Gazook89's recent activity
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
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Comment on Torontonians are flocking to birdwatching to relax, make friends and reap the mental health benefits in ~hobbies
Gazook89 LinkAnytime birding comes up, I’ll mention the free, no ads YouTube documentary LISTERS. It’s about two young outsiders to the hobby going whole hog into competitive birding. One of them is a...Anytime birding comes up, I’ll mention the free, no ads YouTube documentary LISTERS. It’s about two young outsiders to the hobby going whole hog into competitive birding. One of them is a professional wildlife videographer, the other is an app developer and he writes and illustrates a birding guide while doing this documentary. Light swearing and drug use.
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Comment on Suggest Chicago food places in ~food
Gazook89 LinkMitsuwa is an Asian mall just down the road. Has a good food court with Asian cuisine. If you have any interest in Asian cuisine, groceries, goods, or culture, it’s a place. Just noticed on the...Mitsuwa is an Asian mall just down the road. Has a good food court with Asian cuisine. If you have any interest in Asian cuisine, groceries, goods, or culture, it’s a place.
Just noticed on the map that Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament is the same distance away, the opposite direction. I’ve never done it, I know very little about it, but it’s also a thing.
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Comment on The Odyssey - discussion thread in ~movies
Gazook89 Link ParentRegarding Matt Damon: today my wife and I watched a trailer for this movie for the first time to see if we wanted to watch it, and I was surprised to see Damon. I LIKE Matt Damon, but he’s not...Regarding Matt Damon: today my wife and I watched a trailer for this movie for the first time to see if we wanted to watch it, and I was surprised to see Damon. I LIKE Matt Damon, but he’s not Odysseus. Just makes me think of Team America
“MATT DAMON!” -
Comment on The Uprising | Official trailer in ~movies
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Comment on Wildfire smoke from Canada will soon spread across the Midwest and East United States in ~enviro
Gazook89 Link ParentMaybe the article mentions it, but the Boundary Waters in its entirety is closed as of yesterday. And fire and rescue crews operate under the same limits as other users of the BWCA: canoe only...Maybe the article mentions it, but the Boundary Waters in its entirety is closed as of yesterday.
And fire and rescue crews operate under the same limits as other users of the BWCA: canoe only within the boundaries. Though they use planes and helicopters to dump water.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
Gazook89 Link ParentThe single FOSS project I contribute to is for a hobby I don’t partake in at all, I just like contributing to a tool that is used for it. Sounds similarThe single FOSS project I contribute to is for a hobby I don’t partake in at all, I just like contributing to a tool that is used for it. Sounds similar
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Comment on Rural NY school district will be one of first to bring humanoid robot into classroom in ~tech
Gazook89 Link ParentI don't think it even has to be a shipping mix-up. They are going to leave this poor robit in a classroom of high schoolers.I don't think it even has to be a shipping mix-up. They are going to leave this poor robit in a classroom of high schoolers.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
Gazook89 Link ParentWhenever I see this sentiment, I wonder how much of it is a deficiency in options versus a nostalgia for being younger. Would effort be better spent in just finding existing forums and starting to...Whenever I see this sentiment, I wonder how much of it is a deficiency in options versus a nostalgia for being younger. Would effort be better spent in just finding existing forums and starting to post in them, even if they are largely ghost towns? It's likely that any new technical solution you come up with will also be largely empty for a stretch, and then if it grows in popularity you'll spend more time consumed with managing such a place, both technically and socially.
I frequently think about starting a new conversation circle at a cafe near me, just a regular time and place for neighbors to chat. But I also know that people already have social groups (maybe less formally as "conversation groups" but rather just their normal social time for hobbies, church, etc). Is the time better spent just ingratiating myself to an existing group?
Consider whether the goal is to build something, or to have more socializing, and whether the effort spent is favoring one over the other.
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Comment on China is dealing with its own manosphere in ~life.men
Gazook89 (edited )Link ParentI suspect you throw them into a war somewhere.I suspect you throw them into a war somewhere.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
Gazook89 Link ParentYes, anything where you collecting and sharing images is fraught with potential moderation issues. I contribute to a FOSS app where it'd be really excellent to have some image hosting for users,...Yes, anything where you collecting and sharing images is fraught with potential moderation issues. I contribute to a FOSS app where it'd be really excellent to have some image hosting for users, and I frequently actually create the very start of something like that, but within 30 minutes I just think "not worth it". CSAM, abuse, copyright, etc etc. Yikes.
