Bullmaestro's recent activity
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Comment on In praise of Arcane season 2 in ~tv
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Comment on How self-driving cars will destroy cities in ~transport
Bullmaestro (edited )LinkI for one think our future is going to be very bleak, but not necessarily for the reasons Not Just Bikes described. Once it becomes more cost effective to use AI over actual workers, that'll be...I for one think our future is going to be very bleak, but not necessarily for the reasons Not Just Bikes described.
Once it becomes more cost effective to use AI over actual workers, that'll be it. Tens, even hundreds of millions of jobs lost and unemployment rates skyrocketing. Why would you pay a train or lorry driver £50k plus overtime when you could employ an algorithm to do the same work at much lower cost? Why would you pay someone £21k to take inbound calls for your firm when AI is on the cusp of doing the job better, cheaper and more efficiently?
Even if all these AI systems turned out to be huge mechanical turk operations like what Amazon Store turned out to be, it's going to be devastating to Western economies.
And before you tell me Universal Basic Income will swoop in and save the day, UBI is a leftist pipe dream of how a post-scarcity society should work. In reality, it will either pay a pittance that nobody can live on or bankrupt our economies overnight. Yes, we could charge hefty automation taxes to firms that employ algorithms over people but good fucking luck getting anybody big to pay for it. We can't even get the wealthy to pay their fair share of tax right now. What makes anybody think that automation taxes won't go down like a lead balloon and drive firms to funnel their money into offshore tax havens...
"Well everyone will just pick up programming jobs", I hear you say. Do you think that your average Joe can write code?
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Comment on Thoughts on a Democratic postmortem in ~society
Bullmaestro Link ParentI did. The original comment was there because I didn't know that the alleged permanent effects of these meds was disinformation in itself.I did. The original comment was there because I didn't know that the alleged permanent effects of these meds was disinformation in itself.
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Comment on Thoughts on a Democratic postmortem in ~society
Bullmaestro Link ParentI didn't write that out of support for these views. I am a trans ally and I definitely don't understand the full effects of the medication used when transitioning, but there has been a lot of...I didn't write that out of support for these views. I am a trans ally and I definitely don't understand the full effects of the medication used when transitioning, but there has been a lot of hate-mongering from the right wing over LGBTQ rights. Some of it is really damaging.
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Comment on Thoughts on a Democratic postmortem in ~society
Bullmaestro (edited )Link ParentEDIT: Rewording my original comment, as I had a lot of misconceptions about the effects of puberty blockers and situations where HRT meds would be prescribed, but others have corrected me on this....EDIT: Rewording my original comment, as I had a lot of misconceptions about the effects of puberty blockers and situations where HRT meds would be prescribed, but others have corrected me on this. My opinion certainly changes on the matter.
Here's how I see it. A lot of the older generations are skeptical of contemporary definitions of gender identity, and get very uneasy when children are added to the equation, which is certainly something we've seen in Scottish opinion polling around the Gender Reform Bill that the SNP tried to pass. I had originally thought that it was something we absolutely shouldn't be exposing children to, but I have been told that things like puberty blockers are reversible and aren't permanent.
Regarding drag/crossdressing, my only opposition to exposing minors to it is when it's sexualised. There is a huge world of difference between something raunchy like the Rocky Horror Show and a pantomime (where actors cross dressing and playing opposite sex roles is commonplace), or Drag Queen Story Time where it's a drag queen, in a modest feminine outfit reading children's stories to kids. I'm also opposed to having children perform in adult venues and I remember seeing a video like that before, though I dunno the authenticity of it...
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Comment on Thoughts on a Democratic postmortem in ~society
Bullmaestro LinkMy take on why Kamala lost: The economy. I'm puzzled why Allan Lichtman said these two keys were true in his prediction. The cost of living has skyrocketed alongside inflation to the point where a...My take on why Kamala lost:
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The economy. I'm puzzled why Allan Lichtman said these two keys were true in his prediction. The cost of living has skyrocketed alongside inflation to the point where a Big Mac now costs $18. Much of this can be attributed to debt from the COVID-19 pandemic and from economic sanctions towards Russia. If your average wage slave can't even afford to live in most cities then they're not gonna give a fuck about some economist saying US GDP grew by 2% in the last year. Kamala offered no reforms to tackle this at all and just kept up the Biden status quo.
