aernox's recent activity
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Comment on What's the oldest piece of clothing you own and still wear? in ~life.style
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
aernox Link ParentWoah, thanks! Deep Red and Torso are on my watch list, but always nice to see more obscure stuff!Woah, thanks! Deep Red and Torso are on my watch list, but always nice to see more obscure stuff!
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
aernox Link ParentThanks for the recs, I’ll check them out! I’ve heard good things about Tenebrae in particular, so very excited! Yeah, the dubbing situation was a bit confusing. I might have to switch between them...Thanks for the recs, I’ll check them out! I’ve heard good things about Tenebrae in particular, so very excited!
Yeah, the dubbing situation was a bit confusing. I might have to switch between them a little to see what I like more.
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
aernox LinkOver the past week or so, I’ve been getting into giallo, a genre I had never seen anything of before. But I enjoy slashers and classic horror in general, so I was intrigued. Btw, I watched all of...Over the past week or so, I’ve been getting into giallo, a genre I had never seen anything of before. But I enjoy slashers and classic horror in general, so I was intrigued. Btw, I watched all of these with Italian dubs and English subs.
Blood and Black Lace (1964) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐:
This is the film I started with, and I’m super glad I did, because it’s my favourite so far. A prototypical giallo film, it has all the main features: a black-gloved killer (and what an iconic-looking one at that), gruesome deaths, and luscious colours I’m not even sure I’ve ever seen before – the use of contrast and lighting in this movie is unmatched. I watched the 4K Arrow remaster, which probably added to the experience. Also, I quickly realised that plot and characters are secondary to other conventions in this genre.
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) – ★★☆☆☆:
I will probably be hated for rating this one so low, but it didn’t impress me as much. I did appreciate the art gallery scene in the beginning; it opened a lot of possibilities for where the story might go. But it went in another direction I hadn’t anticipated and dragged on for a while. It wasn’t bad overall; maybe I just went in expecting something else and people see things in this film I didn’t. I did like the resolution though.
The New York Ripper (1982) – ★★★★☆:
After the slower pace of the previous film, I was ready for more vibrant visuals and brutal killings, and this one did not disappoint. Very graphic at times, but I liked it. The Donald Duck voice made it kinda weird but it was charming in its own way, I guess. What I didn’t care for at all was the nudity, which was everywhere throughout the entire film. Hard to look past, but the cinematography made up for it.
The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963) – ★★★★☆:
By this point, I was curious about the genre’s beginnings, so I went all the way back to the very first entry: another Mario Bava piece. After Blood and Black Lace, I was sure to find this black-and-white picture just as riveting. And I was right! A bit of a deviation from what was to follow in the genre, but a gripping story with a likable protagonist nonetheless.
All in all, I’m now very interested in exploring more gialli! I seem to like Bava’s movies in particular, so I’m probably going to watch (and hopefully review) more of his work next. But if anyone has any other recommendations, please tell me!!
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
aernox LinkI finished replaying Fishing Craze (2009) on PC a few days ago. I don't know anyone who's played it, which is really too bad, because it's a great little casual arcade/time-management hybrid with...I finished replaying Fishing Craze (2009) on PC a few days ago.
I don't know anyone who's played it, which is really too bad, because it's a great little casual arcade/time-management hybrid with original gameplay and gorgeous aesthetics. It reminds me a lot of the old-skool PopCap games (which I need to review sometime).
The premise is that you play in fishing tournaments across the US where you race against time to catch as many fish as you can for points. But you gotta avoid certain predators that will delay you and lose you points.
There are 33 levels/tournaments in different lakes spread across 3 circuits (amateur, pro, and elite). You need to win 1st place (a PLATINUM trophy) in each one to become the New Fishing Champion. The story isn't super important tho.
The gameplay is really simple and completely mouse-based: move your boat with the mouse, click to drop the line and grab a fish, and then once it's in the air, move again to catch it. You can do cool combos too.
You can also buy upgrades at the shop using tokens you collect while playing. Bigger boats hold more fish, and fancier lures catch fish worth more points.
What I love most about this game is the whole vibe. The music is positive and upbeat, and a Frutiger Aero aesthetic pervades the entire game, from glossy, skeuomorphic buttons and heavily saturated colours to the cartoony aquatic theme to the overall optimistic tone. It's straight from the era too. And little details like the background art and the water design unique to each lake make it even more lively. A truly beautiful game that is satisfying to look at.
Oh, and they let the fish go back into the lake at the end!!
