GodzillasPencil's recent activity
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Comment on Framework 13 chassis available for $400 in ~tech
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~life.women
GodzillasPencil If I was invited to a guy friend's home for a one-on-one movie date, however platonic, and my husband was explicitly NOT welcome, I'd feel uneasy. The whole "my place is too small for three...If I was invited to a guy friend's home for a one-on-one movie date, however platonic, and my husband was explicitly NOT welcome, I'd feel uneasy. The whole "my place is too small for three people" thing sounds to my casual ear, a little dodgy. I'm not saying you had any bad intent, just that this kind of statement would have raised my alert level to orange.
Now, if a friend needed advice on a sensitive subject and asked for alone time for that kind of private conversation, that's one thing. But just... "Your partner isn't welcome at movie night." Oof. That would be a no go for me. Mr GodzillasPencil and I aren't always a package deal, but I tend to be leery of people who don't want him around, should he want to swing by.
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Comment on Anyone interested in trying out Kagi? in ~tech
GodzillasPencil I sent you a link.I sent you a link.
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Comment on Anyone interested in trying out Kagi? in ~tech
GodzillasPencil Sent!Sent!
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Comment on Anyone interested in trying out Kagi? in ~tech
GodzillasPencil Sent a linkSent a link
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Comment on Anyone interested in trying out Kagi? in ~tech
GodzillasPencil (edited )Link ParentDitto here. Happy to share. (update: all given out. thx)Ditto here. Happy to share. (update: all given out. thx)
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Comment on What have you been eating, drinking, and cooking? in ~food
GodzillasPencil Sounds good! I didn't use cornstarch either.Sounds good! I didn't use cornstarch either.
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Comment on What have you been eating, drinking, and cooking? in ~food
GodzillasPencil I'd been wanting to cook Cacio e Pepe (peppered pasta) for a while now, and I'm happy to say it was both easy and delicious. Here's a recipe.I'd been wanting to cook Cacio e Pepe (peppered pasta) for a while now, and I'm happy to say it was both easy and delicious. Here's a recipe.
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Comment on Salem's Lot | Official trailer in ~movies
GodzillasPencil I liked the book, and the trailer felt like it was a different story entirely. Perhaps the town name and some character names are borrowed, but it seems more 'inspired by' than based on.I liked the book, and the trailer felt like it was a different story entirely. Perhaps the town name and some character names are borrowed, but it seems more 'inspired by' than based on.
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Comment on Unique things to do in Las Vegas? (and Los Angeles) in ~travel
GodzillasPencil I'll second the praise for the pinball museum, but my favorite offbeat Vegas attraction is The Mob Museum. It's a fascinating little museum about the history of organized crime in the US and...I'll second the praise for the pinball museum, but my favorite offbeat Vegas attraction is The Mob Museum. It's a fascinating little museum about the history of organized crime in the US and there's a speakeasy in the basement.
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Comment on US stores increasingly reverse course on self checkout in ~tech
GodzillasPencil I avoid self checkout whenever I can because I'd that rather people in my community have jobs. I've worked as a cashier for pay in the past and I see no reason to do the same job for free as a...I avoid self checkout whenever I can because I'd that rather people in my community have jobs. I've worked as a cashier for pay in the past and I see no reason to do the same job for free as a customer.
There was a lot of talk about retraining cashiers for other, better jobs when these machines were first installed. Like most corporate promises, it seems to have largely been a cover for cutting staff and retaining more profit. The last decade has left me much more human-focused, less inclined to believe the corporate line about these kinds of things.
In many parts of the world cashiers have a nice ergonomic chair to sit in. It seems punitive that we don't do that here in the states.
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Comment on Thoughts on friendships after marriage & setting appropriate expectations in ~life.men
GodzillasPencil Good advice from an acquaintance of mine: Friendships are like the sea. Sometimes the tide is in, and sometimes the tide is out. The fact that you don't see them much right now doesn't mean the...Good advice from an acquaintance of mine: Friendships are like the sea. Sometimes the tide is in, and sometimes the tide is out. The fact that you don't see them much right now doesn't mean the friendship is over. Things evolve, and it's okay to let them be.
All of that said... I'm sorry you're going through this. I can empathize. I recently noticed that I was always the initiator for a group I hang out with, and that they seemed fairly... indifferent when we did hang out? I stopped initiating and the get togethers stopped happening. I've decided to put my energy elsewhere, but of course it still stings.
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Comment on ‘The Marvels’ meltdown: Disney MCU posts lowest box office opening ever at $47m — what went wrong in ~movies
GodzillasPencil I saw it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Our showing was full of middle-school age boys and they seemed to be having fun too. It had the typical issues I associate with every post-Endgame Marvel show,...I saw it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Our showing was full of middle-school age boys and they seemed to be having fun too. It had the typical issues I associate with every post-Endgame Marvel show, which is: the plot logic falls apart when you poke it with a stick, but I also found it to be fun, silly, and unusually well paced for Marvel. I'm a long time Ms. Marvel comic book fan, and the young actress playing her did a bang up job. The character was a good foil for Captain Marvel, who I've always found a bit... stiff.
All that being said, the only reason I saw this movie is that I really like Ms. Marvel. It was fun to see my favorite superhero on the big screen
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Comment on Spotify has added audiobooks to its subscription model – reaching millions of people, it may revolutionise the already booming audiobooks business in ~tech
GodzillasPencil Here's a bit of inside baseball on this topic: Spotify announced their included audiobook-hours perk while quietly telling authors that they'd get compensated on a similar model to how musicians...Here's a bit of inside baseball on this topic: Spotify announced their included audiobook-hours perk while quietly telling authors that they'd get compensated on a similar model to how musicians are paid. AKA, extremely poorly, via a divvied-up a pool of money via some opaque streaming calculation.
