domukin's recent activity

  1. Comment on Buying facemasks in the hope of avoiding becoming permanently disabled due to long COVID in ~health

    domukin
    Link Parent
    I try to avoid going back, but it can be helpful in certain situations, and this seems fairly complex/specific.

    I try to avoid going back, but it can be helpful in certain situations, and this seems fairly complex/specific.

    7 votes

  2. Comment on Buying facemasks in the hope of avoiding becoming permanently disabled due to long COVID in ~health

    domukin
    Link
    You may want to try asking over at https://www.reddit.com/r/Masks4All/ I’ve found them to be very helpful.

    You may want to try asking over at

    https://www.reddit.com/r/Masks4All/

    I’ve found them to be very helpful.

    7 votes

  3. Comment on Blood culture bottle shortage challenges US hospitals, labs in ~health

    domukin
    Link Parent
    I don’t have the answer to this particular problem. But my wife works in a pharmacy and we’ve discussed prior medication/supply shortages. A lot of it comes down to consolidation and unintentional...

    I don’t have the answer to this particular problem. But my wife works in a pharmacy and we’ve discussed prior medication/supply shortages. A lot of it comes down to consolidation and unintentional consequences of the “free market”. For example, there was a shortage of normal saline - which isn’t complicated to make, but only a few places made it - I think one of them was in Puerto Rico. So when there’s a local issue with the plant or distribution system, it has major repercussions for the country as a whole. The profit motive doesn’t exist for other companies to make the same product, so there’s no pressure for redundancy. It’s very scary when you consider how dependent we are on these supplies. A similar phenomenon happens with medications as a whole - there isn’t easy money to be made researching new antibiotics but there is money is weight loss drugs or hair re-growth. The medical needs of the society and the fiduciary wants of the medical industry don’t line up. Government would ideally step in with regulation to make the systems line up better and be less susceptible to these shortages.

    8 votes

  4. Comment on 29% of global, 46% of US, EV owners likely to switch back to ICE cars per McKinsey consumer survey in ~transport

    domukin
    (edited )
    Link
    To each his own, but I would absolutely never go back to an ICE car if I can avoid it. To me going to EV feels like a paradigm shift, kinda like going from flip phones to smart phones. The pro’s...

    To each his own, but I would absolutely never go back to an ICE car if I can avoid it. To me going to EV feels like a paradigm shift, kinda like going from flip phones to smart phones.

    The pro’s for me personally, in no particular order:

    • no need to ever stop by a station to get gasoline, get my hands dirty, expose myself/kids to fumes and pay out $100 to fill the tank. (I realize I pay for electricity but it is much more palatable/seamless since I don’t feel the inconvenience or expense at the time of service).
    • no need to change the oil, perform a tune up, etc (maintenance has been limited to topping up the windshield water fluid and replacing tires).
    • no more stinky garage
    • access to HOV lanes in California
    • instant torque, fast, fun to drive
    • one pedal driving!
    • no need to deal with dealerships (if buying from
      Tesla). I would also prefer to just buy directly from other car manufacturers and cut out the middlemen, but that’s another issue.

    There are other benefits which are more related to the technology (such as infotainment) other than the propulsion method, which have been largely replicated on ICE vehicles (to varying degrees of success). I would consider having robust, responsive map system a necessity nowadays.

    The cons so far:

    • mild inconvenience of stopping by super charger for 20-30 min to fill up on long trips. I use the opportunity to eat, use the restroom and stretch the legs. Not a huge deal for me personally but could be an issue for people who routinely drive very long distances.
    • expensive insurance ( but I’m not sure it’s much more expensive than other “luxury” brands I would consider comparable).
    • need to plug in the car at night, takes minimal effort.

    I will say that if I didn’t have an attached garage, it would be a lot harder to find an EV convenient.

    31 votes

  5. Comment on Nominate for Movie of the Week in July - Blockbusters in ~movies

    domukin
    Link
    Edge of Tomorrow Released in June 6, 2014 (United States) and ended up with 370M box office. Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt fight aliens in a fun sci-fi action flick.

    Edge of Tomorrow

    Released in June 6, 2014 (United States) and ended up with 370M box office. Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt fight aliens in a fun sci-fi action flick.

