Tlon_Uqbar's recent activity
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Comment on For those getting ready to go back to school: how do you feel about it? in ~life
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Comment on As China Hacked, U.S. Businesses Turned A Blind Eye in ~news
Tlon_Uqbar Link And here, in microcosm, we have the root of pretty much every problem with the US economy.individual companies were making millions of dollars in China over the past decade and a half and didn't want to hurt short-term profits by coming forward. They demanded secrecy, even in the face of outright theft.
But now the impact of that secrecy is coming to light, they say. Companies are facing hundreds of millions of dollars in future losses from the theft, and U.S. officials say they are years behind trying to tackle the problem.And here, in microcosm, we have the root of pretty much every problem with the US economy.
4 votes -
Comment on What are you doing this weekend? in ~talk
Tlon_Uqbar Link Surprised I'm the only one, so far. It's Saturday, btw. Usually, I don't care too much about RSD exclusives, but my local shop is dropping some stuff from a recent trip to Japan. Gonna see if I...ctrl+F "Record Store Day" 0/0
Surprised I'm the only one, so far. It's Saturday, btw. Usually, I don't care too much about RSD exclusives, but my local shop is dropping some stuff from a recent trip to Japan. Gonna see if I can snatch up some of those sweet imports.
3 votes -
Comment on What are you reading these days? #16 in ~books
Tlon_Uqbar Link Finally getting around to reading Ubik, and it's fucking great. I've only read PDK short stories previously, and I'm digging the longer format for him. It's definitely prescient to the...Finally getting around to reading Ubik, and it's fucking great. I've only read PDK short stories previously, and I'm digging the longer format for him. It's definitely prescient to the late-capitalist nightmare that is our current timeline.
4 votes -
Comment on The "Disney Vault" is open - Disney’s new streaming service will include "the entire Disney motion picture library" in ~movies
Tlon_Uqbar Link I'm going to go ahead and guess that doesn't include Song of the South.I'm going to go ahead and guess that doesn't include Song of the South.
10 votes -
Comment on Last Lines of a Few Great Books in ~books
Tlon_Uqbar Link . . . and then he asked me would I yes to say yes my mountain flower and first I put my arms around him yes and drew him down to me so he could feel my breasts all perfume yes and his heart was going like mad and yes I said yes I will Yes.
1 vote -
Comment on I'm downsizing my digital life. Do you listen to a lot of music? How do you archive it? in ~tech
Tlon_Uqbar Link Parent Ah, yeah it would be over the internet unfortunately. I also rotate out different albums on my phone instead of trying to put everything on it all at once. That's the best I got.Ah, yeah it would be over the internet unfortunately.
I also rotate out different albums on my phone instead of trying to put everything on it all at once. That's the best I got.
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Comment on I'm downsizing my digital life. Do you listen to a lot of music? How do you archive it? in ~tech
Tlon_Uqbar Link I'm like you, I prefer to download and store files rather than streaming subscriptions. I usually don't bother with transcoding. If I can find it in FLAC, I'll grab that. Storage is cheap. But if...I'm like you, I prefer to download and store files rather than streaming subscriptions.
I usually don't bother with transcoding. If I can find it in FLAC, I'll grab that. Storage is cheap. But if it's .mp3 or something else, I'll just leave it in that. The difference is so small, imo, it's not worth the effort. (Obviously not talking about shitty low-bit-rate .mp3s).
As for the phone storage issue, you should looking into setting up a streaming server via Plex, Subsonic, or something like those. For just music, the free version of Plex is perfectly adequate (you might have to pay for the phone app, though.) Then you don't really have to worry about storage.
9 votes -
Comment on Why Can’t We Have Decent Toilet Stalls? in ~life
Tlon_Uqbar Link This (and cost) is the answer to the headline's question, I assume. Personally, I never considered the ease of mopping, but it makes sense. Though I would definitely prefer floor-to-ceiling...The design makes it easier to mop beneath them.
This (and cost) is the answer to the headline's question, I assume. Personally, I never considered the ease of mopping, but it makes sense. Though I would definitely prefer floor-to-ceiling privacy.
On a side-note, I'm also calling for a global ban on trough-style urinals. Those things are nasty and unpleasant in every way.
9 votes -
Comment on Visual novel fans? in ~games
Tlon_Uqbar (edited ) Link I'm a huge fan of the Zero Escape series: 999, Virtue's Last Reward and Zero Time Dilemma. (ZTD doesn't hold up compared to the first 2, but I liked it well enough.) They are visual novels with...I'm a huge fan of the Zero Escape series: 999, Virtue's Last Reward and Zero Time Dilemma. (ZTD doesn't hold up compared to the first 2, but I liked it well enough.)
They are visual novels with escape the room puzzles thrown in. They take the branching paths of visual novels, and use that to create narratives that couldn't be told in any other medium. Without revealing too much, you can jump around to different branches in the story tree, and use information gleaned in certain paths to open up puzzles in other paths. What really impresses me is that even with this non-linear structure, they are actually incredibly well-told and well-paced mystery stories (ZTD somewhat notwithstanding). Virtue's Last Reward in particular is a crazy, fun, dark and certainly well-realized sci-fi mystery. Maybe my favorite game on the 3DS.
