first-must-burn's recent activity
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Comment on Looking for advice: How do I find out what stocks to invest into? in ~finance
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Comment on Looking for advice: How do I find out what stocks to invest into? in ~finance
first-must-burn Link ParentYeah, that's why this is a very rare event - you don't often see a "historic low" on a blue chip stock, but when I see the opportunity, I take it.Yeah, that's why this is a very rare event - you don't often see a "historic low" on a blue chip stock, but when I see the opportunity, I take it.
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Comment on Looking for advice: How do I find out what stocks to invest into? in ~finance
first-must-burn Link ParentAgreeAgree
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Comment on Looking for advice: How do I find out what stocks to invest into? in ~finance
first-must-burn LinkI generally follow @Stu2b50 's advice, with one exception. If a big company in the US hits an "all time low" due to some bad news, I buy some stock in that company during the dip. My reasoning is...I generally follow @Stu2b50 's advice, with one exception. If a big company in the US hits an "all time low" due to some bad news, I buy some stock in that company during the dip. My reasoning is that these companies are treated as "too big to fail" and will be bailed out by the government if things get too bad. I am not necessarily happy this is the case, but since it will be my tax dollars at work, I might as well get my cut.
Example: AT&T had a bad day a few years ago when there was an announcement about lead in their infrastructure. The stock I bought that day is now worth 240% of what I paid for it.
To be clear, I'm not suggesting buying for short term gains. I still intend to hold the stock for a long time. But this way I got into the stock for cheap.
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Comment on Keeping up a blogging habit while being a dad in ~life.men
first-must-burn Link ParentTwo of my favorites: During potty training, she was sitting on the toilet going to the bathroom, and she twisted all the way around to look into the toilet (oh to be so flexible), then said, "I've...Two of my favorites:
During potty training, she was sitting on the toilet going to the bathroom, and she twisted all the way around to look into the toilet (oh to be so flexible), then said, "I've got skills."
Once I took her with me to drop some things off for a food pantry. Normally when we are there it is during the distribution, and there are snacks. But it was just the middle of the day. She said, "I want a snack, Daddy." And I told her, "I'm sorry I don't have any snacks for you." She asked several more times, getting more and more insistent. I apologize to her and said, "I'm sorry. I just don't have a snack for you right now." She was really angry by this point. She was looking for a way to lash out, so she stomped here foot and shouted at me, "You ... You ... SILLY GOOSE!"
It kills me every time I think about it that was the worst insult she could think of.
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Comment on Keeping up a blogging habit while being a dad in ~life.men
first-must-burn LinkI recommend making a journal of the funny/sweet things that happen. Record them as close in time to the event as you can, because even later the same day, I would lose the details. Maybe you blog...I recommend making a journal of the funny/sweet things that happen. Record them as close in time to the event as you can, because even later the same day, I would lose the details.
Maybe you blog them, maybe you don't. But you will have them to look back and reflection on and share them with your child when they are older.
Mine has an entry from day 4 of being home from the hospital that says "We may never eat warm food again."
When I got married, my mom gave me the journal she had from my first year. It is pretty special to me.
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Comment on The return of phones with physical keyboards? in ~tech
first-must-burn Link ParentI had the HTC G2 back in the day, and it had the slide out horizontal keyboard. I liked it because the digital keyboards were pretty primitive, but I always found the keyboard a bit too wide to...I had the HTC G2 back in the day, and it had the slide out horizontal keyboard. I liked it because the digital keyboards were pretty primitive, but I always found the keyboard a bit too wide to comfortably type on. With today's larger devices, I fear it would be doubly so.
What I really want is a split physical keyboard that extends out to either side of the phone in the vertical orientation, leaving the whole screen free. That would support two-thumb typing on the physical keyboard plus all the digital options we have now when the physical keyboard was not practical or desirable.
I'm also afraid they would nerf the keyboard in terms of special characters, which would limit its usefulness for programming or doing terminal work.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
first-must-burn Link ParentThis would have to mean that the decryption key is held by the binary, so you should be able to decompile the binary and find the key, unless it's obfuscated in some way. Not knowing much about...However- this closed source program must have a list, right? And indeed it does. Not built into the binary, of course, but fetched in AES encrypted form from the developer's domain, decrypted in secret, and referenced.
