feanne's recent activity

  1. Comment on The goon squad. Loneliness, porn’s next frontier, and the dream of endless masturbation. in ~life

    feanne
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    Oof. Guilty as charged!

    Nor can I so neatly separate the gooners as a whole from the rest of us. Think about it for a second: What are these gooners actually doing? Wasting hours each day consuming short-form video content. Chasing intensities of sensation across platforms. Parasocially fixating on microcelebrities who want their money. Broadcasting their love for those microcelebrities in public forums. Conducting bizarre self-experiments because someone on the internet told them to. In general, abjuring connective, other-directed pleasures for the comfort of staring at screens alone. Does any of this sound familiar? Do you maybe know some folks who get up to stuff like this?

    Oof. Guilty as charged!

    7 votes
  2. Comment on Subnautica 2 publisher Krafton will be an "AI-first" company, with AI HR, AI R&D, in-game AI services in ~games

    feanne
    (edited )
    Link
    The original press release linked in the title is in Korean. Here are a few articles discussing this announcement in English:...

    The original press release linked in the title is in Korean. Here are a few articles discussing this announcement in English:

    https://www.escapistmagazine.com/news-krafton-shifting-to-ai-first-company/

    https://gamerant.com/subnautica-2-publisher-ai-first-company-change/

    https://www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/krafton-is-now-an-ai-first-company-will-spend-usd70-million-on-a-gpu-cluster-to-serve-as-the-foundation-for-accelerating-the-implementation-of-agentic-ai/

    Krafton is investing about $69.7 million on hardware for AI, and then $21 million annually on AI tools for its employees. They claim that the time and resources saved from AI use will allow them to do more gamedev.

    My excitement for Subnautica 2 was already dampened by the ongoing conflict between Krafton and the original Subnautica studio co-founders. Hearing about "AI-first" development has just about killed my interest in it entirely. "AI HR" sounds like a nightmare too.

    Oh well, I'm still enjoying the original Subnautica anyway.

    Edit: Still nice to know that Subnautica 2 development apparently isn't using generative AI

    26 votes
  3. Comment on Nanoparticle vaccine shows cancer prevention and immunity in mice in ~health

    feanne
    (edited )
    Link
    The original paper is here: Super-adjuvant nanoparticles for platform cancer vaccination - October 9, 2025 One of the authors of the paper apparently did an AMA on Reddit. (I don't know how to...

    UMass Amherst researchers have developed a groundbreaking nanoparticle-based cancer vaccine that prevented melanoma, pancreatic, and triple-negative breast cancers in mice—with up to 88% remaining tumor-free. The vaccine triggers a multi-pathway immune response, producing powerful T-cell activation and long-term immune memory that stops both tumor growth and metastasis. By combining cancer-specific antigens with a lipid nanoparticle “super adjuvant,” it overcomes key challenges in cancer immunotherapy.

    The original paper is here: Super-adjuvant nanoparticles for platform cancer vaccination - October 9, 2025

    One of the authors of the paper apparently did an AMA on Reddit. (I don't know how to verify this. Reddit username Gkane262626, signing comments as "Griffin", and there's an author named "Griffin I. Kane" credited in the paper.) Some of the interesting answers in the AMA thread:

    Q: How much do you expect your results to translate to human trials? What differences with mice could come into play that would change the results?

    A: That is always the billion dollar question in new drug development. The key to this nanoparticle system are the two payloads (a STING agonist and a TLR4 agonist). These molecules activate the immune system via specific pathway, and thus require recognition by specific cellular machinery (STING and TL4). The expression levels of this machinery vary from patient to patient, but are generally well expressed in all immune cells. If a patient cohort was low in STING/TLR4 expression, they may not be a likely responder. These immune responses are generated in the lymph nodes, which are decently recapitulated in mice compared to humans. Identification and selection of antigens will need to be human specific. And, of course, many drugs that have shown little to no toxicity in mouse modes have presented in clinical trials with uncontrollable adverse side effects. Sorting out the precise NP formulation that safely and effectively co-delivers these drugs will be the key. There is significant literature explaining the more precise challenges in animal-to-human translation. Each drug (and its regulatory path) often differs.-Griffin

    Q: What stage of cancer was tested, and what are the possible implications for the ~80% of pancreatic cancers diagnosed as inoperable?

    A: This paper presented a prophylactic vaccine, so preventative. Stay tuned for the next phase, which will entail therapeutic vaccination in tumor bearing patients!

    Q: Are funding cuts in the US jeopardizing the next steps in this research?

    A: Yes 10000% and this is of paramount importance. Progress by fundamental biology and engineering researchers is being hindered.

    Q: How long until this could be commercially available?

    A: No promises, but our feet are on the gas pedal. IND submission to FDA in the next 18-24 months.

