RoyalHenOil's recent activity
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Comment on What's something you've moved on from? in ~talk
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Comment on Wired vs. wireless mouse and keyboard? in ~tech
RoyalHenOil LinkIn my experience, if you're buying cheap peripherals, you'll want wired; the wireless ones can have lag issues. If you're willing to spring for something more expensive (e.g., mice and keyboards...In my experience, if you're buying cheap peripherals, you'll want wired; the wireless ones can have lag issues. If you're willing to spring for something more expensive (e.g., mice and keyboards aimed at gamers), wireless works fine these days. I like the ones that pair through a USB dongle.
I used wired peripherals at my desk. However, my computer is also hooked up to my TV so I can play video games on the couch, and I strongly prefer a wireless keyboard and mouse for that. I also like to use a very pared down keyboard (no numpad, etc.) so I can use it on a small lap desk and still have plenty of mousing room.
Both my wireless mouse and my wireless keyboard can still be used while they're plugged into USB C. They don't run their batteries down quickly, but when they do, it's almost always while I'm in the middle of something, so it's really nice that I can keep using them while they recharge. I definitely recommend looking for this feature if you're shopping for wireless peripherals.
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Comment on New books aren’t worth reading in ~books
RoyalHenOil (edited )Link ParentAbsolutely. History as a field today is drastically superior to what it was in the distant past — exactly like virtually every other field of human endeavor: engineering, biology, chemistry,...Absolutely. History as a field today is drastically superior to what it was in the distant past — exactly like virtually every other field of human endeavor: engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, political science, etc., etc., etc.
Yes, there were some pretty impressive multi-talented Renaissance men back in the day, and that era is largely over. But it's over because, today, you make a name for yourself by specializing and actually being exceptionally good at what you do. To be a famous historian in the past, you needed fortune and the right connections, and then you could publish whatever nonsense came to you so long as you worded it convincingly enough.
Historically, listening to a famous general's opinions on history is the modern equivalent to listening to a celebrity's opinions. Sure, their unusual life experiences might give them some insights that might not occur to the average person, but wouldn't you rather hear the insights of someone who is specialized in studying history and subject to peer review?
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Comment on New books aren’t worth reading in ~books
RoyalHenOil (edited )Link ParentElitist is right. One of my great grandfathers was breaking his back as a sharecropper. Another was working in a coal mining camp. I don't know anything about my other two great grandfathers; one...Elitist is right.
But your great grandfather was reading Cicero in Latin.
One of my great grandfathers was breaking his back as a sharecropper. Another was working in a coal mining camp. I don't know anything about my other two great grandfathers; one died young in an accident, and the other was abusive and effectively disowned by the family. But sure, who knows, maybe they were reading Cicero. /s
The world today is far, far better-educated today than at any point in history. Huge swathes of the human experience were historically ignored and erased because the opportunity to communicate one's experiences, or otherwise contribute meaningfully to society, was simply unavailable to the vast majority of people. Fiction was informed almost entirely by the opinions and experiences of an extremely small and extremely powerful elite.
Apparently this guy thinks that was preferable.
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Comment on New books aren’t worth reading in ~books
RoyalHenOil LinkThen who keeps buying all the fiction books?Then who keeps buying all the fiction books?
Print sales are mostly stable, totaling around 707 million units in 2025 through mid-December, according to the most recent figures available from industry tracker Circana BookScan. That’s only three million less than the pandemic peak in 2021, and 57 million copies more than in 2019.
Readers bought about 184 million print adult fiction books this year. That’s roughly as many as they bought last year and 66 million more than in 2019, the last year before the pandemic gave book sales a jolt.
Nonfiction had a more difficult year. Among the top 10 bestselling print nonfiction titles, only one came out in 2025 – Kamala Harris’ campaign memoir, 107 Days.
In 2025, 422 newly opened stores joined the American Booksellers Association – nearly 100 more than joined the year before. Barnes & Noble added 55 stores around the country, and Books-A-Million added 18. (By comparison, Books-A-Million opened seven new stores in 2024.)