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Anti-LGBTQ sentiment: Don't get me wrong. I'm a trans ally, but a lot of people I know (here in the UK) aren't. Very few would make supporting LGBTQIA rights a voting issue, and in specific circumstances i.e. the ability to self-identify without a medical diagnosis, or giving children access to medication or surgeries to transition. This has been reflected in opinion polling in Scotland and is one of several big reasons why public opinion for the Scottish National Party dropped off a cliff when they tried to push through a sweeping gender reform bill which Westminster actually shot down. And don't get me started on the frankly BS accusations being made by the far right.
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Immigration. Many western countries are very hard to get into via legal means, and this notion (whether true or not) that we are rolling out the red carpet for people who enter illegally is something the Democrats failed to address, especially when focusing heavily on sanctuary cities. I'm seeing the same thing in the UK, and it's a big reason why we not only voted to leave the EU, but also why Reform UK are gaining massive traction here.
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Far right propaganda and astroturfing. Sometimes I question whether the hordes of comments fawning over Trump truly came from a few Russian bot farms, or if this was a case of opinions being parroted enough that it became generally accepted among the populace.
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Weak democratic safeguards. In any other developed democratic nation, Trump would have been behind bars and would have been wholly ineligible to run for office.
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Comment on Steam game recording - Available now in ~games
Bullmaestro LinkI'm surprised this wasn't a thing sooner. Game recording was one of the few reasons well over a decade ago to use XFire or WeGame. We now have shitloads of game recording solutions.I'm surprised this wasn't a thing sooner. Game recording was one of the few reasons well over a decade ago to use XFire or WeGame. We now have shitloads of game recording solutions.
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Comment on American election mental health thread in ~health.mental
Bullmaestro (edited )LinkBeen chatting with a Texan lady online recently who is absolutely scared of Trump and went out of her way to vote Harris yesterday. I can't imagine how she's feeling about the result, especially...Been chatting with a Texan lady online recently who is absolutely scared of Trump and went out of her way to vote Harris yesterday. I can't imagine how she's feeling about the result, especially after I encouraged her to vote by bringing up the possibility that Texas could swing blue, based on the last few years results.
She's someone who caught feelings for me, but I feel awkward because of the distance. It's tough because we're 4500 miles away and neither of us can really emigrate to each other's country that easily (USA & UK.)
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (November 2024) in ~health.mental
Bullmaestro (edited )Link ParentI agree that I should be setting boundaries if there isn't anything romantic going on. After all, I've been gaslighting myself a lot into thinking that Sonia's done nothing wrong. But the more I...I agree that I should be setting boundaries if there isn't anything romantic going on. After all, I've been gaslighting myself a lot into thinking that Sonia's done nothing wrong. But the more I think about it... The more I find it weird that I'm one of the main people she hangs out with and feel like I'm the shoulder she cries on.
Others in our group chat think I should be careful and are worried that she is either trying to use me, or think she really needs to either make a move or stop. I don't see how she's using me except maybe for emotional support... I'm not exactly spending money on her.
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (November 2024) in ~health.mental
Bullmaestro (edited )Link ParentSo... First time I tried to ask her out, some drunken guys walked past the bus stop and started heckling me. Then, her bus home arrived. Next time I tried after a friend's birthday meal. A...So...
First time I tried to ask her out, some drunken guys walked past the bus stop and started heckling me. Then, her bus home arrived.
Next time I tried after a friend's birthday meal. A (different) mutual friend tipped me off by text that she wasn't single and I abandoned that plan. I later asked her if she was seeing someone and her whole thing was that she was but they hadn't spoken in a while and he's been away from the country. That was about a month before the night where she got sexually harassed and we had an hour long phone chat at midnight.
Something else really weird happened. After I met her for a meal a few weeks ago and we had spent some time out, I mentioned to her that I was getting a COVID/flu jab and she got really upset. Apparently she had relatives in her home country (Slovakia) fall seriously ill from it, including a guy she used to date. She may have said to me that she was worried because she had a crush, but at that point I think I had a few to drink and likely misheard her. I did get that booster shot in the end, because while I am respectful of people's views, I didn't see any evidence online that any of the vaccines were linked to cancer.
I'm definitely going to ask her where we stand when we next meet, but I'm not sure when I'll see her next. She works long hours as a waitress and hardly comes out for karaoke.
