ChingShih's recent activity
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Comment on Michael Hafftka releases all of his ~3800 paintings as Creative Commons, explicitly for use in training AI in ~arts
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Comment on Iran hits Gulf energy sites, escalating war, as US mulls sanctions rollback in ~society
ChingShih Link ParentPerun pointed out, I think last week, that this was actually a campaign promise that went unfulfilled. US strategic reserves sat at about 60% of capacity in February 2026. Which is still a lot,...without topping off our strategic national reserves of oil first
Perun pointed out, I think last week, that this was actually a campaign promise that went unfulfilled. US strategic reserves sat at about 60% of capacity in February 2026. Which is still a lot, but adding more would've improved the US consumer's confidence, would've been able to keep prices lower longer in the event of a significant catastrophe, and improved one piece of the national security metric.
On that note, with the suspension of the Jones Act to allow foreign-made ships to help cross-ship oil between different US ports, I worry that the US will be exchanging slightly lower fuel prices for US jobs. If you were a Panamanian-flagged vessel transporting oil between Venezuela and Cuba or between Venezuela and China, and you already have an experienced crew (and probably experience going through the Panama canal), are you going to keep doing those long, low-margin routes or are you going to jump into the US shipping market and slightly undercut all the companies who had previously been profiting from protectionist regulations?
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Comment on Iran hits Gulf energy sites, escalating war, as US mulls sanctions rollback in ~society
ChingShih Link ParentI wouldn't attribute to malice and conspiracy what can be attributed to general fuckery and major dysfunction (but let's not pretend there's any general in charge). I was wondering about the same...I wouldn't attribute to malice and conspiracy what can be attributed to general fuckery and major dysfunction (but let's not pretend there's any general in charge).
I was wondering about the same implications and after a quick search the US exports 20% of its LNG. The US EIA has some stats here about LNG and Hydrocarbon Gas Liquid (HGL) exports vs imports. While the rationale for exporting LNG and HGL might change, and doesn't necessarily change the short-term demand for it domestically, if the US is capable and willing to continue exporting then presumably it is still willing to import from Canada to make up for that difference -- mirroring the way that Canadian petroleum products help power the US despite the US exporting some of its own crude and refined petroleum products. Canada makes up 52% of US oil imports for all oil product types, including heating oils, while the US exports about half of what it imports (either as a refined product or other type).
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Comment on Iran hits Gulf energy sites, escalating war, as US mulls sanctions rollback in ~society
ChingShih Link ParentI will add something that I heard in two parts from two different analysts: The first said that this attack has impaired Qatar's LNG production (I believe it was the process of turning the gas...Iran retaliated with attacks that caused “extensive damage” at Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, the world’s largest liquefied natural gas facility, officials said.
I will add something that I heard in two parts from two different analysts:
The first said that this attack has impaired Qatar's LNG production (I believe it was the process of turning the gas into a liquid for transport) by 17% (a sizeable amount) and that this impairment will last 3-5 years (I presume the amount of time they were told it might take to fix).
The second said that LNG isn't a fungible resource the way that gasoline/diesel is and this is due to logistics and capacity (to ship as cargo), but also strategic stockpiling and production. The Middle East, particularly centered around the Strait of Hormuz, is not just the primary corridor for traffic, but also the world's primary producer (and the producer who will sell to almost anyone). Asia is more than just the primary buyer, they rely significantly on the LNG coming from the Middle East for their energy needs and they cannot quickly pivot away from it or find another source. There was one primary source and now it's output has been cut dramatically.
In the short-term we are already seeing the highly populated South Asia and Southeast Asia regions ration cooking fuel as well as some automotive fuels. I've read that coastal countries like Vietnam are not allowing pass-through sales to land-locked neighbors; the supply they buy they're keeping. I've read that people in Hong Kong are driving into mainland China to buy fuel due to cost and that will change political landscapes. A compounding effect will be when South Asia begins to see reduced fertilizer imports as this is the start of their import cycle for fertilizer.
