azulez's recent activity
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Comment on Ripples through Reddit as advertisers weather moderators strike in ~tech
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Comment on Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 | Announce trailer in ~games
azulez LinkI'm going to wait until I see if they've discovered the magical technology of background updates for this one. My biggest complaint with MSFS is I fire it up so rarely that I need to launch it an...I'm going to wait until I see if they've discovered the magical technology of background updates for this one.
My biggest complaint with MSFS is I fire it up so rarely that I need to launch it an hour before I want to play it, which means I just never play it.
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Comment on The rise of self-hosted apps in ~tech
azulez Link ParentIn general I like the idea of decentralized net that makes better use, hypothetically, of all the ISP pipes for types of content which don't require real-time responsiveness. I guess Freenet is...In general I like the idea of decentralized net that makes better use, hypothetically, of all the ISP pipes for types of content which don't require real-time responsiveness. I guess Freenet is one of these? Any experience with that, or anything similar?
The main issue I see is that hosting a node where you don't control the content could be legally hazardous, as from the look of it, I can imagine the primary use case would be.. dubious. And I kind of fall in the bucket of being risk averse when it comes to things that are technically cool.
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Comment on Black holes are accelerating the expansion of the Universe, say cosmologists in ~space
azulez LinkI have no background sufficient to either oppose or support this theory, but I like the idea of space-time being like a stretchy tablecloth. The pieces I read made me picture it as like.. weighing...I have no background sufficient to either oppose or support this theory, but I like the idea of space-time being like a stretchy tablecloth.
The pieces I read made me picture it as like.. weighing down two points making the cloth in the middle stretch a bit. When they sink down further they stretch the middle, and consequently sink down a little further.. thereby stretching it a bit more if the amount of stretch is based on the depth to which they sink.
Anyways, ignore me. Just a fun idea.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
azulez LinkA friend had me pick up Tunic recently and it was great! It's a cute top down action game that has puzzle elements, and is probably best with a controller. I think the game is best played by...A friend had me pick up Tunic recently and it was great!
It's a cute top down action game that has puzzle elements, and is probably best with a controller.
I think the game is best played by externally looking up as LITTLE as possible, so my words here are limited.
But if you like adorable games with a very good feel and don't mind spending a bit of time staring at things here and there, it's fantastic.
It's a Finji game and between Tunic and Night in the Woods, they are super on my radar now.
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Comment on Disgust is awful! in ~talk
azulez LinkIt sucks to feel judged, and it's natural to be defensive about it, I think. It helps to consider where it's coming from -- not on a personal level, but for example, if someone is deep into...It sucks to feel judged, and it's natural to be defensive about it, I think. It helps to consider where it's coming from -- not on a personal level, but for example, if someone is deep into alternative medicine and someone told them that A is hazardous, when the hazard is in fact quite minor, it's because of where they're at.
As hard as it might be to recontextualize a lot of it comes from a place of positive intention most of the time. I try to look at it that way. When it comes up, I am simply forward with that I'd like to see the study since I haven't seen anything in that vein which I find compelling.
When it comes to thinks like discomfort with an environment, I would prefer that my friends tell me than simply be uncomfortable in silence. If there's something I can do about it, I will try, but I'll agree that sometimes people are rather blunt when it comes to their reactions.
These sorts of things don't typically bother me unless I'm already under stress from something else. I'm not suggesting that there's anything wrong with that either -- life is very stressful some times. But my awareness of when I am being poorly centered and more emotionally reactionary also helps me put my own responses in perspective and it helps me mitigate and control them.
This seems like it could hopefully be some helpful venting as well, but I also think there's decent advice in the comments here from others.
I wish I knew more about how to guide people from turning their fear into perspectives that probably have more of an impact on their life than what they are afraid of, like I'm half-way through my life and if there's some kind of effect from mercury fillings at this point, paying thousands of dollars to have them removed early (since they need to be replaced eventually) isn't going to have much of an effect besides spending a lot of money on a placebo. But people have to make their own decisions ultimately, since pushing too much just turns people into defensive panic mode. :E Those are my own semi-related problems.
