Thrabalen's recent activity
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Comment on Governor Gavin Newsom orders homeless sweeps throughout California in ~life
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Comment on Are smartphones driving our teens to depression? in ~health.mental
Thrabalen LinkIt's not smartphones that are causing depression, it's easy and always available access to media in various forms, that's causing it. Curious that the New York Times chose the messenger instead of...It's not smartphones that are causing depression, it's easy and always available access to media in various forms, that's causing it. Curious that the New York Times chose the messenger instead of the message.
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Comment on The deadliest of all dead ends in the 3D printing industry in ~tech
Thrabalen Link ParentIf he's printing all of these plastic phalluses, what does he store them all in? A bag of some kind?If he's printing all of these plastic phalluses, what does he store them all in? A bag of some kind?
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Comment on Library asks users to verify that books actually exist before making a loan request because AI invents book titles in ~tech
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Comment on Has anyone stopped caring about politics? in ~humanities
Thrabalen Link ParentYou're examining the minefield not because you think anyone will sweep the mines, but because you want to know where, and where not, is safe to walk.You're examining the minefield not because you think anyone will sweep the mines, but because you want to know where, and where not, is safe to walk.
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Comment on Has anyone stopped caring about politics? in ~humanities
Thrabalen LinkI think politics right now is like the Korean War. Korea came rapidly on the heels of WWII, which was impossible to not know everything you can about it. It was everywhere, and when it was over,...I think politics right now is like the Korean War. Korea came rapidly on the heels of WWII, which was impossible to not know everything you can about it. It was everywhere, and when it was over, half a decade later another war comes along. People didn't want to hear about the possibility, didn't want to acknowledge it. They were burned out. "We just had a big one, how bad can this one be?" It was the forgotten war even before it began.
Right now, there's activity on the 38th parallel (politically speaking), and we're going about our lives. This election is the Korean War for many of us, and I frankly can't place blame.
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Comment on What gaming genre could use a renaming? in ~games
Thrabalen LinkARPGs. Not likely to happen, given that the granddaddy is Diablo, but they're too easily mixed with games like Mass Effect. Usually, there's little character, much less RPG like elements. I have...ARPGs. Not likely to happen, given that the granddaddy is Diablo, but they're too easily mixed with games like Mass Effect. Usually, there's little character, much less RPG like elements.
I have no idea what should replace it, but even looking for ARPGs gets confusing.
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Comment on Red Lobster | Bankrupt in ~food
Thrabalen LinkIn the early 90s, I was reunited with my biological mother. I flew out to see her, and the first stop after the airport was a meal at Red Lobster. That remains my only visit to that franchise,...In the early 90s, I was reunited with my biological mother. I flew out to see her, and the first stop after the airport was a meal at Red Lobster. That remains my only visit to that franchise, despite having a fondness for seafood. The namesake lobster having the mouthfeel of rubber might have something to do with that.
Needless to say, I'm surprised they're still around.
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Comment on Why we should buff more than nerf in ~games
Thrabalen Link ParentReminds me of how Starseige: Tribes got its skiing mechanic.Reminds me of how Starseige: Tribes got its skiing mechanic.
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Comment on Militarized Cybertruck cop cars are coming in ~transport
Thrabalen Link ParentAdmittedly, which I why I agree with you, it should be tagged. That said, the Venn diagram of "militarized" and "Cybertruck" has a very tiny slice of overlap, I feel, that which is more about...Admittedly, which I why I agree with you, it should be tagged. That said, the Venn diagram of "militarized" and "Cybertruck" has a very tiny slice of overlap, I feel, that which is more about supporting the manufacturer with a visible statement than actually possessing a useful vehicle, and also possessing the funds to be able to do so.
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Comment on Militarized Cybertruck cop cars are coming in ~transport
Thrabalen Link ParentI agree with you, but I must also point out that the words "militarized Cybertruck" gave it away for me, personally.I agree with you, but I must also point out that the words "militarized Cybertruck" gave it away for me, personally.
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Comment on Google scrambles to manually remove weird AI answers in search in ~tech
Thrabalen LinkOkay, someone please reassure me that I am not the only one who thought "Yankovich?" for just a moment thanks to wording and font. Also, I'm beginning to suspect this whole AI thing isn't fully...Okay, someone please reassure me that I am not the only one who thought "Yankovich?" for just a moment thanks to wording and font.
Also, I'm beginning to suspect this whole AI thing isn't fully baked. Just a hunch.
