futuraprime's recent activity
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Comment on Advice for a day in London in ~travel
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Comment on Advice for a day in London in ~travel
futuraprime LinkAmerican who’s lived in London for almost a decade here. There are several good suggestions above (especially the British Museum), but I’ll add a few… The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square is...American who’s lived in London for almost a decade here. There are several good suggestions above (especially the British Museum), but I’ll add a few…
The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square is not the best art museum in London (that's the V&A) but it has a major exhibition of Van Gogh's work on right now. I haven't been yet (it only opened a couple weeks ago) but it is meant to be excellent.
The Sir John Soane’s Museum in Lincoln’s Inn Fields is quite special. Soane was a successful architect in the early 19th century. He was also a massive hoarder and his house is comically packed to the gills with his collection. (Seriously, the man had a problem.) But, being a rich imperial-era Englishman, he hoarded fine art and priceless Roman, Greek, and Egyptian artefacts. It’s a fantastic collection, eccentrically presented, and usually not too busy. If you go, make sure you get the staff to demo the room he designed to house his paintings: it is absurd (in the best way).
I'm also partial to walking around European cities, and London is a great city to see on foot. It's about an hour's walk along the south bank of the Thames from Westminster Bridge to London Bridge, and you'll get a good view of all sorts: Big Ben, the Eye, the Globe Theatre, the City proper, and most of central London. You'll also end at Borough Market, one of the city's best food spots. It's a good place to get a late lunch (late, because you'll queue for ages if you arrive at midday). The George Inn is a few blocks away—one of the oldest pubs in the city, it features in a few of Dickens' novels. It used to sit next door to the (long since vanished) Tabard Inn, from whence the pilgrims of the Canterbury Tales set out. (Fun history all over the place here!)
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Comment on In praise of mass immigration in ~society
futuraprime (edited )Link ParentIt’s worth nothing that immigrants are usually not typical of their compatriots. This can have distorting effects on politics, but more often in origin countries. It’s theorised, for example, that...It’s worth nothing that immigrants are usually not typical of their compatriots. This can have distorting effects on politics, but more often in origin countries.
It’s theorised, for example, that the mass exodus of (mostly liberal) Germans to the US after the 1848 revolution failed helped Germany down a conservative, militaristic path. (German immigrants also formed a pillar of abolitionist support in the US in the run-up to the civil war.)
Likewise (though this is much less established, I think) the substantial migration of Poles after the country’s accession to the EU may have helped Law and Justice hold on to power there for so long.
There are obviously exceptions to this (Cuban immigrants, for example), but in general I wouldn’t expect immigrants to massively distort their adopted country’s politics: they have likely chosen to live there because they find the place attractive.
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Comment on What are your "must-read" books? in ~books
futuraprime Link ParentIf you’re looking for more that’s a bit different, her Earthsea novels are wonderful. Don’t dismiss them as children’s literature—they are written for kids but still really rewarding at any age....If you’re looking for more that’s a bit different, her Earthsea novels are wonderful. Don’t dismiss them as children’s literature—they are written for kids but still really rewarding at any age.
Also, The Lathe of Heaven is lighter than those two, but still brilliant.
Finally, if you like Le Guin, you will probably also like China Mieville. At his best, he does a similar sort of dissection of society in his books. Try Embassytown or especially The City and the City.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
futuraprime Link ParentI’m not sure which of Willis’s other work you’ve read, but if you liked Doomsday but wanted something lighthearted, you will enjoy it’s sort-of sequel To Say Nothing Of The Dog. Same setting but...I’m not sure which of Willis’s other work you’ve read, but if you liked Doomsday but wanted something lighthearted, you will enjoy it’s sort-of sequel To Say Nothing Of The Dog. Same setting but different characters, and it’s very funny.
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Comment on Google gets its way, bakes a user-tracking ad platform directly into Chrome in ~tech
futuraprime Link ParentIs this an improvement compared to Safari or Firefox, which simply block third-party cookies? Also, why did the CMA not object to those browsers dropping third-party cookies? Safari, at least, has...Is this an improvement compared to Safari or Firefox, which simply block third-party cookies?
Also, why did the CMA not object to those browsers dropping third-party cookies? Safari, at least, has significant captive market share from iOS—you’d think enough to draw their attention. Was their objection to third-party cookies or to Google’s proposed replacement?
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
futuraprime Link ParentEnjoy! These are some of my favourite books.Enjoy! These are some of my favourite books.
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Comment on Do you believe the world is controlled by competing interests, or do you think there is a "power elite" that controls the world from the background? in ~talk
futuraprime Link ParentFWIW, there are several cultures that didn't place much value on financial success. Tang/Song China is an especially sharp contrast, but medieval Europe works as well—it wasn’t socially...FWIW, there are several cultures that didn't place much value on financial success. Tang/Song China is an especially sharp contrast, but medieval Europe works as well—it wasn’t socially stigmatised here as it was in China, but nor was it held in particular esteem outside of a handful of specific enclaves.
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Comment on Windows 11 has made the “clean Windows install” an oxymoron in ~tech
futuraprime LinkI guess I don’t understand how this is different to the kind of bundling Microsoft was doing in the 90s with Internet Explorer that got them docked for an antitrust violation. Office, at least,...I guess I don’t understand how this is different to the kind of bundling Microsoft was doing in the 90s with Internet Explorer that got them docked for an antitrust violation. Office, at least, must still mostly be used on PCs (not mobiles), where Windows remains overwhelmingly dominant.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~talk
futuraprime Link ParentThanks! I was looking all over for this page last night and could not find it.Thanks! I was looking all over for this page last night and could not find it.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~talk
futuraprime LinkYou probably know this, but just in case you don’t: to pass US citizenship on, you (or your partner) must be a US citizen who has lived in the United States. The amount of time you have to have...I'd also like my future children (family planning is underway) to get their US citizenship first before potentially handing back my US passport.
