HeroesJourneyMadness's recent activity
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Comment on What books do you recommend for someone looking for positive vibes or casual amusement or escape in ~books
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Comment on Jurassic World Rebirth | Official trailer in ~movies
HeroesJourneyMadness (edited )Link ParentYour reply has me trying to step back and mull over the ideas around parable and story and genre. Arguably, the original King Kong has elements of Frankenstein in it. The misunderstood monster....Your reply has me trying to step back and mull over the ideas around parable and story and genre. Arguably, the original King Kong has elements of Frankenstein in it. The misunderstood monster. I'm mulling over your ideas about theme for the JP franchise without any conclusions yet.
What made me think of this is that I agree with you - I'm not a fan of how dumb the JP franchise has gotten. That said - I saw someone describe Kong x Godzilla as essentially crossing over into WWE territory (which I also don't care for). Ironically, I think that's why I tried it out AND vaguely forgettably enjoyed it. I had rock-bottom expectations. I'm not going to say it's 'good'. I'd call it kind of silly fun. It didn't offend me despite it dabbling in potentially problematic indigenous magic crystals and nonsense 'out the wazoo' (as my dad used to say).
Contrast this with what's gone on with the Planet of the Apes movies. Terrible and campy OG franchise and then a bad initial reboot with each consecutive film getting better until the last couple are kind of peak story/monster/CGI experiences IMO.
I don't follow what studio had what property close enough to know who owns/runs what properties, but it seems like very different strategies. Maybe someday enough people will stop going to JP franchise films enough that the studio will have to worry about story and character and logic again instead of what sure seems like just mining some formula.
(edit): now I kind of want to start a rumor that the JP franchise is going to crossover/reboot a Creature from the Black Lagoon franchise. (I kid!)
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Comment on Jurassic World Rebirth | Official trailer in ~movies
HeroesJourneyMadness And Chef! That flick is a warm blanket of dad-nessAnd Chef! That flick is a warm blanket of dad-ness
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Comment on Jurassic World Rebirth | Official trailer in ~movies
HeroesJourneyMadness That seems not too far off 1:1 honestly. I’d consider your list all “one-for-me”s. I’d also throw in other endeavors TBH. Any A-lister trying to bankroll something other than more studio drivel I...That seems not too far off 1:1 honestly. I’d consider your list all “one-for-me”s.
I’d also throw in other endeavors TBH. Any A-lister trying to bankroll something other than more studio drivel I think deserves some consideration.
Except for Whalburgers. That guy ran out of free passes when he assaulted that Asian guy in my book.
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Comment on Family sues over adult son's fatal asthma attack after US insurance company removed medication from coverage in ~health
HeroesJourneyMadness (edited )Link ParentThat’s the first thing I thought of too. It’s manufactured layers of complexity for the sake of business, not health. And these are the layers we know about. Nobody challenges the prescription...That’s the first thing I thought of too. It’s manufactured layers of complexity for the sake of business, not health.
And these are the layers we know about. Nobody challenges the prescription monopoly/racket.
At one point I had a view into some of the internal machinations of the VA health system. It is as hamstrung and inefficient as is written about. But it’s also the closest model for how socialized healthcare might be pursued here in the US.
Which is why the VA has been constantly attacked and undermined and rendered ineffective. I’m firmly of the belief that there is a soft pipeline/micro economy of leaks and journalists designed to ensure that every misstep the VA takes makes it into the news. To ensure we are always of the belief that socialized healthcare isn’t possible.
The truth is every single other developed country has done it to one extent or another more successfully than the US. For one reason; money. Examples of how to improve healthcare are literally surrounding us globally.
The death and pain and suffering are by design.
edit: fixed a run-on sentence/
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Comment on Jurassic World Rebirth | Official trailer in ~movies
HeroesJourneyMadness I’m sure they were not going for a feeling of disappointment, but that’s what it got from me. ScarJo better get three for her after the hit her brand is gonna take for this.I’m sure they were not going for a feeling of disappointment, but that’s what it got from me. ScarJo better get three for her after the hit her brand is gonna take for this.
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Comment on I hate the new internet. I hate the new tech world. I hate it all. I want out, and I can't be the only one. in ~tech
HeroesJourneyMadness Hello fellow doom spiralers. It’s hard. I would just like to add- fully on board with all of this and I’m sorry for my current bout of increasingly dark takes of late. I can recommend drawing....Hello fellow doom spiralers.