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Comment on "Appear weak when you are strong" - This Confucian proverb is keeping everyone in confusion in ~talk
Thrabalen LinkFor a simplified version of this, consider the entire concept of poker. If you have a good hand, you want to draw bettors in. If you've got a bad hand... well, we all know what a bluff is.For a simplified version of this, consider the entire concept of poker. If you have a good hand, you want to draw bettors in. If you've got a bad hand... well, we all know what a bluff is.
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Comment on It’s time to bury the defective detective in ~tv
Thrabalen Link ParentI don't think I explained my view of the concept properly. It's not so much that I think they need to have a mind that has a criminal mindset, as I believe they have to have a mind that's...I don't think I explained my view of the concept properly. It's not so much that I think they need to have a mind that has a criminal mindset, as I believe they have to have a mind that's sufficiently "damaged" enough to be able to connect to the same wavelength. They don't have to think in the same manner, just have a brain that's dark enough to be able to go places that most people can't.
To be clear, I am not one of those people... I think that damaged people are just damaged and brilliant people are just brilliant and it's possible to be both. But there is a school of thought that says that insanity and genius are parallel roads, and I think a good deal of people subscribe to that theory.
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Comment on It’s time to bury the defective detective in ~tv
Thrabalen Link ParentI don't think it's as much "the DD is always right" as it is "those qualities that make a DD are the same ones which give them the insight into the criminal mind", kind of you have to think like...I don't think it's as much "the DD is always right" as it is "those qualities that make a DD are the same ones which give them the insight into the criminal mind", kind of you have to think like them to beat them.
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Comment on It’s time to bury the defective detective in ~tv
Thrabalen Link ParentIt explains why he's a defective detective, but it doesn't excuse the trope in the first place, was more my thought. But yeah, it's clear there's extenuating backstory.It explains why he's a defective detective, but it doesn't excuse the trope in the first place, was more my thought. But yeah, it's clear there's extenuating backstory.
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Comment on It’s time to bury the defective detective in ~tv
Thrabalen LinkIt's funny this comes up now. I was rewatching the series premiere of The Expanse last night, where (spoilers for anyone who has yet to watch but intends to) Miller throws a guy inside an airlock...It's funny this comes up now. I was rewatching the series premiere of The Expanse last night, where (spoilers for anyone who has yet to watch but intends to)
Miller throws a guy inside an airlock and slowly vents it to punish him.It works solely because we as an audience know who the "good guy" is (because his name is in the credits) but honestly, it shouldn't be acceptable no matter the situation. -
Comment on Offbeat Fridays – The thread where offbeat headlines become front page news in ~news
Thrabalen Link ParentThis is actually brilliant. Assuming it's relatively inexpensive wine, they now have low-cost analysis of how many people pay attention to fine print and clauses. The kind of thing a tax-focused...This is actually brilliant. Assuming it's relatively inexpensive wine, they now have low-cost analysis of how many people pay attention to fine print and clauses. The kind of thing a tax-focused think tank should be keeping abreast of.
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Comment on Experimental real property tax basis-set rate based on usable area per person in ~finance
Thrabalen Link ParentSpeaking as a former renter, homeownership vs renting is, for me, about do I own my home, or does my home own me? The quality of life for an apartment dweller is pitiful, and the rights of a...Speaking as a former renter, homeownership vs renting is, for me, about do I own my home, or does my home own me? The quality of life for an apartment dweller is pitiful, and the rights of a renter even moreso, and increasing the financial influence of landlords won't fix that.
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Comment on Seattle’s law mandating higher pay for food delivery workers is a case study in backfire economics in ~finance
Thrabalen Link ParentI agree, not everything is going to work for everyone, but I have two caveats. One is that the food delivery situation is just the example I was working with... there are likely other "one size...I agree, not everything is going to work for everyone, but I have two caveats. One is that the food delivery situation is just the example I was working with... there are likely other "one size doesn't fit all" situation, and they start to add up quickly. The other caveat is that when it comes to absolute necessities (food and health, such as dietary issues) the solution should work for as close to 100% as possible. I don't care if my clothing selection is limited, I do care if getting food is considerably more difficult.
I would love to avoid the road situation America has, but it's going to take a great deal of people thinking about it much harder than I've seen.
I awoke one morning to find a homeless stranger in my house. He had broken in (because there is, like in many cities, a serious homelessness problem), and I admit, I was somewhat frightened. But the solution is not to grind them in the social mill. There's only one was to combat homelessness: have less homeless people. The problem there is, there's two schools of thought of how to do that, and they almost couldn't be more different.
Method one: Reduce the number of homeless people by devoting resources to fixing the issues that cause homelessness. Method two: make homelessness increasingly illegal (which does, ironically, make it so less people are living on the street... but it puts so many into the penal system, which is akin to a gravity well.)
My preference, despite my encounter in my own home, is still method one.