Unfortunately, one day Imgur is going to tell us to stop hotlinking to images hosted by them, and then we'll have to figure out something and lock it down to some degree to approved users or something.
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Comment on Give me your culture clash stories in ~travel
Gazook89 Link ParentCommon in MN too. Probably opposite reason. Drive thru liquor stores too (mostly northern end of state, and I speak less authoritatively of that in terms of numbers but I have seen some).Common in MN too. Probably opposite reason. Drive thru liquor stores too (mostly northern end of state, and I speak less authoritatively of that in terms of numbers but I have seen some).
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Comment on Modern, abstract art makes me angry in ~arts
Gazook89 (edited )Link ParentYour example I think is much more than what I very commonly see at modern art museums. I've seen a piece of gray clay squished in a hand, and then left to dry. It was "Untitled", no artist...Your example I think is much more than what I very commonly see at modern art museums.
I've seen a piece of gray clay squished in a hand, and then left to dry. It was "Untitled", no artist statement. A canvas painted red, called "Red" (and given a number, so like "Red #14" or something). Just recently there was an all white photograph, about 4'x4', with a very faint smudge of black. It was "Untitled" as well, but fortunately it had some description written by the museum-- it was a photo in a blizzard of ice fishing huts on a lake, which is pretty much akin to the classic drawing of a polar bear blinking in a blizzard.
So much of what I see at modern art museums are "untitled", with no statement, or description from the museum. In particular, I'm thinking of the Walker Art Museum in Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Institute of Arts is better about adding some context whenever the artist has given nothing themselves. I completely agree with the OP, going to the modern art museum raises my blood pressure. A lot of that is on the artist, and surely some of it is on the museums themselves.
Edit: here is one on display now: untitled
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Comment on Current Rothko: A site that picks the closest Rothko for how the weather feels outside your window in ~arts
Gazook89 Link ParentFor me it was defaulting to NYC and I had to switch it to my city.For me it was defaulting to NYC and I had to switch it to my city.
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Comment on Cargobike recommendations and advice in ~hobbies
Gazook89 Link ParentCareful of radwagon though, they went through bankruptcy after a big recall due to batteries catching fire. Happened to an old college friend of mine. Just a quick web search now tells me they...Careful of radwagon though, they went through bankruptcy after a big recall due to batteries catching fire. Happened to an old college friend of mine.
Just a quick web search now tells me they were acquired and are maybe back to making bikes again, so maybe newer models will be better....but you may find older ones heavily discounted online with potential issues.
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Comment on Cargobike recommendations and advice in ~hobbies
Gazook89 (edited )LinkHi! I saw the title of your post while on my phone on the couch, read the first paragraph or so and jumped up and ran to the computer. I love talking about my bike! I have an Urban Arrow Family,...- Exemplary
Hi! I saw the title of your post while on my phone on the couch, read the first paragraph or so and jumped up and ran to the computer. I love talking about my bike!
I have an Urban Arrow Family, circa 2024 (not the newer model that seems sleek as hell). For me, a new bike was just always going to be better than the old 1990s steel frame road bike I had from college, pulling an old burley trailer. I used that bike, with a front/handlebar mount, for my first kid through babyhood before getting the trailer when they were old enough for it. The new Urban Arrow was purchased the week our second kid was born. We only have one small car, and bought the bike instead of another car. I waited until she was about 2.5 months old to put her in a NUNA car seat, with the car seat adapter. She's 16 months now, and today I hit 2,000 miles on the bike. The other kid is 5 years old right now.
We bike year round, in Minneapolis Minnesota. I have snow tires with the spikes, and getting those swapped in the fall and spring is my twice annual visit to the bike shop where they just check things over. I bike about every day, through the winter as well, though this last winter I took a month long break during our federal occupation. The bike does well in the snow on the streets, though you definitely move a bit slower out of caution. It's nice not having a chain or exposed derailleur, instead just a belt drive with internal shimano hub. But, the belt did break on one winter day. Both shops I engaged with (one was closer to me, the other was where I bought the bike) were flabbergasted, and the belt manufacturer called me for details, because apparently that very rarely happens so they wanted the details. It was under warranty and everything was fixed up once the new belt arrived.
We also have the rain cover for the bucket, so I've strung up little battery powered fairy lights inside to give some extra light during the winter. Then I bundle the kids up and pile a puffy blanket on them. I've never heard complaints about cold. The baby, about 9-12 months old at this point, frequently got her naps done in the bike and frequently was left outside in the bike in front of a coffee shop to finish up a nap while I got some hot brew. The "cafe lock" on the back wheel is excellent for this purpose.
