DrStone's recent activity
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Comment on The downfall of OnePlus will be studied | The "enthusiast brand" arc in ~tech
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Comment on ‘ICE Out’ strike and protests: what to know about demonstrations across the US in ~society
DrStone Link ParentRushing out half-cocked can hurt if there's no meaningful outcome. It an make people feel like they've done their part already, so they feel justified sitting out next time or when more is needed...Rushing out half-cocked can hurt if there's no meaningful outcome. It an make people feel like they've done their part already, so they feel justified sitting out next time or when more is needed to be actually effective. If it hurts the participants (e.g. lost income/jobs) or burns enough social/political/emotional capital without visibly making any progress, it's harder to convince people and organizations it's worth stepping up next time. The very short time commitment plus a failure can be used by the opposition to strengthen their own position.
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Comment on Why I’m launching a feminist video games website in 2026 in ~games
DrStone LinkSubscription pricing: Free Our weekly newsletter Free articles $7/mo or $70/yr Commenting privileges Subscribers-only Discord membership No paywall $12/mo or $120/yr First access to merch drops...Subscription pricing:
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- Our weekly newsletter
- Free articles
- $7/mo or $70/yr
- Commenting privileges
- Subscribers-only Discord membership
- No paywall
- $12/mo or $120/yr
- First access to merch drops
- Blooper reels from video content
- $35/mo or $350/yr
- Voting input on upcoming theme weeks
- Free
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Comment on What's the benefit of avoiding the debugger? in ~comp
DrStone Link ParentScala has pattern matching that looks to be the same as your F# example. At least in scala, a no exhaustive match will compile and run; anything not matched in the catch will continue bubbling up,...Scala has pattern matching that looks to be the same as your F# example. At least in scala, a no exhaustive match will compile and run; anything not matched in the catch will continue bubbling up, and you can choose not to catch anything. I think Akir is saying in TS, you can specify “this function throws X, Y, Z and you MUST catch it”, then if you don’t or your match is not exhaustive, it will fail to compile at all.
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Comment on What's a culture shock that you experienced? in ~talk
DrStone Link ParentWikipedia has a great table to describe the difference between hokkien mee types. Now I want to try Medan hokkien mee after seeing how loaded it is. Another that comes to mind is bak ku teh types....Wikipedia has a great table to describe the difference between hokkien mee types. Now I want to try Medan hokkien mee after seeing how loaded it is.
Another that comes to mind is bak ku teh types. The most common in Singapore is the Teochew variation which is strongly pepper and garlic. flavor while the Malaysian one is deeply herbal. In Malaysia, the most common is Hokkien style, which is rich and herbal. I don't think I've had the even more herbal Cantonese version yet.
Also "carrot cake" in the West is very different than in either this or this "carrot cake" in Singapore.
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Comment on What's a culture shock that you experienced? in ~talk
DrStone Link ParentMaybe the explanations you're getting are to make sure that you don't think the wider culture is transactional, as if everyone pays or expects compensation for acts that would otherwise be...Maybe the explanations you're getting are to make sure that you don't think the wider culture is transactional, as if everyone pays or expects compensation for acts that would otherwise be considered favors. It's more down to the context of an existing business relationship, like AirBnB customer-host, especially one where the two parties aren't handling things face-to-face with a chance to do the polite "insist"/"decline" dance that I've seen around the world which often ends with good will instead of money.
"Transactional" has some fairly negative connotations and implies a cold - even selfish - relationships, especially when put up alongside "we just do each other favors" which implies [superior] warm genuine connections, which might add to the effort people are putting in here specifically.
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Comment on What's a culture shock that you experienced? in ~talk
DrStone Link ParentA common meal format is for each to be prepared separately, rather than mixed. So you might have a bbq chicken breast (protein), a salad (veg), and a baked potato (carb). Certainly not all meals...A common meal format is for each to be prepared separately, rather than mixed. So you might have a bbq chicken breast (protein), a salad (veg), and a baked potato (carb). Certainly not all meals are structured this way, but it's a simple default.
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Comment on Regarding travel agency exoticca.com in ~travel
DrStone LinkI've been burned enough times by middlemen (travel agencies, hotel/flight booking sites, etc.) that I always book directly with hotels and airlines. Even when they're not the direct cause of...I've been burned enough times by middlemen (travel agencies, hotel/flight booking sites, etc.) that I always book directly with hotels and airlines. Even when they're not the direct cause of things going sideways, middlemen are an extra complication in the resolution process.
