Merry's recent activity
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Comment on Stremio is an impressive program in ~tech
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Comment on What do you do with your diplomas? in ~life
Merry LinkMy undergrad diploma is with my dad. It has much more significance to him than it does to me. My grad diploma is a much different scenario. I never actually received a diploma, or it was sent off...My undergrad diploma is with my dad. It has much more significance to him than it does to me.
My grad diploma is a much different scenario. I never actually received a diploma, or it was sent off to the wrong address. I contacted the college and they sent me one free of charge. Only, the diploma that I received wasn't the degree I was actually educated in. So I kept that one and never got my real diploma.
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Comment on What are your goto cocktails? in ~food
Merry LinkLately, I have been making my wife a cocktail I named after her. It probably already exists under another name but it is essentially: 1 part Chambord 1 part vodka 1 part rum 3 parts Starry (or...Lately, I have been making my wife a cocktail I named after her. It probably already exists under another name but it is essentially:
- 1 part Chambord
- 1 part vodka
- 1 part rum
- 3 parts Starry (or other lemon-lime soda)
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Fill a glass with ice.
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Add Chambord, vodka, and rum.
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Top with Starry.
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Stir gently
I have a soda stream so I make the Starry extra fizzy. She seems to really enjoy it!
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Symbio - Synergy | Live at Viljandi Folk Festival (2024)
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Comment on What's the oldest tech you use, and why do you still use it? in ~tech
Merry LinkI set up my Wii U again right before you posted this so probably that! I instantly felt a tinge of bittersweet happiness when I held the Wii U gamepad in my hands. It's almost like when you smell...I set up my Wii U again right before you posted this so probably that!
I instantly felt a tinge of bittersweet happiness when I held the Wii U gamepad in my hands. It's almost like when you smell something that takes you back to childhood, picking it up made me feel like it was the early 2010s again. It makes me remember that awesome, shitty first apartment I had my second year of college. My first dog, my friendships, just so much. It would definitely be a period of my life that I would go back and visit if I could. A tear actually ran down my face when I thought about my dog from then, even though he died seven or so years ago.
Sadly, even the Wii U is withering away slowly. I put in my Pikimin 3 disc and found it had the common disc rot error for Wii U games. Never finished it and I guess I probably won't after all!
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Comment on How do you feel about your PTO? in ~life
Merry LinkI have been with my company for over five years, so I get 3 weeks of vacation a year, unlimited sick time. On top of that, I also receive 1 free day to use whenever, and then two extra days of my...I have been with my company for over five years, so I get 3 weeks of vacation a year, unlimited sick time.
On top of that, I also receive 1 free day to use whenever, and then two extra days of my choice at the end of the year between Christmas and New Year. I have the option to buy up to one week of vacation but I have not done this in recent years, since last year I did not take much vacation at all. We have a limit to how much we can accrue, that being 240 hours total which I should hit in October. However, I figure if I can get 5 weeks queued up, then I can just start taking at least one day off a month for an extra long weekend, and 3x a year taking two days off a month for two weeks of extended vacation. Combine that with the company holidays and I am sitting pretty nice with vacation time for the foreseeable future.
I'm fortunate that I work remote so I don't get the feeling of burnout too often anymore. Having the freedom to work outside when it is nice and sunny, play a game during my lunch break, and cook food throughout the day, I have very little reason to vacation at this point except when my wife has the availability at her job. We were planning to go to Europe for 3 weeks to visit her family, but at this point we don't feel comfortable coming back into the US with her green card status and the uncertainty of the future.
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Comment on Our interfaces have lost their senses in ~tech
Merry Link ParentI thought it was a good read. You might also enjoy this recent release series on Youtube regarding UI paradigms. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsfH1Ahi4SzE-QmrsrtyZubGmi66iP45V I found it...I thought it was a good read. You might also enjoy this recent release series on Youtube regarding UI paradigms.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsfH1Ahi4SzE-QmrsrtyZubGmi66iP45V
I found it a compelling listen, covering a wide range of topics beyond just UI design. The first video provides a historical overview of how the modern computer interface evolved from the classic office environment metaphor, and how this paradigm has been refined over time without truly being reimagined. It also explores how our tools shape the way we think and create. While it presents an engaging critique of traditional UI structures, it did fall short in offering concrete alternatives, leaning more toward philosophy than practical solutions. Still, it’s a thought-provoking watch that challenges assumptions about how we interact with computers.
