Akir's recent activity
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Comment on Honda and Nissan announce plans to merge, creating world's third-largest automaker in ~transport
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Comment on Tenant unions are coming. US landlords aren't ready. in ~life
Akir Link ParentI highly disagree with the dogma that we just need more housing and that will fix everything. We probably do need more housing in some specific places but more housing is not a panacea to the...I highly disagree with the dogma that we just need more housing and that will fix everything. We probably do need more housing in some specific places but more housing is not a panacea to the multitudes of housing problems out there. Housing scarcity is an economic problem that is multivariate and trying to collapse everything to one dimension means there are a hundred other ones you're not seeing.
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Comment on Honda and Nissan announce plans to merge, creating world's third-largest automaker in ~transport
Akir LinkI have some complex feelings about this merger. I don't like mergers among big corporations. Even if these companies are so relatively small they won't overtake Toyota, they're still huge...I have some complex feelings about this merger. I don't like mergers among big corporations. Even if these companies are so relatively small they won't overtake Toyota, they're still huge industrial players. What will come of this merger is to be seen, but I can't help but think we'll just lose all three of these companies identities, replaced by something new wearing their skins, which is much like how I view any of Stellantis's brands. I'm particularly sad to lose Mitsubishi. While I've not personally owned any of their vehicles (and their US presence is very sad these days), I love them. They make some simple but peppy cars that I hear are pretty easy to maintain and fix. But sadly they're already small enough that they feel like a footnote in this announcement.
On the other hand, it's going to be very good for Honda. I have a really good perception of Honda and their quality though I have also never owned them - they've generally been to expensive for me, even in the used market due to their good reputation. They really desperately need help modernizing to the future car landscape, what with their single battery electric option for all of their consumer car brands, debuting just this past March. Unfortunately they took the hydrogen route just like Toyota did and that bet did not pay off. A quick internet search does not lead me to believe that H2 adoption is going well in their domestic market either.
I've owned a lot of Nissan cars, and while I think generally their cars are pretty decent, I hope that this synergy leads to higher quality Nissan branded vehicles. Nissan doesn't make bad cars by any means, but it would be nice to have a car at Nissan prices but Honda quality.
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Comment on Exposing the Honey influencer scam in ~tech
Akir Link ParentIf everyone were so critical than large portions of both tech and financial industries would collapse. “Free” sells. The reason why people are angry at HPs Instant Ink program was not because it...If everyone were so critical than large portions of both tech and financial industries would collapse. “Free” sells. The reason why people are angry at HPs Instant Ink program was not because it was a bad deal (it was, but that’s another story altogether), but because it gave them “free” ink that wasnt actually free. People love to give their rights and privacy away because so long as they aren’t aware of what it is they are giving away.
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Comment on ‘Hedgehog’ still has upper claw over ‘Mufasa’ with $62M+ in pre-Christmas frame as ‘Lion King’ prequel loses crown in ~movies
Akir Link ParentVery likely. They're very 'light' movies that don't ever really feel very tense at all. They're not my cup of tea but most mass appeal movies these days aren't either.Very likely. They're very 'light' movies that don't ever really feel very tense at all. They're not my cup of tea but most mass appeal movies these days aren't either.
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Comment on ‘Hedgehog’ still has upper claw over ‘Mufasa’ with $62M+ in pre-Christmas frame as ‘Lion King’ prequel loses crown in ~movies
Akir Link ParentSonic has a weirdly broad appeal. I personally found the movies to be enjoyable but very shallow but I guess people found it very charming? One podcaster I listen to, Nicole Byer, absolutely loves...Sonic has a weirdly broad appeal. I personally found the movies to be enjoyable but very shallow but I guess people found it very charming? One podcaster I listen to, Nicole Byer, absolutely loves movie Sonic. It’s terribly funny for me to listen to her talk about it but she legitimately seems to be sincere.
