0x29A's recent activity
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Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music
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Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music
0x29A LinkOpeth - Ghost Reveries one of the few bands that can mix clean vocals and harsh vocals in metal in a way I think works tastefully (I have a strong distaste for most music that tries to combine...Opeth - Ghost Reveries
one of the few bands that can mix clean vocals and harsh vocals in metal in a way I think works tastefully (I have a strong distaste for most music that tries to combine them). This band is like the season of Autumn if it was a sound and I love themCoprolith - Putrescence
sick death metal from CanadaZorn - Return to Castle Death
great metal-punk back with another great record, FFO Devil MasterMiracle - The Living Likeness of My Electric Daemon
absolutely beautiful synth pop with a goth / post-punk bent -
Comment on CGA-2026-07 đšī¸đĨâī¸ INSERT CARTRIDGE đĸ Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals in ~games
0x29A LinkReally enjoy this game and its unique elements that make it stand on its own. The puzzles, the companions, the puzzle-like enemy movements, the ancient cave (which i enjoy watching speedruns of...Really enjoy this game and its unique elements that make it stand on its own. The puzzles, the companions, the puzzle-like enemy movements, the ancient cave (which i enjoy watching speedruns of and playing runs of myself casually). I enjoy all of the art too. Just has its own solid vibe.
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
0x29A Link ParentHahaha, nope. But I am a big fan of Technology Connections and I think I am on the same wavelength in a lot of ways.Hahaha, nope. But I am a big fan of Technology Connections and I think I am on the same wavelength in a lot of ways.
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
0x29A LinkBeen meaning to do tons of kill-a-watt measurements of stuff I own and post it to my (or a) site. I love the idea of a site that gives people ideas of how much real world power a product uses...Been meaning to do tons of kill-a-watt measurements of stuff I own and post it to my (or a) site. I love the idea of a site that gives people ideas of how much real world power a product uses (compared to what's on the label, or in some cases, not disclosed even). I am just planning to do my own stuff. At least make some data and a page about it for fun.
I could see a crowd-sourced site for this info being a neat idea too but that's not something I want to build or manage myself. (Another similar idea I have is for a site where people post the results of speedtests for internet from hotels and other public-ish wifi)
Also been meaning to add a page that lists all my tea and teaware and I keep procrastinating instead
Been considering doing a few simple videos of disassembling certain electronic products and noting any changes/mods/fixes i make or have made to them.
Lots of ideas swirling around, none of which I have been able to actually get done yet
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Comment on Coffee co-fermentation, navel gazing or scandal? in ~food
0x29A (edited )LinkI am sure there are farms doing processing that take shortcuts and so on. As is always the case with sourcing coffee and tea, there will always be a subset of producers that cut corners or don't...I am sure there are farms doing processing that take shortcuts and so on. As is always the case with sourcing coffee and tea, there will always be a subset of producers that cut corners or don't tell the truth or otherwise act in bad ways.
I have read about and watched some things that talked about various processes and specifically co-fermentation a bit and at least to me it seemed there were farms/producers that were doing it above board. It seemed to be a legitimate process but I could see how some producers could jump on it and use the hype of an uncommon process to demand a high price while "faking it". Some tea producers in China do this too- artificially adding aromas and so on- but a lot of vendors steer clear of these fakes
The better specialty roasters build relationships with farms and producers directly over time and become knowledgeable and connected enough to navigate the market and those relationships and avoid producers that do things in a way they would not approve of.
At the end of the day when choosing your coffee you just have to trust that the roaster/specialty coffee vendor you buy from is making that effort. The more transparent and thorough the information from the roaster, the better. Some roasters will tell you the name of the producer and the exact farm name and talk about the group they're buying from. Some roasters also explain the entire processing of each coffee in detail on their sites. Some even provide granular breakdowns of the price.
All that said, the one that investigated (Pedro at Pergamino) and raised this issue is themselves a producer/exporter it was bad enough that they decided they will not sell co-ferments because of detecting this problem in many coffees they tested.
IMO Christopher Feran (who was probably in some of the aforementioned content I consumed about co-fermentation) is a trustworthy voice in coffee (he is very deeply knowledgeable about different processing methods including many obscure ones) and he is is someone that passed along that Instagram post and is amplifying the voice of a roaster raising this issue (with a university assisting with an investigation/study that found it widespread at least in the ones they tested) so if they're finding it to be of concern themselves then it sounds like it may be becoming a widespread problem in the industry, so maybe it actually is a big problem. I still don't necessarily think that co-ferments are all that way, but if big names in the specialty coffee world are concerned about its legitimacy and there's some proof, then yeah, seems to be a legitimate worry.
