Wish_for_a_dragon's recent activity
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Comment on That book you remember some details but can't recall the title in ~books
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Comment on That book you remember some details but can't recall the title in ~books
Wish_for_a_dragon LinkI'm sure many of us here on Tildes have some story that they can remember some vivid details about, but cannot for the life of them remember the title. I have one such book, myself, that involves...I'm sure many of us here on Tildes have some story that they can remember some vivid details about, but cannot for the life of them remember the title. I have one such book, myself, that involves a childhood memory of a drawing I made. It was based on the in-story description of an alien that the young protagonist meets; the alien sitting up on a floating platform, as if it was part of their body.
The torso emanating from the base of the circular platform, floating as if using some anti-gravity device. They were green, with some sort of cover over their eyes, perhaps a special visual tool, and they had multiple arms, each ending not in a hand, but in some biological tool form, such as a hook, or a hammer. These were not the villains of the story, simply a figure that had been presented, presenting no harm to the protagonist.
The drawing is now long-gone, probably having been tossed with all my other elementary school productions oh so many years ago. The picture still lives rent-free in my head all these many years later. I was doing some digging and recalled some details of the drawing. After searching and finding the cover of the book I had, I found the title: The Fallen Spaceman, by Lee Harding, along with the cover I remembered seeing, which always brought a sense of wonder and curiosity to the story.
Does anyone else have that book they just can't quite recall? Maybe we can help you find it again!
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That book you remember some details but can't recall the title
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Wish_for_a_dragon (edited )LinkI just learned that a sequel series to the prequel series of Battle Angel Alita, known as Panzer Kunst Chronicle, was released. For those not in the know, Battle Angel Alita, or Gunnm in the...I just learned that a sequel series to the prequel series of Battle Angel Alita, known as Panzer Kunst Chronicle, was released. For those not in the know, Battle Angel Alita, or Gunnm in the original, is a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk story about a cyborg girl (the titular Alita) found in a scrap heap by a cyber-doctor, Dr. Ido. Waking up without knowing who she is, over the course of the original story she relearns about the world, finds love, heartbreak, and learns more about herself.
The sequel series, Battle Angel Alita: Last Order, has her go beyond and confront her past, while showing just how much she is willing to sacrifice to get what she wants.
Following this up is a prequel series, telling the story of how Alita came to be, through the series Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle.
The one I’m reading now is a sequel to that, Battle Angel Alita: Panzer Kunst Chronicle, and is only 3 chapters in so far, but appears to go through how she developed in her martial art. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the story goes from here as it’s been a fascinating journey thus far.
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Comment on Ferrari unveils its first all-electric car, the four-door Luce in ~transport
Wish_for_a_dragon Link ParentI’ve said this multiple times. If Toyota just went ahead and made an electric Camry, I’d be in line tonight to put money on a reservation. It took until this year for them to release anything in a...I’ve said this multiple times. If Toyota just went ahead and made an electric Camry, I’d be in line tonight to put money on a reservation.
It took until this year for them to release anything in a sedan form. Behold! The Lexus 350e. Maybe I can pick one up that comes off a lease in the future.
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Wish_for_a_dragon Link ParentDang it! Thank you for catching that spelling error. I’ve corrected it in my original post. Ironically, I do speak a little German, so egg on my face. -_- Es tut mir leid!Dang it! Thank you for catching that spelling error. I’ve corrected it in my original post.
Ironically, I do speak a little German, so egg on my face. -_-
Es tut mir leid!
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Wish_for_a_dragon (edited )LinkCurrently making my way through Frieren, season 1. I really enjoy the track they’re taking with the story. It’s basically a look at what happens after the hero’s party defeats the demon king....Currently making my way through Frieren, season 1. I really enjoy the track they’re taking with the story. It’s basically a look at what happens after the hero’s party defeats the demon king. While there are some high energy episodes, most of it is just the small things in life that the characters end up focusing on. A real palate cleanser from some of the more dramatic or over-the-top things happening in, say, Jujutsu Kaisen or One Piece.
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Comment on Why do the top American sushi restaurants leave us so bored and so broke? in ~food
Wish_for_a_dragon LinkExpensive sushi isn’t anything new, but I’m extra surprised to hear it started life as a working-class meal. Getting flashbacks of the Maine lobster story. Sadly, this is a reality I will likely...Expensive sushi isn’t anything new, but I’m extra surprised to hear it started life as a working-class meal. Getting flashbacks of the Maine lobster story.
