balooga's recent activity
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Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of October 27 in ~society
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Comment on US President Donald Trump admin’s racist Halo memes are ‘a new level of dehumanization of immigrants’ in ~society
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Comment on Is there a postman alternative without the bloat? in ~tech
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Comment on First shape found that can’t pass through itself in ~science
balooga LinkInteresting! Is there any practical application for either the noperthedron or the software they're using?Interesting! Is there any practical application for either the noperthedron or the software they're using?
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Comment on US President Donald Trump has begun demolishing the east wing of the White House, without approval in ~society
balooga Link ParentIt really all boils down to this. That is the most outrageous ruling I’ve ever heard of, and the implications of it are terrible. I don’t believe there is any way for it to be overturned, because...The supreme court has already ruled that the president can't be prosecuted for any official act he takes.
It really all boils down to this. That is the most outrageous ruling I’ve ever heard of, and the implications of it are terrible. I don’t believe there is any way for it to be overturned, because SCOTUS is unaccountable. It feels like that was a blind spot in the founders’ system of checks and balances. I wonder if a constitutional amendment could be proposed to allow voters to reverse bad precedent or something.
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Comment on Swedish fisherman digging for worms stumbles upon cache of silver coins, beads, rings and pendants dating to the 12th century in ~humanities.history
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Comment on Swedish fisherman digging for worms stumbles upon cache of silver coins, beads, rings and pendants dating to the 12th century in ~humanities.history
balooga LinkThey’d better compensate him! Maybe it’s the American in me showing but if I found a cache like that I don’t think turning it over to the state would ever enter my head as a possibility. All the...Sweden’s National Heritage Board will now determine whether the finder will be compensated for turning over his discovery to the state.
They’d better compensate him! Maybe it’s the American in me showing but if I found a cache like that I don’t think turning it over to the state would ever enter my head as a possibility. All the more so if I was a laborer like a fisherman.
Of course, as an American my odds of stumbling upon 12th century silver coins in my backyard are effectively zero, so I guess it’s a moot point.
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Comment on The same-name club made up entirely of Shirleys is dying out in ~life
balooga Link ParentI did the same thing! This was back in 2006 or so. I have a common last name but my first is unusual. For all its problems, Facebook offered a never-before-possible way to find and connect with a...Before I deleted facebook I was in a group for people with my same first and last name.
I did the same thing! This was back in 2006 or so. I have a common last name but my first is unusual. For all its problems, Facebook offered a never-before-possible way to find and connect with a bunch of us who shared the same full name from around the world. Not that we did anything meaningful with it but the novelty was cool.
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Comment on Changes to Advent of Code starting this December in ~comp.advent_of_code
balooga LinkI’ve been wondering for years how AoC was sustainable. It’s amazing that it’s been running as a labor of love for as long as it has, and to such a high degree of quality. I never get very far...I’ve been wondering for years how AoC was sustainable. It’s amazing that it’s been running as a labor of love for as long as it has, and to such a high degree of quality. I never get very far (usually I run out of steam around day 10) but always enjoy the attempt. Hopefully the adjusted difficulty curve won’t eliminate me even faster this year.
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Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 REMOVE CARTRIDGE ⏏️ Chrono Trigger in ~games
balooga Link ParentI love the idea of retro gaming on a CRT, but my eyes can't handle it anymore. I think growing up on CRTs is the reason I wear glasses today, and if the world hadn't transitioned to better tech...I love the idea of retro gaming on a CRT, but my eyes can't handle it anymore. I think growing up on CRTs is the reason I wear glasses today, and if the world hadn't transitioned to better tech when it did, who knows how screwed up my vision would be now.
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Comment on US President Donald Trump has begun demolishing the east wing of the White House, without approval in ~society
balooga Link ParentAh, you beat me to the KYM link. Well played.Ah, you beat me to the KYM link. Well played.
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Comment on US President Donald Trump has begun demolishing the east wing of the White House, without approval in ~society
balooga Link ParentThe phrase is an ancient meme. I've come to realize it's the perfect response to nearly every headline about Trump's bullshit. The firehose of nonsense that it is (especially as he continues to...The phrase is an ancient meme. I've come to realize it's the perfect response to nearly every headline about Trump's bullshit. The firehose of nonsense that it is (especially as he continues to try to distract us from the Epstein files), I can no longer justify the time and energy needed to articulate a response to any of it. Everyone will have moved on in a month anyway... the zone is flooded.
