CriticalBear's recent activity
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Comment on What small questions do you have that aren’t worth a full topic on their own? in ~talk
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Comment on What small questions do you have that aren’t worth a full topic on their own? in ~talk
CriticalBear Link ParentI bend the arms in so they are tighter on my head. This requires some skill, as you want to bend (and not break!) the hinge arm w/out bending the frame around the lens. If they are prescription...I bend the arms in so they are tighter on my head. This requires some skill, as you want to bend (and not break!) the hinge arm w/out bending the frame around the lens. If they are prescription glasses your optometrist will do this for you, with tool specifically for this, for free in my experience. A sunglass boutique might help you out as well. This assumes the glasses aren't already too big for your head.
There may be a youtube video for this technique.
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Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music
CriticalBear LinkI've somehow only recently discovered Stephen Feifke. Big band jazz if that's your jam. Also I've been sort of following Lawrence recently. I'll call it pop R&B for lack of better name. Spotify...I've somehow only recently discovered Stephen Feifke. Big band jazz if that's your jam. Also I've been sort of following Lawrence recently. I'll call it pop R&B for lack of better name. Spotify seems to be broken for me a the moment, but this is fun.
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Comment on Looking for games like wordle in ~games
CriticalBear Link ParentI really like the "spelling doesn't count" interface. If you want to drive yourself nuts: Sporcle - Europe/No Outlines. Not sure how it performs on a phone. Other continents, and easier and harder...I really like the "spelling doesn't count" interface.
If you want to drive yourself nuts: Sporcle - Europe/No Outlines. Not sure how it performs on a phone. Other continents, and easier and harder geography game are available. Also many other trivia type games.
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Comment on Forgotten to return your library book? Don’t worry about it [library fines are falling out of fashion]. in ~books
CriticalBear LinkMy local library ditched fines years ago. I was a little stunned when I read recently-ish that the Chicago Public Library stopped charging late fees. My podunk town, ahead of the of progressive curve.My local library ditched fines years ago. I was a little stunned when I read recently-ish that the Chicago Public Library stopped charging late fees. My podunk town, ahead of the of progressive curve.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
CriticalBear LinkBest Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie. I don't read a lot of medieval fantasy but so far it's pretty captivating. Mostly its appeal to me is I might put a book down for weeks before I get back to it...Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie. I don't read a lot of medieval fantasy but so far it's pretty captivating. Mostly its appeal to me is I might put a book down for weeks before I get back to it and if it has too many characters it I'll be lost and have to skim through earlier chapters to remember what's going on. If I'm on top of it I'll keep notes, but that's a drag. No problem with this story so far, because well, characters get corpsed a lot.
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Comment on Google killing basic HTML version of Gmail in January 2024 in ~tech
CriticalBear Link ParentCan someone enable my laziness and point me to a summary of Robles v. Domino's? I can't find a wikipedia article and I'm reluctant to wade through the links that google returned.Can someone enable my laziness and point me to a summary of Robles v. Domino's? I can't find a wikipedia article and I'm reluctant to wade through the links that google returned.
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Comment on Your creative ways to say "none of your business"? in ~talk
CriticalBear LinkIf the question is specific my go to is either "As far as you know" or "Not as far as you know".If the question is specific my go to is either "As far as you know" or "Not as far as you know".
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Comment on What is a simple tech tip that changed how you use your computer or other devices in a significant way? in ~tech
CriticalBear LinkCursor control via sliding your finger on the space bar of an android keyboard. I dread texting less. Might be an IPhone thing too, I dunno.- Exemplary
Cursor control via sliding your finger on the space bar of an android keyboard. I dread texting less. Might be an IPhone thing too, I dunno.
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Comment on The legacy of Star Trek: The Animated Series, fifty years on in ~tv
CriticalBear LinkMy goto answer when I get asked which ST series is my favorite. Mostly just to see if anyone knows what I'm talking about.My goto answer when I get asked which ST series is my favorite. Mostly just to see if anyone knows what I'm talking about.
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Comment on Family who went 'off the grid' in Colorado wilderness died of malnutrition, autopsy finds in ~life
CriticalBear LinkI'm struggling with the "died of malnutrition" conclusion. The headline feels click-baity.I'm struggling with the "died of malnutrition" conclusion. The headline feels click-baity.
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Comment on US National Transportation Safety Board investigative report: ‘Poor track conditions’ led to 2021 Amtrak Empire Builder derailment in ~transport
CriticalBear Link“While none of the three conditions individually could be confirmed to be a condemnable defective condition because the measurements were conducted post derailment, their presence in combination...“While none of the three conditions individually could be confirmed to be a condemnable defective condition because the measurements were conducted post derailment, their presence in combination led to the conditions that caused the derailment.”
This feels like double speak to me.
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Comment on Tildes Video Thread in ~misc
CriticalBear LinkThis question has highlighted for me again how much I hate Youtube despite how much time I spend on Youtube. My top three from the last week: Hank Green gives a quick intro on the ICECube Neutrino...This question has highlighted for me again how much I hate Youtube despite how much time I spend on Youtube. My top three from the last week:
Hank Green gives a quick intro on the ICECube Neutrino Observatory.
Everyday Astronaut gives a primer on orbital vs. sub orbital flight.
