hobbes64's recent activity
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Comment on "Shower thoughts" and other things to ponder in ~talk
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Comment on "Shower thoughts" and other things to ponder in ~talk
hobbes64 Link ParentWell if I was super unethical I would go back to the early 1980's and create the game Tetris on an 8-bit computer and make sure I had the perpetual rights to it. Sorry Alexey Pajitnov, your game...Well if I was super unethical I would go back to the early 1980's and create the game Tetris on an 8-bit computer and make sure I had the perpetual rights to it. Sorry Alexey Pajitnov, your game is a brilliant design but very easy to program.
I'd be afraid of going back in time and trying to affect political events because I assume there would be some unintended side effects. Except maybe the rise of Trump, that isn't working out positively for anyone (whether they know it yet or not) and I'm sure I could like undermine The Apprentice or find a way to make sure that New York holds him accountable for some early crimes.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
hobbes64 Link ParentYes it just came out a few days ago. I like it. It has a lot of similarities with Creeper World 3. Also some similarities with Particle Fleet Emergence. In case you don't know what that one is,...Yes it just came out a few days ago. I like it.
It has a lot of similarities with Creeper World 3. Also some similarities with Particle Fleet Emergence. In case you don't know what that one is, it's a Creeper World game but you don't have a fixed base. Instead you have ships that fight the creeper and the ships can reposition themselves.
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Comment on Elon Musk’s attack on F-35s fuels debate over expensive fighter jets in ~society
hobbes64 Link ParentI’m sure the military is very wasteful. But I don’t trust Musk in the slightest. It’s probably reasonable to assume he’s just trying to destabilize and weaken the United States military and the...I’m sure the military is very wasteful. But I don’t trust Musk in the slightest. It’s probably reasonable to assume he’s just trying to destabilize and weaken the United States military and the country in general. Maybe to pick up the scraps, Great Depression - style. Maybe at the instruction of a foreign power. Many of the actions of Trump and his oligarchs appear to be exactly this.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
hobbes64 LinkI just got Creeper World IXE It’s sort of a tower defense with fluid dynamics (the main adversary is a fluid that you have to push back). I’m enjoying it so far. If you have played any Creeper...I just got Creeper World IXE
It’s sort of a tower defense with fluid dynamics (the main adversary is a fluid that you have to push back).
I’m enjoying it so far. If you have played any Creeper World game you know what to expect. The previous one was 3D polygons. This one is back to 2d which I prefer. The game has a level editor and historically the community makes many levels and mods which extend the life of the games for months or years.
The game is relatively small and starts up quickly which I appreciate.
Technical note: I’m playing on Linux Mint. This is a windows game that (mostly) works on proton. There is an issue with the tutorial videos. I can’t get them to play. I’ve played around with different proton versions but haven’t been able to get it working. The tutorials are pretty important so until this is resolved you may need help from discord or steam community.
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Comment on What are your predictions for 2025? in ~talk
hobbes64 Link ParentI’ve assumed for a few years that if Trump got reelected that we would see 1960s level protests and government overreaction to them. I’m sure that Trump and the people around him are hoping for...I’ve assumed for a few years that if Trump got reelected that we would see 1960s level protests and government overreaction to them. I’m sure that Trump and the people around him are hoping for violent protests and things to get out of control and excuses for martial law and all that. I also think that they are both evil and stupid in equal measure and this will backfire on them in ways they don’t expect. I’m hoping that Trump just fucks up very quickly and loses some of his cult support, but that has been impenetrable for years.
I think there is a slight chance of a military coup if Trump tries to order the military to crack down on Americans.
The best possible outcome of trumps presidency is a recession (or depression ) that happens within 2 years and that he can’t blame it on Biden. Also that voting still matters by then and the people who sat home wake up and vote for their best interests.
