canekicker's recent activity
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Comment on My Leopold FC900R broke - Recommendation request in ~tech
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Comment on More US states ban PFAS, or ‘forever chemicals,’ in more products in ~enviro
canekicker (edited )Link ParentI am well aware of all of this. In addition, I wasn't discrediting an entire paper, but pushing back the characterization by OP. Note the language I cited wasn't from a peer reviewed paper, but...I am well aware of all of this. In addition, I wasn't discrediting an entire paper, but pushing back the characterization by OP. Note the language I cited wasn't from a peer reviewed paper, but from a summary from federal agencies including the EPA.
EPA routinely use far stronger language concerning exposure and outcome. Look at what they put out for nitrates/nitrites(PDF)
Excessive levels of nitrate in drinking water have caused serious illness and sometimes death. The serious illness in infants is due to the conversion of nitrate to nitrite by the body, which can interfere with the oxygen-carrying capacity of the childs blood.
or look at what they put out for arsenic
Inorganic arsenic in drinking water can exert toxic effects after acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term) exposure. Although acute exposures to high doses of inorganic arsenic can cause adverse effects...
or the recent pre-pub version of LCRI
There is no known safe level of lead exposure. Exposure to drinking water contaminated with lead can cause serious human health impacts including neurodevelopmental problems in children and heart disease in adults.
There is no ambiguity. Cause and effect are clear, there is no waffling of language.
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Comment on More US states ban PFAS, or ‘forever chemicals,’ in more products in ~enviro
canekicker (edited )Link ParentGoing to push back on a lot of this as someone who works in drinking water and has spent a lot of time discussing monitoring and treatment options for large utilities. I do feel that PFAS is a...- Exemplary
Going to push back on a lot of this as someone who works in drinking water and has spent a lot of time discussing monitoring and treatment options for large utilities. I do feel that PFAS is a concern and needs to be addressed but some of these statements I believe are hyperbolic and are directly contradicted by the provided sources
This is a category of extremely toxic chemicals that are used in the materials or manufacturing of basically every synthetic product you own.
Your links states
Research is ongoing to understand the mechanisms of PFAS toxicity. The epidemiological evidence suggests associations between increases in exposure to (specific) PFAS and certain health effects
and
Current peer-reviewed scientific studies have shown that exposure to certain levels of PFAS may lead to:
Note that associations are not the same as causation and the use of "may" is very intentional. Note as well that I am not saying PFAS is not an issue or not a health concern, but hyperbolic statements like extremely toxic is not correct. This isn't lead. These aren't nitrates. These aren't radiologicals or other compounds with known and specific effects and well characterized effects.
In addition, the statement about it being in everything synthetic you own is also false. Wide spread is not everywhere. Anyone who has collected PFAS samples (which I have) knows that they're not everywhere because if they were, there would be no way to properly analyze samples without dealing with contamination. That said, it's basically detectable in everyones blood but it's a factor of consumption as it's nearly impossible to avoid PFAS as modern consumers so this is somewhat of a moot point.
Concerning regulation, the regulation is absolutely nonsensical and makes assumptions based on very little. For example, the MCL (maximum contamination level aka enforceable limit) for some of these compounds is incredibly low. Take PFOS which is down to 4 ppt (parts per TRILLION) which isn't much higher than the detection limit (pdf warning) for major labs. In addition, if utilities are reporting levels just above the MCL, like mid to high single digit PPT, what technology at scale can be used to reduce a 9ppt down to 3 ppt? As far as I can tell, nothing exists at scale.
Note that treatment options at water filtration plants are the same as ones you could adopt for home use and rely on sequestration (reverse osmosis, ion exchange) or aren't terribly precise (activated carbon). Destruction of PFAS is extremely tricky and sometimes cause other issues. For example the renewal of GAC requires often requires high temps, in the 650 to 950 C range. That's not enough to destroy PFAS but it is enough to essentially create a PFAS plume that spreads across an area, particularly for small chain PFAS. In the case of sequestration, all you end up doing is creating a concentrated PFAS waste stream : the hell are you going to do with that? It's my understanding is that EPA made regulatory decisions based on assumptions that technological advances would occur to address these issues. That's a strong assumption that may or may not play out.
