Fiachra's recent activity
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Comment on A 24-year-old Frenchman shows up at hospital with a World War I shell lodged in his rectum in ~news
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Comment on What healthy habit has made a difference for you? in ~health
Fiachra LinkBuying an alarm clock so I can leave my phone in the other room when I go to bed. It's a very striking change because the first two hours are you mentally reaching for the phone every thirty...Buying an alarm clock so I can leave my phone in the other room when I go to bed. It's a very striking change because the first two hours are you mentally reaching for the phone every thirty seconds, demonstrating perfectly why it's such an important change to commit to.
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Comment on Someone made a social media website for AI agents in ~tech
Fiachra LinkBasically just subReddit simulator but open to whoever. I guess it's for testing LLMs without bothering actual people?Basically just subReddit simulator but open to whoever. I guess it's for testing LLMs without bothering actual people?
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Comment on What's something you've moved on from? in ~talk
Fiachra LinkTwo related things: algorithmic social media and doomerism. You do genuinely feel better once your doom scrolling is under control, firstly because it re-habituates you to acting intentionally,...Two related things: algorithmic social media and doomerism. You do genuinely feel better once your doom scrolling is under control, firstly because it re-habituates you to acting intentionally, which is inherently empowering. And secondly because you're no longer bombarded by political takes from people who are trying to justify their own (app-addiction-induced) lack of action.
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Comment on Apple TV picks up rights to Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere books for adaption in ~tv
Fiachra (edited )LinkEvery studio has dreamed of an MCU-style collection of intersecting franchises for years and very few have managed it. If anything has a good shot, it's this.Every studio has dreamed of an MCU-style collection of intersecting franchises for years and very few have managed it. If anything has a good shot, it's this.
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Comment on New books aren’t worth reading in ~books
Fiachra Link ParentYeah that part is true because only a certain kind of person in the past had the education, time and resources to write a book. Now anyone can. That's one of the reasons why modern books present a...Yeah that part is true because only a certain kind of person in the past had the education, time and resources to write a book. Now anyone can. That's one of the reasons why modern books present a much wider range of perspectives, contrary to what the article tries to assert.
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Comment on New books aren’t worth reading in ~books
Fiachra LinkYou could, and arguably should, stick a big [citation needed] on the end of half of the sentences in this article. I mean come on: This is a kind of ignorance that could only be produced by...You could, and arguably should, stick a big [citation needed] on the end of half of the sentences in this article. I mean come on:
everyone alive today has the same perspective, and none of us have experienced a wide breadth of anything
This is a kind of ignorance that could only be produced by someone badly addicted to social media.
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Comment on Youtube channel recommendations 2026 in ~tech
Fiachra LinkTrying to avoid sharing channels I've already seen mentioned in the thread: Film & Media The Morbid Zoo Curious Archive Accented Cinema Economy & Politics The Plain Bagel - A full time hedge fund...Trying to avoid sharing channels I've already seen mentioned in the thread:
Film & Media
The Morbid Zoo
Curious Archive
Accented CinemaEconomy & Politics
The Plain Bagel - A full time hedge fund manager who gives good factual non-dramatised perspectives on financial and economic topics
Net Loss - Complete opposite vibes. A former owner of a financial firm doing chaotic freeform topical rants into a face tracking camera, often inside a literal abandoned warehouse.
Urgently Firing - A former college admissions and/or career counsellor who talks about society with a slant toward university education and the job market. Has had some surprising takes that have really got me thinking.
Munecat - One of the only lefty video essayists who I didn't see linked already. Has a musical flair.History
MiniMinuteMan - Half his videos are fascinating lessons about human prehistory, the other half use debunking conspiracy theorists as a jumping-off point for fascinating lessons about human prehistory.
Stefan Milo - High quality channel on history and prehistory.
Esoterica - An academic presentation on the history of fringe religious practices in europe, including occultism, esotericism, pre-christian pagan philosophy etc. etc. Explains the philosophy and worldview of them in an even academic way.Edenicity - An experienced permaculturist taking a data-driven approach to how we can realistically adjust society to halt ecosystem destruction. This means urban planning and efficient land use, not homesteading.
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Comment on Gold tops $4,900/oz; silver and platinum extend record‑setting rally in ~finance
Fiachra LinkA fascinating and relevant graph: Gold vs US bonds as % of worldwide central bank reserves. Really calls to mind the phrase 'end of an era'.A fascinating and relevant graph: Gold vs US bonds as % of worldwide central bank reserves. Really calls to mind the phrase 'end of an era'.