I'm going to switch to bullet points otherwise this will be a novel. These are the points I bring up when talking to people about it, which happens several times a week-- people ask and I'm chatty about it:
Urban Arrow points
- When I'm doing preschool pickup and the kids are all muddy from playing in puddles, a lot of parents agonize over filthy kids in the back seat of their car....I don't. I just put them in the bike, muddy shoes and all, and by the time we are home the mud has dried, flaked off, and fallen out the bottom of the bike onto the road. Same goes for wet kids at the pool- let them air dry.
- At preschool pickup, the parents call my bike the "mobile playground". I've had 7-8 kids playing on my bike at once, hanging off the bucket, sitting on the seat, standing on each peddle....they love it. The little siblings (2 year olds) love to sit in it, too, and play with the buckles, the bell, the light.
- At preschool pickup, I pull right up to the door or bring it to the sidewalk near the play area, and don't have to worry about parking spots. In fact, you'll rarely think about parking at all, anywhere (sometimes you will, though). With my bike right there, I have my bluetooth speaker, snacks, easy drop-off of school crafts into my panniers.
- My kids love riding in it. I'm not sure if that's partly because they just expect it, or they actually like it. But my 16mth kid points at the backdoor in the morning until she is in it. She happily seats herself. When we are parked somewhere, she has no qualms just sitting in it either buckled or unbuckled. She has taken more naps in it than outside of it. It's easier to talk to my older kid, and point at things.
General points about e-bikes:
- It's so nice to be able to bike as far as I want without having to worry about the return trip. The assurance that comes from "I can just use some assist on the way back" means less mental overhead when planning or wondering if you should turn back mid-trip.
- I used to volunteer at a place, and on my old bike I was guaranteed to be sweating bullets in the summer months when I arrived. With the e-bike, I could more casually pedal and arrive with a dry shirt.
- I hear a lot of people say "but ebikes mean you aren't getting the exercise of a normal bike". But if e-assist means you are going to be on the bike much more often, you are still exercising more. And, any reasonable ebike will be pedal assist, and you can increase or decrease the level of assist on the fly with a button. 60-70% of my trips are "no assist", and the other 30-40% is split between the lowest and second lowest level of assist....very rarely do i touch the top two levels ("sport" and "turbo"), and almost always on accident. You can keep exercising as much as you want to, but you can go further than you normally would and be confident you'll be able to get back home.
- Don't worry so much about range, is the impression I've got. When buying an electric car, range is very important for many people. If it runs out of juice, you are boned. But with a pedal assist bike you can always just pedal home. It might suck, but you can do it. And, if you know you have a long trip ahead of you, you can wisely manage your power and really extend it. I think my highest mileage in a single day was about 38 miles, and I believe I came home with ~30% of battery remaining. A few times a week I do 12-16 miles a day and I don't even bother starting with a full charge or charging it when I get home. What I tell people is "you (or your kids) will get bored of the ride before you run out of battery". Edit: I just remembered that I talked to someone who took their 5 year old on an UA from La Crosse, WI to Wisconsin Dells, WI, a 100 mile trip, and had no issues.
- The assist is most useful for hills, and for "getting off the line" at a stoplight where you are with traffic. Doing the little "wobble" from stopped to going isn't a good idea when you've got cars around you, so having some power to maintain a straight line helps. But once you've got some inertia behind your 112lb bike (before kids/gear), it rolls nice.
Extra Bits
- We had the car seat adapter which worked well with a Nuna car seat. Keep the springs greased up, though, they can get squeeky which stinks if you have a sleeping baby. The car seat faces you from the front of the bucket. The older kid, 4 at the time, easily slipped her legs under the car seat. This was great because we could also have a third kid in there on the bench seat, too.
- We've moved to a "toddler" seat that straps to the normal bench seat, side by side with the now 5 year old. Unfortunately, this means we can't bring a friend with us. They do sell a "front bench" too, but we just aren't going to spring for it.
- I have two big pannier bags on the back. These are just nice for the extra storage but also organization. Keeps stuff safe for when muddy shoes are coming into the bucket, and I stored the puffy blanket and big-ass chain lock in it. Sidenote: I don't use that chain lock much, but keep it with me in case I feel it's needed.