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Comment on Star Trek: Section 31 | Trailer in ~movies
hobbes64 Link ParentAre youtube comments on a trailer an indication of anything? I glanced at about 50 and they were all negative. Let's say that the people who are commenting on the video are only die-hard trekkies....Are youtube comments on a trailer an indication of anything? I glanced at about 50 and they were all negative.
Let's say that the people who are commenting on the video are only die-hard trekkies. They sought out the trailer and cared enough to type something. (aside: Or some are bots. But who would make bots just to criticize a show? Maybe some culture warrior fighting "woke". But the comments I saw didn't mention that).And let's also say that trekkies won't watch the show, but non-trekkies will and that's a bigger audience. Then why the hell call this show Star Trek?
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Comment on Mystery ‘Disease X’ evokes fears of another pandemic in ~health
hobbes64 Link ParentYou know what's kind of related? A few times I've been to a doctor or dentist that has a television in the waiting area. It's supposed to seem informational like a morning show, but every few...You know what's kind of related? A few times I've been to a doctor or dentist that has a television in the waiting area. It's supposed to seem informational like a morning show, but every few minutes there is a drug commercial trying to convince you to take some pill for some rare disease or condition. Usually it features testimonials or scary details about the disease. It's maddening.
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Comment on Why US Democrats got the politics of immigration so wrong for so long in ~society
hobbes64 Link ParentYes I’ve realized this since I was a teenager. It’s clear we need more workers and without immigrants our population is going down. It’s also clear that the situation is desirable for people in...Yes I’ve realized this since I was a teenager.
It’s clear we need more workers and without immigrants our population is going down.
It’s also clear that the situation is desirable for people in power. Illegal immigrants can’t get full benefits of society, whether it’s health coverage or safety or living conditions.
I can only assume that the policy is working as intended.
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Comment on Why US Democrats got the politics of immigration so wrong for so long in ~society
hobbes64 LinkSo….Sure I still can’t get past the fact that anyone voted for Trump other than a handful of crazy people and oligarchs. “Latinos have lurched right” is one thing, but voting for an actual fascist...So….Sure
I still can’t get past the fact that anyone voted for Trump other than a handful of crazy people and oligarchs.
“Latinos have lurched right” is one thing, but voting for an actual fascist is a huge step. DNC made mistakes, Biden made mistakes, Harris made mistakes, the media favored Trump. Blah blah blah. It all comes down to the voters and their shocking dereliction of their duty to treat elections seriously.
It would be super cool to not have a criminal insurrectionist running on one side so we could debate all these other important issues. It’s a 2 party system and one of the parties is openly hostile to democracy and human rights.
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Comment on Are ‘ghost engineers’ real? Seeking Silicon Valley’s least productive coders. in ~tech
hobbes64 Link ParentThe "solution" I usually see is that they try to use "team leaders", which are senior engineers who are supposed to mentor and keep an eye on the rest of the team. The mentoring part is ok, but I...The "solution" I usually see is that they try to use "team leaders", which are senior engineers who are supposed to mentor and keep an eye on the rest of the team. The mentoring part is ok, but I think most senior engineers are not in management for a reason, and don't want to be responsible for any "ghosts" so they just do the work themselves.
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Comment on Are ‘ghost engineers’ real? Seeking Silicon Valley’s least productive coders. in ~tech
hobbes64 LinkYeah I've seen quite a few of these ghosts. Actually, I've more commonly seen "vampire engineers". These are people who actually subtract productivity from the rest of the team. Either they need...Yeah I've seen quite a few of these ghosts. Actually, I've more commonly seen "vampire engineers". These are people who actually subtract productivity from the rest of the team. Either they need too much guidance to get tasks done, or they create work that has to be rewritten by someone else. Sometimes these are identified by management but it is hard to fire people, even though we don't have unions in software development in the US. This is probably a main reason why my company usually uses contractor-to-hire - contractors can be fired without cause.