I personally very much care about whether my coffee, when called co-fermented is done naturally at the source without any artificial flavors added. I personally despise corporate artificially "flavored" mass market coffee that is flavored by the vendors/roasters too but at least those are transparent that it's fake- I also want it clean at the source/at origin, not adulterated with fake flavoring to get an intense flavor that they can sell as a very specific intense flavor profile. If I am spending the extra money on a less common process for coffee I want to be able to trust that said processing method isn't faked.
A coffee sold as co-fermented inherently comes with an implication of a specific process being used and that process is not typically one that involves artificial flavors being used at source, so if we're getting a different product than the one being presented, it's a fake, and a massive transparency problem.
If a farm/producer wants to artificially flavor a coffee at origin in processing and be upfront and transparent about it and they and roasters come up with a new term that makes it clear that's what's happening then i have no problem with it. I think it's subpar and would never buy it but transparency is key. Just don't lie to me. I care more about the honesty than the flavor.
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Comment on The 2026 Steam Summer Sale is live (runs June 25 - July 9) in ~games
0x29A Link ParentGunfire Reborn is loads of fun! One of the few shooting games I still enjoy.Gunfire Reborn is loads of fun! One of the few shooting games I still enjoy.
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Comment on 3D printer troubleshooting advice in ~hobbies
0x29A Link ParentSeems likely, ABS similarly (though not as much as PETG IIRC) on average needs higher temps than PLA. Nice that it was a simple fix!Seems likely, ABS similarly (though not as much as PETG IIRC) on average needs higher temps than PLA. Nice that it was a simple fix!
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Comment on German retailer Thomann is suing Fender over recent cease and desists in ~music
0x29A Link ParentYeah, I will definitely not be going to any future updates because I see the enshittification happening that you're talking about (AI bullshit too...) and I refuse to support that or give Fender...Yeah, I will definitely not be going to any future updates because I see the enshittification happening that you're talking about (AI bullshit too...) and I refuse to support that or give Fender any money ever again. So I will be sticking with my current version frozen in time until I either feel like taking the leap to another DAW inexpensively (especially to something like Reaper) OR get an influx of money that I can earmark for moving to Ableton or something else. I've watched a lot of videos of Ableton in use (Andrew Huang, others) and it seems to have plenty of neat first-party things to offer too
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Comment on What's an itch you were finally able to scratch? in ~talk
0x29A Link ParentAwesome, glad this opened up the coffee experience more for you. I took the leap like two years ago. I use a v60 and also a manual grinder (Kingrinder K6) with a gooseneck kettle and some very...Awesome, glad this opened up the coffee experience more for you. I took the leap like two years ago.
I use a v60 and also a manual grinder (Kingrinder K6) with a gooseneck kettle and some very cheap timer+scale and have been very satisfied with my results. I've dipped in a bit deeper doing "soup" on the OXO Rapid Brewer, but v60 is my go-to. Cups or coffees that were very muted before now have now opened up to a world of flavor and it's my favorite part of every new day. You're right that you can make a much better decaf cup this way too.
I've discovered that honey process coffees and Ethopian light roasts (naturals especially) are my absolute favorite but I've been branching out and trying all sorts of things.
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Comment on What's an itch you were finally able to scratch? in ~talk
0x29A (edited )LinkI love it when I try some small tip/trick I found and it actually works. Lately: Placed rubber snakes on my car's dashboard and back window and ever since the day I did this (a couple of weeks...I love it when I try some small tip/trick I found and it actually works. Lately:
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Placed rubber snakes on my car's dashboard and back window and ever since the day I did this (a couple of weeks ago), the birds that were constantly crapping on my car no longer visit it. They stay in the trees/yard/elsewhere. I move the snakes occasionally so they don't get used to them, and it seems to continue working. It was a daily problem (I could clean my car off and it would be messy in 24 hours again) for weeks and I haven't had to clean my car of droppings ever since that day.
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Pressing condiment bottles to squeeze out a bit of air before putting them away has stopped them from bubbling over when opened and squirting contents out unnecessarily due to the temperature of the air inside causing it to expand and push contents out. This trick has saved me this small frustration enough times now that it's SO satisfying
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Comment on German retailer Thomann is suing Fender over recent cease and desists in ~music
0x29A Link ParentYeah, for sure! A lot of the ideas are the same across all major DAWs- most of the fundamentals will be very similar. The timeline, the tracks, certain interface type things, all of the necessary...Yeah, for sure! A lot of the ideas are the same across all major DAWs- most of the fundamentals will be very similar. The timeline, the tracks, certain interface type things, all of the necessary stuff. The biggest things DAWs offer usually are just their particular set of enhancements or "nice ways of handling" those basics, or their specific additional features, or first-party stuff like plugins, but for the price (and potential/power) it's hard to beat Reaper (used as shareware or for it's inexpensive full price). I think it has a bit of a tougher learning curve overall, but I've heard from all sorts of people it's great once you're used to it.
