Narry's recent activity
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Comment on What's something that's more challenging for you than it is for others? in ~talk
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Comment on Have you ever been outed? in ~lgbt
Narry Link ParentI did almost the exact same thing, beat for beat. It was the late nineties in California so it was a big deal but not a blockbuster if you know what I’m saying. The coworker I accidentally outed...I did almost the exact same thing, beat for beat. It was the late nineties in California so it was a big deal but not a blockbuster if you know what I’m saying. The coworker I accidentally outed him to was a family member of mine who was very “open-minded and tolerant” as we used to say back then, so it was kept quiet and I learned my lesson in keeping people’s secrets to myself.
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Comment on Moderna, Merck say mRNA vaccine prevents melanoma from returning in ~health
Narry Link ParentBetween this and a few other targeted therapies, we may be able to eradicate most kinds of cancers in the not too distant future. It’s certainly a hopeful time.Between this and a few other targeted therapies, we may be able to eradicate most kinds of cancers in the not too distant future. It’s certainly a hopeful time.
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Comment on Easily discover partner libraries with new Libby update in ~books
Narry LinkThat is super cool, now I can go beyond the three libraries that I already have cards for in Libby. Just FYI, if you happen to be a Texas resident with a valid DL or State ID, you can sign up for...That is super cool, now I can go beyond the three libraries that I already have cards for in Libby.
Just FYI, if you happen to be a Texas resident with a valid DL or State ID, you can sign up for the Houston Public Library digital only membership, which does include Libby for free, as well as Hoopla and Kanopy.
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Comment on What game are you terrible at? in ~games
Narry Link ParentShort burst fire is definitely the tactic with bots for sure. I play on a 32” TV less than three feet from my face but I still zoom in. It makes your movements more precise.Short burst fire is definitely the tactic with bots for sure. I play on a 32” TV less than three feet from my face but I still zoom in. It makes your movements more precise.
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Comment on Why your Amazon order confirmation emails have become so unhelpful in ~tech
Narry Link ParentGreat. The corpos are officially fighting. How long until they start assassinating other board members and both all of Cyberpunk and also this WKUK sketch become the standard reality?Great. The corpos are officially fighting. How long until they start assassinating other board members and both all of Cyberpunk and also this WKUK sketch become the standard reality?
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Comment on What game are you terrible at? in ~games
Narry Link ParentThey might've fixed it but it used to be that keyboard and mouse shooters got wider/less accurate spreads on all weapons than controller players to even out the skill levels a little. You can see...They might've fixed it but it used to be that keyboard and mouse shooters got wider/less accurate spreads on all weapons than controller players to even out the skill levels a little. You can see if it's still true by going to an AmmuNation with a shooting range and trying it back and forth and see how well you do with mouse firing versus controller firing. I believe that was what caused me to permanently switch to just controller even on PC and stop fighting other players in the bargain.
Also I don't know if you know this, but you don't have to use the interaction menu to eat snacks anymore when you're on foot, they changed that back in I think '22 when the Criminal Enterprises expansion released. But you do need to use the interaction menu to snack/armor when you're in a vehicle. With KB you can hit TAB (by default, unless you rebound it) to bring up your wheel and hit C (again, by default) to consume snacks and V to equip armor.
What's nice is that it skips the eating animation, and while you don't get to choose your snacks, you also don't need to be in cover for them to work correctly now (if you ate them outside of cover for some reason they'd only recover like 5% health regardless of snack type, and now they recover their full value). But again, in a vehicle it's strictly through the interaction menu. This seriously made a lot of us a lot better at missions.
Also if you do decide to use the controller to shoot, hit R3/R Stick Down to zoom in on pretty much any weapon and get even better aim; it's a toggle, too, no holding it. This may just be for weapons with some kind of enhanced sights upgrade, but I genuinely can't remember as I only haul a few of my weapons with me and they're all modded now.
