Eric_the_Cerise's recent activity
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Comment on Framework reveals 13 Pro laptop with 20-hour battery in ~tech
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Comment on Good time to buy a gas/diesel car (in the EU)? in ~transport
Eric_the_Cerise Link ParentStill not sure of the details, but roughly, expecting periodic long trips halfway across the EU, perhaps something like 1000-2000 km one way, then infrequent, intermittent "normal" short trips...Still not sure of the details, but roughly, expecting periodic long trips halfway across the EU, perhaps something like 1000-2000 km one way, then infrequent, intermittent "normal" short trips here and there, at each destination, then back again 1-2 months later. It's those long cross-country hikes that are feasible with an EV, but would be more convenient with an ICE car.
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Good time to buy a gas/diesel car (in the EU)?
I sold off my last ICE car almost a decade ago, moved to the EU, and I've subsisted on public transportation ever since. Never thought I'd even consider buying another one. However, the last year...
I sold off my last ICE car almost a decade ago, moved to the EU, and I've subsisted on public transportation ever since. Never thought I'd even consider buying another one.
However, the last year or so, I've been anticipating needing to buy a car, at least temporarily (the next 2-4 years or so), and I was just starting to semi-seriously window-shop EVs over here (in Germany), when the whole Iran thing started.
Now, I'm not sure, but I'm starting to think that it might be a good idea to buy a cheap used petrol or diesel car, use it, then re-sell it in a couple of years after I'm done with it (assuming it's still worth anything at that point).
I'm targeting a purchase somewhere around 3-6 months from now, and in the 3,000-6,000 Euro price range. I'd happily go higher for an EV, but not the literally 4x higher (15,000-20,000 Euros minimum) that I'd need to shell out for even a barely feasible new EV. I might or might not be eligible for a decent ~5k Euro govt subsidy on a new EV -- but my 15-20k estimate is assuming I get the 5k discount, which I might not qualify for anything at all.
My thinking is that decent used ICE vehicles are about to become very cheap and easy to find, while good used EVs are going to become vanishingly rare, and new ones are well beyond my target price range. And yeah, gas/diesel prices are nuts right now, and I know they're not coming down any time soon. Even if the war magically ends tomorrow, it'll be a gradual, months-long decline in prices to--let's face it--a couple years before we see pre-war prices again, if ever.
Very roughly speaking, my use-case is going to be infrequent, intermittent, high-intensity usage. Like, the car may be parked for one month, then I'll add 3000-4000 km to it the next month, then parked again for a month or two, etc. So even before, I was anticipating some difficulties with charging the EV during the long-distance high-usage periods. Now, even with the fuel price hike, I'm thinking it's a better deal for me to go with a dino car.
Thoughts?
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Comment on Meet Orpheus—A hopper mission built to hunt for life in Martian volcanoes in ~space
Eric_the_Cerise LinkIt's an interesting read, I suppose, but the reason I'm posting it is to invite discussion about an old pet peeve of mine. That is-- No, we actually haven't. The general public thinks we've been...It's an interesting read, I suppose, but the reason I'm posting it is to invite discussion about an old pet peeve of mine. That is--
We've spent decades scratching the surface of Mars trying to uncover life there.
No, we actually haven't.
The general public thinks we've been searching for life on Mars for decades, but in fact, we searched for life on Mars exactly once, 50 years ago; we found at least a suggestion that there might in fact be life on Mars right now ... and then we never followed up on it.
NASA sent a pair of landers to Mars 50 years ago, the Viking mission. One of the goals of the mission was to take soil samples and to test for signs of life.
And the test came back positive. They found life on Mars.
This is not conspiracy theory stuff. It's not a secret.
After the test came back positive for life, they re-examined the methodology they had used for the test, and they decided the test was simply wrong. And, okay, maybe it was. But here's where my frustration lies--
NASA never sent another mission to test for life on Mars.
After the Viking mission, NASA made a conscious, intentional decision to quit searching for current, active life on Mars. Literally every "search for life" mission since then has been focused entirely--exclusively, in fact--on searching for fossil evidence of past life. For 50 years.
