CosmicDefect's recent activity
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Comment on ProtonMail on all the data that Outlook collects about your email in ~tech
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
CosmicDefect LinkI'm doing a reread of The Lord of the Rings (this time using the audiobook done by Andy Serkis which is excellent). After I finish that, I plan to tackle the Silmarillion again. I've read it once...I'm doing a reread of The Lord of the Rings (this time using the audiobook done by Andy Serkis which is excellent). After I finish that, I plan to tackle the Silmarillion again. I've read it once before, but didn't understand much. This time I feel much more prepared to follow along, afterwhich, I'd like to jump into Unfinished Tales. I'm in a bit of a Tolkien kick atm.
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Comment on In Cold War II, the US risks playing the Soviet role in ~misc
CosmicDefect (edited )Link ParentThey're an economic powerhouse to be sure, but from my understanding they're facing some serious real estate and unemployment problems right now. This economic malaise is a real risk for China....The US is destined to be eclipsed economically by China, and anyone who believes otherwise is frankly delusional.
They're an economic powerhouse to be sure, but from my understanding they're facing some serious real estate and unemployment problems right now. This economic malaise is a real risk for China. Demographics are also spoiled against them as the work force ages and the population continues to contract for the first time in decades.
In contrast, US unemployment is near record lows, we've dealt with global inflation far better than most nations on Earth, and our population is steadily predicted to increase over the next century primarily because immigration here is so high. These are some big advantages.
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Comment on Poll: US President Joe Biden’s standing hits new lows amid Israel-Hamas war in ~news
CosmicDefect Link ParentIn my non-expert opinion, the Biden administration is partially responsible for the war not spilling into Lebanon in any truly catastrophic manner. The amount of restraint the US is displaying as...In my non-expert opinion, the Biden administration is partially responsible for the war not spilling into Lebanon in any truly catastrophic manner. The amount of restraint the US is displaying as Iranian proxies attack US soldiers actively goading for escalation is remarkable.
I can't imagine either of the two prior administratives threading the needle in this way. The last for obvious reasons, and the Obama admin because of Obama's antagonistic relationship with Bibi.
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Comment on The Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin anime has finally finished. What's the verdict? in ~anime
CosmicDefect (edited )Link ParentEdit: "but that's not a debate I want to get into" Oops. Well, I'll leave my comment be. I didn't hate the manga ending but I certainly felt "welmed" by it, so your take is good to hear. I'll have...Edit: "but that's not a debate I want to get into" Oops. Well, I'll leave my comment be.
I didn't hate the manga ending but I certainly felt "welmed" by it, so your take is good to hear. I'll have to check out your link after watching it. My biggest issue however, outside the meme dialogue, was as you alluded to: Eren's seemingly incoherent actions which bothered me quite a bit. As someone who was reading issue to issue as it was coming out, the fan theories at the time mostly ended up way more imaginative, creative and consistent with Eren's actions up until the ending battle.
In contrast, when I watched Breaking Bad as it aired, the fan theories were either proven true (the poisoning) or outdone by the actual show (the wheelchair). That led to a vastly more hype experience where it felt like you either figured out the puzzle the showrunners laid out for you or were completely outsmarted by them. It's a shame because for much of AoT's run, it was that quality of story. I'm talking about stuff like the meaning of Erwin's odd question or "you started this". These and others were such great plot points where the community either figured it out or were rewarded with something even better.
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Comment on OpenAI announces leadership transition in ~tech
CosmicDefect Link ParentCue up some conspiracy theory that OpenAI has created the AGI Omnissiah and it itself requested his firing. It'd make a good sci-fi story.I'm wrong and they either have something much more powerful than I thought OR it's just as dumb as I think but it's getting adopted/used in dangerous ways we're not more aware of
Cue up some conspiracy theory that OpenAI has created the AGI Omnissiah and it itself requested his firing. It'd make a good sci-fi story.
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Comment on Recommendations for laid-back games in ~games
CosmicDefect Link ParentI friggin love that DF meme. I laughed every time I see it. DF is pretty relaxing too actually if you don't settle somewhere dangerous.I friggin love that DF meme. I laughed every time I see it. DF is pretty relaxing too actually if you don't settle somewhere dangerous.
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Comment on Unzicker's "Real Physics": on dangers of Youtube physicists in ~science
CosmicDefect Link ParentMeh, as much as I don't like it, it's not really acutely dangerous, but rather very frustrating and annoying. People always like underdogs so the narrative of the terrible academic ivory tower is...Maybe he's super dangerous.
