Zorind's recent activity
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Comment on Have you made a video game? Can I play it? in ~games
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Comment on Deep cleaning a previously-roach infested kitchen in ~life.home_improvement
Zorind Link ParentYou can do tap-hot water in a toilet (and with some Dawn soap too) - but do not do boiling water. I have (luckily heard, not experienced) that boiling water down a toilet, while it can help with...You can do tap-hot water in a toilet (and with some Dawn soap too) - but do not do boiling water. I have (luckily heard, not experienced) that boiling water down a toilet, while it can help with clogs, can also shatter the toilet due to the temperature differential/thermal shock.
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Comment on Discord in early talks about IPO in ~tech
Zorind Link ParentMy work switched from Slack to Teams and I miss Slack every day. Sure it wasn’t great, and it had its problems, but the layout of it just seemed much nicer and it was significantly easier to...My work switched from Slack to Teams and I miss Slack every day.
Sure it wasn’t great, and it had its problems, but the layout of it just seemed much nicer and it was significantly easier to navigate than teams.
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Comment on Sunday morning musings no. 2 How to be nice but authentic to people who seem decent but whose jobs seem to be a big part of the problem? in ~society
Zorind Link ParentAs someone who works at a “tech” company, this is certainly something I struggle with. I wanted to work on software and I graduated during the pandemic, but luckily ended up with a job - however...As someone who works at a “tech” company, this is certainly something I struggle with. I wanted to work on software and I graduated during the pandemic, but luckily ended up with a job - however it is certainly not at a company I would consider “morally good.”
Now, what I’m directly working on is something that could be (and likely is) used for both good and bad things. Hard to get into details without revealing exactly where I work, but it’s certainly something I struggle with. I also struggle with the fact that I recognize this, and does that make it worse? (and I do keep a passive job search going, because I would love to find a job where I don’t have this struggle…but based on other current circumstances in my life I can’t really make that a priority, and can’t quit without another job lined up without severe impacts to my family).
I feel like all jobs, but especially jobs in tech, have like a “degrees of Kevin Bacon” thing with actively supporting wars & perpetuating surveillance capitalism. And while my company is probably a 1 or 2, my specific segment is maybe a 3 or 4. But like, Open-Source Linux maintainers are also probably a 2 or 3 so that doesn’t feel like a great way to measure it.
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Comment on The ideal candidate will be punched in the stomach in ~health.mental
Zorind Link ParentThanks for the Sometimes I do lose sight of that. I'm in the US Eastern Time Zone. And currently trying to find time to actually do my hobbies rather than doomscrolling the internet feeds, hah.Thanks for the
If you're in a situation in which your work has real impact, you're probably doing better than most of the cogs in these structures!
Sometimes I do lose sight of that.
I'm in the US Eastern Time Zone. And currently trying to find time to actually do my hobbies rather than doomscrolling the internet feeds, hah.
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Comment on The ideal candidate will be punched in the stomach in ~health.mental
Zorind Link ParentI think that's such a good point, but also something that is difficult to find (and sometimes difficult to find time to do).that's what the rest of my time is for
I think that's such a good point, but also something that is difficult to find (and sometimes difficult to find time to do).
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Comment on The ideal candidate will be punched in the stomach in ~health.mental
Zorind LinkI hate how much I relate to this. I’m in my late 20’s, working a tech job I got right out of college, luckily just before COVID hit. For a bit I worked in the office but had no direct co-workers I...I hate how much I relate to this.
I’m in my late 20’s, working a tech job I got right out of college, luckily just before COVID hit. For a bit I worked in the office but had no direct co-workers I interacted with, except for the on-site coffee shop barista (who got to the point she recognized me and would get my coffee ready when she saw me walking over from the stairs).
But then I switched to fully remote work (which is extremely nice, don’t get me wrong - but I miss even the small interactions with others, like the barista (or the receptionist in this tale)).
My work is certainly more “meaningful” than getting punched in the stomach, but not in ways that are immediately apparent, so it doesn’t really feel “meaningful.”
I’d look around for other jobs, but at this point I’m just feeling fortunate that I have one that allows me to support my wife who’s working towards her Ph.D (but in a field that’s in the process of being absolutely gutted by the US Fed Gov right now, so…yay).