Anyway, yes this is a flaw in corporate culture. I've worked on teams that had great engineers and poor engineers. I don't think I've worked on one that had great managers. Seems like the purpose of managers would be to make sure that tasks are completed, and to know who actually contributed to this. For some reason this is usually very hard for them. They only seem to know the "superstar engineers" and the ones that are good at self promotion. The rest of the employees are often sort of invisible. If the managers would just do their jobs, they could identify productivity properly (and wouldn't have to rely on key-logging and internet monitoring and whatever other employee spying they do).
Years ago I was in a group that tried to fix this issue. They engaged with Gallop and got into First, Break All the Rules. We would take surveys which had intentionally weird questions that were designed to uncover ineffective managers. Well, the managers couldn't have this so they coached the employees on the survey which poisoned the result. And this farce was not detected by the upper management, or they didn't care.
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Comment on Legacy is a delusion in ~talk
hobbes64 LinkIn college, I had a "religions of the world" class and we had a discussion about the meaning of life as described by religions. And some students were claiming that there has to be an afterlife...In college, I had a "religions of the world" class and we had a discussion about the meaning of life as described by religions. And some students were claiming that there has to be an afterlife for everything to have meaning. And the professor said "no, it's just that your life and actions have to be remembered. And there doesn't have to be an afterlife for that. There could just be a god (or something) that remembers everything. It doesn't have to be us as individuals.
I know you were trying to avoid leaning on supernatural rewards, but for all we know everything that happens in the universe, including our achievements and morality, are remembered in a way that we can't perceive. And maybe it isn't supernatural, it is just a way of the universe.Personally, I don't think about legacy but I think about justice. It's highly disturbing that we seem to be in a universe that gives the same outcome to innocent children and mass murderers.
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Carbon offsets and the Nebula show "Jet Lag"
Recently I've been watching the show Jet Lag on Nebula. It's an entertaining little reality show where people compete in contests which require a lot of travel, especially in commercial aircraft....
Recently I've been watching the show Jet Lag on Nebula. It's an entertaining little reality show where people compete in contests which require a lot of travel, especially in commercial aircraft.
I've noticed that they are really really traveling a lot for a frivolous reason and having a huge carbon footprint. (Yes I understand that the flights they go on are booked anyway and would fly if they weren't on them, sort of).
During the show they sometimes use a graphic to show the travel distance and then also mention that they are using Gold Standard carbon offsets (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Standard_(carbon_offset_standard)
I've read a bit about carbon credits and carbon offsets before. I think it seems like a bit of a boondoggle to let people with money greenwash their activities. Has anyone here researched this and come up with a different conclusion?
I think maybe this is a very newbie question to ask on this Tildes group.
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Comment on What really happened after California raised its minimum wage to $20 for fast food workers in ~society
hobbes64 LinkSummary: The workers got a good raise, customers had to pay a little more (3.7%). Restaurant owners and lobbyists, with the help of the media, lied that it was causing problems that were the...Summary: The workers got a good raise, customers had to pay a little more (3.7%). Restaurant owners and lobbyists, with the help of the media, lied that it was causing problems that were the result of other things such as seasonal changes and private equity firms who like to run businesses into the ground for profit.
If I could have one magical wish, I think it would be to grant everyone on earth some basic critical thinking skills and maybe the ability to detect lies a little better. Because we're all at the mercy of liars and grifters and the people who are unable to detect them.
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Comment on Favorite "A Christmas Carol" adaptation? in ~movies
hobbes64 (edited )LinkI like the Patrick Stewart one. I like how it is low budget and has good actors. Many of the actors will be familiar to people who have watched other popular shows over the years. For example, Mrs...I like the Patrick Stewart one. I like how it is low budget and has good actors. Many of the actors will be familiar to people who have watched other popular shows over the years. For example, Mrs Cratchit is played by the actress who is Catherine Standish in "Slow Horses", and Fred is played by Dominic West from "The Wire". Another thing I like about it is how it also has some dialog that is directly lifted from the book.
