Arlen's recent activity
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Comment on Mufasa: The Lion King | Teaser trailer in ~movies
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Comment on Best "dad" jokes and puns! in ~talk
Arlen LinkThe Swedish navy, in an effort to expedite dock procedures, recently implemented a system of QR codes on their battleships. That way, when ships come to port, rather than spend a bunch of time...The Swedish navy, in an effort to expedite dock procedures, recently implemented a system of QR codes on their battleships. That way, when ships come to port, rather than spend a bunch of time checking logs and talking to crew, they can just Scandanavian (scan the navy in).
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Comment on 4.8 earthquake in central New Jersey; felt in Philadelphia, New York in ~enviro
Arlen LinkWe had a 4.5 yesterday in northern California as well, but in a much less populated area. We felt our couch moving but not much else, about 25 miles from the epicenter. The US is big enough that...We had a 4.5 yesterday in northern California as well, but in a much less populated area. We felt our couch moving but not much else, about 25 miles from the epicenter. The US is big enough that the two earthquakes are probably unrelated (but I'm no seismologist), but it is an interesting coincidence.
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Comment on Megathread: April Fools’ Day 2024 on the internet in ~talk
Arlen Link ParentAnecdotally, my dad had a blind friend that he played music with once ask him if he had gotten a new guitar - the only thing my dad had done was change from a black pickguard to a mother-of-pearl one.Anecdotally, my dad had a blind friend that he played music with once ask him if he had gotten a new guitar - the only thing my dad had done was change from a black pickguard to a mother-of-pearl one.
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Comment on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice | Official teaser trailer in ~movies
Arlen Link ParentTechnically, though, you get the name 3 times when you say the first and second movies' titles together.Technically, though, you get the name 3 times when you say the first and second movies' titles together.
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Comment on What irrational video game requirements do you have? in ~games
Arlen Link ParentProbably one of the main reasons I prefer to play games on PS5 (besides having a 10-year-old video card) is the ability to suspend pretty much any game by putting the console in sleep mode, then...Probably one of the main reasons I prefer to play games on PS5 (besides having a 10-year-old video card) is the ability to suspend pretty much any game by putting the console in sleep mode, then picking up exactly where I was when I turn it back on.
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Comment on Fallout | Official trailer in ~tv
Arlen Link ParentI very much agree on that last bit. I tend to only watch 1 or 2 episodes a week when shows are released all at once, because a cliffhanger with instant resolution (i.e. starting the next episode...I very much agree on that last bit. I tend to only watch 1 or 2 episodes a week when shows are released all at once, because a cliffhanger with instant resolution (i.e. starting the next episode immediately) has no weight. This is especially true for older shows that were originally released on a weekly schedule, since they were typically written with this in mind (Lost being the best example that comes to mind). I don't find the instant gratification of skipping the week's wait to be that... well... gratifying.
The unfortunate side effect of doing it this way is that the rest of the world seems to have the entire series watched within hours of release, and loves to post spoilers about it. Some forums (fora?) have moratoriums (moratoria?) on spoilers for a certain length of time, which is nice, but it's not usually as long as (1 week)*(number of episodes).
There's also the fact that some shows that come out this way are aware of the situation, and put the big cliffhanger at the end of the season, so instead of 6-10 short waits, everyone just suffers the year+ wait for the resolution at the beginning of the next season - and the faster you burn through the show, the longer that wait ends up being.
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Comment on Book recommendations, specifically in ~books
Arlen Link ParentSince it technically fits, I'll jump at the chance to recommend Hyperion, by Dan Simmons. A group of people on the last pilgrimage to a mysterious place called the Time Tombs on the distant planet...Since it technically fits, I'll jump at the chance to recommend Hyperion, by Dan Simmons. A group of people on the last pilgrimage to a mysterious place called the Time Tombs on the distant planet Hyperion, a set of ancient structures that move backwards through time, before the government shuts down all access to them. Each has their own history with the Tombs, revealed as short stories while they make their journey.
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Comment on Joe Biden’s chances of US re-election are better than they appear in ~misc
Arlen Link ParentI'm not reading The Economist, but I did just see this headline shared on a social media platform.I'm not reading The Economist, but I did just see this headline shared on a social media platform.
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Comment on Side projects that were actually good? in ~music
Arlen LinkZwan! Mary Star of the Sea is one of my favorite albums, and for some reason I always play it when I'm packing up for a move (it's not particularly related to the subject matter, just some obscure...Zwan! Mary Star of the Sea is one of my favorite albums, and for some reason I always play it when I'm packing up for a move (it's not particularly related to the subject matter, just some obscure synaptic connection).
Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin from The Smashing Pumpkins, Paz Lenchantin from A Perfect Circle, David Pajo from Slint, and Matt Sweeney.
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Comment on Single-player games to play with my partner in ~games
Arlen LinkThey're a little older but the Broken Sword games are pretty good in my opinion. Detective stuff, with hints of the mystical, not to give too much away. They remind me of the old Sierra adventure...They're a little older but the Broken Sword games are pretty good in my opinion. Detective stuff, with hints of the mystical, not to give too much away. They remind me of the old Sierra adventure games, but a bit less goofy.
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Comment on Harmony in ~music
Arlen LinkHere's a few that I go back to a lot that might fit the bill: The Big Ship, by Brian Eno The Bulgarian folk song Kaval Sviri Farewell, by Talisk Hide and Seek, by Imogen Heap.Here's a few that I go back to a lot that might fit the bill:
- The Big Ship, by Brian Eno
- The Bulgarian folk song Kaval Sviri
- Farewell, by Talisk
- Hide and Seek, by Imogen Heap.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Arlen Link ParentFor what it's worth, it does let you go back to specific chapters from the main menu, if you want to wrap up all the collecting. It's also a pretty short game - I felt it was a pretty perfect...For what it's worth, it does let you go back to specific chapters from the main menu, if you want to wrap up all the collecting. It's also a pretty short game - I felt it was a pretty perfect length - at ~10 hours to get every achievement/trophy, and about 6 hours to finish the story.
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Comment on The Peasants | Official trailer in ~movies
Arlen Link ParentI had similar thoughts while watching the trailer: for one, that they could have had incredible special effects (dragons, spaceships, shapeshifting, all kinds of sci-fi/fantasy stuff that would be...I had similar thoughts while watching the trailer: for one, that they could have had incredible special effects (dragons, spaceships, shapeshifting, all kinds of sci-fi/fantasy stuff that would be expensive and probably not look great in CG with live actors) since it was all animated. My other thought was that honestly, I'd prefer to watch the original filmed version that it looks like they painted over. The way the brushstrokes change between frames reminds me too much of AI-generated video and would just serve to take me out of it.
That said, it really does look like they put a ton of effort into it, and I hope it does well enough so we can see some of the above eventually.
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Comment on I do not like this timeline, now I cannot even indulge in Smuckers blueberry syrup anymore! in ~food
Arlen Link ParentIf you have a restaurant supply store nearby it could be worth checking there to see if they've got any similar products.If you have a restaurant supply store nearby it could be worth checking there to see if they've got any similar products.
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Comment on Trailer for Mickey Mouse slasher film drops on same day ‘Steamboat Willie’ character enters public domain in ~movies
Arlen Link ParentIs that the one with the adults telling the stories to Huey, Dewey, and Louie? If so, absolutely, it's great.Is that the one with the adults telling the stories to Huey, Dewey, and Louie? If so, absolutely, it's great.
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Comment on Mousetrapped in ~comics
Arlen LinkI wonder if he's writing/drawing/coloring these one a day or if he had a big backlog queued up waiting for Steamboat Willie to enter public domain?I wonder if he's writing/drawing/coloring these one a day or if he had a big backlog queued up waiting for Steamboat Willie to enter public domain?
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Comment on Trailer for Mickey Mouse slasher film drops on same day ‘Steamboat Willie’ character enters public domain in ~movies
Arlen Link ParentThere's a recent series my kid watches that has a faux-old-timey art style to it (like Cuphead) that's pretty entertaining. Here's one example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k1axb8PPqQHas there been a good Mickey Mouse cartoons since 1950?
There's a recent series my kid watches that has a faux-old-timey art style to it (like Cuphead) that's pretty entertaining. Here's one example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k1axb8PPqQ
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Comment on What are some highly praised comedians you don't find very funny? in ~talk
Arlen Link ParentI remember really disliking her stand-up specials that I saw. However, I absolutely loved her movie Trainwreck as well as the cooking show she did with her husband during lockdown. There's...I remember really disliking her stand-up specials that I saw. However, I absolutely loved her movie Trainwreck as well as the cooking show she did with her husband during lockdown. There's probably something about her on-stage persona that rubs people the wrong way - myself included - but I don't particularly care to go back and rewatch the stand-up to figure out exactly what it is.
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Comment on Recommendations for medical history in ~humanities.history
Arlen LinkThe Ghost Map is a great read about a cholera outbreak in Victorian-era London, and how the doctors of the time attempted to isolate it.The Ghost Map is a great read about a cholera outbreak in Victorian-era London, and how the doctors of the time attempted to isolate it.
The stars of The Marvels were not legally allowed to do any promotion for it in the months leading up to its release due to the actors' strike, which likely accounted for a big chunk of that drop off.