    Q: Your mouse data are preventive and use a very strong dual signal (STING + TLR4). Given that STING drugs have struggled for tolerability/efficacy in people and that lysate-style vaccines have a mixed past, how will your first-in-human trial de-risk those issues? Specifically: (1) which clinical setting will you pick first (post-surgery to prevent recurrence vs. active disease), (2) will you start with defined peptides rather than lysate to lower autoimmunity risk, (3) what biomarkers (e.g., STING/TLR4 activity) will you use to pre-select likely responders, and (4) how will you drive lymph-node activation without systemic inflammation (dose, route, or device)? What concrete ‘win’ signal in Phase 1 would convince you this can scale?

    A: Great questions. First indications will likely include solid tumors patients, likely in combination with ICB therapy. We are actively narrowing the peptide pool and developing methods for screening TCRs that expand when lysate method is used (maybe new neoantigens?). Existing targets like KRAS are also of interest. STING and TLR4 expression levels in lymph nodes and tumors will be of high interest. Our NPs have been engineering to drain efficiently to lymph nodes and avoid accumulation in other peripheral organs (a major advantage to this tech). A win in phase 1 would be safe and efficacious with clear immunogenicity. Exact guidelines will be ironed out.

    Most of the discussion is too technical for me to understand, so I don't know how excited I should be about this. I always see exciting headlines in cancer research, and of course any progress here is important. It still just feels like it's still a long way off from considering cancer to be an easily treatable / preventable / well-understood condition.

    10 votes
  4. Comment on Gimp Tutorial for Idiot? in ~comp

    feanne
    (edited )
    Link
    Free raster graphics editor available for Linux: https://pixieditor.net/ Free web-based raster graphics editors: https://www.photopea.com/ https://graphite.rs/ Pixieditor and Graphite are new and...

    Free raster graphics editor available for Linux:
    https://pixieditor.net/

    Free web-based raster graphics editors:
    https://www.photopea.com/
    https://graphite.rs/

    Pixieditor and Graphite are new and quite interesting, they have node-based procedural graphic editing capabilities. Can be used for both vector and raster.

    If you're just looking to make basic shapes/diagrams (like just a rectangle with an outline), online diagram editor https://draw.io/ may be adequate.

    I hope you find the right one for you! Comfort with the UI really does make a difference for me with my own workflow.

    4 votes
  5. Comment on Gimp Tutorial for Idiot? in ~comp

    feanne
    Link Parent
    Just a note that Affinity has stopped selling their software, at least for now. They posted a cryptic announcement about "creative freedom" arriving at the end of this month, and they've closed...

    Just a note that Affinity has stopped selling their software, at least for now. They posted a cryptic announcement about "creative freedom" arriving at the end of this month, and they've closed their store in the meantime. Folks are speculating that they may be moving to a subscription-based model and/or incorporating generative AI. (Personally I think it's not great for them to be act shady about their announcement, they should have just announced whatever it was straight up instead of making themselves look less trustworthy.)

    2 votes
  6. Comment on The Oatmeal: A cartoonist's review of AI art in ~comics

    feanne
    Link Parent
    My interpretation of the comment was that the distinction between "just imagery" and "art" is just shorthand for how much the beholder values the work. So the same thing that is "just imagery" to...

    My interpretation of the comment was that the distinction between "just imagery" and "art" is just shorthand for how much the beholder values the work. So the same thing that is "just imagery" to one beholder may be "art" to another.

    7 votes
  7. Comment on The Oatmeal: A cartoonist's review of AI art in ~comics

    feanne
    Link Parent
    I agree overall, although personally I still care about how something was made-- whether it's imagery, art, etc-- for ethical reasons. I also think the demand may crater to the point of...

    I agree overall, although personally I still care about how something was made-- whether it's imagery, art, etc-- for ethical reasons.

    I also think the demand may crater to the point of unsustainability. Not just in the arts. The rate at which human workers are replaced by AI may outpace the rate at which new work opportunities are created for humans. Unless UBI or other adequate social safety nets are created by then, massive unemployment would just result in a world where AI is doing most of the work and producing most of the things, but there just aren't enough people who can even pay for goods and services at all.

    13 votes
  8. Comment on I need headphone/mic recommendations for gaming before I rip my hair out in ~tech

    feanne
    Link
    These probably aren't the best (I'm not an audiophile / expert) but I'm currently using these and I'm good with them: ~50 EUR - Razer Seiren X (there seems to be a newer model, which I haven't...

    These probably aren't the best (I'm not an audiophile / expert) but I'm currently using these and I'm good with them:

    ~50 EUR - Razer Seiren X (there seems to be a newer model, which I haven't tried) - USB mic so just plug into your computer, no other connections or setup

    ~40 EUR - Soundmagic E11C wired earbuds - regular audio jack, just plug into computer, no other connections or setup (these actually have a mic included but I prefer using the Razer Seiren X; E11 model has no mic)

    I've been using them for about 5 years now with no issues. I recently recorded a youtube video with this mic so you can get an idea of the mic quality, but I did remove the background noise from the mic audio. Not that there was a lot of background noise. I think I still have the raw mic recording for this so just DM me if you want to listen.