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Comment on "Valve are gathering the avengers": we believe Gabe Newell is assembling the ultimate dream team for the one game everyone's been waiting for in ~games
Bullmaestro LinkThere are hints in the datamined files of Half Life Alyx, DotA 2, CounterStrike 2 and even Deadlock that they're working on a new Half Life game. When the day comes that Valve officially announce...There are hints in the datamined files of Half Life Alyx, DotA 2, CounterStrike 2 and even Deadlock that they're working on a new Half Life game.
When the day comes that Valve officially announce it, the ensuing hype train will put any maglev powered locomotive to shame.
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Comment on Meatball lovers, rejoice – IKEA has announced the opening of its first restaurant on the UK high street in ~food
Bullmaestro LinkNever eaten at an IKEA restaurant but I've heard very good things about it. Like... they're one of the only companies aside from PepsiCo and Coca Cola that makes cola which doesn't taste like...Never eaten at an IKEA restaurant but I've heard very good things about it. Like... they're one of the only companies aside from PepsiCo and Coca Cola that makes cola which doesn't taste like complete shit.
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (November 2024) in ~health.mental
Bullmaestro (edited )LinkIt's been a very weird month for me with many ups and downs. I feel burned out with life. Maybe I hung out with a group I'm in too much and went to too many karaoke nights. The singing lessons I...It's been a very weird month for me with many ups and downs.
I feel burned out with life. Maybe I hung out with a group I'm in too much and went to too many karaoke nights. The singing lessons I have are going pretty well and I have received compliments about how well I sing certain songs, but I feel like this is the only thing I have going for me. It could also be that the single life and being a virgin sucks, and no matter what I say, do or change about myself, I will never be successful with dating.
There's a lady in the group chat (8 years older than me) who I have a big crush on. Let's just call her Sonia. I'm the only one in the group she messages directly, and there have been times where she's travelled a few miles out to come and see me, i.e. to get food, or to come to an open mic night nearby.
Sonia apparently has a boyfriend, although I've never met him, and given her behavior, I (and others) think she's just saying that to ward guys away from her. I'm the man she's called at 12AM in tears when a drunken asshole sexually harassed her at the pub and called her a whore after she rejected his advances. I'm the one she's vented to about her job and how she's thought about going back to her home country because she just feels alone. I'm the one she goes to when she wants emotional support, not this apparent boyfriend of hers.
My friends in the group chat are concerned that she's using me, maybe not financially but certainly as an emotional sandbag, and that's definitely how I feel. Maybe she does like me, but also maybe she wants something out of me and I can't figure out what. The signs are there, I mean she fidgets with her hair a lot when she's talking to me and is very smiley.
Some positive news though, an apartment near me recently went on sale and I made an offer on it, which to my surprise got accepted. I'm now going through the process of applying for a mortgage.
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of October 27 in ~games
Bullmaestro LinkKiller7 is currently 75% off on Steam until 8th November, but with a huge caveat. Grasshopper Manufacture released an update to the game yesterday to coincide with the sale. This update adds...Killer7 is currently 75% off on Steam until 8th November, but with a huge caveat.
Grasshopper Manufacture released an update to the game yesterday to coincide with the sale. This update adds several quality of life improvements, upscaled textures, and upscaled animated cutscenes.
So what's the problem? I hear you ask... The developers lazily ran all the game's textures and animated cutscenes through an AI upscaler and made no effort to clean up any blemishes or inaccuracies. Some of the cutscenes and new textures look downright atrocious and you cannot roll back to a previous version of the game nor toggle between original/upscaled graphics.
There's a high (but not probable) likelihood that NIS America and Grasshopper Manufacture will roll back the update.
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Comment on The Stallman report in ~tech
Bullmaestro LinkEwww. I had respect for Stallman until I started reading through this report. I had no idea this guy was an advocate for rape, pedophilia, beastiality, etc.Ewww. I had respect for Stallman until I started reading through this report.
I had no idea this guy was an advocate for rape, pedophilia, beastiality, etc.
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Comment on Asmongold's Twitch channel temporarily banned following racist rant about Palestinians in ~games
Bullmaestro LinkI wonder how long before r/Asmongold is quarantined or banned by the Reddit admins. The entire subreddit has turned into KotakuInAction4 and is just full of whinging about wokeness and DEI in...I wonder how long before r/Asmongold is quarantined or banned by the Reddit admins.
