JCPhoenix's recent activity
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Comment on Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen's long-serving race engineer, set to join McLaren in 2028 in ~sports.motorsports
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Comment on Offbeat Fridays – The thread where offbeat headlines become front page news in ~news
JCPhoenix LinkNot quite offbeat, but rather beating off. There's even a tracking app at https://beatcanceroff.com/. So guys can track their "activities." And, for once, it actually IS for science!Not quite offbeat, but rather beating off.
Nonprofit cancer organization FCancer, together with VML Health, has launched "Beat Cancer Off," a bold new awareness campaign built around a striking scientific insight: men who ejaculate 21 or more times per month may reduce their risk of prostate cancer by up to 22%, according to the landmark Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) - one of the largest and longest-running studies of its kind.
There's even a tracking app at https://beatcanceroff.com/. So guys can track their "activities." And, for once, it actually IS for science!
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
JCPhoenix Link ParentSo when I was like 14-15yo, one of my younger cousins, who was like 13yo, had some Utena movie. And she played it for my younger-than-her brother and me. I just remember being like "Cuzzo...what...So when I was like 14-15yo, one of my younger cousins, who was like 13yo, had some Utena movie. And she played it for my younger-than-her brother and me. I just remember being like "Cuzzo...what in the eff are we watching??" Not because of the queer elements, but because one of the girls like turned into a car or something? Also I vaguely remember something about rape in that movie? Idk, I had no clue what was happening.
So I only have the most basic familiarity with Revolutionary Girl Utena. And so had no idea TWFM was based on that story!
As an adult, I should be probably give that movie a rewatch. And maybe watch the show. I still bring it up with my brother every once in awhile, "Remember that show Laura made us watch? Utena? Tf was that??"
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Comment on Half-baked idea for metered inline image allowances in ~tildes
JCPhoenix Link ParentWhile I do think there's a little bit of "reddit-fication" on this site, probably because most of us come from reddit, this still isn't reddit. I don't like the idea that we can't do things...While I do think there's a little bit of "reddit-fication" on this site, probably because most of us come from reddit, this still isn't reddit. I don't like the idea that we can't do things because reddit does it. The userbases between here and there are so vastly different, I don't see how we can look at changes and results on reddit and think "Yeah, that'll happen here, too."
Being on this site for years now, I think it's clear that all of us here try not to let redditisms slip in too much. That we can be mostly responsible adults online (or at least on this site).
Having people talk and describe concepts reveals things about what they believe and why.
This is another that I don't buy into that strongly. Sometimes a funny image says it all. Not every comment on this site has to be super serious discussions and deep understanding about some topic. I think this recent comment is a good example.
Even on serious topics, sorry, I'm not going to describe an image of a graph if I can just link to the image.
Honestly, I don't even feel that strongly about having inline images. We obviously haven't had them, and probably won't have them. That's fine. I just tire of the notion that we shouldn't do because reddit. We can chart our own course here without always have to have look back at reddit over our shoulders.
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Comment on Half-baked idea for metered inline image allowances in ~tildes
JCPhoenix LinkI like the idea. As an aside, what are the image hosts people are using? I typically use imgur, but that seems to have caused some consternation here in the past due to geoblocking and I guess...I like the idea.
As an aside, what are the image hosts people are using? I typically use imgur, but that seems to have caused some consternation here in the past due to geoblocking and I guess just people not liking imgur. I am not interested in setting up my own image hosting, so which are you guys using?
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
JCPhoenix LinkI recently started and finished Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury. It was only two seasons, so it was an easy binge over the last two weeks or so. It was alright; the second season was...I recently started and finished Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury. It was only two seasons, so it was an easy binge over the last two weeks or so. It was alright; the second season was more interesting and exciting that the first, as the first just set up characters, relationships, and overall premise, while the second season was a lot more palace intrigue, politics, and Gundams actually fighting (not just a bunch of in-school duels). The politics and intrigue is the stuff I like in anime and other media.