To go back further, Spotify bought the only competitor to Audible (Findaway voices), in a move that seemed designed to bolster their streaming content, although they downplayed the streaming angle to authors and narrators at first.
The writing was on the wall when Spotify quickly shut down the "Authors Direct" service that Findaway voices offered. It had allowed authors to sell audiobooks directly to readers via mini storefronts for a modest percentage of the sale. They also shut down the Authors Direct app, essentially cutting readers off from the books they'd purchased. Authors were encouraged to distribute through the Spotify catalog instead.
Then, a clause buried deeply in the Findaway Voices TOS seized permission to use narrator voices to train AI, even though in many cases the narrators weren't a party to the contract and didn't give consent. SAG-AFTRA had to send in the lawyers.
Sanderson made a deal with Spotify for an undisclosed amount that he was happy with. I'm glad he was able to do this, but he's a powerhouse and these deals are a rarity. Sanderson was right about Audible, but unfortunately Spotify isn't much better for an average author. And Audible and Spotify are essentially the only two games in town. You can't even get your audiobook in other stores (like Barnes and Noble, Folio.fm) without going through Findaway or Audible as a middleman.
TL;DR: They both stink. Sorry.
Source: I'm an author.
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Comment on Does anyone use Framework laptops? What has been your experience? in ~comp
GodzillasPencil I've had a Framework 13 for about a year and it's as solid as any other laptop I've owned from a reliability and functionality perspective. The "right angle" USB end of my laptop charger frayed...I've had a Framework 13 for about a year and it's as solid as any other laptop I've owned from a reliability and functionality perspective. The "right angle" USB end of my laptop charger frayed after about a year of heavy use and I replaced it with a $9 USB cable. The power block was still in perfect shape, so it was an easy fix.
Swapping ports is a game changer. I swap in a mini SD reader when I'm doing a lot of camera work and have cards to pull data from. I switch which ports are on which side when adjusting my desk setup.
I've tossed perfectly healthy laptops in the past when an irreplaceable battery died. I'm so glad to know that when my battery (or keyboard, or trackpad) gives up the ghost I can just fix the broken part.
It's a real laptop, not a tinker toy like the Pinebook.
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Comment on Rick and Morty | Season 7 official trailer in ~tv
GodzillasPencil Well done, Adult Swim. The voices are a good match (not exact, but close) and the acting sounds good. I'm enthused!Well done, Adult Swim. The voices are a good match (not exact, but close) and the acting sounds good. I'm enthused!
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Comment on Hasan Minhaj’s “Emotional Truths” in ~life
GodzillasPencil I remember enjoying his show Patriot Act right up until the point where he covered a topic I had some familiarity with. The episode was so slanted, so misleading, that I realized I'd probably been...I remember enjoying his show Patriot Act right up until the point where he covered a topic I had some familiarity with. The episode was so slanted, so misleading, that I realized I'd probably been taken for a ride in the other episodes. It's just that I lacked enough knowledge to see it. It's difficult to keep a clear head when someone is telling lies that fit your preconceptions of the world.
Comedy is comedy, but given that it sounds like he's smearing real people, and spinning fictions about how his family is being threatened, the fabrications cross a line into ick.
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Comment on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds S02E10 - "Hegemony" Episode Discussion in ~tv
GodzillasPencil I thought it was fun, but Chapel being the only survivor on that big ass ship was so convenient as to be completely unbelievable. I’m not mad, but come on. The Ready Room had interviews with the...I thought it was fun, but Chapel being the only survivor on that big ass ship was so convenient as to be completely unbelievable.
I’m not mad, but come on.
The Ready Room had interviews with the practical effects crew that built the Gorn. Worth a watch if you like seeing how creatures are made.
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Comment on Any people here who are also interested in a "low-tech lifestyle?" in ~tech
GodzillasPencil I enjoyed those same subreddits and lusted after the Lightphone for a while. I suspect there are a lot of people who are quietly downgrading or de-emphasizing certain tech for better contentment...I enjoyed those same subreddits and lusted after the Lightphone for a while. I suspect there are a lot of people who are quietly downgrading or de-emphasizing certain tech for better contentment and peace of mind. Rather than buying a Lightphone I ended up creating a "dumbphone" shortcut on my iPhone which turns off all radios except for phone and SMS. It's a bit easier to live in "dumbphone mode" when I know I can temporarily flick the smartphone on when I need to do something like look up an address or download tickets to a show.
I've experimented a bit with lower tech solutions in other areas. I wear a Casio watch. I have offline Wikipedia (through Kiwix) and hardback reference manuals. I use a physical dictionary. I often check my email first thing, then flip the internet off until days end and it feels great to be unbothered. At home we have a Jellyfin server with our own purchased media (DVDs and Blu Ray) and are weaning ourselves off streaming, although we indulge occasionally.
I still use a lot of tech but I try not to let it use me. I don't think being endlessly plugged into the internet hive mind is a healthy thing.
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Comment on Futurama Season 8 Episode 2 discussion in ~tv
GodzillasPencil I’ve found the first two episodes enjoyable in a familiar-cozy kind of way. I haven’t laughed as much as I used to, yet, but I’m glad they’re continuing old storylines and staying true to the...I’ve found the first two episodes enjoyable in a familiar-cozy kind of way. I haven’t laughed as much as I used to, yet, but I’m glad they’re continuing old storylines and staying true to the characters.
I rewatched the old episode about Kif’s pregnancy in advance and was amused when they cleverly dropped the clips into the show as reminders.
Apparently everyone still has an eye phone! :)
I've been using my framework laptop since summer of 22 with no problems. It feels solid. I haven't had any hinge issues. The only thing I've needed to replace is the USB cable (but not the power block) so I'm a happy camper.