Akir's recent activity

  1. Comment on What to snack on (other than slices of parmesan) in ~food

    Akir
    Link Parent
    Yeah, I was going to say maybe try some more fermented food. My first thought was kimchi but since they are in Germany maybe sauerkraut instead?

    Yeah, I was going to say maybe try some more fermented food. My first thought was kimchi but since they are in Germany maybe sauerkraut instead?

    4 votes

  2. Comment on I bought a bike. What next? in ~hobbies

    Akir
    Link Parent
    I just purchased a Kryptonite Kryptolok Standard with cord set. Honestly, I think I should have waited on it. I'm going to need to really work on my conditioning before I'm able to get to the...

    I just purchased a Kryptonite Kryptolok Standard with cord set.

    Honestly, I think I should have waited on it. I'm going to need to really work on my conditioning before I'm able to get to the point where I can run errands on the bike, and right now I'm limited on how much I can work on that from my rump getting sore from the saddle.

    Sadly I seem to have lost the receipt for the bike so I can't sign up for Kryptonite's protection offer. I think I may have thrown it away by accident. I'm going to have to see if I can go to Costco and see if they can print me a copy of it.

    When I was a kid we only used a cheap locking cord for bikes, so this lock seems like total overkill to me. But given this bike cost a literal order of magnitude more than any bike I've owned in the past, I do think it was a good investment.

  3. Comment on Real-time speech-to-speech translation in ~comp

    Akir
    Link Parent
    Well color me impressed.

    Well color me impressed.

    1 vote

  4. Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health

    Akir
    Link
    I mentioned in another post in ~hobbies that I just bought an ebike, hoping to get some exercise with it. This is really the first time I've done anything remotely cardio related with any...

    I mentioned in another post in ~hobbies that I just bought an ebike, hoping to get some exercise with it. This is really the first time I've done anything remotely cardio related with any seriousness in over a decade. Unfortunately even with the motor assistance I'm finding it difficult to keep a pace that leaves me within my target heart rate zone because of how hilly the area is, but I think that even if I'm going a little over or under at times it should still be good for my heart. It feels pretty good to be on the bike after probably 25 years of not owning one, even though the saddle is causing my poor butt a lot of pain.

    2 votes

  5. Comment on Real-time speech-to-speech translation in ~comp

    Akir
    Link Parent
    I've seen many broken links, and this one isn't terribly impressive. :P

    I've seen many broken links, and this one isn't terribly impressive. :P

    2 votes

  6. Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime

    Akir
    Link
    Last weekend I watched all of Senpai wa Otokonoko in one day. It was a bad day and I needed cheering up, and I lucked out with it because it had a lot of things that tangentially helped me out. If...

    Last weekend I watched all of Senpai wa Otokonoko in one day. It was a bad day and I needed cheering up, and I lucked out with it because it had a lot of things that tangentially helped me out.

    If I were to summarize it as suscinctly as I possibly could, I think it's the queer anime that I've always wanted to see get made. I'm glad that the translators didn't decide to change the descriptor of the character in the title as trans or crossdresser, because neither of them would have really worked, especially because they spend most of the series trying to figure out their gender identity. In any case, the show doesn't entirely focus on that character; it's really about the trio of friends and their complex growing relationships. Not only do we have the titular otokonoko dealing with issues of gender, they have a male best friend who is coming to terms with his attraction to them and another friend who is dealing with emotional issues that relate to her feelings of abandonment from her parents.

    The music and voice direction is top-notch, the visuals are cute and well animated, and it's just all together a great show that will make you feel good.

    1 vote

  7. Comment on I bought a bike. What next? in ~hobbies

    Akir
    Link Parent
    I'm not too worried about the battery. Those warnings are the kind we like to say "they're written by lawyers" and for the most part I would expect to see them no matter what the battery chemistry...

    I'm not too worried about the battery. Those warnings are the kind we like to say "they're written by lawyers" and for the most part I would expect to see them no matter what the battery chemistry was. In any case, I'm storing the bike in a garage.

