cheesegrits's recent activity
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Comment on What is your go-to never-failing joke? in ~talk
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Comment on Tipping in the 21st century? Arguments for. Arguments against. in ~talk
cheesegrits LinkI think a lot of people in the US, and especially visitors, don't realize that the federal minimum wage for tipped workers is only $2.13/hour. While technically the employer is also obliged to...I think a lot of people in the US, and especially visitors, don't realize that the federal minimum wage for tipped workers is only $2.13/hour. While technically the employer is also obliged to make up the difference if the employee's combined earnings don't meet the $7.25/hour regular minimum wage, that rarely happens. And while some states set their own minimums (like California, which sets tipped and non tipped the same), many don't. I live in a state which doesn't set its own minimum, and I have a lot of friends who wait tables and tend bar.
So while one can debate whether tipping should be a thing, for about half the wait staff in the US, it's the only way they survive.
The wait staff I know well enough to know how they handle taxes all declare a reasonable chunk of their tips.
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Comment on SF recommendations in ~books
cheesegrits Link ParentI only discovered Leckie, last year, after posting a request for recommendations on Another Social Site. Devoured the Ancillary trilogy in about a week. Yeah, the Foreigner series is an acquired...I only discovered Leckie, last year, after posting a request for recommendations on Another Social Site. Devoured the Ancillary trilogy in about a week.
Yeah, the Foreigner series is an acquired taste. I just love that kind of deep diving into cultural differences.
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Comment on SF recommendations in ~books
cheesegrits Link ParentFor the non Anglophone futures, have you tried Thomas Harlan's "Sixth Sun" series?For the non Anglophone futures, have you tried Thomas Harlan's "Sixth Sun" series?
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Comment on SF recommendations in ~books
cheesegrits Link ParentYeah, I'm the same way with driving. A good audio book can make the miles fly by. I regularly do long drives, as I loathe everything about flying, so anything less than 1000 miles I'll always...Yeah, I'm the same way with driving. A good audio book can make the miles fly by. I regularly do long drives, as I loathe everything about flying, so anything less than 1000 miles I'll always drive, and if there's no time crunch, I'll do more. Last year I drove 1600 miles (each way) to see my son in a play in Salt Lake City, and "Abaddon's Gate" lasted me from about Nashville to half way across the Rockies. I don't even remember most of Kansas and the flat bit of Colorado, I was somewhere out in the asteroid belt. :)
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Comment on SF recommendations in ~books
cheesegrits Link ParentThanks. I'll bump them up the list a bit. I definitely enjoyed the first one. It was interesting reading SF from what is as close to an alien culture as it gets on this planet.Thanks. I'll bump them up the list a bit. I definitely enjoyed the first one. It was interesting reading SF from what is as close to an alien culture as it gets on this planet.
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Comment on SF recommendations in ~books
cheesegrits LinkSomething I would suggest to myself if I hadn't already read it all is anything by Sean McMullen, and in particular the Greatwinter and Moon Worlds series. He's on my Top 10 list, and IMHO much...Something I would suggest to myself if I hadn't already read it all is anything by Sean McMullen, and in particular the Greatwinter and Moon Worlds series. He's on my Top 10 list, and IMHO much underrated.
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Comment on SF recommendations in ~books
cheesegrits Link ParentI've read pretty much all of Baxter's stuff. The list in my OP was just this year's crop from my Google Play library. And I've read Small Angry Planet and Closed Common Orbit, need to check if...I've read pretty much all of Baxter's stuff. The list in my OP was just this year's crop from my Google Play library. And I've read Small Angry Planet and Closed Common Orbit, need to check if she's got anything else out. Read some Hamilton, didn't really get on with it, never finished Judas Unchained, but as per a post up ^^ there somewhere, I may give it another good old college try with Night's Dawn.
So yeah, I guess I probably am you. Which Dan Simmons have you tried? Took me a while to get in to, kind of like CJ Cherryh, in that it's a commitment. :)
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Comment on SF recommendations in ~books
cheesegrits Link ParentI gave Hamilton my best shot, but for whatever reason just didn't get on with his stuff. Although I guess I only tried the Commonwealth stuff - Pandora's Star, Judas Unchained, etc. I just found...I gave Hamilton my best shot, but for whatever reason just didn't get on with his stuff. Although I guess I only tried the Commonwealth stuff - Pandora's Star, Judas Unchained, etc. I just found them a little too dark. But I'll give the Night's Dawn a try. Thanks.
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Comment on SF recommendations in ~books
cheesegrits Link ParentI haven't tried Audible, I'll give it a go. As I get older, I'm finding that a) it's harder and harder to get to sleep (more stuff piled up for one's brain to insist on spinning it's wheels on)...I haven't tried Audible, I'll give it a go. As I get older, I'm finding that a) it's harder and harder to get to sleep (more stuff piled up for one's brain to insist on spinning it's wheels on) and b) my eyes get too tired to read before my brain is ready to turn off. My go-to for the last couple of years has been stand up comedy, so when I can no longer read, I kick some of that off ... but I've pretty much run out of source material. I've tried a variety of podcasts, but my brain tends to get too engaged in anything worth listening to. Whereas for whatever reason, my brain is happy to drift off to an audiobook.
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Comment on Daily Tildes discussion - how can we help people "acclimate" in a friendlier way? in ~tildes.official
cheesegrits LinkAs a general observation, the announcement blog post says ... Personally, I would have put as #1 ... ... and that while the other two points are very valid, Job Number One is always going to be...As a general observation, the announcement blog post says ...
