JCPhoenix's recent activity
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Comment on What do you think the top three most used apps on your phone for the past week are? in ~tech
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of June 14 in ~games
JCPhoenix LinkCitizen Sleeper is free on Epic until June 25, 2026. Highly recommended if you're into story-heavy TTRPGs like Disco Elysium.Citizen Sleeper is free on Epic until June 25, 2026. Highly recommended if you're into story-heavy TTRPGs like Disco Elysium.
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Comment on What are some seemingly silly things in your life that have practical purposes? in ~life
JCPhoenix Link ParentI remember having a kid's typewriter as, well, a kid in the early 90s. And I thought that was the coolest shit ever. Think it was this one. My mom actually had a nice electric typewriter through...I remember having a kid's typewriter as, well, a kid in the early 90s. And I thought that was the coolest shit ever. Think it was this one.
My mom actually had a nice electric typewriter through at least the late 90s. Though I think at some point she gave it away or sold it during a move. Which was a shame; would've loved to have had that.
However, the place where I worked for a long time had an IBM Wheelwriter. Like through 2023, before the office downsized and we went full remote. And people used it on occasion. Even I did once in awhile. Usually for like one-off file folder labels (about the only thing I ever used it for), but I'd sometimes see the Boomers use it for various government or financial forms. If it was me, I'd just go find a PDF version of the form...
But I could also see the practicality in having the typewriter for business. I wonder what happened to that thing...
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Comment on What are some seemingly silly things in your life that have practical purposes? in ~life
JCPhoenix Link ParentSince moving out on my own many years ago, I've only lived in apartments. As such, I can't do permanent cabling. But I still want fast Internet and network speeds, at least to my gaming machines,...Since moving out on my own many years ago, I've only lived in apartments. As such, I can't do permanent cabling. But I still want fast Internet and network speeds, at least to my gaming machines, consoles, and server. Besides, have 1gig symmetrical fiber, so bah gawd, I wanna use it! Especially when some games are like tens of GBs or even over a hundred GBs these days!
So with some cable pulling poles, I've been able to go underneath the carpet in some areas. Then for areas where it makes sense to go along the baseboards, I bought some small fasteners to secure the Ethernet cable along the baseboards. No tripping hazards here. Plus, tiny nails make tiny holes, that no one ever notices. Looks decent, if I may say so myself! And I get my fast network and Internet speeds where I need it.
Keep in mind, I live by myself. So uhhh...my network is a bit overkill...
Agreed with @gleamingyeets; expensive hobby.
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Comment on What are some seemingly silly things in your life that have practical purposes? in ~life
JCPhoenix LinkI have a "flying uniform." I'm not a pilot or anything like that. But when I fly (and sometimes even when taking Amtrak), I have a set of clothes that I wear pretty much every flight. Doesn't...I have a "flying uniform." I'm not a pilot or anything like that. But when I fly (and sometimes even when taking Amtrak), I have a set of clothes that I wear pretty much every flight. Doesn't matter if I'm flying for work or pleasure. Jeans, colored plain t-shirt, either a dark blue or light blue linen long-sleeve button-up, and then a light jacket. Either this all black track jacket I have or one of my lightweight sport coats I have (in winter, I may have an actual coat as well). Simple but looks nice, too, IMO. And I do think there's some value in looking at least "smart casual" when flying.
It's sometimes too cold or too hot on the plane, or even in the airport, so I dress in layers. I remember once wearing shorts and t-shirt on a plane in the summer...and I was freezing the whole flight. It's also helpful when my departure/arrival cities have very different weather.
But it's always the same get-up. And it works!
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Comment on What are your favorite custom games? in ~games
JCPhoenix Link ParentBonzi Buddy corrupted Windows on the family PC. Hated that thing ever since. On the upside, a couple weeks later, once I realized I had the Win95/ME install CD, I did my first Windows reinstall....Bonzi Buddy corrupted Windows on the family PC. Hated that thing ever since.
On the upside, a couple weeks later, once I realized I had the Win95/ME install CD, I did my first Windows reinstall. First of many!
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The All-Beef Cookbook was a 1981 mistake
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Comment on What is your eleventh favorite video game? in ~games
JCPhoenix Link ParentSyphon Filter was the first stealth game I ever played. I was terrible at it (was a kid), and didn't get very far, but that definitely got me wanting to play more of them. Pretty sure I tried out...Syphon Filter was the first stealth game I ever played. I was terrible at it (was a kid), and didn't get very far, but that definitely got me wanting to play more of them. Pretty sure I tried out the second one, like rented it at Blockbuster, but I really don't remember any of it.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
JCPhoenix (edited )LinkSo I finished Staffer Case over the weekend. Case 4 (out of 5) was excellent. The "True" ending had a twist I did not see coming at all. And it really did a good job of pulling me in different...So I finished Staffer Case over the weekend. Case 4 (out of 5) was excellent. The "True" ending had a twist I did not see coming at all. And it really did a good job of pulling me in different directions; between emotion and logic. Like on one hand, I felt, "This kid did nothing wrong. He's innocent and this is 100% wrong what we're doing." But on other, "...But he is super dangerous. Even being watched, he could destroy it all. He's a true danger to the world; to the greater good." It was very much the trolley car problem. I don't think I've played an Ace Attorney or clone game where the case was so morally ambiguous.