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Comment on A close reading of Luigi Mangione’s self-help library in ~society
Akir Link ParentHonestly, because a lot of political talk happens on social media these days, politics itself has become performative just like practically every other interaction on them. God have mercy on your...Honestly, because a lot of political talk happens on social media these days, politics itself has become performative just like practically every other interaction on them. God have mercy on your soul if you say what you actually think and feel, as the great follower migration is sure to follow. Because society is only valuable insomuch as a popularity metric, is it not?
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Comment on The science of “ultra-processed” foods is misleading in ~food
Akir LinkThis article begins with complaints about bad reporting on UPFs. And then it continues with more bad reporting about UPFs. I know I talk about bad titles all the time, but this one is particularly...- Exemplary
This article begins with complaints about bad reporting on UPFs. And then it continues with more bad reporting about UPFs. I know I talk about bad titles all the time, but this one is particularly egregious. The title at this moment is You’re being lied to about “ultra-processed” foods, and the irony of the fact is that the title is a blatant lie - there is no lies being reported, just criticism on bad reporting.
The main problem with this article is that they are misrepresenting what scientists and dieticians are saying about UPFs. The NOVA scale is not supposed to be an end-all and be-all for health advice like they claim it is. They aren't even saying they know the reasons why they're bad for you. Yes, there are many different tests we need to do to in-depth studies on multiple factors on an insane number of ingredients, but that's not realistic. Nobody's going to pay for even a portion of the work that needs to happen. And that's why the UPF category is useful to health researchers and dieticians. Even in that context, it's not meant as an absolute marker for health. Heck, practically everything the creators have written about the system talks about how it's not designed to comment on the nutritional or even safety of the given food it classifies.
The articles that it bring up at the beginning are absolutely bad journalism. But this is too, because it attempts to undermine the entire current state of our understanding on how UPFs impact our health. Honestly, I shouldn't be upset about this because it honestly seems that this is just what health journalism is now. It's a bunch of reporters looking to misrepresent scientific research in order to produce the most sensational articles possible. Nutrition is such a complicated topic that no one study will ever tell you the whole story. Our bodies are ecosystems, and that's why dietician is a specially trained field and general physicians don't get a lot of training on nutrition beyond what they need to recognize potential malnutrition.
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Comment on Watch as Scott Bradlee, the mastermind behind Postmodern Jukebox, hears My Chemical Romance's "Helena" for the first time and transforms it into a captivating new genre: Emo Ragtime in ~music
Akir LinkHuh. I love ragtime but I didn’t like this arrangement much. I was impressed by how they managed to blend the ballad-like chorus into the ragtime, but I didn’t like that it was there at all. The...Huh. I love ragtime but I didn’t like this arrangement much. I was impressed by how they managed to blend the ballad-like chorus into the ragtime, but I didn’t like that it was there at all. The composition also kind of overwhelms the vocals and the drums don’t make sense anymore.
But in reality most of the reasons why I don’t like the composition are because Helena was one of my childhood favorite songs and just about any change would irk me. My love of ragtime is why I found the chorus to be annoying. And to be honest there is much more positive I could say about it than I could find nitpicks. I was frankly blown away with how he handled the bridge given the added vocal effects, and this is pretty amazing for a largely improvised piece overall; it is something that could not be done without their extensive experience.
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Comment on I think I have a broken AT&T route? in ~tech
Akir Link ParentPersonally I would jump at the chance to rip out ISP equipment in my home and replace it with my own. Networks equipment you don’t manage is always going to cause you headaches. Even if you’re...Personally I would jump at the chance to rip out ISP equipment in my home and replace it with my own. Networks equipment you don’t manage is always going to cause you headaches. Even if you’re fine with the way it’s being managed, you are not going to like it when it changes without warning.
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Comment on How to make friends as an adult in ~life
Akir Link ParentThere is one thing I would like to add to this article. If you want someone to be your friend, you should ask them. It’s a dumb and simple thing that might sound childish, but it tends to work...There is one thing I would like to add to this article. If you want someone to be your friend, you should ask them. It’s a dumb and simple thing that might sound childish, but it tends to work pretty damn well. Though it is one of those things where you need to make sure you are easy to get ahold of - give them your phone number, socials, address, whatever.