It’s hard. I would just like to add- fully on board with all of this and I’m sorry for my current bout of increasingly dark takes of late.
I can recommend drawing. Just doodles. It helps.
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Comment on App/browser extension idea if it doesn't already exist: likely bot database in ~tech
HeroesJourneyMadness I would love to throw in on this. Not that I have a lot of experience in this area - I worked through exactly one “make an extension” tut a decade ago… but I’d happily wrench on this with someone...I would love to throw in on this. Not that I have a lot of experience in this area - I worked through exactly one “make an extension” tut a decade ago… but I’d happily wrench on this with someone who knows what they’re doing.
Love this idea. I’ve had variations on this for years but your implementation sounds so reasonable. Is Greasemonkey still a thing? It could probably start as just a script.
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Comment on How did racist mass texts bypass some anti-spam guardrails after the US election? in ~tech
HeroesJourneyMadness That’s the nice thing about armchair-quarterbacking this thing. I don’t have any solution… or rather, I don’t have any other than what we already have - the carriers doing what they can to stay...That’s the nice thing about armchair-quarterbacking this thing. I don’t have any solution… or rather, I don’t have any other than what we already have - the carriers doing what they can to stay ahead of the spammers.
What I do have is the lowest trust I’ve ever had in any of the string-pulling nonsensical maneuvering going on.
Do I want more spam? Of course not. It drives me nuts. I’ve tried like three different blocking apps.
But the timing and contents of that attack are super suspect. It’s the kind of nonsense that IMO tells on itself as having some ulterior motive simply by being so nonsensical. It smell like a(nother) manipulation to me. Its manufacturing consent, that’s all.
It’s just like the new porn identity requirements. It’s not about porn. It’s about control. It’s about knowing who is behind the keyboard- not because they want to “come for you” but because they want to quietly mute any dissenting voices.
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Comment on How did racist mass texts bypass some anti-spam guardrails after the US election? in ~tech
HeroesJourneyMadness What a messy situation from a tech standpoint. Layers of complexity and nobody wants the responsibility nor the loss of revenue. Capitalism without accountability once again. ...And what a...What a messy situation from a tech standpoint. Layers of complexity and nobody wants the responsibility nor the loss of revenue. Capitalism without accountability once again.
...And what a perfectly constructed scenario for increasing fascist power. This kind of scary but ultimately impotent attack provides just the motivation for building out controls and infrastructure into mms and sms that can easily strip away (unruly/disenfranchised) peoples' ability to organize (privately).
It sure smells to me like that attack and the reaction to it isn't about racist texts at all. Nor is it about being able to spy on your texts. This is about better controls and insights into mass communications. It's about being able to stop unions and protests from forming.
Or it's some kind of message to Washington about just how badly the country has been pwnd by whoever launched the attack, but IMO that theory is in a (very) distant second place.
Someone tell me I'm wrong please and why. I've been online too long and too often again and am gonna go do something more healthy.
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Comment on Growing a beard. Tips and tricks, please! in ~life.style
HeroesJourneyMadness There is no shortage of online material for you to investigate, but I'll offer some of my experience. Find a beard 'guy'. A good barber that knows how to shape your beard and set your beard lines...There is no shortage of online material for you to investigate, but I'll offer some of my experience.
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Find a beard 'guy'. A good barber that knows how to shape your beard and set your beard lines - and bonus points if he teaches you how to set them. You don't need to turn it all over to a pro, but some do. I went to one about monthly for a while but mostly I DIY.
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There is no shortage of product offerings. Wax, Balms, 'conditioners', No-shine scalp lotions (I never bothered), Safety razors, straight razors, balms, soaps, creams, even a silly razor on a ring called the HeadBlade that you slip over your finger for "easier" head shaving. It's kind of fun, kind of absurd depending on what you're into.
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Beard oil deserves its own bullet though I think. It's good for the beard, you get a whole perfumery world opened up to you, (I like the spice & leather scents) but it also doesn't get absorbed by the follicle - so it travels. This brings me to my next couple of points.
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This summer you may learn that without hair there's nowhere for the oils your scalp produces to go but down. You may find your face starting to feel oily over the course of the day. I found that a quick wipe down with a damp paper towel or washcloth on long or hot days was an easy fast fix.
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The 'healthy' vs. 'clean' vs. 'smelly' spectrum. This is the crux of the learning curve. Healthy beards have oil in them. At one point I came across a beard guy who said only ever condition your beard, NEVER shampoo it. Two weeks later after what I can only imagine was an onslaught of fed-up partners demanding he help them address the smelly bearded-partners of the world he backtracked to something more reasonable/flexible.
