Omnicrola's recent activity
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Comment on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem | Official trailer in ~movies
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Comment on Disney is staring down the barrell of a no good, very bad year in ~movies
Omnicrola Link ParentWell, that shows you how often I've checked TV prices recently!Well, that shows you how often I've checked TV prices recently!
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Comment on Disney is staring down the barrell of a no good, very bad year in ~movies
Omnicrola Link ParentI think you're probably exaggerating for effect, but I'm very interested in where you can get a 60" 4K for a few hundred dollars.I think you're probably exaggerating for effect, but I'm very interested in where you can get a 60" 4K for a few hundred dollars.
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Comment on Thoughts on brinkmanship with the US national debt? in ~finance
Omnicrola Link ParentMight as well toss a John Oliver segment into that listMight as well toss a John Oliver segment into that list
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Comment on Google released a .zip web domain and people can't decide if it's the phishing apocalypse or just as bad as any other dodgy link in ~comp
Omnicrola Link ParentI agree, but I also think that same argument works the other way. Why set one more trap door into the landscape of the interne that people can fall into? As you mentioned, why even bother creating...However, to me this seems like a fatalist "things are already bad so what's one more bad thing?" type of argument.
I agree, but I also think that same argument works the other way. Why set one more trap door into the landscape of the interne that people can fall into? As you mentioned, why even bother creating this? Who is asking for .ZIP domains?
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Comment on Who here is a homeowner? in ~life
Omnicrola LinkIt was kind of gradual. Rented apartments for quite awhile in various places, then rented a house for a few years, then bought a house. Generally I'm pretty happy with my decision, but if I do it...Anyways, I was curious who here is a homeowner?
:raisehand:What is your experience like going from renting to buying, or if you were a homeowner and went back to renting?
It was kind of gradual. Rented apartments for quite awhile in various places, then rented a house for a few years, then bought a house.
What are some things you wish that you had known to do prior and what advice would you give yourself back then?
Generally I'm pretty happy with my decision, but if I do it over again I would put a lot more thought into what I want and don't want. I'm generally a pretty laid-back person and can just "deal with it", but more recently I've made an effort to advocate for myself more. So next time around I would put more thought into what my personal preferences are (NOT just what my SO's preferences were) such as: how the rooms are arranged, how large the kitchen is, is there enough room for a craft/maker space, is there enough storage for existing things (and future things! there's yard equipment now!), etc.
How long did you search and how long are you planning to stay in your home?
I think it was about a year of casual browsing, and a few months of active looking/touring. I've been in the house 5 years now, and plan to stay here indefinitely. I'd move if I needed to for some reason, but I currently have no plans to do so.
What do you think of the current market dynamics? Is there any hope for prices to come back down to Earth?
Utter insanity. The only hope for prices to come down is for more houses to get built. Not only built, but built rapidly enough that the price drops. Which is directly counter to the profit motives of both the builders and all the existing homeowners. I don't know how much influence current homeowners have on the market as a whole, but I feel pretty confident saying that nobody wants to watch the value of their house go down after the spike in value of the last couple of years, even if that's what needs to happen.
Any other thoughts you want to share?
Good luck! Try looking in towns and areas adjacent to where you want to go. For instance, the housing prices where I work (Ann Arbor, MI) are utterly insane. However the town where I live is ~10 miles away (Ypsilanti) and significantly cheaper (though still kind crazy).
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Comment on This free TV comes with two screens - Would you give up your data in exchange for a free TV? in ~tech
Omnicrola Link ParentI despise this for so many reasons, and I hope it fails horribly. As an aside, what prevents someone from buy one and just disconnecting or covering up the ad bar?I despise this for so many reasons, and I hope it fails horribly.
As an aside, what prevents someone from buy one and just disconnecting or covering up the ad bar?
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What do you not ask the internet about?
This could be for any number of reasons. The reason I was thinking of this, was realizing that there are certain topics that I could probably find the answers to online, but I happen to have a...
This could be for any number of reasons. The reason I was thinking of this, was realizing that there are certain topics that I could probably find the answers to online, but I happen to have a friend who is an expert in that field. So it's usually easier to ask them, and trust that their answer is either accurate or that they will tell me "I don't know".
The other aspect of it was, there are certain topics that are likely to be extremely "noisy" with disinformation (intentional or otherwise) or ads online, and so I'll avoid trying to research them and instead ask a friend.