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Comment on What game are you terrible at? in ~games
Narry Link ParentI’ve found that for me the best way to handle the bots in GTAO is to make sure that I’m playing with the controller and that I have aim assist turned on, which they only enable if you have a...I’ve found that for me the best way to handle the bots in GTAO is to make sure that I’m playing with the controller and that I have aim assist turned on, which they only enable if you have a controller attached. When I’m playing on Xbox, that’s mandatory. When I’m playing on PC the controller comes in handy for driving and flying and playing the solo stuff. Aim assisted mode is disabled in public lobbies I think in XBOX, but it is enabled for missions. So I duck into cover and as soon as I pop up, I make sure that I’m holding down autolock to nail, whichever NPC I want short burst of fire and then duck back undercover. If I’m on the wing one I flick the left stick to switch targets. Drive rolling also makes you hard to hit. But yes, the NPCs have perfect aim, which is why I have no compunctions about cheesing my fights.
The other big thing is making sure that my stats are all maxed out. I only just (finally) after five years maxed out my strength that because they supply workout equipment in the mansions update and they don’t put a limit on how many workouts you can do in a row so I just sat down over three different sessions and did 100+ reps per session until I maxed out my strength stat. The strength and the health stat both make you a much harder target to kill.
Playing missions in GTAO reminds me a lot of playing retribution paladin around the Burning Curse era of World of Warcraft. In WoW you would have to drink potion after potion after potion spamming that key while you were fighting. In GTA online it’s all about eating those snacks, especially undercover.
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Comment on KPop Demon Hunters Criterion Collection release in ~movies
Narry Link ParentThanks for the link. The next bit is for Netflix: woooow 13 whole movie I can buy without having to get a subscription to Netflix. Amaaaaazing.Thanks for the link. The next bit is for Netflix: woooow 13 whole movie I can buy without having to get a subscription to Netflix. Amaaaaazing.
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Comment on KPop Demon Hunters Criterion Collection release in ~movies
Narry LinkSo Netflix is capable of releasing things on Blu-Ray/DVD anymore? I tried the other day to find The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and came up completely empty. Anyway, I love K-pop Demon Hunters; I...So Netflix is capable of releasing things on Blu-Ray/DVD anymore? I tried the other day to find The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and came up completely empty.
Anyway, I love K-pop Demon Hunters; I might have to buy this.
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Comment on Virgin Galactic wants your help naming its new Delta class spaceship in ~space
Narry Link ParentThat was literally going to be my suggestionThat was literally going to be my suggestion
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Comment on Autistic/Neurodivergent/"just stubborn" members: how did you [happily] learn to do something you couldn't just instantly do? in ~life
Narry Link ParentI feel like I encounter a lot of people who have massive egos and zero self-esteem. In fact, I would say that it’s probable that the people who have the biggest ego have the least self-esteem....I feel like I encounter a lot of people who have massive egos and zero self-esteem. In fact, I would say that it’s probable that the people who have the biggest ego have the least self-esteem. Once you kinda like yourself, you’re able to appreciate knowing that you don’t know everything, and that it’s okay to admit it to others because anyone that sees you as lesser for not knowing usually isn’t somebody worth impressing.
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Comment on Autistic/Neurodivergent/"just stubborn" members: how did you [happily] learn to do something you couldn't just instantly do? in ~life
Narry Link ParentPeople need to get more comfortable with not knowing things and saying so, for sure. I'll tell people when I don't know things, why is everyone else so afraid of admitting it?People need to get more comfortable with not knowing things and saying so, for sure. I'll tell people when I don't know things, why is everyone else so afraid of admitting it?
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Comment on What game are you terrible at? in ~games
Narry Link ParentThe first time I played BotW I snuck into the Yiga clan hideout and carefully did all the stealth stuff like you're supposed to do. The second time I used a workaround that let me skip straight to...The first time I played BotW I snuck into the Yiga clan hideout and carefully did all the stealth stuff like you're supposed to do. The second time I used a workaround that let me skip straight to the fight, something to do with I think a ladder and some kind of portal that had spikes that I could just land in that let me skip the whole thing. I just booted BotW to see how much of a detour it would be and apparently the last time I played was 2023 and I was in Hyrule castle. I don't think I've ever beat the final boss...
