dfx's recent activity
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Comment on True crime podcasts in ~talk
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Comment on True crime podcasts in ~talk
dfx S-Town - A great podcast from the same people that did Serial. Won’t go into too much detail, but it has a few twists and turns and surprises. As with all True Crime, there are some content...S-Town - A great podcast from the same people that did Serial. Won’t go into too much detail, but it has a few twists and turns and surprises. As with all True Crime, there are some content advisories and delicate subject matter, namely deaths and self-harmish stuff.
Hunting Warhead - Excellent podcast that details the efforts to track down and bust up an international CSAM ring. Content warnings should be obvious from that.
Your Own Backyard - Amateur/indie podcast that actually led to a murder case being reopened and prosecution of the ultimate offender. Probably the gold standard for this type of podcast.
Bear Brook - Another long dive into some weird murders that wound up being connected and revealed a serial killer that was responsible for several cold cases.
Scamanda - A bit of a lighter subject, a woman going through massive efforts to defraud people by claiming she has various diseases and is on the brink of death. Not quite as dark as the rest.
Casefile - I can’t stand the crime-of-the-week podcasts that are glib and laugh at victims and crimes. Casefile does a good job with research and typically presents the cases in a factual, straightforward, serious, and respectful manner.
These are the ones that came to mind immediately, and the ones that left the biggest impressions on me. Hope you find some you like!
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Comment on ProtonMail discloses user data leading to arrest in Spain in ~tech
dfx My wife and my friends also use protonmail. Any emails sent between us are PGP encrypted automatically via the default protonmail behavior. It’s also possible to store PGP keys for external users...My wife and my friends also use protonmail. Any emails sent between us are PGP encrypted automatically via the default protonmail behavior. It’s also possible to store PGP keys for external users so that email to them is also automatically encrypted. It all depends on your threat model. I, for one, just appreciate they’re not mining my email for ad data.
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Comment on More than 2,000 pro-Palestinian protesters arrested across US campuses in ~news
dfx I think I get what you're saying, but that's not quite what I'm saying. I'm not saying that if a group of Pro-Palestinian protesters don't kick out visible terrorism sympathizers, that makes every...If you have one Jewish person cheering it on in a group of 10 Jewish people that don't support it, painting them all with the same brush starts pushing us into actual antisemitic territory. Statements like "The jews want to kill all Palestinians" is an antisemitic statement, but that's the same vein that you're going down with your statements.
I think I get what you're saying, but that's not quite what I'm saying. I'm not saying that if a group of Pro-Palestinian protesters don't kick out visible terrorism sympathizers, that makes every Pro-Palestinian a terrorist sympathizer. I'm saying it makes the group of Pro-Palestinians that are directly involved look as if they are sympathetic to terrorist groups if they fail to eject that person from the group. I believe this concept would hold true if someone was in a Pro-Israel counter-protest holding up a "Nuke Palestine Now" sign. If the individuals involved in the counter-protest did not kick this person out, it would very much appear that they are okay with this statement and perhaps even support it.
The scope is completely different between "this relatively small group of protesters that very much have a say in who they are associating with refuse to eject extremists, so it definitely gives the appearance that they support extremism" and "this one protest group refused to kick out an extremist, so anyone in the world associated with the cause they're supporting must also support extremists."
That said, that doesn't invalidate of the cause of these protests, the protests themselves, or the inordinate pushback/violence the protestors are facing.
I never intended to imply as much; I just wanted to explain why some of these protests are viewed as controversial by some, and reframe the reasons for the controversy - it's not that people don't take issue with Israel's actions, it's more that people take issue with some protestors' actions (or lack thereof).
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Comment on More than 2,000 pro-Palestinian protesters arrested across US campuses in ~news
dfx The large amount of controversy, as I understand it, isn't because of the criticism of Israel's disproportionate response or Netanyahu's strategy; it's because of the legitimate antisemitism that...- Exemplary
I honestly can't even understand why it's controversial to take the stance that people don't want to support a nation that is literally murdering thousands of children.
The large amount of controversy, as I understand it, isn't because of the criticism of Israel's disproportionate response or Netanyahu's strategy; it's because of the legitimate antisemitism that is cropping up and being demonstrated during the protests. It's one thing to criticize the Israeli government; it's another to chant dog whistles ("From the river to the sea"), fly flags of groups that are widely-accepted as terrorist organizations with the explicit goal of eradicating Jewish people from the earth (Hezbollah, Hamas), and say antisemitic rhetoric in speeches where you simply replace "Jews" with "the colonizers". If the argument is that the people with Hamas/Hezbollah flags are merely a small minority, they are still allowed to co-mingle and exist within the protest space. By not removing these individuals and policing the space to avoid literally supporting terrorist organizations, it appears to be (at least) passive support of terrorist sympathizers. We've heard over and over again that "If you have a group of 10 people, a nazi joins and they aren't kicked out, you have 11 nazis"... this is quite literally that concept in action. And this isn't even getting into the debate over whether protestors themselves are calling for a genocide against Jewish people (by advocating for their removal from an area) - I am unconvinced on this part, but it is certainly a controversial aspect of the protests.