With Studio One at this point, since I own the Pro version (and a perpetual license, so I may run out of updates, but can use my current version forever, no subscription), I get all sorts of useful Presonus/Studio One plugins and begrudgingly now some nice Fender stuff (guitar effects). Presonus' has all sorts of built-in plugins like drums, synths, bass, cinematic sounds, reverb, compressor, limiter, vocal tuning, all sorts of stuff- and they build those quite well. So it's nice that "out of the box" I get a lot of stuff even if I have added hundreds of my own additional plugins lol
For me now, yeah it's mostly just using both what I've invested in and what's familiar enough that my workflow has less "friction" because things are so second-nature / muscle memory. It may now come with an unfortunate branding change, but the underlying product is quite good
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Comment on Slate Truck preorder starts at $24,950 in ~transport
0x29A Link ParentEven better actually. I haven't looked at it in detail or the upgrades but would hope there's a stereo at least but am definitely glad there's no massive software system and hopefully no massive...Even better actually. I haven't looked at it in detail or the upgrades but would hope there's a stereo at least but am definitely glad there's no massive software system and hopefully no massive touchscreen either. The less "smart" (aside from battery stuff that requires it) the better.
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Comment on Slate Truck preorder starts at $24,950 in ~transport
0x29A LinkI hadn't heard of this before. I really like the idea and the modularity and really hope something like this can succeed in the long term. An affordable EV with this versatility is very attractive...I hadn't heard of this before. I really like the idea and the modularity and really hope something like this can succeed in the long term. An affordable EV with this versatility is very attractive to me
I hope they can nail quality (especially software) and customer/warranty support and all of the spots where other EVs have had problems
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Comment on German retailer Thomann is suing Fender over recent cease and desists in ~music
0x29A Link ParentAt this point, inertia/familiarity more than anything. It does have its own benefits in that it has a lot of great first-party instruments and plugins and so on, so that too. Having the Pro...At this point, inertia/familiarity more than anything. It does have its own benefits in that it has a lot of great first-party instruments and plugins and so on, so that too. Having the Pro version means I get a lot of neat stuff
But comfort is a big part of it. I am used to the shortcuts, the UI and workflow, also some sunk cost fallacy sneaks in there- I have paid for multiple upgrades so the money I have invested in it means I have this pro-level DAW with tons of built-in stuff that works well.
So, as much as I could find another DAW to enjoy (like Reaper or whatnot), and I do "try" them out from time to time- I just always prefer what I already use more and feel like I am deep enough into the ecosystem that it's not worth it to migrate
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Comment on German retailer Thomann is suing Fender over recent cease and desists in ~music
0x29A Link ParentYeah Fender killed their reputation for me personally too. Their CEO is absolutely out of his mind. I almost want to jump DAWs now that they own Presonus Studio One but will probably begrudgingly...Yeah Fender killed their reputation for me personally too. Their CEO is absolutely out of his mind.
I almost want to jump DAWs now that they own Presonus Studio One but will probably begrudgingly stay for now.
I am so glad to see a big name that has the weight to do so bringing clarification and pushback to Fender's behavior. It's still so sad this ever had to happen in the first place.
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Comment on bubbles.town: Tildes but exclusively for blogs in ~tech
0x29A LinkI've been enjoying visiting Bubbles occasionally to read some blog posts. I like it as an aggregator of "the small web" in a way since a lot of posts that bubble up are from that world. As a daily...I've been enjoying visiting Bubbles occasionally to read some blog posts. I like it as an aggregator of "the small web" in a way since a lot of posts that bubble up are from that world.
As a daily mastodon user the fediverse aspect I don't mind at all, it's easy to ignore anyway, though I don't think it's necessary (I don't even really think them having comments at all is necessary).
I just use the site as a way to see some personal blog posts about interesting topics, I don't really bother with the social aspect.
