knocklessmonster's recent activity
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Comment on Do you iron your clothes? in ~life
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Comment on On US Democrats who cave in response to anti-trans attack ads in ~lgbt
knocklessmonster LinkI think Julia highlights how important a wedge trans rights have become, which leads to the sort of behavior she's describing. There are pointless insertions in bills, meddling, introductions of...I think Julia highlights how important a wedge trans rights have become, which leads to the sort of behavior she's describing. There are pointless insertions in bills, meddling, introductions of bills that revoke de-facto rights (see: Julia's reference to people registering as their identified gender as far back as the 90s, HRT up through the 00s), which lead to a requirement to push back in kind, leading to a discussion that rivals the nation-wide debate of abortion and women's bodily autonomy (arguably, a lot of trans issues come back to bodily autonomy anyway, when it's not just a person's right to exist). When this pushback is presented, it is then neutered into "I don't think trans kids should play sports" when the one doing the pushing is scared of losing votes because the topic has become weaponized by the right.
The pressures that are discussed are sort of a reflection of the amplification of trans issues and the increasing polarization of the topic (we're probably at peak polarization anyway, maybe? things are quite bad). This leads, by and large, to the perception of risk on these decisions when, frankly, it doesn't seem like many people that were going to vote for a Democrat are going to change their vote because a politician supported trans rights. And I completely agree, you're likely not going to lose a blue voter over trans rights, at least to any statistically significant degree, the wide majority are at least minimally token supporters that'll say "You don't want to hurt people? Hell yeah." I'd bet that you're more likely to drive someone away by flip-flopping on the issue, and this individual is going to decide to stay home and not vote. That's not the fault of the trans community, however, that's the fault of a spineless politician who couldn't offer a basic defense, and move on to the rest of the platform.
This article reflected a frustration I can't properly articulate with trans rights becoming some sort of a cudgel that gets wielded against progressive, or even US center-to-left politics. The left-wing politician doesn't get to talk about their general policy, they're forced into this absurd discussion that leaves them explaining this one small part of their policy, ditching part of their platform to avoid the conversation, alienating part of their voter base, and things not improving materially for all of the drama around it. The right winger then wins on their opposition to trans rights, wokeness, etc, and proceeds to burn their jurisdiction (see the 45 and 47th presidential terms).
Her last point is also a particularly frustrating part of this, from the perspective of a voter (I'm not in Texas so I'm not affected by Talarico). If it's down to a Democrat who has cooled on trans rights, or even flipped slightly to reject them on the platform, is it better to vote for Talarico who isn't to hot on trans athletes in high school sports as a vague concept, and the start of a potential slippery slope, or the Republican who has it ingrained in their platform and is already well on their way downhill? It turns what should be a vote for improvement into a vote to hopefully slow the bus down before it flies into the crosswalk, hoping the brakes don't fly off as you're stomping the pedal.
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Comment on What is your "when I found out about 9/11" story? in ~talk
knocklessmonster LinkI was in elementary school, 6th grade, on a 4-letter rotation system, alternating months off to ease classroom load. My group was off, and my older brother was going to middle school. The family...I was in elementary school, 6th grade, on a 4-letter rotation system, alternating months off to ease classroom load. My group was off, and my older brother was going to middle school. The family car, an old, beaten-up Mercedes from the 80s, had a tendency to drop its muffler, which it did down the street from the middle school.
Probably 6:45 PT, a friend has the part we need to hit the road, my brother's already walked ten minutes to school, and he's ranting: "THEY FUCKING DID IT! THEY HIT THE GODDAMN TOWERS!"
It was a wild day. The day before, somebody had left a PETA magazine at the coffee shop my dad's girlfriend hung out at that had a Burger King parody that was messing with my head, so I was already twitchy and uncomfortable. Then thousands die, and we're three miles from Disneyland, what many considered a significant target if somebody wanted to continue things.
We mostly listened to the radio at the coffee shop. We went next door to a store when a friend was in New York as a band tour bus driver, called in to the station and talked about how things were just outside Manhattan. He, and his client band, were fine.
I remember people being legitimately scared everywhere. Nobody knew how to feel about, and this weird sort of helplessness seemed to settle over the country for a week.