The other hint I would give is to go above and beyond what you think would be appropriate for your current friend level. Do favors for them, give them treats you know they will love, let them borrow your tools, and things like that. These kinds of actions ingratiate them to you and that tends to help friendships grow. You might not realize it but they tend to be a form of vulnerability that the article mentions, and drawbacks can happen - they might hate the cake you brought them, or never return your tool.
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Comment on You make friends *HERE*?! in ~tildes
Akir LinkGurl, you have to slide into those DMs. But seriously. Go send some private messages. If you want personal relationships you need to have private conversations. I literally came to this topic from...- Exemplary
Gurl, you have to slide into those DMs.
But seriously. Go send some private messages. If you want personal relationships you need to have private conversations. I literally came to this topic from one of them where I asked for some advice.
I also stand by an earlier statement I made this month; realtime conversations are a lot better for building relationships. Maybe try MMOs for a change?
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Comment on The 2024 Steam Winter Sale is live (runs December 19 - January 2) in ~games
Akir Link ParentFor Echo in particular there is enough horror elements to earn a content warning. But really, both of them have sexual content in it. They aren’t porn games, and that content is not going to be...For Echo in particular there is enough horror elements to earn a content warning. But really, both of them have sexual content in it. They aren’t porn games, and that content is not going to be satisfying. If you want that kind of game I could probably give you some recommendations though…. 😊
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Comment on The 2024 Steam Winter Sale is live (runs December 19 - January 2) in ~games
Akir Link ParentThey are not romance stories, and if anything, they do a lot to subvert romantic tropes. And in Echo the “romantic” route is the absolutely most terrifying of all of them. And if you are playing...They are not romance stories, and if anything, they do a lot to subvert romantic tropes. And in Echo the “romantic” route is the absolutely most terrifying of all of them.
And if you are playing on Steam Deck your husband doesn’t have to know…. 😜
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Comment on The 2024 Steam Winter Sale is live (runs December 19 - January 2) in ~games
Akir Link ParentHave you played Echo or Ad Astra yet? I know you’ve seen me recommend them before. I think you’re probably the perfect audience for it even if you aren’t furry! They are the most on sale of all of...Have you played Echo or Ad Astra yet? I know you’ve seen me recommend them before. I think you’re probably the perfect audience for it even if you aren’t furry! They are the most on sale of all of these games at 100% off. 😜 Seriously though, these games are quite literally the only ones I have ever played that I felt really reflected my life and experiences accurately. That’s really saying something. You really should play them if you haven’t already.
If you’ve played 999 and enjoyed it I think I saw the sequels on sale. I actually liked Virtue’s Last Reward better than its prequel. While the last game is still good it’s kind of meh and I honestly can’t remember what it is called. AI: The Somnium Files is by the creators of Danganronpa; I haven’t played it yet but it might be a bit more your style. You may want to also try the Psycho-Pass games though I haven’t played them either.
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Comment on US Joe Biden administration grants California waiver to ban gas car sales in 2035 in ~transport
Akir Link ParentActivism on any given social media will not have any real effect. It may have some short-term effect temporarily like changing some wording or other banal thing, but real activism happens in the...Activism on any given social media will not have any real effect. It may have some short-term effect temporarily like changing some wording or other banal thing, but real activism happens in the real world. It turns out that it’s really hard to motivate people to do things if you’re not in the room with them.
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Comment on Disney pulls transgender storyline from Pixar’s ‘Win or Lose’ streaming series in ~tv
Akir Link ParentMy husband works at Disneyland. So we are very familiar with how their theme parks are run. You might be interested to know that we are passholders… for Universal Studios. Universal Studios...My husband works at Disneyland. So we are very familiar with how their theme parks are run. You might be interested to know that we are passholders… for Universal Studios. Universal Studios Hollywood is a lot smaller and offers a lot less variety than Disney does, but they do all of the little things better. And they do so while undercutting Disney by a considerable margin. For non-residents a basic annual pass at Universal can be less expensive than a single day pass at Disney. The parking is significantly better, the service is better (the people actually seem happy to be there!), the food is better in quality on average and it’s easier to find vegan options for me, the areas are generally better themed, they do a better job at seasonal theming, they are less likely to do events you have to pay extra for (to my knowledge, at least - Halloween Horror Nights is a notable exception), upselling seems to be a lot less common, and most importantly it doesn't feel as terribly congested with people. That can get so bad that I would rather go to one of those tiny theme parks tacked onto mini golf courses.