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Comment on Dune: Part Three | Teaser trailer in ~movies
ChingShih LinkI'm excited to see how they wrap this story up. It's been a good experience so far. The fight scenes in Part 1 especially were done really well and visually described the book's intent so much...I'm excited to see how they wrap this story up. It's been a good experience so far. The fight scenes in Part 1 especially were done really well and visually described the book's intent so much better than I expected (the sparring with Gurney, crysknife duel, and Sardaukar battle). I'm not an expert fencer, but when reading the book I was concerned with how they'd portray this very specific style visually. Anyway, I don't have any doubts that Part 3 will have to deliver some pretty epic fight scenes.
I haven't read Messiah yet, so I liked seeing that Jason Momoa will reprise a role here -- and his scifi roles in general are fun (even if I didn't like See). The info at the bottom of the video also said that his daughter will be in this film, so that's cool. I didn't see Robert Pattinson in the trailer, must've missed him, but I've come to enjoy seeing his films - The Lighthouse and The Batman showcased his talent. I know Zendaya will be great in this, looking forward to seeing her career go to even higher heights.
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Comment on Dune: Part Three | Teaser trailer in ~movies
ChingShih Link ParentI did, too, which made the ending of Part 2 more disappointing for me because they spent so much movie time on the end scene -- almost dragging it out while keeping it close to the source material...... I wish it had gone a little bit slower.
I did, too, which made the ending of Part 2 more disappointing for me because they spent so much movie time on the end scene -- almost dragging it out while keeping it close to the source material -- when it didn't do anything more than the book did. The book's conclusion wraps up pretty quick, I'd say quicker than even watching it in film form and usually that's not how things go with book to film adaptations. I felt like they could've spent some of that movie time somewhere else and had just as impactful a confrontation while staying close to the source material. But since they've already deviated from the book in a few ways, I wouldn't have been offended if they deviated a little at the end to make the final confrontation more exciting and more worth the buildup (and time spent there instead of elsewhere).
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Comment on Your AI Slop Bores Me: Larp as an AI by answering prompts as a human in ~tech
ChingShih LinkI've seen some young people/kids using this. Seems to have gotten popular in certain circles and while it's very similar to the crowd-sourced search results thing from a few years back, this at...I've seen some young people/kids using this. Seems to have gotten popular in certain circles and while it's very similar to the crowd-sourced search results thing from a few years back, this at least feels fun and entertaining. Very much a fun project and a cute time-waster.
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Comment on New Evangelion series to be written by Yoko Taro in ~anime
ChingShih (edited )Link ParentOver on EvaGeeks.org there is speculation going on about the instruments pictured. Shinji was a cellist, Kaworu was a pianist. I feel like the cello is definitely intentional symbolism here, but...Over on EvaGeeks.org there is speculation going on about the instruments pictured. Shinji was a cellist, Kaworu was a pianist. I feel like the cello is definitely intentional symbolism here, but what about the second cello? It's been a while since I've seen Death (or Death & Rebirth for that matter), but some people are attributing the instrument references to the depicted quartet.
Edit: Someone posted this in relation to the text shown in the teaser video:
Context translations:
Eternal Summer Vacation
This is our paradise
This is our graveyard
What we hear is the song of perpetual sin
May their souls rest in peace
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Comment on What are your architectural hot takes? in ~design
ChingShih Link ParentMention of "shiplap" is always a throwback to a fun blog post from 2016 called "No Joanna, That's Not Shiplap". It's a relatively short read (shorter than the page load implies, because of all the...Mention of "shiplap" is always a throwback to a fun blog post from 2016 called "No Joanna, That's Not Shiplap". It's a relatively short read (shorter than the page load implies, because of all the blog comments, which are also kinda fun). The title/post is a reference to Magnolia Network's/Fixer Upper's constant misuse of the term "shiplap" when renovating homes and one of the catalysts for
meold people to shout at the TV. ;) -
Comment on Sony is shutting down the PlayStation studio Bluepoint in ~games
ChingShih (edited )LinkI did the silent equivalent of audibly gasping when I read the title. I'm not the kind of guy to do that. The Demon's Souls remake was such a boon to western fans, especially when Sony never felt...I did the silent equivalent of audibly gasping when I read the title. I'm not the kind of guy to do that. The Demon's Souls remake was such a boon to western fans, especially when Sony never felt strongly about supporting the original game's release even in Japan. It's doubly disappointing to lose a west-facing studio like Bluepoint.