Regarding the difficulty, I gotta say the game is pretty easy, especially when you have maxed out your upgrades, but I don't really mind that. If you ever struggle with any of the predators, you're safe at your dock unless there are dolphins in the level. Anyway, on my next replay, I might try beating the game with no upgrades at all (if that's possible); that could be a fun challenge.
Overall, I think this is a true gem of a casual game with top-notch art direction. Best enjoyed in short bursts, I'd say. If you know what to expect, you'll probably have tons of fun with it! You can get it from Big Fish Games … or other places.
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Comment on When did you realize you were different? in ~talk
aernox LinkFor me, it happened during PE when we were all changing and some of my classmates came up to me to ask me whom I had a crush on. I didn't have an answer because I thought "Aren't we still too...For me, it happened during PE when we were all changing and some of my classmates came up to me to ask me whom I had a crush on. I didn't have an answer because I thought "Aren't we still too young for this stuff?". So I just said nobody, which they thought was weird. Then, a few of the boys talked to me about related stuff, like masturbating, which I found pretty gross, and that's when I realized that they hadn't just been joking around with all that crude stuff all the time but were actually serious and that I'd never been sexually attracted to anyone before (tbh I still can't imagine what it feels like).
So I'm pretty sure I'm asexual. I don't have any particular feelings about it because it's how I've always been but I guess there's a label for it. Although I do feel relieved to know I don't actually HAVE to be in a relationship with someone if I don't want to.
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Comment on WinRAR zero-day under active exploitation – update to latest version immediately in ~tech
aernox Link ParentI think there are also people who know about 7-Zip but just like WinRAR more and use it instead.I think there are also people who know about 7-Zip but just like WinRAR more and use it instead.
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Comment on Single most useful program you daily use? in ~tech
aernox Link ParentWizTree reads the Master File Table (MFT) directly to find files and folders (like voidtools Everything does), which is why it's a lot faster than WinDirStat.WizTree reads the Master File Table (MFT) directly to find files and folders (like voidtools Everything does), which is why it's a lot faster than WinDirStat.
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Comment on What books do you recommend for someone looking for positive vibes or casual amusement or escape in ~books
aernox LinkI often find myself rereading Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) and its sequel The House at Pooh Corner (1928), both by A. A. Milne. I think they're really good examples of comfortable escapist fantasy...I often find myself rereading Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) and its sequel The House at Pooh Corner (1928), both by A. A. Milne. I think they're really good examples of comfortable escapist fantasy fiction with VERY low stakes. They're collections of casual short stories and definitely have a positive vibe (until you get to Eeyore lol). The Hundred Acre Wood (the setting of the stories) is one of my favorite fictional places; it's basically Arcadian simplicity with cozy adventure. So yeah, would definitely recommend these two books if you're looking for a relaxing and uplifting read!
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Comment on Single most useful program you daily use? in ~tech
aernox (edited )LinkOn my Windows PC, I open up foobar2000 pretty much every day, mainly to listen to music, but I also (rather unconventionally) use it to manage my movie/TV and audiobook collection – it works...On my Windows PC, I open up foobar2000 pretty much every day, mainly to listen to music, but I also (rather unconventionally) use it to manage my movie/TV and audiobook collection – it works surprisingly well for that. I like that it's simple on the surface but complex underneath, and that it can be extended with external components. I've spent a lot of time customizing the whole interface and functionality to my liking so it looks and works exactly the way I want it to. It's also really lightweight and quick to start up.
Also on Windows, I use Total Commander as my file manager. It's dual-pane so copying and moving files around is much easier and faster than opening multiple Explorer windows. Similar to foobar2000, there's a lot of hidden functionality in the program, but I feel like it's kind of necessary to visit the official forums for help to discover all that's possible with it.
What draws me to both tools is the fact that they're good examples of performant software with a simple UI that is light on system resources but very extensible so it can adapt to your needs. They also have multiple decades of (single-person) development with community feedback and participation behind them, so they're pretty stable and come from a place of dedication. Other programs in this vein that I use and can recommend are Notepad++ and IrfanView. Too bad that most of them are proprietary, but I can live with it.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
aernox LinkI just finished playing Bus Driver, a 2007 simulator game from the same developers as Euro/American Truck Simulator. I went for the Gold Edition, which has extra levels and buses compared to the...I just finished playing Bus Driver, a 2007 simulator game from the same developers as Euro/American Truck Simulator. I went for the Gold Edition, which has extra levels and buses compared to the standard version. Basically, you drive your bus along a set route and have to stop at each bus stop to deliver passengers to their destination while obeying traffic rules.