Realistically, I need to find myself a hobby that gets me out of the house and interacting with other people - that’s what I feel I’m missing, but the hobbies I’m enjoying are very “individual”: currently working on making a game in Godot (which is actually enjoyable programming as opposed to my dev-ops focused work right now), woodworking (trying to get started again but don’t have a space for it really, so waiting for summer to use our apartment balcony for kumiko), and board games (but don’t have a lot of local friends with regular availability). I used to play D&D, but I’m on a 3 hour time zone difference from most of the friends I played with, which makes it nearly impossible to schedule for after work (and weekends are still difficult to find time that works for everyone).
Sorry for the long rant, this article/blog post just clearly hit me & I felt the need to air some of these thoughts I guess.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
Zorind LinkSlowly adding graphs with matplotlib to my plaintextaccounting workflow - I use hledger for tracking expenses, and for a while had just been using the default text outputs. But I wanted some...Slowly adding graphs with matplotlib to my plaintextaccounting workflow - I use hledger for tracking expenses, and for a while had just been using the default text outputs.
But I wanted some graphs, so I could get a better gauge of how much from each budget I was spending, and found a gist by someone who had done something similar. I’ve just been working on expanding that out more to have graphs that are more useful to me.
Next week (or this weekend when I track my weeks expenses) if I remember I’ll post some anonymized versions of what I’m talking about.
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Comment on What books do you recommend for someone looking for positive vibes or casual amusement or escape in ~books
Zorind Link ParentI started Discworld with it (Going Postal), and found it a very approachable starting point (and a very fun book). I would absolutely recommend it as someone’s first Discworld book. Since then,...I started Discworld with it (Going Postal), and found it a very approachable starting point (and a very fun book). I would absolutely recommend it as someone’s first Discworld book.
Since then, I’ve read Making Money (it’s a bit of a continuation of Going Postal), Guards Guards, and Mort.
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Comment on humans interacting with computers in ~comp
Zorind LinkArticle about computer user interfaces, somewhat of a rant, somewhat informative. (Not mine, discovered it through Mastodon). Includes a pretty interesting diagram and discussion about computers...Article about computer user interfaces, somewhat of a rant, somewhat informative. (Not mine, discovered it through Mastodon).
Includes a pretty interesting diagram and discussion about computers doing what you want vs what you say, and users as novices vs experts.
Mainly posting because it reminded me of my astounding frustration the other day when I was trying to print an image from Windows twice on the same side of a single sheet of paper. I knew a menu for it existed, and in previous versions of window it was the one that usually showed up when I wanted to print. On Windows 10, I went through 3 different print menus before finding the one that actually let me do it. (It wasn’t the one from the “Photos” app, or from trying to put it into a web browser and print it that way. You have to right click from explorer and open the print menu that way.) I almost reverted to pasting the image into a word document instead of finding the correct print menu.
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humans interacting with computers
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Comment on Donald Trump won’t rule out deploying US troops to support rebuilding Gaza, sees ‘long-term’ US ownership in ~society
Zorind Link ParentThe thing that shocks me about that subreddit is that they don’t see as a problem, they see it as a good thing. If I’m remembering my history classes at all, I’m pretty sure “America First” the...The thing that shocks me about that subreddit is that they don’t see
undermined the reputation of the United States. It also contributed to the isolation of the country from the rest of the world
as a problem, they see it as a good thing.
If I’m remembering my history classes at all, I’m pretty sure “America First” the first time, was one of the contributing factors to WWII / WWII becoming as WW as it did. (But I guess they just…don’t see that as a bad thing?)
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Comment on Is there a reason that we aren't seeing pushback to US President Donald Trump's blitzkreig? in ~society
Zorind Link ParentAccording to Chris Van Hollen, US Senator for Maryland’s outreach newsletter So maybe yes, at least for now - but it’s still in a bit of a confusing state, and it caused chaos for a lot of the...According to Chris Van Hollen, US Senator for Maryland’s outreach newsletter
Trump’s Office of Management and Budget rescinded their guidance. But that does not mean they have given up. The underlying Executive Orders remain, and the lawsuits are still pending.
So maybe yes, at least for now - but it’s still in a bit of a confusing state, and it caused chaos for a lot of the contractors before being rescinded (or so it seemed from the ProPublica article).
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Comment on Is there a reason that we aren't seeing pushback to US President Donald Trump's blitzkreig? in ~society
Zorind Link ParentMost of it seems to be (at least currently) related to the cut of funding for various federal departments as well as firing of various government workers. For example, this article by ProPublica...Most of it seems to be (at least currently) related to the cut of funding for various federal departments as well as firing of various government workers.
