gpl's recent activity

  1. Comment on Messenger, a cute little 3d browser game in ~games

    gpl
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    This is amazing and charming! I can't quite tell, are these other messengers others playing at the same time, or NPCs?

    This is amazing and charming! I can't quite tell, are these other messengers others playing at the same time, or NPCs?

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

    gpl
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    I recently bought the newer Shokz model, the Openrun Pro 2. I had previously tried the Openrun Pro a few years back so I have a point of comparison. The Openrun Pro 2 is a big improvement over the...

    I recently bought the newer Shokz model, the Openrun Pro 2. I had previously tried the Openrun Pro a few years back so I have a point of comparison.

    The Openrun Pro 2 is a big improvement over the older version, in my opinion, and solves most of the shortcomings that others have identified. They are solidly in the "casual use" tier for me. The Openrun Pro 2's, in addition to bone conduction, can use "air conduction" as well which is just a marketing term for having a tiny directional speaker pointed into your ear, in addition to the bone conduction device. This is basically like having a normal open-ear headphone in addition to the bone conduction. This improves both volume (especially in windy areas or activities) and range, with bass being particularly improved. For headphones that allow you to maintain pretty good situational awareness, the quality is hard to beat. I prefer them over my airpods for working out for this reason, coupled with the fact that they do not fall out easily and have a great battery life. The Pro 2's have USB-C charging instead of the older magnetic port. They are comfortable for me — I can wear them along with sunglasses and a bike helmet and they don't get in the way. I even reach for them for other casual activities where I may want some headphones but don't necessarily want to use my big over-the-ear ones, like walking the dog.

    They're not audiophile quality headphones, far from it. But for the niche they do fill (workout headphones), I have yet to find something I enjoy using more. Highly recommend checking out the Pro 2's even if you have prior experience with other models.

    2 votes
  3. Comment on The rise of 'conspiracy physics' in ~science

    gpl
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    My perspective as a cosmologist is that Hossenfelder has burnt any credibility she may have had. I would not place much stock in her criticisms these days. I think once upon a time she was more...

    My perspective as a cosmologist is that Hossenfelder has burnt any credibility she may have had. I would not place much stock in her criticisms these days. I think once upon a time she was more measured and had hit on a few points that, at a minimum, were worth discussing regarding funding priorities in basic physics research. But I think the attention and audience she has gained via Youtube has warped her perspective and that now she just makes videos that will maximize views.

    For what it’s worth, I think it would be rare to find a physicist who doesn’t have complaints about how funding is allocated in their field. I don’t think that’s a sign of systemic inertia or misplaced priorities, but rather a sign of generally insufficient funding to pursue all interesting a valid lines of inquiry!

    20 votes
  4. Comment on Mastodon now has a Quote Post feature in ~tech

    gpl
    Link Parent
    Quote posts (in my experience) tend to lead to a culture of "dunking" in which people broadcast their reply to some post via a quote as opposed to a direct reply, fragmenting the conversation...

    Quote posts (in my experience) tend to lead to a culture of "dunking" in which people broadcast their reply to some post via a quote as opposed to a direct reply, fragmenting the conversation while also tailoring the audience to be a more favorable one to their view/reply since the quote is primarily seen by followers. This can direct more quotes/dunks at the original post even without a specific call for harassment. While you can do this with a screenshot and an @, having a quote feature lowers that barrier even further (its essentially a screenshot and @ hotkey). I also think people feel less inhibited to be assholes when they're talking about someone via a quote as opposed to talking to someone via a reply.

    I think detaching quotes is a good remedy for these issues, for what its worth.

    19 votes
  5. Comment on Conservative activist Charlie Kirk shot and killed at Utah college event in ~society

    gpl
    Link Parent
    Given that there are myriad armed right wing reactionary militias active in the US, yeah, I’m more concerned about retaliatory violence in response to this killing. It’s not handwringing. Cycles...

    Given that there are myriad armed right wing reactionary militias active in the US, yeah, I’m more concerned about retaliatory violence in response to this killing. It’s not handwringing. Cycles of violence are easy to start and hard to stop, and each step along the way reinforces this. I don’t think this shooting was the start of the cycle, but I do think it has accelerated it, and I think we all lose when that happens.

    It’s not handwringing to be apprehensive about how fascists, currently in power, will wield this.

    16 votes
  6. Comment on Conservative activist Charlie Kirk shot and killed at Utah college event in ~society

    gpl
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    Deseret news is reporting that Charlie Kirk is dead, according to Utah Speaker Mike Schultz

    Deseret news is reporting that Charlie Kirk is dead, according to Utah Speaker Mike Schultz

    1 vote
  7. Comment on Conservative activist Charlie Kirk shot and killed at Utah college event in ~society

    gpl
    Link Parent
    I hope you're right!