Note the ban on firefighting foams is unlikely to happen. PFAS is widely used on military bases as it's quite effective at dealing with the intense fires produced by the equipment there. I can't imagine it's politically savvy to deny the military of equipment they rely on.
Ultimately, I agree PFAS is a problem that needs to be addressed but regulation without remediation is useless. So much of the EPA's justification relies on future assumptions not based on reality. I know some good friends who work in federal regulatory review and much of the criticism is that EPA has taken a stance that's extreme and not scientifically or legally justifiable. They rejected the recommendation that they create essentially legal carve outs, pieces of legislation that can be challenged without destroying the entire legislation, in essence, if one piece falls, the entire legislation will now fall. My understanding is EPA is now going to deal with the manufacturers using CERCLA mechanisms but there are thousands of these compounds and if done improperly, you leave another opening for manufacturers to make slight modifications on a compound to avoid regulation (as seen with Gen-X). Ultimately, my issue has and will remain "what do we do as an industry" ? I'm all for strengthening and enforcing standards but if it's not feasible for water systems to currently meet those standards, then what are we really doing here outside of creating a headache that can't be solved?
As a side note, I'd distrust anything that comes from EWG, which routinely and inaccurately reports information and demonstrate a poor if not complete misunderstanding of the data they're dealing with. For every utility I've worked with, I've had to reach out to EWG to correct their misinformation. Simple stuff like reporting source water data as drinking water, incorrectly attributing data to my utility, misrepresenting EPA levels, etc etc. Rumors have they have deep ties to those who stand to profit from lower PFAS regulation and can be characterized more as a lobbying group, with associations with some fucking quacks. They're probably one of the worst environmental organization I've run across and personally and the amount of work I've spent correcting their mistakes with angry constituents is too much : EWG can go fuck itself.
TL:DR - PFAS is an issue but exactly what kind of issue is not fully determined. Regulation AND technological developments need to happen concurrently and right now they're out of sync. Fuck EWG.
edit : I want to be clear this isn't a criticism of your comment and the response is more intended for a general audience. Having someone cares about these issues who isn't in the industry is great. However as someone who has spent a good amount of time in this field and even attended congressional hearings about it, I feel it's important to provide proper context and information about this because that's when the proper corrective actions can be taken.
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Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music
canekicker (edited )LinkChat Pile - Cool World - gnarly, experimental metal born out of the stress of living in modern society, including the impending threat of climate change. Touche Amore - Spiral In A Straight Line -...Chat Pile - Cool World - gnarly, experimental metal born out of the stress of living in modern society, including the impending threat of climate change.
Touche Amore - Spiral In A Straight Line - a bit closer to their post-hardcore roots from their earlier album. Julien Baker makes another great appearance on the last song (probably my favorite song even with it's heartfelt but slightly corny lyrics) and I'm wondering if after this and her appearance on Turnstile's last album, she's going to be a mainstay as the go to indie feature for hardcore/post-hc bands.
Spirit of the Beehive - You'll Have To Lose Something - love this psychedelic indie band. Had to cancel their tour after their van was stolen twice (yes twice) in Seattle so I'm sad for everyone who won't get to hear "1/500" live, but that performance on the Late Show was just amazing.
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Comment on Donald Trump US tariffs would increase laptop prices by $350+, other electronics by as much as 40% in ~society
canekicker Link ParentExactly, so there's a precedent on this already that already demonstrates this doesn't work well. It's baffling to me, I don't expect everyone , especially MAGA/Trumpers to know the history of...Exactly, so there's a precedent on this already that already demonstrates this doesn't work well. It's baffling to me, I don't expect everyone , especially MAGA/Trumpers to know the history of tariffs but there are so many quick explainers that can be reviewed in a few minutes to demonstrate why these tariffs make zero fucking sense. It's such dumb, cult-like thinking that pushes people to just accept these bald face lies at face value.