There are 36 routes in total (6 tiers of 6 routes), each of which takes about 10 minutes to complete, although the later ones can take longer – the final one takes almost an hour and goes around the entire map. I liked that the map was varied; you drive through rain and snow, on hills and in the city. Overall, the game is quite easy, although following all traffic rules and arriving on time is basically impossible for the first five tiers. One thing I really didn't like was the fact that traffic lights are only green for a very short time, so sometimes when you're approaching a traffic light you have to stop well in advance even if it's just turned green. So no matter what you do, you'll lose points for either running a red light, overbraking, or not arriving on time. The points system is very forgiving, though, and as long as you're not completely reckless, you'll be fine.
The game is a bit older, and you can see that some mechanics haven't been worked out yet. Graphically, it's fine for what it is. I liked the intro music and enjoyed the general atmosphere, and I can see myself replaying some levels again from time to time for fun.
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Comment on Getting tired of Firefox in ~tech
aernox Link ParentNot OP but just to add: For LibreWolf on Windows, you can enable the option to add a tiny update checking utility (LibreWolf WinUpdater) during installation, which you can run manually at any time...I'm not against software updates, in fact, I like them quite a bit. I just don't like it when it breaks basic functionality. Not having my browser regularly update is some kind of a horror story for me, for obvious reasons.
Not OP but just to add: For LibreWolf on Windows, you can enable the option to add a tiny update checking utility (LibreWolf WinUpdater) during installation, which you can run manually at any time to check for updates, or schedule a task for automated update checks. It seems to work with the portable version as well. There's also the option of using package managers (Chocolatey, Scoop, WinGet). So if that was your only concern about LibreWolf (which I'd recommend too, btw), you might want to consider giving it a try (if your situation allows and you're willing to switch browsers over this issue, of course).
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
aernox LinkI just finished the main story of Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen this weekend and I liked it very much. I've played some of the newer Pokémon games before, but I wanted to start playing the series from...I just finished the main story of Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen this weekend and I liked it very much. I've played some of the newer Pokémon games before, but I wanted to start playing the series from the beginning since I'd heard that the earlier games were supposed to be better. Instead of going for Red/Blue, however, I opted for the remakes (FireRed in my case), as I feared that the black-and-white of the original games might put me off, at least on my first playthrough of the region.
Perhaps controversially, I decided to strictly follow a walkthrough. This might be off-putting to people who prefer to discover things on their own, but after some thought and trying both ways, I came to the conclusion that I prefer to follow a guide, as I don't enjoy getting stuck and not being able to progress without help (which happened a lot), or missing out on certain Pokémon that I could catch in the wild. I think this playstyle provided some structure and allowed me to play in a more organized manner, which I feel suited my goal of playing for story first; it didn't ruin the fun for me at all.
I chose Bulbasaur as my starter Pokémon because I was curious to see what it could do as a grass/poison type, and I made sure to catch a Pikachu early in the game :D Progressing through all the gyms felt really rewarding, and I enjoyed the Team Rocket side story. I didn't feel the need to grind at all, perhaps because Bulbasaur provided the easiest experience, although I would have liked to have had the Exp. Share much earlier instead of constantly having to switch out low-level Pokémon during battles so they could gain XP and level up.
I especially liked the simplicity of the Kanto region; it has a very honest and cozy feel to it. The rival's constant smugness, even after losing, is also pretty funny, haha. And I appreciated the mysteriousness with which the Legendary Pokémon were introduced; it made those battles feel much more meaningful. The only rather big thing I didn't care for was the fact that you can't catch all 151 Pokémon without trading with others. I initially wanted to complete the Pokédex, but then I saw that certain Pokémon are only available in one game version, and since I was playing alone in an emulator, it seemed more trouble than it was worth. You can also only get one of the Legendary Beasts (Entei in my case), but since they're from a different gen, I don't think it's too bad. I'm rather disappointed that Mew is only available through an event, though.
Still, I really enjoyed playing through the game, and I kind of just want to roam around with my Pokémon team now (and maybe start reading the manga to get a better feel for the world) before moving on to the next game in the series.