Those were just my observations though. My husband, however, is working in a program that is headed by people in Florida he does not generally have direct contact with and instead is supervised by store managers who don’t have a solid grasp of the program. He is the person with the most seniority in the program, but a few months ago he was reduced to tears because one of his managers complained about the quality of his work and wrote him up even though he was much more qualified to make such determinations. He works in a creative capacity and the manager was not even able to properly tell him what the problem with his output was; they just punished him because a customer didn’t like the way he did it and complained to them.
Disney is just too big. They are unable to properly manage themselves. The last thing I would say they were great at was actually cruise ships; they had one of the smallest fleets in the industry and they offered a product nobody else could pull off quite the same way. And to be fair, they still do… but that is kind of being pulled aside as they expand. Their latest expansions seem to reject the things that made them so charming and worthwhile in service of expanding to greater crowds. A while back they bought a premade unfinished cruise ship that they are customizing, and while that isn’t a bad thing in the industry, it’s a far departure from the extremely intricately designed fleet they began with.
My husband also agrees that Epic Universe is going to give Disney a run for their money.
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Comment on What have you been eating, drinking, and cooking? in ~food
Akir Link ParentI don't like green teas usually. A lot of the time it has a vaguely fish-like smell to it that I find unappealing unless I have it with some specific food flavors that I haven't really identified...I don't like green teas usually. A lot of the time it has a vaguely fish-like smell to it that I find unappealing unless I have it with some specific food flavors that I haven't really identified yet. Funnily enough I went to a sushi restaurant recently where all the sushi was terrible but the green tea was excellent.
I do like it when mixed with toasted rice to make genmaicha.
But the world needs more tea drinkers. I find it a much more social drink than coffee because there's always a tactile experience as long as it's served hot.
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Comment on What have you been eating, drinking, and cooking? in ~food
Akir LinkAfter a long time of wanting to but not having the energy to start, I started to make a batch of dairy-free yogurt for the first time. It's not the first time I've made yogurt, but it's the first...After a long time of wanting to but not having the energy to start, I started to make a batch of dairy-free yogurt for the first time. It's not the first time I've made yogurt, but it's the first time making a dairy-free one. I had known for a long time that high-protein milks are the best options and that you should use one that has few if any added ingredients. So I decided to do another first, and make my own soymilk.
soymilk is a plant milk I've been ignoring for a while because it's kind of a pain to make. You have to soak the beans ahead of time, rinse them, and then you have to boil the milk afterwords because raw beans can make you sick. But damn, for a first time, the soymilk turned out excellent! I think I didn't use quite enough water so what came out ended up being more like soy cream, and it had a pleasant herbal grassy nutty smell to it that the bottled stuff doesn't.
Of course, once you've got soymilk you're literally two steps away from making tofu, so I'm considering doing that next. I kind of regret not using the okara for something, but I don't know any recipes that work well with it.
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Comment on Never forgive them - On digital platforms vs users in ~tech
Akir Link ParentThere is a shortcut that no longer exists on browsers because it would break almost every website: pressing the escape key used to halt all JavaScript execution, which would stop pages from...There is a shortcut that no longer exists on browsers because it would break almost every website: pressing the escape key used to halt all JavaScript execution, which would stop pages from running away from you like that.
I’ve owned a number of Nissan cars, both electric and gas. They’ve all been perfectly respectable cars. Not great, and some of them not even good, but all of them have been working cars with minimal problems. The only one I have had issues with is one my husband bought used, which had issues with the air intake system, but that wasn’t a Nissan problem. It was caused by the previous owner installing aftermarket “upgrades” that tuned it down.
(The previous owner of that car also removed the catalytic converters. My husband really should have returned the car to the dealer because that “upgrade” made it illegal to sell in the state.)