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Comment on Donald Trump US tariffs would increase laptop prices by $350+, other electronics by as much as 40% in ~society
canekicker Link ParentThat's exactly my point, there isn't a ton of obvious follow up questions with some of these people. Build a wall and make Mexico pay for it? How does that work? Mass deportation? How does that...don't make any fucking sense at all
That's exactly my point, there isn't a ton of obvious follow up questions with some of these people. Build a wall and make Mexico pay for it? How does that work? Mass deportation? How does that work? End the Ukraine/Russia conflict? How does that work?
This, to me, is a fundamental question that so many of his followers imply don't ask themselves. Like I know I'm preaching to the choir but simply asking "how does that work" undercuts so many of Trump's "policy" goals.
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Comment on Donald Trump US tariffs would increase laptop prices by $350+, other electronics by as much as 40% in ~society
canekicker (edited )LinkDespite how much is out there about how tariffs work, I'm genuinely surprised that people believe tariffs only effect the manufacturer and not the importer. It's baffling and I ran across this...Despite how much is out there about how tariffs work, I'm genuinely surprised that people believe tariffs only effect the manufacturer and not the importer. It's baffling and I ran across this clip last week from David Pakman (note, I have no strong opinion Pakman, just vaguely know who he is) explaining to some other person how tarriffs work and the dude in the glasses just is baffled.
It says so much about MAGA/Trumpian policies which boils down to performative bluster that his fans eat up and fail to question. No one is better at this than Vance who can polish a turd like no other.
edit : Out of curiosity, I watched most of the full interview with Kelly (a Trump supporter) and as expected from so many Trump supporters, Kelly is woefully ignorant and misinformed. Fortunately unlike some, he's not aggressively ignorant but from the meaningless questions he asks to the lack of understanding about how the government works to his inability to add to this discussion, this was depressing. Credit to him for trying to be receptive to Pakman but for every person like Kelly, there are probably 10 others in the same sphere unwilling to learn and simply hosting podcasts to chase clout.
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Comment on Looking for a Switch game thats fun but requires little commitment in ~games
canekicker LinkAny gaming history of what you enjoyed? Like my immediate thought would be 1st party Nintendo IPs as I feel Nintendo is the king of "fun for any skill level" game play. Something fun and charming...Any gaming history of what you enjoyed? Like my immediate thought would be 1st party Nintendo IPs as I feel Nintendo is the king of "fun for any skill level" game play. Something fun and charming like "Captain Toad's Treasure Tracker" or "Kirby and the Forgotten Land" which have short levels with easy learning curves. A step up in difficulty would be something like "Super Mario Bros Wonder" or "Super Mario 3D World" and even "Pikmin 4". If you want something chill, then Animal Crossing is great for that.
However, if you're OK with a higher difficulty ceiling (in terms of mechanics) but not a steep learning curve, Super Mario Odyssey is great as you don't need to master all the mechanics to enjoy the game but doing so does make the game more satisfying.
Non Nintendo games would be the like indie titles that have been ported over. A Short Hike, Inside, Limbo and arguably, GRIS.
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Comment on The United States of beer, mapsplained - Phil Edwards (former Vox) explains the history of beer in America in ~food
canekicker LinkAs someone who's exploration of beer, wine and spirits started with craft beer, I found this really interesting. I've always known how prohibition concentrated American beer into a few large...As someone who's exploration of beer, wine and spirits started with craft beer, I found this really interesting. I've always known how prohibition concentrated American beer into a few large manufacturers but provides a lot of cultural context about how American beer preferences were formed.