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Comment on People with a "second brain": Why? How? in ~life
aernox LinkI feel that the term "second brain" is unfortunately heavily commercialized, with all its associations with expensive courses and books, so I refer to my organizational system as a personal wiki...I feel that the term "second brain" is unfortunately heavily commercialized, with all its associations with expensive courses and books, so I refer to my organizational system as a personal wiki or simply a digital notebook – but that's just what I've decided to do for myself.
I have created one wiki for my personal life and one for my school activities. I'm mainly going to talk about the former here, as school-related stuff may be off-topic for this discussion (so nothing about tasks, mail, and calendars, for instance).
To answer the "why" part of your question, the main purpose of my notebook is to collect any kind of information I receive or create myself. This clears my mind in the short term and allows me to refer back to pieces of knowledge later on. Also, it just feels good to have everything in one place and to declutter my digital space.
Now for the "how" part, which I didn't see much of in this thread (yay, my chance to contribute original ideas and not just badly rehash what others have already articulated better): When I first decided on a structure, I was thinking about how I would broadly categorize my life, so I created a few main areas/contexts. Although I can see the argument for a tag-based design (and I've been trying to implement it in a complementary way without success so far), I'm more comfortable with a hierarchical structure; it's also quite easy to keep track of as I don't have that many categories – there are just under 15 right now [1], and I'll probably need to reduce that.
I believe that a system that basically manages everything that goes on in your life is fundamentally messy and will always be a work in progress. No concept, not even the fundamental design of the notebook, is set in stone, and I occasionally take time to think about whether a change is needed to ensure the system's long-term scalability. Still, I think it's best to have a simple and adaptable framework (plain text files, libre software, high speed, offline workflow …).
I aim to review my notes often, to monitor the structure, and to delete and improve my notes (I like the metaphor of repeatedly tending to a digital garden, watering the plants and pulling out the weeds). I've thought about making this easier by automatically prioritizing certain notes for the review (think spaced repetition without the flashcards), but I don't know how to implement this with the software I'm using.
Maybe this comment has derailed from the topic at hand, and it's become somewhat rambly, but hopefully it's of some use; I see a lot of posts on the web that focus on what concrete tools are being used but not what workflows (the more abstract organization behind it all) people are implementing. I'm not sure if I should mention the tool I use; it's an important part of my process, but maybe that would make my statement seem insincere.
[1] To be specific, the more important ones for me personally are: Finance (for storing receipts), Hobbies (books, comics, movies, games …), Knowledge (mostly notes on health topics like nutrition and exercise, as my study material is stored elsewhere), Lifestyle (notes on how I actually implement this knowledge in my life, so stuff like self-care), Medical things (like prescriptions), Productivity (describing my study workflows), a scratchpad for quick notes, Thoughts (essays I've written myself and ones I've found on the web that seemed interesting), and Recipes. I also have a to-do list of tasks I want to do sometime in the future; anything I think of doing during the day goes straight in here without a deadline.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
aernox LinkI recently read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick for class, and I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did. I watched the movie (Blade Runner, 1982) beforehand and...I recently read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick for class, and I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did. I watched the movie (Blade Runner, 1982) beforehand and liked it very much, but I felt the book was more thought-provoking and it made me want to discuss its themes a lot more. What stood out to me during reading was the way in which the novel created suspense: It wasn't so much the concern about whether Deckard could retire the androids or not but rather the constant subtle uncertainty in the background of who might be human or non-human, what the difference between them really is, and whether it even matters. The book raises so many questions, and it's fun to think about them.
And then, just a few days ago, I started and finished reading The Time Machine by H. G. Wells (even though I'm not a sci-fi fan, I kind of want to explore the genre now), and I enjoyed it even more than Androids. I watched the 1960 movie last year, so I was already familiar with the book's plot, but what I guess I liked most is the way it is written. Beyond the concept of future social degeneration and the pretty cool Morlocks (I adored the creepiness with which they were introduced), I appreciate Wells' writing style and might try to read another of his works next.
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Comment on Minimalist android launcher suggestions in ~tech
aernox LinkI'm using Discreet Launcher. It's available on F-Droid, but I believe you can get it on Google Play too. I've set it up so my home screen only displays the time, and I can immediately access my...I'm using Discreet Launcher. It's available on F-Droid, but I believe you can get it on Google Play too.
I've set it up so my home screen only displays the time, and I can immediately access my most-used apps with a left or right swipe or a double tap. That functionality is particularly handy if you only use a few apps regularly I think.
