and this movie is that, times seven.


      My other pick is Grosse Pointe Blank, an old John Cusack thing which does have broadly positive reviews, and which most people truly like ... but my life history is enough of an outlier from societal norms, that I feel a very personal connection with the lead character, and his feelings of alienation from society.

      20 votes
    27. Public shooting in Vienna (Allegedly terror attacks)

      Short Summary: On Monday, approximately 20:00 local time, public shootings occured at multiple places in Vienna, Austria. 4 deaths in total, one perp, 3 civilians. 15 people are severely injured,...

      Short Summary:

      • On Monday, approximately 20:00 local time, public shootings occured at multiple places in Vienna, Austria.
      • 4 deaths in total, one perp, 3 civilians. 15 people are severely injured, including one member of the police.
      • Attacker(s) is/were armed with a rifle and several handguns, and were wearing a dummy explosive vest.
      • The dead perpetrator has been investigated over the night, identified as a sympathisant of IS ("Islamic State"). There have been multiple arrests and house searches of the people surrounding this person by Austrian SWAT (Kobra).
      • Schools are closed on Tuesday (today).
      • In total, six places have been hit: Morzinplatz, Salzgries, Seitenstettengasse, Graben, Bauernmarkt und Fleischmarkt
      • The police is still currently working with military support.
      • Locals are urged to stay home today and it's difficult to get reliable updates.
      • The police has asked the public to refrain from posting videos/pictures on social media, and instead send it to them, as posting material could endanger the police and military working.
      • Multiple perpetrators are possible, but not confirmed.
      • The attack is currently considered to be an Islamic terror attack.

      Best place to get news: @LPDWien (local police department Vienna) on Twitter: https://nitter.net/lpdwien They post relevant information in both English and German.

      18 votes
    28. Timasomo 2020 Thread #1: Roll Call and Beginning!

      Timasomo Has Officially Begun! Weekly Task This is the thread where you commit to your goal. Post what you plan to achieve this month. Posting in this thread is your official entry into Timasomo....

      Timasomo Has Officially Begun!

      Weekly Task

      This is the thread where you commit to your goal. Post what you plan to achieve this month. Posting in this thread is your official entry into Timasomo.

      Next Steps

      Get creating! Timasomo is LIVE!


      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. The first ever Timasomo took place last year. You can see the threads for the previous Timasomo using the timasomo tag, and you can see the final showcase thread of creations here.

      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. Below are the dates that I will be posting weekly threads:

      Sunday, October 18, 2020: Announcement Thread
      Sunday, October 25, 2020: Planning Thread
      Sunday, November 1, 2020: Roll Call Thread
      Sunday, November 8, 2020: Update Thread #1
      Sunday, November 15, 2020: Update Thread #2
      Sunday, November 22, 2020: Update Thread #3
      Sunday, November 29, 2020: Final Update Thread
      Sunday, December 6, 2020: Timasomo Showcase Thread

      This announcement will be posted in ~tildes. All Timasomo process threads will be hosted in ~creative. The final Timasomo Showcase thread will be posted in ~talk.

      Can I participate?

      Yes! Timasomo is open to anyone on Tildes! 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.

      Participants will formally announce their plans to enter into Timasomo on Sunday, November 1st, in the Roll Call thread. If you are planning to participate or just want to follow the event, please make sure you are subscribed to ~creative where all of the update threads will be posted.

      What if I have ideas for how to run the event?

      Please share them here! I am facilitating the event, but I am completely open to feedback and suggestions to make this the best event possible. I want this to be Tildes' event, not kfwyre's!

      20 votes
    29. What tips or tricks do you use when researching a topic to find actually useful information?

      Stop me if you've heard this one before: You get an idea for something you'd like to learn more about. (Maybe you have a question, maybe you want to explore a new hobby, or maybe you want to make...

      Stop me if you've heard this one before:

      • You get an idea for something you'd like to learn more about. (Maybe you have a question, maybe you want to explore a new hobby, or maybe you want to make a more informed decision.)
      • You type something into a search engine.
      • You click a result, only to realize that what you're reading is poorly written. It seems rushed, surface-level, and ill-informed. "This doesn't answer my question at all!" you think to yourself.
      • You go back, and try another one, and another one, only to give up and put the idea back in your head.