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Comment on What are some books you've bought ages ago, but never have gotten around to? in ~books
Tlon_Uqbar Link I got a copy of The Brothers Karamazov as a prize in a writing contest in high school. It sat on my shelf for over 5 years before I got to it. Part was that it's a pretty big book. Part of it was...I got a copy of The Brothers Karamazov as a prize in a writing contest in high school. It sat on my shelf for over 5 years before I got to it. Part was that it's a pretty big book. Part of it was that I was afraid it wouldn't live up to the hype. It absolutely did and instantly became one of my favorite books.
Similarly I have a nice hardcover copy of Murakami's 1Q83 that I still need to get around to (bought it when that came out, however many years ago). I'm not the biggest Murakami fan, but I want to give him another try. Of course I chose a massive book to give him another try on. I will read it though! (Someday).
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Comment on Elwood, Illinois (Pop. 2,200), Has Become a Vital Hub of America’s Consumer Economy. And It’s Hell. in ~misc
Tlon_Uqbar Link Parent This is why states and municipalities should never give tax breaks to try to bring over companies. They are wasteful and ineffective. Logistics is a infrastructure-intensive industry. That's...This is why states and municipalities should never give tax breaks to try to bring over companies. They are wasteful and ineffective.
Logistics is a infrastructure-intensive industry. That's pretty obvious. Then this town threw out any money they would have made from the company coming in. Once I read that, I knew where the article was going.
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Comment on Unity's ToS update blocks the use of SpatialOS in ~games
Tlon_Uqbar Link Unity responded to this blog post. Developers currently using SpacialOS can continue, no problem. They say that they were in negotiations with Improbable for a year, that they had notified...Unity responded to this blog post. Developers currently using SpacialOS can continue, no problem. They say that they were in negotiations with Improbable for a year, that they had notified Improbable that they were in violation of Unity's EULA, and that they had told Improbable that they would revoke Improbable's Unity license. And that's what Unity did. Developers currently using SpacialOS can continue, no problem. Basically their claim is that partnership negotiations broke down, and that Improbable is dissembling.
The post is here:
https://blogs.unity3d.com/es/2019/01/10/our-response-to-improbables-blog-post-and-why-you-can-keep-working-on-your-spatialos-game/And I made a topic here:
https://tildes.net/~games/9ms/unity_responds_to_improbables_spacialos_blog_post4 votes -
9 votes
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10 votes
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Comment on Madoff's Victims Are Close to Getting Their $19 Billion Back in ~misc
Tlon_Uqbar Link Objectively this is a great thing. We should want restitution to every victim of fraud. I can't help but feel, however, that this is happening because the victims of Madoff's fraud were already...Objectively this is a great thing. We should want restitution to every victim of fraud.
I can't help but feel, however, that this is happening because the victims of Madoff's fraud were already very rich and powerful. It really shows how pay-to-play our judicial system is. But, hey, I guess we can effectively fight white collar crime when we really want to.
3 votes -
Comment on What do you value in a video game? in ~games
Tlon_Uqbar Link I agree that gameplay is definitely my first consideration. What I really like is a game that can give me satisfying "eureka" moments. A good puzzle game is an obvious example. But things like...I agree that gameplay is definitely my first consideration. What I really like is a game that can give me satisfying "eureka" moments. A good puzzle game is an obvious example. But things like RPGs have those moments too: when you figure out a super-powerful build, implement it, then watch yourself tear through combat. Feels great.
Basically, I look for a game with systems that I can dig into, borderline break, and feel like I've accomplished or "outsmarted" something (even if that "outsmarting" feeling is by design).
4 votes -
Comment on Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes denied visa to tour Australia with 'The Deplorables' in ~news
Tlon_Uqbar Link Parent That failed redaction story is hilarious. Guess all those "beat ins" weren't too healthy on the old noggin, eh?That failed redaction story is hilarious. Guess all those "beat ins" weren't too healthy on the old noggin, eh?
4 votes -
Comment on What Should America Do With Its Empty Church Buildings? in ~life
Tlon_Uqbar Link I went to see a rock concert in a neo-gothic church (still functioning, but they rent out the space when there isn't something else going on). Needless to say the acoustics were incredible, and it...I went to see a rock concert in a neo-gothic church (still functioning, but they rent out the space when there isn't something else going on). Needless to say the acoustics were incredible, and it was a memorable show just for the venue.
My suggestion would be secular community culture spaces: music, art, pop-up shops, day camp, etc.
9 votes -
Comment on Predatory Lending Practices: Business Borrowers Hurt by "Confession of Judgment" Filings in ~misc
Tlon_Uqbar Link Even if the loophole is technically legal, if disgustingly unethical evil, you'd think a prosecutor would be interested in the obvious perjury/forgery/fraud, right?.... right? JK, I know no one...Even if the loophole is technically legal, if disgustingly
unethicalevil, you'd think a prosecutor would be interested in the obvious perjury/forgery/fraud, right?.... right?JK, I know no one will be significantly punished for this at all. That's what pisses me off the most, honestly. Some individuals will always be evil, but this story shows a massive systemic failure enabling that evil, just because it has to do with money.
Not "going back to school" in the strict sense, but 6 years after graduating, I'm taking my first new class. My job subsidizes professional development, so I decided to take them up on it for a design class. I will probably already know a good portion of the material from experience (my career thus far has definitely been "fake it 'til you make it"), but it will be good to finally get some actual formal training.
Not too nervous about it, but it will be interesting to take a class for the first time with people who aren't only in my age-range and who are coming from all different places in life. It will have a different dynamic. Not looking forward to losing precious free time either, but that's just me being lazy.