Not too long ago Square Enix reaffirmed their commitment to emphasizing live service games. For them, that meant making sure a lot of games with micro-transactions (mtx) and mobile games are in their portfolio. I assume Sony wants to pad the portfolio this way as well, but I don't know how they're going to succeed in executing this when so many other companies have struggled to release the major hits that get anywhere close to the ones that people point to as influential high-revenue games (Fortnite, GTA, Genshin Impact, and Wuthering Waves). But who knows, maybe all these live service games will be focused on the Chinese consumer market *rolls eyes*.
I hope that this resurgence of SaaS flickers out of existence quickly. Please don't support mtx, gacha mechanics, gambling, and skins stores. Please tell your friends that they can enjoy the free game but don't pay for extra content and reward this behavior.
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Comment on The death of mass market paperbacks in ~books
ChingShih Link ParentSame here, I specifically pick up used paperbacks to put on my bookshelves -- especially sci-fi and fantasy from the 80s and 90s with fun cover art. I appreciate some of the sci-fi covers from the...Same here, I specifically pick up used paperbacks to put on my bookshelves -- especially sci-fi and fantasy from the 80s and 90s with fun cover art. I appreciate some of the sci-fi covers from the 50s and 60s as well, but it tends to be a little outlandish.
When I'm at a used book store I look for paperbacks of some fantasy novels I missed out on earlier in life along with specific versions of some popular books (GoT with pre-HBO covers, for example). I like to get early editions of the books because they have a certain hue to their printings, sometimes have embossed lettering in the titles, and maybe they have the old style of the publisher's logo or something mildly interesting.
I have a small collection of cover art in the form of poster prints (Michael Whelan art, mostly). A lot of posters are getting hard to find cheaply -- as are some of the paperbacks with versions of the covers I really want. Mass market reprints were sometimes done with different color hues/temps, art was cropped differently, lettering for the title wasn't embossed, and things like that.
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Comment on US users: how are you watching Olympics coverage? in ~sports
ChingShih Link ParentIf you're going legit, but want to skip the commercials, I believe this still works for web browsers with uBlock Origin (and maybe other ad blockers): Go to NBCOlympics.com's live stream(s) or a...If you're going legit, but want to skip the commercials, I believe this still works for web browsers with uBlock Origin (and maybe other ad blockers):
- Go to NBCOlympics.com's live stream(s) or a full replay (Example: 7 Feb prime time livestream or UK vs US curling replay)^[1]
- Sign in with your Peacock or TV provider info (larger cable providers don't need you to actually sign in if you are at your home IP)
- You'll have to allow/install the Google Widevine extension, as necessary
- Make sure adblock is installed in your browser and you'll get dead air instead of ads :)
After that, it's up to you how you get your web browser's screen cast to your "TV" display. Either way, life is better without the commercials (even dead air is better during live events). I haven't run it too much this way, but after the commercials are cut out, the stream resumes like it's supposed to. No refreshing required.
^[1] If you haven't watched curling, let me suggest that you give this hot, mixed doubles round-robin curling a try because it will have you hammering that button from the first end to the last end for two hours of non-stop action.
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Upcoming book tours for authors you think are worth seeing?
I happened across Veronica Roth's blog post via GoodReads about a book tour for her upcoming book Seek the Traitor's Son. She'll be visiting various places around the US and UK. I can't say I've...
I happened across Veronica Roth's blog post via GoodReads about a book tour for her upcoming book Seek the Traitor's Son. She'll be visiting various places around the US and UK. I can't say I've ever really thought about going to a book signing or a book tour, but recently I've been thinking it would be a nice change of pace to go to an event like this and support an author or other creative this way. Roth is not first on my list, but it did get me thinking about how to find other events and hopefully get my hands on some cool merch as well.
Do you know of any creatives (but mostly authors, since this is ~books) who are doing tours this year? How do you keep informed about dates of book tours and festivals?
