bilbodwyer's recent activity
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Comment on El Salvador’s new bitcoin wallets could cost Western Union $400 million a year in ~finance
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Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music
bilbodwyer Link ParentI really enjoyed this tune, thanks!I really enjoyed this tune, thanks!
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Comment on How to get a near perfect shave in less than ₹5 in ~finance
bilbodwyer LinkI switched to safety razors years ago and haven't looked back. The shave is excellent, and the saving is ludicrous. Seeing the price of cartridge razors (even the ones that market themselves as...I switched to safety razors years ago and haven't looked back. The shave is excellent, and the saving is ludicrous. Seeing the price of cartridge razors (even the ones that market themselves as being cheaper, such as Harry's) boggles my mind every time. I must have spent £10 on razors in the last year, if that. Cannot recommend them highly enough.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
bilbodwyer LinkI've been surprisingly hooked on Pokémon Unite. I enjoy a good MOBA anyway, but didn't expect to appreciate this one as much as others. There are some blatant cash-generation features in the game...I've been surprisingly hooked on Pokémon Unite. I enjoy a good MOBA anyway, but didn't expect to appreciate this one as much as others. There are some blatant cash-generation features in the game (there are like 5 different currencies), and from what I can tell spending money can actually give you advantages over players that don't, which is a disappointment.
That said, the gameplay is fun, and I like the loop of grinding wild Pokémon to get points which you then score, it's just different enough from others to be a refreshing change to the formula. I have now hit the problem which I do with all MOBAs though: I've gotten really good with one Pokémon and am truly screwed if someone picks it before me -
Comment on Climate change: IPCC report is 'code red for humanity' in ~enviro
bilbodwyer LinkI heard about this report on the radio this morning. My first thought was that I can't wait for governments to do little-to-nothing about it. Got to protect those bottom lines. My second thought...I heard about this report on the radio this morning. My first thought was that I can't wait for governments to do little-to-nothing about it. Got to protect those bottom lines. My second thought was that climate change will probably be (just like Covid) something that we are told we'll need to "live with," as if it's not a possible extinction-level event.
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Comment on US parents say Peppa Pig is giving their kids British accents in ~tv
bilbodwyer LinkThis is not remotely surprising. I'm British, and my child has long put on an American accent to play games with her friends and cousins (who all do the same). The hegemony of Disney, Hollywood,...This is not remotely surprising. I'm British, and my child has long put on an American accent to play games with her friends and cousins (who all do the same). The hegemony of Disney, Hollywood, and American media generally means that this is mostly a one-way street, so it's kind of amusing that Peppa Pig of all things is paying it back.
Hell, I even remember as a youth that I'd try out Americanisms in my speech ("trash," "high school," and "sidewalk" being some that spring instantly to memory). I hadn't ever heard the name Tara out loud until I watched some Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and completely mangled the pronunciation of it, much to the amusement of my family.Kids are language-learning machines, and they pick up patterns and dialect more readily than you or I. If the person they hear saying the word "mummy" the most is a cartoon character, rather than family or peers, then they are more likely to mimic that. 90% of the time they'll grow out of it once they realise that's not how their peers talk.
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Comment on I’ve landed my first interview! Any advice? in ~life
bilbodwyer LinkMy dad owns a small business and one of his pet peeves is people not having done their research in an interview. If they ask you what you know about the company, you should be able to do more than...My dad owns a small business and one of his pet peeves is people not having done their research in an interview. If they ask you what you know about the company, you should be able to do more than parrot their “About us” page from the website. Spend some time googling the organisation, see if you can find news stories about them, or any charity work, foundations, etc that they may be involved in.
A job interview is also an opportunity for you to make sure that the job is a good fit for you, so try to think of some questions you can ask your interviewer about the job and company to get a good feel for what it’s like to work there. Ask about the routine of a normal day, the office culture, if there is much socialising outside of work, that sort of thing. Your mileage may vary, but I’ve had good responses from asking what my interviewers’ least favourite aspect of the job is as well. Use caution with this though, because it may make you come across as negative.
Mock interviews are great if you have access to them, but if not, spend some time with a pen and paper, write down common questions and script your answers. Take the Reservoir Dogs approach and be able to tell the same story a few different ways, so it feels more natural for you. Bullet points are your friend here.
Best of luck!
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Comment on Iron Maiden - The Writing on the Wall (2021) in ~music
bilbodwyer LinkThey've just announced the new album. Pretty stoked!They've just announced the new album. Pretty stoked!
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Comment on Iron Maiden - The Writing on the Wall (2021) in ~music
bilbodwyer Link ParentI second that recommendation - the documentary is really good, and the live show portion of the DVD is also excellent. I saw them on that tour (the only non-festival UK show they did for it!), and...I second that recommendation - the documentary is really good, and the live show portion of the DVD is also excellent. I saw them on that tour (the only non-festival UK show they did for it!), and it was utterly incredible. Never thought I'd get to see them play classics such as Rime of the Ancient Mariner, or Heaven Can Wait.
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Comment on Iron Maiden - The Writing on the Wall (2021) in ~music
bilbodwyer Link ParentYeah! There's a whole bunch of cool little easter eggs in the video I do wonder how they'll approach Bruce's voice on the album. There were definite moments on the last one where you could tell he...Yeah! There's a whole bunch of cool little easter eggs in the video
I do wonder how they'll approach Bruce's voice on the album. There were definite moments on the last one where you could tell he was struggling. The Great Unknown is the main example I think.