The entire subreddit has turned into KotakuInAction4 and is just full of whinging about wokeness and DEI in games.
I miss the days when he just played Diablo III and WoW...
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Bullmaestro (edited )LinkThe Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past: First time I played it was on the Game Boy Advance and I decided to play the original SNES version on Nintendo Switch Online. Not sure if I enjoy the...The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past:
First time I played it was on the Game Boy Advance and I decided to play the original SNES version on Nintendo Switch Online. Not sure if I enjoy the experience.
Something feels off about the controls. Maybe it's the input latency with Nintendo's shoddy emulation solution, or it's the fact that the control mapping is shit on the original game, i.e. needing to hit X instead of a more logical button like Start or Select to open the map, or how the Pegasus Boots are activated with the same button you use to lift objects.
I'm past the first Aghanim fight (got fucked by really bad lightning orb RNG and just about survived with half a heart remaining) and in the Dark World now where everything is kicking my ass. Enemies go up to doing drastic amounts of damage in this part of the game and I've suffered my first few deaths just trying to get to the first DW dungeon.
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster:
First of all, may I commend Square Enix on what a dismal job they've done with the PC port of this?
Aside from initially opening in 1024x768 windowed mode and not recognizing my gamepad, I open the (out of game) settings menu only to have the entire thing in Japanese by default. It's a good thing that I had the intuition to recognize which drop down menu was the language selection.
That's not the end of my woes either. By the time I got through the Besaid Cloister of Trials, the pre-rendered FMV cutscenes that followed literally green screened on me with only the cutscene audio, subtitles and pause menu working.
Some sources say it's a problem with 64-bit operating systems running the game (it's a fucking 2016 port of a 2013 remaster that really shouldn't be suffering from these problems), others say it's fixed by checking a tickbox in the Nvidia control panel. I went with the latter solution because no way am I trusting a random "patch" linked on a Steam discussion forum thread by a rando.
And I thought the Switch version with it's dismal loading times where sometimes I've been stuck for nearly a minute waiting for a random encounter to start was bad...
NGU Idle:
Finally past The Exile v3 and farming the Rad Lands. This is the last home stretch before I can finally move on to Sadistic difficulty.
As much as I love the humour of this game, 4G has made a horrific time sink of an idle game that would take years to finish.
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Comment on Community Check-In: How is everyone doing? in ~life
Bullmaestro Link ParentI don't. The more pissed off I get, the more phrases like that go into my vocabulary.I don't. The more pissed off I get, the more phrases like that go into my vocabulary.
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Comment on Community Check-In: How is everyone doing? in ~life
Bullmaestro Link ParentNot speed dating but I did go to a singles night that I saw on Meetup. It was a sausage fest to say the least, probably about 85% guys.Not speed dating but I did go to a singles night that I saw on Meetup. It was a sausage fest to say the least, probably about 85% guys.
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Comment on Community Check-In: How is everyone doing? in ~life
Bullmaestro LinkNot great. Found out that lady I met on Facebook Dating who had been keeping me at arms length for the past sixteen months had actually been seeing someone else recently. So this whole thing about...Not great.
Found out that lady I met on Facebook Dating who had been keeping me at arms length for the past sixteen months had actually been seeing someone else recently. So this whole thing about her CFS/ME making her too exhausted to date has been BS, and she's just been leading me on with no intention of ever putting out.
That's just one of my dating woes. It's honestly soul destroying to actually pay for an app like Hinge or Tinder and get absolutely nowhere. I maybe match with like... 0.5% of ladies I swipe right on, and out of those matches, 60% never reply, 30% unmatch and maybe 10% ghost after the first conversation. Maybe it's a problem with British dating culture and women having impossibly high standards. Maybe it's me.
On the plus side, I may finally be moving out from my childhood home soon. I went to view a one bedroom flat that's going for about £140k. Really want to make an offer, but I'm still waiting for a response from the mortgage advisor who I sent my payslips to yesterday.
Season 2 Act 1 was a bit shit and had a tonne of writing and pacing problems but Act 2 more than made up for it and even managed to hit the peaks of the very first season. Can't wait to see what the finale is like next week.