Schwoop's recent activity
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Comment on Which challenging book was worth the effort for you? in ~books
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Comment on From beginner to conversational in three months of learning Russian: My takeaways in ~humanities.languages
Schwoop Link ParentCool, thanks for the link, I'll check it out.Cool, thanks for the link, I'll check it out.
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Comment on From beginner to conversational in three months of learning Russian: My takeaways in ~humanities.languages
Schwoop Link ParentSame here. Great to see that Tildes slowly builds relevant content that prevails through the years :)It's surprisingly relevant for me.
Same here. Great to see that Tildes slowly builds relevant content that prevails through the years :)
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Comment on From beginner to conversational in three months of learning Russian: My takeaways in ~humanities.languages
Schwoop LinkHey @Adys, just stumbled over your post and I see you are still active on Tildes :) I am embarking on my Russian journey this spring. Fully agree, exposure has always helped me tremendously with...Hey @Adys, just stumbled over your post and I see you are still active on Tildes :)
I am embarking on my Russian journey this spring.- Started listening to spoken material on YouTube, as much as possible, even before I could understand what was being said.
Fully agree, exposure has always helped me tremendously with foreign languages. Any recommendations for Russian? I'm not super picky and have a pretty broad set of interests all throughout Humanities in general. Any decent documentations on youtube, shows, interviews etc. that you would recommend?
Anything helps as a starting point ;-) -
Comment on I hate the new internet. I hate the new tech world. I hate it all. I want out, and I can't be the only one. in ~tech
Schwoop Link ParentThanks for the links in the end - I really enjoy Upstract and the Tiny awards :)Thanks for the links in the end - I really enjoy Upstract and the Tiny awards :)
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Comment on Bluesky advertises itself as an open network, they say people won't lose followers or their identity, they advertise themselves as a protocol ("atproto"). These three claims are false. in ~tech
Schwoop Link ParentFair point, I shouldn't have put it in that way. But it seems that I've seen some self promotion repeatedly here in the last weeks.Fair point, I shouldn't have put it in that way.
But it seems that I've seen some self promotion repeatedly here in the last weeks.
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Comment on Bluesky advertises itself as an open network, they say people won't lose followers or their identity, they advertise themselves as a protocol ("atproto"). These three claims are false. in ~tech
Schwoop Link ParentParticularly if the post itself is only a promotion for OP's (I assume) content elsewhere.clickbait) titles like this being allowed here
Particularly if the post itself is only a promotion for OP's (I assume) content elsewhere.
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Comment on Donald Trump says he'll 'likely' give TikTok a ninety-day extension to avoid US ban in ~tech
Schwoop LinkSlightly meta, but this right here is a great example of the mess in which US politics will be in the coming four years. Trump makes a completely speculative statement that infuses nothing but...Slightly meta, but this right here is a great example of the mess in which US politics will be in the coming four years.
Trump makes a completely speculative statement that infuses nothing but uncertainty and he doesn't explain or give any reason for his proposition.
"I'm the one who is going to be calling the shots. Most likely, I'll extend for 90 days," he told ABC's Rachel Scott. "You have the extension for 90 days as you probably know. I'll do that until we figure something out.
He doesn't tell us why he would do one thing or the other. So we are left to guess, and at the end, there is no rational basis for behavior, but whims and vibes - which of course is where manipulation and bribery comes in.
And it doesn't help that the media, in this case ABC, doesn't even ask the question of "why", but spends the rest of the article on the "how", or as the put it immediately after the Trump-quote:
He did not provide further details on how an extension could be enacted.
Let's see whats left after 2028...
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Comment on Offbeat Fridays – The thread where offbeat headlines become front page news in ~news
Schwoop Link ParentI saw the news earlier this week and had the same thought. Plus the guys name is literally Guy Paris. Southpark/Family Guy etc. couldn't have made this up :D Reminded me of the time I worked with...I saw the news earlier this week and had the same thought. Plus the guys name is literally Guy Paris. Southpark/Family Guy etc. couldn't have made this up :D
Reminded me of the time I worked with a Mr. Croissant from Paris...Will be interesting to see what the city does with the money though. If it is really that much compared to their normal budget, they make some brilliant decisions or some really bad ones...
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Comment on What’s the best way to self-learn the piano and guitar? in ~music
Schwoop LinkFor guitar, there are countless resources on YouTube alone. They range from truly excellent to still helpful. Justin has already been mentioned. One hidden gem for music theory is Michael New. His...For guitar, there are countless resources on YouTube alone. They range from truly excellent to still helpful.