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Comment on Which board games have you all been playing? (to 6th August) in ~games.tabletop
aernox Link ParentOh wow, I wasn't aware of that. Yup, the one where you move pieces around and collect objects. I used to play it a lot, and it was nice to revisit.Oh wow, I wasn't aware of that. Yup, the one where you move pieces around and collect objects. I used to play it a lot, and it was nice to revisit.
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Comment on Which board games have you all been playing? (to 6th August) in ~games.tabletop
aernox LinkI played some Labyrinth with my parents yesterday, and it was a lot of fun. Its rules are easy to understand and I like the simplicity of its gameplay. We're going to try to tackle Talisman next,...I played some Labyrinth with my parents yesterday, and it was a lot of fun. Its rules are easy to understand and I like the simplicity of its gameplay.
We're going to try to tackle Talisman next, so that will be quite a step up in complexity. I'm really excited, but I'll have to familiarize myself with how it's played, which I find somewhat daunting as a board game novice. Let's see how it goes.
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Comment on Best FOSS app for Lemmy? in ~tech
aernox LinkSorry for not having a suggestion; feel free to mark as off topic. When I saw that the Sync for Lemmy app has trackers and ads, I was confused. How is it possible that a for-profit company can...Sorry for not having a suggestion; feel free to mark as off topic.
When I saw that the Sync for Lemmy app has trackers and ads, I was confused.
How is it possible that a for-profit company can develop a proprietary app to browse/use a FOSS project like Lemmy? Does the license not protect against that? And if not (as it seems to be the case), what could you do as a developer to shield your project from this?
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Comment on What do you recommend for sunscreen? in ~health
aernox Link ParentSure! Excuse my messy citations. The general consensus on the matter that I could find seems to be that titanium dioxide (and zinc oxide) protect from UV mostly by absorption, somewhat by...Sure! Excuse my messy citations.
The general consensus on the matter that I could find seems to be that titanium dioxide (and zinc oxide) protect from UV mostly by absorption, somewhat by scattering, and not much by reflection.
My original comment wasn't very nuanced, so yes, it does reflect UV but to a very insignificant extent. People and companies have exaggerated and maliciously used the argument to mean that that's the only thing it does, so that organic sunscreens can be demonized instead ("chemical sunscreens take UV and get absorbed into your body, while mineral sunscreens stay on top and get rid of UV!!").
Anyway, on to the evidence:
"Micronized inorganic oxides used in sunscreens (TiO 2 and ZnO) attenuate UV mainly by absorption and some scattering" [1]
"Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide provide UV protection primarily via absorption of UV radiation and not through significant reflection or scattering" [2]
"ZnO and TiO2 nanomaterials are efficient absorbers of UV radiation; they absorb both UVB and UVA radiation and re-emit it as less damaging UVA, as visible fluorescence or heat" [3]
It also doesn't appear to be a recent finding; one study from 1990 found that both titanium dioxide and zinc oxide absorb UV light: "Physical sunscreens have been described as compounds that attenuate radiation through scattering. This work indicates that physical sunscreens can be also strong absorbers of ultraviolet radiation as well as good scatterers of visible light" [4]
Concerning the question of why this seems to be the case, it largely boils down to particle size and chemical composition:
When light hits a particle, it can either be reflected, scattered, or absorbed.
The particle size of the commonly used titanium dioxide nanoparticles of the titanium-containing ore rutile titanium dioxide is less than 100 nm.
Rutile Titanium dioxide is preferred for sunscreen formulation because it is more photostable than other TiO2 polymorphs, such as anatase titanium dioxide. Nanoparticles of it are used in sunscreen because (1) they're transparent rather than white and stay transparent on the skin and because (2) larger-sized titanium dioxide exhibits weaker UV attenuation. So basically, the right form of the compound + smaller particle size means better protection and minimized white cast. Generally speaking, for submicrometer particles, the amount of reflection is very small compared to the amount of scattering and absorption [5].
~ I'm glad you've had such a good experience with your current sunscreen!
[1] https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2013.08.022
[2] https://doi.org/10.1111/phpp.12214
[3] https://doi.org/10.1166/jbn.2010.1144
[4] Sayre, R. et al. Physical Sunscreens. Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists. 1990, 43, 103–109
[5] Shaath, N. Sunscreens: Regulations and Commercial Development, Third Edition (2005), p. 246
I have two t-shirts from elementary school that I still wear. One is orange and one is black, and they’re both fossil-themed, with many body fossil graphics on the front and one big one on the back.
Sadly, the orange shirt has a hole which I’m afraid might get bigger, so I don’t wear it as much.