TallUntidyGothGF's recent activity
-
Comment on Wanted to share a song my friend and I put together in ~creative
-
Comment on Non-American, English language news sources in ~news
TallUntidyGothGF Link Parentthe BBC is the british state media. they have a charter that indicates they must be impartial. in practice, however, this is not the case. they engage heavily in selective reporting to quietly...the BBC is the british state media. they have a charter that indicates they must be impartial. in practice, however, this is not the case. they engage heavily in selective reporting to quietly enact editorial lines. they are also frequently forced to withhold information by legal injunctions in the uk, which they are not even allowed to acknowledge (though this isn't a specific criticism of the bbc, all news outlets in the uk are bound by this). soft pressure on editorial decisions is also exerted by the government, either directly or via political partisans installed in leadership positions. yet softer, the majority of people in high places did the same PPE etc courses at oxbridge as those in government, and this consists the infamous old boys club.
on specialist issues particularly, their journalists tend to have a very poor understanding and repeat untruths and misconceptions. i have observed this on topics i am an expert in, and therefore don't trust them on anything else specialist. i would say that this problem is common across journalism, though. what makes it especially damaging is the perception of the bbc as a source that can be trusted.
in addition, i also think that their enactment of 'unbiased' reporting repeatedly transforms what are essentially 'public education' or 'news' problems into perpetuation of fringe, extremist, and untrue beliefs on important topics, causing them to enter the mainstream, legitimised by a supposedly unbiased source. this happens again and again, the premium case being brexit, of course.
the above issues are relatively well documented, but people disagree a lot about the extent of the capture and its effects. it is my opinion that these failures cause them to bear a large degree of responsibility for the rapid decline of the uk in the past ten years or so. on the other hand, they are not that bad compared to most other british media outlets. much of the problem comes from the perception that they are fair and unbiased and the relatively quiet way they editorialise. my opinion would be considered quite extreme across the british public.
my recommendation re the guardian is primarily informed by trans stuff. i am personally not willing to forgive or look past that. otherwise, my (very much) opinion from their writing is that, the paper panders to people who are ultimately conservative, but want to feel better about it, don't want the status quo to change at all, don't want to have to take a stand against any of the evil going on, but want to be seen as caring about it. the writing often bends backwards to support this kind of thinking, where disagreements with conservative understandings of that which occurs are often aesthetic rather than substantial. this is, for me, incredibly frustrating to experience. and this wouldn't be /quite/ such a big problem other than, in a parallel to the bbc situation, its perception as the leftie newspaper frequently leads to uncritical introduction of very stupid and evil opinions, which are thereby legitimised mainstream as common sense agreement 'across the aisle'
-
Comment on Music makers: what's the best way to create song drafts? in ~music
TallUntidyGothGF Linki write lyrics and chord sheets in logseq, and if needed i use flat for transcription if needed (it's superb for guitar because you can convert between staff and tab very easily/show them at once,...i write lyrics and chord sheets in logseq, and if needed i use flat for transcription if needed (it's superb for guitar because you can convert between staff and tab very easily/show them at once, and easily play around with how to voice it on the fretboard, or otherwise working things out for multiple instruments). then for demo-ing: grouptheloop (looper with song structure, also has some built in drum stuff) and garageband all on my ipad via a umc204hd so i don't have to mess around with JACK [screaming emoticon]
-
Comment on Non-American, English language news sources in ~news
TallUntidyGothGF (edited )Linkin addition to ft.com i commented on elsewhere on this thread, https://novaramedia.com/ is good and have podcasts/videos. they would be labelled by others as having a 'left bias'. i recommend not...in addition to ft.com i commented on elsewhere on this thread, https://novaramedia.com/ is good and have podcasts/videos. they would be labelled by others as having a 'left bias'. i recommend not reading or supporting the guardian (uk) in any way (and they suck on more than just trans issues). i would also not trust the bbc for basically anything other than what the british government thinks.
also it is american but i am so impressed by the baffler that i order it in paper form - it has a relatively global focus. i feel like i learn more about what is going on in the world from that than anything else i read, probably.
OH and also, https://theconversation.com/uk , news written by experts in the relevant fields, is a must.
