callmedante's recent activity
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Comment on Twitter threatens legal action against US nonprofit that tracks hate speech in ~tech
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Comment on Twitter threatens legal action against US nonprofit that tracks hate speech in ~tech
callmedante Link ParentI felt the same way about Musk, years ago. I really thought he could take capitalism and put it to good use helping humanity. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, I suppose.I felt the same way about Musk, years ago. I really thought he could take capitalism and put it to good use helping humanity. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, I suppose.
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Comment on American theater is imploding before our eyes in ~arts
callmedante LinkAs someone that works in American regional theatre, this hits hard. There are days when I'm optimistic, and then there are days when I wonder if live theatre will exist in my city in five years....As someone that works in American regional theatre, this hits hard. There are days when I'm optimistic, and then there are days when I wonder if live theatre will exist in my city in five years. It's late as I read this, so that probably doesn't help me find the optimism.
Tomorrow is another day.
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Comment on Happy Father's Day, Tildes! in ~life.men
callmedante Link ParentI've been using a recipe from King Arthur Baking for years now, though I have modified it a bit. The result is a cake doughnut, and it's delicious and perfect on a Sunday morning.I've been using a recipe from King Arthur Baking for years now, though I have modified it a bit. The result is a cake doughnut, and it's delicious and perfect on a Sunday morning.
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Comment on Happy Father's Day, Tildes! in ~life.men
callmedante Link ParentSoutheastern US here. My day started with sleeping in a little bit (a later night than usual helped in that regard), followed by making baked doughnuts, which is the usual Sunday morning ritual in...Southeastern US here.
My day started with sleeping in a little bit (a later night than usual helped in that regard), followed by making baked doughnuts, which is the usual Sunday morning ritual in our house. I got a handmade card from the kiddo and a card from my wife. After breakfast, the kiddo wanted to do a science experiment with me from one of his STEAM books, which was good, messy fun. In the afternoon, we went to a baseball game, and, for the first time since we've been bringing the kiddo, stayed for the whole game. (Our team won in the bottom of the night with bases loaded. You could hardly ask for a more exciting conclusion.) Then we picked up some barbecue for dinner, and I did bedtime with the kiddo.
Honestly, it was a great day. I felt very special.
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Comment on Billionaire Harlan Crow bought property from Clarence Thomas. The US Justice didn’t disclose the deal. in ~society
callmedante Link ParentI don't know, it seems like you're arguing that either Justice Thomas is so corrupt that bribery has no effect, or he's so upright that bribery has no effect. Either way, you're asking to prove a...I don't know, it seems like you're arguing that either Justice Thomas is so corrupt that bribery has no effect, or he's so upright that bribery has no effect. Either way, you're asking to prove a negative.
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Comment on What’s something you’ve noticed about getting older? in ~talk
callmedante Link ParentI never contemplated this before, aside from my own child. All the other people I'll never see as old folks. Thank you for giving a specific perspective to think about today!Seeing young people who I'll never get to know what they look like when they're old. I'll never know what Tom Holland looks like when he's an old man.
I never contemplated this before, aside from my own child. All the other people I'll never see as old folks. Thank you for giving a specific perspective to think about today!
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Comment on ‘Westworld’ canceled at HBO after four seasons in ~tv
callmedante Link ParentIsn't that what they said about Lost? I love the show, but they clearly lost the plot for a while, perhaps never really fully recovering it before the end.Isn't that what they said about Lost? I love the show, but they clearly lost the plot for a while, perhaps never really fully recovering it before the end.
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Comment on An AI program voiced Darth Vader in ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ so James Earl Jones could finally retire in ~tv
callmedante Link ParentYears ago, my uncle advised me to set a safe word or phrase with my spouse. The idea was to choose something that would identify each as the actual human to the other. The phrase needed to be...Years ago, my uncle advised me to set a safe word or phrase with my spouse. The idea was to choose something that would identify each as the actual human to the other. The phrase needed to be something that would not be easily guessed by an adversary. My uncle said to have this conversation somewhere completely removed from all technology, especially phones. He spent some time working in defense and still has contacts there. Even then, which had to be at least ten years ago, he and others saw the potential future of faking someone's voice using AI.
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Comment on Language learning thread #1 - Share your progress, tips and questions in ~humanities.languages
callmedante Link ParentI love this idea. As someone who struggles to keep a steady journal, the added motivation of practicing language could be the trick.I love this idea. As someone who struggles to keep a steady journal, the added motivation of practicing language could be the trick.
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Comment on Language learning thread #1 - Share your progress, tips and questions in ~humanities.languages
callmedante LinkThank you for the topic, @Adys! In the summer is 2020, I set about taking Italian "lessons" on Duolingo. I kept it up for a good while, once reaching a streak of over 100 days. I managed to...Thank you for the topic, @Adys!
In the summer is 2020, I set about taking Italian "lessons" on Duolingo. I kept it up for a good while, once reaching a streak of over 100 days. I managed to impress myself and my wife when I was able to translate a line of dialogue in a show we were watching. However, I became disenchanted with how Duolingo was monetizing (I'm not a subscriber). Getting five questions wrong in a day meant that I had to pay to continue learning, or else wait for my hearts to replenish. I've been signed up for Duolingo for nearly ten years, and I've seen their various attempts at bringing in funds from freeloaders like myself. Getting in the way of the very reason I'm there crossed a line, though.
