NSMichael's recent activity
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Comment on Great audiobooks that come to mind because the narrator is amazing and NOT Ray Porter? in ~books
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Comment on Great audiobooks that come to mind because the narrator is amazing and NOT Ray Porter? in ~books
NSMichael Link ParentI'm currently listening to the Andy Serkis narrations of Lord of the Rings, and so far it has made the opening bits of Fellowship, which I find interminable when trying to read myself, downright...I'm currently listening to the Andy Serkis narrations of Lord of the Rings, and so far it has made the opening bits of Fellowship, which I find interminable when trying to read myself, downright pleasant.
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Comment on Defunct studios discussion - Who remembers Black & White? in ~games
NSMichael Link ParentIt was hard to finish the first one. The last area amounted to little more than a tech demo. It was a wildly unfinished game.It was hard to finish the first one. The last area amounted to little more than a tech demo. It was a wildly unfinished game.
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Comment on Failures in accuracy, ethics and responsibility with Linus Tech Tips and LMG as a whole in ~tech
NSMichael Link ParentIf LMG had straight-up sold the prototype and donated the money to charity, versus an auction, the semantics of that difference is immaterial to the actual problem. Auctions are a subset of the...If LMG had straight-up sold the prototype and donated the money to charity, versus an auction, the semantics of that difference is immaterial to the actual problem. Auctions are a subset of the concept of "sell" anyway. It's not inaccurate, it's just less precise than Linus apparently wanted.
Additionally, I don't think the complaints about it being referred to as a "sale" were specifically directed at GN, but at the general response to the video by the community. GN, in their response to Linus's response, show a clip of their original video where they specifically call it an auction.
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Comment on Failures in accuracy, ethics and responsibility with Linus Tech Tips and LMG as a whole in ~tech
NSMichael Link ParentLarge, soulless corporations use boilerplate handbooks and might be excused for having a clause in there that maybe they didn't know about. But LMG is not huge. It's not a small operation anymore,...Large, soulless corporations use boilerplate handbooks and might be excused for having a clause in there that maybe they didn't know about. But LMG is not huge. It's not a small operation anymore, but it's not huge. And Linus already demonstrated, on the WAN show after this handbook came to light, that he knew exactly what was in this handbook. Boilerplate or not, it's completely endorsed by Linus. He even went on give some bullshit explanation for exactly why this policy is good. It's not.
Whether or not it is "nasty" is definitely subjective - bootlickers who are fine with allowing their employers to dictate policies that are harmful to labor rights probably wouldn't find this especially nasty. So I'm not going to argue over whether or not you find it nasty.
As far as enforceability - You aren't a lawyer and neither am I, but your cited example of non-competes are specifically not enforceable because of other rights guaranteed by law. There is nothing in Canada, nationally anyway, that makes this kind of firing or disciplinary action illegal. There is no superseding right that can make that clause invalid. It might not look good if it ever got out, but that's the worst that LMG would face. And seeing how Linus is handling the PR on this one, they don't give a shit about that.
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Comment on Failures in accuracy, ethics and responsibility with Linus Tech Tips and LMG as a whole in ~tech
NSMichael Link ParentIt's not in Canada. There's a very strong US law, yes, but LMG is based in Canada.It's not in Canada. There's a very strong US law, yes, but LMG is based in Canada.
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Comment on Failures in accuracy, ethics and responsibility with Linus Tech Tips and LMG as a whole in ~tech
NSMichael Link ParentNo. Why would I need to refer to another document? It's a bog-standard employee handbook that not only carries the implication of termination as a disciplinary action for violating these policies,...No. Why would I need to refer to another document? It's a bog-standard employee handbook that not only carries the implication of termination as a disciplinary action for violating these policies, but explicitly says it on page 27.
Handbooks are not happy funtime guides to the workplace, they are CYA documents meant to say, "Well you agreed to this, now we can let you go because you broke the agreement."
Even if you tried to argue that maybe they'd be given lighter disciplinary actions, who the fuck cares? That's still not how you treat employees you respect.
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Comment on Failures in accuracy, ethics and responsibility with Linus Tech Tips and LMG as a whole in ~tech
NSMichael Link ParentOn top of that, Linus addressed it on a WAN show, and all but confirmed the accuracy of the post, and even defended the practice.On top of that, Linus addressed it on a WAN show, and all but confirmed the accuracy of the post, and even defended the practice.
