lackofaname's recent activity

  1. Comment on Who/what are your go-to sources for authentic recipes of regional cuisines? in ~food

    lackofaname
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    I don't have as big a list as you, but a few i return to: My Persian Kitchen for Persian cuisine La Pina en la Cocina for Mexican Manjula's Kitchen for vegetarian Indian (particularly North...

    I don't have as big a list as you, but a few i return to:

    5 votes

  2. Comment on America's dumbest crop: grass in ~enviro

    lackofaname
    Link Parent
    This is pretty much me. I have a lawn, and sure I have to mow and I do some other manual labour on it, but I let it be a weedy mess that dies when it gets hot/dry, so it's not responsible for much...

    This is pretty much me. I have a lawn, and sure I have to mow and I do some other manual labour on it, but I let it be a weedy mess that dies when it gets hot/dry, so it's not responsible for much resource use.

    I can only expand my gardens so much before I run out of time to tend them (though i have plans for way more expansion eventually). Letting the space go wild would just let the invasives I'm fighting take over (which are only as much a problem as they are because the last owners tried the wild approach). Plus, a bit of lawn space is great for hosting outdoor activities.

    9 votes

  3. Comment on AI slop is killing our channel in ~tech

    lackofaname
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    Couple thoughts, may as well start with the silly one: Anyone else hear, almost, "Canada" every time the narrator says "Calendar"? While overall I'm in line with the video, there are 2 maybe minor...

    Couple thoughts, may as well start with the silly one: Anyone else hear, almost, "Canada" every time the narrator says "Calendar"?

    While overall I'm in line with the video, there are 2 maybe minor points I think merit nuance (or I just wanted to share my thoughts):
    -The first is the argument that the article they looked at again must have been generated by AI because it was flagged as high probability using an AI writing detector. I've seen first hand those tools are alllllll over the place on their predictions when assessing purely human-written text. (Though, maybe they rechecked the articles in other ways to conclude whether they were likely ai slop, and just didn't mention for the sake of the narration)

    -The second is about the finding that scientific papers show an increasing trend toward markers indicative of ai. Grain of salt and all, but this isn't necessarily bad. Maybe researchers now can write their manuscript in their native language and use an ai to translate (or write in english and clean up grammar). Or, sure, they may be plugging in findings and to help buld the first draft (original research articles tend to be very formulaic IMRaD). That said, I agree it's important to state which and how ai tools are being used. Above uses are much different than plugging in results and asking the ai to build a discussion/draw conclusions without heavy human brainpower contributing.

    15 votes

  4. Comment on Tildes Book Club Discussion - September 2025 - Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang in ~books

    lackofaname
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    It's common of all Chiang's stories, but I particularly enjoy the way this story dives straight into the world he's devised; it's simply a fact that god, angels, miracles, and all the mess they...

    It's common of all Chiang's stories, but I particularly enjoy the way this story dives straight into the world he's devised; it's simply a fact that god, angels, miracles, and all the mess they cause are.

    I'm pretty agnostic myself, so I don't approach this story from a personal lens of thinking about god/theology per se. Instead, I find it prompts me to think about morality more generally. I like that I don't find it tries to lead me to a particular conclusion, but feels sort of like a rorsach test as the different characters work through their various experiences.

    3 votes

  5. Comment on How Copenhagen gave cyclists a green wave – traffic lights are synchronised so a rush-hour cyclist at 20km/h can catch green lights all the way in ~transport

    lackofaname
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    Ooh jealous Canadian. One of my biggest frustrations as a cyclist (aside from headwind, hills, hateful drivers, and general lack of infrastructure :'D) is losing all momentum hitting red after red...

    Ooh jealous Canadian. One of my biggest frustrations as a cyclist (aside from headwind, hills, hateful drivers, and general lack of infrastructure :'D) is losing all momentum hitting red after red light when cycling on bike paths built along main streets.

    8 votes

  6. Comment on Tildes Book Club Discussion - September 2025 - Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang in ~books

    lackofaname
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    I'd love to hear what others have to say about their interpretation of Division by Zero. I'm intrigued by this one, but feel like I'm only on the cusp of an interpretation of it that I find...

    I'd love to hear what others have to say about their interpretation of Division by Zero. I'm intrigued by this one, but feel like I'm only on the cusp of an interpretation of it that I find satisfying.

    There's the theme of Renée's math discovery that undermines mathematics, and the turmoil this causes at least those more interested in theory than application. This reminds me quite a bit of The Three Body Problem when physics 'breaks'.

