FlippantGod's recent activity
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Comment on How Madrid built its metro cheaply in ~transport
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Comment on Funko Pop causes takedown of itch.io, calls the owner's mom in ~tech
FlippantGod LinkMy robots have actually detected some (likely) malicious pages cropping up on itch.io lately, usually posing as official pages for android apps and distributing APKs. Hopefully whatever this is...My robots have actually detected some (likely) malicious pages cropping up on itch.io lately, usually posing as official pages for android apps and distributing APKs.
Hopefully whatever this is doesn't divert attention from fighting malware. I really like the service and the significant library of DRM free titles and Linux builds.
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Comment on What’s your “I didn’t know I needed that” item? in ~life
FlippantGod Link ParentPerhaps because [data] wire and [power] cord are implied in common parlance.Perhaps because [data] wire and [power] cord are implied in common parlance.
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Comment on Do not buy NZXT | Predatory, evil rental computer scam investigated in ~tech
FlippantGod Link ParentPure conjecture, but I suspect the misleading or false marketing on NZXT's own webpages was calculated to sufficiently convince most social media advertisers selected for this scheme. For claims...I can't believe that these "influencers" can sleep at night the way they're manipulating actual children.
It's the mental disconnect between getting the money from NZXT into your bank account and not seeing the harm done.
Pure conjecture, but I suspect the misleading or false marketing on NZXT's own webpages was calculated to sufficiently convince most social media advertisers selected for this scheme.
For claims like "no contract" or "no strings" however, I can't imagine anything other than willful negligence.
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Comment on Parachute use to prevent death and major trauma when jumping from aircraft: randomized controlled trial in ~science
FlippantGod Link ParentThis I think? Just searched "parachute study". I've really struggled to dig up older posts on Tildes, seems to be hit or miss wrt tags and source links and such. Interestingly, "parachute study"...This I think? Just searched "parachute study". I've really struggled to dig up older posts on Tildes, seems to be hit or miss wrt tags and source links and such.
Interestingly, "parachute study" did not turn up this post, presumably because the tag isn't here.
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Comment on Parachute use to prevent death and major trauma when jumping from aircraft: randomized controlled trial in ~science
FlippantGod Link ParentI'm pretty sure this study was posted to tildes during covid mask drama.I'm pretty sure this study was posted to tildes during covid mask drama.
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Comment on Follow up on the username thread: What Tildes users do you recognize when browsing and, without being rude or inflammatory, what is your impression of them? in ~tildes
FlippantGod LinkI tend to gloss over usernames, although after reading a comment I might have a vague recollection of the author. There shouldn't be too many usernames I recognize and have an impression of, due...I tend to gloss over usernames, although after reading a comment I might have a vague recollection of the author.
There shouldn't be too many usernames I recognize and have an impression of, due to my poor retention.
Surprisingly, I seem to know a large number of handles beyond just the powerusers, active or otherwise, whom no one has yet mentioned.
Overall, a lot of nice impressions. I continue to be impressed by users making thoughtful comments when I would say the discourse trends towards more casual as of late.
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Comment on best option for a bare-bones message board/forum? in ~comp
FlippantGod LinkThere was a project, BrutaLinks, working on a stripped-down old reddit / lobste.rs style site. No categories and to my knowledge, no images. Meets all hard requirements. The project page details a...There was a project, BrutaLinks, working on a stripped-down old reddit / lobste.rs style site. No categories and to my knowledge, no images. Meets all hard requirements.
The project page details a core goal of being easy to install and operate, but I'm not sure if the documentation is there. I suspect you could easily contact the author and get the details, however.
Alternatively, you could trade relative ease of install for administrative overhead and try something like Akkoma or another fediverse project.
Finally, simple imageboards should offer everything but threaded comments.
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Comment on They stole my voice with AI in ~tech
FlippantGod (edited )Link ParentMostly just raising awareness for the software. And you are right, it wasn't exactly relevant to your comment, but it is relevant to the larger discussion. Damage can be done to people from merely...Mostly just raising awareness for the software. And you are right, it wasn't exactly relevant to your comment, but it is relevant to the larger discussion.
Damage can be done to people from merely approximating their voice. But to the larger "artificial voices replacing real people's jobs" discussion, I think I've provided a good example of Hatsune Miku doing just fine despite free alternatives.
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Comment on They stole my voice with AI in ~tech
FlippantGod Link ParentEnter OpenUTAU and free commercial use licensed voicebanks.You have to pay money to use Hatsune Miku
Enter OpenUTAU and free commercial use licensed voicebanks.
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Comment on The GLP-1 compounding loophole in ~health
FlippantGod Link ParentNot sure! Just DM me and I'll try to reply next time I have a chance to ask.Not sure! Just DM me and I'll try to reply next time I have a chance to ask.
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Comment on The GLP-1 compounding loophole in ~health
FlippantGod (edited )Link ParentGlad it was appreciated! Oh and interestingly (to me), sometimes sites do not have required equipment, which must be provided, but for ethics reasons cannot be used for anything other than this...Glad it was appreciated! Oh and interestingly (to me), sometimes sites do not have required equipment, which must be provided, but for ethics reasons cannot be used for anything other than this trial.
If that sounds crazy, it is. Sites don't actually want equipment they cant use for anything else, and operators may need to be brought in. Probably just training. I don't totally recall if sometimes offsite equipment at some lab or whatever is contracted out, just that things which seem straightforward aren't, and doubly not when ethics are involved.
Edit: This is really stretching my memory, and I might be wrong, but I seem to recall hearing extensive complaints that China was very... enthusiastic about finding sites that happen to lack equipment. But don't worry, it definitely won't be used for anything else.