Meh, as much as I don't like it, it's not really acutely dangerous, but rather very frustrating and annoying. People always like underdogs so the narrative of the terrible academic ivory tower is inherently attractive (and there's no shortage of real reasons to have a beef with academia either). The issue I find is that it's far easier to gain an audience if you don't need to actually sell truth. The video in question makes absurd claims about Schwinger's publications that are easy to prove false if you have a physics background. But that's a big barrier to most folks. Working physicists who can counter this stuff are themselves however busy... well... doing physics. There are good physics YouTubers out there: Scishow, PBS Spacetime, MinutePhysics, Sixty Symbols, 3Blue1Brown (more math really) to name a few, so all hope is not lost. These people however focus on making their own interesting content rather than the depressing work of debunking and I don't blame them.
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Comment on Unzicker's "Real Physics": on dangers of Youtube physicists in ~science
CosmicDefect LinkI ran into this post on /r/physics which covers how crackpots on YouTube slinging garbage make a real impact on students and people interested in physics. What I found interesting is this guy is...I ran into this post on /r/physics which covers how crackpots on YouTube slinging garbage make a real impact on students and people interested in physics. What I found interesting is this guy is not muddying the waters on the low-level introductory science topics you'd expect people to mess with (relativity, quantum mechanics, cosmology, etc.) but is attacking a rather technical topic while still getting a pretty big following.
Quantum electrodynamics (QED), by numerical precision, might be the most accurate theory in all of science. Specifically, I'm referring to the magnetic moment of the electron where theory and experiment agree to something like one part in 10 billion. That's an astonishing level of accuracy. So, to have somebody tearing it down is a special kind of dark comedy.
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Unzicker's "Real Physics": on dangers of Youtube physicists
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Comment on Warner Bros. shelves John Cena’s ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ movie a year after it completed filming in ~movies
CosmicDefect Link ParentI was unironically looking forward to this because I love court-room dramas and maybe, just maybe if the script for this was smart, we'd have a good comedy in the vein of Roger Rabbit. I'm super...I was unironically looking forward to this because I love court-room dramas and maybe, just maybe if the script for this was smart, we'd have a good comedy in the vein of Roger Rabbit. I'm super disappointed this got shelved.
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Comment on NASA to launch NASA+, a free streaming service in ~space
CosmicDefect Link ParentGood use of the bump!Good use of the bump!
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Comment on The Shadow over Innsmouth in ~books
CosmicDefect Link ParentI've read that some of his personal letters shortly before he died reflected this and that his views of other people were softening. I got the same vibe as you did though, I kind of feel bad for...I really like to think that Lovecraft was getting better about this towards the end of his life.
I've read that some of his personal letters shortly before he died reflected this and that his views of other people were softening. I got the same vibe as you did though, I kind of feel bad for the man. His hate comes from what must have been a very lonely place mentally and it didn't need to be that way.
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Comment on Subversive, queer and terrifyingly relevant: six reasons why Moby-Dick is the novel for our times (2019) in ~books
CosmicDefect LinkI didn't realize Shelley's Frankenstein partly influence Moby-Dick. I feel like I should give the book a go -- I just picked up the audiobook by Frank Muller. Wish me luck.I didn't realize Shelley's Frankenstein partly influence Moby-Dick. I feel like I should give the book a go -- I just picked up the audiobook by Frank Muller. Wish me luck.
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Comment on First images of ESA-telescope 'Euclid' in ~space
CosmicDefect LinkThat reflection nebula NGC 2023 just under the Horsehead is STUNNING in this photo.That reflection nebula NGC 2023 just under the Horsehead is STUNNING in this photo.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tildes
CosmicDefect Link ParentI have to imagine this gets exhausting.Because being a woman in particular seems to mean that everything must have a precise amount of perky tone or you're being a huge bitch.
I have to imagine this gets exhausting.
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Comment on What are your top three video game soundtracks? in ~games
CosmicDefect Link ParentThe FTL Universe soundtrack makes a good companion piece to it.The FTL Universe soundtrack makes a good companion piece to it.
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Comment on What are your top three video game soundtracks? in ~games
CosmicDefect Link ParentHe's a GOAT. I constantly listen to his tracks even for the games I haven't played yet.Darren Korb
He's a GOAT. I constantly listen to his tracks even for the games I haven't played yet.
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Comment on What did you do this week (and weekend)? in ~talk
CosmicDefect LinkStarting a new job Monday. Pretty excited. I got the offer publicly just after my PhD defense in the form of a toast which overloaded my poor brain. Honestly, things are going pretty well for me...Starting a new job Monday. Pretty excited. I got the offer publicly just after my PhD defense in the form of a toast which overloaded my poor brain. Honestly, things are going pretty well for me right now and I dearly hope there ain't some other shoe dropping somewhere. I try not to give to much life to such thoughts since that can lead to unhappiness.
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Comment on I edited the Netflix Castlevania show's first two seasons into a single, slight-over-two-hours movie in ~tv
CosmicDefect LinkAbsolutely going to watch this as a fan of the original show. Thank you for sharing.Absolutely going to watch this as a fan of the original show. Thank you for sharing.
Ooh. I should try Mint then. Thanks for the recommendation.