    1 vote
  9. Comment on Timasomo 2025: Roll Call in ~creative.timasomo

    feanne
    Link
    I'd like to join and finally publish a game on Steam! My goal is to just publish there even with zero prep and zero marketing. I'm not sure I'm following the rules exactly though because I've...

    I'd like to join and finally publish a game on Steam! My goal is to just publish there even with zero prep and zero marketing. I'm not sure I'm following the rules exactly though because I've already started working on the game. But my goal this month is just to learn the process of publishing a game on Steam.

    7 votes
  10. Comment on I want to learn to draw on my iPad in ~creative

    feanne
    Link
    I really like the approach of "how to think when you draw" by the etherington brothers. They have a lot of quick guides showing how to illustrate lots of different things. Try lots of stuff, pay...

    I really like the approach of "how to think when you draw" by the etherington brothers. They have a lot of quick guides showing how to illustrate lots of different things.

    Try lots of stuff, pay attention to what piques your curiosity and interest, and follow those. Have fun!!

  11. Comment on Has anyone here tried bone conduction headphones? in ~tech

    feanne
    Link
    I have Shokz / Aftershokz. Sound quality is just ok. It's great for outdoor running (situational awareness) and it's got absurdly long battery life. I can leave mine lying around for months unused...

    I have Shokz / Aftershokz. Sound quality is just ok. It's great for outdoor running (situational awareness) and it's got absurdly long battery life. I can leave mine lying around for months unused and it'll still be charged when I pick it up again.

    1 vote
  12. Comment on Fat Bear Week is here early, and the bears are fat and playful in ~enviro

    feanne
    Link
    Katmai National Park has a bear cam livestream on youtube.

    Fat Bear Week, when people get to pick their favorite Alaskan brown bear bulking up for hibernation, is coming early this year. The annual online competition that normally starts in early October will instead start on Sept. 23. Katmai National Park and Preserve officials say the bears are magnificently plump ahead of the tournament.

    "This year's salmon run was extraordinary, with salmon numbers surpassing anything seen in recent memory," Matt Johnson, the park's interpretation program manager, told NPR via email. "As a result, the brown bears of Katmai are well-nourished and looking for other things to do besides scrap[p]ing with each other for food."

    Katmai National Park has a bear cam livestream on youtube.

    6 votes
  13. Comment on AI content warning label in ~creative

    feanne
    Link Parent
    I hope you find the right method for you! I haven't decided yet for my art. I might just write "No AI" in my profile too. But yeah I also hate that I even feel the need to declare that, just...

    I hope you find the right method for you! I haven't decided yet for my art. I might just write "No AI" in my profile too. But yeah I also hate that I even feel the need to declare that, just because of what's happening with generative AI these days.

    1 vote
  14. Comment on AI content warning label in ~creative

    feanne
    Link
    I saw an artist's Instagram profile include the phrase "No AI" and I think it's easy to understand in the context of the controversy currently surrounding generative AI. It's shorthand for "I...

    I saw an artist's Instagram profile include the phrase "No AI" and I think it's easy to understand in the context of the controversy currently surrounding generative AI. It's shorthand for "I don't use generative AI to make my art".

    As an artist, I'm considering using this kind of phrasing for my social media profiles too.

    I don't think there's any need to quibble on the technicalities of "what is AI" within the context of the art industry-- obviously we are referring to generative AI tools such as Midjourney.

    15 votes
  15. Comment on The woman who wrote "Eat, Pray, Love" tried to kill her girlfriend and wrote a book about it in ~books

    feanne
    Link
    I think this reddit comment thread has fairly nuanced takes on it: ... ... She clearly has unhealthy and toxic behavior and is also trying to be open and aware about it and trying to change. I do...

    I think this reddit comment thread has fairly nuanced takes on it:

    "attempting to" and "planning to before coming to your senses and seeking help" are two different things

    ...

    excerpts (and sensationalist titles) in magazines compress the narrative and focus on the most dysfunctional portions

    ...

    She clearly has unhealthy and toxic behavior and is also trying to be open and aware about it and trying to change.

    I do think she had enough money and resources to get professional help and care for her partner early on, that could have prevented the total relapse into addiction and both of their destructive behavior.

    8 votes
  16. Comment on Museum of Color - from ancient ochre to blacker than Vanta Black in ~arts

    feanne
    Link
    My fave parts of this essay were the price per pigment (On the Internet, you can buy one genuine snail-sourced ounce of Tyrian purple pigment for $115,098.97, plus tax) and the Stuart Semple vs....

    My fave parts of this essay were the price per pigment (On the Internet, you can buy one genuine snail-sourced ounce of Tyrian purple pigment for $115,098.97, plus tax) and the Stuart Semple vs. Anish Kapoor drama update (In 2024, Stuart Semple legally changed his name to Anish Kapoor). Stephanie Krzywonos

    5 votes