Boojum's recent activity
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Comment on What's something new you started doing this year? in ~talk
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Comment on Armchair governing dictator - new rule for 2025 (fun) in ~talk
Boojum LinkIf I were dictator of the world, or at least the US, I'd start a Manhattan project/moonshot type program to get us off this rock. Colonizing Mars, asteroids, and viable moons within the solar...If I were dictator of the world, or at least the US, I'd start a Manhattan project/moonshot type program to get us off this rock. Colonizing Mars, asteroids, and viable moons within the solar system would be a good first step, but I'd also want the program to massively fund advanced physics research to brainstorm any remotely plausible hypothetical FTL mechanisms. I'd expect that advanced energy production (e.g., fusion) would be a nice by-product of this program.
Basically, I want all the cool optimistic sci-fi stuff I read about or watched as a kid, and I'd like some redundancy in case anything catastrophic happens to Earth.
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Comment on 180bpm+ music recommendations? in ~music
Boojum LinkI generally listen to video game music if I listen to anything while working. I'm not a good judge of BPM, but the main thing that comes to mind that, on checking, has a 180+ BPM as far as I can...I generally listen to video game music if I listen to anything while working.
I'm not a good judge of BPM, but the main thing that comes to mind that, on checking, has a 180+ BPM as far as I can find, are the battle themes from Bravely Default.
And while I can't say if they'd meet the BPM criteria, the soundtracks to Falcom's Ys games often have a lot of up-tempo energy (the game mechanics tend to encourage blasting through monsters as quickly as possible). Some that come to mind:
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Comment on Day 12: Garden Groups in ~comp.advent_of_code
Boojum (edited )LinkI've been posting heavily over on /r/adventofcode, but figure I can start sharing here too. I'm pretty happy with how clean my solution ended up, especially for Part 2. Explanation For the first...I've been posting heavily over on /r/adventofcode, but figure I can start sharing here too. I'm pretty happy with how clean my solution ended up, especially for Part 2.
Explanation
For the first step, segmentation into regions, I used a disjoint-set structure. (I borrowed the implementation from SciPy, though I've written my own a few times.) I add all the individual cells to it as single-element sets, then make a pass over the them and wherever a cell has the same letter as one of its neighbors to the right or below, I merge the two subsets they belong to. After that, the disjoint set contains one subset per region and the elements of those subsets are the cells of that region.
Then I do a scan over each cell in each region:
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For area, I obviously just count one per cell.
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For the perimeter, I count one each if the cell above, to the left, to the right, or below isn't in the region.
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For the sides, the key observation that I eventually realized is that there is a one-to-one correspondence between sides and corners. So I can just count the corners. There are two classes of corners:
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Outer corners. If the cells above and to the left aren't in the region, then I have an upper-left outer corner. Picture it like this with
Xfor cells in the region,Ofor cells outside the region, and?for don't-care cells.? O ? +-- O | X ? ? ? ?And of course I do the same for the other three outer corners by symmetry.
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Inner corners. If the cells above and to the left are in the region, but the diagonal cell isn't, then I have an upper-left inner corner:
O | X ? --+ X X ? ? ? ?And of course, here too, I do the same for the other three inner corners by symmetry.
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So it's possible to count the area, perimeter, and sides just by scanning over the cells in each region and looking at the 3✕3 neighborhood around each cell.
I posted a visualization of this in action over on Reddit.
Code
import fileinput, scipy g = { ( x, y ): c for y, r in enumerate( fileinput.input() ) for x, c in enumerate( r.strip( '\n' ) ) } d = scipy.cluster.hierarchy.DisjointSet( g ) for ( x, y ), v in g.items(): for n in ( ( x + 1, y ), ( x, y + 1 ) ): if g.get( n, None ) == v: d.merge( ( x, y ), n ) t1, t2 = 0, 0 for r in d.subsets(): a, p, s = 0, 0, 0 for x, y in r: # Area a += 1 # Perimeter p += ( x - 1, y ) not in r p += ( x + 1, y ) not in r p += ( x, y - 1 ) not in r p += ( x, y + 1 ) not in r # Outer corners s += ( x - 1, y ) not in r and ( x, y - 1 ) not in r s += ( x + 1, y ) not in r and ( x, y - 1 ) not in r s += ( x - 1, y ) not in r and ( x, y + 1 ) not in r s += ( x + 1, y ) not in r and ( x, y + 1 ) not in r # Inner corners s += ( x - 1, y ) in r and ( x, y - 1 ) in r and ( x - 1, y - 1 ) not in r s += ( x + 1, y ) in r and ( x, y - 1 ) in r and ( x + 1, y - 1 ) not in r s += ( x - 1, y ) in r and ( x, y + 1 ) in r and ( x - 1, y + 1 ) not in r s += ( x + 1, y ) in r and ( x, y + 1 ) in r and ( x + 1, y + 1 ) not in r t1 += a * p t2 += a * s print( t1, t2 ) -
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Comment on Anyone interested in trying out Kagi? in ~tech
Boojum LinkI've been curious, if invites are still available.I've been curious, if invites are still available.
