frailtomato's recent activity
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Comment on What long standalone book is worth its page count? in ~books
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Comment on What's a life lesson you've applied that has changed your life? in ~life
frailtomato Link ParentThe first person I heard say that was Jaime Foxx!'Everything you want is on the other side of fear.'
The first person I heard say that was Jaime Foxx!
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Comment on What's a life lesson you've applied that has changed your life? in ~life
frailtomato Link ParentI got a version of that from uni mate who'd been in the army. They had various types of mindless forms they'd have to fill out, which were generally blue or green. The green ones were tedious,...I got a version of that from uni mate who'd been in the army. They had various types of mindless forms they'd have to fill out, which were generally blue or green. The green ones were tedious, pointless, and not considered worth the officers' time. But they were eternal and non-negotiable.
When we were discussing the tedium of our uni admin he told "Don't fight the greens".
I think of it constantly in my new career.
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Comment on Paul Mescal can pull off short-shorts, but can ordinary men? in ~life.style
frailtomato Link ParentI've replied to multiple people in this thread - it's a column not an article. It's just opinion fluff and a small part of many, many newspapers. Here are some other pieces for you :-) -
Comment on Paul Mescal can pull off short-shorts, but can ordinary men? in ~life.style
frailtomato Link ParentIt's a column, not an article. Comparing the Guardian to Fox is laughable.It's a column, not an article. Comparing the Guardian to Fox is laughable.
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Comment on Paul Mescal can pull off short-shorts, but can ordinary men? in ~life.style
frailtomato Link ParentFair point - perhaps I'm more inclined to respond "It's humour!" to this kind of comment. And perhaps I'm wrong there.Fair point - perhaps I'm more inclined to respond "It's humour!" to this kind of comment. And perhaps I'm wrong there.
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Comment on Paul Mescal can pull off short-shorts, but can ordinary men? in ~life.style
frailtomato (edited )Link ParentI don't think she's shaming men, I think she's pointing out that the lack of any kind of judgement of men in shorts - at least compared with the judgement of women - is striking. Perhaps I'm being...I don't think she's shaming men, I think she's pointing out that the lack of any kind of judgement of men in shorts - at least compared with the judgement of women - is striking. Perhaps I'm being generous here, but I would say this piece is most useful for starting a conversation here:
"Then there are the double standards. Micro-shorts are also trending for women, but too often it seems that anything showing any part of the female body (cleavage, midriff, thighs) is enough to provoke the slut-shaming hordes. Is this as true for men? Or is it the case that, whatever they wear, however skimpy and provocative, they’re not accused of “slutty” desperation, “pathetically” thirsting for attention, or letting down their entire sex, as women habitually are whenever they show some flesh.
It says everything that, at worst, Mescal’s short-shorts prompted a few bemused giggles. If they are the latest sexual-political minefield, it’s still very different for boys."
Editing to add: In a perfect world, reading something like this would prompt people to think "Would I judge a man/woman for doing the same thing?". I don't think the devolution of online discourse should lead writers to avoid nuance. I'm not sure if my edit makes sense :-)
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Comment on Paul Mescal can pull off short-shorts, but can ordinary men? in ~life.style
frailtomato Link ParentYou're being deliberately disingenuous and poisoning the waters by comparing submissions from the Guardian to content farms. No. Newspaper columns are a long-established form of writing. They are...Then let's call a spade a spade and ask the purpose behind posting opinion pieces from a content farm that purposefully lack nuance if that's "the entire point".
You're being deliberately disingenuous and poisoning the waters by comparing submissions from the Guardian to content farms.
Saying "it's a newpaper column" unfortunately and likely unintentionally seems very reminiscent to the "it's just a meme" excuse we should all be familiar with from other communities that spread divisive content online.
No. Newspaper columns are a long-established form of writing. They are no less valuable just because they are informal or anecdotal. They often come directly from the writer's lived experience and can generate conversation.
I'd go back to reddit if I wanted takes on gender issues that can't be bothered to self-reflect
Have you read the article? She absolutely reflects, throughout the whole second part of the piece.
