Areldyb's recent activity
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Comment on Timasomo 2026: Week 2 Updates in ~creative.timasomo
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Comment on Timasomo 2026: Week 1 Updates in ~creative.timasomo
Areldyb LinkGeez, @Weldawadyathink is making me feel real self-conscious about my amateur winemaking efforts ;) Although: I thought I was making wine this month, but apparently I'm making steak? I can't tell...Geez, @Weldawadyathink is making me feel real self-conscious about my amateur winemaking efforts ;)
Although: I thought I was making wine this month, but apparently I'm making steak? I can't tell whether this was a joke from whoever packaged my juice concentrate or what, but I found it really funny. It arrived a bit earlier than expected, so I got to start primary fermentation on Sunday.
The quart of Cabernet concentrate measured in at 66 degrees Brix on my refractometer. After diluting it up to a gallon, it read 20.2 degrees Brix, which is a little less than I'd wanted but a lot more than I'd expect from a 1:3 dilution? No idea how the math works out there.
A bit of bentonite, some toasted granulated oak, and a sprinkle of DV10 yeast, and the airlock is happily bubbling away!
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Comment on Timasomo 2026: Roll Call in ~creative.timasomo
Areldyb Link ParentHeck yeah! I bought some Cabernet Sauvignon concentrate. I've got some oak chips left over from a previous kit that I think will work well with it. Did I see that you're working from fresh grapes?...Heck yeah!
I bought some Cabernet Sauvignon concentrate. I've got some oak chips left over from a previous kit that I think will work well with it.
Did I see that you're working from fresh grapes? I'm interested to see how that goes! I've got a pyment going right now that I made with (grocery store) grapes, but I didn't get much juice from them and I definitely used too much honey, so I'm pretty sure it's going to be candy-flavored rocket fuel by the time it's finished. š
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Comment on Timasomo 2026: Roll Call in ~creative.timasomo
Areldyb LinkI'm making wine! (and also maybe making some token progress on the radio kit I never finished last year, bleh) I've been getting into small-batch winemaking lately. I've made some kit wines that...I'm making wine! (and also maybe making some token progress on the radio kit I never finished last year, bleh)
I've been getting into small-batch winemaking lately. I've made some kit wines that turned out okay, and I've also tried wildly winging it with a few other batches (with expectedly inconsistent results; some were great, others were undrinkable trash). This time I'd like to follow the set process of the kit wines, but using all of my own ingredients, and see if I can bring some consistency into my process.
The juice I ordered won't show up until the 5th, so fitting it into October will be a tight squeeze, but I think it can work as long as bottling counts as "finishing touches".
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Comment on Announcing the eighth annual Tildes' Make Something Month (Timasomo)! in ~tildes
Areldyb LinkOh man... I never even finished that radio build from last year, so it's gone back to collecting dust on my office shelf. It ended up being really demoralizing. I could try to finish it this year,...Oh man... I never even finished that radio build from last year, so it's gone back to collecting dust on my office shelf. It ended up being really demoralizing. I could try to finish it this year, but finding time is going to be tough.
I've been getting into winemaking lately though, and that doesn't require a lot of active time. Maybe I can make a batch for Timasomo, and then also maybe-hopefully at least make some progress on the stupid radio kit.
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Comment on What's the best Pikmin game? in ~games
Areldyb (edited )LinkI haven't played all of them so it's hard to say what's best, but I had great fun with Pikmin 4. Edit: I went looking for listicles and found no consensus beyond "it's Pikmin, you can't really go...I haven't played all of them so it's hard to say what's best, but I had great fun with Pikmin 4.
Edit: I went looking for listicles and found no consensus beyond "it's Pikmin, you can't really go wrong".
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Comment on Tim Curry, outlandish star of āThe Rocky Horror Picture Show,ā dies at 80 in ~movies
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Comment on CGA-2026-08 š”ļøš”ļøā¤ļøšŗ INSERT CARTRIDGE š¢ The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past in ~games
Areldyb LinkI haven't played this game in twenty years! I've had to miss a lot of the CGAs so far but I'm hoping I can make time for this one. I'll be playing the vanilla version on emulated SNES. Thanks for...I haven't played this game in twenty years! I've had to miss a lot of the CGAs so far but I'm hoping I can make time for this one. I'll be playing the vanilla version on emulated SNES.
Thanks for linking (ha) the game manual too. It's an essential part of these games!
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~society
Areldyb LinkWild guess because he's deliberately unnamed, but I think we're talking about Ryan Hall, YouTube weatherman. He's more sensationalist than I'd like and he's definitely gotten "noisier" in his...- Exemplary
The guy up in Kentucky coal country who put this thing together is building an empire. He started as just another local news greenscreener. Dropped out and went twitch weather stream. Hyping up tornado days and dicy snow forecasts. Nowcasting, hyper individualized, interacting with chat. Now he's automated it all. On big days when he's getting real views, the bot breaks into his live streams, gives him a break.
Wild guess because he's deliberately unnamed, but I think we're talking about Ryan Hall, YouTube weatherman. He's more sensationalist than I'd like and he's definitely gotten "noisier" in his coverage over time, but he's pretty good about highlighting the bigger weather patterns that drive the local forecast so I'm still subscribed.