- I recently bought a Schleptastic Tow Monster, for pulling a 20in kid bike. I haven't had much experience with it yet (I got it last week), but I had an unsupported rear rack but through emails with the owner of Schleptastic we figured it out. Jonah there was fantastically communicative and supportive.
- I have a Wonderboom bluetooth speaker that just fits inside my expandable water bottle holder, and I basically can't ride a bike without it.
closing
I recommend bikes. I recommend e-bikes. I recommend cargo ebikes. I recommend a bakfiets (front bucket). Our urban arrow has been good, but I'm sure they all are nice. One knock against it is that it is big. For us, in a single stall garage, it barely fits with our small car. But it does fit, and if we had bought another car we definitely would not have had enough room for both cars. We don't pay for gas. Or car repairs. We do pay for bike insurance to cover theft, but that's <$200 year.
The tagline I always tell people who ask about cost: "It's a very expensive bike, but a very cheap car".
Happy to answer questions!
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This cell feeds, grows and reproduces. And it’s manmade. (gifted link)
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Comment on Reddit will require you to be logged in to use old.reddit.com in ~tech
Gazook89 Link ParentUm, I think you mean https://old.reddit.com/r/legoleak.Um, I think you mean https://old.reddit.com/r/legoleak.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
Gazook89 Link ParentActually yeah, it has that. You basically say “I will be at this location at about this time”, with a free form message field as well so you can tell people you biked there, or you have enough...Actually yeah, it has that. You basically say “I will be at this location at about this time”, with a free form message field as well so you can tell people you biked there, or you have enough snacks to share, or you brought swim suits, etc.
The part I’m stuck on is making an explainer page (a home page with screenshots), just motivation wise.
Oh, and it can be installed as a PWA and used like an app on mobile.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
Gazook89 LinkI mentioned in a prior thread but only after the thread had been posted for a few days, so I'm mostly just reposting to ride the wave a bit more... My 5 year old lives by play dates, and basically...I mentioned in a prior thread but only after the thread had been posted for a few days, so I'm mostly just reposting to ride the wave a bit more...
My 5 year old lives by play dates, and basically asks "what are we doing today" from the moment she wakes to the moment she falls asleep. And nothing is better than playing with a friend.
I have long wanted the ability to throw a "bat signal" up when I'm at a playground that just tells people "we are here, come play if you want". I don't always want to coordinate ahead of time, or choose specific people to reach out to, wait for replies, etc. But I'd like to just broadcast out my location and see if anyone comes, but without any pressure to come.
So I made an app that I originally called (and themed as) "Bat Signal", but quickly switched to "Kid Collider" and am thinking about renaming to just "Kollider". With an account (just email and password) you can create oft-used locations or single-use locations and then indicate your ETA to that place, and how long you want the signal to be up. That expiration time doesn't have to be your expected amount of time there, just how long you want to broadcast. The location doesn't have to be an address, it's just a freeform field.
The signal is only visible to those that have "friended" you (must be accepted both ways), and only one signal can be broadcast by each user at a time. There is no scheduling, no messaging, no profile or kid information stored. Really, nothing about it is actually kid-specific, its just my use case.
I don't really know why I'm sharing it here, I mostly just want the other parents in my life to use it, but I guess any eyes are helpful. It is largely vibe coded, otherwise I just wouldn't have the time to do it.
Anyway, here it is: https://gazook89.github.io/kid-collider. If anyone is inclined to check it out, I think there is something goofy about the email confirmation where it doesn't redirect to the correct place, but clicking the confirmation link does confirm it, you just have to navigate back to the original site and sign in.
This is something I'm interested in as well. I'm a longtime contributor to the homebrewery which is an app for creating TTRPG content, historically geared towards D&D stuff but not exclusively so.
Using a web platform and html/css to create what is ultimately "print" materials is tricky because of the differing goals for output: responsiveness vs static print. The typical solution is to print to PDF and then share the PDF. But a lot of users just want to share a link to their Homebrewery document directly, rather than sending PDFs around, and most readers likely want responsive documents rather than pinch zooming and panning around a PDF meant for a US Letter Page rather than a mobile screen.
One thing that will help is the newer
shape()function that can be used in some CSS properties, as well as the cutting edgeborder-shapeproperty. These will make it easier to have non-rectangular elements, and have them stretch at certain flexible points in a frame while keeping other elements absolutely positioned relative to other points.Also, you can check out the Game UI Database and other similar collections of how video games handle things.