I don't mind opinion pieces
What's the issue with this particular submission? Are you so jaded by online discussion that any writing about gender sets you off? I realise that sounds like I'm poking at you, but I ask it in good faith.
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Comment on Paul Mescal can pull off short-shorts, but can ordinary men? in ~life.style
frailtomato Link ParentMate it's a newspaper column, not a hard-hitting article. Musings, opinions, and anecdotes are the entire point.Mate it's a newspaper column, not a hard-hitting article. Musings, opinions, and anecdotes are the entire point.
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Comment on Are we watching the internet die? in ~tech
frailtomato Link ParentI'm a secondary school teacher. We (teachers and society in general) have a lot of work to do in shaping critical thinking. As I currently see it, 12-15 year olds absolutely don't mind the dross...The majority of people don't want to talk to copycat machines or read spam garbage, and I think they will avoid any sites that have this issue.
I'm a secondary school teacher. We (teachers and society in general) have a lot of work to do in shaping critical thinking. As I currently see it, 12-15 year olds absolutely don't mind the dross that comes out of content farms. The 16-18 year olds seem pretty wise to it, but their mushy little brains have some point of comparison from the before times.
With regards to the part of your comment I quoted, imagine a higher and higher percentage of your inputs as a kid were from AI-generated sources. So much of our education is focused on "will this be marked" and just copying and pasting from Google summaries that kids just...don't really notice.
There's a huge amount more to discuss and discover on this topic, but for now I'll just say I'm kinda shitting myself about the next decade of my (new!) career. And I'm somebody who doesn't like doom-and-gloom scenarios, despite being cynical about the tech/capitalism intersection.
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Comment on Fallout | Official trailer in ~tv
frailtomato Link ParentMy experience on reddit has been very different from yours, though I'm mostly thinking of /r/movies. Braindead meme-takes generally get downvoted there. I think The Last of Us subreddit suffered...My experience on reddit has been very different from yours, though I'm mostly thinking of /r/movies. Braindead meme-takes generally get downvoted there. I think The Last of Us subreddit suffered from that a bit, but honestly...I think that is/was the gamer crowd skewing a bit younger maybe. So perhaps the same will happen with Fallout :-(
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Comment on Generative AI - We aren’t ready in ~tech
frailtomato Link ParentUranium is a lot harder to come by than GPUs. And it's a lot harder to hide enrichment facilities than a massive AI-farm. That's for starters. The rest of your comment is out of touch with the...So we could pass a law that says you simply aren't allowed to own more than say, ten GPUs over a certain power without a license. Or there could be a limit on the total computing power any individual or company can own without a license. And there would be tiers of licenses; higher and higher levels would come at higher and higher scrutiny. Any entity with sufficient quantities of computing power necessary to train complex AIs will be as heavy scrutinized as companies that enrich uranium.
Uranium is a lot harder to come by than GPUs. And it's a lot harder to hide enrichment facilities than a massive AI-farm.
That's for starters. The rest of your comment is out of touch with the reality of economics, geopolitics, and history.
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Comment on Who's in your corner? in ~talk
frailtomato Link ParentDamn, I need to find myself a SamuelDamn, I need to find myself a Samuel
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Comment on I’m worried that the Israel-Palestine conflict is tearing Tildes apart in ~tildes
frailtomato Link ParentWhenever I read a book I do a little review and paste in a couple of quotes. For Jingo I did the exact one above, along with the below. Not especially relevant but trading Pratchett quotes is...Whenever I read a book I do a little review and paste in a couple of quotes. For Jingo I did the exact one above, along with the below. Not especially relevant but trading Pratchett quotes is always worth it.
Prince Cadram and his generals surveyed the distant enemy, from horseback. The various Klatchian armies were drawn up in front of Gebra. Compared to them, the Ankh-Morpork regiments looked like a group of tourists who had missed their coach.
‘Is that all?’ he said.
‘Yes, sire,’ said General Ashal. ‘But, you see, they believe that fortune favours the brave.’
‘That is a reason to field such a contemptible little army?’
‘Ah, sire, but they believe that we will turn and run as soon as we taste some cold steel.’
The Prince looked back at the distant banners. ‘Why?’