Of Gundam shows, I've only fully seen Iron Blooded Orphans and Unicorn (or UC). I liked the former a lot; didn't care very much for the latter. I'd say The Witch from Mercury falls somewhere in between those two.
And I think a lot has to do with this being Gundam but taking place within a ritzy high school. Complete with "houses" and all that. I know Gundam has always been about kids/teens piloting mechas, but TWFM really leans into that. So you get the high school drama. There are Gundam duels that take place between house members. There are rich and powerful houses that seem to try to keep the poorer, less powerful houses down (and of course our MC and cast are part of this poorer "Earth House"). In some ways, felt like I was watching Harry Potter. And the weirdest part is that the school's owner's daughter will be married off to whoever is the best Gundam duelist (the "Holder"). It's explained why that is; still feels weird.
But in the second season, the more "traditional" Gundam or genre elements came back, so I was pleased.
I will give props to the series for being LGBT-forward. I know Iron Blooded Orphans had a minor gay character and portrayed the character not stereotypically and even explored that character's sexuality a little bit. Which was great.
But in TWFM, the MC, Ms. Suletta Mercury, pretty quickly and unexpectedly becomes the "groom" of said school's owner's tsundere daughter, Ms. Miorne Rembran, when Suletta unexpectedly defeats the then-current male Holder. And that relationship is a major plot point. And it's not like "Ewww, but I'm a girl and she's a girl!" It's rather matter of fact instead. The tsundere is like, "Well, I guess you're my new fiancee. Better do what I say." And the MC and all the students and parents other adults accept it. Going further, there are hints that each girl might have a kinda crush on a respective male classmate. Are they lesbians? Are they bi? Or is that my "primitive" thinking, since these kids are hundreds of years into our potential mecha-filled future, where labels don't matter anymore? Either way, props to the writers for willing to show a LGBT relationship front and center!
Also in the process of finishing Season 2 of Frieren. Just have the final episode to watch. Gonna be real sad since when I'm done with it, since it seems like we probably won't get anymore Frieren and Co. for a long time. Sigh.
Lastly, started Witch Hat Atelier. Qifrey is so pretty...But so is the art style and animation!
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Comment on Intelligent people are better judges of the intelligence of others in ~science
JCPhoenix Link ParentAt my university, each Psych 100 undergrad had to do like 10 studies during the semester. Or less if some were lengthier, where participation in one study could be counted as 2 study credits...At my university, each Psych 100 undergrad had to do like 10 studies during the semester. Or less if some were lengthier, where participation in one study could be counted as 2 study credits instead of just one. They were fun and interesting. Though I never saw results of stuff (not that I went looking).
Though I see how it'd be kinda WEIRD ;)
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Comment on Donald Trump posted on Truth Social this morning that "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again" as his threatened attacks on Iranian infrastructure loom ahead of deadline in ~society
JCPhoenix Link ParentI agree with this. And I think it's a lot clearer to people who just read the headlines. "A whole civilization will die tonight," sounds very bombastic. Typical Trump shlock. But "Trump plans to...I agree with this. And I think it's a lot clearer to people who just read the headlines. "A whole civilization will die tonight," sounds very bombastic. Typical Trump shlock. But "Trump plans to commit genocide," I think would get a lot more heads turning and actually might be taken more seriously. Because now it sounds like plain, "boring," official government policy, as opposed to just Trump's typical word vomit.
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Comment on Donald Trump posted on Truth Social this morning that "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again" as his threatened attacks on Iranian infrastructure loom ahead of deadline in ~society
JCPhoenix LinkI wish the media would stop reporting on his bullshit. It'd be nice as a whole, but since he is unfortunately the president, I get that's not realistic. But at least stop reporting on his Truth...I wish the media would stop reporting on his bullshit. It'd be nice as a whole, but since he is unfortunately the president, I get that's not realistic. But at least stop reporting on his Truth Social posts. In some ways, with the media reporting his digital vomit, it's just ups the ante. Will he TACO? Maybe, probably. But if everyone is watching and waiting, it just makes the situation potentially worse.