The original scientists that actually planned the "test for life" experiment still maintain, to this day, that the experiment may well have been correct, and they continue to push for a follow-up mission to revisit that original test.
But, for now at least, there are no plans to actually adopt or fund this mission.
And so, NASA continues to ignore the possibility of current life on Mars.
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Meet Orpheus—A hopper mission built to hunt for life in Martian volcanoes
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Comment on What Eric Swalwell’s exit means for Democrats in California’s governor race in ~society
Eric_the_Cerise Link ParentJon Stewart interviewed Mahan on The Daily Show a few weeks back ... not a horrible candidate, but not a home run, either. I swear, for more than half the interview, I legitimately thought Stewart...Jon Stewart interviewed Mahan on The Daily Show a few weeks back ... not a horrible candidate, but not a home run, either.
I swear, for more than half the interview, I legitimately thought Stewart just invited him on the show, to try to talk him into dropping out of the race.
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Comment on What Eric Swalwell’s exit means for Democrats in California’s governor race in ~society
Eric_the_Cerise LinkAm I the only one concerned about the new (apparent) requirement to find and evict Congressional sex offenders in a bipartisan fashion? Does this mean we now have to find a Democrat who is...Am I the only one concerned about the new (apparent) requirement to find and evict Congressional sex offenders in a bipartisan fashion?
Does this mean we now have to find a Democrat who is comparably powerful and sleazy, before we can get rid of Trump? 'Cuz Bill Clinton is retired, and even on his worst days barely measured up to Trump.
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Comment on What Eric Swalwell’s exit means for Democrats in California’s governor race in ~society
Eric_the_Cerise Link ParentIn this vein, a satiric (I guess) take on the news from McSweeneys. Yeah, okay, definitely satiric, but just barely.In this vein, a satiric (I guess) take on the news from McSweeneys.
"It’s naïve to imagine the government can continue to function without the tireless dedication of our best and brightest rapists."
Yeah, okay, definitely satiric, but just barely.
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Comment on Hungary’s new leader reveals Viktor Orbán diverted Hungarian taxpayer funds toward bankrolling CPAC in ~society
Eric_the_Cerise LinkMy prediction ... this is just the tip of the iceberg. Expect another dozen+ such revelations from the Magyar administration in weeks (months?) to come, as they discover just how deep and...My prediction ... this is just the tip of the iceberg. Expect another dozen+ such revelations from the Magyar administration in weeks (months?) to come, as they discover just how deep and widespread Orban's influence went, and how deep was (is) the mutual support between Russia, Hungary, the US and assorted right-wing EU govts and parties.
Also, I gotta point out ... nothing is considered wrong or illegal with these people ... the ends justify any and all means, and the only sin is bad press if you get caught and can't figure out how to spin it.
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Comment on Which Linux distro do you use, and why? in ~tech
Eric_the_Cerise LinkFirst of all ... Debian on all the servers. 'Cuz, duh. I run Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) on my laptops and workstations. It is Linux Mint w/o the underlying Ubuntu BS and bloat. This has been...First of all ... Debian on all the servers. 'Cuz, duh.
I run Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) on my laptops and workstations. It is Linux Mint w/o the underlying Ubuntu BS and bloat.
This has been my primary OS for 3-4 years now. Prior to that, I mostly ran PopOS, which I did and still do like, mostly, but had a few semi-catastrophic failures on it that have made me gun-shy, and since I switched to LMDE, I like it even better.
PS: If anyone on the Mint team sees this, I'd be all in favor of Mint switching to LMDE as their flagship version...
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Comment on Medium term cold storage options? in ~comp
Eric_the_Cerise Link ParentOptical would be better, especially if you're only talking about ~1GB or so. Still, quality HDDs are typically rated for ~5 years, and probably generally good for double that ... this is...Optical would be better, especially if you're only talking about ~1GB or so.
Still, quality HDDs are typically rated for ~5 years, and probably generally good for double that ... this is particularly true if you're not using them constantly, but just writing data on them and then putting them in long-term storage.