    2 votes

  6. Comment on 'Spaceballs 2' in the works at Amazon with Josh Gad starring in ~movies

    domukin
    Link Parent
    I’ve probably watched spaceballs a dozen times and can’t think of examples of racist jokes. Google is similarly coming up short. Could you elaborate?

    I’ve probably watched spaceballs a dozen times and can’t think of examples of racist jokes. Google is similarly coming up short. Could you elaborate?

    14 votes

  7. Comment on How to get your stuff repaired when the retailer and manufacturer don't wanna: take 'em to court in ~life.home_improvement

    domukin
    Link
    Unfortunately we don't have a similar law in the US. However, in the spirit of the article, I will share the following. I live in a community that shares gardening and other community fees in the...

    Unfortunately we don't have a similar law in the US. However, in the spirit of the article, I will share the following.

    I live in a community that shares gardening and other community fees in the form of HOA fees. Because of the way it was built, those that live in the community are also stuck with a single high speed internet provider via cable. A couple of years ago the HOA board signed a deal with the internet provider to provider basic high speed internet to all community members. This is a great deal for the ISP because it provides stable income and every single home is stuck paying the monopoly. Supposedly, it would also be a good deal for the members since we would be receiving a discount.

    Of course, ISP being greedy companies, what ended up happening was that they started double-billing me, they kept charging my usual "upgraded" high speed internet bill directly and started double dipping for the "basic" internet fees. This wasn't immediately obvious to me and a telephone rep kind of let it slip out.

    When I found out, I reached out to the ISP manager who was in charge of community deals and asked to be reimbursed for $1000+ of the past years internet expenses. He seemed initially seemed receptive, but time kept passing with emails back and and forth (he was looking into it, he was escalating it to other departments, etc). After a few weeks, I was definitely being given the runaround.

    I then reached out to the Consumer Financial Protection Burerous which unfortunately had no jurisdiction, they mainly deal with banks (side note, they did help me straighten out some issues with student loans!).

    I reached out to the California Public Utilities Commission only to find out that ISP are NOT considered utilities because of their lobbying efforts to avoid being regulated, so the commission couldn't intervene directly in my behalf.

    I then contacted my state representative (who didn't help) and the California Attorney General. Well, the Attorney General's office was very helpful and contacted the ISP directly. Lo and behold, I got a PHONE CALL from the ISP the next day saying they will be issuing me a check. Their demeanor made it clear that they didn't want any excess scrutiny from the Attorney generals office. The next week or so I received the check for $1000 dollars or so and a phone call after from both the ISP and attorney generals office making sure the issue was resolved. It absolutely sucks that I had to put in that amount of work to get a refund on services that were never provided, BUT there are paths to solve some of these issues if one puts in the effort and time.

    32 votes

  8. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    domukin
    Link Parent
    Did you play the original snes version or the remake?

    Did you play the original snes version or the remake?

    1 vote

  9. Comment on I am sick of "providing feedback" in ~life

    domukin
    Link Parent
    eBay app, every damn time. Knowing they are insincere definitely makes it’s worse.

    eBay app, every damn time. Knowing they are insincere definitely makes it’s worse.

    15 votes

  10. Comment on 49M people still use their PS4s, matching the PS5 in ~games

    domukin
    Link
    I mostly game on PC and wanted a PS5 for the exclusives like FF7 remake, horizon series, spider man, etc. But now it looks like PS exclusives have either been or will be ported to PC, which makes...

    I mostly game on PC and wanted a PS5 for the exclusives like FF7 remake, horizon series, spider man, etc. But now it looks like PS exclusives have either been or will be ported to PC, which makes the PS5 kinda redundant. I’ll probably sell it.

    18 votes

  11. Comment on Just wanna talk about drinking less in ~talk

    domukin
    Link Parent
    We’re a big fan of Athletic Brewing Co NA beer and Lagunitas IPNA. Heineken NA is great as well. I love enjoying a beer without worrying about some of the side effects (high calories, reflux,...

    We’re a big fan of Athletic Brewing Co NA beer and Lagunitas IPNA. Heineken NA is great as well. I love enjoying a beer without worrying about some of the side effects (high calories, reflux, intoxication, etc).

    2 votes

  12. Comment on Does anyone have experience or advice on cutting sugar consumption? in ~health

    domukin
    Link Parent
    Pro tip. You can trade in the empty soda stream gas canisters for new ones at the target guest services desk (pretty sure other stores offer it as well), it saves you a few bucks. Just make sure...