Justin has already been mentioned. One hidden gem for music theory is Michael New. His tutorials on basic concepts of music theory are as clean and helpful as they get.Speaking of music theory: particularly among guitarists, there is a tendency to downplay its importance. Some say its is not necessary to play pentatonic rock/pop/country, others say it downright limits creative freedom. But it is sooo valuable to understand what you are playing and to communicate with other musicians. And I actually can be creative on the spot as a guitarist BECAUSE I know my music theory. I can come up with interesting and fitting chords on the spot because I've learned my harmony. I can solo along whatever comes my way, because I not only learned my scales by heart, but because I was taught how they all fits together theoretically.
With a basic level of theory you also understand WHY the songs you play are arranged the way they are. It is neither coincidence nor laziness (maybe a bit...) that you can play thousands of songs with the same four chords, but my fellow guitarist oftentimes rather strum themselves along into oblivion instead of trying to understand why these patterns occur.
I know its difficult enough to physically play any instrument in the beginning, but anyone who pays a little attention to music theory from early on will get so much more out of the instrument and music almost immediately... Its really not necessary to learn to harmonize Lydian scales two months into your journey, but please don't just discard any theory as "nerd stuff". It is helpful and really not all that difficult...
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Comment on What are your favorite folk songbooks for guitar? in ~music
Schwoop LinkAs in "campfire song book" or as in "precise, written-out pop-rock arrangements"? I have seen iterations of [this book] (https://www.musik-produktiv.de/dux-das-ding-2-kultliederbuch.html) all over...As in "campfire song book" or as in "precise, written-out pop-rock arrangements"?
I have seen iterations of [this book] (https://www.musik-produktiv.de/dux-das-ding-2-kultliederbuch.html) all over Europe. It is a good collection of popular songs (lyrics and chords). Not sure if that is what you are looking for. -
Comment on How do you journal? in ~talk
Schwoop LinkI use the Notes-app on Mac. It works across all my machines, is very basic and I don't run into any dependency issues in the future (hopefully...). I create a document for each month, and then...I use the Notes-app on Mac. It works across all my machines, is very basic and I don't run into any dependency issues in the future (hopefully...). I create a document for each month, and then every day I use the app, I start with the date and the city I'm in.
In terms of what I write about: I try to follow Ben Franklin's advice: "Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing." In practice, much of it is of course introspective, but it might also be about what happens around me. After all, having a journal has two goals in my view: 1) try to get more clarity in your thoughts by making them explicit, and 2) be able to trace back what kind of person you were in the past.
In terms of frequency: It fluctuates wildly, as life does sometimes. Occasionally I will write something everyday of a week, then nothing for another week.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~society
Schwoop Link ParentThe citizenship-measure is one of the instances that are frustrating to me in the whole debate. I do understand the intention: reduce the prevalence of anti-semitism in the population. Who could...The citizenship-measure is one of the instances that are frustrating to me in the whole debate.
I do understand the intention: reduce the prevalence of anti-semitism in the population. Who could be against that? But then politics operationalizes that goal in a way that makes every critique of the (foreign) policy of Israel seem to be potentially a marker for an antisemitic worldview. I understand though that it really depends on the exact wording in the process - which I don't know at the moment.
All the while, as the German society, we side-step another major question: it is really helpful to tie our identity as a nation and German individuals to a to position in which one foreign state actor (that we have no control over) has our unwavering support to the extent that they can attack democratic institutions internally and try to solve their external challenges systematically in a non-peaceful manner?
Of course I can't speak to your personal situation. I just hope you feel welcome here regardless of this specific question.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~society
Schwoop (edited )Link ParentAs someone born, raised, and living in Germany I would want to add however that it is important to recognize how different the debate is this time. I haven't in my lifetime seen that much...As someone born, raised, and living in Germany I would want to add however that it is important to recognize how different the debate is this time. I haven't in my lifetime seen that much criticism of Israel in the German public sphere - not just "on the streets", but also in talk shows etc. Both sides are hitting each other hard, but its necessary to simply acknowledge that for the first time there are actually two perspectives represented in public debate in Germany on the relationship between Israel and Palestine. Sure, one tends to be pushed hard by the "political class", but even the median voter recognizes that the situation is really complicated: both in terms of the situation in Israel/Gaza, as well how it all relates to German history.
