Asinine's recent activity
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Comment on The truth about AI (specifically LLM powered AI) in ~tech
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Comment on Leave the phone, take a camera in ~tech
Asinine Link ParentI did forget to mention two points: Cloud/online and analog/digital. Cloud/online: as I mentioned, I'm old and that's a hard nope for me. I lost all my data in '18 due to my own incompetence,...I did forget to mention two points: Cloud/online and analog/digital.
Cloud/online: as I mentioned, I'm old and that's a hard nope for me. I lost all my data in '18 due to my own incompetence, which meant I lost all my Napster music and movies from the 90s that I didn't have on a CD somewhere, as well as all digital photos I took while living in Europe and before, since the early 2000s (aside from those I posted on FB). But then, I knew people whose house burnt down and they lost all their family photos. And probably records/tapes. So that's life. They lived, and that's what is important, and they still have those memories, and I still have mine.
Analog/digital: I grew up with records and tapes, but while I'd love to say photos are the same, they're not. But even more, I realize that for this thread, if you're going to print out pictures, likely any digital option is going to give the same results unless you're somehow doing something on the scale of "very large", that is, something more than the typical 4"x6" picture size (might be wrong, but I remember that being the larger size of photos back in the day). Now we have screens for our computers that are way larger than any TV back in the day, so yeah, we're zooming in like crazy and noticing all the nuances. And also, yeah the digital aspect can really wreak havoc, but my first digital camera I got I believe in '02 (which is the one that provided most of the digital photos I lost) couldn't adapt to bright light very well, and made for some glorious pictures with its wonky tinting.Anyway, sorry I had to chime in a bit more after the fact. :)
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Comment on Leave the phone, take a camera in ~tech
Asinine LinkWonderful write up, but [and maybe because I'm old but still use my phone as my "daily driver" when it comes to photography] I feel there is still a lot of cringe. You do well to address many...Wonderful write up, but [and maybe because I'm old but still use my phone as my "daily driver" when it comes to photography] I feel there is still a lot of cringe. You do well to address many aspects (specifically with "Drowning in JPEGs", "Over Processed", "Memories of not Being Present").
But from my end, I realize that I went to a Megadeth concert in 2017 and took copious amounts of video and pictures, and after the fact never bothered to watch any of it. And that's when it hit me: I believe you missed one valuable aspect: live in the moment and appreciate what you can see, because often a camera only captures those faded memories.
I'm going to agree with @Akir on a lot of their points, but also I've now swapped to my second GrapheneOS phone (that is, a Pixel phone which I find the only thing Google excels at with Android is the camera quality), and I have now cordoned all my photos I still have from all my previous phones to a place where I will be going through and eliminating all food pics, shots of my animals, etc that basically are not really worth bringing back up. I believe that is what a camera should be used for. And it doesn't matter, in my view, whether you have a handheld dedicated camera or just whip out your phone.
It's the mentality.
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Comment on TikTok monitored Grindr activity through third-party tracker, privacy group alleges in ~tech
Asinine Link ParentEven if I believed in a good faith government, I believe more that people should have the right to privacy, even if they are using it for evil. Said evil will eventually overflow and turn into a...Even if I believed in a good faith government, I believe more that people should have the right to privacy, even if they are using it for evil. Said evil will eventually overflow and turn into a legitimate reason to prosecute, with proper avenues to obtain access to privacy, such as the old school wiretapping or lesser invasive, having those two donut-eating guys sitting outside the mafia front watching the comings and goings from the abandoned building across the street through binoculars.
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Comment on AI-designed Linux computer with 843 components boots on first attempt — dual-PCB Project Speedrun was made in just one week and required less than forty hours of human work in ~tech
Asinine Link ParentNgl, just reading the click-bait made me think "well I ****ing hope they could, that's what they're supposed to be doing..." And also, it kind of gives me vibes that AI wrote the article too. shrugNgl, just reading the click-bait made me think "well I ****ing hope they could, that's what they're supposed to be doing..."
And also, it kind of gives me vibes that AI wrote the article too. shrug -
Comment on TikTok monitored Grindr activity through third-party tracker, privacy group alleges in ~tech
Asinine Link ParentAnd from the EU perspective, it would lean towards prohibiting government monitoring, which seems to be a popular trend there.And from the EU perspective, it would lean towards prohibiting government monitoring, which seems to be a popular trend there.