Or Idk, maybe he's the type that if he's ignored, he'll just get even more crazy for attention. Idk. Either way, it's so fucking tiring.
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Comment on Happy 17776 Day! in ~misc
JCPhoenix LinkOne of my favorite parts of the Internet. I'm not even a sportsball person (more of a sports-tire person), but I'll read/watch anything by John Bois. His stuff is interesting from a digital media...One of my favorite parts of the Internet. I'm not even a sportsball person (more of a sports-tire person), but I'll read/watch anything by John Bois. His stuff is interesting from a digital media perspective, period.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
JCPhoenix Link ParentSo I only picked it up around December 2024. By that point, I think most of the major issues, especially concerning performance, were fixed. I haven't had any noteworthy performance issues. Though...So I only picked it up around December 2024. By that point, I think most of the major issues, especially concerning performance, were fixed. I haven't had any noteworthy performance issues. Though I also haven't built a big city yet.
I haven't played much of it (23hrs), at least compared to CS1 (469hrs), and I don't have any paid DLC (yet?), but the bit I have played is alright. It definitely feels a lot like CS1, but with some QOL improvements, such as with drawing roads and traffic management. There are also some things that help better managing services, like the ability to create "school districts" to ensure better service coverage.
As with many Paradox games, it's a continuous WIP. But it's definitely playable. I think there's a new Paradox studio that's working on it now? We'll see how they do compared to Colossal Order.
To answer your question, I don't know if it's gotten out of CS1's shadow yet. Maybe it still is a bit of a soft disappointment? As someone who played all the SimCity titles -- even the unfortunate 2013 entry -- I liked that each game was its own take on building a city. Different features and focuses, even though each game was, at its core, the same. Even the 2013 entry had some cool stuff, which is why it was so disappointing when it didn't pan out. But like I mentioned, CS2 feels like a moderately better version of CS1. That's all.
I picked up CS2 when it when they had a free trial weekend, plus a sale. Had it not been on sale, and had there not been a trial weekend, I wouldn't have bought it then. Even though it was supposed to be a Day 1 buy for me.
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Comment on Sam Altman may control our future—can he be trusted? in ~tech
JCPhoenix Link ParentI was waiting for this. "Can he be trusted?" NO.I was waiting for this.
"Can he be trusted?"
NO.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
JCPhoenix LinkHaven't really played anything new lately. Jumped back into Rimworld and Cities: Skylines 2 a bit. I like Rimworld, but god does it get so tedious. There's always something to do, some mini-crisis...Haven't really played anything new lately. Jumped back into Rimworld and Cities: Skylines 2 a bit. I like Rimworld, but god does it get so tedious. There's always something to do, some mini-crisis that I have to try to fix, etc. But this playthrough, which I started last year, is one where I'm trying to get deeper into things. Like I'm slow as hell in this game, so I only ever scratch the surface level. Though this is the farthest I've gotten into the game, which compared to most others, isn't even that far. So I guess I'll continue with it.
Deadlock is the other game that I'm putting some effort into. I'm still god awful, but I am getting better. I even pulled off an MVP win with Vindicta over the weekend! Though that perhaps says more about the others in the match, that Vindicta can even pull off an MVP...
Anyway, I suspect I wouldn't still be playing Deadlock if I wasn't playing with friends. If I wasn't only playing with friends. Not really a MOBA or hero shooter player, but with friends, I guess I am.
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Comment on German males under 45 may need military approval for long stays abroad in ~society
JCPhoenix (edited )Link ParentIn the US, those registered within the Selective Service System between 18-25yo are supposed to update their addresses every time they move. I only found out about this a few years ago when...In the US, those registered within the Selective Service System between 18-25yo are supposed to update their addresses every time they move. I only found out about this a few years ago when looking at the Selective Service website, and noticed they still have my old childhood home on record. I'm also way past 25yo, so it's NBD at this point. But I definitely moved a few times during those years and never updated it.