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The United States of beer, mapsplained - Phil Edwards (former Vox) explains the history of beer in America
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Comment on What we don't talk about in "Spec Ops The Line" in ~games
canekicker Link ParentI am definitely one of those people who retread the same discussion. Maybe it was the 30 minute length of the video and a quick skim of the video but you're right, as I watch it now , the...I am definitely one of those people who retread the same discussion. Maybe it was the 30 minute length of the video and a quick skim of the video but you're right, as I watch it now , the discussion is quite different and the focus on real life uses (and excuses/cover ups) for the use of white phosphorus, the desire to re-frame the conversation away from choice and onto real life victims of this weapon. All really good, hopefully people will watch the video and you get the discussion you intended.
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Comment on What we don't talk about in "Spec Ops The Line" in ~games
canekicker (edited )Link ParentThank you for clarifying. I still assert the gameplay is about killing enemies to progress the plot. Just because there are hidden non violent options doesn't mean the overwhelming gameplay isn't...Thank you for clarifying. I still assert the gameplay is about killing enemies to progress the plot. Just because there are hidden non violent options doesn't mean the overwhelming gameplay isn't about committing violence.
That said , if devs obfuscate choices like this then it's not that much different than no choice at all. I'd argue that the vast majority of individuals in this thread and in the commentaries linked are unaware of these possibilities and had a completely different experience than you. Like you said sometimes devs can be too clever about these things but there's a huge area to explore between handholding pop up prompts and Spec Ops subtle implementation of choice. In fact its quite possible that I noticed these choices and took a non violent options (I usually do because I find them to be more interesting) but those choices had little to no impact on how I feel about my time with the game.
This is why my criticism of gameplay still exists. I don't want branching options (those games were just examples) or alternate endings. I do want a clearer ludonarrative harmony and in my opinion gameplay choices failed to fully convey Yagers lofty ideas, like I wish I had your experience and the gameplay had the impact on me that it did on you. But at this point we're just discussing differing experiences so I'm not sure what else I have to add about a game I feel is important but underwhelming as an experience.
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Comment on What we don't talk about in "Spec Ops The Line" in ~games
canekicker (edited )Link ParentLol, I guess we disagree. My question to you is do these moments of non-violence choices have any effect on the overall outcome or direction of the story? Does it stop the big moment those who've...I really don’t think you understand what moments are choices if you’re comparing it to mass effect or telltale.
Lol, I guess we disagree. My question to you is do these moments of non-violence choices have any effect on the overall outcome or direction of the story? Does it stop the big moment those who've played the game are aware of? Does it change the the narrative arc of Walker's journey? How do these non-violent choices square the fact that the entire game is about mowing down every enemy to advance to the next check point to push the story forward? Ultimately, do taking these actions lead to a significantly different experience for those who play it e.g. those who take the pacifist route in Undertale?
Maybe I'm wrong or it's the fact that it's been a decade since I played this game but after refreshing my memory with videos and plot summaries, I don't believe the answer is yes. In this sense, to me, these non-violent choices are in the "Walker will remember this" style of Telltale games or the slightly different endings of Mass Effect 3. In fact, if my memory serves me right, the actions that impact the various endings of Spec Ops are taken in the ending itself. This is why I compare these moments to ME3 and Telltale games, sure you can do something different here but ultimately, what difference does it make. I mean that's kind of Yager was trying to achieve here, right?
This is the gift/curse of linear story telling, on one hand you can cultivate a similar experience for all players but any choices you place in the game ultimately lack any real impact because everything must converge back to the singular story you're trying to tell.
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Comment on What we don't talk about in "Spec Ops The Line" in ~games
canekicker (edited )Link ParentRight but these hero/power fantasies are trying to achieve a completely different outcome and I'd argue, a linear story favors that outcome as it allows all players to feel that sense of...Right but these hero/power fantasies are trying to achieve a completely different outcome and I'd argue, a linear story favors that outcome as it allows all players to feel that sense of accomplishment. Spec Ops is trying to something different and subvert the 2000s era mil-shooter genre while also telling a very obvious anti-war message.