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Comment on 'The Grand Tour' revs up with new hosts Thomas Holland and James Engelsman (from Throttle House) and Francis Bourgeois in ~tv
ChingShih LinkAfter Clarkson got removed from the BBC, yet also got a pass to keep being himself, and then Top Gear (UK) not really inspiring the same level of greatness, it's good to see some all-around good...After Clarkson got removed from the BBC, yet also got a pass to keep being himself, and then Top Gear (UK) not really inspiring the same level of greatness, it's good to see some all-around good folks getting to fill the shoes that they've been destined to fill. As far as entertaining car series go, Throttle House is at the top of my list and I am super proud of Thomas and James for making it so far in an otherwise quite competitive climate (Hagerty puts out some great videos with high production values, which is kinda gross since they're an insurance company).
To paraphrase Doug DeMuro ... this is gonna be epic.
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'The Grand Tour' revs up with new hosts Thomas Holland and James Engelsman (from Throttle House) and Francis Bourgeois
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Comment on You are being misled about renewable energy technology in ~enviro
ChingShih Link ParentI'm a big proponent of solar and wind, I just want to caution people against a perception that wind farms are always operating throughout the day and night. In video games windmills are often...It works at night, reducing the need for fossil fuels during the winter
I'm a big proponent of solar and wind, I just want to caution people against a perception that wind farms are always operating throughout the day and night. In video games windmills are often generating ~100% of their capability all of the time, however this isn't typically the case in reality. Some games like Cities: Skylines have added realism by building in pseudo-weather where wind capacity diminishes during certain periods of the day/night or there will be seasonal shifts.
In reality, wind is a climate phenomenon that is affected by areas of different temperatures attempting to reach an equilibrium (atmospheric circulation), which could involve warm ocean waters and cooler air passing over it, or heat rising from the desert and catching moist ocean air in the atmosphere. Convection and the Coriolis forces create by low-pressure and high-pressure systems, they redistribute energy and even particulate matter that can cause blizzards or intense thunderstorms.
Windmills require a certain amount of wind energy to activate (this can be as little as 11 kph (7 mph)). Without reaching that threshold, the turbines either won't overcome the mechanical friction to spin up, or the operator of the wind farm will have it disabled because at very low speeds it's wearing out parts without providing enough financial benefit to pay for the maintenance. Further, without reaching their optimal operating speeds (which can be 35-88 kph (22-55 mph)) windmills won't be generating electricity at their most efficient.
Some wind farms almost exclusively operate during the day because the climate conditions are ideal at those times. Others operate primarily at night because that's what's optimal in that region; that's very useful because it does offset solar production and also can be used to load balance/grid balance the power grids at a regional scale. Nuclear and fossil fuel plants help to maintain the correct balance (and load factor) at night be reducing the amount of electricity they're supplying (although ideally nuclear power plants don't spin down from their optimal levels), however they always have to provide a margin for error so that a sudden change in usage (sporting events, blizzards) or power line frequency doesn't trip the system and cause a partial blackout taking down a large swath of the regional power grid (and even causing fail-overs into other grids). I would imagine that wind farms can load balance by simply turning individual windmills on or off as-needed, without having to wastefully over-provision. However that's only possible for wind farms currently generating electricity. Obviously, the opposite situation is also possible: wind energy falling off unexpectedly leading to a shortage for the grid, but that's another topic.
TL;DR: A friendly reminder that wind farms are built in different areas to take advantage of the wind, but the wind doesn't have 100% uptime and is influenced by atmospheric circulation (day/night and seasonal) and the Coriolis effect. Wind is still beneficial as an offset to solar generation and helping to balance the power grid's load.
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Comment on Apple says Patreon creators must switch to subscription billing in ~tech
ChingShih Link ParentThe limited choices of the consumer are definitely a problem. Fortunately, there are sometimes alternatives within the Android ecosystem, Google Play (as big a chunk as that is) isn't the entirety...Where else are they gonna go? Android, which has the same problem?
The limited choices of the consumer are definitely a problem. Fortunately, there are sometimes alternatives within the Android ecosystem, Google Play (as big a chunk as that is) isn't the entirety of the app ecosystem so we can leverage that to our advantage.
