Akir's recent activity
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Comment on When $1.4 billion isn’t enough: ‘Avatar’ sequels under the microscope as Disney weighs franchise’s future in ~movies
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Comment on Why Microsoft’s war on Windows’ Control Panel is taking so long in ~tech
Akir Link ParentTheir engineers are too busy integrating AI features nobody wants, Ads nobody wants, and features that will force people to buy new computers arbitrarily to finish this decade+ long endeavor. A...Their engineers are too busy integrating AI features nobody wants, Ads nobody wants, and features that will force people to buy new computers arbitrarily to finish this decade+ long endeavor.
A month or two ago I bought a new MacBook, which is the second Mac I have ever purchased new. One thing that surprised me about the transition is how surprisingly durable the user profile is: copying over my profile with the migration tool was almost pain free and when it was done the new computer was effectively the same computer as my old one! I’m sure some settings may have been changed for the difference in hardware but I couldn’t tell you what.
Contrast this with my experiences with windows, where I have had to start from scratch every time. Granted I haven’t bothered with windows on real hardware for quite a while now, but each time I have tried to migrate computers I have had to deal with the locations of the settings changing with each version of Windows, so it’s like navigating a labyrinth.
While I don’t agree with a lot of changes in MacOS, the differences between the two operating systems frankly makes me wonder if Microsoft actually cares about serving the end user instead of trying to exploit them. While Apple does also exploit their users with their services, they feel a lot less intrusive than the ads Microsoft inserts all over their OS by default. All of the tiny adware-like bits that Microsoft incudes by default - backgrounds that tell you to look up the details on Bing, a ticker on the bottom, a giant slide-out pane if you accidentally mouse over the corner of the screen, the literal ads in the start menu and search, etc. literally give me a tiny burst of anxiety whenever I need to help my students with their personal computers.
There is a reason why Microsoft doesnt bother to get rid of the well-documented hole letting people activate Windows for free. Microsoft simply doesn’t see end users as their customers when it comes to Windows. It’s their big expensive ad platform.
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Comment on From $250 million megadeal to empty offices: the unraveling of Bad Robot in ~movies
Akir Link ParentYes, but with the power of bitterness and hate I can blame both of them!Yes, but with the power of bitterness and hate I can blame both of them!
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Comment on From $250 million megadeal to empty offices: the unraveling of Bad Robot in ~movies
Akir LinkAs someone who really dislikes JJ Abrams’s projects, I am experiencing a great deal of schadenfreude from the title. This is the man who, from my personal perspective, single-handedly ruined both...As someone who really dislikes JJ Abrams’s projects, I am experiencing a great deal of schadenfreude from the title. This is the man who, from my personal perspective, single-handedly ruined both Star Trek and Star Wars. While I have never truly loved Star Wars, his handling of the beginning and ending of the sequel trilogy has moved me to hate it. Please don’t tell me that any other post-Abrams show will change my mind. I promise I will watch past the first episode of Andor eventually.
Right now I am waiting for an archive link to show up so I can read the details.
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Comment on What have you been eating, drinking, and cooking? in ~food
Akir LinkI think I have found a new lazy cheap food staple in the form of soy chunk tacos. Just hydrate a pack of soy chunks with a packet of taco seasoning and combine with corn tortillas, salsa, and...I think I have found a new lazy cheap food staple in the form of soy chunk tacos. Just hydrate a pack of soy chunks with a packet of taco seasoning and combine with corn tortillas, salsa, and literally any vegetable of your preference.
This base alone will not win any taste awards, obviously, but it takes so little effort and if you want it to have more flavor it’s pretty easy to do by adding some oil or avocado or simply nicer salsa. I was just trying to make it as healthy as possible. Frankly, with the softness of the soy chunks, it probably would have been better as a burrito but I didn’t want the white flour calories and frankly corn is better. Also maybe try your own spice blend because supermarket taco seasoning packets are astoundingly bland - especially when you get the reduced sodium type I used. I don’t think it even had black pepper!
Between the soy chunks, frozen bell peppers, slightly fancier organic salsa, seasoning packet, and premade corn tortillas, the batch cost ~$10 for enough tacos to make about six meals or so.
If you’re curious where I got the soy chunks for this, it’s something you may actually need to get from a Hispanic grocery store or online. Strangely enough I got mine from a Hispanic section of a market that seems to mostly be serving the small middle eastern communities in the area. They are dry and shelf stable so you can hold on to them for quite some time, which makes this a nice fallback meal for when you didn’t get the chance to go grocery shopping.