    2 votes

  8. Comment on Copyright Office exemption makes McDonald’s ice cream machines repairable in ~food

    Akir
    Link Parent
    This is the perfect way to understand how our IP laws are out of control. Proprietary software and trade secrets are basically equivalent to saying that not only can we not replace the brake...
    • Exemplary

    This is the perfect way to understand how our IP laws are out of control. Proprietary software and trade secrets are basically equivalent to saying that not only can we not replace the brake calipers, you're not allowed to know what they look like, where they are, or even if they actually exist.

    21 votes

  9. Comment on Real-time speech-to-speech translation in ~comp

    Akir
    Link
    This almost certainly not what you're looking for, but the translation app on Apple Watch has passable translation and can work offline with a number of commonly-spoken language. I just tested it...

    This almost certainly not what you're looking for, but the translation app on Apple Watch has passable translation and can work offline with a number of commonly-spoken language. I just tested it with English and Japanese and my pre-K understanding of the language was perfectly satisfied with it. The app works much the same on iPhone as well, but with more features.

    The thing that you'll have a hard time with is the "real time" part. You'll likely never have a translation software that can talk back at the same speed you'd see, for instance, a dub on top of a speaker in a finished video. At least when it comes to languages with differing sentence structure. In those cases, you generally need to have the entire idea of the sentence to come through before it can reliably start translating.

    2 votes

  10. Comment on Goodbye, floppies - San Francisco pays Hitachi $212 million to remove 5.25-inch disks from its light rail service in ~tech

    Akir
    Link Parent
    Yeah, for some reason tech journalism has a real boner for floppy disks (no joke intended but I'm leaving it in). They replaced a system that was reliable enough to last for decades with a brand...

    Yeah, for some reason tech journalism has a real boner for floppy disks (no joke intended but I'm leaving it in). They replaced a system that was reliable enough to last for decades with a brand new one which means new hardware and software all around - but the old one had a floppy drive, so that's all people need to know, obviously.

    It's things like this that make me not follow tech news generally. If there's anything newsworthy I generally get told about it.

    11 votes

  11. Comment on I bought a bike. What next? in ~hobbies

    Akir
    Link Parent
    As a driver, blinking lights on cars drives me nuts, so I don't necessarily like it on the bike. But on the other hand, if the light is always on then it's nice to have an indicator that I'm...

    As a driver, blinking lights on cars drives me nuts, so I don't necessarily like it on the bike. But on the other hand, if the light is always on then it's nice to have an indicator that I'm slowing down, so I'm a bit torn. I think I'll just leave it as it is for the time being.

    1 vote

  12. Comment on I bought a bike. What next? in ~hobbies

    Akir
    Link Parent
    I was actually hoping to use the machine lube I use on my printers, Mobilux EP-1. After watching a few videos I see it's a bit thicker than your typical chain lube, but I didn't think that would...

    I was actually hoping to use the machine lube I use on my printers, Mobilux EP-1. After watching a few videos I see it's a bit thicker than your typical chain lube, but I didn't think that would be a big issue.

    @adutchman are wax lubes really necessary if it's only going to travel on paved roads?

    1 vote

  13. Comment on I bought a bike. What next? in ~hobbies

    Akir
    Link Parent
    My bike does have a front and rear light on it. But the rear light blinks when I pump on the brakes. Should I see if there's a setting to disable that feature?

    My bike does have a front and rear light on it. But the rear light blinks when I pump on the brakes. Should I see if there's a setting to disable that feature?

    1 vote

  14. Comment on I bought a bike. What next? in ~hobbies

    Akir
    Link Parent
    I actually bought an electric pump when I bought the bike. I figured I'd need one and Costco also had a really good deal on one which seemed pretty close to what a traditional hand-operated pump...

    I actually bought an electric pump when I bought the bike. I figured I'd need one and Costco also had a really good deal on one which seemed pretty close to what a traditional hand-operated pump would cost.

    So what exactly is a bike liner? Just something that goes between the tube and the tire?