For what it's worth, I have a few Jewish friends that are both strongly opposed to the actions being carried out by Israel but also very afraid at the apparent rise in antisemitism that's occuring on campuses.
(Also, I know there is a difference between anti-Zionism and antisemitism. I'm specifically referring to antisemitism.)
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Comment on Has anyone here received any benefit as a consumer from algorithmic ad targeting? in ~tech
dfx I run network-wide adblockers at home, with pretty strict blocking for trackers as well. On the go, I have a nextDNS profile installed on my phone with similar block lists. As a result, I feel...I run network-wide adblockers at home, with pretty strict blocking for trackers as well. On the go, I have a nextDNS profile installed on my phone with similar block lists. As a result, I feel like “targeted” ads that do make it through really aren’t that targeted, with a couple of notable exceptions.
I have an Instagram account that I use to follow a handful of creators and local news accounts (under 50 total accounts). I have zero followers and only check in every now and then. My Facebook account is deactivated and not linked to the IG account. The ad algo there has nailed me. I’ve purchased a few items I saw in ads that piqued my interest (although I’m careful to not purchase through the ads themselves). TikTok’s ad algorithm is all over the place with me, but the content algorithm is pretty accurate overall.
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Comment on New York governor sends national guard to subway in crime crackdown in ~transport
dfx It is (generally) against posse comitatus to use federal military personnel in law enforcement roles in the United States without martial law being declared. When not federally activated, national...It is (generally) against posse comitatus to use federal military personnel in law enforcement roles in the United States without martial law being declared. When not federally activated, national guard and air guard personnel generally fall under Title 32 or “state active duty” roles… Posse comitatus does not apply to either National or Air Guard while in either of these statuses. It’s pretty much the entire purpose of their existence, to be used by governors in emergency situations in which first responders are overwhelmed… although we seem to be straying further and further from that concept over the last several years.
DSCA is an entirely different concept where federal/federalized troops are used to augment civil authorities, and there are only very narrow exceptions permitted to avoid running into posse comitatus issues.
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Comment on What Is A Secure Note-Taking App? in ~comp
dfx It’s a bit of a hacky workaround, but it’s definitely possible to make a docker image with Obsidian installed on a Kasm image, which would provide you with essentially a virtual desktop with...It’s a bit of a hacky workaround, but it’s definitely possible to make a docker image with Obsidian installed on a Kasm image, which would provide you with essentially a virtual desktop with access to the app. Hosting it on something like Oracle’s free tier would be more than sufficient.
That being said, Standard Notes was what I used in your situation. It’s pretty good, but I grew concerned about the lack of ability to just pull things out of the database at will (You need SN to access the files, it’s not plain markdown like Obsidian), and the markdown support wasn’t nearly as great as Obsidian’s… But that may have changed between now and then. It’s a great app, otherwise and completely web-first.
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Comment on Why we’re dropping Basecamp in ~tech
dfx That last bit seems kind of crazy without context. Wanting context, I did some browsing and found that working dogs usually only receive titanium crowns when their teeth are damaged, similar to...That last bit seems kind of crazy without context. Wanting context, I did some browsing and found that working dogs usually only receive titanium crowns when their teeth are damaged, similar to when a human would get crowns.
One such instance:
https://www.ketv.com/article/police-dogs-armed-with-titanium-teeth/7644760It’s also not even unique to the United States:
https://www.victoriabuzz.com/2022/09/port-alberni-rcmp-clarify-why-k9-rcmp-dog-received-titanium-teeth/Older article from Wired debunking the claim regarding military working dogs:
https://www.wired.com/2011/05/no-navy-seal-dogs-dont-have-titanium-teeth/ -
Comment on At least sixteen dead in Maine shooting as police hunt for ‘person of interest’ and residents shelter in ~news
dfx Everytown’s stance on this seems to be (unsurprisingly) intentionally deceptive. Maine has a provision that allows law enforcement to petition a court to seize firearms from a person that is...Everytown’s stance on this seems to be (unsurprisingly) intentionally deceptive.
Maine has a provision that allows law enforcement to petition a court to seize firearms from a person that is presenting an extreme risk to themselves or others by possessing the firearms.
https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/34-B/title34-Bsec3862-A.html
They have dubbed it a “yellow flag law” because family cannot petition the court, it has to be law enforcement.
A large problem with this is that pretending a law doesn’t exist shields the law enforcement agencies that should have actually used the law to prevent this. It makes it seem like the legislators are to blame, when he was already on law enforcement’s radar and should have ostensibly had his firearms seized and made into a prohibited person under a law that very much exists. It’s a failure of the police that were involved here to… police.
