Captain_Wacky's recent activity
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Comment on New research shows attention lapses due to sleep deprivation coincide with a flushing of fluid from the brain in ~science
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
Captain_Wacky LinkFinished "The Lusiads," and will pick up a more contemporary story, "The Beast in the Clouds," tomorrow. The premise is the least two accomplished of the Roosevelt sons go on an expedition (in an...Finished "The Lusiads," and will pick up a more contemporary story, "The Beast in the Clouds," tomorrow.
The premise is the least two accomplished of the Roosevelt sons go on an expedition (in an effort to gain goodwill from Teddy) to collect a Panda, an animal who at the time was relatively unknown to science, akin to colossal squid of today.
Since we kind of already know the outcome, this story is absolutely going to be all about the journey, with building anticipation towards the reveal on the gentle nature of pandas and how that's going to take the wind out of the Roosevelts' sails, thinking they're on the trail for some sort of apex predator.
Almost feels like it should be a subplot for a venture bros episode. It feels like something Hank and Dean would get into.
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Comment on Swedish fisherman digging for worms stumbles upon cache of silver coins, beads, rings and pendants dating to the 12th century in ~humanities.history
Captain_Wacky Link ParentI can see how that could be a slippery slope, though. Offer rewards for important archaeological finds, and then you got antiquity hunters, with no real desire to preserve archaeological context.I can see how that could be a slippery slope, though.
Offer rewards for important archaeological finds, and then you got antiquity hunters, with no real desire to preserve archaeological context.
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Comment on What is your 'Subway Take'? in ~talk
Captain_Wacky Link ParentIt's a weird one, but I stand by it. A cultural institution who's mission statement is to explicitly educate the public on advertising could have been the needed "shot in the arm" for the American...It's a weird one, but I stand by it. A cultural institution who's mission statement is to explicitly educate the public on advertising could have been the needed "shot in the arm" for the American zeitgeist against anti-intellectualism and hyperconsumerism, especially if it was introduced at a time like the 60's~70's.
After a certain number of years and funds raised, there'd be plenty of ways to move this organization around to keep itself alive and relevant. Start an art collection and a gallery wing, but it's all posters and advertising from acclaimed artists and design firms and whatnot, use that as a further money printer. Expand the gallery to include neon signs, like the "American Sign Museum" in Cincinnati. Have a computer wing, throwing spam mail to accounts, pop ups and banner ads making example websites useless, etc.
Theoretically, American companies would be throwing money at said institution to feature their name and advertising and it could be done in a way that doesn't compromise the original mission statement.
It would be a tough nut for conservatives to try and crack, because on the surface level it totally does celebrate consumerism. Coca Cola and Pepsi both would be pissed at them if they shut it down. It absolutely is celebrating Americana, but at the same time absolutely educating the public on what "FOMO" is, how easily "wants" and "needs" can be conflated, etc.
It'd be really neat.
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Comment on What is your 'Subway Take'? in ~talk
Captain_Wacky (edited )LinkA Smithsonian institution dedicated to junk* mail would have done the nation some good, especially if it was introduced in an era like the 1970s. Edit: changed "spam" to "junk"A Smithsonian institution dedicated to junk* mail would have done the nation some good, especially if it was introduced in an era like the 1970s.
Edit: changed "spam" to "junk"
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Comment on Please help me pick my next book to read! in ~books
Captain_Wacky LinkAs it's not on your list, I can't help but suggest adding anything by Jorge Luis Borges to that list. Unhelpful, I know... But I'm not going to turn down the opportunity to suggest his works to...As it's not on your list, I can't help but suggest adding anything by Jorge Luis Borges to that list.