The fifth and final case was alright, but it didn't hit as hard as the fourth. It, too, had a twist, but mainly focused to tie up the game's overall story. Pretty decent detective game all around. Reminded me of the anime Psycho Pass, with a little bit of the SCP universe mixed in. The main party is literally comprised the same way: "latent criminals" serving under and supporting a regular, non-criminal investigator.
Afterwards, played it's brief sequel, Staffer Reborn. It's super short. Like where Staffer Case was a full game (put in 20-25hrs), Staffer Reborn was barely 2hrs. Really just a way of saying, "Hey, the story of Staffer Case isn't over yet!" Another Staffer game is due next month; maybe it'll be a proper sequel.
Over in FFXIV, been doing the latest Variant Dungeon, "The Merchant' Tale." These are just "choose your own adventure" dungeons. I will say, this one's bosses don't seem as difficult as past Variant Dungeons'. Idk, I enjoy doing these and wish more people did them, but the rewards also seem pretty mid. So I get why people don't, especially if they're incentivized to do content through rewards.
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Comment on Smartphones arrived just before the US fertility rate plunged. One study says it’s a direct cause. in ~health
JCPhoenix Link ParentI'm not sure how any of this is relevant? I feel like you've read into something I didn't say. My point is that if Shanghai can "support" 30 million people (Idk how many people actually live...I'm not sure how any of this is relevant? I feel like you've read into something I didn't say.
My point is that if Shanghai can "support" 30 million people (Idk how many people actually live there; I'm just throwing out a number), but in the future, there are only 10 million, that's a huge problem. Because the city of 30 million still has to be maintained, even with only a third of residents. Otherwise, you get Detroit or Baltimore or St. Louis, or as DynamoSunshirt said, any US Rust Belt city or town.
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Comment on Smartphones arrived just before the US fertility rate plunged. One study says it’s a direct cause. in ~health
JCPhoenix Link ParentI hang out in some more wonkish spaces so those are ones I hear when people talk about/freak out about falling birthrates. Which is why more immigration is the usual answer (though even this has...I hang out in some more wonkish spaces so those are ones I hear when people talk about/freak out about falling birthrates. Which is why more immigration is the usual answer (though even this has its limits; after all, developing or emerging market countries are experiencing birthrate declines, too).
Unfortunately, you're not wrong that the people in charge seem to think of different "reasons" for freaking out about it. Which definitely does not include immigration (save for a certain racial group from South Africa). Sigh.
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Comment on Smartphones arrived just before the US fertility rate plunged. One study says it’s a direct cause. in ~health
JCPhoenix Link ParentI think the big issue with dropping fertility rates deal with things like public old-age pension and social security. Though probably depends on how those things are funded. In the US, social...I think the big issue with dropping fertility rates deal with things like public old-age pension and social security. Though probably depends on how those things are funded. In the US, social security is pretty much entirely funded through payroll/benefits taxes, along with accrued interest on the funds. So if more is going out and than coming in, because there are fewer people being born, which means fewer workers, then that's a problem. When I contribute to social security through payroll taxes today, I'm not funding myself in the future. I'm finding retirees today. Workers in the future will fund my social security payments once I get to that point. Ideally, anyway.
Another is what do you do with a world that's designed to have this many people, but now has far less? I think the poster boy here is probably China. Some projections show China's pop falling to like 800milliion over the next 40-50yrs. But they've built a country to support their current pop of over 1billion.
Actually, Japan might be the better example since it's happening today. Small towns are dying off as the young left for the cities and the now older folks who stayed begin to die. But some places aren't necessarily completely depopulated. As such, infrastructure still has to be maintained. Unless you're willing to force people out of their home and into the cities, that's a tough problem to solve.
Even assuming that's done, it may be necessary to bulldoze old towns and remove infrastructure for safety purposes. You can't just leave a bridge over a river in some now ghost town until it collapses. But that's not cheap to remove, either.
While I agree that the freak out over the declining birthrates is a bit much, I do think there are legitimate potential problems that we're going to have to solve. We built a system based on the idea on continuous pop growth. Or at least on the ability to maintain a steady pop. How do we reconfigure it to accept this potential new reality where the pop shrinks to some new baseline?
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Comment on Formula 1 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix 2026 - Race Weekend Discussion in ~sports.motorsports
JCPhoenix Link ParentUh oh...r/fanf1ction is leaking!Uh oh...r/fanf1ction is leaking!
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Comment on Formula 1 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix 2026 - Race Weekend Discussion in ~sports.motorsports
JCPhoenix Link ParentNo toxic rivalry, yet. If this somehow goes down to the wire towards the end of the season, like 2021, maybe we'll see some of that athletic emotion getting the better of some. See how many hugs...No toxic rivalry, yet. If this somehow goes down to the wire towards the end of the season, like 2021, maybe we'll see some of that athletic emotion getting the better of some. See how many hugs people are giving out. Though I could see Kimi kinda running away with it. Maybe not like Max in 2023, but with enough margin.