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The in-between phase. I think most beards have an awkward adolescent phase. It's the point at which the beard starts to get long enough to need some training, or product, or is just gonna look stupid for a while until it and you and it make peace with each other. It helps to know which kind of beard you're going for.
Mostly though, have fun with it. You can always shave it off unless your teenage daughter is so scarred by seeing her father's chin for the first time that you're forbidden from ever doing it again.
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Comment on How would you moderate this scenario? in ~tech
HeroesJourneyMadness Agreeing with the delete sentiment, but I’d probably replace it with a gif of a ref throwing a yellow flag or a yellow card, depending on the culture. Fun way to just assert the power and declare...Agreeing with the delete sentiment, but I’d probably replace it with a gif of a ref throwing a yellow flag or a yellow card, depending on the culture.
Fun way to just assert the power and declare “over the line”!
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Comment on Looking for a visualization of North American political boundaries over time in ~humanities.history
HeroesJourneyMadness Only seeing this now, but I wanted to offer what turned into a long meta-commentary on your question - This sounds like a project for some iSchool (School of Information - formerly known in many...Only seeing this now, but I wanted to offer what turned into a long meta-commentary on your question - This sounds like a project for some iSchool (School of Information - formerly known in many instances as Library schools) class or dissertation project. That's where a ton of data visualization work is made and studied. It also seems super-likely this has been done to one extent or another repeatedly by grad students over the years.
The challenge/obstacle here is likely one of academic ego. My (cynical) assumption is that every time one of these gets made the publisher is unable to really use or promote or maintain it because as others have said, the history, data, sources, and by extension - credibility - is a mess.
Combine that with the fact that this visualization essentially distills and summarizes a whole bunch of historians' lifelong career and work. Academics' work. Known and notoriously super competitive and frequently petty tenured egotistical people with time and resources to burn to protect their work, jobs, and egos. It likely becomes a problem.
So, what you're looking for exists to one extent or another, I'm sure. I've worked some in data vis and information design. If I can wrap this up and still need to slack off, I'll go looking through galleries of Prezi creations, Tableau galleries, and essentially anything that looks promising with a search for Data Visualization Catalogue.
This is one of those areas that I know just enough to be cynical. Looking over that first page of results, unsurprisingly, the player's names have changed over the years... but running down the name of a startup I remember from way back when... hopping a few jumps... and I found this very long list of (slightly older) open data submissions. There might be something in there - or it might be full of other cool stuff, but pause a minute before clicking and please read on, because it just got interesting:
The page that link goes to is massively long and crashed my browser window if I didn't stop it partway loaded, it's not SSL encrypted, and IMO I genuinely believe there is at least some possibility clicking it could potentially put you on some entity's list/radar if you care about such things. I scrolled down a bit and clicked one at random and was presented with a map of all Indian Airforce Bases in 2006. This made me a little uncomfortable and I'm backing away.
Please forgive that this is structured like Dr. Strange's spells - with the warning at the end - but I've gone on too long already.
Personally, I've given up hope of privacy and am not doing anything nefarious, so I clicked, but you can make your own decisions.
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Comment on Can you recommend tv shows with themes of grit, endurance, survival under hostile circumstances? in ~tv
HeroesJourneyMadness As a guy who investigated the vague recollections of the late-70s BSG from his childhood when the one from the oughts was nearly all my nerdy friends and I talked about, I'm assuming the later...As a guy who investigated the vague recollections of the late-70s BSG from his childhood when the one from the oughts was nearly all my nerdy friends and I talked about, I'm assuming the later one. Not that I didn't wear a homemade OG Starbuck costume for halloween one year, but what Ronald D. Moore did was pretty amazing - and intense.
The 70's one didn't hold up IMO, but then... it was kinda only 20 years into broadcast TV, and variety shows were still a thing.
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Comment on Besides Shawshank Redemption, what films do you like that feature grit, resilience, endurance under hostile circumstances? in ~movies
HeroesJourneyMadness I’ve been on an old movie kick lately and this thread reminded me of a movie I watched with my grandpa waaay back when. He picked it out and I was too young for it by far- but it’s definitely cut...I’ve been on an old movie kick lately and this thread reminded me of a movie I watched with my grandpa waaay back when. He picked it out and I was too young for it by far- but it’s definitely cut from the same cloth as Shawshank. Papillon (1973) with Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman. It was remade with Charlie Hunnam not long ago, but I never watched that one.