-
Comment on Non-American, English language news sources in ~news
TallUntidyGothGF Link Parenti would also add to this that they tend to mostly ignore culture war stuff or at least rage bait takes on it, so i tend to use it as a relatively 'safe-to-read'.i would also add to this that they tend to mostly ignore culture war stuff or at least rage bait takes on it, so i tend to use it as a relatively 'safe-to-read'.
-
Comment on What's your favorite music album to get high to? in ~music
TallUntidyGothGF Linkobligatory it's been a while but check this out https://album.link/gb/i/1440179194obligatory it's been a while but check this out https://album.link/gb/i/1440179194
-
Comment on How do you navigate an imbalanced friendship? in ~life
TallUntidyGothGF (edited )Linkthe other commenters have made really good points. i would also like to suggest, and this may totally not track for you, so feel free to dismiss if it does not: wondering whether it's really true...the other commenters have made really good points. i would also like to suggest, and this may totally not track for you, so feel free to dismiss if it does not: wondering whether it's really true that you don't like talking to people and that you don't want that kind of close communication with friends. your actions and feelings in this situation may say otherwise. that perhaps you want it, but that it's hard to make connections and build trust with people to connect and continue to connect in those ways, for you.
i had a similar experience, would always say and think i was a very private person who just didn't want to have that kind of relationship with friends. but then when i did occasionally connect with someone like that, it was almost like a high, which then comes with its own problems, for you and the other person, both because you are leaning on them almost entirely for that kind of connection, and because you are inexperienced with it.
ultimately, my attitude towards it turned out to be the self-protecting lie ( "i don't have friends i connect with in that way, so i don't want them") i told myself because a combination of depression, anxiety, and untreated other mh conditions made it very difficult for me to form and maintain close relationships (specifically, also made online and asynchronous conversation difficult as well as general kind of 'bonding').
working on all that made it much easier to form, diversify, and keep those relationships, and then i didn't have to lean so heavily on the few people who, before, managed to break through my brain slime.
-
Comment on The Tiny Soapbox: a platform for small, low-stakes rants in ~talk
TallUntidyGothGF Link Parentyes indeed, i was also thinking of how i most often use temperature: determining whether or not there will be a frost tonight, and i should therefore take action so my vegetables don't die. 0, -1,...yes indeed, i was also thinking of how i most often use temperature: determining whether or not there will be a frost tonight, and i should therefore take action so my vegetables don't die. 0, -1, and -2 almost act like a defcon in that context :D
the argument seems to be whether or not 0 or some other number is a more useful 'centre,' rather than whether freezing point is a useful centre. intuitively i want to say it's obviously better to have 0, but i have to admit it does seem like you'd just remember it whatever it is when you learn it and how people around you use it - it does feel like the 'stepping' of whole values of C is more sensible around zero, but maybe that's mostly familiarity too.
i guess also in addition to the science discussion above, in my work we generally convert temps to kelvin anyway because various statistical measures break/give misleading results where values sit both above and below 0.
-
Comment on The Tiny Soapbox: a platform for small, low-stakes rants in ~talk
TallUntidyGothGF Link Parentthe people i really don't get are the ones who pick up the dog poop and put it in a bag and then tie the bag to a tree. like, you did the gross part already??? just put it in the bin!the people i really don't get are the ones who pick up the dog poop and put it in a bag and then tie the bag to a tree. like, you did the gross part already??? just put it in the bin!
-
Comment on The Tiny Soapbox: a platform for small, low-stakes rants in ~talk
TallUntidyGothGF Linkwho keeps smashing glass on the cycle path? please stop it, i beg you!who keeps smashing glass on the cycle path? please stop it, i beg you!
-
Comment on Donald Trump White House directs US National Institutes of Health to study ‘regret’ after transgender people transition in ~society
TallUntidyGothGF Link ParentPeople should not over-play the risks. Conversely, down-playing or dismissing discussion of risks as dangerous is especially unhelpful exactly when there are many vulnerable people who have no...People should not over-play the risks. Conversely, down-playing or dismissing discussion of risks as dangerous is especially unhelpful exactly when there are many vulnerable people who have no other choice. It is possible to discuss for days about what is over or under exaggerating, but I reject the notion that I’m partaking in dangerous discourse by mentioning it. The reason concern trolling and the like is so successful is because there are grains of truth which, if mentioned even in the context of discussing research design by friendly parties (that is also to say, not a discussion concerning whether or not people should transition), one frequently finds their throat jumped into.