This summer, I've decided that I would like to learn at least a little about the languages in our family: Irish and Arabic. I'm starting with Irish, and I picked up Duolingo again, because that's what I was familiar with. The same annoyances reminded me of why I stopped a couple of years ago, but I pushed through that. What's now getting in the way of my progress is the lack of pronunciation in the Irish lessons. Some questions are words are pronounced, but many are not, and consequently I have very little idea of the rules of t spoken language. Just last week, I found that the "bh" consonant cluster is pronounced like "v" in English, but yesterday I learned it could also be pronounced like "w". I get to hear the words so infrequently that it's almost just a guessing game as to how they're pronounced.
All of that feels like prologue to wanting to dive into other methods of learning, notably Olly Richards' books. I feel kind of silly that I got so wrapped up in using an app that I didn't truly consider other forms of learning. I like to think I'm better than that! So, thanks again Adys for starting this topic of conversation.
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Comment on Telegram celebrates 700M users and introduces Telegram Premium in ~tech
callmedante Link ParentFollowing the death of Hangouts, Telegram became the platform of choice for my wife and me. I've been slowly converting friends and family ever since, although iPhone users tend to be holdouts. I...Following the death of Hangouts, Telegram became the platform of choice for my wife and me. I've been slowly converting friends and family ever since, although iPhone users tend to be holdouts.
Telegram has gotten linked with the far right at least in my social circles
I do have a few family members who joined shortly after January 6. I have yet to engage them on the platform, because I suspect their motivations are... misaligned with mine. I also wonder if they're aware that Telegram notified me of their joining -- a policy that I'm not entirely crazy about myself.
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Comment on The six villains of language learning in ~humanities.languages
callmedante Link ParentThis is so encouraging. I'm going to look into these books, because Duolingo is only so helpful, and their monetization strategy sometimes really gets on my nerves and interferes with my learning....This is so encouraging. I'm going to look into these books, because Duolingo is only so helpful, and their monetization strategy sometimes really gets on my nerves and interferes with my learning. Thank you for sharing your experience!
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Comment on The six villains of language learning in ~humanities.languages
callmedante LinkAs someone who literally just closed Duolingo and then checked Tildes, thank you for posting this. I am subscribing to this channel, and I'm eager to learn how to learn.As someone who literally just closed Duolingo and then checked Tildes, thank you for posting this. I am subscribing to this channel, and I'm eager to learn how to learn.
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Comment on America's highest earners and their tax rates revealed in ~finance
callmedante LinkGut punch. Look, I don't have any illusions about being billionaire. When I play the lottery every now and then, it is purely for the entertainment value of imagining "what if". My family is...A typical American making $40,000 would have to work for 2,750 years to make what the lowest-earning person in this group made in one.
Gut punch. Look, I don't have any illusions about being billionaire. When I play the lottery every now and then, it is purely for the entertainment value of imagining "what if". My family is comfortable, far moreso than I thought we would be fifteen years ago.
But good heavens that level of income is indefensible. As someone who makes less than the average annual income, it would take me multiple lifetimes just to catch up to that, let alone the millennia it would take the crack the Top 400.
I don't begrudge people finding success, though that can be a personal struggle sometimes. That said, I am in the camp of "the existence of billionaires is morally reprehensible". In my head, I cannot justify why one person should earn that much.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tech
callmedante Link ParentAs I understand it, DNS doesn't work in a primary/secondary fashion. Instead, any of the DNS servers configured (on, for example, your router) could be queried for an answer, and frequently the...As I understand it, DNS doesn't work in a primary/secondary fashion. Instead, any of the DNS servers configured (on, for example, your router) could be queried for an answer, and frequently the user doesn't get to pick which one.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~health
callmedante Link ParentOh sure sure. The left side of my brain knows there will be end, but the right side is feeling like it never ends. That left/right dichotomy has been a recurrent theme throughout the pandemic.Oh sure sure. The left side of my brain knows there will be end, but the right side is feeling like it never ends. That left/right dichotomy has been a recurrent theme throughout the pandemic.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~health
callmedante Link ParentSome days, I think I feel so beaten down by this pandemic that I don't allow myself to get the slightest bit hopeful about the end. This is one of those days, I suppose. Maybe I'm just out of...Some days, I think I feel so beaten down by this pandemic that I don't allow myself to get the slightest bit hopeful about the end. This is one of those days, I suppose. Maybe I'm just out of breath left to hold.
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Comment on What were the best shows you watched this year? in ~tv
callmedante Link ParentEvery episode of Ted Lasso made me feel genuinely happy. I started watching the first season expecting the cynical turn of his character, like it turned out he was a cheat or something. But the...Every episode of Ted Lasso made me feel genuinely happy. I started watching the first season expecting the cynical turn of his character, like it turned out he was a cheat or something. But the show pleasantly defied my expectations, and eventually I realized that the cynicism was from me (it was coming from inside!). It's been a while since I have so thoroughly enjoyed a television show.
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Comment on Republican Glenn Youngkin wins Virginia governor’s race in ~news
callmedante Link ParentIf I got that in my mailbox, it would have gone straight into the trash. The verbiage is so pro-Trump/pro-Youngkin, I wouldn't have given it a second thought. Now, take my reaction, but apply it...If I got that in my mailbox, it would have gone straight into the trash. The verbiage is so pro-Trump/pro-Youngkin, I wouldn't have given it a second thought.
Now, take my reaction, but apply it through the lens of someone with polar opposite political views. "This is clearly motivation to get out and vote for Youngkin! Look at how much Trump supports him!" Instead of going in the garbage, it might end up on the dinner table, refrigerator, or wherever the mail goes in the house.
I'm all for subversive political advertisements that get me to think critically about my positions. This was not that.
Excellent point, thank for correcting me!