Unhelpful, I know... But I'm not going to turn down the opportunity to suggest his works to people.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
Captain_Wacky Link ParentThis year has been a bit of an outlier for me. Last couple of years I got interested in Latin American writing of the 20th century. Borges' opinions and essays got me interested enough to pick up...This year has been a bit of an outlier for me. Last couple of years I got interested in Latin American writing of the 20th century. Borges' opinions and essays got me interested enough to pick up the Iliad and the Odyssey, as I plan on reading a couple Roman philosophers I might as well pick up the Aeneid as well, and since I like Saramago and Pessoa I might as well pick up The Lusiads, too.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
Captain_Wacky LinkCamões' "The Lusiads" is a bit of a wild read. It's a relatively contemporary "Origin myth," drawing direct reference from the Homeric epics as well as the Aeneid, centered on the Classic God's...Camões' "The Lusiads" is a bit of a wild read.
It's a relatively contemporary "Origin myth," drawing direct reference from the Homeric epics as well as the Aeneid, centered on the Classic God's interest in the travels and exploits of the Portuguese empire.
It's very heavy-handed myth making with characters in the typical European Colonizer mindset, for example they can't understand why shelling the coastal villages of Mozambique would lead to subversively hostile peoples waiting for them further along up the coast, then ultimately just blame the local's 'treacherous' behavior as a failing in their Muslim philosophy.
For a short book (again in comparison to the Homeric Epics) it really does read like a story from the Classical era, and it's really delightfully jarring to picture Hermes/Mercury putting on his sandals and flying down to Mombasa to do business.... with Vasco da Gama.
I also find it quite an important read, as it was the authors intent to be incredibly Jingoistic for Portugal, and yet within that very text, there they are putting themselves in positions so idiotic only intervention by The Gods can save them... but still twisting that story around to make it seem like they're the chosen ones of Western Civilization.
I haven't finished it yet, but that's my take so far, 3 chapters in. Shouldn't take more than a week.
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Comment on Robin Williams' daughter pleads for people to stop sending her AI videos of her dad in ~tech
Captain_Wacky Link ParentYeah, I had that scenario/service in mind when I was writing the above. A person with low emotional intelligence receives one of these as a gift, and believes (believe being the key word) it did...Yeah, I had that scenario/service in mind when I was writing the above.
A person with low emotional intelligence receives one of these as a gift, and believes (believe being the key word) it did them some good. In their ignorance they gift someone the same thing online, consciously thinking they're actually about to do some good, and subconsciously motivated for the internet points.
Anything else beyond that point is just insult added to injury.
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Comment on Robin Williams' daughter pleads for people to stop sending her AI videos of her dad in ~tech
Captain_Wacky Link ParentWhile I understand the question being semi-rhetorical, unfortunately I can see a few angles where someone could genuinely be thinking they're doing something good in sending an AI'd relative. I'll...What kind of brain does it take to think this would be wanted and acceptable?
While I understand the question being semi-rhetorical, unfortunately I can see a few angles where someone could genuinely be thinking they're doing something good in sending an AI'd relative.
I'll spare the details, but if anything it all serves as an amazing case study for one to mentally process in terms of the general "banality of evil."
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~arts
Captain_Wacky LinkI've seen this "slurry" being referred to in conversation as "pink-slime," in reference to Chicken McNuggets. Ex: The Emoji Movie is the pink-slime of American Cinema.I've seen this "slurry" being referred to in conversation as "pink-slime," in reference to Chicken McNuggets.
Ex: The Emoji Movie is the pink-slime of American Cinema.
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Comment on Guilt and video games in ~health.mental
Captain_Wacky Link ParentFor me, the fulfillment I derive is simply because literature is relatively unexplored ground, and that's how I'm able to "reach for the book instead of the controller." It does tie back to part...For me, the fulfillment I derive is simply because literature is relatively unexplored ground, and that's how I'm able to "reach for the book instead of the controller."
It does tie back to part of what I was chasing with video games, too. I guess at some point earlier on in my video gaming "career" (for lack of a better term) I conflated the "all-engrossing" nature of video games as "good storytelling," and as a result made the connection that books and movies can't do this, so video games must be better than both.
YouTube personalities also likely helped to extend the lifespan of that fallacy, never explicitly stating but heavily inferring through this tone of 'advocacy' for a fledgling medium, as if they truly believed video games could usurp movies and books. If they believed it, it must be true.