This would have to mean that the decryption key is held by the binary, so you should be able to decompile the binary and find the key, unless it's obfuscated in some way. Not knowing much about how to do this in practice, I would think turning an AI loose on the problem would probably be productive, as long as the task doesn't trip the safeguards.
You might also be able to instrument the memory of the closed source binary and read back the list after it has been decrypted.
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Comment on Was watching a history YouTube video when I realized they are all AI in ~tech
first-must-burn Link ParentAs a holder of such a PhD, my experience accords more with @NaraVara. The research environment can produce new insights that lead to innovation, but there is a lot more work motivated by "publish...As a holder of such a PhD, my experience accords more with @NaraVara. The research environment can produce new insights that lead to innovation, but there is a lot more work motivated by "publish or perish" that is ultimately meaningless outside the field, and even inside the field.
A common expression you would hear in academia is "the arguments are so bitter because the stakes are so low" – people defending ideology that matters only to a handful of other people in the world.
One time as a grad student, I did the logistics for the program committee for the major conference we published at. That meant I got to sit through three days of listening to 30ish professors decide which papers to accept or reject. The first day was full of "reasoned debate" in the merits but by the third day, they were clearly bored and/or tired enough that it was basically random chance. That was a real eye opener to the value of "peer review."
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Comment on I'm having a glow up, but it sucks in ~life.men
first-must-burn Link ParentOne thing I found in grad school with my dissertation work, is that it's really easy for me to think about the flaws in my work, the things I didn't do, my limitations. But then when I would...I sit down to work on my resume the dark thoughts come in heavy
One thing I found in grad school with my dissertation work, is that it's really easy for me to think about the flaws in my work, the things I didn't do, my limitations. But then when I would explain my work to my wife, I'd realize, "wow, I really did do something." If you have a friend (a better friend than the one mentioned above!), maybe you can do that with them.
Another thing that helped me with my resume and cover letters was having Claude "interview" me. I'd put my existing resume, the company website and job description into the prompt, and ask it to ask me questions to improve and expand my resume. Basically, get it to help you focus on your accomplishments. I would definitely use the cover letter output as fodder and rewrite it, since AI writing has a recognizable tone.
Also, lots of good resume advice on Ask a Manager: https://www.askamanager.org/
Good luck with your job search.
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Comment on What was a small but bright moment of your day? in ~life
first-must-burn LinkI had to get up Monday morning and drive five hours for a work trip, and my daughter, all on her own, got up at 5 am and packed me a lunch/snack bag. Turned out to be important because Google took...I had to get up Monday morning and drive five hours for a work trip, and my daughter, all on her own, got up at 5 am and packed me a lunch/snack bag. Turned out to be important because Google took me the wrong way, so I did not have time to stop for lunch. My heart is still warm f from that.
In the bird space, the work event had a falconry tour/experience that includes getting to hold a falcon and see a Harris hawk do its thing up close. Pretty amazing.
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Comment on Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin returning for ‘Sicario 3’. Padraic McKinley to direct Steven Knight’s screenplay. in ~movies
first-must-burn LinkTIL there was a Sicario 2.TIL there was a Sicario 2.
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Comment on Approved for altruistic kidney donation in ~health
first-must-burn Link ParentHaving donated an organ gives you priority points on transplant listsmaybe I like having 2 kidneys
Having donated an organ gives you priority points on transplant lists
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Comment on Advice on dealing with aging parents in ~life
first-must-burn Link ParentThank you!Thank you!
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Comment on Advice on dealing with aging parents in ~life
first-must-burn Link ParentSo sorry to hear about the new diagnosis. I worked with a company that supports caregivers in North Carolina, and the founder named the company AKALAKA, which is an Igbo word that means "hands"...So sorry to hear about the new diagnosis. I worked with a company that supports caregivers in North Carolina, and the founder named the company AKALAKA, which is an Igbo word that means "hands" but also "destiny" because it's all of our destinies to give or receive care during our lives. But I hope you can find a peace outside of that role.