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Comment on What game are you terrible at? in ~games
Narry LinkGrand Theft Auto Online is my most-played game, and despite having a character on PC with a level over 400 and a character on Xbox somewhere near level 200, I still cannot beat most other players...Grand Theft Auto Online is my most-played game, and despite having a character on PC with a level over 400 and a character on Xbox somewhere near level 200, I still cannot beat most other players if they attack me. I just let them get their jollies and never fire a shot at them.
My high RP level comes from the fact that I'm really good at the solo potion, and though I let it start me in public lobbies, I usually only run the stash house mission and then bail to solo lobbies for the rest of my play time. The solo portion of the game I actually am decently good at, if I say so myself.
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Comment on What game are you terrible at? in ~games
Narry Link ParentBaldesar Castiglione doing a better job summing up my thoughts on chess 500 years ago than I can today. Chess makes me irrationally angry.Baldesar Castiglione doing a better job summing up my thoughts on chess 500 years ago than I can today. Chess makes me irrationally angry.
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Comment on What game are you terrible at? in ~games
Narry (edited )Link ParentI feel very similarly. I think it stems from the fact that when I find myself playing chess, I often find myself in terrible company. The first person to teach me chess was my eldest cousin. The...I feel very similarly. I think it stems from the fact that when I find myself playing chess, I often find myself in terrible company. The first person to teach me chess was my eldest cousin. The first person to teach me what it meant to be a sore winner was that same cousin. He liked to play against me because I'd just move pieces at random and he could see the pattern of the current board and make the next perfect move.
He was A Beautiful Mind-ing it and I was on the other side miserable and wanting to do anything else. When I learned you could lay your king down on its side and declare defeat, any time he'd set up the chess board I'd simply put my king on its side as my opening move and leave the table.
To this day I consider chess the sport of insufferable dickheads and if you like it (well, if you think it’s the superior game over all others ) then I (probably) actively think poorly of you (or an at least kinda meh about you), especially because (I assume) you'll be a gloating little prick who thinks I'm just jealous (as has been my experience with many chess nerds). I'm not jealous of your ability to memorize patterns, I'm annoyed that you think that applied pattern recognition makes you special and somehow superior to other people (or at least that your behaviors and mannerisms suggest that). There's a smugness to (most) serious (ranked) chess players that makes me want to smash the board over their head (metaphorically) and shove the queens up their nostrils base-first (hyperbolically).
Apparently that's a trigger for me...
Edited to add second thoughts
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Comment on Autistic/Neurodivergent/"just stubborn" members: how did you [happily] learn to do something you couldn't just instantly do? in ~life
Narry Link ParentADHD in childhood is very often paired with a type of emotional dysregulation usually called Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria. Basically, getting a "no" hurts a hell of a lot more for someone with...ADHD in childhood is very often paired with a type of emotional dysregulation usually called Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria.
Rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) is when you experience severe emotional pain because of a failure or feeling rejected. This condition is linked to ADHD and experts suspect it happens due to differences in brain structure. Those differences mean your brain can’t regulate rejection-related emotions and behaviors, making them much more intense.
Basically, getting a "no" hurts a hell of a lot more for someone with ADHD than without, so we often have to learn to flatten our moods. No big ups, but no big downs. And because the highs don't really feel all that high and the lows feel really low, it's better to develop that even keel in emotional personality for many of us.
I've certainly had to do it as I work in customer support for a consumer electronics company. I had to basically develop a very thick armor, which means that for all intents and purposes I don't allow myself to care what others think of me. I know I'm not everyone's cup of tea, so they can move along to the next drink rather than me trying to adjust my flavor.
And yeah, spectrum folk do seem to pick up on one another. I don't do it intentionally, but I've noticed it's when someone stays with me on a logic leap that would've shaken off most other people. I don't have a good example off the top of my head, but there's a certain way of thinking that I only experience from other people with similar brains.