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Comment on Federal officers kill another citizen in Minneapolis, National Guard activated in ~society
RoyalHenOil (edited )Link ParentMany of the fast-paced games I play while stressed have simplistic graphics (usually pixel art) that involve a lot of dodging around abstract shapes and colors (representing magic effects) — games...Many of the fast-paced games I play while stressed have simplistic graphics (usually pixel art) that involve a lot of dodging around abstract shapes and colors (representing magic effects) — games like Heroes of Hammerwatch and Noita. I get into an altered flow state where I stop seeing the individual enemies/missiles/etc. coming at me, and instead see the whole screen as a kind of abstract, changing image that I'm subtly (or not-so-subtly) manipulating through precise movements. It definitely affects me while I'm falling asleep in the way you're describing!
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Comment on Federal officers kill another citizen in Minneapolis, National Guard activated in ~society
RoyalHenOil Link ParentI wonder if this works for other video games. I've found that I generally feel compelled to play simple, high-action games when I'm very stressed or sad (e.g., when a relative has died recently),...I wonder if this works for other video games. I've found that I generally feel compelled to play simple, high-action games when I'm very stressed or sad (e.g., when a relative has died recently), even though I normally strongly prefer slow-paced strategy games.
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Comment on Gold tops $4,900/oz; silver and platinum extend record‑setting rally in ~finance
RoyalHenOil Link ParentAnother factor that contributes to gold's value is that, historically, it was the densest known substance on Earth. This made it almost impossible to scam people by alloying gold with cheaper...Another factor that contributes to gold's value is that, historically, it was the densest known substance on Earth. This made it almost impossible to scam people by alloying gold with cheaper metals. Anyone with a scale and a bowl of water could trivially calculate the gold's purity — so even if gold was less useful or less rare than other metals, people still preferred to trade with it, inflating its value.
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Comment on Gold tops $4,900/oz; silver and platinum extend record‑setting rally in ~finance
RoyalHenOil Link ParentSimilar here. I dumped all my US investments last February and reinvested in non-US international stocks, weighted heavily toward European defense (EUAD), plus a heaping side of gold (GLDM) to...Similar here. I dumped all my US investments last February and reinvested in non-US international stocks, weighted heavily toward European defense (EUAD), plus a heaping side of gold (GLDM) to hedge against inflation.
It's a very strange, bittersweet seeing how wildly my portfolio has outperformed the S&P 500. I don't know much about investing (I inherited all my US stocks from my grandfather less than a year previously), but I know this can't be good.
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Comment on Why America needs fewer bus stops in ~transport
RoyalHenOil Link ParentMelbourne (Australia) uses a combination of buses and trams. On some roads, buses and trams have their own dedicated lanes and traffic lights. On other roads, they share lanes with cars and...Melbourne (Australia) uses a combination of buses and trams. On some roads, buses and trams have their own dedicated lanes and traffic lights. On other roads, they share lanes with cars and effectively function like regular traffic. It's really a matter of what's needed where — and what's compatible with the road in question, although Melbourne's planners are certainly willing to make narrow roads into tram/bus/pedestrian-only spaces as needed. It works quite well.
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Comment on What's a culture shock that you experienced? in ~talk
RoyalHenOil Link ParentOh nice! Most of my family is from the Maryville/Townsend/Gatlinburg area.Oh nice! Most of my family is from the Maryville/Townsend/Gatlinburg area.
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Comment on Why London’s chimney sweeps are enjoying a resurgence in ~life
RoyalHenOil Link ParentIt's generally pretty doable to have a wood stove installed in a fireplace. There are some ridiculously efficient wood stoves on the market today — upwards of 80-90% (compared to a fireplace's...It's generally pretty doable to have a wood stove installed in a fireplace. There are some ridiculously efficient wood stoves on the market today — upwards of 80-90% (compared to a fireplace's 10-15%).
They're not a perfect replacement for central heating, since they are slower to warm up and cool down, and you can't regulate them to a thermostat. But they can definitely cut down on heating bills during the coldest parts of winter, depending on the local price of firewood, the local price of electricity/gas/whatever your central heating runs on, and your home's insulation (central heating is particularly ineffective in drafty homes).
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Comment on Why London’s chimney sweeps are enjoying a resurgence in ~life
RoyalHenOil LinkWhere I live (rural Victoria, Australia), a wood stove is generally the cheapest way to heat your home. For people who can afford them, reverse cycle A/Cs are gaining in popularity, especially as...Where I live (rural Victoria, Australia), a wood stove is generally the cheapest way to heat your home. For people who can afford them, reverse cycle A/Cs are gaining in popularity, especially as solar panels become more common (plus they can do cooling in the summer), but the wood stove is still king, especially for people on tight budgets.