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Comment on Advice on dealing with aging parents in ~life
first-must-burn Link ParentI am fortunate that the dementia is still in the early stages, so it is still visiting him, talking with him, laughing with him. And my mom too, though my relationship with her has always been...I am fortunate that the dementia is still in the early stages, so it is still visiting him, talking with him, laughing with him. And my mom too, though my relationship with her has always been different.
I don't think it's so much that I have unfinished business with them. A few years ago, I did a lot of work helping us all navigate a rift between them and my sister. So at that time, I did have a chance to make some adjustments in the way I saw and understood them. I think that this phase is probably the same kind of thing, but different in degree.
But I will take your advice to heart.It is a good thing to bring up with my wife and my therapist to dig down a bit and see if there is anything "unfinished" that I have been putting off.
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Comment on Advice on dealing with aging parents in ~life
first-must-burn Link ParentUnfortunately, my father's main hobby was work. Especially with the cancer drugs over the past 16 years, he pretty much practiced and came home and went to bed. I don't know if there would be a...Unfortunately, my father's main hobby was work. Especially with the cancer drugs over the past 16 years, he pretty much practiced and came home and went to bed. I don't know if there would be a place where he could volunteer, maybe a shelter. That is a good idea.
I think you're right that we're lucky they made the jump straight to a care facility, but I think the abruptness of it has caught me off guard. If they had moved house but kept their own residence, then later moved to a care facility, it would have felt more gradual. But I am sure it will become "normal" soon enough.
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Comment on Advice on dealing with aging parents in ~life
first-must-burn Link ParentVirtual hugs back to you!Virtual hugs back to you!
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Comment on Advice on dealing with aging parents in ~life
first-must-burn Link ParentThis is good to remember. I have done a lot of work to instill a sense of both bodily autonomy and independence in my daughter. So maybe I can translate some of that over. It seems harder to judge...That they do not primarily need care or solutions, they need to feel validated. They want to remain clear headed adults: strong and healthy, capable of making decisions like judge right from wrong, and can take actions that solve their own problems.
This is good to remember. I have done a lot of work to instill a sense of both bodily autonomy and independence in my daughter. So maybe I can translate some of that over.
It seems harder to judge than it is with children, because the children start out helpless and become more capable, so judgement is about adding responsibility, but with our parents, it is about taking that responsibility away.
Religion. There no other way to sugar coat aging and death: without religion, for me, aging is ugly and pointless and torturous and we should all be gentle put out of our misery as soon as our value as elders diminish or once we've logged tribal knowledge to someone else.
I know we are far apart on the religious spectrum, but I have found myself close to reaching "the end of myself" and thinking more about my need for spiritual support.
On the topic of being put out of our misery, this and a few other experiences have convinced me that for myself at least, I want to be able to choose the time and manner of my own passing. Not any time soon, mind you. But then, I often wonder what that diminished capacity will feel like from the inside, and whether the things that seem like they would be unbearable now will seem unbearable then. So hard to know!
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Comment on Advice on dealing with aging parents in ~life
first-must-burn Link ParentI am a transplant to the city where I live, and I have always been jealous of the people I know here who have two or three generations, childhood friends, and siblings all local. We have had to...I had my own naive notions about my dad helping out around the house and my mom helping with childcare. Getting disabused of these fantasies was a process that took its toll on us all,
I am a transplant to the city where I live, and I have always been jealous of the people I know here who have two or three generations, childhood friends, and siblings all local. We have had to forge our own connections. And it has not been easy. I'm not sure it is anybody's fault, but we did move away, and they did stay, and I did tell them many years ago that I would never raise my daughter in East Texas.
I know my parents are well past the childcare helping stage, but I see it as a loss that they did it get more chances for that when they (and we) were younger.
However, in exchange for this hardship you will purchase, for yourself and for them, benefits and bounties that will, in due time, far outweigh the difficulties you will have to endure presently.
Thank you for your kind words!
I can definitely say my retirement accounts have not 2.5xed in the last 5 years, although perhaps we will see over the long run.