Sam Morril's standup special "I Got This". -
Comment on ‘Barbie’ still gorgeous with best YTD $155M opening; ‘Oppenheimer’ ticking to $80M in incredible $300M+ US box office weekend in ~movies
CriticalBear LinkThese numbers never mean anything to me unless they're adjusted for inflation. It's kind of a peeve.These numbers never mean anything to me unless they're adjusted for inflation. It's kind of a peeve.
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Comment on ADHD friends, how do you organize your clothes? in ~health.mental
CriticalBear (edited )Link ParentI contain my "piles" in folding mesh pop-up hampers which are see through enough for me. They wear out eventually, but since they mostly don't move (or "pop down") I get extra life after the wire...I contain my "piles" in folding mesh pop-up hampers which are see through enough for me. They wear out eventually, but since they mostly don't move (or "pop down") I get extra life after the wire starts to poke through. FWIW I'm pretty sure the quality is better from Bed Bath & Beyond than say Walmart, but YMMV.
Edit: I left out something which I just now remembered was more germane when I had a more varied, uh, personal presentation. Clothe selection (particularly non-dress shirts) was a matter of dumping the appropriate bin on the bed and then shoveling it all back in (usually right before bed). Dress shirts on hangers, organized using a system no one could understand but me. In the last limited closet space place I lived I had a garment rack.
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Comment on How can I leave Reddit? in ~tech
CriticalBear LinkI am slowly moving away from reddit. I go out of my way to come here first. I'm slowly finding my way through the fediverse and other alternatives. I've started bookmarking things that may help....I am slowly moving away from reddit. I go out of my way to come here first. I'm slowly finding my way through the fediverse and other alternatives. I've started bookmarking things that may help. Shoutout to zoroa for the summary links to previous discussions.
Part of the challenge of moving away from reddit is the "workflow" in other places is different and likewise individual workflows (and I'm lazy). We're all ingenious fools and it's hard to find that one other person that used reddit like I did and has put together the "guide to using not-reddit like CriticalBear used reddit".
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Comment on How can I leave Reddit? in ~tech
CriticalBear Link ParentSo many subs I visited that way. Top 3 of previous year, top 3 of all time, and... I'm out.I didn’t hang around long but I saw that there was a lot of content.
So many subs I visited that way. Top 3 of previous year, top 3 of all time, and... I'm out.
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Comment on How America fell out of love with ice cream in ~food
CriticalBear Link ParentIf the article didn't include how Unilever ruined Breyers's then it doesn't know what it's talking about. ;)If the article didn't include how Unilever ruined Breyers's then it doesn't know what it's talking about. ;)
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Comment on What are the best cover songs that reinterpret the original into a different genre, style, or mood? in ~music
CriticalBear LinkSo I can’t speak to “best” but in the category of covers I have revisited that I prefer over the original: These are all youtube links because I that’s where I do this kind of thing, I’m too lazy...So I can’t speak to “best” but in the category of covers I have revisited that I prefer over the original:
These are all youtube links because I that’s where I do this kind of thing, I’m too lazy to “program” spotify. I’m not even sure these meet the criteria for the question, because I’m sure the video nature contributes to the “mood” of the performance and they might suffer with just audio (if it’s even available). Also I can’t really vouch for the links to the original because, well, I don’t listen to it. ;) It might be the original artist’s crappy version for all I know.
Christopher Bill’s horn enhanced version of Dua Lipa’s Levitating. This mix is overly horn heavy for most people probably, but I was asked.
Jared Halley’s acapella(ish) version of John Denver’s Country Roads.
The Glee cast version of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way.
The Pitch Perfect cast version of Beyonce’s Love On Top.
There’s a 41 second intro you have to skip, I’m too brain dead right now to make the time code work in the URL.And with no specific recommendations for those that care to browse:
ScaryPockets in general.
8BitBigBand in general. -
Comment on YouTube is testing a three-strikes policy for ad blocking in ~tech
CriticalBear Link ParentI've been confused for more than a decade about why ad providers, for whom I do nothing to prevent them from profiling me, continue to serve me content that I skip every time. There's something...I've been confused for more than a decade about why ad providers, for whom I do nothing to prevent them from profiling me, continue to serve me content that I skip every time. There's something very broken about the ad sales marketplace and I can't figure it out. I'm pretty sure the whole industry is somehow delusional about the cost effectiveness of their strategies but I don't know enough to ask good questions. I keep thinking some analytics guy is gonna shake up the industry somehow, but I've been thinking that for years.
Per https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/24/perspectives/keeping-coins-shortage/index.html, the U.S. is cash-centric. "[An FDIC] recent survey showed more than one in four households (26.9%) are either unbanked or underbanked."
I still do a few cash transactions because my cash muscle memory is more robust than my credit/debit/apple-pay muscle memory and it's just "easier". I only carry the coins if I know I'm going to do multiple cash transactions at a multi vendored event, like art or state fairs. This used to include sports events, but they all (the pros anyway, haven't been to a high school game in decades) take plastic now. Starting out with a set amount of cash helps with budgeting the day. Or even the week for incidentals. My credit union has a free coin machine for members (when it works :/) so I'm not super motivated to re-train myself.