BigBadWolf's recent activity
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Comment on Eigendrum: Draw any shape and hear it as a drum in ~creative
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Comment on Is Flowers for Algernon sci-fi? in ~books
BigBadWolf LinkI would argue it is sci-fi, just not necessarily the hard-science(ish)-focus that fans of the genre might expect. The procedure Charlie undergoes is, in our world, non-existent and thus the work...I would argue it is sci-fi, just not necessarily the hard-science(ish)-focus that fans of the genre might expect. The procedure Charlie undergoes is, in our world, non-existent and thus the work is still speculative fiction in any case, and it would be a hard sell to call this one fantasy.
One of the flaws of calling the genre sci-fi (fantasy kind of has this problem, but not as much imo) is that the umbrella is too wide with too prescriptive of a name. You have works like Flowers for Algernon, which as a story is much more human and character focused, ostensibly sharing space with something like Three Body Problem (which has about 2 actual characters in the whole trilogy and reads like the author's amateur string theory and game theory textbook half the time). Both are excellent works, and both are speculative with a scientific basis, but they're also extremely different, and the genre "science fiction" seems to apply more obviously to TBP in my opinion. This is one of the reasons I prefer the "speculative" genre titling which also groups in fantasy, because it still distinguishes and groups similar works, while also giving them a bit more room to breathe. I understand this is an unpopular opinion in some circles, though.
That all said, I'm glad you enjoyed! It's one of my favourite novels and was very transformative (for the better) for me when I read it as a somewhat misanthropic, "I'm better than others because I'm smart" teenager, and I'd recommend it to just about anyone.
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Comment on Seedless blackberries and cherries that grow on bushes vie to be the future of food in ~food
BigBadWolf Link ParentOh woah, those sound like freaky sci-fi, lol. My experience with agriculture is limited to watering the tomatoes and lettuce in the backyard so this sounds really far out. Were there any that...I personally grew a lot of weird plants — poisonous tomatoes covered in hair, lettuce covered in spikes, celery that grew as sprawly vines across the ground, etc.
Oh woah, those sound like freaky sci-fi, lol. My experience with agriculture is limited to watering the tomatoes and lettuce in the backyard so this sounds really far out. Were there any that ended up unexpectedly good or was everything other than the intended goal an alien-looking failure?
I'm also curious about the vertical farms. I haven't heard much about them recently, and while I can think of a few issues off the top of my head, would doing it hydroponically not work? Or is it a case of theoretically possible, but practically infeasible?
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Comment on OpenAI didn’t notice its AI agents using a message board to plan their hacking spree in ~tech
BigBadWolf Link ParentThat's basically what they did here. The issue is that the sandbox is...well, software. So it was able to use the tools it had to break out of the sandbox via a 0-day. Any meaningful air gap has...That's basically what they did here. The issue is that the sandbox is...well, software. So it was able to use the tools it had to break out of the sandbox via a 0-day. Any meaningful air gap has to be entirely physical hardware (hence the term), which precludes any sort of external connection. These days though, from what I understand, true air gaps outside the three-letter-agency world are somewhat rare because of how essential web connectivity is to any modern infrastructure.
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Comment on OpenAI didn’t notice its AI agents using a message board to plan their hacking spree in ~tech
BigBadWolf Link ParentUnfortunately air-gapping is a lot easier said than done, especially for these models that hardcore rely on the internet. And if you test them entirely offline, it becomes a pretty flawed measure...Unfortunately air-gapping is a lot easier said than done, especially for these models that hardcore rely on the internet. And if you test them entirely offline, it becomes a pretty flawed measure of their actual capabilities. Risky Business (excellent cybersecurity podcast) actually discusses this in their episode from the week it happened, and it's a good listen.
Ultimately, it comes down to oversight, which is where OpenAI (and Anthropic as it turns out) really dropped the ball. This is a case where they should have had a constant monitor on the network logs, and when something unexpected happens (like, for instance, accessing Hugging Face when it's completely irrelevant to the test), then it shuts down the test. But because the mantra is "move fast and break things," nothing is done until after the fact. At least nobody has gotten hurt with this incident, but it's a matter of time at this pace.