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Comment on Medium term cold storage options? in ~comp
Eric_the_Cerise LinkFor many years, my offsite backup plan was literally a spare HDD in my safe deposit box at the bank. I had 2 such HDDs. One was employed in active nightly backups at home, and every month or 2, I...For many years, my offsite backup plan was literally a spare HDD in my safe deposit box at the bank.
I had 2 such HDDs. One was employed in active nightly backups at home, and every month or 2, I would take that HDD to the bank, swap 'em out, and put the other one into play for the nightly backups. That way, the HDD in the bank was never more than 2 months out of date.
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Comment on US begins blockade in Strait of Hormuz in ~society
Eric_the_Cerise Link ParentI think you're missing the point (perhaps intentionally?) ... for argument's sake, what if China explicitly expects their ship to not be stopped by an illegal blockade, and unlike practically...I think you're missing the point (perhaps intentionally?) ... for argument's sake, what if China explicitly expects their ship to not be stopped by an illegal blockade, and unlike practically every other country on Earth, is willing to shoot back, if it is stopped.
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Comment on Why Portuguese is the most underestimated global language on Earth in ~humanities.languages
Eric_the_Cerise Link ParentA favorite quip of mine from the Big Bang Theory, when Koothrapali pointed out that over a billion Indians speak English, so actually, it's the Americans who have the accent.A favorite quip of mine from the Big Bang Theory, when Koothrapali pointed out that over a billion Indians speak English, so actually, it's the Americans who have the accent.
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Comment on 2026 Hungarian election - Results in ~society
Eric_the_Cerise Link ParentBroadly speaking, this was the Hungarian people choosing to ally with the EU rather than with Russia. And that is a major foreign policy decision. Tisza's policy positions, largely, remain to be...Broadly speaking, this was the Hungarian people choosing to ally with the EU rather than with Russia. And that is a major foreign policy decision.
Tisza's policy positions, largely, remain to be seen. Magyar has campaigned almost entirely on redirecting Hungary away from Russia and back to the EU, and on rooting out the corruption in the Hungarian govt. He has gone out of his way to not take any other positions on any other significant policies, so it really is hard to say just how different Tisza will be in most other regards.
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Comment on 2026 Hungarian election - Results in ~society
Eric_the_Cerise Link ParentI'll take what I can get, but by far, the two biggest factors in this election were the Hungarian economy (in the crapper and going down), and corruption in the Hungarian govt.I'll take what I can get, but by far, the two biggest factors in this election were the Hungarian economy (in the crapper and going down), and corruption in the Hungarian govt.
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Comment on Prime Minister Viktor Orbán concedes defeat in Hungary election in ~society
Eric_the_Cerise Link ParentDitto. I've been half-expecting a repeat of 1956. But I'll take anti-climactic any day of the week. Things have been a bit too interesting, of late.Ditto. I've been half-expecting a repeat of 1956.
But I'll take anti-climactic any day of the week. Things have been a bit too interesting, of late.
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Comment on 2026 Hungarian election - Results in ~society
Eric_the_Cerise LinkOMG, it's official. Orban just conceded.OMG, it's official. Orban just conceded.
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Comment on 2026 Hungarian election - Results in ~society
Eric_the_Cerise (edited )Link ParentThat's what they said about George Christmas. (Edit for the non-Hungarians: Gergely Karacsony -- which translates to George Christmas -- is the mayor of Budapest, and last election, he was on the...That's what they said about George Christmas.
(Edit for the non-Hungarians: Gergely Karacsony -- which translates to George Christmas -- is the mayor of Budapest, and last election, he was on the short list of potential candidates to go against Orban)
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Comment on I’m traveling internationally for the first time and could use tips! in ~travel
Eric_the_Cerise LinkIt's definitely tourist-y, but you just happen to be in Amsterdam at the right time for the Dutch flower garden at Keukenhof; it's only open for 2 months a year, and late April to mid-May is...It's definitely tourist-y, but you just happen to be in Amsterdam at the right time for the Dutch flower garden at Keukenhof; it's only open for 2 months a year, and late April to mid-May is around the perfect time to visit. If you can find the time, I'd recommend that.
Edit: I just realized we don't actually know when you're going. So, as it applies to your trip...
Typing on my Framework 13 now ... literally came to this thread for this post. Danke, y gracias.