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Comment on Used electric vehicles are a bargain right now in ~transport
Akir Link ParentTo my understanding, many (most?) newer model EVs actually have heat pumps now, which make heating the cabin notably more energy efficient in most scenarios. I can understand GM not having it in...To my understanding, many (most?) newer model EVs actually have heat pumps now, which make heating the cabin notably more energy efficient in most scenarios. I can understand GM not having it in the bolt because that’s supposed to be their cheap EV model, but apparently the 2027 model will have one.
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Comment on Used electric vehicles are a bargain right now in ~transport
Akir Link ParentThe one thing I hated about my first generation Leaf was that it used a lead acid 12v battery. It basically guaranteed that every ~2 years I would have a dead car because the battery would die. I...The one thing I hated about my first generation Leaf was that it used a lead acid 12v battery. It basically guaranteed that every ~2 years I would have a dead car because the battery would die.
I haven’t actually checked to see what my Bolt uses but I have had it for a few years and I haven’t needed to replace it yet, and that is enough to make me happy.
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Comment on Used electric vehicles are a bargain right now in ~transport
Akir Link ParentI actually did a bit of research on this and the manual for my 2020 Bolt EV recommends replacing the brake fluid every five years. It doesn’t say anything about replacing the master cylinder or...I actually did a bit of research on this and the manual for my 2020 Bolt EV recommends replacing the brake fluid every five years. It doesn’t say anything about replacing the master cylinder or the brake pads at any period; just replace the brakes when it gets to the indicator and/or it starts squeaking, whichever you notice first.
In other words, exactly the same as every car out there.
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Comment on Used electric vehicles are a bargain right now in ~transport
Akir Link ParentI have literally never heard of brake pads degrading from lack of use before.I have literally never heard of brake pads degrading from lack of use before.
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Comment on Boomer hate in ~society
Akir LinkPersonally speaking, boomer hate seems to be somewhat outdated. It’s almost entirely because of my perspective though, as my Boomer parents are already dead and have been for quite some time now....Personally speaking, boomer hate seems to be somewhat outdated. It’s almost entirely because of my perspective though, as my Boomer parents are already dead and have been for quite some time now. I can’t help but think there’s not many left. Thinking in a more realistic model I imagine that they are now in the age where they actually are dying off, which means that they are in the process of losing their political power - assuming, of course, you don’t consider they already have.
Today the major political woe is not conservative boomer politics, but fascism. And while it arose from the seed of boomer politics, perhaps, it seems to me that the people most mired in it are from younger generations.
But that’s coming from someone who is living in one of the most progressive places in the country and who essentially socializes in pro-socialism bubbles.
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Comment on Boomer hate in ~society
Akir Link ParentMost of my students actually love when I randomly insert 6-7 into a conversation. To be fair its usually my younger students though, and I’d imagine that the high school aged ones would be...Most of my students actually love when I randomly insert 6-7 into a conversation. To be fair its usually my younger students though, and I’d imagine that the high school aged ones would be cringing for the rest of the day.
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Comment on Boomer hate in ~society
Akir Link ParentFrankly I know precisely zero people in real life who have managed to become rich in the US. I have talked online with people who have become relatively wealthy, but none of them have been “rich”...Frankly I know precisely zero people in real life who have managed to become rich in the US. I have talked online with people who have become relatively wealthy, but none of them have been “rich” rich. I can’t recall the last time I heard anyone who wasn’t on the right call America a “land of opportunity” either, and frankly when the right wingers do talk about it they sound incredibly out of touch (“why don’t you just get a job?”).
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Comment on Used electric vehicles are a bargain right now in ~transport
Akir Link ParentThe leaf has always had active cooling AFAIK. My 2012 model had liquid cooling and I actually broke it down because I didnt realize I was supposed to top off the coolant. Other ones to worry about...The leaf has always had active cooling AFAIK. My 2012 model had liquid cooling and I actually broke it down because I didnt realize I was supposed to top off the coolant.
Other ones to worry about are the Mitsubishi I-MiEV and the Fiat 500i. There are probably more to watch out for if you are outside of the US.
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Comment on Star Trek: Voyager Season One | re:View in ~tv
Akir Link Parenthttps://www.salon.com/2014/04/08/former_star_trek_actress_i_am_not_a_geocentrist_nor_am_i_in_any_way_a_proponent_of_geocentrism/ Laurence Krauss was also fooled by the filmmakers and wrote a...Laurence Krauss was also fooled by the filmmakers and wrote a little more about it: https://slate.com/technology/2014/04/lawrence-krauss-on-ending-up-in-the-geocentrism-documentary-the-principle.html
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Comment on 3D printers, do you use glue stick? in ~hobbies
Akir LinkGenerally you use glue stick when you have a poor adhesion surface for the material you are using, such as glass or a particularly low quality “PEI”. That being said you don’t need to constantly...Generally you use glue stick when you have a poor adhesion surface for the material you are using, such as glass or a particularly low quality “PEI”.