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Is it wrong to use AI to fact check and combat the spread of misinformation?
I’ve been wondering about this lately. Recently, I made a post about Ukraine on another social media site, and someone jumped in with the usual "Ukraine isn't a democracy" right-wing talking...
I’ve been wondering about this lately.
Recently, I made a post about Ukraine on another social media site, and someone jumped in with the usual "Ukraine isn't a democracy" right-wing talking point. I wrote out a long, thoughtful reply, only to get the predictable one-liner propaganda responses back. You probably know the type, just regurgitated stuff with no real engagement.
After that, I didn’t really feel like spending my time and energy writing out detailed replies to every canned response. But I also didn’t want to just let it sit there and have people who might be reading the exchange assume there’s no pushback or correction.
So instead, I tried leveraging AI to help me write a fact-checking reply. Not for the person I was arguing with, really, but more as an FYI for anyone else following along. I made sure it stayed factual and based in reality, avoided name-calling, and kept the tone above the usual mudslinging. And of course, I double-checked what it wrote to make sure it matched my understanding and wasn’t just spitting out garbage or hallucinations.
But it got me thinking that there’s a lot of fear about AI being used to spread and create misinformation. But do you think there’s also an opportunity to use it as a tool to counter misinformation, without burning ourselves out in the process?
Curious how others see it.
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Comment on US Department of Homeland Security quietly eliminates ban on surveillance based on sexual orientation and gender identity in ~society
Merry Link ParentI want to and have been trying on and off since November. If I could just find one employer to sponsor, I would be extremely happy and jump on the opportunity. But unfortunately the reality is...I want to and have been trying on and off since November. If I could just find one employer to sponsor, I would be extremely happy and jump on the opportunity. But unfortunately the reality is much bleaker. Not to put myself down, but it isn't like Europe is short on the people who have my skillset. My wife is Ukrainian though and if need be, we could move to Lviv. But the war rages on still and there doesn't seem to be hope in sight that it stops anytime soon.
I have $100k in savings and am working to get a chunk it stored away in Euros or another currency. If need be, we will pack whatever we can and leave as soon as possible to Ukraine, but certain things have to happen here before I can justify leaving.
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Comment on Just rewatched “Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart”, a five-episode series explaining thirty emotions in ~tv
Merry Link ParentFor anecdotal evidence, the only time I have heard about this person and was presented with their content was at an on-site leadership training session being presented by an executive. There were...For anecdotal evidence, the only time I have heard about this person and was presented with their content was at an on-site leadership training session being presented by an executive. There were definitely some people there that found the message really resonated and seem to enjoy the content.
But I also came away not really changed as a person. Not a knock on the content either, it's just like when a comedian can make some people laugh and others not. It's an audience thing.
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Comment on How do you go about learning a new language? in ~humanities.languages
Merry (edited )LinkI think the most important thing you can do is just find a language that is fun or interesting to you. Learning Greek due to familial history is great! But, don't be afraid to drop it after a...I think the most important thing you can do is just find a language that is fun or interesting to you. Learning Greek due to familial history is great! But, don't be afraid to drop it after a little bit if you understand that it isn't for you.
The second most important thing is to set yourself a goal. Some people are content with just being able to read, some to write, some to listen, some to speak, and some do a mix of them or all of them. There is always the question whose answer will vary depending on who you ask, and that is "What does it mean to be fluent?"
Some backstory from me, in the past I have attempted at one point or another Spanish (high school), Japanese (high school), and Italian (self-study). I enjoyed Japanese the most but I was the only person taking it in my high school at the time, and it was 100% remote so I didn't opt to pursue a second year. It wasn't until I tried Ukrainian almost three years ago that I found something that I really enjoyed. For me, the more different a language was to English, the more interested and enjoyable I found it.