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Comment on Anyone have recommendations for a CD player I can charge via USB and play via BT (or USB) in my car? in ~tech
dfx A quick search on Amazon came up with this: https://a.co/d/4HGIMOc Bluetooth or aux output, powered by a rechargeable battery that is charged via USB (or continually powered by USB).A quick search on Amazon came up with this:
Bluetooth or aux output, powered by a rechargeable battery that is charged via USB (or continually powered by USB).
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Comment on Calorie counting app of choice? in ~health
dfx Second MacroFactor. I used it for a while and am about to start using it again after a break due to life circumstances. One thing I loved is how absolutely non-judgemental it was. It’s not...Second MacroFactor. I used it for a while and am about to start using it again after a break due to life circumstances.
One thing I loved is how absolutely non-judgemental it was. It’s not gamified in a way some other apps are that can lead to tremendous anxiety and an unhealthy focus on the raw numbers. Another plus is how it automagically calculates TDEE, so after a week or so it has a (very) good idea of your average expenditure, and you’re not having to enter every little activity into the app to try and keep things accurate.
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Comment on What online subscriptions do you pay for? in ~tech
dfx Not sure if you’re aware of it, but Nitro Basic for $3/month has most of the features of the old Classic plan (and a few new features). Once they got rid of discriminators, I downgraded since that...Not sure if you’re aware of it, but Nitro Basic for $3/month has most of the features of the old Classic plan (and a few new features). Once they got rid of discriminators, I downgraded since that was the only big feature left that was missing from basic.
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Comment on US mother sentenced to two years in prison by Nebraska for giving daughter abortion pills in ~health
dfx It is worth pointing out that the fetus was actually at 29 weeks in this case, something that was routinely misreported at the outset:...It is worth pointing out that the fetus was actually at 29 weeks in this case, something that was routinely misreported at the outset:
After the teen aborted the 29-week-old fetus, the two burned the remains and buried them in a field north of Norfolk in north-eastern Nebraska. Authorities later found the burned fetus.
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Comment on New Mexico Governor bans public carry of guns in Albuquerque in ~news
dfx While not getting into merits or lack thereof for this particular action, I don’t think it’s quite the same to equate it to abortion bans in red states. The legislature enacted those, which is...While not getting into merits or lack thereof for this particular action, I don’t think it’s quite the same to equate it to abortion bans in red states. The legislature enacted those, which is generally how laws and this type of thing are supposed to be enacted. The novel precedent this unleashes is that (for example) in states where abortion bans were attempted but failed in legislature, the red governor can take unilateral action and declare a public health emergency in which the solution is to ban abortions.
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Comment on What is a simple tech tip that changed how you use your computer or other devices in a significant way? in ~tech
dfx It’s been like that since Windows Vista, which was released over 16 years ago.It’s been like that since Windows Vista, which was released over 16 years ago.
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Comment on Advice on insomnia due to noise pollution? in ~health
dfx Awesome! I hope you get dialed in on a dose that works well for you.Awesome! I hope you get dialed in on a dose that works well for you.
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Comment on Advice on insomnia due to noise pollution? in ~health
dfx I’ve been on it for close to a decade at this point, and haven’t built tolerance that I’ve noticed. I originally started taking it for nerve pain from a lower back injury, and found that it super...I’ve been on it for close to a decade at this point, and haven’t built tolerance that I’ve noticed. I originally started taking it for nerve pain from a lower back injury, and found that it super helped with my sleep.
As far as noise, yes. Noise, light, physical sensations… all keep me up. The gabapentin just seems to help make me actually drowsy and then get me to a deeper sleep once I do fall asleep. I do sometimes have a little bit of grogginess in the mornings, but it wears off quickly and I much prefer that to absolutely shit sleep.
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Comment on Advice on insomnia due to noise pollution? in ~health
dfx I also have a lot of issues with sleep and gabapentin is one of the only things that routinely works. 4 hours seems very low, though. What dosage are you on? 300mg a couple of hours before bed...I also have a lot of issues with sleep and gabapentin is one of the only things that routinely works. 4 hours seems very low, though. What dosage are you on? 300mg a couple of hours before bed does the trick for me 90% of the time.
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Comment on Grand jury in the US state of Georgia returns indictments in Donald Trump 2020 election case in ~society
dfx The issue here is that Fulton County is pretty well-known for releasing known violent offenders that are a danger to the community on bond. It will not be hard for the defense to find plenty of...The issue here is that Fulton County is pretty well-known for releasing known violent offenders that are a danger to the community on bond. It will not be hard for the defense to find plenty of cases of individuals arrested for murder that were given bond (even folks arrested for bail jumping or failure to appear are granted another bond), and it will be hard for the court to go back on the precedent it has set for itself.
Thanks for the rec! I’ve been looking for a new longform, so I’ll check it out.