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Comment on Mac advice for a long time Windows user in ~tech
DrStone Link ParentmacOS has some similar features now. Change Battery Settings - Battery Health My Macbook stays connected, so it's usually holding at 80%.macOS has some similar features now.
Change Battery Settings - Battery Health
- Optimised Battery Charging: To reduce battery ageing, have your Mac learn your daily charging routine. Then your Mac delays charging past 80% when it predicts that you’ll be plugged in for an extended period of time and aims to fully charge the battery before you unplug.
- Manage battery longevity: Reduce peak capacity to optimise the battery’s lifespan. See the Apple Support article About battery health management in Mac laptops.
My Macbook stays connected, so it's usually holding at 80%.
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Comment on Mac advice for a long time Windows user in ~tech
DrStone Link ParentThere's a lot that iTerm can do an can customize, but one feature that I use a lot are the split panes. In Terminal.app, "split pane" just gives you two views of the same session - type in one,...There's a lot that iTerm can do an can customize, but one feature that I use a lot are the split panes. In Terminal.app, "split pane" just gives you two views of the same session - type in one, shows up in the other. I guess this has some uses. In iTerm, each pane is a completely separate session, which I find extremely useful and flexible.
iTerm also has native support for
tmux, which I know a lot of people use. -
Comment on NASA’s science budget won’t be a train wreck after all in ~space
DrStone LinkOn Monday, Congress made good on those promises, releasing a $24.4 billion budget plan for NASA as part of the conferencing process, when House and Senate lawmakers convene to hammer out a final budget. The result is a budget that calls for just a 1 percent cut in NASA’s science funding, to $7.25 billion, for fiscal year 2026.
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NASA’s science budget won’t be a train wreck after all
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Comment on Looking for goals, mostly fitness but other are cool too in ~health
DrStone Link ParentMy wife very recently started a beginner routine from Caroline Girvan on youtube. From that I saw, there's a little preview video of the next motion, at least the first time it is done (I can't...My wife very recently started a beginner routine from Caroline Girvan on youtube. From that I saw, there's a little preview video of the next motion, at least the first time it is done (I can't remember if it's done every time the same motion comes up again after that).
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Comment on Moving back to the US (after 7+ years living in Germany) in ~life
DrStone Link ParentWhen I moved internationally, I disassembled my PC and packed all of the parts sans case into anti-static bags in one of my suitcases for the personal flight, padded with bubble wrap, clothes, and...When I moved internationally, I disassembled my PC and packed all of the parts sans case into anti-static bags in one of my suitcases for the personal flight, padded with bubble wrap, clothes, and such. Buy a case on the other side, throw everything in, tell yourself you'll do better cable management this time, and off you go.
Make sure the parts are packed in the bag such that they're easy to scan, easy to access, and easy to repack; there's a good chance flight security will want to take a look when it rolls through the scanner.
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Comment on I feel that Destin (SmarterEveryDay on Youtube) is straying from the path in ~talk
DrStone Link ParentSame where I grew up. Mom/Dad for parents. Aunt/Uncle Firstname for adults within the family (exception for Grandma/Grandpa). Dr/Mr/Mrs Lastname for adults we knew outside the family, occasionally...Same where I grew up. Mom/Dad for parents. Aunt/Uncle Firstname for adults within the family (exception for Grandma/Grandpa). Dr/Mr/Mrs Lastname for adults we knew outside the family, occasionally using Firstname instead of Lastname with the honorific. Sir/ma'am for all other adults (when we didn't know a lastname). All kids, older or younger, family or stranger, were simply Firstname or nickname or lastname (or "hey you") as preferred, no honorifics. Also worth noting that we really only used their names when necessary, like greeting, calling for their attention, or talking about them – an answer to an adult in conversation could just be "yes" instead of "yes, sir".