    1 vote

  15. Comment on I bought a bike. What next? in ~hobbies

    Akir
    Link Parent
    It's the Magnum Low Rider 2.0. The parts seemed to be fairly high quality, but not high end. At least to my understanding.

    It's the Magnum Low Rider 2.0. The parts seemed to be fairly high quality, but not high end. At least to my understanding.

    3 votes

  16. Comment on I bought a bike. What next? in ~hobbies

    Akir
    Link Parent
    Yeah, but the problem with reputable brands is that I have no idea who is reputable and who is not. And I have the tendency to go for the cheapest options.... All of the commercial bottle holders...

    Yeah, but the problem with reputable brands is that I have no idea who is reputable and who is not. And I have the tendency to go for the cheapest options....

    All of the commercial bottle holders I've seen so far have been plastic. Should I look out for a wire one instead? My bike has an accessory mount area on the inside frame that seems purpose-made for bottle holders, so I would think that it wouldn't get beat up much if at all.

    2 votes

  17. Comment on I bought a bike. What next? in ~hobbies

    Akir
    Link Parent
    Is there any specific reason to go with Kryptonite over any other brand? My bike does have a quick release on the front wheel, and I'm not entirely sure why. I suppose it would make it easy to...

    Is there any specific reason to go with Kryptonite over any other brand?

    My bike does have a quick release on the front wheel, and I'm not entirely sure why. I suppose it would make it easy to repair a busted tire, but why isn't it also on the rear wheel? In any case, it's nice to know that the cheap cable lock I got would still be useful.

    I managed to cut off the end of my post earlier; I had meant to ask if anyone had any recommendations for 3D printable designs for the bottle holder.

    6 votes

  18. I bought a bike. What next?

    ~hobbies Ask (advice)
    Yeah, I bought an ebike from Costco. It was a pretty good deal and it exceeded my expectation in just about every way, at least so far. The only thing that's bugging me right now is that the seat...

    Yeah, I bought an ebike from Costco. It was a pretty good deal and it exceeded my expectation in just about every way, at least so far. The only thing that's bugging me right now is that the seat is supposedly super comfortable but my butt is sore after relatively short rides, but I've read that that will go away after a while.

    I haven't owned a bike for decades and I was wondering if there was any less obvious things I should look out for. I already figured out that I put on the front wheel off-center because the disc was rubbing against the brake pad, but that was an easy fix. The manual for my bike is painfully lacking in details; half of covers how to use the controller, and the other half is assembly, and even that part wasn't terribly detailed. There were two parts that came in the box that it didn't even mention (a reflector for the handlebars and the derailleur protector - the latter of which I only figured out what it was after I did a reverse image search for it). It appears that it was written for people who already know a lot about bikes. The fork has shocks on it that appear to be adjustable but I don't know how or even why you would want to adjust them. Is there a website or a book that I can find with more detailed info on bikes generally?

    Finally, accessories. I already bought two simple things just on impulse: a simple cheap cable lock and a bell (which seems like a strange omission for a bike, but what do I know?). I figure that I should have probably invested in a better lock, though, since it's a fairly expensive machine, so I thought I'd ask what people would recommend. Also are there any other accessories I might consider? I want to get a bottle holder, but I'm looking for a design to 3D print if anyone has any recommendations. It'd be nice to finally bust out my roll of ASA for it.

    30 votes

  19. Comment on Let's talk 'underconsumption core' in ~life.style

    Akir
    Link Parent
    The ones I had linked to are all-plastic. You can tell because they are semi-transparent; there's no metal blades hiding anywhere. But then again, I don't have them in person; maybe the photos are...

    The ones I had linked to are all-plastic. You can tell because they are semi-transparent; there's no metal blades hiding anywhere.

    But then again, I don't have them in person; maybe the photos are misleading?

    I actually just looked up the scissors on Crayola's website and found their shop page with two reviews, both of them one star for not being able to cut paper with them.

    1 vote

  20. Comment on Let's talk 'underconsumption core' in ~life.style