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Comment on What is your favorite game you'll never finish? in ~games
azulez Link ParentI bet Cuno, that kind soul, would help him out!I bet Cuno, that kind soul, would help him out!
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Comment on Climate change won't stop while America hates trains and walking in ~enviro
azulez Link ParentI picked up an AT electric longboard and it's pretty great. Did 15 miles with virtually no effort on my part. But I will never EVER ride it anywhere near traffic, so it remains a toy for bike...I picked up an AT electric longboard and it's pretty great. Did 15 miles with virtually no effort on my part.
But I will never EVER ride it anywhere near traffic, so it remains a toy for bike paths parking lots, and empty neighborhoods.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
azulez Link ParentI found DSP to be much more approachable than Factorio. I love Factorio; but it's definitely more complex. I think DSP has the idea of keeping things simple, and logistics as a MUCH faster part of...I found DSP to be much more approachable than Factorio. I love Factorio; but it's definitely more complex.
I think DSP has the idea of keeping things simple, and logistics as a MUCH faster part of the game. In that respect, I don't think building too compact is a bad idea. The moment you get logistics, you can start creating the huge longitudinal stripes that define the game.
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Comment on US Supreme Court hears arguments in New Jersey "Bridgegate" scandal. The decision could have broad implications for how federal prosecutors pursue allegations of public corruption. in ~news
azulez Link ParentThis decision needs to be upheld or arbitrary political retaliation is effectively legalized. What a sociopathic move. What's next, illegally withholding authorized funds?This decision needs to be upheld or arbitrary political retaliation is effectively legalized. What a sociopathic move.
What's next, illegally withholding authorized funds?
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Comment on What are your hobbies? in ~hobbies
azulez Link ParentHey! Woah! Okay, so I've been interested in potentially getting into paragliding a little. I do a lot of motorcycling/trackcross/rc truck/quadcopter/stuff and I've been REALLY excited by the...Hey! Woah! Okay, so I've been interested in potentially getting into paragliding a little. I do a lot of motorcycling/trackcross/rc truck/quadcopter/stuff and I've been REALLY excited by the prospect associated with some of the electric paragliding rigs coming out.
I live in a condo with no garage and limited space, so I have to go pretty minimalist in everything I do that takes up space, and while I am not totally sold on the current generation of electric paragliding rigs, I think it has a lot of potential for both cleanliness (can't really keep gas stuff inside w/o shed/garage) and space-saving. Sooo.... have you looked into any of these? One I saw looks kinda quad-copterish but folds down.. They all seem to be really expensive (like 4-5k) right now. I expect that that will come down eventually.
Also in general, how did you get into it? What resources did you pursue? Personally I live in the northeast, so it's probably like a 1.5 season window, so I don't think it's particularly popular. What advice would you give to someone starting out?
I've flown small planes in the air before, for brief periods (no license, so no takeoff/landing - just friends and lessons which I had to abandon due to cost at the time), but that seems much more.. structured and less potentially nerve-wracking. What were you into before you started, and how did you get where you are?
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Comment on Use this, not that: Positive swaps for the New Year in ~life
azulez Link ParentI've been getting soylent bottles shipped on the regular, and have been recently thinking about just how awful that must be from a environmental footprint perspective. Maybe it's time to swap to...I've been getting soylent bottles shipped on the regular, and have been recently thinking about just how awful that must be from a environmental footprint perspective. Maybe it's time to swap to the dry stuff as like a baseline food supplement.
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Comment on What's your SILLY unpopular opinion? in ~talk
azulez Link ParentMy theory is that happens because morning people wake up and do things, then we wake up and have to deal with what they've done on top of doing things. The only solution is to break things at...- Exemplary
My theory is that happens because morning people wake up and do things, then we wake up and have to deal with what they've done on top of doing things.
The only solution is to break things at night so that they have to spend some of their time fixing them, and thusly restore balance and bring harmony to all schedules.