So for tips and the "best way" on the journey... I did Duolingo with it for about ~2-3 months and Pimsleur as well. In the case of Ukrainian, learning the alphabet was very easy with Duolingo, but once I understood some basic grammar rules with Ukrainian, I could cheese my way through lessons very easily. After a few months, I started lessons on Preply and still meet with my tutor from back then to this day. I still take lessons with her today and consider her a friend. Our lessons aren't as productive as they were when I first started out, but I enjoy our conversations and it gives me an extra outlet for speaking.
Now, I primarily do LingQ, Anki, my Preply lessons, and some podcast series. I have read textbooks, found websites with exercises and online resources, and even built a nice little custom GPT with all my materials I purchased over the years to give me little lessons and exercises. I'm also watching Dragon Ball in Ukrainian, and will try to watch more complicated material. The thing is, you should use material you like to use and don't be afraid to drop something if it isn't jiving with you. I tried doing LingQ way too early and I ended up dropping it for about six months because I wasn't ready for it. It wasn't until I had a good foundation of vocab that I could get something out of it.
Finally, I will leave you with a couple of last bits of advice:
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There are very few real polyglots in the world but a lot of fake polyglots on Youtube. They memorize some scripted conversations and put themselves in situations where those conversations work, and then post videos online showing off that they learned such and such language in a few weeks/months and now they are fluent.
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Don't compare yourself with others. Someone got to a B2 level in Spanish in 9 months? Cool. Maybe they are super smart, or are already fluent in an adjacent language, or they have the time to spend hours drilling Anki cards. Doesn't mean that if you don't reach B2 in 9 months that you are a failure. I liken my language learning to carving a statue out of marble. I do a little bit every day and I get a that much more knowledge and familiarity from my studying. I have a nice routine and I stick to my LingQ goal every day, but don't beat myself up if I skip a day or I can't do flash cards, or watch something in Ukrainian. As long as you are having fun, and not feeling like what you are doing is a burden in your life, you will enjoy the journey and be amazed at your progress as you stick with it. Give yourself some grace, be patient, and understand that it is a marathon and not a sprint.
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Comment on Looking for low-precision, mouse-only Steam game recommendations in ~games
Merry LinkMonster Train is on sale right for $2.50 and it is an excellent deck builder game that is not difficult to get into.Monster Train is on sale right for $2.50 and it is an excellent deck builder game that is not difficult to get into.
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Comment on Philosopher Slavoj Žižek on 'soft' fascism, AI and the effects of shamelessness in public life in ~humanities
Merry LinkTo start with, I don't know much (if anything) about Slavoj Žižek so if his views or opinions are overtly radical or controversial in some way, please let me know. I don't listen to a lot of...To start with, I don't know much (if anything) about Slavoj Žižek so if his views or opinions are overtly radical or controversial in some way, please let me know.
I don't listen to a lot of philosophy tube but this video happened to appear in my Youtube recommendations during my indoor cycle session and I came away with a few thoughts and feelings. For one, his description that we are slowly sliding towards soft fascism not through a violent overthrow, but by leaders like Trump embracing perversion over hypocrisy. In other words, traditional politicians at least pretended to respect democratic norms, whereas Trump and others gain power precisely by breaking norms and flaunting it. The democratic response of fact checking, pointing out the wrongs, and feeling like they finally had their gotcha moment, only fuels the perception that the ‘establishment’ is desperately trying to stop him. Žižek argues that this is not only ineffective but that it is actively reinforcing Trump’s appeal.
I think this perspective tracks to what I am seeing. My first though was when I watched the video of Democratic members of Congress holding a press conference outside USAID. I’m not saying they shouldn’t be calling attention to it, but who was their audience? It feels like these events should be happening not in front of government buildings, but in the very communities that rely on USAID-funded programs. They need to relay directly to the people that live there how the tactics of DOGE are going to impact their lives. A shining example of this is if you look into some of the subreddits where there are large farming communities, there is a ton of talk about how the lack of funding from grants that were promised from USDA are no longer coming to fruition, and as a result these farmers may be on the brink of bankruptcy. Speaking in front of a US agency that is being presented as "The Establishment" does not feel like it is going to move the needle on public outrage. Right now, right-wing media is framing Musk and the administration as anti-elitist warriors, when in reality, they are billionaires consolidating power and squeezing working people.