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Comment on Hulu and Disney+ content to be combined in one app, services to stay separate in ~tv
Omnicrola LinkThanks I hate it.“The advertising potential of this combined platform is incredibly exciting,” Iger added.
Thanks I hate it.
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Comment on In addition to fake music, artificial intelligence has created a big new problem for Spotify – fake listeners in ~tech
Omnicrola Link ParentI had the same question. Trying to influence the algorithm with free accounts to get songs recommended? So essentially algorithmic payola? Or perhaps they're using the numbers to get business...I had the same question. Trying to influence the algorithm with free accounts to get songs recommended? So essentially algorithmic payola? Or perhaps they're using the numbers to get business contracts? eg: "look big producer guy, my song has X million streams, you should sign a contract with me" ??
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Comment on Mercedes locks better EV engine performance behind annoying subscription paywalls in ~tech
Omnicrola Link ParentThis is interesting, I was unaware that was common in the UK. Is this just for new cars, or also used cars? People in the US definitely do this, but it is one option. Outright purchase is not...This is interesting, I was unaware that was common in the UK. Is this just for new cars, or also used cars? People in the US definitely do this, but it is one option. Outright purchase is not unusual, though financing is usually the most common. Which can be either through a car dealer, or through your own bank.
Personally, I purchased a used car and paid off the loan in 5 years and now it's mine. It's a 2016 so I don't expect to do more than standard maintenance for awhile. I'm hoping EVs will have permeated the used car market by then.
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Comment on Mercedes locks better EV engine performance behind annoying subscription paywalls in ~tech
Omnicrola Link ParentOn the one hand I agree with you. On the other hand, AVs are already better than humans at driving (in specific conditions, which is a huge caveat). So while I am old enough to still see the car...On the one hand I agree with you. On the other hand, AVs are already better than humans at driving (in specific conditions, which is a huge caveat). So while I am old enough to still see the car as a symbol of independence and personal autonomy (though maybe not as much as my own parents), I'm willing to give some of it up if it means everyone the road can't drive distracted anymore because they're not actually driving.
Also in this hypothetical future, if I can just call an AV any time I need one and not deal with actually owning a car, I'm also ok with that. In which case a subscription/rental type service actually makes a lot of sense to me.
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Comment on Mercedes locks better EV engine performance behind annoying subscription paywalls in ~tech
Omnicrola LinkThought experiment : If this trend continues, could we see the rise of the FOSS EV for a niche segment of the market? ICE powered vehicles are incredibly complex compared to a basic EV vehicle,...Thought experiment : If this trend continues, could we see the rise of the FOSS EV for a niche segment of the market? ICE powered vehicles are incredibly complex compared to a basic EV vehicle, and people have been building those from kits and spare parts in their home garages for decades.
Granted neither version of the homebrew vehicle is going to have all the features as one of the car manufacturers, but if all you want is a car to get around in....
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Comment on What's your not-D&D RPG, and why? in ~games.tabletop
Omnicrola LinkI am currently involved with 3 TTRPG games with 3 groups. One is straight DnD5. The second is Shadow of the Demon Lord, which is overall very similar to DnD mechanically. The third is a hybrid...I am currently involved with 3 TTRPG games with 3 groups. One is straight DnD5. The second is Shadow of the Demon Lord, which is overall very similar to DnD mechanically.
The third is a hybrid mashup, and it's my favorite. It is using Blades in the Dark as the mechanical base, with the lore from a Microscope universe grafted over top of it.
Our group of 5 (later 6) spent about 6 months playing Microscope asynchronously using a Google doc (after an initial real-time session for our GM to introduce the system to us). We spent the time just building an interesting world, creating historical figures, historical events, etc.
At some point we decided there was enough there, and we picked a point in the timeline to have an adventure. We then used the Blades system to design characters and decide what kind of adventure to set out on.
The Blades system is far less crunchy than DnD and others. Instead of spending most of our sessions rolling dice to decide the minutia of combat, we spend the majority of our time discussing the sociopolitical ramifications of the really crazy decisions our characters are making. We have the freedom to retcon/alter/create anything about the universe we want, because we created the entire thing and made up the rules as we went. It is also the game I feel the most invested in, because I helped create it.