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Comment on Giving automation the power to detect crime and enforce punishment has ramifications, even for minor infractions in ~tech
azulez Link ParentWhile there's the potential for people to develop bad habits, I think traffic density does play a role in the risk posed by many maneuvers, so to a degree yes. Speeding is actually a great example...Furthermore, should traffic laws only count when a certain amount of cars are in traffic?
While there's the potential for people to develop bad habits, I think traffic density does play a role in the risk posed by many maneuvers, so to a degree yes. Speeding is actually a great example of this, since it tends to be relative speed differences that cause accidents. I would suggest something like this to you -- the speed limit is 20mph higher than it is now, but passing someone on a divided highway the next lane over at more than a 5mph difference is a ticketable offense.
We already have that in speed cameras. And they are one of the best oncoming collision safety deterrents we have, per euro used.
Have speed limits and fines been adjusted accordingly with 100% enforcement? Are they still used on divided highways where there is essentially no possibility of an oncoming collision? What is the recourse for a maliciously configured camera?
Additionally what's stopping people from learning where the cameras are and minding their speeds only there? It should also be noted that cameras don't pull people over, so if someone is driving recklessly and it leads to a fatal accident, the camera did nothing. I'd be interested if you can link some studies that confirm your assertion.
Generally speaking, road engineering is the best collision safety possible. There are ways to design roads to control speeds without the use of speed bumps, such as narrowing them or creating rough shoulders. This doesn't stop reckless individuals but it will slow down the 85th percentile -- which is something to read up on, if you're interested in this kind of thing!
This is a completely absurd comparison.
It's not as absurd as you might think! Pavlovian responses in humans are real. Emotional associations as well. Merely pulling someone over with simply a warning for an early offense is very effective, in fact, despite not issuing a fine! Emotional triggers to memory are real, and a disassociated punishment is not as effective. This guy got a fine and didn't even know he did anything wrong.
Additionally, a very high percentage of electronically issued tickets are dismissed when appealed in the US. This typically involves having to take a day off work, which also destroys real human productivity.
Not only that, speed and red-light cameras can be abused. There are often situations where certain speed limits don't make sense with the way a road is set up, or light timings can be maliciously adjusted -- there are actual cases of these things in the states. You could have been operating in a completely reasonable manner and then suddenly have a 400$ ticket -- as was the case in this article. He had no chance to have his situation reasonably evaluated by another human being before being forced to either pay or take a day off of work to appeal.
You may not be allowed to cross that white line, but what if doing so prevents you from hitting a pedestrian or causes you to avoid an accident? Or what if there is simply no one around - as was mentioned earlier. If no one is in danger, then I fail to see the purpose of issuing blanket fines with no situational consideration. That is literally why we have judges, juries, and sentencing guidelines.
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Comment on Far-right social network Gab releases "Dissenter", a browser extension allowing Gab users to comment on the pages they're viewing in ~tech
azulez Link ParentDo they publish information about the moderation team? Or are they going with a bot-abusable upvote/downvote model to suppress dissenting voices? What info does it scrape from users?Do they publish information about the moderation team? Or are they going with a bot-abusable upvote/downvote model to suppress dissenting voices?
What info does it scrape from users?
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Comment on What are some things other people dislike that you quite enjoy? in ~talk
azulez Link ParentMan, sport bikes are awesome. I wanted one ever since I was a kid. The 90s body styles, the sounds they made.. seeing them on the track. It was amazing. And then I bought one. After getting a 1984...Man, sport bikes are awesome. I wanted one ever since I was a kid. The 90s body styles, the sounds they made.. seeing them on the track. It was amazing. And then I bought one.
After getting a 1984 GS 550L to learn and screw around on I upgraded to a 94 GSXR1100, and holy fuck. That machine was absolutely insane. Despite being easy to flick into corners, it rode those corners like a rail. It was a heavy monster, but it was the god damn fastest thing I've ever experienced. It was substantially more than the force of a plane taking off, and I paid about 3-4 grand for it. But, ultimately, that was the same reason I got rid of it.