      I don't think these webpages are written to be useful in the first place. They seem to be written to attract attention to the website for other reasons (ad revenue, affiliate links, to draw attention to a product or service). Regardless of why it's happening, though, I want to find a better way to search.

      The sort of content I'm looking for is written by someone who really cares about the topic. I want to learn from dorks and nerds and passionate people. Once I stumbled across this blog about extra virgin olive oil. The website isn't pretty, and it goes way more in depth than I'll ever need, but I trust the author, and there are some really interesting nuggets of insight on these pages. (e.g. "Another myth debunked: Heating EVOO makes it ‘toxic’")

      Do you have any tips or tricks to more reliably find these sorts of sources (whether online or in-person)?

      15 votes
    30. Insomnia, anyone?

      I keep reading about people getting "covid insomnia". You could say, it's keeping me up at night. Really though, it's been getting pretty regular for me. I take xanax once in a while but keeping...

      I keep reading about people getting "covid insomnia". You could say, it's keeping me up at night.

      Really though, it's been getting pretty regular for me. I take xanax once in a while but keeping it to an absolute minimum (no more than 0.25mg, once a week or so).

      I tried the Sleep With Me podcast mentioned by @noblepath. It sort of helped. I kind of like the experience of it, the mindlessness, but I didn't continue past the second night.

      It did give me the idea to just run a youtube video of rain sounds on my tv though, a lot better than what I used to do (leave netflix on some rewatches I know by heart). This is the one I'm currently enjoying: https://youtu.be/_x3hVRSIe2g

      14 votes
    31. What memo did you not get?

      We've all been in situations before where we're the odd one out: everyone's using a new app you had never heard of, everyone is wearing the same color for an event, etc. An often refrain in such...

      We've all been in situations before where we're the odd one out: everyone's using a new app you had never heard of, everyone is wearing the same color for an event, etc. An often refrain in such situations is "Well I didn't get the memo". So I'm curious, what memos have you missed?

      An example for me: I suddenly have started seeing lots of people using this substack website, which seems kind of like a Medium alternative. No clue where this came from or how it got big - I totally missed the memo on Substack.

      19 votes
    32. Tracking down an old guitar riff

      Yesterday, I was talking with my dad about western swing and similar country music in a conversation about my grandfather who was a mandolin player in a red dirt/western swing band on old timey...

      Yesterday, I was talking with my dad about western swing and similar country music in a conversation about my grandfather who was a mandolin player in a red dirt/western swing band on old timey radio in Texas during the post-war years. Unfortunately, I was never able to connect with my grandfather through music because I was still fairly young when he passed away, but I put on his favorite band, Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, while I was thinking about him and getting some work done.

      The Spotify top tracks led me to Steel Guitar Rag from 1936. Shortly after the 40 second mark, you will hear a guitar riff that sent me on a scavenger hunt, texting a couple different friends for help and skipping around songs for half an hour. The riff felt really familiar but more uptempo in my head than in the Bob Wills track. My first thought was the band WOLF!, maybe a track like Humdinger. Good song but not it. A friend of mine suggested Folsom Prison Blues, but that has a distinctly different riff in it.

      Eventually, it struck me that I knew the riff from a King Curtis live album from 1966, I just needed to skip around until I found it in one of the tracks. The track is titled Medley: Peter Gunn / Get Long Cindy, and the riff starts after the 3:25 mark. Pretty similar don't you think?

      10 votes
    33. In which a foolish developer tries DevOps: critique my VPS provisioning script!

      I'm attempting to provision two mirror staging and production environments for a future SaaS application that we're close to launching as a company, and I'd like to get some feedback on the...

      I'm attempting to provision two mirror staging and production environments for a future SaaS application that we're close to launching as a company, and I'd like to get some feedback on the provisioning script I've created that takes a default VPS from our hosting provider, DigitalOcean, and readies it for being a secure hosting environment for our application instance (which runs inside Docker, and persists data to an unrelated managed database).