Sadly, this is a reality I will likely never know. The prices involved these days simply aren’t justifiable for me. That said, this is the first time hearing of omakase and I’m intrigued. However, seeing how most places appear to just copy-paste an experience makes it much less appealing. Regardless, I’m going to ask the chefs behind the counter at my local Japanese restaurant if an omakase is available. Hopefully, I can come back with something novel to share.
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Wish_for_a_dragon LinkOne series that never really clicked with me in the past was Gundam. I think a lot of it was simply I didn't have the experience to really understand it. I've decided to change that am now going...One series that never really clicked with me in the past was Gundam. I think a lot of it was simply I didn't have the experience to really understand it. I've decided to change that am now going through the entirety of the Universal Century (UC) timeline. I just finished all 43 episodes of the original 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam (MSG). From an animation standpoint it's pretty rough, sure the pacing is a bit weird, but damn if the feels don't hit hard.
Once I finally understood what the show was trying to say it really clicked with me. Even today, most media dealing with war will glorify it to no end. Gundam show does its best to drive home the costs of war on not only the cast, but all around them.
I've just begun watching the sequel series, 1985's Zeta Gundam. Man, the visuals got a huge upgrade, animation fluidity is astounding in comparison, and the grating sounds coming from the characters mouths has improved dramatically. I'm currently 8 episodes in but I have some thoughts...
Spoilers and Commentary!
Man, are the first few episodes rough though. Kamille Bidan is just one of the most insufferable characters I've ever met. He comes across as such an unlikable prick, seemingly making stupid decision after stupid decision. There's not much to root for. Then, the Titans start to show themselves as the villains and you almost have to like Kamille in comparison.I've made a small detour in the meantime though and have decided to watch some of the titles in the chronological timeline (the original show takes place in the year 0079 UC, while Zeta Gundam is 0087). Specifically, I've started watching Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team.
I've yet to complete the first episode but I'm already interested to see how they fit this into the timeline. As an aside, it's neat to see a Ball realized in a more modern style than was depicted in the original show!
I'll probably complete the remaining OVAs that fall between chronologically between MSG and Zeta Gundam before continuing on again. I really like seeing the in-universe progress.
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Comment on Did anyone play Phantasy Star Online? in ~games
Wish_for_a_dragon LinkI actually own both the Dreamcast and GameCube (GC) versions. I played the former a lot back in college with a roommate. While no local multiplayer we traded off quite often while the other was in...I actually own both the Dreamcast and GameCube (GC) versions. I played the former a lot back in college with a roommate. While no local multiplayer we traded off quite often while the other was in class or at work.
The latter caused me to make a completely useless purchase together with it. One of the accessories you could buy was a Broadband Adapter for the GC, which if I recall was only ever used by maybe 3 games total. I never did use it, but I played the hell out PSO regardless. Here I had a crew that we would do local multiplayer, which was always a blast.
My go-to character was a Force Hume that performed a lot of massive spells for crowd control at a distance, but always carried around a sword for those moments they got too close.
Now you just reminded me of Red Ring Rico, the famous in-game hunter whose logs you find strewn around the world which tells a rather sad story of how their journey went. I should go back and pop that game in to see how well it has aged.
I definitely missed out on PSO Ep. 3. It was back when card-based games were all the rage. It turned me off, but I never did give it a fair shake. I think I should try it if I ever come across a stray copy in the wild.
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Comment on ‘World’s largest’ industrial heat battery is online and solar-powered in ~enviro
Wish_for_a_dragon Link ParentWhy is that? Genuinely curious. Is it a matter of scale? Are these brick batteries better the bigger you get?Why is that? Genuinely curious.
Is it a matter of scale? Are these brick batteries better the bigger you get?
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Comment on ‘World’s largest’ industrial heat battery is online and solar-powered in ~enviro
Wish_for_a_dragon LinkI’d read the article but it didn’t make it very clear what this thing actually was, or how it worked. I think I’m more impressed by how simple it all really is. This is literally a large warehouse...I’d read the article but it didn’t make it very clear what this thing actually was, or how it worked. I think I’m more impressed by how simple it all really is.
This is literally a large warehouse filled with bricks. Between some of the rows of bricks are resistive wires that heat up and glow (think of an incandescent lightbulb).
The bricks retain that heat and they can then push air through the bricks to draw the heat out. This acts as a literal heater, like your home furnace, but on an industrial scale.
Truth be told, I’m more curious as to why this isn’t seen more often. Is there some impediment that I’m not seeing here preventing more wide scale adoption in the general market?