8/10 on IMDB. It might be kinda dude-bro-y - two guys trying to escape from an island prison in 1930s South America- very loosely based on a true story.
I might be suggesting this with rose-tinted nostalgia, but it definitely fits the requested criteria, and might be a good deep-cut.
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
HeroesJourneyMadness OMG! You’re the guy that didn’t like Fury Road! That is so funny to me in the most earnest, kind, empathetic “this guy just can’t get a break about things that really do not matter” kind of way....OMG! You’re the guy that didn’t like Fury Road! That is so funny to me in the most earnest, kind, empathetic “this guy just can’t get a break about things that really do not matter” kind of way. Am so entertained.
Thank you!
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Comment on What's a song that you initially didn't enjoy, but it grew on you over time and is now a favorite? in ~music
HeroesJourneyMadness Unfortunately I don’t listen to enough music anymore to let things grow on me much. So, instead I’ll offer up some of my favorite discordant corners from my collection. This one particular track...Unfortunately I don’t listen to enough music anymore to let things grow on me much. So, instead I’ll offer up some of my favorite discordant corners from my collection. This one particular track being a favorite mix of shamble, funk, jank, and squealing: Medeski Martin & Wood’s Pardito Alto from The Dropper
I just adore that prolonged crescendo squeal.
After that, I’d probably go into what I think of as shoegaze - though recently I saw I may be using that term wrong. Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh, and Pavement all took me a few runs to appreciate, but I return to occasionally.
One more deep cut - Chavez - the band. They only did two albums, with Ride the Fader being the one that never left my car’s disc player for one fall.
If anyone goes exploring because of this I hope they feel strongly one way or another about any of these. Bonus points for putting that first one on repeat.
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Comment on OpenAI furious DeepSeek might have stolen all the data OpenAI stole from us in ~tech
HeroesJourneyMadness This is by far the best word combo I’ve come across in a long time. Not sure if it’s quite a band, song, or album, but it’s poetry. Thank you for this and the bullseye usage. Now if only Anonymous...hypocrisy ouroboros
This is by far the best word combo I’ve come across in a long time. Not sure if it’s quite a band, song, or album, but it’s poetry. Thank you for this and the bullseye usage.
Now if only Anonymous would open source some heinous AI-generated film starring Mickey Mouse, Superman, Spiderman, Ironman, Spawn, Gandalf, Fritz the Cat, and whatever other IP could make it worse… Sean Connery’s 007.
Time to touch grass, definitely.
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Comment on 1,156 questions censored by DeepSeek in ~tech
HeroesJourneyMadness That was a reassuring article- from the closing: Elsewhere they say that is seems as though the censoring was done as a matter of CCP compliance and is kind of trivial and easily worked around....That was a reassuring article- from the closing:
The censorship is not unusual for Chinese models. It seems to be applied by brute force, which makes it easy to test and detect.
It will matter less once models similar to R1 are reproduced without these restrictions (which will probably be in a week or so).
In the next post, we'll conduct the same evaluation on American foundation models and compare how Chinese and American models handle politically sensitive topics from both countries.
Next up: 1,156 prompts censored by ChatGPT
Elsewhere they say that is seems as though the censoring was done as a matter of CCP compliance and is kind of trivial and easily worked around. Much of the article reads to my layperson’s eyes as a kind of tutorial on testing and working around censorship in different ways.
I’m reading this as a pretty solid explanation of how and why the issue of Chinese censorship is an absolute non-issue for any serious usage of DeepSeek. Unsurprisingly it’s total FUD for anyone uninterested in trolling on the issue.
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Comment on I built an omni-directional ball-wheeled bike in ~engineering
HeroesJourneyMadness I saw this recently too and forwarded to a friend. It was a fun watch despite having only a very loose layman’s idea of how the tech works. I know what a servo does. He also built an AT-AT he can...I saw this recently too and forwarded to a friend. It was a fun watch despite having only a very loose layman’s idea of how the tech works. I know what a servo does.
He also built an AT-AT he can ride like a horse, and something he called a “screw bike” that I started to look for but then had to pull out of said rabbit-hole. Good silly channel.
My first thought too, though of the ones I’ve read Small Gods is my personal favorite. I’m not entirely sure the premise is all that hopeful, but the yarn is great silly fun and I found hope in it.