    I feel like there's a parallel to this with Carl's side of the story, and his sympathy, (lack of) empathy, and loss of love. It's this side of the story where I feel a little unresolved. Either I'm grasping at straws or just not elegantly connecting the threads.

    Overall, I find myself comparing this story with Stories of your Life, in that they both have a narrative focus on close human connections in the face of a big sci-fiy paradigm shift in knowledge, but ultimately stories of your life lands much stronger for me.

    1 vote

  7. Comment on Tildes Book Club Discussion - September 2025 - Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang in ~books

    lackofaname
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    Hands down my favourite. In Chiang's style overall, I appreciate the way he explores a given topic or idea through story, like a thought exercise. Story of your Life is the only one I feel also...

    Hands down my favourite. In Chiang's style overall, I appreciate the way he explores a given topic or idea through story, like a thought exercise. Story of your Life is the only one I feel also beautifully ties in a deep emotionality. Both times Ive listened to this story, ive sobbed by the end.

    I've come across the interpretation that this story is about free will. But for me, it feels more like an allegory of the human condition, particularly love in the face of death.

    (Generally), humans know we will love others in our lives, and we choose to love others, even knowing that all love faces either an end of love (the father in the story) or death (the daughter).

    To me, the story's structure of the narrator recounting 'future memories' of loves that end and still carrying on that path as though a reflex parallels the human drive to love despite our 'future knowledge' of how it ends. It feels very personal and universal all at once

    5 votes

  8. Comment on Tildes Book Club Discussion - September 2025 - Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang in ~books

    lackofaname
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    Tower of Babylon was one of my least favourites when I first read the book over a year ago. During my reread for this bookclub, Ive (so far?) skipped this story. I couldn't say exactly why it...

    Tower of Babylon was one of my least favourites when I first read the book over a year ago. During my reread for this bookclub, Ive (so far?) skipped this story.

    I couldn't say exactly why it didn't resonate: Maybe in part because it was the first of Chang's stories I read and I wasn't in tune with his style (i remember feeling confused and had to relisten to some bits). I think also that it's so biblical (a subject that doesn't interest me much) without giving me much more to think about. Contrast that with 'Hell is tur absence of god', which I found gave me a lot to think about morality, beyond a story of angels and heaven and god.

    2 votes

  9. Comment on Samsung confirms its $1,800+ fridges will start showing you ads in ~tech

    lackofaname
    Link Parent
    Only problem is if basic fridge settings can only be adjusted through the display. I was mucking about with a relative's fridge a couple years ago - a nice model but no display screen. It had...

    Only problem is if basic fridge settings can only be adjusted through the display.

    I was mucking about with a relative's fridge a couple years ago - a nice model but no display screen. It had certain fridge settings that required the app to set up; no manual option. Insane.

    11 votes

  10. Comment on What's your go-to hot sauce? in ~food

    lackofaname
    Link Parent
    Thanks! And that's ok, even though i know different peppers have different flavours, i can have a bit of fun experimenting for a taste i like with ingredients available to me :)

    Thanks! And that's ok, even though i know different peppers have different flavours, i can have a bit of fun experimenting for a taste i like with ingredients available to me :)

  11. Comment on Tildes Book Club - Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang - How is it going? in ~books

    lackofaname
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    Haven't started my re-read yet, but this reminded me to borrow it so I'll get started soon! I remember really liking some stories and feeling more tepid on one or two, so I may jump around a bit...

    Haven't started my re-read yet, but this reminded me to borrow it so I'll get started soon! I remember really liking some stories and feeling more tepid on one or two, so I may jump around a bit in this refresh.

    2 votes

  12. Comment on What's your go-to hot sauce? in ~food

    lackofaname
    Link Parent
    You've got me wanting to try making something like the olive oil/lemon one. Is it made with fresh peppers, or dry?

    You've got me wanting to try making something like the olive oil/lemon one. Is it made with fresh peppers, or dry?

    1 vote

  13. Comment on This to That (glue advice) in ~creative

    lackofaname
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    One of my favourite websites! Now, I wish there was a website this simple for caulking - the amount of time I've spent trying to understand what to use for each new project that pops up.

    One of my favourite websites! Now, I wish there was a website this simple for caulking - the amount of time I've spent trying to understand what to use for each new project that pops up.

    6 votes

  14. Comment on What is a business/org that is great and ethical in so many aspects that everyone should consider using? in ~life

    lackofaname
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    For Canadians look for chocolate / cacao: Camino La Siembra chocolate is pretty legit in terms of being fair trade. They have eating bars and also cooking chips/powder. Plus it's delicious - it's...