When I played it, it had a distinct separation between gameplay and story and they felt entirely disconnected and at odds. So much of the game is trying to do some meta commentary and make the player think about what they've done during the campaign but when crucial moments happen to drive that point home, actions are taken completely out of the hands of the player. The end result is when the big moment in the game happens, I felt nothing and it was no different than watching a movie or reading a book. This is simply where the writers wanted to the story to go and I'm going to churn to this banal game play like I would commercial breaks on a TV show.
It's not to say linear story telling in games can't achieve this outcome. Like I remember reading a good think piece how the Last of Us subverts those power fantasies but I can't find that article. I appreciate what Yager was going for here but to me, there's a disconnect between understanding and feeling the impact of a game and that gap is entirely due to the lack of agency in the story.
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Comment on What we don't talk about in "Spec Ops The Line" in ~games
canekicker Link ParentSo it's been a decade since I played the game but the fact that things don't appear to be choices in actuality are , to me, further argues my point that game play undercut the message of the game....So it's been a decade since I played the game but the fact that things don't appear to be choices in actuality are , to me, further argues my point that game play undercut the message of the game. I'm not asking for giant QTE situations but the alternate ending and these choices you get to make feel less like meaningful choices but more like the choices made in Telltale games or alternate endings in Mass Effect.
Like don't get me wrong, I think it's an important game and one people should talk about but to me, it's flawed messanger.
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Comment on What we don't talk about in "Spec Ops The Line" in ~games
canekicker Link ParentTo me that feels a bit of a cop out, particularly when there are a lot of "empathy games" out there that offer a more real sense of choice. I think one thing that the Super Bunny Hop video points...To me that feels a bit of a cop out, particularly when there are a lot of "empathy games" out there that offer a more real sense of choice. I think one thing that the Super Bunny Hop video points out that is that games like "This War of Mine" create choices and consequences for those choices. In "Spec Ops", there really is no choice (I don't agree with the assertion that not playing is an real choice but so be it) since so much of the game is on rails. Whether this was the idea from the get go to reinforce messages , I have my doubts, I did wish Spec Ops showed it's message more through game play rather than cut scenes. Like don't get me wrong, story wise, Spec Ops was great but man the game play was so generic 2010s cover shooter and actually not that fun.
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Comment on What we don't talk about in "Spec Ops The Line" in ~games
canekicker (edited )Link ParentI didn't watch the entire video but the way OP is characterizing it, to me, is the main reason why Spec Ops is discussed today and the only reason why I played it nearly a decade ago, because...I didn't watch the entire video but the way OP is characterizing it, to me, is the main reason why Spec Ops is discussed today and the only reason why I played it nearly a decade ago, because people mentioned it's anti-war themes back then and even now. I lean on the side of Super Bunny-Hops criticism of the game that the mechanics of the game undercuts the message/emotion as everything is so linear that there's no choice in it, unlike other anti-war games mentioned in that 9 year old video.
edit : finally got around to finishing the entire video. it's quite good and brings a new perspective to this game by grounding it in real life examples and narratives sewn by militaries trying to justify their horrible actions.
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Comment on Origami Angel - Wretched Trajectory (2024) in ~music
canekicker Link ParentHonestly probably not a lot stuff you haven't already heard of. I thought Philly bands like Hop Along, Little Big League, Everyone Everywhere. Some other compatriots like Into It. Over It ,...Honestly probably not a lot stuff you haven't already heard of. I thought Philly bands like Hop Along, Little Big League, Everyone Everywhere. Some other compatriots like Into It. Over It , Their/They're/There, Pool Kids and even Crash of Rhinos.
Going back further you have Faraquet which is pretty mathy. You could go weird/whine and do Brave Little Abacus , weird and go with Home Is Where, or just do whine and do Algernon Cadwallader.