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Comment on Are you still using social media? in ~tech
DrStone Link ParentOn rare occasion, you'll hit it off immediately with someone so well that you'll want to find any excuse to meet up. Much more often it's simply repeated exposure, whether it's working together,...On rare occasion, you'll hit it off immediately with someone so well that you'll want to find any excuse to meet up. Much more often it's simply repeated exposure, whether it's working together, seeing other regulars at the gym, getting the same waiter at a local restaurant, chatting with other parents waiting around at school dropoff/pickup, whatever. Some environments and/or events lend themselves to deeper connection faster than others, but at some point there might be enough of a rapport or discovery of a shared interest that makes a "hey, you wanna [hang out | do thing | attend event] together" feel appropriate.
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Comment on I need to tell you why coffee makes you poop in ~food
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I need to tell you why coffee makes you poop
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Comment on Want to get in the gym? Here are some tips from a beginner.* in ~health
DrStone Link ParentIt really helps to watch some youtube channels that focus on form to get started (you can ignore the hyper-optimizations, tier lists, deep dives into research, and all that). When you start the...It really helps to watch some youtube channels that focus on form to get started (you can ignore the hyper-optimizations, tier lists, deep dives into research, and all that). When you start the lift yourself, using very low weight and putting your mental focus on the muscles and joints are supposed to be working, you'll be surprised how much even a beginner can tell about the form based on what feels smooth and what feels a little weird/off. With low weights and controlled movement, the risk of serious injury is pretty low. Most of the dangerous poor form shows up when "ego lifting" more than you can actually handle.
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Comment on Want to get in the gym? Here are some tips from a beginner.* in ~health
DrStone LinkI wholeheartedly agree that routine is the number one priority. For many, your advice to be kind to yourself and how to set a motivational goal will work probably well. I'm still a beginner - only...I wholeheartedly agree that routine is the number one priority. For many, your advice to be kind to yourself and how to set a motivational goal will work probably well. I'm still a beginner - only 6 months in at 5 days a week (not the first streak in my life though) - but I'd like to offer nearly the opposite advice on those two points for people to think about. I hate working out. I don't look forward to it, I don't feel good doing it, I don't feel good or energized or happy after it, and there's a million other things I'd rather spend that time on, but I persevere because I want both the eventual functional and aesthetic results.
I suggest you do not be kind to yourself. Well, be kind after a slip up and get back on track, but don't be lenient. Outside of exceptional circumstances like a serious medical issue or attending a special event, do now allow any excuses to skip a workout, and build your schedule with this in mind. Once you let yourself off the hook once, it gets easier to do so again. Coming back after a whole week (or longer) can be miserable. Make up a single lost day on the weekend. You can lift just fine through a mild cold, being tired, being a bit sore (DOMS), feeling unmotivated, whatever. De-load if necessary, but only after trying and failing your normal volume and reduce just enough to succeed with great effort. When injured, perform whatever unaffected lifts are possible at normal volume, and either swap affected lifts for a variant that works (e.g. forearm tendon pain with standard curls -> hammer curls) or at least with some lightweight active recovery.
As a beginner, even reasonable strength and aesthetic goals will be so far off (even with newbie gains) that it can feel like you're never going to reach it. Instead, I suggest focusing entirely on the numbers – specifically making them go up (progressive overload). The goal of each workout should make the numbers go up in some way, even if it's a single extra rep or a tiny bit more weight for one rep on only one of the exercises while maintaining the rest. That is a clear, direct measurement of progress showing the unpleasant time put in wasn't in vain. Once you've gotten the routine established for a long while and have fully grasped the realistic pace of progress, you can set more specific milestones - numeric or otherwise - to work toward if that's your thing.
On a more lighthearted note, I'd add a recommendation to increase your fiber if you do substantially increase your protein intake. Your bowels will thank you.
My experience has been even better than yours. I'm in software development. My employer-issued laptop was a new 2011 Macbook Pro. It worked like a champ without issue for nearly a decade; I didn't get (or need, really) a new machine until getting a new 2020 M1 Macbook Pro, nine years later. And that upgrade was more about using the department's allocated budget than anything wrong with the old machine. Another four years later and I have a 2024 M4 Macbook Pro now only because I switched employers and got issued a new machine.
My current personal laptop is a working 2013 Macbook Pro (thirteen years old). The screen coating on that one isn't great any more, the speakers gave out around year 11, and the battery capacity took a dive in recent years, but it still works for simple daily tasks and websurfing. I think I swapped the hard drive at some point, but was able to do it myself so it didn't cost much. Never paid for or wished I had AppleCare for a Macbook.