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Comment on Trauma is trauma: A mental health talk with Kevin Smith in ~health
Omnicrola LinkIt's long, but Kevin Smith is a pretty good orator even when he's not trying to be funny (which he's not here). His explanation of"trauma is trauma" was something I hadn't' heard before, and has...It's long, but Kevin Smith is a pretty good orator even when he's not trying to be funny (which he's not here).
His explanation of"trauma is trauma" was something I hadn't' heard before, and has caused me to stop and consider some of the events in my own life. His description of creating an idealized version of himself, losing his sense of his "real" self, and his struggle with codependency was really relatable to me even though I haven't experienced it to the degree he's describing.
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Trauma is trauma: A mental health talk with Kevin Smith
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Comment on Buying my first car and want some advice in ~talk
Omnicrola Link ParentFor me personally, this is the most important consideration. IMO the amount of extra money you pay for a new car is in no way proportional to the actual value difference between new and used....For me personally, this is the most important consideration. IMO the amount of extra money you pay for a new car is in no way proportional to the actual value difference between new and used. Depending on someone's experience, "used" may carry different connotations. Used does not necessarily mean some 10yr old car that's been abused by several owners and a sleezy salesman is trying desperately to con you into buying it. There are lots of cars that are technically used but are in practical terms brand new.
The car I currently own (2016 Mazda 3) was used when I bought it, but I bought it from Hertz for fairly cheap ($11k) when it was just over 2 years old. I felt good about this (and still do) because even though it had a high amount of miles on it, I knew the rental company had taken way better care of it than most owners (including me) would have in terms of maintenance and upkeep (oil changes, etc).
In any event, another thing I recommend is to spend a few bucks and pay for https://www.consumerreports.org/ and check their ratings for various makes and models. This can help you determine some of the longer-term questions about reliability and long-term maintenance costs associated with a car that aren't included in the sticker price.
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Comment on Transformers: Rise of the Beasts | Official trailer in ~movies
Omnicrola LinkI didn't watch much of the "normal" Transformers but as a kid who was very into 3D animation, I was all over Beast Wars. This isn't that story, but seeing Optimus Primal on screen is going to be...I didn't watch much of the "normal" Transformers but as a kid who was very into 3D animation, I was all over Beast Wars. This isn't that story, but seeing Optimus Primal on screen is going to be great.
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Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of April 24 in ~news
Omnicrola (edited )LinkNYT : Tucker Carlson is Leaving Fox news NPR : Fox News ousts Tucker Carlson in stunning move following $787 million settlement From the NYT link: Ugh, good riddance, at least temporarily. I...NYT : Tucker Carlson is Leaving Fox news
NPR : Fox News ousts Tucker Carlson in stunning move following $787 million settlement
From the NYT link:
Fox News said Monday that it was parting ways with Tucker Carlson, its most popular prime time host who was also the source of repeated controversies and headaches for the network because of his statements on everything from race relations to L.G.B.T.Q. rights.
The network made the announcement less than a week after it agreed to pay $787.5 million in a defamation lawsuit in which Mr. Carlson’s show, one of the highest rated on Fox, figured prominently for its role in spreading misinformation after the 2020 election.
Ugh, good riddance, at least temporarily. I wonder where he'll go next.
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Comment on Longtermism is the world’s most dangerous secular credo in ~humanities
Omnicrola Link ParentNot trying to speak for the author, but I think my answer to this question would be one of practicality. We have already opened a series of Pandorian boxes, and they cannot be unopened. It may be...What I mean by that is, the author falls into a sort of status-quo bias. If they want to criticize technology, when should we stop, and why is it coincidentally right now (historically), why not the 1500s or something?
Not trying to speak for the author, but I think my answer to this question would be one of practicality. We have already opened a series of Pandorian boxes, and they cannot be unopened. It may be more practical (though certainly not easy) to instead decide as a society to dramatically slow or halt technological progress in order to (referencing the Carl Sagan quote from the article) allow our "wisdom" to catch up. Maybe part of that new wisdom involves selectively discarding certain technologies, who knows.
......fuck did I just make an argument for (lower case) conservatism?
Well, I'm psyched. I really like the style they picked to do this, and I think it works really well. The live-action movies are their own special kind of excellent, but this feels like cinema embracing a style that is purpose built for a comic book adaptation. Which is one of the reasons I think Spiderverse worked so well.