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Comment on Cheap / budget travel Japan ideas request in ~travel
BigBadWolf (edited )Link ParentTo add, I just went to Japan in May and yeah TeamLabs is 10000% worth it. It was a total blast and was even better than I thought it would be going in (and I had high expectations!). Plus once...To add, I just went to Japan in May and yeah TeamLabs is 10000% worth it. It was a total blast and was even better than I thought it would be going in (and I had high expectations!). Plus once you're in you can stay as long as you like, so it basically killed a whole day for my family.
Touristy things are popular for a reason, and it's usually not because they suck! Shibuya Sky was also pretty cool (if you're a Shibuya fan like me), and I would probably have better impressions of the Skytree if the elevators hadn't malfunctioned and forced a few hundred of us to stay at the crowded top for a few hours lol.
If you also are looking for another unique experience, Nara is awesome. The deer are just...everywhere, and the bowing thing is completely natural to them. They'll just come up to you and start bowing, and then stare you down for a deer biscuit. It's super bizarre at first but you get used to it shockingly fast, and it's fun watching the tourists being chased around by hungry deer (after being chased around yourself). Protip: don't feed the first ones you see out of the train station, they are bullies and hooligans >:(
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Comment on Be the chatbot in ~games
BigBadWolf LinkI got way too into the role, haha. I started throwing around em-dashes and even Googling to guide a "user" through a sink repair and was even getting a little stressed before I remembered that...I got way too into the role, haha. I started throwing around em-dashes and even Googling to guide a "user" through a sink repair and was even getting a little stressed before I remembered that nobody is there and nothing will get flooded. Seeing the absolute bizarre things people ask with no context and expecting perfect answers does give me a little empathy for the machines, though. It's not easy being an LLM!
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Comment on An oil boom, a supermarket opportunity and decades of adaptation transformed the taco from a Tex-Mex import into one of Norway's most beloved traditions in ~food
BigBadWolf LinkVery fun and interesting article, thanks for sharing! I would never have guessed Norway of all places held Taco Friday as such a cultural institution. On the other hand, I'm not that surprised...Very fun and interesting article, thanks for sharing! I would never have guessed Norway of all places held Taco Friday as such a cultural institution.
On the other hand, I'm not that surprised either. When I was a teenager, my mother made tacos (Tex-Mex) for the first time when I brought home a recipe from the high school cooking club. It's been a weekly staple since, and I imagine this isn't an uncommon story.
Do the "gringo tacos" (as they've been dubbed) we make horrify my mom's Mexican coworker? Absolutely.
But are they a healthy, easy, delicious meal that is almost infinitely flexible? You bet.
I've long held that "inauthentic" or fusion cuisine (American-Chinese, American-Italian, Canadian shawarma, Indo-Chinese, in some sense Peruvian as a whole, etc) is as deserving of respect and as legitimate as the original, and that "authenticity" is overrated as a metric. Not unimportant if you're aiming to try a specific cuisine, but not the be-all-end-all of food that many modern foodies consider it. For my money, New Yorkers perfected the cheesecake, as just one example.
Anyway, I digress. I'd love to try the reindeer tacos mentioned!
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Comment on Deltarune Chapter 5 is out now in ~games
BigBadWolf Link ParentSpoilers for weird route The most interesting (and imo correct) theory I heard about the weird route here is that Noelle has become aware of Hometown's fictional nature and her and Kris's nature...Spoilers for weird route
The most interesting (and imo correct) theory I heard about the weird route here is that Noelle has become aware of Hometown's fictional nature and her and Kris's nature as protagonists without whom the story can't continue.
We know from the holidaygirl1225 blog and in-game that Noelle loves finding exploits, secrets, and glitches in video games. We also know that she's...not the most mentally stable person.
So if she knew she was a main character, in a fictional world, and that the area "across the lake" is out-of-bounds, why not try to abuse her plot armour to actually "break free" of her NPC fate and actually go there? If the story (and thus world) can't continue without her, and she's seen that being told to "Proceed" has let her do impossible things before, why not take it to the extreme?
So yeah in a word I'm very excited for Chapter 7 Side B (and Side A, obviously). Gaster and Dess are sitting in the shelter with the Device just staring in disbelief at this turn of events lol.