    Pro tip. You can trade in the empty soda stream gas canisters for new ones at the target guest services desk (pretty sure other stores offer it as well), it saves you a few bucks. Just make sure you get the right bottles, there’s 2 types and they aren’t interchangeable.

    1 vote

  13. Comment on Does anyone have experience or advice on cutting sugar consumption? in ~health

    domukin
    Link
    I quit sugary soda about 7 years ago and honestly don’t miss it, sometimes I get a craving for one and even just a sip is too sweet! I think your taste buds can get desensitized in both directions...

    I quit sugary soda about 7 years ago and honestly don’t miss it, sometimes I get a craving for one and even just a sip is too sweet! I think your taste buds can get desensitized in both directions if that makes sense.

    Some alternatives:

    • get a soda stream if you want the carbonation, there are non sugar flavors available or you can just add some lemon juice to give it some taste.
    • unsweetened iced tea is great if you also want some caffeine
    • adding chia seeds to cold water or lemon water adds some texture and makes it fun. Kinda feels like boba once they plump up.
    • black coffee (I usually drink it iced, cold brews are good too).

    It may also be worth looking into WHY you get a craving at 230 pm, did you have enough healthy food for breakfast / lunch? You could consider introducing healthy snacks like nuts to bridge you to dinner.

    Things don’t stick because they are too far from your routine, try for smaller incremental changes, just change 1 small thing at a time. It kinda goes without saying, but the decision is usually made at the market, don’t buy it if you don’t want to eat it.

    23 votes

  14. Comment on If you had up to US$250 to get one person into a hobby you're interested in, what would you do to get them started? in ~hobbies

    domukin
    Link Parent
    You’re right it’s not necessary, but personally, I love running with a water backpack even for short runs. Water bottles get in the way. Sometimes I leave the house in the morning while I’m still...

    You’re right it’s not necessary, but personally, I love running with a water backpack even for short runs. Water bottles get in the way. Sometimes I leave the house in the morning while I’m still kinda dehydrated, sometimes the weather is hot. The storage is also clutch, it keeps my phone, ID, cash and a granola bar without getting in the way. It’s so convenient!

    I also have a running belt and it just doesn’t get the same amount of use.

    1 vote

  15. Comment on If you had up to US$250 to get one person into a hobby you're interested in, what would you do to get them started? in ~hobbies

    domukin
    Link
    Running has relatively low entry point, if buy: good quality shoes, I like Hoka (may be worth getting a “fitted” to see if you need a stability shoe). $150 usd good quality running socks $15-20...

    Running has relatively low entry point, if buy:

    • good quality shoes, I like Hoka (may be worth getting a “fitted” to see if you need a stability shoe). $150 usd
    • good quality running socks $15-20 usd
    • water backpack, I prefer Osprey to camelback $50 ; the smaller 1L ones are sufficient, also helpful for carrying your cell phone, ID and some cash.
    • synthetic running shorts and shirt $50
    • hat, sunglasses and sunscreen optional but recommended if you running later in the day.
    4 votes

  16. Comment on Florida man worries about his ruined reputation after pulling gun on Uber driver dropping the man's daughter off at their house in ~transport

    domukin
    Link Parent
    I just changed “whines” to “worries” and added the subtitle for context. I didn’t mean to start a gender discussion, lol

    I just changed “whines” to “worries” and added the subtitle for context.

    I didn’t mean to start a gender discussion, lol

    5 votes

  18. Comment on Florida man worries about his ruined reputation after pulling gun on Uber driver dropping the man's daughter off at their house in ~transport

    domukin
    Link
    Tweaked the title a bit to make it more neutral. Other outlets’ titles come across as brushing off the man’s actions, calling him “overprotective”, which seems too far in the other direction.

    Tweaked the title a bit to make it more neutral. Other outlets’ titles come across as brushing off the man’s actions, calling him “overprotective”, which seems too far in the other direction.

    19 votes

  20. Comment on The California man who hid for six months in a secret room inside Circuit City in ~life

    domukin
    Link
    This was an unexpectedly fun read. What an odd person. Am already looking forward to the movie.

    This was an unexpectedly fun read. What an odd person. Am already looking forward to the movie.

    22 votes