hobbes64's recent activity
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Comment on The Office (Australia) | Official trailer in ~tv
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Comment on Dr1v3n Wild in ~games
hobbes64 LinkWow this is amazing. I kept getting surprised by the differences in the levels. I look forward to checking out the source code. I did a lot better once I figured out you don't have to use the...Wow this is amazing. I kept getting surprised by the differences in the levels. I look forward to checking out the source code.
I did a lot better once I figured out you don't have to use the mouse. Also found some undocumented things while I was trying every key on the keyboard :)
I was able to win after a few tries. Very fun.
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Comment on ‘House of the Dragon’ and ‘Rings of Power’ facing epic headaches in ~tv
hobbes64 LinkMy impression of these shows is that they aren't in trouble at all. For House of the Dragon, the "scandal" with George Martin complaining about plot changes has certainly created a buzz and...My impression of these shows is that they aren't in trouble at all. For House of the Dragon, the "scandal" with George Martin complaining about plot changes has certainly created a buzz and probably more people watched than would have otherwise. For "Rings of Power", it's the kind of show that will have legs for years even though it isn't very good. It's certainly better than 80% of the shows that were ever on TV before "prestige" TV became a thing after the Sopranos.
Now just an aside about how much people love/hate shows now. I've made a comment about this before. I'm often very nitpicky about shows as I watch them. It's fun to point out logical problems and plot holes. But usually when I watch House of the Dragon and Rings of Power, my brain is mostly off for some reason and I just enjoy the show. Then later I'll watch a review video where all the problems are pointed out. And I have to laugh because this kind of criticism is very entertaining and the points are often valid. I think the epic takedown of the Star Wars prequels by Red Letter Media was the first video of this type that I saw, but now there are literally hundreds for every show you could watch.
It's unfortunate if the creators of these shows watch these criticisms and feel terrible afterward, unless maybe it teaches them to make better shows.
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Comment on ‘House of the Dragon’ and ‘Rings of Power’ facing epic headaches in ~tv
hobbes64 Link ParentI agree 100%, I hate ads so much. In retrospect I can't believe how I could stand watching any show when I was younger before Tivo and then streaming without ads was available. One thing about...I agree 100%, I hate ads so much. In retrospect I can't believe how I could stand watching any show when I was younger before Tivo and then streaming without ads was available.
One thing about Amazon is that you can't be sure how many ads you are going to see. I watched the latest season of the Boys and I'm pretty sure that there were no ads sometimes, and just one at the beginning other times. For Rings of Power, there has only been one 30 second ad at the beginning.
At these levels, I will continue to watch shows and in fact I just mute the commercial or whatever.I also watched a couple of very old 1970s movies and there were no ads at all.
But when I watched "Tales from the Loop", which is probably slightly popular content produced by Amazon, there were ads every 10 or 15 minutes. I stopped watching the show because of this and will not watch any show with this many ads.
By the way, the Amazon prime UI is just a horrendous mess (except for the xray thing that tells you who the actors are when you pause). There is no way that a company with this much money can accidentally make something this bad. It must be on purpose in a way that the shittiness covers up something or makes them more money in some unexpected way.
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Comment on Ford seeks patent for tech that listens to driver conversations to serve ads in ~transport
hobbes64 LinkI was interested in buying an electric car and I thought the Bolt would be pretty good since it isn't huge and heavy. Then they stopped making them, but they supposedly will return with one next...I was interested in buying an electric car and I thought the Bolt would be pretty good since it isn't huge and heavy. Then they stopped making them, but they supposedly will return with one next year that is "better". I heard GM is going to start having it's own navigation system instead of letting you use your phone. That's redundant for me since I already have a phone and I don't want another monthly charge for something which will almost certainly be a worse design than google or apple maps. So GM is off my list. Just the threat of Ford putting advertising of any kind in a car takes that company off my list too.
I'm only the millionth person who would like there to be small simple electric cars sold for a reasonable price in the US, and with no spyware or subscription-based nonsense added.
While I'm dreaming, I'd also like to buy a new car without haggling, but services like Costco, AAA, or Sam's club will get you "deals" that are below $600 below MSRP but then the dealer adds on worthless things like $800 GPS and $800 paint coatings.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
hobbes64 Link ParentThanks I didn't notice the planet scaling difference for flush. Like I said I think it is very powerful to use pair because you can get them almost every hand (or high card, which of course you...Thanks I didn't notice the planet scaling difference for flush.
Like I said I think it is very powerful to use pair because you can get them almost every hand (or high card, which of course you get every hand) and I seem to frequently get a joker of the type "the multiplier is how many times you have played this hand" and also "bonus if you never discard".