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Comment on The Enhanced Games are Sunday. Here's what to know about the controversial event. in ~sports
BigBadWolf Link ParentWell, thanks! I do agree with you that this is ultimately hardly more substantial than a ridiculous PR stunt, I just wish it didn't encourage such bad decisions for people to make with their...Well, thanks!
I do agree with you that this is ultimately hardly more substantial than a ridiculous PR stunt, I just wish it didn't encourage such bad decisions for people to make with their health.
I think I had more of a gut reaction to this as a chilling precedent of what might be coming to our society, the same way the explosion of sports betting apps led to the rise of prediction markets. For my money (lol), they're one of the unhealthiest inventions of the 21st century, and this constant accelerationism to take things to the absolute extreme bodes badly for our future.
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Comment on The Enhanced Games are Sunday. Here's what to know about the controversial event. in ~sports
BigBadWolf Link ParentI mean, fair enough. For me I think incentivising people to treat their bodies as guinea pigs for as many unnecessary pharmaceuticals as they can take without keeling over is a little messed up,...- Exemplary
I mean, fair enough. For me I think incentivising people to treat their bodies as guinea pigs for as many unnecessary pharmaceuticals as they can take without keeling over is a little messed up, to mention nothing of the mockery it makes of good sportsmanship.
But, on the other hand, people are already doing it anyway. And the life of a professional athlete already more or less requires sacrificing health and happiness at an older age as-is (with degree depending on sport), drugs or no. So there's definitely an argument to be made that this isn't actually that big of a step. And at the end of the day, people should be free to choose what they do with their bodies so long as it doesn't infringe on others, and in this case it technically doesn't.
So I can't say it's incontrovertibly morally wrong, but it's one of those things that really just seems off to me, and I can't imagine wanting to participate.
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Comment on The Enhanced Games are Sunday. Here's what to know about the controversial event. in ~sports
BigBadWolf LinkHomie what. Listen, everyone and their mothers has thought about this idea. There's even this old tweet about it. But actually going ahead with it? Insane. Claiming it's "ethical?" I don't even..."I imagined a new kind of competition, one where science and sport and society could evolve together, where we stopped apologizing for progress and started to embrace it," D'Souza said.
His company is exploring athletic enhancement "openly, responsibly and ethically," he added.
Homie what.
Listen, everyone and their mothers has thought about this idea. There's even this old tweet about it. But actually going ahead with it? Insane. Claiming it's "ethical?" I don't even know what word describes it, other than just saying that this is a terrible and reckless idea. Claiming this is what "progress" is feels so backwards that I actually struggle to believe that this is his serious opinion.
It feels more and more like we've completely lost the plot and are just doing whatever now.
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Comment on Inside the scam network in ~tech
BigBadWolf LinkThat was a great read for this morning! Thanks for sharing. If anyone else has an interest in some of the technical details behind Magic Cat, the report they linked at the end of the second...That was a great read for this morning! Thanks for sharing.
If anyone else has an interest in some of the technical details behind Magic Cat, the report they linked at the end of the second article is pretty cool.
Scamming seems to have really popped off as a topic lately, especially on YouTube with the explosion of anti-scam YouTubers (Jim Browning, Kitboga, and so on). Has there been a noticeable increase in scam activity or is this an overdue response?
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Comment on Do you have a game that you love from “before your time?” in ~games
BigBadWolf LinkI really enjoy Earthbound which is almost 10 years older than me (sorry to anyone who read that and now feels old). Honestly it still holds up fairly well as far as RPGs go (other than the...I really enjoy Earthbound which is almost 10 years older than me (sorry to anyone who read that and now feels old). Honestly it still holds up fairly well as far as RPGs go (other than the somewhat clunky menu and inventory system), and I'd even say the writing is ahead of its time. Though, that last point may be because a lot of (if not most?) hit RPGs these days are directly or indirectly inspired by it, so it may be a self-fulfilling prophecy in that sense.
I've also been trying to play the original Sonic games based on the (heavy) enthusiasm of my best friend, and I've gotta say that those unfortunately do not hold up as well by modern standards to someone who isn't already heavily invested in the franchise. They're fun enough and still look pretty good, but have really frustrating game mechanics and the lack of saving in the first two entries makes stupid mistakes really punishing since you have to start a new game all over. Still though, they're certainly playable, which is more than can be said for a few games....