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Comment on Summer US box office hits all-time $4.76B record: how audiences surrendered to moviegoing in ~movies
knocklessmonster (edited )Link ParentOdyssey was a disappointment to me simply because it doesn't need IMAX. I thought it was good but the pacing was weird, the narrative was kinda janky... I straight told my brother who was waiting...Odyssey was a disappointment to me simply because it doesn't need IMAX. I thought it was good but the pacing was weird, the narrative was kinda janky... I straight told my brother who was waiting to stream it that it's not a bad decision.
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Comment on Czarface Meets Frankie Pullitzer - Mad Technology ft Method Man (2026) in ~music
knocklessmonster LinkDefinitely a highlight on an already great album. I did a blind listen to the album a couple days after it dropped and Method Man's verse came almost out of nowhere and stole the show in the best way.Definitely a highlight on an already great album. I did a blind listen to the album a couple days after it dropped and Method Man's verse came almost out of nowhere and stole the show in the best way.
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Comment on I made a chill minimal 3D golf game that fits in 13 kilobytes - Sunshine Golf Classic in ~creative
knocklessmonster (edited )LinkI LOVE golf games! I just got a chip in birdie on hole one and I'm stoked on this already. EDIT: +2 on the course. 10/10 game.I LOVE golf games! I just got a chip in birdie on hole one and I'm stoked on this already.
EDIT: +2 on the course. 10/10 game.
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Comment on Firefox is releasing an enterprise offering soon in ~tech
knocklessmonster LinkWorth noting they do provide GPO Templates, which will at least apply for Windows/AD. I'm curious what this would entail, but I'm not sure I can get clients to switch to Firefox. It could be...Worth noting they do provide GPO Templates, which will at least apply for Windows/AD. I'm curious what this would entail, but I'm not sure I can get clients to switch to Firefox. It could be useful for my clients already with Firefox (+ their GPOs in place), however.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
knocklessmonster LinkVampire Survivors: I wanted to get all the achievements before the next DLC, Legacy of the Bloodmoon dropped. I was a little late, but nailed it. I'm working to unlock all the characters, etc, and...Vampire Survivors: I wanted to get all the achievements before the next DLC, Legacy of the Bloodmoon dropped. I was a little late, but nailed it. I'm working to unlock all the characters, etc, and clear the adventures, and having a good enough time.
Vampire Crawlers: Picked this back up, just thinking I should again. I love this game so much, it's the best bits of VS (number go up, familiar items) with the old school dungeon crawler interface, and surprisingly deep strategy that's still very fun and accessible (combos are playing by increasing mana, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, for mult). Similarly, just trying to unlock everything, and enjoying it. I don't understand how the combat systems work in relation to damage outputs vs number of enemies in the rows, but that's something I'm trying to sort out.
Graveyard Keeper: The sequel's coming soon, so I need to at least finish the MSQ. I know the end, but that's different than doing it. I like it, it's cheeky, the weekly cycles make it lower stakes than Stardew Valley, but the systems are plenty deep and engaging, sending you all over the map for stuff in a fun way.
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Comment on CGA-2026-09 🕹️🙎♂️🛹 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 in ~games
knocklessmonster (edited )LinkI have like no connection to THPS 2 and 3. I played the first in 1999 on PS1, then N64. I missed 2, and played it occasionally and hated how wrong it felt. I then completely missed 3, and came...I have like no connection to THPS 2 and 3. I played the first in 1999 on PS1, then N64. I missed 2, and played it occasionally and hated how wrong it felt. I then completely missed 3, and came back on board with 4, which I personally think is the best. It has just enough narrative to tie things together, large open levels, and great mechanics.
That said, I'll definitely play some THPS2, I emulate it on Dreamcast when I get the itch. It definitely emulates smoother than the Playstation version in anything I've tried, but I tend to use Steam's RetroArch with the Flycast core.
Eventually, I came to appreciate it more, especially after the THPS 1+2 remaster in 2020. The levels are great, the addition of manuals definitely helps with expanding combos significantly, and for the higher-skilled players back in the day apparently this was huge. You could level off and keep the combo running, which led to massive scores.
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Comment on CGA-2026-09 🕹️🙎♂️🛹 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 in ~games
knocklessmonster Link ParentI happen to think that for emulation of THPS 1 and 2, Dreamcast is the best way to go. Emulation is accurate, efficient, and it frankly looks better than the Playstation port for colors, 3d bodies...I played it exclusively on the PSX back in the day, but I’m also a Dreamcast forever fan and am tempted to play that version just because I like whittling down the list of DC games I haven’t played.