Our most common local tree (the manna gum) burns efficiently and grows like a weed. If you're willing to do your own wood splitting, you can get a year's delivery of wood in a single truckload for a reasonable price. If you can't afford to buy wood, all you need is a chainsaw and a trailer to collect your own firewood by the side of the road (manna gums regularly drop branches, often 6-12" in diameter, which take decades to rot away).
It's a completely different story in the city, however, where wood transport becomes very expensive, where most people don't have room to store wood in bulk, and where regulations about woodsmoke come into effect. I've seen some older houses in the city that have fireplaces (generally nonfunctional or retrofitted into gas heaters), but it's very unusual to see new builds with hookups for wood stoves.
I can't say anything about London, but here, wood stoves seem like more of a posh thing in urban areas, even if they're the economical option in the boonies.
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Comment on What's a culture shock that you experienced? in ~talk
RoyalHenOil Link ParentI grew up in the South (and in particular a predominantly Black community in the South) where small talk with strangers is also very common. The problem is that I'm supremely introverted. Small...I grew up in the South (and in particular a predominantly Black community in the South) where small talk with strangers is also very common. The problem is that I'm supremely introverted. Small talk is exhausting, so I do it very little, and people back home generally perceive me as extremely shy (although it's not really shyness, just tiredness).
But then I moved to Australia, which has a much more reserved culture, and I find myself talking to strangers all the time — no more than I do in the US (and actually a lot less, since the social pressure to do it isn't there), but it stands out enough from the local culture that I have a reputation for being unusually outgoing.
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Comment on What's a culture shock that you experienced? in ~talk
RoyalHenOil Link ParentI had a Nicaraguan-Italian coworker who identified this as a language thing rather than a culture thing. She told me that you don't touch people when you're speaking English, but you do touch them...I had a Nicaraguan-Italian coworker who identified this as a language thing rather than a culture thing. She told me that you don't touch people when you're speaking English, but you do touch them when you're speaking Spanish or Italian.
We had some university students from Spain fly down to work with us (consulting), so after she told me that, I paid attention to how she acted when she was speaking to them in English or Spanish. Sure enough, she was always touching their arms and shoulders when she spoke to them in Spanish, but not when she spoke to them in English.
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Comment on What's a culture shock that you experienced? in ~talk
RoyalHenOil Link ParentWhich part of Appalachia are you from?Which part of Appalachia are you from?
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Comment on What's a culture shock that you experienced? in ~talk
RoyalHenOil Link ParentI had a similar but opposite experience moving from the US to Australia. I needed to get treated for an ear infection before I had universal health coverage, and the doctor and receptionist both...I had a similar but opposite experience moving from the US to Australia. I needed to get treated for an ear infection before I had universal health coverage, and the doctor and receptionist both apologized again and again that they had to charge me. It was like $30.
My parents came to visit me here this past October, and my dad had to go to the my local sleepy, small-town ER for an injury. He didn't have universal health coverage, obviously, but he had travel insurance, so he figured paying would be no biggie.
They put him in a hospital bed for a few hours and he was seen by several doctors and nurses (plus a bunch of nursing students practicing wound dressing), so he was expecting a big bill — but when he went to pay with his travel insurance, they decided dealing with insurance was too much of a bother and dropped all the charges. Despite that, they were still asking him to visit the ER every couple days to have his wound monitored and his dressing changed (all for free and on a walk-in basis), and they gave him a bunch of bandages and butterfly strips to take home in case he couldn't be bothered.
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Comment on What's a culture shock that you experienced? in ~talk
RoyalHenOil Link ParentAmerican restaurants are reasonably common here. Even my local town of ~2,800 used to have one, which sadly closed during the pandemic. They're generally dressed up in a 50s retro diner style, but...American restaurants are reasonably common here. Even my local town of ~2,800 used to have one, which sadly closed during the pandemic. They're generally dressed up in a 50s retro diner style, but occasionally one gets a bit creative and goes for something like Waffle House style. Despite the kitsch, every one I've seen has been pretty foodie and upscale — and some are downright pretentious.
All the ones I've been to sell American-looking food (for example, fluffy pancakes, milkshakes, apple pie, etc., which all somehow still taste entirely Australian), Mexican-looking food (quesadillas seem to particularly popular in experience though, again, they taste Australian), plus some more unusual items that are more American-inspired than anything, like this macaroni and cheese ball or these cheeseburger springrolls. You'll also see a lot of classic Australian food, like hand pies, that are presented in an American style; maybe they'll be dressed up with pickles or jalapenos, for example. Sometimes you see blooming onions show up — which particularly tickles me because that's an Outback Steakhouse thing.