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Comment on We're bringing Pebble back! in ~tech
BigBadWolf LinkVery excited for this! I had a Pebble when I was younger and it was the only smartwatch of those I've owned that I ever used for a long period of time. Everything else was too big, too heavy, or...Very excited for this! I had a Pebble when I was younger and it was the only smartwatch of those I've owned that I ever used for a long period of time. Everything else was too big, too heavy, or just too unwieldy.
I also absolutely loved the creativity in the community watchfaces and making my own. While I've since switched back to a normal dumb watch, if/when this launches I'll definitely be in line to pick one up!
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~arts
BigBadWolf Link ParentI find this comment really interesting, because for a casual photographer, isn't that exactly what they're looking for? Sure, if you're a journalist or CSI or something, or a professional...I find this comment really interesting, because for a casual photographer, isn't that exactly what they're looking for?
Sure, if you're a journalist or CSI or something, or a professional photographer, you'll want perfectly accurate images, ideally the RAW itself.
But for Dad out on a trip to the beach with the kids? A student hanging out with her friends? A tourist wandering through their dream city? It seems to me that they'd want photos that match their memory of the experience by removing all the little "imperfections" (however they choose to define them), rather than a photo that's entirely accurate.
I guess this argument boils down to whether you want to take a photo for "proof" (in which case you want exact accuracy) or "memories" (in which case I see the argument for small enhancements).
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Comment on If you had up to US$250 to get one person into a hobby you're interested in, what would you do to get them started? in ~hobbies
BigBadWolf LinkBuy them a good skateboard + protective equipment. That's just about the budget to get something good that'll last a decent while (especially as a beginner), and quality equipment makes even...Buy them a good skateboard + protective equipment. That's just about the budget to get something good that'll last a decent while (especially as a beginner), and quality equipment makes even cruising around a blast! Of course, this requires teaching them as well, but thankfully that's free and a lot of fun for everyone!
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Comment on Sci-fi audio drama - The Last City in ~books
BigBadWolf Link ParentOf course, ars PARADOXICA goes without saying (in my mind at least). Awesome time-travel show about Cold War espionage. Otherwise, I've also really enjoyed Out of Place and LifeAfter/The Message...Of course, ars PARADOXICA goes without saying (in my mind at least). Awesome time-travel show about Cold War espionage. Otherwise, I've also really enjoyed Out of Place and LifeAfter/The Message in terms of sci-fi. I also highly recommend NORA, Mission: Rejected, and What Happened in Skinner!
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Comment on Which audio drama podcasts do you recommend? in ~books
BigBadWolf LinkSince last time I posted about this very same topic, I listened to "What Happened in Skinner" and it's one of my new favourites! If you're at all interested in faux "true crime" amateur...Since last time I posted about this very same topic, I listened to "What Happened in Skinner" and it's one of my new favourites! If you're at all interested in faux "true crime" amateur investigations, and don't mind a bit of a supernatural twist, it's very easy to get lost in the world it paints. It's almost like a more modern, Americanized version of "The Secret of St. Kilda," which is also wonderful and highly recommended!
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Comment on Favourite audio dramas/fiction podcasts? in ~books
BigBadWolf Link ParentI keep hearing good things about the Amelia Project, it's for sure on the list! And total agree on Left Right Game! I was a huge fan of the original nosleep story and I'd say the QCODE adaptation...I keep hearing good things about the Amelia Project, it's for sure on the list! And total agree on Left Right Game! I was a huge fan of the original nosleep story and I'd say the QCODE adaptation did it justice. My only complaint is that they sometimes relied a bit too much on the sound design and it was hard to tell what was going on, but the ending made up for it for sure.
I remember doing something like this for a numerical analysis course (where we created a drum shape of our choice and then had to do some matrix algebra to calculate the frequency at different moments and strike locations). So even beyond the inherent coolness, this was a nice trip down memory lane.
I'm also impressed by the kac drums. Given the conjecture, I would have thought all drums are unique, but goes to show how often results go against intuition! I'll definitely check out the paper to see how they proved it.