    I hope you're right!

    2 votes
  8. Comment on Conservative activist Charlie Kirk shot and killed at Utah college event in ~society

    gpl
    Link Parent
    Here is what NYT has to say:

    Here is what NYT has to say:

    The police have determined that a person who was taken into custody after the shooting was not actually the shooter, according to Scott Trotter, a university spokesman. The university had earlier said a suspect was in custody.

    11 votes
  9. Comment on Conservative activist Charlie Kirk shot and killed at Utah college event in ~society

    gpl
    Link Parent
    Newest info (per NYT) is that that man is not the shooter.

    Newest info (per NYT) is that that man is not the shooter.

    11 votes
  10. Comment on Conservative activist Charlie Kirk shot and killed at Utah college event in ~society

    gpl
    Link Parent
    I personally think you're underestimating the impact that a major right-wing infosphere operative being gunned down will have in accelerating other acts of right wing violence, but I suppose it is...

    I personally think you're underestimating the impact that a major right-wing infosphere operative being gunned down will have in accelerating other acts of right wing violence, but I suppose it is impossible to know.

    16 votes
  11. Comment on Conservative activist Charlie Kirk shot and killed at Utah college event in ~society

    gpl
    Link
    Political violence begets more political violence. This isn't a match in a powder keg, its a torch, and more violence will probably follow. It is a difficult genie to stick back in the lamp.

    Political violence begets more political violence. This isn't a match in a powder keg, its a torch, and more violence will probably follow. It is a difficult genie to stick back in the lamp.

    47 votes
  12. Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp

    gpl
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    Had a crazy idea for my research and decided to go for it, and learning Julia along the way!

    Had a crazy idea for my research and decided to go for it, and learning Julia along the way!

    1 vote
  13. Comment on Perplexity’s Comet browser invites in ~tech

    gpl
    Link Parent
    Cheers, thanks for sharing.

    Cheers, thanks for sharing.

  14. Comment on Perplexity’s Comet browser invites in ~tech

    gpl
    Link
    I'd love a invite too, if you still have them.

    I'd love a invite too, if you still have them.

  15. Comment on Make new friends here! in ~life

    gpl
    Link Parent
    Fair enough! Not every ep does it for me either.

    Fair enough! Not every ep does it for me either.

    1 vote
  16. Comment on Make new friends here! in ~life

    gpl
    Link Parent
    Check out Mindscape hosted by Sean Carroll, if you haven't already. Might be up your alley!

    Check out Mindscape hosted by Sean Carroll, if you haven't already. Might be up your alley!

    2 votes
  17. Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health

    gpl
    Link Parent
    I think I'm just entering a honeymoon period, coming off a more stagnant era where I was feeling uninspired by my routine and just barely keeping along with it. What did it for me was buying a...

    I think I'm just entering a honeymoon period, coming off a more stagnant era where I was feeling uninspired by my routine and just barely keeping along with it.

    What did it for me was buying a bike (my previous one was stolen ~2 years ago and I am just now replacing it). I'm now very excited by the prospect of working in some exercise and longer distance rides to my routine and it has me more interested in my fitness overall (e.g. debating upgrading my ~6 yr old Apple watch to a more modern wearable). So, +1 for "mixing it up" being an effective way to get inspired again.

    2 votes
  18. Comment on AI eroded doctors’ ability to spot cancer within months in study in ~tech

    gpl
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    If we already had widely distributed (open?) models that were shown to be at least as free of bias as scans/analyses without said models, I think I might agree. But I don't like the idea of my...

    If we already had widely distributed (open?) models that were shown to be at least as free of bias as scans/analyses without said models, I think I might agree. But I don't like the idea of my doctor becoming reliant on a tool that they may not always have access to, that may not always be around, that they may not completely understand, and whose performance may change unexpectedly with future iterations.

    47 votes
  19. Comment on Why aren’t armed US citizens overthrowing the current government? in ~society

    gpl
    Link Parent
    Yeah, the person I was responding to had asked what nonviolent removal would look like and I answered.

    Yeah, the person I was responding to had asked what nonviolent removal would look like and I answered.

    1 vote
  20. Comment on Why aren’t armed US citizens overthrowing the current government? in ~society

    gpl
    Link Parent
    Impeachment in the House and removal in the Senate.

    Impeachment in the House and removal in the Senate.

    1 vote