But I think maybe this strategy doesn't work very well with the strange limitations you get in challenges, such as "a joker is destroyed every hand". -
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
hobbes64 Link ParentOk I want to talk a little bit about Balatro. I've been playing this for a while and I unlocked several decks but I'm getting a little stuck on the challenges. The thing I want to comment on is...Ok I want to talk a little bit about Balatro. I've been playing this for a while and I unlocked several decks but I'm getting a little stuck on the challenges.
The thing I want to comment on is that you said "Flushes are good".
I almost never play flushes, unless I get a joker or modifier that makes them better for some reason. I am way more likely to play pair or 2 pair or 3 of a kind or full house. In fact, it is a decent strategy to mostly play pairs or high card and just buff them a lot because they are easy to get and that works well when you have bonuses for not discarding.
But you are farther along than me and you like flushes. I'm sure it depends on what jokers you have and which you try for, but why did you say "flushes are good". :) -
Comment on Balatro Mobile coming to Google Play, Apple Arcade and App Store on September 26th in ~games
hobbes64 Link ParentThat reminds me that I wish that you could buy mobile games through steam. Meaning, that I wish that there were more good mobile games that weren't play to win and I could own unlike Apple Arcade...That reminds me that I wish that you could buy mobile games through steam. Meaning, that I wish that there were more good mobile games that weren't play to win and I could own unlike Apple Arcade or whatever.
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Comment on AI is here. What now? in ~tech
hobbes64 Link ParentThe quote is from before the current AI bonanza so it isn't directly related to AI. My point is that it is part of a Silicon Valley mindset that they take high risks without worrying about...The quote is from before the current AI bonanza so it isn't directly related to AI. My point is that it is part of a Silicon Valley mindset that they take high risks without worrying about consequences. Moving fast and breaking things doesn't have to literally mean "Oops we have a css bug in the Facebook UI". It also obviously means that Zuckerberg has no problem with creating a product that has been really bad for civilization. It is bad for your mental health to read all the outrage and see all the ads for unnecessary products. It has undermined politics throughout the world by being a prime source of disinformation. It has been used to facilitate genocide. Facebook could mitigate these problems by taking proper responsibility for who advertises there and having proper moderation. But they simply don't give a shit about that stuff.
This is not the best source ever to support what I said, but please enjoy this episode of "Behind the Bastards" which discusses the topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlSDeNkcgcM
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
hobbes64 Link ParentCool I'll have to get Apple again for a month to watch this and finish Masters of the Air. Nerdy comment: I didn't notice until after I watched the whole 3rd season that the actress playing...Cool I'll have to get Apple again for a month to watch this and finish Masters of the Air.
Nerdy comment: I didn't notice until after I watched the whole 3rd season that the actress playing Shirley is the voice actor of Ranni from Elden Ring. But I probably also wouldn't have noticed that Jackson Lamb is Sirius Black and Dracula except I'm used to Gary Oldman disappearing into characters.
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Comment on AI is here. What now? in ~tech
hobbes64 LinkThis is a good and entertaining video. There are multiple themes in this (quite long) video, but one of them seems to be criticism of the technology itself. I have a slightly different take on...This is a good and entertaining video.
There are multiple themes in this (quite long) video, but one of them seems to be criticism of the technology itself. I have a slightly different take on this part than the author (Eddy Burback). Most of the problems he talks about are not about technology per se, but in the lack of control of these tech companies. They are too large, too powerful, too amoral, and most of the world's governments are either captured by them or don't understand the technology well enough to regulate it properly.'
"We have a saying. 'Move fast and break things.' The idea is that if you never break anything, you're probably not moving fast enough." - Mark Zuckerberg
Only an asshole who doesn't have proper accountability for the damage he causes would say something so irresponsible. But this is the kind of person who is shaping the future of the world.
There is another layer of problems caused by AI that Eddy didn't cover: It is yet another tech bubble that is in the process of popping. As usual, the salespeople promise a Wizard of Oz, gullible people invest in it, then sooner or later it's revealed that it's just a dude behind a curtain pulling levers, and a lot of people lose money.
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Comment on Where do you fit in the US political typology? in ~misc
hobbes64 Link ParentSame but I wasn't too confident in many of my answers. I do not particularly care for the Democratic party. The problem I have is that there is no valid opposition party in the United States. We...Same but I wasn't too confident in many of my answers.
I do not particularly care for the Democratic party. The problem I have is that there is no valid opposition party in the United States. We have:
- A Democratic party, which is flawed and corrupt and mostly serves corporations and the people in power, but is slightly accountable to voters
- A Republican party, which only serves corporations and billionaires, is completely unaccountable to voters, and runs an incompetent criminal for president 3 elections in a row.