For instance, since Google and its Play store had the in-app dispute with Epic, Amazon made it so that you can't buy kindle content through the Kindle app from Google Play as a means of cutting Google out of the revenue. But you can download the Kindle app via the Samsung (Galaxy) store and still make in-app purchases with the Kindle for Samsung app. Audible for Samsung is the same way. I would imagine that whatever store LG has probably has something similar, though I'm not familiar with their section of the Android ecosystem.
If people would look for these alternatives and popularize them, it would let people help themselves somewhat and hopefully segment the ecosystem in a way where there's more competition. Patreon should also put a version of the app out on the alternative Android stores as well.
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Comment on Gold tops $4,900/oz; silver and platinum extend record‑setting rally in ~finance
ChingShih LinkGold being up 3-5% today, and silver up by around 3-7% is just crazy. Reuters chart (Edit: % increase depends on when your trading day starts, so I revised the percentages to a range to be more...Gold being up 3-5% today, and silver up by around 3-7% is just crazy. Reuters chart (Edit: % increase depends on when your trading day starts, so I revised the percentages to a range to be more accurate.)
Since the US Federal Reserve had their press event today, I wanted to mention the Trump admin has been saying that inflation is a "solved issue" and not really a problem. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was on TV the other day, and apparently had been saying this for a while, that growth in the US is great and that he thinks we'll have a 5-6% increase in GDP.
A CEO of a wealth management company just said on TV that US Real GDP will be something like 3.25% (if I heard correctly), while Nominal GDP will be over 6%. And it's only January so these forecasts may change. Anyway, changes in GDP, without changes in wage growth, purchasing power, etc. is inflationary. So when moderate governments target 2% GDP growth, that's because they're trying to keep inflation to a relatively stable amount so there aren't large fluctuations that are uncomfortable for the consumers who will feel it the most (and small businesses as well as businesses that may depend on international trade).
Further reading:
How GDP Growth Drives Inflation (Investopedia)
Asset Price Inflation (i.e. stocks, commodities) vs. GDP: Understanding the Key Differences (Investopedia)
Real GDP vs. GDP: When Economists Prefer Inflation-Adjusted Metrics (Investopedia)
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Comment on Gold tops $4,900/oz; silver and platinum extend record‑setting rally in ~finance
ChingShih Link ParentI don't know that people will give the link a view without an explanation attached, so here's a quick synopsis: It's a 20+ minute recapping recent economic reactions to Trump's stance on Greenland...I don't know that people will give the link a view without an explanation attached, so here's a quick synopsis:
It's a 20+ minute recapping recent economic reactions to Trump's stance on Greenland as well as some methods that the EU and adjacent countries have taken or thought about taking in order to put economic pressure on the US and US voters without putting EU citizens at risk (who are severely leveraged into US assets, companies, software ecosystems, and bonds among other things). The video then discusses why some policies sound good on paper, what EU efforts could be effective, and what wouldn't be effective without harming the EU economically and Europeans financially.
Worth a quick listen (and on 1.25x or 1.5x should be easy enough) for individuals interested in a recap in the recent events surrounding Greenland and the ... let's call it "north Atlantic economic situation" ... surrounding Trump policy.
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Comment on Gold tops $4,900/oz; silver and platinum extend record‑setting rally in ~finance
ChingShih Link ParentIf you can find someone interested in "90% coins," and that's a big IF because lots of people are dumping, then you'll get whatever a bulk buyer is willing to offer you. I would expect that to be...If you can find someone interested in "90% coins," and that's a big IF because lots of people are dumping, then you'll get whatever a bulk buyer is willing to offer you. I would expect that to be 25% less than spot if they're being nice to you (so 75% of the melt value). But silver/gold dealers really prefer pure because they'll be able to flip it immediately or hold onto it for a little bit.
90% coins (1964 and earlier for many US coins, but most pennies of course have 0% silver) have to be melted down to get out the impure metals. So it's a process with some expense associated with it which is why gold/silver dealers aren't going to get anywhere near spot price. Buyers of silver would prefer the .999 stuff anyway.
Outside of dealers, individuals may have some interest but you would have to figure out how to safely do that transaction person-to-person.
Exactly. If someone had told me 25 years ago that Microsoft and their partners would be the biggest proponents of media piracy (even just books and images) and advocate against author's copyright in the courtroom, I'd have laughed my eye patch off.