Nsutdwa's recent activity
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Comment on Brazil’s government-run payments system has become dominant in ~finance
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Comment on Brazil’s government-run payments system has become dominant in ~finance
Nsutdwa Link ParentI agree there's nothing as convenient as tap to pay, that's got to be the gold standard for any new payments system. I appreciate the QR scanning/generation of Alipay and the like in China and the...I agree there's nothing as convenient as tap to pay, that's got to be the gold standard for any new payments system. I appreciate the QR scanning/generation of Alipay and the like in China and the convenience of mobile phone-linked systems in Europe, but until they add merely touching a device (or some token, like a plastic ard) to pay, they'll struggle to take that market share.
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Comment on The Tiny Soapbox: a platform for small, low-stakes rants in ~talk
Nsutdwa Link ParentI wish I could sometimes send a "thanks" or "merge here, I'm in no hurry" or, what would probably be my most-used option: "urk, I did that badly, I appreciate you having my back", while I'm...I wish I could sometimes send a "thanks" or "merge here, I'm in no hurry" or, what would probably be my most-used option: "urk, I did that badly, I appreciate you having my back", while I'm driving. Thumbs up/down and headlight flashing is quite limited.
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Comment on The Tiny Soapbox: a platform for small, low-stakes rants in ~talk
Nsutdwa Link ParentI was in some particularly terrible traffic, recently, a bit-city ring road, with lots of entries/exits, so just non-stop merging and filtering across the lanes. It was very striking how bad...I was in some particularly terrible traffic, recently, a bit-city ring road, with lots of entries/exits, so just non-stop merging and filtering across the lanes. It was very striking how bad humans are at dealing with this. I very much hope that self-driving could take over for that sort of traffic - it's moving slowly, 0-40 km/h, and if there was no ego/impatience involved, the whole experience could be so much smoother. Also, electric motors deal with that sort of stop/start much more gracefully than my churning up and down gears and mashing my clutch near-constantly.
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Comment on The Tiny Soapbox: a platform for small, low-stakes rants in ~talk
Nsutdwa Link ParentMy parents are still using the laser printer they bought me to go to university with, which is, well, a long time, a very long time. I'm surprised the thing is still compatible with today's...My parents are still using the laser printer they bought me to go to university with, which is, well, a long time, a very long time. I'm surprised the thing is still compatible with today's computers, to be honest. But it keeps churning out simple page after simple page - it can do two-sided printing, but no colour or anything fancy. But it just chugs away, amazing. I'll probably inherit the thing.
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Comment on The Tiny Soapbox: a platform for small, low-stakes rants in ~talk
Nsutdwa Link ParentYou mean you don't like the sensor being over here: --------------------> but the water coming out over there: -------------------------------------> You don't like shimmying some skin past the...You mean you don't like the sensor being over here:
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but the water coming out over there:
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You don't like shimmying some skin past the sensor in order to beg for another second or two of flow and whipping your hands into the water, but quick!, back to the sensor to keep the water coming?! You want soap as well??? That sensor is over there:
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but the soap actually gets dripped out about two seconds after you're detected, good luck catching it. And good luck ever washing the suds off.
Airport bathrooms are the worst offenders, in my experience. -
Comment on Brazil’s government-run payments system has become dominant in ~finance
Nsutdwa Link ParentI'm not the biggest Lagarde fan, if I'm honest, but I wholeheartedly agree with her here. Right now, the Visa/Mastercard duopoly is essentially a US transaction tax on European (just focusing on...I'm not the biggest Lagarde fan, if I'm honest, but I wholeheartedly agree with her here. Right now, the Visa/Mastercard duopoly is essentially a US transaction tax on European (just focusing on the European perspective) activity. It'd be great to bring that "in-house", as it were. The associated benefit of possibly shrugging off the corporate moralising re. certain activities would be significant too, in my opinion.
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Comment on Brazil’s government-run payments system has become dominant in ~finance
Nsutdwa Link ParentEhh, there'd be some big pushback against that, because Wero is basically a solution from the French/German banks. There's SIBS in Portugal, Blik in Poland, Bizum in Spain, and probably a handful...Ehh, there'd be some big pushback against that, because Wero is basically a solution from the French/German banks. There's SIBS in Portugal, Blik in Poland, Bizum in Spain, and probably a handful more that I'm missing out. I'd struggle to see a good reason for the EU trying to force a win for Fr/De banks over those others ... There's already a reasonably well-founded perception that the EU is basically France+Germany+others when it comes to who reaps the most rewards in return for their membership (looking beyond merely financial contributions).
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Comment on Why US President Donald Trump's tariff chaos actually makes sense (big picture) in ~society
Nsutdwa Link ParentYes, that's just it. It's not even slightly a new realisation, is it? I think it's just that the current episode is a really stark example.Yes, that's just it. It's not even slightly a new realisation, is it? I think it's just that the current episode is a really stark example.
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Comment on Seven39 - Social media that’s only open from 7:39 PM to 10:39 PM, EST in ~tech
Nsutdwa Link ParentThanks for sharing that anecdote, that sounds like a quirky kind of list!Thanks for sharing that anecdote, that sounds like a quirky kind of list!