I imagine the vast majority of American men act similarly, by not acting. Mostly because they forget or, probably more commonly, don't know. Plus never thinking about their registration after they register.
So I could see an argument for notifying the government, for draft purposes, if one is abroad for extended periods of time. 3+ months continuously abroad is definitely outside the realm of a typical vacation (at least to us vacation-starved Americans). Even a semester of studying abroad is still living abroad.
But this is different in that German men may need permission to leave the country, period, if they'll be abroad for more than 3mos. Which is pretty wild outside of wartime. I know Ukraine has restricted men's ability to leave the country, but there's an obvious reason why that's happening, sadly.
It'll be interesting to see how this turns out. Personally, I think it's wrong for a government to restrict travel en masse like that outside of wartime (and by this, I mean like actual homeland defense, not just like Germany assisting in a foreign war with allies or something). Hopefully the process won't be to onerous.
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Comment on University at forty in ~talk
JCPhoenix LinkI wasn't 40 when I finally finished school, but I was in my early 30s. I was a bad student in my traditional college years. Like too busy partying and all that. My ability to buckle down was quite...I wasn't 40 when I finally finished school, but I was in my early 30s. I was a bad student in my traditional college years. Like too busy partying and all that. My ability to buckle down was quite outmatched by my ability to shotgun beers and do shots night after night. I eventually stopped going to school in my mid-20s, finally realizing I was just wasting money left and right. Money that I'd have to pay back and am still paying back. And will be.
Anyway, I got to experience college as both a traditional student and non-traditional student. And honestly, I was waaaaay more prepared and disciplined as a non-traditional student. I wish I would've waited to go to college. So being older, and having matured and ideally having more self-discipline will put you at an advantage.
And self-discipline is a big one in college. If you don't want to study, no one is going to make you. If you don't want to show up, it's usually NBD. At university, at least when I was there, no prof is giving points for showing up (though at community college, they were definitely taking attendance). If you don't want to do the homework, that's your choice. No one will make you participate. But if you do all those things, profs will usually more lenient with you. I once skipped a term paper for a class, but I participated all the time, showed up all the time, and literally did everything else. The prof knew I knew my shit. Still got an A in the class, lol.
Many classes only give points for exams and projects/papers. Your whole semester will be based on a mid-term, a final exam, and whatever major papers/projects you have. That's it. So if you fuck up even one, it can hurt a lot.
When I finished my degree, I took pretty much all night classes. Mine were often twice a week, 3hrs each. That's crazy for some people; I loved them. Anyway, those night classes tend to attract other non-traditional students. But there were still some younger traditional students. And I interacted with them. I wouldn't call any of them friends and no one was inviting me to a kegger (😭), but regardless, I think there's a realization that we're all adults and it doesn't matter if you're 18yo or 40yo or 60yo! And I've had 60yo classmates before. Not many, but a few. That said, you'll probably naturally gravitate towards the folks closer to your age. But keep an open mind; you're all there to learn. Lean on them, let them lean on you.
Congrats on finally doing it though! You'll settle in quickly and get the hang of it. And it'll be over before you know it!
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Comment on Trippy tobacco? Tobacco plants engineered to make five psychedelics at once. in ~science
JCPhoenix Link ParentThat might be one helluva way to get someone to quit smoking. Or conversely, that's all they do from then on. Though could you imagine a pack a day of those? Oof.That might be one helluva way to get someone to quit smoking.
Or conversely, that's all they do from then on. Though could you imagine a pack a day of those? Oof.
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (April 2026) in ~health.mental
JCPhoenix LinkAll my stress in the last year has revolved around my job. Which is weird, because I actually mostly like my job. It's fun, challenging in a good way, and I'm doing exactly what I want to do. It's...All my stress in the last year has revolved around my job. Which is weird, because I actually mostly like my job. It's fun, challenging in a good way, and I'm doing exactly what I want to do. It's just all the other bullshit of being a US federal employee in this era that's stressing me out.