I'm not sure if a lot of people have seen it since it is not regularly available to stream. Here is the IMDB page. It is apparently currently available on Paramount and Fubu, and on a few other services for rent.
Conversely, an adaptation that I really do not like is the Robert Zemekis/Jim Carrey cartoon from 2009. It has scenes that have way too much action and swooping around, apparently just because this is possible in a cartoon.
Here is a cartoon version from 1971 that I liked when I was a kid. It's straightforward and not as self-indulgent as the Zemekis one.
A few people mentioned The Muppet Christmas Carol. I think that one is just ok. Maybe I was too old when I saw it the first time so it doesn't have nostalgic charm for me. I don't dislike The Muppets, but sometimes their shtick gets a little repetitive to me.
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Comment on Is the Cybertruck really that bad? in ~transport
hobbes64 Link ParentI agree with a lot of what you say about some contributions he may make to some companies, and how the companies do some good things. They also probably have a lot of good people working for Tesla...I agree with a lot of what you say about some contributions he may make to some companies, and how the companies do some good things. They also probably have a lot of good people working for Tesla and SpaceX.
But don't dismiss criticism of him with an eyeroll and "Musk Bad". He really is bad. Really, really bad. Bad enough to buy twitter and turn it into a disinformation circus and welcome actual nazis. Bad enough to do everything he can to promote Putin and Trump. These aren't "whoopsies". They are calculated evil acts to enrich himself at the expense of democracy, and not just in the United States. And now he has political power to fuck up the world in even more ways.
I would never ever buy any Tesla unless the board fires him.
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Comment on A ‘yoga pill’ to end anxiety? Scientists find a brain circuit that instantly deflates stress. in ~science
hobbes64 LinkThis bothers me a little bit. Disclaimer so you don't think I'm a nut: Drugs can be lifesaving. Some allow people to live normal and healthier lives. Some are essential to keep people alive at...This bothers me a little bit.
Disclaimer so you don't think I'm a nut: Drugs can be lifesaving. Some allow people to live normal and healthier lives. Some are essential to keep people alive at all.
On the other hand, we are over-medicated. Some people take a combination of drugs and they would be healthier if they took none.
So this sounds to me like "oh boy, people don't have to learn to relax anymore, or deal with their emotions in a healthy way. Instead, we can make money by giving them a pill that they have to keep taking forever".
As someone who has an anxiety disorder, I would probably find this helpful. But still, it bothers me a little.
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Comment on Max, Hulu, and Paramount Plus are all heavily discounted for Black Friday in ~tv
hobbes64 LinkAll the deals shown are with ads. Too bad, I'd rather watch nothing than watch streaming with ads. Remember when TV was free with ads? There were a lot of ads but you would just watch a show. I...All the deals shown are with ads. Too bad, I'd rather watch nothing than watch streaming with ads.
Remember when TV was free with ads? There were a lot of ads but you would just watch a show. I couldn't go back to that though, I can't even describe how much I hate ads now.
Ok. I will try to describe it. I get Paramount for free because I have Walmart.com. But I never watch it because it has ads. Even though it has some things that I would like. For a while I watched it because I could block the ads with pi-hole. But that stopped working (they made a change and the shows won't start if they can't display ads).
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Comment on Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024 - Results in ~sports.motorsports
hobbes64 LinkIt's kind of a weird season where the championship is pretty close but a lot of the races have a car that boringly sits in front for the entire race. But you can't before the weekend which of Red...It's kind of a weird season where the championship is pretty close but a lot of the races have a car that boringly sits in front for the entire race. But you can't before the weekend which of Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, or Mercedes will have the dominant car.
This is only slightly similar,
but I have a hobby of collecting pictures of mobile pet grooming vans. They are almost always a terrible pun related to dogs or pets, and there's usually a cute cartoon dog on them. I don't know how popular these vans are worldwide, but if I'm driving around where I live I usually see a few a week.
Here's a duckduckgo search of some so you can get an idea of what I'm talking about.