I happen to think that for emulation of THPS 1 and 2, Dreamcast is the best way to go. Emulation is accurate, efficient, and it frankly looks better than the Playstation port for colors, 3d bodies (don't have that PS1 mesh warp thing), and overall performance seems better. I've got them on my Steam Deck with Retroarch.
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Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music
knocklessmonster LinkCzarface meets Frankie Pullitzer is probably going to be heavy in my rotation right now. Just dropped the 28th, I believe. For those who don't know, Czarface is Inspectah Deck from Wu Tang, and...Czarface meets Frankie Pullitzer is probably going to be heavy in my rotation right now. Just dropped the 28th, I believe. For those who don't know, Czarface is Inspectah Deck from Wu Tang, and Esoteric & 7L from Boston. Together, they've been dropping solid stuff since 2013. At some point they somehow got Tom Hardy wrapped up in the project as "Facepuller" aka "Frankie Pullitzer" (as he's credited currently).
Mad Technology is a standout, especially with the addition of Method Man, is a great one from the album, but the whole thing is solid. We get a strange interlude of Frankie Reciting the opening soliloquy of Richard III (I'm uncultured enough that I needed to look it up). For me it would've been enough to get a new Czarface album, but having a full collab with Frankie Pullitzer just sweetens the deal for me.
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Comment on Why am I left-handed? in ~science
knocklessmonster Link ParentOh yeah, I know I'm playing a slightly dangerous game there, especially knowing people raised around that. But the point I stress is things like specialty mice and musical instruments are simply...I'm sorry, I know it's not what you mean, but this feels too similar a thought process they had when they would beat children when that tried to use their left hand. Yes, you can do anything either handedness, but for many things, writing especially, you absolutely should use your dominant hand. You learn much faster which technically allows you to also hit higher peaks as we only have so much time in this world.
Oh yeah, I know I'm playing a slightly dangerous game there, especially knowing people raised around that. But the point I stress is things like specialty mice and musical instruments are simply more available and often slightly cheaper for maybe a little more practice overhead at the beginning.
I'm not saying relearn guitar or that there is anything wrong with doing it lefty (there isn'), simply that for many things you can, to a point, make a conscious decision that might save headaches later.
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Comment on Why am I left-handed? in ~science
knocklessmonster Link ParentThere's a tricky thing with handedness where it is confused for dominance in the sense that "everything must be done with this hand." When you are learning a completely new skill, you're going to...There's a tricky thing with handedness where it is confused for dominance in the sense that "everything must be done with this hand."
When you are learning a completely new skill, you're going to do mostly the same on either hand. There may ne an expressed preference, but it's easier to override early on, which I'm sure you have experience with.
With yoyos, there's a way people throw constant loops (out and back without catching). In general, if you have yoyo experience, these are easier to learn on your "off" hand because you don't have to unlearn other patterns.
Or instruments. When you first pick up a guitar, unless you've been doing lefty air guitar, your brain has no "guitar state." Both sides suck, basically, so it helps to try to learn the way that opens the path to more, cheaper instruments (righty).
I'm not advicating dor breaking your left-handedness but for things that are less immediate switchable like instruments and computer mice it helps to learn the "normal" way out of the gate. You won't have to toggle OS settings, hope for lefty variants, or drag the mouse iver the workstation to reorient it.
I also approach this from the perspective of ambidextrtity. I wrote with both hands growing up, and the skill was somewhat innate once learned, simply reversed. I had to rewrite a paper in 2nd grade because it was mirrored on my left hand.
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Comment on Amazon kept shutting down my tablet, so I spent $266 on four AI models to own it in ~tech
knocklessmonster LinkUsing big tech to pwn your device to block big tech is pretty amazing.Using big tech to pwn your device to block big tech is pretty amazing.
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Comment on What are your memorable airport stories? in ~transport
knocklessmonster LinkMy second time on a plane-based trip, and my first time buying my own ticket and being alone at the airport, I was flying from LAX to PDX. I got to the airport three hours early because I didn't...My second time on a plane-based trip, and my first time buying my own ticket and being alone at the airport, I was flying from LAX to PDX. I got to the airport three hours early because I didn't know what to expect for the lines, I got through security, I went to my gate (I always go to my gate first, I'm that guy), then bopped around as far as I could get in the terminals. I believe I was in 5, and it was connected to a couple others.