My goal is stick with this job for at least three years. One, it gives me a good deal of experience. Two, it probably looks better on a resume to be at a place for three years versus less than two. Three, federal "tenure" is a thing with regards the pension benefits "clock" and the ability to apply for certain jobs, even if I'm no longer a federal employee at the time of applying. Rather than fully closing a door, I'll be able to keep it cracked a little, just in case.
But why? Am I just constraining myself? Plenty of people job hop after like a year or two. That's totally normal these days. And tenure? Why would I want to go back to the federal government? The floodgates of bullshit have been opened; they're not going to be closed completely ever again.
Then on the other other side...Am I just being a whiny baby? I have a job. I have income (technically speaking...still not getting paid). Plenty of people don't these days. It's tough out there. I should just put up and shut up. All things considered, I have it pretty good.
Idk. I hate being in these loops or cycles. One or two weeks I'm fine, then the next week, I question wtf I'm doing and why I'm doing this. Then once I get it out my system, I'm good or at least OK for a little bit. Then it happens again. It's tiring.
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (April 2026) in ~health.mental
JCPhoenix Link ParentI last moved back in 2024. It sucked. In the run-up, there were definitely days I just wanted to lay about. And sometimes I did. Easier to not face the tasks at hand and just play video games all...I last moved back in 2024. It sucked. In the run-up, there were definitely days I just wanted to lay about. And sometimes I did. Easier to not face the tasks at hand and just play video games all day.
And you're right, it did feel like project management, which I'm terrible at. I actually ended up using Asana, which is like a project management tool/task list and created a project within it. Set up milestones and dates and kept track of what I had completed. That worked surprisingly well. I was still rushing on the last day in my apartment, finishing cleaning and all that. But in the end, the move was completed on time.
You got this.
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Comment on You can finally change the goofy Gmail address you chose years ago in ~tech
JCPhoenix Link ParentI recently got new license plates for my car. Not custom, just whatever got pulled from the pile at the DMV. but part of the letter and numbers could be construed as something like "...Saxon...I recently got new license plates for my car. Not custom, just whatever got pulled from the pile at the DMV. but part of the letter and numbers could be construed as something like "...Saxon 88..."
Now I'm terminally online, so that's really the only reason I saw it right away. But regardless, wtf...
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Comment on Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix 2026 - Race Weekend Discussion in ~sports.motorsports
JCPhoenix Link ParentOn F1TV, you'll hear Jolyon Palmer kinda mention some of the issues. Sam Collins on the pre-show maybe, too. But yeah, from the rest, you don't hear so much. And I suspect F1TV, or rather FOM, has...On F1TV, you'll hear Jolyon Palmer kinda mention some of the issues. Sam Collins on the pre-show maybe, too. But yeah, from the rest, you don't hear so much. And I suspect F1TV, or rather FOM, has some incentive to pamper over some of the issues in the name of keeping people excited and entertained. Maintaining the spectacle. And there's nothing wrong with that. Like I said, the yo-yoing, even if it due to energy deployment, is fun to watch, even if there is a bit of artifice to it. DRS was the same thing, after all. Motorsports is mostly artifice, compared to other sports.
And for sure, the driver views, either through the direct views on F1TV or even during commentary is where you can actually hear the "super clipping" going on. I noticed it the first time during the Chinese GP. Max was on a long straight, and even before he was at the braking point for the upcoming turn, I could hear the car revving down. A lot. He still should've been flat out for a little bit longer.
But I, too, don't watch the driver feeds that much. And truth be told, I wasn't paying that much attention to this past race, so I didn't notice it much either.
That's what I'm thinking the implication is. Certainly GP is his own person. He doesn't need Max's "permission" to go off and do things, like take on higher positions elsewhere.
But I bet it'd be a lot easier for GP if Max is serious about leaving RB or retiring from Formula 1 altogether.