On the street, you couldn't really utilize it without doing something illegal within about 2 seconds. I've always been one of those slow-in/fast-out riders on the street, which I still think is the way to go, but a lot of the other sportbike riders around me in college just wanted to go fast-fast-fast all the time. That made riding with those people something I didn't feel great about, so I eventually fell out of the group.
The bike ended up sitting for a few years while I moved and dealt with some stuff before I got the bug again. This time I downgraded substantially and went to a 2008 DL650. That's one of those 'adventure bikes' that have become so popular as of late. It was also the first vehicle I purchased brand spanking new. I was tired of weird shit cropping up my used vehicles that had to be dealt with.. and it was only around 7k!
I won't say it's the most fun I've had riding, but it's the kind of fun that I need now. It's a slow thing that you can drive fast. It's got the right balance and geometry - essentially like riding a comfortable dirt bike - that it's much better for touring than the GSXR, yet I still feel much more 'in control' than I felt on the comfy ass GS - L. I don't fear the occasional gravel roads that crop up, and so far pretty much nothing has gone wrong with it for 9 years.
During that time some of my local, actual, pre-existing friends decided to get into riding and lo and behold I had group rides again, but with SANE people! It was amazing. Unfortunately they have since moved from the area, and I'm back alone.. so I decided to spring for a BRZ and experiment with manual/rwd cars for a little while.
Now then.. my thoughts on sport bikes at this point is that they have differentiated into track-sport and street-sport. The big difference, as far as I understand, is the riding position is not as aggressive and is more centered. This is a big factor. At this point I /still/ think it's a bit ridiculous to buy something like a Ninja H2 for the street. I haven't done my research in a while but the H2 SX is taller and looks a lot more comfortable. It may be heavier, but it's not going to make a substantial difference on the street. If I were to go shopping tomorrow, I'd be looking at one of these street-sport bikes, OR a sport tourer. Renting a fully kitted BMW K1200RS for 3 days and doing rt1 in california was fucking magic.
I'll probably go back up in displacement again, but a part of me also wants a little 250 to do track days on because it sounds fun and hilarious. Generally the less bike you have, the more wiggle room you have for improving, and the less chance you have of getting into trouble at a speed too quick for you to deal with. You'll always have other drivers as the biggest factor on the road, but the key is figuring out what you're doing without being a fuckin numpty, and not only figuring out what the bike can do, but also where you shouldn't put /yourself/.
So that's my experience on various classes of bikes and kinda where I'm at. At the end of the day, bikes are a bit like guns in that they're a tool, have a great variety of different users (including 'lifestylers'), and it's up to the USER to make them dangerous or not. However, on the street, you're going to have idiots in two tone metal monstrosities, so while the bike may not be inherently dangerous, public roadways ARE and WILL ALWAYS BE. Recognizing that and accepting that should be a central tenant. Understanding that you are putting more than just yourself at risk is also something important to consider - family, friends, future. You said it right when you said it's less about you than it is about others.
I fully understand why my mom worries; she overestimates the risk, but also understands the worst potential consequences of bad decision making. She's a mom - that's practically the job description. That kind of thinking keeps you from making stupid decisions - the kind of stuff that sportbike riders /and/ cruiser riders are stereotypically famous for. It's actually kinda funny; since I transitioned to adventure class, cops have been a lot friendlier. But that class is also getting a lot wider market exposure now too, so who knows.
I know this is getting a little all over the place, but legit the worst rider I've ever seen was an old harley dude at my licensing/training class. He was a total braggart at the beginning, and was the only one to fail at the end. And it was fucking spectacular. Reiterating, from a practical perspective all motorcycles are roughly equally dangerous, but it's the rider that is the controllable factor.
Oh, and sportbikes are fucking awesome.