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Comment on Firefox for iOS now has a native adblocker in ~tech
Narry LinkStill not available for me, my last update was 6 days ago to 153.3 (75262) and I'm in North America. I feel like a lot of people including the big advertising companies have forgotten the three...Still not available for me, my last update was 6 days ago to 153.3 (75262) and I'm in North America.
I feel like a lot of people including the big advertising companies have forgotten the three main reasons we started this ad-blocking war:
- Ads are a vector for malware/bloatware/scareware/scamware. This was as true in 1998 when they were already getting bad through to today. I keep seeing fairly disgusting ads in the YouTube app that try to convince me that my iOS settings or my storage are in need of service. It's 2026, clearly this tactic is still paying off if I'm seeing it.
- Too many ad platforms allow ads to very disrespectfully block or interrupt the content until you engage with the advertising. I did not come to this news website to have my access to an article about a local emergency blocked by your ad for a fucking vacuum cleaner (this happened to me in 2003 and was when I went absolutely scorched earth on ads, which I had previously tolerated as "the cost of a free website")
- And of course we can't oversell the surveillance state tracking that goes into these things. Yes my phone itself is a beacon in the network and tells Apple everything they could ever want to know about me, but Apple is a large corporation and a singular target we can fight with laws. Advertisers and databrokers are smaller targets that are more nebulous, and adblocking and privacy enhancing makes their jobs more difficult and frustrates them more, and that's a good thing.
If ads weren't sleazy, were respectful, and weren't a vector to selling all of my personal information I'd be okay with them. But they aren't so I'm not.
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Comment on Autistic/Neurodivergent/"just stubborn" members: how did you [happily] learn to do something you couldn't just instantly do? in ~life
Narry LinkThis feels like it could be a big topic, and I feel my internal editor spinning up, so I'm going to go fairly off the cuff here and edit it as minimally as possible or I won't get through it. For...- Exemplary
This feels like it could be a big topic, and I feel my internal editor spinning up, so I'm going to go fairly off the cuff here and edit it as minimally as possible or I won't get through it.
For me, with ADHD diagnosed but un-medicated since childhood, I've had to learn to let go of perfectionism and that starts with addressing my core issues:
- The need to be understood.
- The need to be liked.
ADHD comes with having a hard time accepting rejection, which from the outside can look an awful lot like being a spoiled brat who whines when they don't get their way. I got into even worse problems as a kid and young adult when I had trouble regulating my emotions in many low-stakes situations. I noticed people would become brittle around me, or that they would avoid me and cut me out of things that I would otherwise have been invited to do.
What I ended up having to do was drastically and repeatedly (special emphasis on repeatedly is necessary, this was not one and done) recalibrate my expectations of not only myself but others. Disappointment in others went away when I expected them to let me down and planned around that. Disappointment in myself went away when I expected that outside forces and factors would kick over my carefully laid plans. No plan survives contact with the enemy. I could either let myself be completely swamped any time my plans went awry, or I could learn to be like water and flow around my obstacles.
For me, a lot of it made more sense when I let go of expectations, especially those of myself. I treat it like a slot machine now. I put in my coin (effort), I pull the lever, and I see what comes up. I rarely hit the jackpot, but it's gambling so that's to be expected.
I had to learn to accept the imperfect, work past defeat, and live with disappointing outcomes, and that takes being far less critical of myself and of others. And I had to learn that regardless of the perfect outcomes that I could imagine, no plan survives contact with the enemy; life is the enemy of all plans but it doesn't have to be the enemy of happiness.
That's it, really. I guess if you're religious you really do have to "let go and let god" as they say. If you're an atheist, then I suppose an equal analogy would be "it's all chaos, just be kind."
For some reason this reminds me that the four cardinal directions in Discworld are turnwise (with the turn of the Disc), widdershins (against the turn of the Disc), hubwards (towards the center), and rimwards (towards the outer rim), because north, south, east, and west make no sense on a flat spinning plate.