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Comment on The 2025 Steam Winter Sale is live (runs Dec 18 - Jan 5) in ~games
Asinine Link ParentI'll second V Rising, but I only play solo. That being said, I've hit a wall and cannot defeat any V-bloods to increase my abilities/stats, so it's been shelved since last month. With others...I'll second V Rising, but I only play solo. That being said, I've hit a wall and cannot defeat any V-bloods to increase my abilities/stats, so it's been shelved since last month.
With others though, I presume that shouldn't be a problem. -
Comment on Why Canada really lost its measles elimination status in ~health
Asinine Link ParentYeah, came here to comment... is the Amishy-Mennonite community that prevalent to interrupt vaccinations? I'm in the US, and I'm not anti-vax, but I'm definitely selective on what I feel should be...Yeah, came here to comment... is the Amishy-Mennonite community that prevalent to interrupt vaccinations?
I'm in the US, and I'm not anti-vax, but I'm definitely selective on what I feel should be administered. That being said, I have made efforts not to have kids so I do not have that influence (though if I did, I would assure they would have the necessary basics: MMR and a few others).
I'm just a little shocked that Canada (which to me, with the health care system in place that ... while it's not the best at least there's regulation?) has this issue. -
For Americans: You can check out your local electric options!
I'm not sure where exactly to post this, but most folks in the US and Canada can check out where their power is coming from. I work in the power generation industry, and I feel there are many...
I'm not sure where exactly to post this, but most folks in the US and Canada can check out where their power is coming from. I work in the power generation industry, and I feel there are many aspects that people just do not understand when it comes to generation and what we need to go fully renewable and/or carbon free.
"Independent system operators" (better known as ISOs) can provide you with your local power information. A nice overview can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_transmission_organization_(North_America)#Independent_system_operators_(ISOs)
I live in New England, so my local info can be seen here: https://www.iso-ne.com/isoexpress/
I can see the projected MW load, how much was scheduled to cover it, the cost per MW, where the power is coming from (at the moment, 5% is oil, 6% is hydro, 12% is "renewables"... as burning trash is considered renewable as much as solar and wind lulz, 19% is nuclear, and 52% is natural gas [NG]), and I can also see the CO2 outputs (which before you make a judgement call to state that yes, NG is the highest producer of CO2, if you look at the MW produced per ton of CO2, it's WAY better than the others!).If you're in Texas and were there in early '21 during the Uri storm, I'm sure you've heard of ERCOT (https://www.ercot.com/gridmktinfo/dashboards). That region has a much higher demand for power in general, and I do find it amusing (yet not at all surprising) that no CO2 info is offered.
In the California area (which is where I hail from), it's displayed here: https://www.caiso.com/supply. I have, at times, found that their imported MW actually were the main supplier, which let's just be honest: they buy power from NV and AZ and that power isn't "clean", but they tote that they're so good to the environment! (Please also note, CA is a huge supplier of CO2 courtesy of all the forest fires.) Also, note that my company literally owns two "peakers" (that's a term for an engine you can turn on and get power out of quickly, without all the slow startup times or shutdown issues that typical power plants have - think of it as a jet engine you just turn on for quick power with really high emissions compared to most plants) that put out more emissions than were typically allowed on permits when they were commissioned, but glorious Newsome realized that balancing the ability to charge your Tesla and having rolling blackouts was a bit precarious. Also alsø: if you look at the CaISO page, the geothermal output is all my company. That range of plants takes the grey water from SF and reincorporates it into the geysers to keep up the 100% clean output.
So, after the fact, I'll state that I'm a little biased: I grew up in CA, and I'm very conscious about emissions and climate change (and yes, I believe that has been playing into effect for a while). But I also am a realist living near California's little red-headed stepsibling Massachusetts that is trying to shoot their foot for carbon emissions and the like.
But, I wanted to put this out there because I hope that folks (who aren't in the industry) might appreciate the insight, and also learn how to figure out what is going on when you plug your <insert power demand item here>. :)
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Comment on Bagels and shrinkflation in ~food
Asinine Link ParentInterestingly enough, the "accusation" at the Millennial fits me, as a gen-xer, and I know I'm nowhere near the target audience. It's funny how the world you grew up in and the worldview you...So many Millenials are commies now because we want to buy goods without having toA common mental trap many people fall into without realizing it is to unconsciously assume that the rest of world is like them, thinks like them, and that their demographic is the "main character".