‘I couldn’t say, sire. It appears to be an item of faith.’
‘Strange.’ The Prince nodded to one of his bodyguards. ‘Fetch me some cold steel.’
After some hurried discussion a sword was handed up very gingerly, handle first. The prince peered at it, and then licked it with theatrical care. The watching soldiers laughed.
‘No,’ he said at last. ‘No, I have to say that I don’t feel the least apprehensive. Is this as cold as steel gets?’
‘Lord Rust was probably being metaphorical, sire.’
‘Ah. He is the sort who would be. Well, let us go forward and meet him. We must be civilized, after all.’ -
Comment on New Music Fridays: Kacey Musgraves, Little Simz, Usher and more in ~music
frailtomato Link ParentI love Kacey's first couple of albums, Golden Hour a little less so, and I'll admit I probably haven't given star-crossed enough time. But Deeper Well seems a bit of a return to Golden Hour (the...I love Kacey's first couple of albums, Golden Hour a little less so, and I'll admit I probably haven't given star-crossed enough time. But Deeper Well seems a bit of a return to Golden Hour (the dreamy quality) if not Pageant Material (the guitar style). I like it.
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Comment on Brad Pitt reuniting with Quentin Tarantino in final film ‘The Movie Critic’ in ~movies
frailtomato LinkHasn't he denied the "10 movies" thing, saying it was taken out of context? I cannot for the life of me find a link, so maybe I'm misremembering.Hasn't he denied the "10 movies" thing, saying it was taken out of context? I cannot for the life of me find a link, so maybe I'm misremembering.
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Comment on What is your favourite episode of a podcast? in ~talk
frailtomato Link ParentYes! Even though we (and Andy to a degree IIRC) knew what was up, Paolo's delivery scared the shit out of me. Blimmin' love Film Reroll.As the teens are dancing and arguing amongst themselves, a successful perception check reveals one of the best setups in the series: "There's a man behind you with a hockey mask! Roll dodge."
Yes! Even though we (and Andy to a degree IIRC) knew what was up, Paolo's delivery scared the shit out of me. Blimmin' love Film Reroll.
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Comment on What’s something you wish more people understood? in ~talk
frailtomato Link ParentI ask this in good faith, not in "dEfiNe nEUtrAL" internet pedant fashion - what do you define as neutral? Any examples? To my mind, truth and lack of bias are not the same thing - omitting or...neutral sources
I ask this in good faith, not in "dEfiNe nEUtrAL" internet pedant fashion - what do you define as neutral? Any examples? To my mind, truth and lack of bias are not the same thing - omitting or including facts can paint different pictures. The importance of those facts can be a grey area depending on the values of both source and audience. "Including both sides" is not a good universal metric in my opinion - Overton windows shift; some voices are more valued than others (according to whom?); sometimes there are multiple sides; sometimes it's just too damn hard to fit it all in! That last one is perhaps outside the scope of neutrality and more about format.
I'm running on a lack of sleep so I hope I make sense.
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Comment on What’s something you wish more people understood? in ~talk
frailtomato Link ParentI think he's been sniffing the farts of his success. I don't remember being put off by his earlier videos, though perhaps he hasn't changed and I just got sick of him. To his credit, he doesn't...guy seems like a smug asshole
I think he's been sniffing the farts of his success. I don't remember being put off by his earlier videos, though perhaps he hasn't changed and I just got sick of him.
To his credit, he doesn't tend to blame individuals for their car-centric behaviour, but systems and cities and design.
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Comment on What’s something you wish more people understood? in ~talk
frailtomato Link ParentI don't think altruism doesn't exist, I just think we are far too quick to label behaviour as immoral, especially when it comes to large groups. Thank you for your reply! I will take a look at Sway.I don't think altruism doesn't exist, I just think we are far too quick to label behaviour as immoral, especially when it comes to large groups.
Thank you for your reply! I will take a look at Sway.
I got about 1/4 of the way through it - maybe just past the Niagara stuff? Plus a bit of background and overview of his wider career.
Holy smokes, even that was enough to marvel at the Moses machine. It's late and I can't think of a better word than "marvels" - I certainly don't mean it in a heroic way!