-
Comment on Donald Trump White House directs US National Institutes of Health to study ‘regret’ after transgender people transition in ~society
TallUntidyGothGF Link ParentI’ll have to defer on any US matters. I agree it’s way different, and that differential dissatisfaction from cost for gender transition sounds less likely there. I am definitely only speaking from...I’ll have to defer on any US matters. I agree it’s way different, and that differential dissatisfaction from cost for gender transition sounds less likely there. I am definitely only speaking from my knowledge of the UK experience.
But DIY hrt is very expensive! I know because I have had to use it. It ran around 120 pounds per month privately (with other massive up front costs for diagnosis, maybe just under 500 if you use the cheapest but can be way more, and then ongoing costs for any monitoring and changes. Many of these are basically scams and will not properly monitor you cough gendergp cough, they are a tragedy waiting to happen - there ARE risks from these drugs if you are not managed properly, eg people die from hepatoxic response to bicalutamide), then about 150 per month via questionably legal routes (and that’s taking the rubbish blockers, gnrh blockers are hundreds a month alone). It is also way more if it were testosterone you were after (and more legal risk), and I know people who pay this and more per month. You will also have to pay for your own blood tests which at absolute minimum from randox or so will be 100ish for both hormone levels and liver/kidney etc every three months - you will have to figure out how to interpret these yourselves. hair removal will be thousands and many of the practitioners are scammy. Thousands for voice. Private surgeries tens of thousands. I’m sure there are other costs I’m forgetting. the meds themselves are getting cheaper on account of clandestine formulations though. You have to understand that there’s no other healthcare in the uk you have to seek this way and it’s both humiliating and makes a serious material difference. It’s not enough to not make you do it, as you say it’s the only option, and I’m clearly not trying to dissuade anyone. But again we reach the question of dissatisfaction vs regret.
The risks of medical tourism and buying drugs from online websites are well documented. These are openly discussed by resources that support trans people. I’m not sure how im contributing to a harmful narrative, I was mostly suggesting that there are many hidden features of trans healthcare and treatment that would likely not be accounted for in studies of dissatisfaction. I guess I gave the wrong impression
-
Comment on Donald Trump White House directs US National Institutes of Health to study ‘regret’ after transgender people transition in ~society
TallUntidyGothGF Link Parentand also i wonder if they factor in dissatisfaction that trans people also very often (i believe that this will be way more than any official statistics show) have to seek and pay for for...and also i wonder if they factor in dissatisfaction that trans people also very often (i believe that this will be way more than any official statistics show) have to seek and pay for for treatments and procedures outside the bounds of their host medical system. for example, purchase medications from abroad at great expense, that have been shown to contain high levels of contaminants including lead. and/or, seek surgeries from dodgy practitioners in dodgy markets at massive costs, who are not regulated, and for which there is no recourse if they screw up those complex procedures. this vs your knee replacement or w/e that would be covered by the nhs or your insurance, and the practitioner would be on the hook to correct problems and er, not put lead in stuff
-
Comment on Donald Trump White House directs US National Institutes of Health to study ‘regret’ after transgender people transition in ~society
TallUntidyGothGF Link Parenti really appreciate the check-in. to be clear, i very much feel that my life is worth continuing. also, i have transition to thank for this (!!!)i really appreciate the check-in. to be clear, i very much feel that my life is worth continuing. also, i have transition to thank for this (!!!)
-
Comment on Donald Trump White House directs US National Institutes of Health to study ‘regret’ after transgender people transition in ~society
TallUntidyGothGF Linki'm sure this will be a fair study, they can take notes on how to run it from Cass, and the other various pocket academics they are now commissioning to run service reviews in the UK. my only...i'm sure this will be a fair study, they can take notes on how to run it from Cass, and the other various pocket academics they are now commissioning to run service reviews in the UK. my only post-transition regret is that i have to continue to live in the same world as these fuck-heads. i don't think i have anything more substantive to say, but needed to express myself.
ps: perhaps they will accidentally defund it because the title includes the word 'trans'?