      I'm sticking with a simple infrastructure architecture at the moment: A single VPS which runs both nginx and the application instance inside a containerised docker service as mentioned earlier. There's no load balancers or server duplication at this point. @Emerald_Knight very kindly provided me in the Tildes Discord with some overall guidance about what to aim for when configuring a server (limit damage as best as possible, limit access when an attack occurs)—so I've tried to be thoughtful and integrate that paradigm where possible (disabling root login, etc).

      I’m not a DevOps or sysadmin-oriented person by trade—I stick to programming most of the time—but this role falls to me as the technical person in this business; so the last few days has been a lot of reading and readying. I’ll run through the provisioning flow step by step. Oh, and for reference, Ubuntu 20.04 LTS.

      First step is self-explanatory.

      #!/bin/sh
      
      # Name of the user to create and grant privileges to.
      USERNAME_OF_ACCOUNT=
      
      sudo apt-get -qq update
      sudo apt install -qq --yes nginx
      sudo systemctl restart nginx
      

      Next, create my sudo user, add them to the groups needed, require a password change on first login, then copy across any provided authorised keys from the root user which you can configure to be seeded to the VPS in the DigitalOcean management console.

      useradd --create-home --shell "/bin/bash" --groups sudo,www-data "${USERNAME_OF_ACCOUNT}"
      passwd --delete $USERNAME_OF_ACCOUNT
      chage --lastday 0 $USERNAME_OF_ACCOUNT
      
      HOME_DIR="$(eval echo ~${USERNAME_OF_ACCOUNT})"
      mkdir --parents "${HOME_DIR}/.ssh"
      cp /root/.ssh/authorized_keys "${HOME_DIR}/.ssh"
      
      chmod 700 ~/.ssh
      chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
      chown --recursive "${USERNAME_OF_ACCOUNT}":"${USERNAME_OF_ACCOUNT}" "${HOME_DIR}/.ssh"

sudo chmod 775 -R /var/www
      sudo chown -R $USERNAME_OF_ACCOUNT /var/www
      rm -rf /var/www/html
      

      Installation of docker, and run it as a service, ensure the created user is added to the docker group.

      sudo apt-get install -qq --yes \
          apt-transport-https \
          ca-certificates \
          curl \
          gnupg-agent \
          software-properties-common
      
      curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo apt-key add -
      sudo apt-key fingerprint 0EBFCD88
      
      sudo add-apt-repository --yes \
         "deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
         $(lsb_release -cs) \
         stable"
      
      sudo apt-get -qq update
      sudo apt install -qq --yes docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io
      
      # Only add a group if it does not exist
      sudo getent group docker || sudo groupadd docker
      sudo usermod -aG docker $USERNAME_OF_ACCOUNT
      
      # Enable docker
      sudo systemctl enable docker
      
      sudo curl -L "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/1.27.4/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)" -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
      sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
      sudo ln -s /usr/local/bin/docker-compose /usr/bin/docker-compose
      docker-compose --version
      

      Disable root logins and any form of password-based authentication by altering sshd_config.

      sed -i '/^PermitRootLogin/s/yes/no/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config
      sed -i '/^PasswordAuthentication/s/yes/no/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config
      sed -i '/^ChallengeResponseAuthentication/s/yes/no/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config
      

      Configure the firewall and fail2ban.

      sudo ufw default deny incoming
      sudo ufw default allow outgoing
      sudo ufw allow ssh
      sudo ufw allow http
      sudo ufw allow https
      sudo ufw reload
      sudo ufw --force enable && sudo ufw status verbose
      
      sudo apt-get -qq install --yes fail2ban
      sudo systemctl enable fail2ban
      sudo systemctl start fail2ban
      

      Swapfiles.

      sudo fallocate -l 1G /swapfile && ls -lh /swapfile
      sudo chmod 0600 /swapfile && ls -lh /swapfile
      sudo mkswap /swapfile
      sudo swapon /swapfile && sudo swapon --show
      echo '/swapfile none swap sw 0 0' | sudo tee -a /etc/fstab
      

      Unattended updates, and restart the ssh daemon.

      sudo apt install -qq unattended-upgrades
      sudo systemctl restart ssh
      

      Some questions

      You can assume these questions are cost-benefit focused, i.e. is it worth my time to investigate this, versus something else that may have better gains given my limited time.