It would be super nice if the press was more effective in general and if people weren't so easily manipulated by propaganda, especially right wing propaganda.
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Comment on Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix 2024 - Results in ~sports.motorsports
hobbes64 LinkYuki retired the race due to damage caused by contact with Hulkenberg. It was a good race as far as I'm concerned. I'm glad that Redbull dominance is over for a while longer. I guess it is a meme...Yuki retired the race due to damage caused by contact with Hulkenberg.
It was a good race as far as I'm concerned. I'm glad that Redbull dominance is over for a while longer. I guess it is a meme that Ferrari has bad strategy but not today.
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Comment on What are your favorite Dreamcast games? Any odd or unique ones worth playing? in ~games
hobbes64 LinkI came her to check if there were some games that weren't mentioned. I see nobody mentioned Soul Calibur. I think it was a launch title, or close to it and it created quite a stir.I came her to check if there were some games that weren't mentioned.
I see nobody mentioned Soul Calibur. I think it was a launch title, or close to it and it created quite a stir. -
Comment on X suspended in Brazil, fines may be issued for VPN access in ~tech
hobbes64 Link ParentHe's resistant to financial pressure because he's partially funded by Russia and dark money that finds twitter a very valuable space to sow disinformation.He's resistant to financial pressure because he's partially funded by Russia and dark money that finds twitter a very valuable space to sow disinformation.
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Comment on Undercover in Project 2025 in ~misc
hobbes64 Link ParentOne thing slightly related: Trump is (usually) a very useful lightning rod that keeps attention off all the other ways our rights are being taken away. It's like a magic trick. Trump does some...One thing slightly related: Trump is (usually) a very useful lightning rod that keeps attention off all the other ways our rights are being taken away. It's like a magic trick. Trump does some ridiculous thing, and tons of people make memes and laugh about it while behind the curtain this 2025 stuff is happening. I wish people would stay a little more informed and notice how much other elections and courts matter.
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Comment on Undercover in Project 2025 in ~misc
hobbes64 LinkIt's important for everyone to know this stuff and it needs to be on everyone's mind before they vote for a republican. One thing that slightly disappoints me about the video is that it tries to...It's important for everyone to know this stuff and it needs to be on everyone's mind before they vote for a republican.
One thing that slightly disappoints me about the video is that it tries to add drama with ominous music and flickery segment titles. This is like you see on true crime dramas or overproduced shows like Inside Edition. It makes me somewhat less inclined to share it because it seems hokey and manipulative.
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Comment on There is an obvious way for Red Bull to escape its driver crisis, one it has shown no signs of even contemplating: Valtteri Bottas in ~sports.motorsports
hobbes64 LinkThis seems like a good idea. Bottas definitely was closer in performance to Hamilton than Perez is to Verstappen, But you have to assume that there's all kinds of backroom discussions about such...This seems like a good idea. Bottas definitely was closer in performance to Hamilton than Perez is to Verstappen, But you have to assume that there's all kinds of backroom discussions about such things that we aren't privy to.
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Comment on Google and Meta struck secret ads deal to target teenagers in ~tech
hobbes64 Link ParentHow infuriating. When I was in college I remember a freshman computer science class that had a short lecture about security. It was talking about how aggregate data can easily be used to leak...How infuriating.
When I was in college I remember a freshman computer science class that had a short lecture about security. It was talking about how aggregate data can easily be used to leak information that is supposed to be hidden by taking two or more data sets and subtracting them. For example, if you couldn't get the salary of an individual employee, maybe you could get an intersection of two groups that let you get total salary, and where a specific employee was the only member in group a but not group b.
So this "loophole" is so obvious and so simple it wouldn't even be an interview question to get hired at google.
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Comment on The biggest band in America in 2024 is … Creedence Clearwater Revival in ~music
hobbes64 LinkI like CCR. I think John Fogerty's accent is very interesting. "I hoid it on the grapevine". Maybe it's a bit fake? As other people said on this post, CCR is from California, and Californians...I like CCR.
I think John Fogerty's accent is very interesting. "I hoid it on the grapevine". Maybe it's a bit fake? As other people said on this post, CCR is from California, and Californians don't talk that way. Still interesting to listen to the music.
The article was fine but I had to look up the word "choogle" which for some reason appears 6 times. Anyway based on context it may mean "debauched white boy boogie". Or maybe it means nothing.
I find it difficult to watch a lot of shows that I liked when I was younger. The basic problem for me is that most of the characters act very immature. For example, Cheers is supposed to be people in their 30s or later. But in their relationships they act like high schoolers. It's kind of exhausting.