Interestingly enough, the "accusation" at the Millennial fits me, as a gen-xer, and I know I'm nowhere near the target audience.
It's funny how the world you grew up in and the worldview you obtained from it really skews things. -
Comment on The best games of 2025, picked by NPR's staff in ~games
Asinine Link ParentBeing stuck addicted to music from the 90s, I find a longer list to be completely manageable. Granted, yeah that's from one year (and the last one, at that), but easily seeing that some games...it's also kinda hard to take an 80-odd long list seriously...
Being stuck addicted to music from the 90s, I find a longer list to be completely manageable. Granted, yeah that's from one year (and the last one, at that), but easily seeing that some games aren't my thing while it puts others on my radar is great. At that number, I can be okay with the "misses"!
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Comment on Games: Your personal year in review for 2025 in ~games
Asinine Link ParentThis is the way.I'll stick to my strategy of playing games way after their release date
This is the way.
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Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music
Asinine LinkI'd just like to state I'm listening to Living End's Prisoner of Society and while that was the call of my [much later] youth, that is now how I still feel about the two generations functional...I'd just like to state I'm listening to Living End's Prisoner of Society and while that was the call of my [much later] youth, that is now how I still feel about the two generations functional younger than I.
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Comment on Drunk raccoon found passed out in Virginia liquor store in ~news
Asinine LinkI wish the "news" media would take note of this... this is the actual news we need more of!I wish the "news" media would take note of this... this is the actual news we need more of!
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Comment on Suggestions for uses of old computer hardware? in ~comp
Asinine Link ParentThat sounds definitely doable as I'm thinking of setting up a personal cloud computer. That would cover the 24/7 Linux, though I'll have to quit using a wired connection on my desktop I guess...That sounds definitely doable as I'm thinking of setting up a personal cloud computer. That would cover the 24/7 Linux, though I'll have to quit using a wired connection on my desktop I guess...
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Comment on The lossless scaling plugin is officially on the Decky Store in ~games
Asinine Link ParentI wish I had your eyes. I have been gaming for decades and 40fps is about the spot where I can't tell if anything is better higher than that. Then again, that's been my standard for years, but...I wish I had your eyes. I have been gaming for decades and 40fps is about the spot where I can't tell if anything is better higher than that.
Then again, that's been my standard for years, but lately I'm noticing I have other old-people issues... so maybe I could go down to 30fps. :( -
Comment on Suggestions for uses of old computer hardware? in ~comp
Asinine Link ParentI need to get off my "lazy" bum and make a pihole, but the problem is that I am an introvert and the few spare hours I have at home I'm trying to avoid anything productive and just play video...I need to get off my "lazy" bum and make a pihole, but the problem is that I am an introvert and the few spare hours I have at home I'm trying to avoid anything productive and just play video games... (currently in a stage in life where I have very little "free" time but also I can't find my Pi haha)
And I'd just put it on the router, as I suck at the networking but I believe the tutorial I have works for putting the router directly to it. (Also, please correct me if I'm wrong. I often am.) -
Comment on What are the simple things in your life that you are thankful for? in ~life
Asinine Link ParentAhh, I can't lie, I only saw Conan about 3 years ago. I read The Light Fantastic about 20 years back, so the reference would have been lost.Ahh, I can't lie, I only saw Conan about 3 years ago. I read The Light Fantastic about 20 years back, so the reference would have been lost.
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Comment on What are the simple things in your life that you are thankful for? in ~life
Asinine Link ParentNot gonna lie, but this is the one that reminded me of "to crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women".Not gonna lie, but this is the one that reminded me of "to crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women".
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Comment on What are the simple things in your life that you are thankful for? in ~life
Asinine LinkWe've been having some plumbing issues that we thought went away but remanifested over last weekend. They came to a head today, where our basement was inundated with outflow trying to go, well,...We've been having some plumbing issues that we thought went away but remanifested over last weekend.
They came to a head today, where our basement was inundated with outflow trying to go, well, out.So I'd just like to say, I really appreciate that we have good a good plumbing and sewer system in general.
There's a lot more I could say (as I'm healthy, etc.), but I'm keeping it stupid simple. :)
Honestly, I really hope so. I think you touched on a lot of feelings I have towards it, but as a general skeptic about humanity, capitalism, and the current trends, I very much still do not feel as optimistic. I feel it's entering the "religion" realm - where it could be good for the masses, but the ones running it just use it for their own benefit and progression.