      1. Obviously, any critiques of the above provisioning process are appreciated—both on the micro level of criticising particular lines, or zooming out and saying “well why don’t you do this instead…”. I can’t know what I don’t know.

      2. Is it worth investigating tools such as ss or lynis (https://github.com/CISOfy/lynis) to perform server auditing? I don’t have to meet any compliance requirements at this point.

      3. Do I get any meaningful increase in security by implementing 2FA on login here using google authenticator? As far as I can see, as long as I'm using best practices to actually ssh into our boxes, then the likeliest risk profile for unwanted access probably isn’t via the authentication mechanism I use personally to access my servers.

      4. Am I missing anything here? Beyond the provisioning script itself, I adhere to best practices around storing and generating passwords and ssh keys.

      Some notes and comments

      1. Eventually I'll use the hosting provider's API to spin up and spin down VPS's on the fly via a custom management application, which gives me an opportunity to programmatically execute the provisioning script above and run some over pre- and post-provisioning things, like deployment of the application and so forth.

      2. Usage alerts and monitoring is configured within DigitalOcean's console, and alerts are sent to our business' Slack for me to action as needed. Currently, I’m settling on the following alerts:
        1. Server CPU utilisation greater than 80% for 5 minutes.
        2. Server memory usage greater than 80% for 5 minutes.
        3. I’m also looking at setting up daily fail2ban status alerts if needed.
      9 votes
    34. What is some noteworthy music that is quarantine/COVID-specific?

      I'm curious to know what music is out there that: is explicitly about the world's current COVID-related situations, or had its recording/production significantly influenced by those situations....

      I'm curious to know what music is out there that:

      • is explicitly about the world's current COVID-related situations, or
      • had its recording/production significantly influenced by those situations.

      Examples of the former would be Koffee's "Lockdown" or Chromeo's Quarantine Casanova, which have their influences right there on the label.

      An example of the latter would be Charli XCX's How I'm Feeling Now (mildly NSFW album art), which was created in self-isolation while collaborating over Zoom with producers and fans.

      I'm interested in seeing what's out there, not necessarily getting specific recommendations for music, so you don't have to consider anything you post an endorsement.

      13 votes
    35. FEVER 333 - WRONG GENERATION (2020)

      Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/wrong-generation/1535816008 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/0ENzm2HTf7mfFjWZ7CaB5u YouTube:...

      Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/wrong-generation/1535816008
      Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/0ENzm2HTf7mfFjWZ7CaB5u
      YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8Nm3JIPr3w&list=OLAK5uy_knEEYCSEk8ai9vRtXwRnbrJ_bSVR_5JA8

      The hardcore meets hip-hop trio FEVER 333 are back to their roots with a new EP called WRONG GENERATION. While their last release, STRENGTH IN NUMB333RS, tended to lose their punk influence in exchange for more nu-metal influences, WRONG GENERATION ditches that side-step and continues from where they first started when the broke on to the scene in 2018 with Made an America. In my opinion, this is a welcome return to form. These guys seem most comfortable when they are making rebellious music that may not appeal to everyone, rather than their attempt at mainstream acceptance by employing more accessible song structure and instruments.

      Drummer Aric Improta has never sounded better so far. While he's always been able to dial into a groove a bit, he feels more like the mover you'd like the drummer to be in a hip-hop band, rather than just playing keep up with the melody section. This does mean guitarist Stephen Harrison isn't quite as prominent in the tracks, but that doesn't mean he's not doing great work. Harrison takes more of a cue from Tom Morello in this album, following the rhythm section and getting in the groove. Vocalist Jason Aalon Butler sounds best when he's doing his high pitched screams and spoken word-type rap rather than his cleans (which sound a bit too much like a bad Chester Bennington impression), and he mostly stays away from cleans on this album.

      Butler's lyrics still feel a lot more than STRENGTH IN NUMB333RS and are probably the one thing where you can see a through line from the beginning of FEVER 333 to now. His focus on LA culture, black liberation, police violence and more gets shaper with every release.

      For fans of Rage Against the Machine, Public Enemy and Stray From the Path.

      3 votes
    36. People of Tildes, have you travelled the entirety of the length of your country?

      If my title was a bit confusing, here's some examples of such trips: An east to west coast trip in the United States A trip from the northernmost point of Scotland down over to Lizard Peninsula...