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Comment on Made in Abyss anime to be continued in new series of movies in ~anime
Wish_for_a_dragon Link ParentAs an anime-only follower of Made in Abyss, how slow are we talking? Berserk post-Miura? Hunter x Hunter? Battle Angel Mars Chronicle?As an anime-only follower of Made in Abyss, how slow are we talking? Berserk post-Miura? Hunter x Hunter? Battle Angel Mars Chronicle?
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Comment on 'I can't drink the water' - life next to a US data centre in ~enviro
Wish_for_a_dragon LinkI can see how construction could potentially cause problems. Most companies do mitigate to the extent they can. My personal feelings don’t give much benefit if the doubt to Meta, though. That...I can see how construction could potentially cause problems. Most companies do mitigate to the extent they can. My personal feelings don’t give much benefit if the doubt to Meta, though.
That being said, I can’t speak to anything other than the data centers (DC) that I’ve worked at, but I can state categorically that those all used closed loop systems for cooling. Yes, there’s water use for personnel (i.e., bathrooms, cleaning, and kitchens) but the truth is there are relatively few people working in a DC at any given time.
Even counting the cleaning crew, there may be no more than a couple dozen people at any given moment. Contrast this with the average office building with possibly hundreds of people constantly moving in and out.
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Comment on CareerBuilder + Monster, which once dominated online job boards, file for bankruptcy in ~finance
Wish_for_a_dragon LinkPrivate Equity is going to private equity. The writing was on the wall once Apollo Global Management came on the scene. PE rarely has any thoughts beyond next quarter, and the typical playbook is...Private Equity is going to private equity. The writing was on the wall once Apollo Global Management came on the scene. PE rarely has any thoughts beyond next quarter, and the typical playbook is to cut costs (fired 120 in 2017, check) and extract as much value as possible before leaving a husk of what once was.
They announced they’re selling off the job board and the software side of the business. What’s left for an office of people with nothing to do?
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Comment on The issue of indie game discoverability on distribution platforms in ~games
Wish_for_a_dragon LinkOne solution I found is literally the human touch you spoke about. https://eshopperreviews.com/ This is specifically for the Nintendo e shop but it has reviews for just about everything. From big...One solution I found is literally the human touch you spoke about.
This is specifically for the Nintendo e shop but it has reviews for just about everything. From big budget AAA games to indie gems to cash grab hentai card games.
Originally it began as a subreddit to deal with the exact problem you’ve mentioned, but has now spun off into its own site. I used it to get a sense about done games that seemed like just random cash grabs but were actually solid games in their own right. Things like Cat Quest.
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Comment on What is a non-problematic word that you avoid using? in ~talk
Wish_for_a_dragon LinkCan it be a phrase? “It is what it is…” I have a complete and irrational hatred of this phrase. I think it’s due to how so many people use it in situations that really do have a solution. There’s...Can it be a phrase?
“It is what it is…”
I have a complete and irrational hatred of this phrase. I think it’s due to how so many people use it in situations that really do have a solution. There’s a way to change your situation, you just need to do something, anything to make it better.
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Comment on Best daily sunscreens? in ~health
Wish_for_a_dragon LinkI recall a few years back Consumer Reports did a special on sunscreens. At the time I was surprised to see that Great Value-brand (Wal-Mart) sunscreen was rated the second highest. I don’t recall...I recall a few years back Consumer Reports did a special on sunscreens. At the time I was surprised to see that Great Value-brand (Wal-Mart) sunscreen was rated the second highest. I don’t recall which one it lost out to, but I do remember that it had an eye watering price not at all representative of the difference between the two in function.
You can check it out here: https://www.consumerreports.org/health/sunscreens/c33614/
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Comment on What a $15,000 electric SUV says about US-China car rivalry in ~transport
Wish_for_a_dragon Link ParentGive me the option to buy an electric econobox for €15,000. Instead, if I want a decent electric I have to shell out more than double.Give me the option to buy an electric econobox for €15,000. Instead, if I want a decent electric I have to shell out more than double.
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Comment on A colossal squid is filmed in its natural habitat for the first time in ~enviro
Wish_for_a_dragon LinkHaving seen the Giant Squid on display at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History as a child, I’ve always been fascinated by these beautiful creatures. Though it wasn’t until maybe 15 years ago...Having seen the Giant Squid on display at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History as a child, I’ve always been fascinated by these beautiful creatures. Though it wasn’t until maybe 15 years ago or so that I recall ever hearing about Colossal Squid.
Past that time we’ve had opportunities to see them in the flesh, pulled up next to boats, and continued finding remains in other animals. Let’s hope we can continue to learn more about them in non-destructive ways.
That was my first thought as well! I got the first two books at my elementary school book fair. A few years later the third one appeared at the book fair and I picked it up to; trilogy complete!