My flight got delayed half an hour. No biggie, we're chillin', I'll get there.
Delayed an hour.
And another hour.
Some time goes by.
Another hour.
I will have been at the airport for six hours before my flight takes off.
Yet another hour.
At the end of the day, my flight got delayed 5 hours. For a 2.5 hour flight. I was supposed to arrive at 1:30PM in Portland. I didn't land til about 6:30PM that evening.
Every flight I've had since then, except the one that was cancelled and re-scheduled five days later because the PNW was covered in an ice sheet in 2023, has been on-time with no issue. I saw so much of LAX that day just walking trying not to be an anxious wreck.
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Comment on GOG confirm they are working towards GOG Galaxy on Linux in ~games
knocklessmonster Link ParentUse Heroic Launcher, it's open source and fully supports GoG's cloud saving feature. I know you mention not wanting yet another installer but it's almost as good as Steam.Use Heroic Launcher, it's open source and fully supports GoG's cloud saving feature.
I know you mention not wanting yet another installer but it's almost as good as Steam.
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Comment on Help selecting a mechanical keyboard in ~comp
knocklessmonster LinkFor bluetooth, I'm a huge fan of Nuphy, I used their Air series exclusively for a year and a half until I decided I wanted to do away with bluetooth on my desktop keyboard as I didn't use it...For bluetooth, I'm a huge fan of Nuphy, I used their Air series exclusively for a year and a half until I decided I wanted to do away with bluetooth on my desktop keyboard as I didn't use it anyway. I have all of the Air V2s, which come with VIA firmware preflashed, which also allows configuration in wired mode with The associated webapp
You'll want to spend $20 on additional keycaps that they sell that are actually backlit, but I think they're worth the money.
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Comment on How are you different than you were last week? in ~life
knocklessmonster LinkI finished my first sort of dating cycle ever at 35. We went on a couple dates, coffee and a movie, and we sorta didn't work out. I texted her with normal stuff, she delayed and hit me a couple...I finished my first sort of dating cycle ever at 35. We went on a couple dates, coffee and a movie, and we sorta didn't work out. I texted her with normal stuff, she delayed and hit me a couple days later with "Hey, it's been great, but I'm looking for something else."
It hurt a little, but I also went in knowing first time I'm 1) Not going to be my best on my first ever date at 35, and 2) the whole point of dating is finding someone and sussing them out. Dating is a filter and "the one" is the one who gets through. She was great, but it was sorta mutual, no negativity.
I feel confident in a way I didn't before. I was open about who I was, we vibed for abit, nobody died, and the "worst" happened (we didn't go forward), but we're still alive.
I also realized I don't want to date right now, it's a lot of effort, but I tried, it was a success (I'd consider getting a second date a "win" because they wanna know more about you), and I grew from it.
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Comment on Obsidian Entertainment reportedly lays off a quarter of staff, cancels multiple projects, and begins work on new Fallout game in ~games
knocklessmonster (edited )Link ParentMicrosoft pushed for an organization-wide Xbox cull so Obsidian and Bethesda (and iD and others) got rocked hard. Even Sawyer didn't want to lead another game after FNV was dragged through the...Microsoft pushed for an organization-wide Xbox cull so Obsidian and Bethesda (and iD and others) got rocked hard.
Even Sawyer didn't want to lead another game after FNV was dragged through the mud, so he might have had a change of heart/some healing after that
MS has basically said to Bethesda "Wtf do you mean you aren't developing your biggest IPs?" and decided to rectify that situation it seems.
I hate the layoffs, especially the vets, but think at least having Obsidian do another Fallout will be a good thing. A silver lining on a shit cloud.
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Comment on Dbrand has cancelled their "Companion Cube" Steam Machine case, because they didn't ask Valve for permission in ~games
knocklessmonster Link ParentI think it was just good-natured excitement nobody tempered, given the response. Dbrand also totally handled it well by ceasing and desisting when prompted.I think it was just good-natured excitement nobody tempered, given the response. Dbrand also totally handled it well by ceasing and desisting when prompted.
Not usually, except for dress shirts that will be used formally (In-office, I make sure they're steamed and wrinkle free). If I need to look particularly crisp i will. For work I steam my stuff to remove wrinkles, maybe touch up creases, or iron if a shirt is particularly wrinkly. If I travel for work, I'll typically just use my portable steamer, or give it a blast from the iron in the hotel room to knock the travel wrinkles out.