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Comment on Recommend some new(ish) metal bands in ~music
canekicker LinkI'm by no means a metal head but there are some bands I've gotten into in my exploration of the genre. I don't know all the terms but Castevet - black metal band that's no longer around Chat Pile...I'm by no means a metal head but there are some bands I've gotten into in my exploration of the genre. I don't know all the terms but
Castevet - black metal band that's no longer around
Chat Pile - experimental, sludge metal band. It feels like music made by someone going to a mental breakdown but it's more performance art made by film nerds
Someone already mentioned Deafheaven who I love and they've worked a lot with Chelsea Wolfe. I played her a lot a few years back and it's more metal adjacent with a mix of folk, goth rock and doom metal.
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Comment on Origami Angel - Wretched Trajectory (2024) in ~music
canekicker LinkAh, never expected to see Origami Angels here. I really enjoyed 'Somewhere City', less so with 'Gami Gang' but that almost felt like a pandemic-era concept album. I'll definitely be checking out...Ah, never expected to see Origami Angels here. I really enjoyed 'Somewhere City', less so with 'Gami Gang' but that almost felt like a pandemic-era concept album. I'll definitely be checking out their latest album tomorrow.
Throwing out 'Carly Cosgrove' for those who like this stuff but who aren't as plugged into the east coast indie rock/emo scene and also their indie rock 00s mathy. Just saw them with You Blew It! in DIY SuperBowl last week and they're well worth it. Here's them performing at the famous First Unitarian playing their last LP and my favorite back to back tracks, "Cloudblock" and "Headaches"
Mechanical keyboards have changed a ton since the your keyboard came out and if you're willing to spend some extra money, you can really get something really nice that's perfectly customized to you. It does require you to build the keyboard yourself which is something I really enjoy. Personally, I really prefer a fully custom board and think most people should consider one because to me, the fun of a mechanical keyboard is having options and I've converted a lot of people over to this thinking. However if you don't want the hassle, completely ignore this.
As mentioned elsewhere, full sized keyboards are less common and the ones I'm aware of consist of the Keychron that people have suggested, this Drop or this Ducky board. I built my partner a Keychron Q6 and it's great but for me, the full sized keyboard no longer works for my work/gaming set up. I now use a separate numpad which gives me the flexibility to do data entry while also allowing me to move it out of the way for when I'm gaming. Having the extra space to whip my mouse across while playing a FPS is amazing and now I fully know my aim is shit and can no longer use the "my hand hit my keyboard" as an excuse. Personally, I use the Neo80 as it's quick release mechanism means customization is super simple.
As for switches, I am a big tactile fan and bought WS Studio Browns which I absolutely love, though I've recently moved into the silent tactile world and love the feel of TTC Blueish White - Silents. FYI, Cherry MX browns are widely considered the worst of tactile switches so any upgrade will be real joy to type on.
Finally the best part of a custom mechanical keyboard is keycaps. There are a billion keycap profiles (I usually run cherry/OEM but I really liked SA) with a billion different styles at a bunch of different price points. I got some nice doubleshot PBTs that I find aesthetically pleasing for about $45 which isn't uncommon.
If you do the math, my set up is double the price you're asking, more if you include the assortment of keycaps I purchased on a whim. However for you, I'd recommend the following.
All in you're in the like mid $170s range but if you recycle the keycaps, you're well within your top end range even after shipping.
Last thing to note, a lot of this stuff tends to go out of stock and you may have to search around for stuff in stock. That said, so much of this is all made in China so Aliexpress is actually a legit way to get these products.
edit : just saw this, Luminkey98 which is more expensive but saves on hassle and offers the unique ability to have the numpad on the leftside of the alphas. To me, this is a great option as well as you can basically offset your numpad to the left and still have plenty of mouse room. Does mean that you have to learn to use the numpad with the lefthand but that's probably not too hard.