I believe that almost all issues with internet platforms trace back to two root causes:
- Dependence on venture capital and the expectation of massive returns for their investors
- Business models based around selling user attention and data to advertisers
Personally, I would have put as #1 ...
- A lot of people are natural born assholes
... and that while the other two points are very valid, Job Number One is always going to be dealing with the assholes, regardless of the business model. I use the term assholes loosely, to cover not just the trolls and neanderthals, but those who are too lazy to figure out the rules and conventions, or too obstinate to follow them.
So yes, obviously tilde needs a robust set of moderation tools. But I'm also leary about overly empowering small, potentially cliquey, groups of moderators. Look where that got reddit.
My suggestion would be empowering each tilde community. Have a defined set of guidelines (boilerplated from a master set) for each group. Each guideline carries a specific penalty value. Each community / group sets the cumulative penalty value at which a post gets hidden form public view. Have a "report" button on every post, where any community member can select which guideline they feel the post violates. Posters can see a summary of violations, with links to the associated guideline. The job of "moderators" then becomes simply policing abuse of the reporting process, and clearing reports that (in their opinion) are not warranted.
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Comment on SF recommendations in ~books
cheesegrits Link ParentThe ebooks are available on Kindle, I've started the free sample of the first one. I have a love hate relationship with audio books. I mostly read before going to sleep - in fact, I can't sleep...The ebooks are available on Kindle, I've started the free sample of the first one.
I have a love hate relationship with audio books. I mostly read before going to sleep - in fact, I can't sleep unless I have a book to read. And the problem with audio books is, they carry on playing after I drift off, and finding where I tuned out is a big problem. I do enjoy them on long drives, through.
I've tried a variety of readers with "sleep timer" features, but none seem to work quite right for me. I'd like to be able to reset it by just nudging the phone, without having to operate any kind of control or having the brightness crank up, as that usually wakes me up again.
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Comment on SF recommendations in ~books
cheesegrits Link ParentOops, turns out I already read it. Went to download the free sample, and apparently I read it soon after it came out. I shall start the Bobiverse Trilogy instead. Definitely haven't read that!Oops, turns out I already read it. Went to download the free sample, and apparently I read it soon after it came out. I shall start the Bobiverse Trilogy instead. Definitely haven't read that!
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Comment on SF recommendations in ~books
cheesegrits Link ParentFire Upon the Deep was one of my favorite Vinge, so I'll try Children of Time. Which is why I love the free samples on Google Play. :) Thanks.Fire Upon the Deep was one of my favorite Vinge, so I'll try Children of Time. Which is why I love the free samples on Google Play. :)
Thanks.
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Comment on SF recommendations in ~books
cheesegrits Link ParentI think I've read at least one of his, perhaps The Terminal Experiment. I just downloaded the free sample of Calculating God, I'll give it a go. Thanks.I think I've read at least one of his, perhaps The Terminal Experiment. I just downloaded the free sample of Calculating God, I'll give it a go. Thanks.
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Comment on SF recommendations in ~books
cheesegrits Link ParentThat's OK! That list is just my recent history from my Google Play library. I've been reading SF for about 45 years, starting at age 10. My "read that" responses are just to help calibrate any...That's OK! That list is just my recent history from my Google Play library. I've been reading SF for about 45 years, starting at age 10. My "read that" responses are just to help calibrate any other suggestions. I appreciate any and all suggestions.
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Comment on SF recommendations in ~books
cheesegrits Link ParentI read pretty much everything of May's early stuff, back when it came out, the Many Colored Land, etc. Haven't read the 90's stuff yet. Read most of KSM's stuff, it's OK. Read a lot of Brin prior...I read pretty much everything of May's early stuff, back when it came out, the Many Colored Land, etc. Haven't read the 90's stuff yet.
Read most of KSM's stuff, it's OK.
Read a lot of Brin prior to "meeting" him on Google+, where Brin kind of turned me off of Brin.
Yeah, Doc Smith. A staple of my very early reading, in the 70's, along with the rest of the Golden Age pantheon. Some of whom, it must be said, have not aged as well as others. I have similar ambivalence about RAH and some of the others these days. A product of their time.
Thanks! I'll give the Galactic Milieu a go.
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Comment on SF recommendations in ~books
cheesegrits Link ParentI've read the first, the next two are on my list. I found it a little, I dunno, stilted? Almost certainly a result of the translation from Chinese. I'm definitely going to read the next one,...I've read the first, the next two are on my list. I found it a little, I dunno, stilted? Almost certainly a result of the translation from Chinese. I'm definitely going to read the next one, though. I'm just sort of waiting for a rainy day.
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SF recommendations
Not exactly an original first post, but as a life long avid SF fan, I'm always on the lookout for recommendations. According to Google Play, my reading (and re-reading) this year has been ... Iain...
Not exactly an original first post, but as a life long avid SF fan, I'm always on the lookout for recommendations.
According to Google Play, my reading (and re-reading) this year has been ...
Iain M Banks, Alastair Reynolds, John Scalzi, Dan Simmons, Neal Stephenson, Charles Stross, China Miéville, Vernor Vinge, Peter Watts, Neal Asher, Richard K Morgan, Corey Doctorow, C.J. Cherryh, Karl Schroeder, Ann Leckie, Hannu Rajaniemi, Yoon Ha Lee, Greg Bear and James S.A. Corey.
So I guess that sums up my current taste, which would seem to tilt towards space opera and "hard" SF.
11 votes
How many programmers does it take to change a lightbulb?
Can't be done, it's a hardware problem.