gdp's recent activity

  1. Comment on I wanna hear your music! in ~creative

    gdp
    Link Parent
    Woah hey thanks!!

    Woah hey thanks!!

    2 votes

  2. Comment on Favorite ambient / instrumental music? in ~music

  3. Comment on I wanna hear your music! in ~creative

    gdp
    Link
    Here's my soundcloud, I make whatever I can with fl studio. No idea what I'm doing but I've been at it for a while so hopefully I've got at least some production quality down. I try to keep the...

    Here's my soundcloud, I make whatever I can with fl studio. No idea what I'm doing but I've been at it for a while so hopefully I've got at least some production quality down. I try to keep the track length short, around a minute per track, for easy consumption.

    Genre is a mix of trap / electronic / beats / pop / sometimes lo fi / sometimes too bassy

    Never been able to focus on a single sound, and can't stick to one project for more than a few hours, so everything is rough and unfinished. such is my life

    https://soundcloud.com/aapatheist

    5 votes

  4. Comment on Simple, ethical, decent shoe recommendations in ~life.style

    gdp
    Link Parent
    i own four pairs of allbirds! really like them. i have wide feet too so usually shoes are too narrow. with allbirds i go up a size and then lace them with a heel lock. I wear these most days, they...

    i own four pairs of allbirds! really like them. i have wide feet too so usually shoes are too narrow. with allbirds i go up a size and then lace them with a heel lock. I wear these most days, they are fine in the rain: https://www.allbirds.com/products/mens-wool-runner-up-mizzles-natural-black

    warning though, allbirds will spam you if you buy anything from them, even if you don't sign up for marketing. they also tend to "accidentally resubscribe" you from time to time. annoying marketing.

    1 vote

  5. Comment on Dating apps - Which apps attract what populations? in ~life

    gdp
    Link Parent
    Yep. Hinge is also my favorite. The features are decent, the paywall isn't too obnoxious and the userbase seems higher effort. I also get way more interaction on Hinge for some reason. I'm just...

    Yep. Hinge is also my favorite. The features are decent, the paywall isn't too obnoxious and the userbase seems higher effort. I also get way more interaction on Hinge for some reason. I'm just another average guy on a dating app in a big city so the usual experience is pretty sad, but Hinge works well for me.

    2 votes

  6. Comment on Dating apps - Which apps attract what populations? in ~life

    gdp
    Link
    Dating apps are pretty consolidated. Match Group owns Tinder, Match, Meetic (??), OkCupid, Hinge, Plenty of Fish, and more. Match Group was sued by the FTC for allegedly using fake accounts to...

    Dating apps are pretty consolidated. Match Group owns Tinder, Match, Meetic (??), OkCupid, Hinge, Plenty of Fish, and more. Match Group was sued by the FTC for allegedly using fake accounts to bait users into paying for premium.

    Bumble is an independent competitor, and has a gimmick that requires women to start a match conversation, but in my experience that only resulted in every match saying "hey" and then nothing else.

    17 votes

  7. Comment on Google is getting a lot worse because of the Reddit blackouts in ~tech

    gdp
    Link Parent
    Isn't it so wild that Google even serves those sites?? Easily more than half of the results for any type of tech troubleshooting question ends up with some unrelated download advertisement. I have...

    It felt like 90% of the internet just disappeared and I could only access "Download DriverHelp4u" sites.

    Isn't it so wild that Google even serves those sites?? Easily more than half of the results for any type of tech troubleshooting question ends up with some unrelated download advertisement. I have no idea how its possible for Google employees to A) not know about the problem and B) not try to fix it by doing the bare minimum, like blacklisting sites that offer fake troubleshooting advice. But now nearly everything on Google is fake.

    2 votes

  8. Comment on Rising rents and diminishing aid fuel a sharp increase in evictions in US cities in ~life

    gdp
    (edited )
    Link
    I read this article earlier, and this part always struck me as odd: They earn only $1700/mo but are renting a $940 2-bedroom apartment They didn't pay their rent for a year After not paying their...

    I read this article earlier, and this part always struck me as odd:

    Although sympathetic, the judge said state law required him to evict Williams and his 25-year-old daughter De’mai Williams in April because they owed $8,348 in unpaid rent and fees on their $940-a-month apartment.

    They have been living in limbo ever since.

    They moved into a dilapidated Atlanta hotel room with water dripping through the bathroom ceiling, broken furniture and no refrigerator or microwave. But at $275-a-week, it was all they could afford on Williams’ $900 monthly social security check and the $800 his daughter gets biweekly from a state agency as her father’s caretaker.

    1. They earn only $1700/mo but are renting a $940 2-bedroom apartment
    2. They didn't pay their rent for a year
    3. After not paying their rent for a year, they moved somewhere more expensive but NOW they are ok with paying the more expensive cost

    I know its probably more complicated than that but it just makes me ask, if they can pay for the more expensive hotel why didn't they pay their rent for a whole year? And if a 2 bedroom apartment is under $1k, why didn't they find a 1 bedroom or studio, wouldn't that be more affordable? I'm sure there's a reason, I just wish it was included in their story.