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Comment on Why US President Donald Trump's tariff chaos actually makes sense (big picture) in ~society
Nsutdwa Link ParentIt's fascinating seeing the benefits that China's system of government can bring in two ways. First, the ability to just take executive decisions (like US executive orders, to be fair) and move...It's fascinating seeing the benefits that China's system of government can bring in two ways. First, the ability to just take executive decisions (like US executive orders, to be fair) and move policy in a certain fashion. Second, the long-term thinking that is way beyond, e.g. France's quinquennat or the UK's parliaments, that does allow for policy shifts that can take decades to be fully materialised. These tariffs are most likely just a flash in the pan for corporations - although a very painful one.
It's such a shame that the country doesn't place similar importance on human rights and freedoms.
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Comment on Why US President Donald Trump's tariff chaos actually makes sense (big picture) in ~society
Nsutdwa Link ParentStrong agree - I've been boycotting US goods (especially payment platforms) since the government has explicitly stated that it doesn't rule out using military means to break other nations'...Strong agree - I've been boycotting US goods (especially payment platforms) since the government has explicitly stated that it doesn't rule out using military means to break other nations' sovereignty. I will advocate for the same and weigh it as a significant factor in my political voting decisions. Honestly, the "West" has been way too US-centric for too long, so I see this self-harm by a US president as providing the energy for a movement towards a more independent EU that can erect its own systems that work to project EU soft power, rather than simply reflecting US power as the de facto "west" soft power.
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Comment on Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix 2025 - Results in ~sports.motorsports
Nsutdwa Link ParentThat's a really good point, it would have made excellent viewing. Perhaps it's the risk? Russell is no slouch, it'd be quite difficult to back him up plus his teammate all the way to Hamilton...That's a really good point, it would have made excellent viewing. Perhaps it's the risk? Russell is no slouch, it'd be quite difficult to back him up plus his teammate all the way to Hamilton (which I appreciate wasn't all that far for the most part). I think Ferrari are quite risk averse, though. Mclaren too, as it turned out, I think, when they didn't use their 2-to-1 car advantage to try and ruin Verstappen's race. At the end of the day, though, if the medium tyres are barely going to lose pace and the undercut is pretty feeble, it's quite hard to do anything with that advantage in the end.
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Comment on Megathread: April Fools' Day 2025 on the internet in ~talk
Nsutdwa Link ParentYou're far more perspicacious than I am, I hadn't noticed that at all!You're far more perspicacious than I am, I hadn't noticed that at all!
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Comment on Megathread: April Fools' Day 2025 on the internet in ~talk
Nsutdwa LinkThe UK to order third aircraft carrier due to Russia threat They definitely start off nice and dry before signalling more clearly as you get further in to the article.The UK to order third aircraft carrier due to Russia threat
They definitely start off nice and dry before signalling more clearly as you get further in to the article.
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Comment on The death of simple racing games in ~games
Nsutdwa Link ParentI watched bits and pieces - it genuinely baffles me how people can stay motivated to get through something like that. It's a very satisfying narrative now it's over, but I couldn't follow it live,...I watched bits and pieces - it genuinely baffles me how people can stay motivated to get through something like that. It's a very satisfying narrative now it's over, but I couldn't follow it live, let alone imagine actually participating, just incredible.
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Comment on The death of simple racing games in ~games
Nsutdwa Link ParentI used to play trackmania until my fingers and wrists ached. I've given up now, I watch replays of the competitions sometimes and can really appreciate the extreme consistency and precision of...I used to play trackmania until my fingers and wrists ached. I've given up now, I watch replays of the competitions sometimes and can really appreciate the extreme consistency and precision of those players. I wouldn't want to be them, grinding tracks hour after hour though!
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Comment on Eddie Jordan: Former F1 team owner dies aged 76 in ~sports.motorsports
Nsutdwa Link ParentSame here, he was a weird character, sometimes quite annoying, but having a host that is not beholden to the people they're interviewing often gives their interviews some real spice.Same here, he was a weird character, sometimes quite annoying, but having a host that is not beholden to the people they're interviewing often gives their interviews some real spice.
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Comment on Yuki Tsunoda set to replace Liam Lawson at Red Bull in ~sports.motorsports
Nsutdwa Link ParentI think it was Coulthard who famously opened up about being a "second driver" years after the fact, acknowledging that he needed that distance to be able to mentally accept that Hakkinen was...I think it was Coulthard who famously opened up about being a "second driver" years after the fact, acknowledging that he needed that distance to be able to mentally accept that Hakkinen was simply a better driver. I think he said that at the time, he needed to believe he could best Hakkinen to be able to stay at his own competitive peak. I agree that Bottas was really an excellent teammate for Hamilton, he really was good enough to punish mistakes by the other teams, although he often would have those same problems Perez (and others) coming through the field after a weaker qualifying.
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Comment on Yuki Tsunoda set to replace Liam Lawson at Red Bull in ~sports.motorsports
Nsutdwa Link ParentI think Sainz really could have handled it - he's grown into a very competent driver, very skilled and very hard-working, I think. I do truly think that bridge was burned with the politicking...I think Sainz really could have handled it - he's grown into a very competent driver, very skilled and very hard-working, I think. I do truly think that bridge was burned with the politicking between the two camps. I don't know, or particularly care, which side was more at fault, but I doubt anybody at Redbull is very keen to go through that again.
Yes, probably, or back them all and let them Darwin it out? I don't know, the environment is such a tricky one for a newcomer to break into, banking, payments, all of that.