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Comment on Failures in accuracy, ethics and responsibility with Linus Tech Tips and LMG as a whole in ~tech
NSMichael Link ParentThat's largely immaterial to what bothers me about it. The threat is just nasty. That's not how you treat employees you respect.That's largely immaterial to what bothers me about it. The threat is just nasty. That's not how you treat employees you respect.
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Comment on Failures in accuracy, ethics and responsibility with Linus Tech Tips and LMG as a whole in ~tech
NSMichael LinkBetween this and how absolutely craven it is to threaten, in writing, to fire employees who discuss compensation, I'm glad I'm no longer consuming anything LMG-related. And yes, that threat is...Between this and how absolutely craven it is to threaten, in writing, to fire employees who discuss compensation, I'm glad I'm no longer consuming anything LMG-related. And yes, that threat is legal in Canada.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~games
NSMichael Link ParentI've put dozens of hours into Divinity Original Sin 1 and 2, and even I could not get into Pillars. It just doesn't push the same buttons for me.I've put dozens of hours into Divinity Original Sin 1 and 2, and even I could not get into Pillars. It just doesn't push the same buttons for me.
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Comment on Electric vehicles are sending toxic tire particles into the water, soil, and air in ~transport
NSMichael Link ParentNot to mention, all the current statistics in that article on tire pollution would have to be based on ICE cars primarily. Additionally, electric cars are only one potential band-aid on solving...Not to mention, all the current statistics in that article on tire pollution would have to be based on ICE cars primarily.
Additionally, electric cars are only one potential band-aid on solving the problem of cars in the climate crisis. It must be supplemented by new infrastructure - especially long-distance electrified high-speed rail, and much, much more local public transit. City centers that are restructured to be pedestrian-friendly and limit vehicle access. And most importantly, either rehabilitation, or elimination, of the US-style suburb.
Articles like this that go all-in on "ELectRic cARs Are a ProblEM AcTuAllY" are just ammunition for climate deniers.
We should absolutely go into the next era of personal vehicles with eyes wide open about what the issues are. We certainly didn't enter this one cognizant of all the problems. But FUD pieces about electric cars are counterproductive and irresponsible.
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Comment on I'm trying to find "mild" horror movies, any suggestions? in ~movies
NSMichael LinkEverything in The Blair Witch Project is psychological horror. There's no "killer chasing" scenes, no gore, no visible monster. I'm not sure if that's the scale of "mild" you're going for, or not.Everything in The Blair Witch Project is psychological horror. There's no "killer chasing" scenes, no gore, no visible monster. I'm not sure if that's the scale of "mild" you're going for, or not.
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Comment on Why did you select your username for Tildes? in ~tildes
NSMichael LinkI've been using a variation of this since my sophomore year of college. It or something very much like it has been my username for 20+ years now. Because I see no reason to use something else,...I've been using a variation of this since my sophomore year of college. It or something very much like it has been my username for 20+ years now. Because I see no reason to use something else, here I am.
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Comment on What is your background TV solution? in ~tv
NSMichael LinkWhen I need something that I can be sure won't distract me, I pick Star Trek: The Next Generation. Now, that specific option may not be helpful to you, but I pick that specifically because I grew...When I need something that I can be sure won't distract me, I pick Star Trek: The Next Generation. Now, that specific option may not be helpful to you, but I pick that specifically because I grew up during its original run on TV, an bought the DVDs when they became available. I have watched TNG so many times that I can run through an entire episode in my head in seconds when I see the title. I know it extremely well. So if I want something that I don't have to pay attention to, I know I can safely put on TNG, because I can either walk away from it, or completely ignore it, and know I'm not missing anything at all.
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Comment on What game(s) do you love that you never see brought up in conversation? in ~games
NSMichael LinkThey're making a sequel, so maybe it did better than I thought it did, but I adore The Talos Principle. I didn't finish it the first time I played it, but I remember being annoyed at the reading...They're making a sequel, so maybe it did better than I thought it did, but I adore The Talos Principle. I didn't finish it the first time I played it, but I remember being annoyed at the reading aspects of it, and just wanting to hit the puzzles. But I went back and gave it another shot later, and this time, I read everything I could get my hands on. The story is fantastic, and it adds impact to what you're trying to do. I love this game, not just because the puzzles are good and fun, but because it is a great story.