      If my title was a bit confusing, here's some examples of such trips:

      • An east to west coast trip in the United States
      • A trip from the northernmost point of Scotland down over to Lizard Peninsula (UK)

      I hope you get the idea. It doesn't have to be a complete end to end trip, so even one which covers a large part of the country's area should be fine. Please describe your experiences if you have experienced one :)

      I apologise if this does not meet the quality mark for the website, this is my first try at posting here ;-;

      22 votes
    37. On the 18th October, Finland celebrates National Fairy Tale Day – share childhood favourites, recommend lesser known tales, or even get a little creative and make up your own

      Articles Hevosenkenkä Theatre will publish an online audio play for children to enjoy on Finland's national Fairy Tale Day On the occasion of Finland's national Fairy Tale Day, Hevosenkenkä...

      Articles

      Hevosenkenkä Theatre will publish an online audio play for children to enjoy on Finland's national Fairy Tale Day

      On the occasion of Finland's national Fairy Tale Day, Hevosenkenkä Theatre, an Espoo children's theatre has prepared a special surprise for all children who were eagerly awaiting this Finnish tradition.

      Today, 18 October, the theatre will release an audio play of the story “The Bear That Wasn't” as a virtual gift to all those who were eager to visit in person but were unable due to the pandemic. The audio play is also part of the theatre's programme celebrating its own 45th anniversary.

      TheMayor.eu – Anton Stoyanov – 18th October 2020

      The other worlds of fairy tale – in pictures

      Take a tour of the British Academy and Folio Society exhibition of fairy tale illustrations from all over the world, exploring the idea of ‘other worlds’ from China to Native America.

      The Guardian – Unknown – 12th May 2015

      Resources

      Scandinavian Folk & Fairy Tales: Tales From Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland & Iceland

      A collection of folk literature from five countries, with illustrations by native artists.

      Good Reads – Claire Booss – 26th October 1988

      Ten of the best fairy tales everyone should read

      The best fairy tales are timeless and yet forever modern, tapping into deeply held and widely shared emotions and moral attitudes. The following constitutes not an exhaustive list of the definitive fairy tales, but rather our attempt to pick the top ten greatest fairy stories.

      Interesting Literature – Dr Oliver Tearle – 10th July 2017

      11 votes
    38. What should I know about intermittent fasting?

      I know it's a big deal right now, but I don't know much about it. I sort of stumbled into it by accident because I don't feel safe eating at work right now, so most days I don't have any food...

      I know it's a big deal right now, but I don't know much about it.

      I sort of stumbled into it by accident because I don't feel safe eating at work right now, so most days I don't have any food until I get home around 4:00 to 4:30 PM. I'm also usually wrapping up my evening and in bed by 9:00 PM, so I end up with a roughly five hour window in which to eat. Last weekend I tried to follow it even though I was home and found it surprisingly easy to just not eat until that time, even though it was safe for me to do so and food was available.

      I was already calorie counting prior to this, but I noticed the shift to not eating at work accelerated my weight loss a little bit. It's also way easier to come in under my calorie count when I don't eat for most of the day.

      Because it seems like this is working (though granted, I'm in the very early stages), and because I don't really have a choice in the matter given that I can't safely eat at work anyway, I'm interested in learning about the do's and don't's of intermittent fasting. As a beginner to this, what should I know? I am mostly interested in just making sure I'm not doing any damage to myself or creating any potential problems that I don't realize, so safety is my primary concern. Weight loss is a secondary focus, though less essential because I feel like I've got that down with calorie counting. Any insights or resources you know of would be appreciated.

      14 votes
    39. How to get a "Reddit Experience" for Twitter?

      Hey folks, I hate Twitter with a passion and find it very hard to follow discussions because they are so terribly displayed in the official App/Website. Unfortunately I have to use it for job...

      Hey folks,

      I hate Twitter with a passion and find it very hard to follow discussions because they are so terribly displayed in the official App/Website. Unfortunately I have to use it for job reasons and therefore I am looking for less headaches.

      Is there an app which can show me Twitter content and discussion tree views like Reddit does?

      I am totally willing to pay.

      Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

      8 votes