The overall level of discourse is still abysmal, though. Both sides present their sides in exhaustingly un-nuancced ways. But I guess that's a global problem and not a German one per se. -
Comment on AlbumLove (December 2023): 1995-1999 in ~music
Schwoop Link ParentNice. Very soothing. Bonus point for non-English vocals (:Nice. Very soothing.
Bonus point for non-English vocals (: -
Comment on <deleted topic> in ~health.mental
Schwoop LinkCongratulations from one nail-biting expert to another! I find myself in a similar situation recently: my nails haven't been this healthy in forever, despite me passing through a really stressful...Congratulations from one nail-biting expert to another!
I find myself in a similar situation recently: my nails haven't been this healthy in forever, despite me passing through a really stressful time. I have relied on toothpicks in the past to chew on, but this time it is different: I have a number of job interviews lined up were I absolutely can't have bad nails. And I play guitar more seriously then I used to. Seems like alI I needed was a really good reason or two not to bite my nails... lets hope its enough to keep me going for a while to loose the habit.
I have no idea where else to put this question on the internet, but since this is a place where fellow ex-biters seem to gather: did your nails grow back "normally" after years of abuse, or do some nails kept some mild form of deformation?
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Comment on Microsoft’s Windows Hello fingerprint authentication has been bypassed in ~tech
Schwoop Link ParentCan you expand on what you mean when you say that you don't access personal data on your computer? What about banking for example? Do you do that via your phone only? Why would that be more secure...Can you expand on what you mean when you say that you don't access personal data on your computer? What about banking for example? Do you do that via your phone only? Why would that be more secure than using a desktop PC laptop?
The question for me is less where I access my data, but where I store it. The important stuff is on a usb-key that I pull out the drawer if necessary. -
Comment on Microsoft’s Windows Hello fingerprint authentication has been bypassed in ~tech
Schwoop LinkWhat does that mean with regards to the security of biometrics vs. good old passwords? I take it that the best way to secure access to my computer is still a long and complicated password, and not...What does that mean with regards to the security of biometrics vs. good old passwords?
I take it that the best way to secure access to my computer is still a long and complicated password, and not my fingerprint? -
Comment on How to drive a stake through your own good heart in ~life
Schwoop LinkRegarding University Rankings: self-reporting creates all sorts of weird dynamics, as outlined in the article. But "third-party" evaluations are flawed too. I have an eastern European colleague in...Regarding University Rankings: self-reporting creates all sorts of weird dynamics, as outlined in the article. But "third-party" evaluations are flawed too. I have an eastern European colleague in my lab who annually receives invitations to rank universities from his home country. He has never studied or taught there - basically, he has no clue about academics there, but his nationality fits.
Regarding library time: I haven't been a student in a while, but why do they have time to waste at the library in the first place? I used to review my classes of the day in three hours because that's all the time I had between extracurriculars and work.
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Comment on The Beatles - Now and Then (2023) in ~music
Schwoop Link ParentI think the song is obviously no "Lucy in the Sky" and no "Yesterday", but that's ok. Humankind only gets so many of that caliber... I think it is a fine song - nothing more, and nothing less....But I’m not sure this song is a fitting coda to the Beatles canon
I think the song is obviously no "Lucy in the Sky" and no "Yesterday", but that's ok. Humankind only gets so many of that caliber... I think it is a fine song - nothing more, and nothing less. Although I do like the overall arrangement, strings included.
That being said, I think it is a fitting final piece to their works, not because of the quality of the song or lyrical themes, but because of this whole AI-dimension to it. I think it is almost sad to see this tech being thrown at anything and everything these days, Beatles included, but given what the Beatles mean to the art and social practice of recorded popular music, I find it quite fitting that they are now also intimately connected to this next step in artistic expression and technological development. It really shows the extent to which the Beatles are part of the broader cultural canon of the West and beyond.
I bought it for my 18th birthday because I felt the title was so arrogant (infinite jest for over 1000 pages printed in bible paper including hundreds of endnotes). Either this thing is brilliant or it’s a trainwreck. Turns out ist absolutely brilliant.
Read it instead of preparing for my A-Levels. Learned countless things, started to think very hard about what was right in front of me.
DFW’s work more generally has sustained me through higher education and well paid but boring office jobs.
I can highly highly highly recommend Miller’s “The Gospel According to David Foster Wallace”. On 150 pages the author summarizes DFW ethics in an extremely poignant manner. Brilliant piece of criticism about a brilliant writer.