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Comment on The GLP-1 compounding loophole in ~health
FlippantGod Link ParentThat's a really cool study. I just posted a large comment about giant global studies, so it's great to contrast that with clinical trials without phase 3 and massive global enrollment.That's a really cool study. I just posted a large comment about giant global studies, so it's great to contrast that with clinical trials without phase 3 and massive global enrollment.
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Comment on The GLP-1 compounding loophole in ~health
FlippantGod (edited )Link ParentTrials are extremely time consuming. I won't go into details as it isn't my field, but I do happen to know a bit behind the curtain, so let me tell you: the big drug companies are blasting money...Trials are extremely time consuming. I won't go into details as it isn't my field, but I do happen to know a bit behind the curtain, so let me tell you:
the big drug companies are blasting money and talent at clinical trials, working with sites globally. Working with global sites is hard. China? Have to be there, and that's it's own thing. Japan, yeah. Korea? Mhm. Brazil? Oh yeah, that too. India? No biggie. Germany? Surely that one isn't so bad. Wait, what's this about GDPR? UK? Slow down please. Russia? Uh....... Ukraine? These are really exceptions, right?
These sites operate in their own special ways. They have different cultures, and standards of care, reporting (yeah, can't always trust em) treatments and practices, which have huge impacts on studies and must be controlled, but-
no-one likes to be corrected, sometimes they have reasons for operating differently, the local governments have varying oversight and watchdogs that resist change, and populations respond differently to enrollment at each location.
Oh, and each country has it's own ethics boards (usually). Huh, what does the EU look like? Are there.... multiple ethics boards? Multiple regulators? How often does this stuff change anyway?
Then these trials take years. Sites might drop out. Some might make mistakes, and become invalid data. Regulations change over this time. There might be multiple stages (I'm familiar with three; @patience_limited linked a study of trial costs that also discusses smaller trials with fewer stages).
Maybe the worst thing of all, is that a given site will not be enthusiastic about a trial that isn't showing results there. They want to provide the best care for patients. They don't like diverting patients to something that doesn't seem to help, even if it is valuable data.
For as careful and judicious these companies are about avoiding failure, they mess up. They develop drugs that aren't as good, don't work, have side effects. If they're lucky it's no good at what it was supposed to be good at but really good at something else.
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Comment on The GLP-1 compounding loophole in ~health
FlippantGod Link ParentHmm, I think the author was asking how the economy (market) would respond to a drug that everyone wants but expects to pay $12,000 a year for. The answer to which was, "the compounding loophole"....how will the economy handle a $12,000/year drug that everyone wants?
I know it isn't the focus of this specific blog post, but I do want to point out that this is a false premise. These medications don't cost anywhere near $12,000 to manufacturer a year's supply of.
Hmm, I think the author was asking how the economy (market) would respond to a drug that everyone wants but expects to pay $12,000 a year for. The answer to which was, "the compounding loophole".
Which can exist because it is cheaper to manufacture. And because demand outstrips current supply, thus placing it in a shortage.
I guess I have no idea why you've reacted so strongly to the opening statements, when it seems to be exactly what you've gone in detail to reiterate. Am I missing something?
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Comment on Forgejo is now copyleft, just like Git in ~comp
FlippantGod Link ParentBy all means, please tell us more. IAC is my true love.By all means, please tell us more. IAC is my true love.
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Comment on Nothing CEO Carl Pei gives employees two months to return to office full-time in ~tech
FlippantGod Link ParentMost of the cases are subjective, but I'm pretty sure this one is contradictory.we also need to... do more with way less resources than competitors in all areas of our business. This does not work well remotely.
Most of the cases are subjective, but I'm pretty sure this one is contradictory.
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Comment on Viral hot sauce challenges have fueled a $100 million chile pepper arms race in ~food
FlippantGod Link ParentThis is in no way scientific, but it has been my experience that growing conditions have affected the spiciness of my chili peppers. I'm not sure how happy they would be outside of maybe BW.This is in no way scientific, but it has been my experience that growing conditions have affected the spiciness of my chili peppers. I'm not sure how happy they would be outside of maybe BW.
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Comment on AI music generator Suno admits it was trained on ‘essentially all music files on the internet’ in ~tech
FlippantGod Link ParentI believe this is largely because it is difficult to move far from the average in current models and frameworks. Significant portions of heavily weighted data likely are very similar in the same...... there’s a very visible “statistical averageness”
I believe this is largely because it is difficult to move far from the average in current models and frameworks.
Significant portions of heavily weighted data likely are very similar in the same way that stock photos of office workers have the exact same "averageness". Image generators were initially trained on controlled data because it gave the best results the earliest, especially for GANs.
There are some renderings of textures and materials which are simply not consistent or of even remotely decent quality from base models, and this should be doubly true for elements of composition and lighting which are beyond laypersons to articulate and thus underrepresented in datasets.
There are actually many elements which are - generously speaking - subpar, but I don't think this will be the case when generators have sufficiently improved.
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Comment on ROMhacking.net moves to news only, database and file archive released to Internet Archive in ~games
FlippantGod Link ParentYeowch, my gut reflex was to wonder if datacrystal might be capable and willing of taking on the hosting duties. So of course it was already tried.... Sad news all the way around.Yeowch, my gut reflex was to wonder if datacrystal might be capable and willing of taking on the hosting duties. So of course it was already tried.... Sad news all the way around.
There's almost too much good stuff in this article.
This is a tall order. That individuals can't contest a line beyond local elections is so alien that while it might be an honest enough mechanism, I can't imagine that many big city governments still have sufficient accountability.
Also, it's worth noting that the article highlighted a significantly higher city revenue than compared to London. I'm curious how it stacks up against other cities, but restructuring municipal, state, and federal taxes to enable more local funding capacity is another roadblock. Corruption figures in again as well.