    For Canadians look for chocolate / cacao: Camino La Siembra chocolate is pretty legit in terms of being fair trade. They have eating bars and also cooking chips/powder. Plus it's delicious - it's been a pantry staple for many years.

    Clothing-wise, KOTN is a certified B corp that puts care into the materials it sources and funding back into schools and fighting poverty where the cloths are manufactured (egypt). I've also been very happy with the quality.

    Gelaskins - this is a bit niche, but for anyone who enjoys personalizing their electronics with art, I'll always plug this company. Of the many items I've purchased, I once had to make a return. I contacted them to ask if I could return it in person at their office to avoid shipping, and they arranged a time not only for the return but to give me a tour of their facility. It was a really nice gesture!

    For now, I'll close it off with my local farmer's market. All the vendors are vetted as legit (as opposed to markets where more 'commercial' products are sold), there's live music, and it runs year round. It is pricier, but is a nice supplement to my main grocery purchases.

    8 votes

  15. Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books

  16. Comment on What are your favorite ways to measure your own health? in ~health

    lackofaname
    Link Parent
    Ahh, ok, in that context of the Swedish weird for strong, I can definitely see the added opacity. Good translation is tricky. ty for sharing!

    Ahh, ok, in that context of the Swedish weird for strong, I can definitely see the added opacity. Good translation is tricky. ty for sharing!

  17. Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books

    lackofaname
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    I just finished Hotline by Dimitri Nasrallah. It was sweet and sad, an easy listen I quite enjoyed. I'd recommend it if you like more slice-of-life, character-driven stories. I've been making my...

    I just finished Hotline by Dimitri Nasrallah. It was sweet and sad, an easy listen I quite enjoyed. I'd recommend it if you like more slice-of-life, character-driven stories.

    I've been making my way though the City Watch Discworld subseries as holds become available. Recently finished Feet of Clay and on Jingo now.

    I'm intending on relistening to Stories of your life for the book club. I read it about a year ago, and need a major refresh.

    1 vote

  18. Comment on What are your favorite ways to measure your own health? in ~health

    lackofaname
    Link Parent
    Although I studied (not evolutionary) biology, I think 'fittest' can easily be misunderstood by the average non-biologist native English speaker. The everyday use of 'fittest' does generally...

    Although I studied (not evolutionary) biology, I think 'fittest' can easily be misunderstood by the average non-biologist native English speaker. The everyday use of 'fittest' does generally assume (physical) fitness. Also, I have vague recollections that during intro-level biology classes, the 'real' meaning for evolution had to be drilled into students to prevent the misconception.

    I speak no Swedish, but for the back-translation 'strongest', I can see how it carries borh a similar enough meaning and similar misunderstanding, as the English fittest. In that the typical meaning recalls (physical) strength, musculature, etc., or mental fortitude. But, strong also has the meaning of being relatively better at something (eg, she has strong language skills), which hits closer to the evolutionary meaning. - Out of curiosity, is this latter meaning of 'strong' used in Swedish?

    2 votes

  19. Comment on Survey results on books that people identify as shaping their life/personality after reading them in high school in ~books

    lackofaname
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    One book that really jumps to mind is A Sand County Almanac. It's a bit chicken/egg, because I think I was gifted it after I enrolled in environmental sciences schooling. Nonetheless, Leopold...

    One book that really jumps to mind is A Sand County Almanac. It's a bit chicken/egg, because I think I was gifted it after I enrolled in environmental sciences schooling. Nonetheless, Leopold writes with a quiet reverence about seemingly small observations of his environment that I think has probably really influenced the way I view the (natural) world around me.

    Another isn't fiction, the miracle of mindfulness. I read it in highschool on an adult's recommendation, and I continually find myself coming back to the lessons it holds.

    I've read a lot of the books in the list and adored many, so that's not to say they haven't had an impact. Just either it's been too long or the impact too subtle to recall.

    1 vote

  20. Comment on Thinking about my next (career) move in ~life

    lackofaname
    Link Parent
    Ahh, I don't know why I didn't just say I'm a ux writer in my post. I got into it before that's what my job was called, also as a way to level up my more technical writing/editing freelancing...

    Ahh, I don't know why I didn't just say I'm a ux writer in my post. I got into it before that's what my job was called, also as a way to level up my more technical writing/editing freelancing after grammerly launched (as mediocre as it was originally, it felt like the sign of times to come). Technical writing is a really solid skillset to leverage into ux writing imo. Feel free to private msg me if you have questions!

    As for the rest, I agree, networking/linkedin feel a little like necessary 'evils', and I've been entirely too complacent recently. I got my last job simply because i told every friend i spoke with that I was exploring new work, and one shared a posting.

    1 vote