But I'm going to continue to note his assholery at every opportunity, because that's the one thing that remains constant.
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Comment on US President Donald Trump has begun demolishing the east wing of the White House, without approval in ~society
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Comment on Lazy Sunday storytime - One for the Trekkies in ~tv
balooga Link ParentThat’s perfectly valid and personally I find it hard to get into TOS too, in no small part because of the cheese factor. That might be better labeled as ‘60s camp, to differentiate it from ‘90s...That’s perfectly valid and personally I find it hard to get into TOS too, in no small part because of the cheese factor. That might be better labeled as ‘60s camp, to differentiate it from ‘90s cheese… they’re not 100% equivalent. Either way, and this might be sacrilege to some, but my love for Star Trek begins with TNG and ends with VOY.
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Comment on Lazy Sunday storytime - One for the Trekkies in ~tv
balooga Link ParentI started watching with the first season recently. The CGI is truly awful (by today’s standards, anyway) and the acting is pretty bad too. I know the show’s got its diehards so I’m sure there’s...I started watching with the first season recently. The CGI is truly awful (by today’s standards, anyway) and the acting is pretty bad too. I know the show’s got its diehards so I’m sure there’s something good in there, but man is it hard to get started.
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Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 REMOVE CARTRIDGE ⏏️ Chrono Trigger in ~games
balooga Link ParentSNES version on SNES9X (running inside OpenEmu on my Mac). Using a PS4 controller for input.SNES version on SNES9X (running inside OpenEmu on my Mac). Using a PS4 controller for input.
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Comment on Lazy Sunday storytime - One for the Trekkies in ~tv
balooga LinkThat was a fun read and as a fan of ‘90s TV Trek I like the exercise! IMHO your story veers too hard into the grimdark Section 31 / Evil Federation trope that I think was the same mistake made by...That was a fun read and as a fan of ‘90s TV Trek I like the exercise! IMHO your story veers too hard into the grimdark Section 31 / Evil Federation trope that I think was the same mistake made by so much recent Trek. I enjoyed those storylines in their time — DS9 in particular gets pretty weighty with that, and those were some of my favorite episodes.
But if you ask me, that kind of storytelling has run its course. We are in grimdark times for real. What I want to see is an idealistic Trek show, with competent people who work well together, and are interested in bettering themselves and the galaxy.
Also in my opinion the crew of the ship, the ensemble cast, is more important than the captain. Your outline didn’t say anything about those characters, but their relationships and development are where the real gold is buried.
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Comment on What are some interesting landmarks in your neck of the woods? in ~talk
balooga Link ParentOh nice, that reminds me of the Mystery Spot, whose Wikipedia page links to the generic gravity hill article. Nice primer on these sorts of illusions if anyone’s curious.Oh nice, that reminds me of the Mystery Spot, whose Wikipedia page links to the generic gravity hill article. Nice primer on these sorts of illusions if anyone’s curious.
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Comment on What are some interesting landmarks in your neck of the woods? in ~talk
balooga LinkI’ll avoid doxing myself but I was passing through Tulsa, OK yesterday and checked out a local “interesting landmark” while I was in the area: the Center of the Universe. It’s an acoustic anomaly...I’ll avoid doxing myself but I was passing through Tulsa, OK yesterday and checked out a local “interesting landmark” while I was in the area: the Center of the Universe. It’s an acoustic anomaly of sorts, supposedly if you stand in this spot, people outside the circle will not be able to hear you. And any sound you make will be echoed back (and amplified) to you.
It was a fun little detour to make, and free apart from downtown parking. I definitely observed the phenomenon but it wasn’t nearly as dramatic as the stories claim. My voice was oddly echoed back in my ears but not louder than it started. People outside of the circle could hear me clearly.
When I went it didn’t look like all the pictures online. There is construction happening around the site and they appear to be in the middle of resurfacing it. The circle was marked on the ground but there were no bricks around it. I wonder if some of the effects were magnified by reflections off those materials that are no longer present. If I’m ever out that way again I’ll have to swing by to see it it’s been restored to its former glory.
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Comment on Forgot Chrome's unusable, any recommendations? in ~tech
balooga LinkYou should set up Aquafox inside SheepShaver. (This is not a serious suggestion.)You should set up Aquafox inside SheepShaver. (This is not a serious suggestion.)
Christ, what an asshole.