I, too, would love to see Kimi and Lewis go at it. That said, it might be a bit premature, based on a single race weekend, to say it'll be Lewis consistently fighting for P1. But we can dream and hope!
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Comment on Iran war live: US, Tehran confirm ‘peace deal’ reached in ~society
JCPhoenix LinkOK that's positive... So...what did the US get out of this? Is this not like the JCPOA that was signed under the Obama admin, which Trump then tore up? What was the point of all this? I fucking...It includes: a permanent and immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon; the complete lifting of the naval blockade within 30 days; a US commitment to withdraw its forces from around Iran; and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
OK that's positive...
The draft also mentions the suspension of sanctions on Iranian oil sales, reaching a final agreement on nuclear issues within 60 days of signing the deal, and the release of $24bn in frozen Iranian assets during the 60-day negotiation period.
So...what did the US get out of this? Is this not like the JCPOA that was signed under the Obama admin, which Trump then tore up? What was the point of all this?
I fucking hate this admin so much. And seriously dislike the people who voted for this. Yes, they voted for this, even if it was about eggs being expensive or whatever slop they saw on TikTok or wherever.
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Comment on The 2026 Running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Race Week Discussion in ~sports.motorsports
JCPhoenix LinkWell, I stayed up for about the same amount as previous years: 19-20hrs. Took a couple of naps about 12hrs apart. But I was awake for the start and the end. Spoilers Good guys won! Toyota won! And...Well, I stayed up for about the same amount as previous years: 19-20hrs. Took a couple of naps about 12hrs apart. But I was awake for the start and the end.
Spoilers
Good guys won! Toyota won! And got a 1-3 podium! I don't actually have a dog in this race so to speak, but figured since I tend to root for Honda in other non-F1 series (I can't root for AM Honda these days...I just can't), I'd root for the closest manufacturer here: Toyota.
I was kinda surprised how few FCYs there were. And how relatively short (I think) the were. This is only my fourth or fifth Le Mans viewing, but I feel like I've watched some years where I fall asleep while its FCY, then wake up like 3-4hrs later and it's still the same FCY. Of course that's usually due to weather. But I also might be getting this confused with other 24hrs races I watch.
Either way, didn't really seem to be any major incidents. At least while I was paying attention/not asleep.
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Comment on Formula 1 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix 2026 - Race Weekend Discussion in ~sports.motorsports
JCPhoenix LinkOne other thing. Calum Nicholas on F1TV is great. Hinch is too, of course. If it weren't for him doing IndyCar commentating, I would live to see him at every F1 race! But I really hope Calum makes...One other thing. Calum Nicholas on F1TV is great. Hinch is too, of course. If it weren't for him doing IndyCar commentating, I would live to see him at every F1 race! But I really hope Calum makes more appearances. He's super well-spoken and knowledgeable and just easy to listen to.
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Comment on Formula 1 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix 2026 - Race Weekend Discussion in ~sports.motorsports
JCPhoenix Link ParentIn Kimi's post-race interview, he seemed surprisingly alright. Smiling a little, even chuckling, even though he was saying it's a disappointing result. But it's the right attitude. Things happen...In Kimi's post-race interview, he seemed surprisingly alright. Smiling a little, even chuckling, even though he was saying it's a disappointing result. But it's the right attitude. Things happen outside of your control. Plus It's just one race, and he's still on top of the standings by a decent margin.
Will this happen more? Will he be this way everytime? Especially if his margin narrows later in the season? We'll see. But today, seemed like quite a mature response.
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Comment on User: ThreeCheersAppleTest in ~test
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Comment on Formula 1 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix 2026 - Race Weekend Discussion in ~sports.motorsports
JCPhoenix LinkLewis is back! But seriously, what a drive he had. I almost think that he would've been able to lock it up even without the perfectly-aligned VSC and pit. Somewhat ironically, courtesy of Alonso....Lewis is back!
But seriously, what a drive he had. I almost think that he would've been able to lock it up even without the perfectly-aligned VSC and pit. Somewhat ironically, courtesy of Alonso. Excellent result for for Lewis and Ferrari. And, obligatory, poor Charles
Devastating for Kimi though. My boss and I have been talking about Kimi. We recognize his skill, but it's like..."Hmm, his luck has to run out at some point, right?" Well, there it was. At the same time, it's one race. These things happen. And this one wasn't even his fault; it was a reliability problem.
I was surprised that only 15 cars finished. 14.5 if you don't count Albon finishing 11 laps behind Lewis, just circulating and gathering data.
Also, first all British podium since 1968.
I'm guessing NYT Games (Spelling Bee is my jam), Instagram, and...Ice Cubes, which is a Mastodon client.
And yup I was right! But the actual order is Instagram (2:20hrs), NYT Games (1:52hrs), and Ice Cubes (48min).
Firefox (32min) and Waze (25min) round out the Top 5.