Žižek’s point, if I understand correctly, is that exposing corruption isn’t enough. Democrats need to stop playing defense and start reframing members of the Trump administration as the exact kind of self-serving elites that working-class voters should actually be angry at.
This is only one part of the talk so I encourage others to listen to it since it covers a broad variety of topics such as rogue states, quantum superposition and historical indeterminacy, and AI. I have more thoughts, but I will likely need to digest and research more of what was talked about before sharing an opinion on those topics specifically.
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Philosopher Slavoj Žižek on 'soft' fascism, AI and the effects of shamelessness in public life
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Comment on What is your strangely specific phobia? in ~talk
Merry LinkElectricity. Growing up, my father had a line of electric fence spanning everywhere we had fence. The few times I got zapped made me fearful of electricity ever since. I can do some basic electric...Electricity.
Growing up, my father had a line of electric fence spanning everywhere we had fence. The few times I got zapped made me fearful of electricity ever since. I can do some basic electric work around my house like changing light fixtures, outlets, and switches, but you better believe that I am turning off every switch in the breaker box and touching every part of whatever I am working on with my multimeter.
Also bears after watching that Timothy Treadwell documentary, Grizzly Man. No way I want to die being eaten alive by another animal.
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Comment on Peeves, opinions, and hot takes about style in ~humanities.languages
Merry LinkCan I add something about documentation in the workplace? It drives me up the wall when I seek out documentation and I found someone has documented system processes, with screenshots, in Excel....Can I add something about documentation in the workplace?
It drives me up the wall when I seek out documentation and I found someone has documented system processes, with screenshots, in Excel. I'm talking 10+ tabs with varied formatting, highlighting galore, and absolutely no table structure. I can understand putting some things in Excel, like data mappings and stuff, but not written steps and instructions with pictures. When someone on my team gives me this style of documentation, I have to tell them its a great start for personal reference, but they need to write everything out in a structured document.
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Peter, Paul and Mary - Blowin' in the Wind (1963)
10 votes -
Rondò Veneziano - Sinfonia Per Un Addio (1983)
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Comment on What have you spent "too much time" trying to fix or streamline? in ~talk
Merry Link ParentYeah, I actually pulled kind of a whiny guy thing where I emailed Gabe Newell and asked him to look into this functionality with whatever team would work on it 😅 it was a bit bewildering to find...Yeah, I actually pulled kind of a whiny guy thing where I emailed Gabe Newell and asked him to look into this functionality with whatever team would work on it 😅 it was a bit bewildering to find out the Steam Link is compatible with Meta Quest but not Valve Index. I did try a multitude of docks and even testing on a separate PC but no dice.
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Comment on What have you spent "too much time" trying to fix or streamline? in ~talk
Merry LinkTrying to get Steam's in-home streaming to work for my specific needs. I took the effort to run a 100 foot Ethernet cable to my office where my gaming PC lives and hardwired my Steam Deck dock in...Trying to get Steam's in-home streaming to work for my specific needs. I took the effort to run a 100 foot Ethernet cable to my office where my gaming PC lives and hardwired my Steam Deck dock in the living room which is connected to my nice TV. Basic in home streaming works fine. I can play games sitting on my couch with controller or mouse and keyboard, but what I really want is full compatibility with all my peripherals. I have a Logitech G923 racing wheel and the Steam Deck won't recognize it. Next is the Valve Index which in my mind, I thought this should theoretically work. People have been playing Meta Quest games wirelessly for quite some time but apparently this just won't work with in home streaming and Valves hardware. The deck also won't recognize the VR hardware at all unless I do some more customizing that just isn't worth it at this point.
Now, I could invest in some really long displayport and USB cables. I priced this at a little over $100 but I don't want to run more cables, drilling more holes, just for VR or a wheel. I will continue to just lug the PC into the living room.
My hesitation with Real Debrid and similar services is that you’re tying your payment info and identity directly to them. If they keep logs, and I assume they do to some extent, then they’d have a record of what was accessed, which could potentially be handed over if they were ever subpoenaed. I know that hasn’t happened yet, but the idea of that spooks me a bit more than just torrenting behind a solid no-log VPN. Am I off base in thinking that’s a bigger risk?