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Comment on We are witnessing the self-immolation of a superpower in ~society
Fiachra Link ParentThat's why democracies have separation of powers and large numbers of elected positions. Even if they're all shit heels, the wisdom of crowds balances their stupidity into a kind of competence in...That's why democracies have separation of powers and large numbers of elected positions. Even if they're all shit heels, the wisdom of crowds balances their stupidity into a kind of competence in aggregate.
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Comment on We are witnessing the self-immolation of a superpower in ~society
Fiachra Link ParentThe way I would put it is "tearing wires out of the wall because they don't know what they do". They're knowingly dismantling things, not realising that those things are what keep them in a...The way I would put it is "tearing wires out of the wall because they don't know what they do". They're knowingly dismantling things, not realising that those things are what keep them in a position of hegemony.
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Comment on We are witnessing the self-immolation of a superpower in ~society
Fiachra LinkI wonder is there another example in history of a leading power in the world just voluntarily dismantling its own apparatus like this? Not a big failed venture, not picking the wrong war, just...I wonder is there another example in history of a leading power in the world just voluntarily dismantling its own apparatus like this? Not a big failed venture, not picking the wrong war, just waking up one day and dissolving arrangements that took decades to create.
I believe medieval China was poised to become a global seafaring superpower until a new leader took over and burned their whole fleet? That might be an apt comparison if I have any of the details right.
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Comment on Hunger signals messed up in ~health.mental
Fiachra LinkI haven't experienced similar myself, but it's a documented medical fact that stress can throw off the balance of your whole digestive system. Look up "the gut-brain connection". It's absolutely...I haven't experienced similar myself, but it's a documented medical fact that stress can throw off the balance of your whole digestive system. Look up "the gut-brain connection". It's absolutely something you could consult a medical doctor for.
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Comment on Scott A. on Scott A. on Scott A. in ~comics
Fiachra Link ParentWhen you encounter actions that don't make sense to you, there are two common reactions: "I must be missing something" or "that person is an idiot". We all do both, but the more skewed your ratio...When you encounter actions that don't make sense to you, there are two common reactions: "I must be missing something" or "that person is an idiot". We all do both, but the more skewed your ratio is towards number 2, the less you're going to learn about the world in the course of your life. I think most of us learn and work on this as we age. Most of us.
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Comment on Curl will end its bug bounty program by the end of January due to excessive AI generated reports in ~comp
Fiachra Link ParentProof of stake, but for bug bounties. I like it. Could be a pretty tiny deposit required and it would still probably work, since AI schemes like this rely on high volume.Proof of stake, but for bug bounties. I like it. Could be a pretty tiny deposit required and it would still probably work, since AI schemes like this rely on high volume.
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Comment on Guitar Center institutes 72-hour waiting period [Satire] in ~life
Fiachra Link ParentThey'll have to take my tuba from my cold dead handsThey'll have to take my tuba from my cold dead hands
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Comment on Guitar Center institutes 72-hour waiting period [Satire] in ~life
Fiachra Link ParentThe auditory-industrial complex has done nothing but fuck up this world...The auditory-industrial complex has done nothing but fuck up this world...
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Comment on Curl will end its bug bounty program by the end of January due to excessive AI generated reports in ~comp
Fiachra Link ParentMakes me wonder if the long term effect of LLMs will be to drive monetary incentives out of online spaces altogether.Makes me wonder if the long term effect of LLMs will be to drive monetary incentives out of online spaces altogether.
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Comment on Guitar Center institutes 72-hour waiting period [Satire] in ~life
Fiachra LinkI know this might feel like an encumbrance on your constitutional rights, but keep in mind back when those laws were written the average person only had access to lutes and some rudimentary...I know this might feel like an encumbrance on your constitutional rights, but keep in mind back when those laws were written the average person only had access to lutes and some rudimentary woodwind instruments, not the electronic instruments and huge amplifiers we have today. Bad guitar music today can cringe out dozens of your neighbours in under a minute. There's just no way that can go unregulated.
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Comment on Maritime archaeologists from the Viking Ship Museum in Denmark have announced the discovery of what they describe as the world’s largest cog in ~humanities.history
Fiachra LinkI have to invite laughter at myself for not knowing a cog was a type of ship and thinking they had found a 28 metre wide gear in a medieval cargo vessel. That's what I get for skimming the opening...I have to invite laughter at myself for not knowing a cog was a type of ship and thinking they had found a 28 metre wide gear in a medieval cargo vessel. That's what I get for skimming the opening paragraph.
An epidemic! Maybe this is a sign that sex toys should be more widely advertised. You could easily get something of similar shape and, eh... "calibre", in a sex shop. It would be safer and less newsworthy in an emergency ward.