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Comment on How to get used to spicy food? in ~food
Boojum LinkMilk helps because capsaicin, the main chemical that contributes to spiciness, is fat-soluble (but not water-soluble). So consuming dairy, preferably from whole-milk, or anything else high in...The only thing I have found that remedies it is drinking milk as it passes my digestive tract.
Milk helps because capsaicin, the main chemical that contributes to spiciness, is fat-soluble (but not water-soluble). So consuming dairy, preferably from whole-milk, or anything else high in lipids, with the spice helps to break it down more quickly.
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Comment on Inside the war against excessive headlight brightness in ~transport
Boojum Link ParentWhat I've long wanted to mount in my windows is an octahedral retroreflector, similar to the octahedral radar reflectors like this or this used on boats, but with highly polished mirrored surfaces...What I've long wanted to mount in my windows is an octahedral retroreflector, similar to the octahedral radar reflectors like this or this used on boats, but with highly polished mirrored surfaces for optical reflection instead of radar.
Basically, eight optical corner reflectors joined into a ball so that they'll throw light back 180 degrees no matter where it comes from.
No need for an active countermeasure when a passive one can do the job perfectly well.
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Comment on What’s your “I didn’t know I needed that” item? in ~life
Boojum Link ParentI'll second good slippers. My spouse gifts me a pair of sheepskin slippers from L.L.Bean every few years as I wear through them. I like to take my shoes off at the door when I get home to avoid...I'll second good slippers.
My spouse gifts me a pair of sheepskin slippers from L.L.Bean every few years as I wear through them. I like to take my shoes off at the door when I get home to avoid tracking dirt and mud into the house. As soon as the shoes go off, the slippers go on. (I WFH, so I get to spend most of my day wearing them.)
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Comment on What’s your “I didn’t know I needed that” item? in ~life
Boojum Link ParentMy spouse and I jokingly refer to one of our cats as this. We have a cat that sometimes likes to climb under the covers between us and then crawl down the length of the bed to curl up by my feet...Hot water bottle
My spouse and I jokingly refer to one of our cats as this. We have a cat that sometimes likes to climb under the covers between us and then crawl down the length of the bed to curl up by my feet to sleep. Bonus: soft fur under my toes at night. Malus: sometimes I overheat.
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Comment on Day 5: Print Queue in ~comp.advent_of_code
Boojum Link ParentI'd also posted a visualization on Reddit showing the graph structure and the cycle in my input. (I'd tried topo sort on all the rules for my first approach and, like you, failed due to the cycle.)I'd also posted a visualization on Reddit showing the graph structure and the cycle in my input. (I'd tried topo sort on all the rules for my first approach and, like you, failed due to the cycle.)
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Comment on Holiday season playlist in ~music
Boojum LinkI tend to favor older, more traditional carols rather than the newer, more pop stuff (i.e., more contemplative, less syrupy). I also find instrumental brass works well for Christmas. Here's a...I tend to favor older, more traditional carols rather than the newer, more pop stuff (i.e., more contemplative, less syrupy). I also find instrumental brass works well for Christmas. Here's a couple albums in my playlist:
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Comment on Lilo & Stitch | Official teaser in ~movies
Boojum Link ParentFor watercolor animation*, The Red Turtle also comes to mind. Like Lilo and Stitch, it too is mainly set on a tropical island. The animation is gorgeous. * I believe much of the animation was hand...For watercolor animation*, The Red Turtle also comes to mind. Like Lilo and Stitch, it too is mainly set on a tropical island. The animation is gorgeous.
* I believe much of the animation was hand drawn, but on digitizing tablets instead of paper. So I'd guess the watercolor is simulated. It still looks great.