If I'm right, then most of the blog post is really about his secondary 24-hour livestream channel, YallBot, which I ignore because I do not need a 24-hour blatherfeed, least of all for the weather.
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Comment on Solar with grid connectivity, but no networking? in ~life.home_improvement
Areldyb LinkFor clarity: are you looking for a setup that does not in any way access the internet, or just one that will continue to work just fine (minus some convenience extras) if your internet connection...For clarity: are you looking for a setup that does not in any way access the internet, or just one that will continue to work just fine (minus some convenience extras) if your internet connection dies? If you mean the second but installers are hearing the first, that might explain some of the reactions you're getting if all the gear they sell is network-connected in some way.
In the second case: are there solar/battery products that are known to actually fail to work if they can't call home? I haven't heard of any, but I haven't done any research either.
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Comment on Offbeat Fridays ā The thread where offbeat headlines become front page news in ~news
Areldyb LinkāPlease avoid chugging your ranchā: TSA forced to issue warning as foreign World Cup fans fall in love with American condimentMany European tourists have been documenting their first-ever trip to the U.S. this month to support their home nations in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In the process, international soccer fans have discovered their love of ranch dressing, a popular condiment in America.
With that in mind, the TSA has reinforced its limits for how much liquid can be stored in carry-on baggage as it predicts an uptick in people trying to take bottles of ranch dressing home with them.
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Comment on Iran war live: US, Tehran confirm āpeace dealā reached in ~society
Areldyb (edited )LinkTalks between the US and Iran are called off because of fighting in Lebanon, officials say Running with a peace deal that depends on the actions of other parties who aren't even part of the deal...- Exemplary
Talks between the US and Iran are called off because of fighting in Lebanon, officials say
Talks between the U.S. and Iran were called off on Friday after intense fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, three officials said, raising questions about a nascent agreement to end the war in Iran.
Iranian officials didnāt travel as planned to Switzerland, insisting that the fighting in Lebanon must stop before the talks can take place, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing mediation to try to get the talks rescheduled. U.S. Vice President JD Vance also canceled his trip.
Running with a peace deal that depends on the actions of other parties who aren't even part of the deal is... certainly a choice.
Anything to stop this war, but
the Israelis haveNetanyahu has no intention of stopping this war.Edit: the people aren't the government
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Comment on What is your eleventh favorite video game? in ~games
Areldyb Link ParentThe Witness is fascinating. I've finished it twice. Once felt like an ending, the other really felt like an ending, and I'm still not confident I reached the end of it.The Witness is fascinating. I've finished it twice. Once felt like an ending, the other really felt like an ending, and I'm still not confident I reached the end of it.
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Comment on What is your eleventh favorite video game? in ~games
Areldyb LinkMy Steam hours are a pretty poor gauge of how much I really liked a game, and most of my gaming is on other platforms anyway, so I can't do the easy thing. I considered taking the task seriously,...My Steam hours are a pretty poor gauge of how much I really liked a game, and most of my gaming is on other platforms anyway, so I can't do the easy thing. I considered taking the task seriously, going through games on every platform I could think of, selecting the ones where my reaction is an immediate "ooh, I like that game" and then painstakingly sorting them... But I didn't do that for the survey, that was an in-the-moment call, so I decided I'd do the same here.
And then I landed on The Secret of Monkey Island, which is a classic that everybody knows (I wish I'd found the time for it when it was featured in CGA!) so I want to talk about something else.
I want to talk about DATA WING.
DATA WING is a 2D arcade racer for Android and iOS; the device you're probably reading this on will run it just fine. You play as the (well, a) titular DATA WING: a tiny digital construct delivering inter-process communications in a computer system. The story is the real reason to play, so I won't spoil more.
It's an hour or two of play time delivered in b(i|y)te-size racing levels with a killer vaporwave aesthetic. Its creator, Dan Vogt, was very intentional about its design; the learn-by-doing curve in the first few levels is just about perfect.
And it's free, and really free, with no ads or gotchas. You can play it now, for nothing, and you should.
There are so many good games out there, you guys.
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Comment on Tildes Survey #9: How optimistic are you about the future? (Results) in ~talk
Areldyb LinkI'm having an even harder time with this one than the video game question. š "The future" is pretty big. The future of what? The world? My country? Myself and my family? Over what timeframe? I...I'm having an even harder time with this one than the video game question. š
"The future" is pretty big. The future of what? The world? My country? Myself and my family? Over what timeframe? I have such different answers based on these criteria that I might be better off abstaining.
We are doomed, and things are going to be great. I don't know what that translates to but it isn't "neutral".
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~comp
Areldyb LinkHey, I remember the LC-3! Good times. And an embarrassing number of hours in the computer lab.Hey, I remember the LC-3! Good times. And an embarrassing number of hours in the computer lab.