    This whole "you don't have to pay rent to the private landlord you signed a contract with" law as a way of coping with the pandemic is such a scam to me. What people needed was an actually functioning social safety net. But instead small time landlords got shafted with the bill and I'm sure had to sell their assets so big management companies could snatch them up. Instead of taxing the rich to house the poor, the US gov went the usual route of taxing the middle class to fund a shortsighted temporary stopgap that would inevitably blow up on the poor and middle class only.

    I feel like they should have paused mortgages for landlords who housed unpaying tenants. Add the duration of the pause to the end of the mortgage and pause the interest. Oh, but that would hurt bank CEOs and put a dent in a small part of their cocaine fund, so it's off the table.

    7 votes

  9. Comment on Reddit CEO pledges to not force subreddits to reopen. Admin team then immediately threatens moderators who closed their subreddits with removal. in ~tech

    gdp
    Link
    They are probably trying to cause infighting within the mod teams by tempting any single low rank mod with an opportunity to instantly become top mod of a major sub with a big replacement mod...

    They are probably trying to cause infighting within the mod teams by tempting any single low rank mod with an opportunity to instantly become top mod of a major sub with a big replacement mod team.

    It is still pretty dang clear that Reddit corporation just doesn't care about the quality of their product anymore. They just want the cash. Reddit is over.

    24 votes

  10. Comment on Man unable to interact with any of his smart devices for a week after delivery driver accuses him of being racist in ~tech

    gdp
    Link Parent
    Sure, the whole "smart home" thing is extreme to me, but what about devices we all rely upon? What if Google or Apple locks your phone? What if Microsoft arbitrarily decides you're banned from...

    Sure, the whole "smart home" thing is extreme to me, but what about devices we all rely upon? What if Google or Apple locks your phone? What if Microsoft arbitrarily decides you're banned from using Windows? Even if we aren't using these "smart home" devices, we're all locked in, one way or another. Imagine if Uber erroneously charged you $300 and refused to refund it. You could do a chargeback, but you'd get banned from Uber for life.

    This worried me a bit when buying an expensive Pixel phone. What if it got lost in shipping, and Google support did nothing? I would have to decide between eating the $1000 cost, or doing a credit card chargeback and losing everything on google drive, docs, sheets, gmail, and probably more that I haven't thought of yet. The consumer protection regulations of the old days are irrelevant now that these corporations are so big that they can turn your digital life upside down. Next, they'll ban your account for participating in a class action against them.

    18 votes

  11. Comment on General product recommendations in ~life

    gdp
    Link
    Headphones: Koss Porta Pros These look super cheap but they are great. You can get them on sale for $30 sometimes. I've bought five. They are so lightweight that you can wear them all day and not...

    Headphones: Koss Porta Pros

    These look super cheap but they are great. You can get them on sale for $30 sometimes. I've bought five. They are so lightweight that you can wear them all day and not notice. They are "open back" so you can hear other things in the room around you, and other people next to you might be able to hear some of the sound, if thats a problem. But they sound great, probably the best sounding headphones you can buy for under $100.

    These headphones may as well be a religious artifact over at /r/headphones.

    Keychain Flashlight: Fenix E03R

    Super bright, very tiny, and USB-C rechargeable. I've had one on my keys for years. Everyone will be impressed.

    Sunrise Alarm Clock: Philips SmartSleep Wake-up Light

    I've had this for years and it changed my life. The light slowly comes on before the alarm sounds, so if you're in deep sleep, you keep sleeping until the sound starts to play. If you're not sleeping deeply, the light wakes you up very gently. I'm never ever going back.

    Chef Knife: Victorinox Classic

    Not too fancy. Very reasonable price. Sharp. Probably the most common knife used at restaurant kitchens because of how much quality you get for the price. Lasts a long time.

    Gaming Mouse: Logitech G502

    Another religious artifact type of product. Workhorse mouse. Super reliable. Inexpensive to replace. Plenty of features. Regularly $50 on sale.

    1 vote

  12. Comment on General product recommendations in ~life

    gdp
    Link Parent
    I've got the Tushy bidet, the "classic" one. Super easy install. Landlord won't have a single clue. Easier than hanging up a picture. Reasonable price.

    I've got the Tushy bidet, the "classic" one. Super easy install. Landlord won't have a single clue. Easier than hanging up a picture. Reasonable price.

    1 vote

  13. Comment on General product recommendations in ~life

    gdp
    Link Parent
    My Kryptonite lock was cut very quickly, but I live in a major city. Bike was locked in a "secured" garage but turns out my landlord's security cameras are all fake and the garage was left...

    My Kryptonite lock was cut very quickly, but I live in a major city. Bike was locked in a "secured" garage but turns out my landlord's security cameras are all fake and the garage was left unlocked by a careless tenant.