The years go by, the patterns emerge and other fallacies creep in to support my initial fallacy, (great world-building does not make for a great story, but I didn't really know any better at the time) and I see those very same games fall victim to enshittification, the storytelling suffered, and I begin to wonder how these companies and studios couldn't seemingly care about what's supposed to be (in my eyes) the works of modern Homer.
Wait, how I can I be so sure to compare this to something like foundational texts? Even I know that's a hell of a claim.
.....have I even read Homer?....
......and from there, I became more open to the idea of reading driven by pleasure. The more books I read, the more I learned about storytelling in general, the less games I played. Now I know that video games can be good at telling different kinds of stories, I realize now that by mostly excluding books I've been doing myself a disservice. Sure, a game like Antichamber is truly amazing, and can probably serve as a method to describe Borges' experiences within The Aleph, but only Borges' writing within the story The Aleph can serve to provide all the before/after context and give those experiences about said Aleph any meaning.
So, I guess the origins of my problems are vastly different from what you have going on, so I'm not going to have a clear answer. I barely had exposure to reading earlier on in my life, (the accelerated reading program in elementary and middle schools served to produce nothing but ire for me toward reading, probably pushing me further to games as well) but nothing like your experiences. I am no psych, but with your background to books being academic in nature, could it be possible you're seeing burnout with all the academic 'higher thinking' topics? Brains need true downtime too, there's no shame in picking up something 'lower thinking.' If it has to be a book, maybe pick up someone like Wodehouse, or even something campy like RL Stine?
Maybe tie another hobby into the book reading? The Hobbit hits different after a 2 hour hike.
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Comment on Guilt and video games in ~health.mental
Captain_Wacky Link ParentWell, again I'm not a psych, but... ....if that fear is quite a permeating one, to the point you find it inhibiting the enjoyment of any video game, there's no shame in going cold turkey to pursue...Well, again I'm not a psych, but...
...there is always that background fear that if I'm not cautious, I may slip into playing too much again.
....if that fear is quite a permeating one, to the point you find it inhibiting the enjoyment of any video game, there's no shame in going cold turkey to pursue something more fulfilling in it's stead. I don't know what would be more fulfilling for you, but for me I found that through literature.
While I don't sense anything "identity crisis" in what you've said in these posts, it may also be worthwhile to look into "hyperconsumerism" and it's prevalence within "nerd culture," especially the parts about how it ties identity to the brands/things one consumes.
Insidiously, the "features" of nerd culture also work to make quitting the consumption of the "nerd stuff" more difficult, as quitting consumption is now akin to rejecting ones identity. (Ex: "I'm a gamer, so I must game, and stay up to 2am gaming, as that's what true gamers do. With enough time, any suggestions to change this routine becomes a social heresy, like suggesting a teetotaler to drink.")
This may not be a component at all for you, but it may still be worth looking into, for awareness' sake. That may explain the seeming reluctance I think I may be detecting, but again I am no psych.
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Comment on Guilt and video games in ~health.mental
Captain_Wacky LinkI am no psych, but I can say that with my own personal experiences, I felt a similar dissatisfaction and over time I drastically reduced my video game consumption. For me, it was a new job that...I am no psych, but I can say that with my own personal experiences, I felt a similar dissatisfaction and over time I drastically reduced my video game consumption.
For me, it was a new job that had drastically swinging hours. Could be done at 8 hours, could be done as late as 12. The less free time meant I started prioritizing activities where I didn't just "turn my brain off," like I would with video games, so I picked up different hobbies. It felt like I was missing out when I turned my brain off, the time was precious again, hence the guilt.
It also heavily suspect that the job fills a lot of the needs I was getting through games, too: lots of micromanaging in a vehicle, a lot of driving around and exploring new places and nooks and crannies, lots of views of the city one would normally not get to see, physical exercise, etc.
Lastly, it's been 20 years with me and games. While innovations still occur, they're noticably fewer and farther in between, and the recurring cycles and patterns are obvious to me now. I haven't "seen it all," but I've seen enough to know that it was merely time for me to move on to something different, and there's no shame in that at all.