You probably know this, but just in case you don’t: to pass US citizenship on, you (or your partner) must be a US citizen who has lived in the United States. The amount of time you have to have lived there depends on your circumstances, but if you never lived there and neither did your partner, your kids will not be US citizens at birth (unless they’re born in the US).
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Comment on Has anyone unintentionally handicapped themselves while playing a game and liked a game more for it? in ~games
futuraprime LinkNot me, but the story of this fellow who didn’t realise that Tears of the Kingdom would give you a paraglider and beat the temples without one comes to mind.Not me, but the story of this fellow who didn’t realise that Tears of the Kingdom would give you a paraglider and beat the temples without one comes to mind.
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Comment on London and possibly Paris by Eurostar. Tips and advice? in ~travel
futuraprime Link ParentFWIW, you can order one online and have it shipped to you before you even arrive in London. https://visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/en/london-visitor-oyster-cardFWIW, you can order one online and have it shipped to you before you even arrive in London.
https://visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/en/london-visitor-oyster-card
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Comment on Why is Elon Musk doing what he is to Twitter? in ~tech
futuraprime LinkThe most plausible explanation I’ve heard is that he’s been wanting to do this for 25 years and now there’s no one who can tell him not to. This thread lays out the story. An “everything” app...The most plausible explanation I’ve heard is that he’s been wanting to do this for 25 years and now there’s no one who can tell him not to.
This thread lays out the story. An “everything” app called X was basically what he wanted to make PayPal in to back in the late 90s.
It’s probably more complicated than that, but it’s a good start.
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Comment on London and possibly Paris by Eurostar. Tips and advice? in ~travel
futuraprime Link ParentCan’t emphasise the bit about strikes in London enough. Tube strikes miiiight be over 🤞, but train strikes are still happening and that hits a lot of the city transit, especially to south...Can’t emphasise the bit about strikes in London enough. Tube strikes miiiight be over 🤞, but train strikes are still happening and that hits a lot of the city transit, especially to south London—not to mention any day trips out of the city. (I don’t think Eurostar is generally affected by them, but I’m not certain.)
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Comment on Suggestions for fantasy that feels truly different in ~books
futuraprime LinkAbsolutely! I’d second Earthsea, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, and China Mieville generally from other posters. A few others: The King of Elfland’s Daughter, by Lord Dunsany Lud-in-the-Mist, by...Absolutely!
I’d second Earthsea, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, and China Mieville generally from other posters.
A few others:
The King of Elfland’s Daughter, by Lord Dunsany
Lud-in-the-Mist, by Hope MirrleesBoth of these are early 20th century British fantasies grounded in ideas about faeries and magic as force that is somehow both alien to and essential to people. (FWIW, Lud-in-the-Mist has stuck with me more, and is a bit more enjoyable.) You can feel their influence in Susanna Clarke or Neil Gaiman.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane, by Neil Gaiman
Gaiman can be hit-or-miss for me, but this one is excellent. Moody, weird, mysterious—I don’t want to say too much because the book lets its secrets unfold in a really elegant way. It’s very much a modern take on the sort of style of Dunsany and Mirrlees.
Titus Groan and Gormenghast, by Mervyn Peake
I saved the best for last here. Gormenghast is a castle the size of a city, a massive edifice home to thousands and nominally ruled over by the Earl of Groan (but actually governed by the inertia of endless tradition), whose son Titus is born the day the first book starts. That same day, a talented kitchen boy named Steerpike catches the eye of Mr Flay, the Earl’s chief servant, and sets his sights on grander stations. The castle and its inhabitants are described in painterly detail, and they are wickedly inventive and larger than life all, from the wiry, clicking Flay and the corpulent head chef Swelter right down to old Rottcodd, the isolated curator of the Hall of Bright Carvings.
There’s a third book, Titus Alone, which is altogether different. You might like it if you like the first two, but don’t count on it.
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Comment on DMing my first session of D&D 5e tomorrow night in ~games.tabletop
futuraprime Link ParentFWIW, I think this is fine for a one-shot, but for a long campaign I like to draw this out and let these points evolve. The PCs didn’t run into Califret the Bard, even though he was in the same...You have to learn the art of the schrodinger's asset. That NPC you prepared? It's not in this city, or that inn, or that store - it'll specifically be the first NPC that the party meets. That's how you can create the illusion of a world with seemingly intricate depth while still retaining your sanity. This is not railroading.
FWIW, I think this is fine for a one-shot, but for a long campaign I like to draw this out and let these points evolve. The PCs didn’t run into Califret the Bard, even though he was in the same town? Fine. Two adventures later they walk into a tavern and hear Califret singing a song about their exploits. They missed running into Lord Muckamuck and so he didn’t ask them to get the macguffin while they were raiding the Temple of Kai-Mok? Three adventures later, they hear about a party of adventurers who cleared out the temple for Lord Muckamuck and just took a job out from under the party’s noses. It’s a fairly cheap way of making the world feel like it’s moving even when the players aren’t looking.
I don’t really know, to be honest—I’m not often in hotels here. If you’re worried about connections you might look near Marylebone or Paddington—they’re very near to one another, and Paddington has direct train links to Heathrow.
Also: don’t bother with the Heathrow Express unless you’re in a very big hurry. The Elizabeth line will get you to Paddington (or other parts of the city) pretty quickly and for a fraction of the price.
Edit: also should’ve noted initially, as I don’t think anyone else has—all London transit (tube, buses, etc) takes Apple Pay, so you shouldn’t have trouble getting around.