  14. Comment on General product recommendations in ~life

    gdp
    Link Parent
    Unfortunately its a lot worse than just one bad lock design. The bikes that get stolen most are simply the highest value / effort ratio, and that lock might be easy to break, but all bike locks...

    At a hospital a friend of mine works at, e-bikes get stolen regularly, and the culprit is these locks.

    Unfortunately its a lot worse than just one bad lock design. The bikes that get stolen most are simply the highest value / effort ratio, and that lock might be easy to break, but all bike locks are vulnerable to thieves. Yes, even those $80 Kryponite locks that weigh a ton and are wrapped in some sort of "anti grinder" mesh.

    I've given up on owning a decent bike for this reason. There is no secure ebike storage option in big US cities unless you literally bring it into the building with you and watch it constantly, or only store it inside your apartment. The police really do not care one bit about bike theft, so the thieves are not at all afraid of getting caught.

    I have an escooter now because its smaller and I can take it inside with me. The only way I'd let it out of my sight is if there was a service with a security guard constantly standing at racks, checking IDs for dropoffs and pickups, with the security company being liable for theft.

    2 votes

  15. Comment on General product recommendations in ~life

    gdp
    Link Parent
    Seconding Allbirds, I have four pairs now. They don't last forever and they're pretty expensive but are really comfortable and look nice.

    Seconding Allbirds, I have four pairs now. They don't last forever and they're pretty expensive but are really comfortable and look nice.

    2 votes

  16. Comment on New users: Ask your questions about Tildes here! in ~tildes

    gdp
    Link
    Hey @Deimos could we have a ~confessions topic with an option to post anonymously

    Hey @Deimos could we have a ~confessions topic with an option to post anonymously

    3 votes

  17. Comment on Google is getting a lot worse because of the Reddit blackouts in ~tech

    gdp
    Link Parent
    yeah i still get so disappointed by the terrible results google serves up for pretty much anything. it's always some garbage sponsorship. never a genuine human recommendation. and even reddit was...

    yeah i still get so disappointed by the terrible results google serves up for pretty much anything. it's always some garbage sponsorship. never a genuine human recommendation. and even reddit was filled with spammers trying to cheat the system. when reddit admins decided to allow comments on old threads, all they did was give spammers the ability to google product recommendations and then add their marketing spam to any reddit thread that showed up. so then instead of just checking the account's karma and activity, we had to check the date of the post versus the date of the comments and rule out any outliers.

    i dont even know how to vet a product or manufacturer without reddit. everything else on google is complete trash and so obviously sponsored. sometimes it feels like everything in life is just an ad!

    12 votes

  18. Comment on I bought an e-mountain bike in ~transport

    gdp
    Link Parent
    I owned the Lectric XPremium and it was way too big and heavy to feel convenient. The folding was cool but tedious, I only folded it twice. And while the 500W motor felt powerful, it wasn't enough...

    I owned the Lectric XPremium and it was way too big and heavy to feel convenient. The folding was cool but tedious, I only folded it twice. And while the 500W motor felt powerful, it wasn't enough for some steep hills, especially since the bike was so heavy! I think that's my biggest gripe with ebikes - they're so much heavier than normal bikes.

    Lectric is decent though, the bike was good. The XP 3.0 with extra range looks good though. RadCity is really popular, I think its the most common ebike I see around.

    Be sure to compare the specs when looking around. For example the REI CTY e2.2 is only a class 1 ebike, pedal assist up to 20mph, with only a 250W motor. But the Lectric XP 3.0 is a class 3 ebike, pedal assist up to 28mph, 500W motor, and a throttle. The REI one is more bike than e, and the lectric one is more e than bike. All just depends on what you want.

    Also there are conversion kits available, you can turn any bike into an ebike, so that's an option.

    1 vote

  19. Comment on I bought an e-mountain bike in ~transport

    gdp
    Link Parent
    Zooming through a wooded area alone is one of my favorite outdoors experiences in life. I grew up near some good trails so, in my teenage years if I need space to think I could just hop on my bike...

    Being able to cycle through woods and along tracks has been brilliant in my opinion.

    Zooming through a wooded area alone is one of my favorite outdoors experiences in life. I grew up near some good trails so, in my teenage years if I need space to think I could just hop on my bike and within a few minutes I'm alone in the woods with no sound but nature. I don't really bike anymore (moved to a big city) but when I ski, I love to go off the main runs and into the trees, just to silently float through them and feel that great sense of isolation and wonder at how beautiful the trees are. It never gets old. Glad you're enjoying it.

    1 vote

  20. Comment on Looking for suggestions for games that don't require hand eye coordination or fast twitch reflexes in ~games

    gdp
    Link Parent
    yeah /u/boxer_dogs_dance dwarf fortress might be perfect for you. it has a steep learning curve, but its a masterpiece of a game.

    yeah /u/boxer_dogs_dance dwarf fortress might be perfect for you. it has a steep learning curve, but its a masterpiece of a game.