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Comment on Fallout's Timothy Cain talks about encumbrance in games in ~games
Boojum Link ParentA big issue for me is that for games with randomized stats on a gear, I quickly get into a state where nearly everything is somewhere on the Pareto frontier because of the high dimensionality of...A big issue for me is that for games with randomized stats on a gear, I quickly get into a state where nearly everything is somewhere on the Pareto frontier because of the high dimensionality of the stats. It the beginning it's not too hard to find an upgrade that Pareto dominates something I already have and makes it a no-brainer to sell off the old thing. But towards the end, the stats can cover such a range that this is difficult. That feeling that I might want a different point on the Pareto frontier is what leads to me being a pack-rat with analysis paralysis.
I kind of like the old days of the early, simpler RPGs -- This character fights with a sword. He is using the Silver Sword. I now have access to the Gold Sword. The Gold Sword is strictly better than the Silver Sword, so I buy the Gold Sword and sell the Silver Sword. The End.
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Comment on How To Train Your Dragon | Official teaser trailer in ~movies
Boojum Link ParentWhen I used to work at an animation studio (not DW), I once suggested that it would be great to "remaster" some of the earlier films with all the great new tech that we had now. I was told that it...When I used to work at an animation studio (not DW), I once suggested that it would be great to "remaster" some of the earlier films with all the great new tech that we had now. I was told that it would never happen; the effort that it would take to upgrade the assets to look decent with the new tech would be on par with doing a whole new film anyway, so they might as well just go for a true sequel/prequel.
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Comment on How To Train Your Dragon | Official teaser trailer in ~movies
Boojum Link ParentNote that they're no longer making them all in-house like they used to. The Wild Robot was announced to be the last fully-in-house animated film from them. They are now outsourcing much of the...Note that they're no longer making them all in-house like they used to. The Wild Robot was announced to be the last fully-in-house animated film from them. They are now outsourcing much of the production of new animated films going forward.
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Comment on How the heck do you go about moving cross country? in ~life
Boojum Link ParentThe last time I moved interstate, the new company flew me out for a couple of days and hired a real estate agent to take me around to various rentals. She knew the area well, drove me around to...The last time I moved interstate, the new company flew me out for a couple of days and hired a real estate agent to take me around to various rentals. She knew the area well, drove me around to promising rental houses that she had in her system, and -- as a realtor -- she was able to unlock the door gizmos so that we could go inside and view them. Once I'd decided on one, she helped manage the lease paper work.
Realtors can do more than just buying and selling houses. Chatting with her, it sounded like rental finding was an easy way for her to pick up a little bit extra money in between the big home sales. (Admittedly, this was back in the downturn of '09 when the market was tighter.)
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Comment on How To Train Your Dragon | Official teaser trailer in ~movies
Boojum Link ParentThey'd better not have messed with Test Drive! (Even though I was working for a competing animation studio at the time, that movie and that scene -- *chef's kiss*.)They'd better not have messed with Test Drive!
(Even though I was working for a competing animation studio at the time, that movie and that scene -- *chef's kiss*.)
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Comment on Wicked, Dune, It, and deceiving the audience about two-parters in ~movies
Boojum Link ParentWhen I saw it in the theater with my kids, it was my 7yo who yelled out in frustration (though somewhat less colorfully, of course -- I think it was more like "THAT'S IT!??"), since he was a huge...When I saw it in the theater with my kids, it was my 7yo who yelled out in frustration (though somewhat less colorfully, of course -- I think it was more like "THAT'S IT!??"), since he was a huge fan of the first movie. He got a fair number of sympathetic chuckles at that.
Now with all the delay, he's kind of given up and moved on to other interests.
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Comment on Where does your username come from? (Following up on last year's thread) in ~tildes
Boojum Link ParentUnfortunately, house spiders don't last long around my cats (at least if they're unwise enough to come down closer to floor level).Unfortunately, house spiders don't last long around my cats (at least if they're unwise enough to come down closer to floor level).
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Comment on Where does your username come from? (Following up on last year's thread) in ~tildes
Boojum Link ParentI will strongly argue that Samwise is the real hero of LotR. I love how the Frodo and Sam parts of the books gradually shift from Frodo's point of view in the beginning to Sam's in the end. (And...I will strongly argue that Samwise is the real hero of LotR. I love how the Frodo and Sam parts of the books gradually shift from Frodo's point of view in the beginning to Sam's in the end. (And Sam deservedly gets the last words!)
Ouch. I had a long gap between dental visits while in grad school, then was suffering a bit afterwards. Ever since, I've been doing quarterly cleanings/checkups, even if I have to pay out of pocket (or from an HSA) for the later ones in the insurance year. I don't relish them, but I've been stable for a long time when I used to be much more cavity prone, so I can't really complain.