-
Comment on Heathrow Airport shutdown causes flight chaos and leaves thousands stranded in ~travel
TallUntidyGothGF Link ParentOn a non technical note, I think that people here in the UK are quite immiserated and don’t expect a lot when it comes to infrastructure, so there probably isn’t much public pressure to make...On a non technical note, I think that people here in the UK are quite immiserated and don’t expect a lot when it comes to infrastructure, so there probably isn’t much public pressure to make things more robust, or really enough of an outcry when things go wrong. Our buses are always late or don’t show up, trains often delayed or cancelled, everything shuts down when it’s too cold, too hot, there’s a dusting of snow, flooding is increasingly normalised. Infrastructure projects always overrun, over-expense, and under-deliver (if they are finished at all). Health system crumbling to the point of material outcomes, cancer diagnoses and treatments delayed. In this context it’s not surprising in the least to me that a completely preventable or avoidable infrastructure problem caused this much of a problem
-
Comment on An appeal to the community for non-algorithmic recommendations in ~talk
TallUntidyGothGF Link Parentlove it! i enjoy that a rabid dedication to moon viewing is a kind of earnest in-joke across traditional haiku. there's certainly a note of humour in them, here's another from Basho: clouds...love it! i enjoy that a rabid dedication to moon viewing is a kind of earnest in-joke across traditional haiku. there's certainly a note of humour in them, here's another from Basho:
clouds sometimes
let us rest
moon-viewingspeaking of which, you may get a kick out of this
-
Comment on An appeal to the community for non-algorithmic recommendations in ~talk
TallUntidyGothGF Link Parentyes! traditionally haiku had to include a kigo or season word and a kireji or cutting word. i think when a lot of people write haiku in english, they over-focus on the wrong 'rule', i.e. the 5-7-5...yes! traditionally haiku had to include a kigo or season word and a kireji or cutting word. i think when a lot of people write haiku in english, they over-focus on the wrong 'rule', i.e. the 5-7-5 format, and maybe not so much on the kind of soul of the thing ... for one thing, 5-7-5 doesn't fit english very well because of the phonological differences between the languages, and the same amount of semantic information isn't captured...
in my own practice i like to focus on the following:
- attempting to capture a specific moment or experience, rather than an abstract (though the abstract thought may be implied by the specific, you don't say it outright)
- avoid direct metaphor (though again it can be implied)
- something like 'expansive concision' - capturing as much as possible in very small number of words, different senses, etc. you have to try a bit harder in english because you don't have the same 'baggage' that japanese kigo provide - but you can become very creative with this
- avoidance of intentional rhyme or metric rhythm
- as for the length, i usually count by stressed syllables, with the first and final lines containing the same number, and the middle being longer. i find that 2 / 3 / 2 tends to work well, but it's more about keeping it brief, light, and airy. people play with this aspect a lot, to good effect
- there is also the notion of kireji or 'cutting words' which are also hard to render in english, but can be done with punctuation. i often like to think of, subtlety or not, cutting the poem into two parts, call and response, question and answer
anyway, i was rambling, i think these notions capture more of what is/has been intended by haiku
but of course, there are no rules
-
Comment on An appeal to the community for non-algorithmic recommendations in ~talk
TallUntidyGothGF (edited )Linkhere is some very good and off beaten track writing i have been following recently, conscience round alcoholic poet dramatic roots wherein a poet shares about the craft, it has been very...here is some very good and off beaten track writing i have been following recently,
- conscience round
- alcoholic poet
- dramatic roots wherein a poet shares about the craft, it has been very instructive for me.
- modern monk writes about their take on mystic christianity. i am not a christian, mostly, but it's very engaging and interesting.
- captain awkward writes 'agony aunt' type content, and i often find the issues selected quite relatable (as opposed to most of that kind of writing i come across)!
-
Comment on Help finding shoes in ~life.style
TallUntidyGothGF Link ParentWhat brands are better for equivalent cost? What are the brands that are much better at 200 dollars plus? Mine lasted me maybe two years which is better than your standard shoe but was still a...What brands are better for equivalent cost? What are the brands that are much better at 200 dollars plus? Mine lasted me maybe two years which is better than your standard shoe but was still a little disappointing. I’m definitely thinking about paying more for higher quality next time so I’m v interested in your recs for similar shoes. I’m also limited by being a woman with a large shoe size, for which docs work very well style wise!
sounds cool. vocals sound latter day modest mouse. also love the band name (assuming) reference to silver jews.