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Comment on Kingdom Hearts IV | Gameplay teaser trailer in ~games
Areldyb LinkI wish I could feel hyped about this, but KH3 was such a letdown for me that I feel completely done with the series. The story felt like it failed to land the plane, and I had more fun with the...I wish I could feel hyped about this, but KH3 was such a letdown for me that I feel completely done with the series. The story felt like it failed to land the plane, and I had more fun with the gummi ships than anything else.
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Comment on WiFi 5 beamforming is able to infer the identity of individuals without a WiFi device on them through passively recording communication in radio networks in ~tech
Areldyb Link ParentYou reminded me of a conference talk I was at last week where a pair of researchers had trained a neural net on the sounds of pencil scratching on paper, with the upshot that they could read the...You reminded me of a conference talk I was at last week where a pair of researchers had trained a neural net on the sounds of pencil scratching on paper, with the upshot that they could read the text that someone was writing next to a computer using only the computer's mic. Wild stuff.
Where I've landed is that if it's larger than quantum and it's happening in physical space, it will leak info through side channels. (And maybe quantum stuff does too, I'm not a physicist.)
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Comment on Tildes Survey #5: Pineapple on pizza? (Results) in ~talk
Areldyb Link ParentI do not enjoy pineapple on my pizza, but I'd give this a try.I do not enjoy pineapple on my pizza, but I'd give this a try.
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Comment on "The reason I'm not an atheist is that I think the philosophical arguments against it are unanswerable" in ~humanities
Areldyb LinkI'll pull out the section related to the post title, as that's what drew me in. My (admittedly uncharitable) summary of the argument: Scientists are, at present, confused about consciousness....I'll pull out the section related to the post title, as that's what drew me in.
Hart: The reason Iām not an atheist is that I think the philosophical arguments against it are unanswerable, or at least the philosophical arguments for something beyond materialism are unanswerable.
The problem with people like Dennett wasnāt so much his truculence toward all things religious, which was quite real, but that he was in an odd bind that a lot of modern materialist thought is in: Our sciences are not strictly mechanistic. Physics has not been mechanistic in a comprehensive way for more than a century now. Biology, the life sciences, are undergoing some rather extreme paradigm shifts regarding the levels of intentionality within cells, how homeostasis comes about, and the degree to which genetic-centric theory was adequate. It wasnāt. Richard Dawkinsās āThe Selfish Gene,ā just at the logical level, fails. And as a scientific proposal, it was decades out of date when it first appeared.
The 17th-century metaphysics of the sciences has captured our minds at a far deeper level than it did originally. The whole reason the mechanical picture of nature was created was to perfect a method of inductive reasoning. So instead of presuming metaphysical causes and instead of presuming the activity of God or the soul, we were going to start just from physical processes, viewing them as mechanical, as machine processes that we would examine discretely. Thatās a very good impulse. Itās why we have medical treatments today that were undreamed of before this revolution in thinking.
But this was a filtering process. It was creating a bracketing by excluding from our picture of nature all the marks of mentality ā not just consciousness, but intentionality with a purpose, purposive thinking, the unity of consciousness. The realities youāre dealing with here are composite. You donāt have to account for that inexplicable oneness that underlies conscious apprehension.
At first everyone was happy just to keep the two realms separate ā hereās nature, itās mechanical; hereās a realm of God and spirits, which is not mechanical. In the terms of Descartes, thereās an extended substance, res extensa ā thatās matter, and that works mechanically. And then thereās a thinking substance, res cogitans, the mind, the soul or God, and that works nonmechanically. The two have a liaison with one another in embodied minds, in human minds, but otherwise theyāre distinct. And we donāt have to confuse them.
The sciences commendably want to understand everything. And so in time, they werenāt going to accept this segregation of fields anymore. The attitude was: We want to understand mind and consciousness, too.
The problem is that weāre still using a model that was perfected through the exclusion of all the properties of the mental. It is impossible, using that model, to make sense of the phenomena of consciousness. So what you have to do instead is say that the phenomena of consciousness arenāt real. They can be reduced to mechanical processes. The more you try to do this, the more absurd it becomes. You do end up with, say, Dennett, who said that consciousness is an illusion.
This is the bind we find ourselves in. And many of the phenomena of life, I would argue, also donāt fit the mechanical model. You can explain a great deal regarding physiological systems at the level of their mechanical operation. You can explain a great number of things in terms of evolutionary attrition and retention. But there are many things you cannot explain.
I just think that when you pursue the actual phenomena, not basing this on metaphysical or religious commitments, but just the phenomena themselves, the materialist answers invariably fail. They were right in the 17th century ā what the mind does is inherently contrary to what mechanism does.
The straightforward materialism of the new atheists with its mechanistic prejudices is the most self-defeating project there is.
To my mind, if you come to the end of a phenomenology of something like conscious acts and you have to square it with your theory, and you say āThe theory doesnāt fit the phenomenon so I better get rid of the phenomenon,ā thatās no longer good philosophy or good science. The rule of the sciences and the philosophy that deals in natural thought, natural philosophy, is that if the theory doesnāt fit the phenomenon, itās the theory that goes.
My (admittedly uncharitable) summary of the argument:
Scientists are, at present, confused about consciousness.
Therefore: God.Do I have that right?
Not much to report right now, but I'll be racking and clearing tomorrow!