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Comment on AOL will end dial-up internet service in September, 34 years after it's debut — AOL Shield Browser and AOL Dialer software will be shuttered on the same day in ~tech
Captain_Wacky Link ParentLikely deliberate in the contractual sense, if it was deliberate in the "sending a message" sense they would have tried to keep things afloat till the 35th year, or some other "aesthetically...Likely deliberate in the contractual sense, if it was deliberate in the "sending a message" sense they would have tried to keep things afloat till the 35th year, or some other "aesthetically pleasing/round" number.
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Comment on The viral 'Tea' app just had a second data breach, and it's even worse in ~tech
Captain_Wacky LinkI'm not a paranoid schizophrenic, but imagine if you were. You finally got yourself together, found medication that works, gone through the process of discovery to understand what "baseline" feels...I'm not a paranoid schizophrenic, but imagine if you were. You finally got yourself together, found medication that works, gone through the process of discovery to understand what "baseline" feels like, built up the incredible levels of self-awareness needed to function, etc. Enough progress to feel like giving a relationship a try/a try again.
As if dating and relationship-building wasn't hard enough for the neuroatypical, before all of these "shadow socials."
Anybody with a vulnerability towards paranoid thinking is cooked.
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Comment on Break your bubble: find book titles that you are unlikely to read in ~books
Captain_Wacky LinkWith Borges, Vonnegut and Homer as inputs and my first output is drum roll .....Paddington. Which, you're right, I don't read kids books, but I could never say no to Paddington. Second hit was...With Borges, Vonnegut and Homer as inputs and my first output is drum roll .....Paddington.
Which, you're right, I don't read kids books, but I could never say no to Paddington.
Second hit was Arthur Conan Doyle. In that case, yeah maybe some English (British?) serials are due for me to read. I have bought a good number of antique/almost-pulp copies of P.G. Wodehouse's Jeeves series.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
Captain_Wacky LinkReading both The Iliad and The Odyssey, the Samuel Butler and the Fagles translations, chapter by chapter. First the Butler translation then Fagles to pick up what I may have missed the first...Reading both The Iliad and The Odyssey, the Samuel Butler and the Fagles translations, chapter by chapter. First the Butler translation then Fagles to pick up what I may have missed the first time.
Already finished The Iliad this way, was very helpful. It's convinced me to find the Pope translations.
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Comment on Disney reportedly planning full reboot of the Indiana Jones franchise in ~movies
Captain_Wacky Link ParentIn today's sociopolitical hellscape, I can't help but think even Disney would be hesitant, for "reasons." That being said, I wholly agree, it wouldn't be an Indiana Jones movie if he wasn't...Make Indiana Jones fight Nazis:
In today's sociopolitical hellscape, I can't help but think even Disney would be hesitant, for "reasons."
That being said, I wholly agree, it wouldn't be an Indiana Jones movie if he wasn't whaling on occultist Nazis.
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Comment on The Cat in the Hat | Official trailer in ~movies
Captain_Wacky LinkThe only thing I liked about that was the Looney Tunes gag in the intro. That and the general art style. That makes sense, given the era Dr. Seuss's works began in. The color palette also makes...The only thing I liked about that was the Looney Tunes gag in the intro. That and the general art style.
That makes sense, given the era Dr. Seuss's works began in. The color palette also makes sense, visually the whimsy matches Dr. Seuss's art style. The animations also fit the whimsy.
Hader's voice absolutely does not fit the visual whimsy, however. Neither does that simulated "cameraman being knocked around by a mob" camera effect. Neither does mace and cell phones and "stranger danger" and, frankly, anything introduced after the 1970s.
Wild to think that the Jim Carrey Grinch can't be topped by anything else from the Seuss Pantheon in the course of 25 years.
Also, I am 1000% sure Warner Bros is wanting to position the "Things" to be the next minion craze, so.... Brace yourselves, I guess.
Fascinating, I wonder if any of this could tie into ADHD or any other mental "states?" (Idk correct term) where focus and/attention are problematic.