I've enjoyed the food from every American diner I've visited, but they definitely don't scratch my itch for genuine American food (particularly the Southern food I grew up with). I just have to cook that myself. American restaurants are really just a fun play on the standard Australian fare.
But this is pretty typical. Ultimately, a restaurant has to serve the tastes of the locals who frequent it, and Americans and Australians just don't have the same tastes. I had the same experience doing study abroad in rural Costa Rica; I went to Mexican restaurants, Italian restaurants restaurants, etc., and they all still tasted like Costa Rican food.
Ultimately, people like their food to look exotic but taste familiar.
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Comment on What's a culture shock that you experienced? in ~talk
RoyalHenOil LinkWhen I immigrated from the US to rural Australia back in 2012 (having never before traveled outside North and Central America), I think my biggest shock was the difference in the food culture:...When I immigrated from the US to rural Australia back in 2012 (having never before traveled outside North and Central America), I think my biggest shock was the difference in the food culture: Walking into bakeries and not recognizing a single product on the shelves, not being able to find a lot of my staples (for example, no wholegrain pasta, and I even had to grow my own black beans! Only recently have these become commonplace), many of my American recipes failing because the measurements are different, thinking "potato cakes" sounded disgusting, going to so-called "American" diners that just taste like Australian food, etc. For the most part, American and Australian culture are extremely similar, and I was completely prepared for how little overlap there would be.
There were also a lot of fun dialect differences to work through, like when my neighbor talked about having "potatoes for tea" (potatoes for dinner) or when a someone told me I needed a "servo" to fill a bike tire (I thought he was talking about a servo motor and I was very confused).
But my favorite dialect confusion: There was a drought my first few years here, and one of my coworkers was telling me that the water level had gotten so low that they found a boy at the bottom of one of the local lakes. I was completely shocked — they found a boy? I asked her if they called the police, and she was confused; why would they call the police about a boy in a lake? It was several minutes of me increasingly freaking out and her wondering why I was making such a big deal about it until we realized that we pronounce "buoy" differently.
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Comment on US households using Ozempic spend less on groceries in ~health
RoyalHenOil Link ParentThere can also be a biological component to it. To give a (somewhat odd) anecdotal example, I have two dogs who have very different reactions to stress, like visiting the vet or a stranger...There can also be a biological component to it.
To give a (somewhat odd) anecdotal example, I have two dogs who have very different reactions to stress, like visiting the vet or a stranger knocking on the door. One of them is soothed by being petted/held, while the other is soothed by food. If I soothe them the wrong way, they will continue to freak out. Both dogs are the same breed, from the same breeder, and both raised together the same way, yet they have entirely different mechanisms for coping with stress.
Interestingly, I've gone the opposite way. I was obsessed with documentaries, encyclopedias, etc., as a kid, and I adamantly hated games with too much story (I basically only played games like SimAnt). The older I get, however, the more I find myself moving away from nonfiction and toward fiction and storytelling — although I think it's less an age-related thing and more a reflection of how the nonfiction media landscape around me is changing.
I do still somewhat obsessively watch/read about things like geology, so long as the subject is presented in a pretty dry manner (like "Here's how to identify different types of soil" or "Here's how this particular mountain range formed"), but I feel like it's become pretty difficult to find nonfiction media that isn't trying to be extremely entertaining (e.g., "The biggest volcanic eruptions in history!"), that isn't biased toward the creator's opinions, or that doesn't contain sloppy inaccuracies. I really don't like the idea of consuming misleading media, and since I'm not in a good position to fact-check most of the media I consume, I find myself reluctant to give nonfiction a chance unless it's been heavily vetted by experts in its field.
So I'm a lot more into fictional media now. I wouldn't say I consume a lot of it (I watch a movie or TV show maybe once a month, for example), but fiction makes up probably 90+% of the media I consume these days. I feel like the quality of fictional media has increased a great deal since I was younger (or maybe I just have better access to quality media now?). I often hated it as a kid because it felt like the creator was trying to forcefeed me some kind of lesson or message. But today, there's plenty of fiction that explores interesting philosophical questions, science fiction concepts, etc., in a much more open way, and I love it.