For example, this article by ProPublica discusses cuts to humanitarian aid by the shut down of funding to USAID. While it's supposedly just on pause for review, a 90 day shutdown of funding for humanitarian aid efforts can have far reaching consequences - as mentioned in the article, around 220,000 people pick up HIV treatment through the PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief, created in 2003 by Pres. George W Bush) program. While most of those people aren't in the US or US citizens, that seems like a pretty important program to me. (Other programs involve treatments for various diseases, such as Mpox or Ebola, which again, while not currently rampant in the US, certainly have a chance to be, especially if they become more problematic on a global scale.)
Is the the responsibility of the US to fund these efforts? Sure, you could argue it's not - they aren't "directly" benefitting US Citizens. But frankly, one of the main reasons I've had any sense of national pride is programs like these - programs that benefit humanity as a whole, made possible through US research.
To your last point, one of the other major issues I see right now is with the firing of federal workers - even though Trump might not technically have the legal right to do so, he's still issuing the orders, and federal workers are being locked out of systems as a result.
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Comment on What have you been making lately? in ~hobbies
Zorind Link ParentThat is a gorgeous drawer front, definitely improves the look! (And the functionality over the drawless and binless base).That is a gorgeous drawer front, definitely improves the look! (And the functionality over the drawless and binless base).
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Comment on What are some accidental life hacks you've stumbled into? in ~talk
Zorind Link ParentUnfortunately doesn’t work if you have a latex allergy. I mean, I guess it might work. But depending on the severity of the latex allergy, it might stop the itching forever. (I married someone...Unfortunately doesn’t work if you have a latex allergy.
I mean, I guess it might work. But depending on the severity of the latex allergy, it might stop the itching forever.
(I married someone with a Latex allergy, and now have to use much less effective sunburn treatments. Now I just have to try harder to avoid sunburns.)
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
Zorind Link ParentMentioning “Mela” as an alternative (it’s what I currently use). https://mela.recipes/ I mainly use it to grab recipes off the web, not from photos (but I believe it can do so). My main use case...Mentioning “Mela” as an alternative (it’s what I currently use). https://mela.recipes/
I mainly use it to grab recipes off the web, not from photos (but I believe it can do so). My main use case is frankly using it to auto populate my grocery list (in the iOS reminders app) from a given recipe (with the ability to easily not include ingredients I already have).
I think it can import from Paprika but not 100% sure. I also can’t remember if it has a free version or what features are locked out of the free version off the top of my head.
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Comment on Live updates of day one executive orders / actions taken by US President Donald Trump in ~society
Zorind Link ParentThe security clearance bit is worrying to me. Like it makes sense to want your aides that need a clearance to have one (so they can start working), but just granting them rather than expediting...The security clearance bit is worrying to me. Like it makes sense to want your aides that need a clearance to have one (so they can start working), but just granting them rather than expediting the review is…exactly what I would expect, but not a good thing.
Also, I know that the US Gov has separation of powers and all that, but has there been something like the executive order for the TikTok ban at a national level where the President is explicitly informing a federal agency/the government to just…not enforce a law? Because that has worrying implications
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Comment on US President Donald Trump to issue executive orders to end birthright citizenship, limit gender identity — incoming official in ~lgbt
Zorind Link ParentWhether or not it’s unenforceable doesn’t mean it won’t result in the things happening anyway. If the agencies and AG go along without fighting it, then it doesn’t matter. And that is pretty...Whether or not it’s unenforceable doesn’t mean it won’t result in the things happening anyway. If the agencies and AG go along without fighting it, then it doesn’t matter. And that is pretty worrying to me.
Like, this is certainly the executive branch writing legislation, for all intents and purposes, with how it is trying to define terms - and not merely putting out “guidance” for the agencies actually under the executive branches jurisdiction
I’m also very worried by the not-so-subtle definitions of man and woman being “at the point of conception.” That is explicitly there to target abortion, and that worries me as well.
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Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of January 20 in ~society
Zorind (edited )Link ParentI am both looking forward to your write up, and horrified what it will contain (based on the approximate 5 minutes of the speech I listened to). @Vord - edits do ping. Thanks, great write up. I...I am both looking forward to your write up, and horrified what it will contain (based on the approximate 5 minutes of the speech I listened to).
@Vord - edits do ping. Thanks, great write up. I did end up reading the transcript, but I appreciate your blog post & what you explicitly call out in it.
I just started learning Godot too.
Haven’t made anything releasable yet, (still working on my first game), but I’ve liked the Godot workflow so far.
Currently working on adding dialogue via the Dialogue Manager add-on.