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Comment on Loki Discussion Thread in ~tv
bilbodwyer Link ParentAhh, cool. I don't really follow the Marvel continuity enough to know the difference, but that's good to know :)Ahh, cool. I don't really follow the Marvel continuity enough to know the difference, but that's good to know :)
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Comment on Loki Discussion Thread in ~tv
bilbodwyer LinkAs a somewhat disenfranchised Doctor Who fan, I really enjoyed Loki. I kind of wish DW had this sort of big-budget, well planned narrative structure. Meeting all of the variant Lokis (Richard E....As a somewhat disenfranchised Doctor Who fan, I really enjoyed Loki. I kind of wish DW had this sort of big-budget, well planned narrative structure. Meeting all of the variant Lokis (Richard E. Grant!) was a bunch of fun, and I'm glad that they didn't go too deep into the "time travelling cop show" that I thought they might be shooting for after the first episode. I really enjoy Hiddleston's acting, and found his arc of coming to care for a version of himself quite gratifying and enjoyable.
All that said, is this show basically inconsequential for Loki's character as a whole? Presumably the timeline will eventually get reset and Loki will go back to being an antihero in the already established timeline of the movies, and all of the growth he shows over the series' length just gets erased?
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Comment on Iron Maiden - The Writing on the Wall (2021) in ~music
bilbodwyer LinkIron Maiden release their first single in 6 years! It's not quite a departure from their usual style, but it shows a bit of growth, which isn't a bad thing. The riff is very catchy and fun to...Iron Maiden release their first single in 6 years! It's not quite a departure from their usual style, but it shows a bit of growth, which isn't a bad thing. The riff is very catchy and fun to play, and it's got that classic Iron Maiden single syndrome of the lyrics being completely nonsensical and the chorus just repeating the name of the song. Good times.
I do hope the album is better than this tune, but in my opinion they rarely pick the best songs on the albums to release as singles. I like it, but it's not quite what I expect from Iron Maiden.
Related: the viral ambiguous marketing campaign that they have been putting together for this release has been quite enjoyable, and very silly. Here's a good thread summarising the various hints that were dropped in the run up to this. If they continue to post tweaked album covers to Instagram it may mean that we have something else to look forward to on Monday!
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Iron Maiden - The Writing on the Wall (2021)
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Comment on The invisible addiction: Caffeine makes us more energetic, efficient and faster. But we have become so dependent that we need it just to get to our baseline. in ~health
bilbodwyer LinkI mostly gave up caffeine years ago, though I do have the occasional coffee nowadays. The author's description of the effects of their first coffee back after a break is dead on: colours seem...I mostly gave up caffeine years ago, though I do have the occasional coffee nowadays. The author's description of the effects of their first coffee back after a break is dead on: colours seem brighter, sounds crisper, ideas sharper. It's a true stimulant, and I've been able to train myself to use it as such. Instead of dosing daily to feel functional, I dose monthly (if that) to get a boost to my activity, be that working out, writing music, or studying. I feel much better for it, as a general rule, and the sense of deliberacy I feel from allowing myself a caffeinated coffee is quite gratifying as well.
If you're a heavy (or even moderate to light) user, I would highly recommend trying a few weeks without caffeine to see how you go. It makes a remarkable difference. -
Comment on Nintendo Switch (OLED Model) in ~games
bilbodwyer Link ParentFWIW I'm in the UK and my partner got her (second hand) joycons replaced for free by Nintendo when they started drifting. UK repair siteFWIW I'm in the UK and my partner got her (second hand) joycons replaced for free by Nintendo when they started drifting. UK repair site
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Comment on Conservative social networks keep making the same mistake in ~tech
bilbodwyer Link ParentGMT strikes again!GMT strikes again!
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Comment on Conservative social networks keep making the same mistake in ~tech
bilbodwyer LinkThen came the January 6th Capitol attack. Parler had been rife with calls for violence leading up to and during the insurrection, and in keeping with the platform’s “free speech” ethos, most had been allowed to stand. Apple responded by removing it from the App Store; Google later followed.
By May, Parler had fired its CEO, shored up its content moderation practices, and returned to app stores. But, as Sara Fischer reported in Axios last week, the thrill appears to be gone. According to data from Sensor Tower, Parler downloads went from 517,000 in December to 11,000 in June. It’s part of an overall decline in the popularity of alt-platforms — and in conservative media generally — since former President Trump left office.I’m also beginning to wonder if all these apps are their own grift in a way. Loudly launch a site no one will ever use, claim it’s a free speech sanctuary for Republicans, do the rounds on all the right-wing news outlets, and wait for it to fill up with the worst people on Earth, refuse to moderate it, wait for Apple to ban it from the App Store, and then go back to the right-wing news outlets and screech about liberal cancel culture impacting your ability to share hentai with white nationalist flat earthers or whatever.
Apps like Parler and Gettr offered their conservative users an attractive mirage: a free-speech paradise where they could say the things they couldn’t say elsewhere. It never seemed to occur to anyone that such a move would only select for the worst social media customers on earth, quickly turning the founders’ dreams to ash.
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Conservative social networks keep making the same mistake
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
bilbodwyer Link ParentHonestly it's half the reason I picked the game up. I never played the first one, so I don't remember any of the levels, and I agree that the design is somewhat lacking. Keen to get into the 2nd...I forgot what an amazing soundtrack THPS2 had.
Honestly it's half the reason I picked the game up. I never played the first one, so I don't remember any of the levels, and I agree that the design is somewhat lacking. Keen to get into the 2nd one though!
On a related note, I just found out that there's a covers band in my area whose setlist comprises entirely of THPS soundtrack songs! :D
I do hope this experiment with bitcoin works out for El Salvador (in part due to it probably helping increase the value of my shares in BTC mining), but i do wonder how they plan to handle the volitility of the currency. That the wallet app can use USD as well as BTC is smart, for sure. Above all, saving expats money on remittance fees is very well thought out, and I'm sure a welcome change for many Salvadorans