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Comment on Steam Machine prices revealed, starting at US$1049.00 in ~games
0x29A Link ParentI think it's because tons of devices are still USB-A on one end and USB-C on the other. It depends, but like, even when I had my Mac mini which was all USB-C/TB ports, nearly everything I had that...I think it's because tons of devices are still USB-A on one end and USB-C on the other. It depends, but like, even when I had my Mac mini which was all USB-C/TB ports, nearly everything I had that I needed to plug into it was USB-A so I needed adapters/hubs
If you get a full-size desktop PC these days, or even a "mini" PC that isn't a mac, they'll have a mix of USB-C and USB-A, and full-size desktops will have tons of USB-A ports. Mice and keyboards are still USB-A. A lot of wired controllers are still USB-A. A lot of dongles are still USB-A. Plenty of storage is C now, but there's still a lot of USB-A storage (it might be C on the drive side, but a lot of the times it can be A on the other side of the cable)
I don't think the world has really shifted that much yet on the "host" end, though it has on the device end. It has begun to, but I think overall the mix of devices out there isn't overwhelmingly USB-C (except on the device's end of the cable) yet. Apple has tried to push it with some of their laptops and desktops, but they pushed ahead of the curve a bit, and it's actually a selling point for some people that laptops come with some USB-A ports. Also have to take into consideration the devices people already own. Sure brand new devices may have shifted a bit more, but so many people already own so many devices, and most of already-owned devices are probably majority USB-A
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Comment on Steam Machine prices revealed, starting at US$1049.00 in ~games
0x29A Link ParentYeah and as much as I don't like the RAM being non-upgradable, even before the RAMpocalypse, Apple's RAM upgrade prices when initially buying the system were gouging-level high- like nonsensically...Yeah and as much as I don't like the RAM being non-upgradable, even before the RAMpocalypse, Apple's RAM upgrade prices when initially buying the system were gouging-level high- like nonsensically high. High enough that I refused to buy anything higher than the base model because I refused ethically to pay the margins they were asking
If Apple had always made it more cost-effective / reasonable to upgrade over the base model, I'd probably have felt far less restricted by the limitations or inability to upgrade it myself. I still think I might have eventually bailed over macOS though but they would have made it a tougher choice to leave.
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Comment on Steam Machine prices revealed, starting at US$1049.00 in ~games
0x29A (edited )Link ParentEasy RAM / internal storage / GPU upgrades like you get with regular PCs (even tiny/mini PCs the size of the Mini are for the most part easy to upgrade RAM/storage-wise) Yeah some internal...Easy RAM / internal storage / GPU upgrades like you get with regular PCs (even tiny/mini PCs the size of the Mini are for the most part easy to upgrade RAM/storage-wise)
Yeah some internal upgrades are "possible" but not intended, so you have to really involve yourself if you want to go that deep. That's not "upgradable" in the normal sense where I can just add something. I'm not looking to buy a mac to try and do a bunch of hardware mods in an upgrade to a system that i bought knowingly with its limitations in the first place.
I already had added a fast external SSD, but the OS drive being limited in size itself eventually got a bit frustrating. Given some particular applications / types of installs that strongly prefer having certain things stored on the primary/OS drive, it was still dwindling in space over time in an uncomfortable way. Majority of why I left is really being sick of macOS, but the hardware was a big part of it. I originally thought it wouldn't be a big deal to me but eventually I decided it was mistake to buy the system. Just always bouncing into limitations or things I didn't like about how they are handled that I just decided to leave. I don't love Win10 either, but it does get out of my way and I can heavily customize it/restrict it to my exact desires, and having a full-size PC for ease of hardware swaps is nice
All to say, in other words, I get that there are some ways around some of my frustrations but they're not enough for me, and not in the ways I prefer to have them. Just realized I was working with a system that felt philosophically opposite of how I want my computers to operate and decided to change to have systems that align better with how I approach computers and hardware
I agree. I dig some of the later stuff (Heritage and Pale Communion) though after that it really falls off hard for me. Everything past Pale Communion to me either sounds bad, or when it sounds good it sounds like just a phoned-in copy of previous work.
But, I adore their discography up to and including Watershed. The best portion of their career.
They're likely my favorite overall band that falls into some progressive territory in metal. That's also a genre full of misses for me and they're a standout of how it can be done well. It's very poetic, but it's not cheesy or symphonic or overdone. It feels sincere and well-crafted and dark (like, genuinely dark vs. Spirit Halloween "dark"). They're not overbearingly proggy and "showoff-y" (or conversely, poppy) in an annoying way
As a musician it really appeals to my ears too. They use some really strange chord progressions. Wildly good production too. Beautiful acoustic parts and solos and whatnot. There's also something difficult to articulate that has to do with that "Autumn" feel the music gives me- it's a very particular atmosphere/experience the music conjures for me. It reminds me of campfires and being out in nature. Falling leaves, tea, overcast and rainy days, etc - all some of my favorite things and all very cozy lol. It really tickles my brain.