That being said you don’t need to constantly reapply every time. It should just be a very fine application that is refreshed once it all gets lifted away.Often times when people add glue stick they should have probably just cleaned the bed.
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Comment on Star Trek: Voyager Season One | re:View in ~tv
Akir Link ParentI didn’t even know that was her in Orange is the New Black, she was just that good in it. Now that I do know, though, I can’t un-see it. That being said, she will now forever be known as the lady...I didn’t even know that was her in Orange is the New Black, she was just that good in it. Now that I do know, though, I can’t un-see it.
That being said, she will now forever be known as the lady who appeared in a creationist documentary without knowing it. 😺
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Comment on Star Trek: Voyager Season One | re:View in ~tv
Akir Link ParentExcuse me, you mean the show that introduced the world to an actress who, in spite of a long career of killer character acting, is still exclusively called Captain Janeway in mine and others’...a sci-fi show from 30 years ago that has no cultural relevance.
Excuse me, you mean the show that introduced the world to an actress who, in spite of a long career of killer character acting, is still exclusively called Captain Janeway in mine and others’ heads? And also sexy borg lady?!
Ok, honestly it took me a while to remember that 7 of 9 was part of that show and I can’t remember anything else about it except they kept saying “The delta quadrant” about 15 times every episode.
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Comment on Introducing EmDash — the spiritual successor to WordPress that solves plugin security in ~tech
Akir Link ParentYou mean when em dashes were pretentious, right? 😜You mean when em dashes were pretentious, right? 😜
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Comment on Introducing EmDash — the spiritual successor to WordPress that solves plugin security in ~tech
Akir Link ParentI’d agree if I hadn’t had so many people in the past tell me to “start a new woocommerce store”. Starting a new arm of a business on a famously insecure platform is never a good idea, no matter...I’d agree if I hadn’t had so many people in the past tell me to “start a new woocommerce store”.
Starting a new arm of a business on a famously insecure platform is never a good idea, no matter how good woocommerce may or may not have been.
On the other hand I appreciate how some of the new service operators frame their product as “build a website with us, and if you want to make it a store later we can do that too” even though it’s all the same unified platform. In the last few years of my last job, we went from over a decade of self-hosted solutions to using Shopify, and as much as I generally hate SaaS and proprietary software in general, it really helped operations quite a lot.
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Comment on Donald Trump says it's 'not possible' for the US to pay for Medicaid, Medicare and day care: 'We’re fighting wars' in ~society
Akir Link ParentHey, we need to do this for the oil so we can burn it all up! It’s way better than all of that communist renewable energy that Trump and his cronies have managed to fight off, like The time they...Hey, we need to do this for the oil so we can burn it all up! It’s way better than all of that communist renewable energy that Trump and his cronies have managed to fight off, like The time they spent $1 Bn to prevent a huge installation. I’m sure without that we would have ended up killing tens of birds to the turbines, who are so much more valuable to the ecosystem than the billions of sea critters dying from the ocean being acidified and boiled.
Frankly I find Avatar emblematic of the issues I have with Hollywood in general.
Avatar was a pretty good movie, but not because it was a good movie, if you get my drift. It was pretty cookie-cutter in a lot of ways, but it got away with it because Cameron is the king of execution; he made a movie that was forgettable to its core and made it fresh and interesting.
Then they decided to make a sequel, and that was fine. I didn’t see it, personally but it had potential. The problem was that they decided to turn it into a five-film franchise then and there. It’s obvious that it’s going to get stale by the time they make that fifth film, and likely far before then.
But honestly the thing I hate the most about this situation is the headline issue; even a billion dollars isn’t enough for them. What kind of behemoth of a company can’t be happy with having an extra billion dollars? It’s emblematic of the reason I dislike most Hollywood blockbusters. The films they produce are not meant to be artistic endeavors, they are products for people to consume, and more cynically they are advertisements for either IP branded merch or any number of paid product placements. Movies are produced to have interchangeable writers and directors because the producers want to have control enough to maximize their metrics. Often times these films having artistic merit is “accidental”. Let’s not forget that the company who paid to produce the Barbie movie is the same one who made “gems” like Ouija, Battleship, and the infamous Jem and the Holograms.
It’s ironic that when these companies do decide to risk on artistic vision, they often don’t market them at all. A while back Disney tagged a director I like, Justin Simien, to make a Haunted Mansion movie, and it ended up being my favorite film of a year still tainted by the long shadow of the COVID pandemic’s movie plague. It ended up bombing because it came out at about the same time as Barbenheimer, so naturally Disney will forever be pointing to it as an example of why they will not be making those kinds of risks anymore.