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Comment on Affirmative action and its role in your life in ~life
NSMichael Link ParentYeah, I got a degree in English, and the time I learned about probability is more than 25 years behind me at this point, so I am not clear on exactly how the math works out. But a blind lottery is...Yeah, I got a degree in English, and the time I learned about probability is more than 25 years behind me at this point, so I am not clear on exactly how the math works out. But a blind lottery is actually probably more fair than the actual application process. Affirmative action was conceived of as a way to ensure bias against admitting minority students was at least blunted, if not eliminated. So in reality, the admissions process puts its thumb on the scale for white people.
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Comment on Affirmative action and its role in your life in ~life
NSMichael (edited )Link ParentDepends on what you consider "fair." I think I can guess that your definition of "fair" means everyone in the applicant pool has an equal chance of getting in. But if you think about that, you...Depends on what you consider "fair." I think I can guess that your definition of "fair" means everyone in the applicant pool has an equal chance of getting in. But if you think about that, you have to consider the sizes of the applicant pools.
Let's just use African Americans to start with. African Americans make up 12.1% of the US population. I don't have actual numbers, but I would put money down that African Americans do not make up 12.1% of applicants to, say, Harvard, and by that I mean, it's probably less. Much less.
Many applicants to ivy league schools have incredibly similar portfolios to offer. I don't know enough about the admissions process to say one way or another how people are selected (and many admissions processes are black boxes anyway, likely to both discourage gaming and obfuscate deliberate bias and selection), but it's not unreasonable to assume there is some degree of lottery to it. Let's say that all the applicants are assigned a lottery number, and they're on those little ping pong balls that you see on lottery drawings. All the white applicants have a lottery number that starts with X, and all the African Americans have lottery numbers that start with Y.
With a pool of applicants that are majority white, even if you could get 12.1% of the applicants to be African Americans, that's still an 87.9% chance that the first ball will start with X. And while the chances get better with each drawn ball, the odds are still extremely in favor of all applicants starting with X.
So, what is a fair measure of representation in admitted students? Should it be a full 12.1%? Should it be higher? Lower? It's a complex question, but anonymizing applicants is both very difficult, and not effective in correcting imbalances. For example, how do you anonymize an applicant's essay that specifically talks about the struggles they've had because of their race or gender? Do you tell the students to not write about that? If so, is telling people to erase parts of themselves from the application process actually viable?
What if we take a number, say 30% of available slots, and apportion them for minority students (not just African Americans this time). All minorities get lottery numbers that start with Y. Then, we have two lottery machines. One that has all the lottery balls that start with X (white people), and one that has all the lottery balls that start with Y (minorities). 70% of slots will be drawn from the X machine, and 30% from the Y machine. Does that feel more fair? Because when it's written out explicitly, it really doesn't. Fairness is really hard to quantify.
It's not a simple problem to solve, but it's one worth solving. And if your proposal of anonymizing applicants were feasible, it still means that you are much, much more likely to admit a white person than any minority on probability alone.
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Comment on Affirmative action and its role in your life in ~life
NSMichael Link ParentIt may read that way, but our standard modes of thinking tend towards only seeing our own plights as worthy, and those of others less so. It doesn't take much time to realize that by earmarking...It may read that way, but our standard modes of thinking tend towards only seeing our own plights as worthy, and those of others less so. It doesn't take much time to realize that by earmarking something as intended for a minority group, whatever hostility you might feel towards that system is something these minorities feel in nearly every aspect of their lives.
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Comment on Affirmative action and its role in your life in ~life
NSMichael Link ParentSo, you got passed over because someone else had been handed an advantage that seemingly looked unearned. I'll bet that sucked. Except for the part where, you know, you just decided to walk away...So, you got passed over because someone else had been handed an advantage that seemingly looked unearned.
I'll bet that sucked. Except for the part where, you know, you just decided to walk away and get a new job. Twice. And that wasn't at all a problem.
Have to wonder what the minorities would say about both the first and second half of those quandaries.
I don't necessarily agree - he's usually on key, but I also think a lot of his singing is in-character. That is, deliberately middling, what you might expect to hear from the average singer.