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Comment on I've taken the leap from reddit in ~talk
azulez Link ParentOof.. I've never been part of a community that direct about it, but in some ways that makes it easier to identify them. Being ghosted or steamrolled by people on the regular can be almost as bad,...Oof.. I've never been part of a community that direct about it, but in some ways that makes it easier to identify them. Being ghosted or steamrolled by people on the regular can be almost as bad, but you never actually get the pointed feedback and just kind of wonder if it's all in your head or not.. which it could be, or it could not be.
I fucking hate ambiguity like that. :P But I've been trying to take a step back when I can.. comes in cycles. Human social need dynamics are such a fucking beast.
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Comment on Super-tall, super-skinny, super-expensive: The 'pencil towers' of New York's super-rich in ~design
azulez LinkI hate these skinnytalls. Spent some time directly across from One, it was just spooky. Hearing about the big voids of 'mechanical space' is kind of annoying as well. At least I'm sure the view...I hate these skinnytalls. Spent some time directly across from One, it was just spooky. Hearing about the big voids of 'mechanical space' is kind of annoying as well. At least I'm sure the view will be nice for the .0000001%.
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Comment on Giving automation the power to detect crime and enforce punishment has ramifications, even for minor infractions in ~tech
azulez Link ParentWith 100% transparency in crime also needs to come adjustment of laws. Perhaps we can automate that too? This guy got fined 450 bucks for that small, incidental violation with no other cars in...With 100% transparency in crime also needs to come adjustment of laws. Perhaps we can automate that too?
This guy got fined 450 bucks for that small, incidental violation with no other cars in view. That's an insane number for what he did.
Imagine automated fines for exceeding the speed limit and how that would affect the average person. The thing is our laws are designed around imperfect enforcement (have you heard of excess punishments being referred to as a 'deterent?'), and to suddenly make enforcement perfect isn't going to magically make lawmakers revise existing laws. That would be being perceived as 'soft on crime', whereas the 'hard on crime' political mantra has been a regular on the scene, leading to the insane sentencing around, for example, drug enforcement.
While I agree that maybe these tools should be deployed, one strategy I would like to see is having them paired with an 'automation' violation type, maybe halving the fee -- or more. Essentially the smoothest way to start this off is to adjust the number of violations/revenue generation figure to match preexisting enforcement, and then tweak the knobs from there.
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Further I would like to point out that delayed enforcement/feedback does not work. People need immediate feedback for punishment to work. You don't use the 'stick' on an animal two weeks after it pooped on your rug. There's no association, and it's merely cruelty. This, itself, at these levels, is merely cruelty for revenue's sake. -
Comment on I would be fine if ads were implemented to help fund Tildes in ~tildes
azulez Link ParentAlso curious. The site itself seems so light weight that it's amazing. I'd be very interested in how expensive it is, resource wise etc, per user on average. I love stats like that.Also curious. The site itself seems so light weight that it's amazing. I'd be very interested in how expensive it is, resource wise etc, per user on average. I love stats like that.
I think most of the danger is that people are waking up to just how much of a time-vacuum reddit has become for them.
Prior to this break, I had a reflex, basically any time I had downtime, I had muscle-memory keystrokes that would bring it up.
I created a foil by deleting the suggestion from chrome, so now when I hit ctrl+2, ctrl+n, r, e, d, I end up staring at horrifying real estate prices instead.
The reflex is fading, and even though the two days are up, it made me realize just how crazy addicted I was. I'm not sure it's fully broken but, I'm.. not sure that I want to come back. I've seen a ton of people - people with reasonable amounts of disposable income and deep knowledge - reflecting on the same thing.
The trove of user comments from people who have specializations of knowledge may still exist, but the danger is waking those people up to the direction that the platform is turning and potentially how much of their life it has dominated. Brain-drain takes a long time to impact.
Will it matter? Ultimately raw user count is their bottom line. Does it matter to them if it just becomes a cat-picture aggregator? Probably not, in all honesty.
But it opens the door to other platforms in the longer run, which could pose a longer term danger -- which they don't give a damn about with IPO valuation on the horizon.