lou's recent activity
-
Comment on What are your food aversions? in ~food
-
Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
lou (edited )Link ParentAs I keep watching SFA (because why not, it's just five episodes...), I have another comment: what is so woke about this show? If SFA is "woke", it must be safest, mildest, most apologetic "woke"...As I keep watching SFA (because why not, it's just five episodes...), I have another comment: what is so woke about this show? If SFA is "woke", it must be safest, mildest, most apologetic "woke" I have ever seen. I'm pretty sure most nu-trek and a significant portion of the TNG era are more woke than SFA.
-
Comment on What are your food aversions? in ~food
lou Link ParentYeah. And I'm pretty sure the versions of non-tropical fruits we get are more "vibrant" as well. Which is great for fruit-lovers but not so much for me.Yeah. And I'm pretty sure the versions of non-tropical fruits we get are more "vibrant" as well. Which is great for fruit-lovers but not so much for me.
-
Comment on What are your food aversions? in ~food
lou Link ParentI do like conocuts specially coconut water (which is not the same as coconut milk that we only use for cooking). I'm okay with peas, don't love them. I don't eat squash. I also like tomatoes,...I do like conocuts specially coconut water (which is not the same as coconut milk that we only use for cooking). I'm okay with peas, don't love them. I don't eat squash. I also like tomatoes, which are technically fruit. But only on tomato sauce.
I find most fruit to have a horrible taste and texture. Tropical fruit are specially pungent.
-
Comment on What are your food aversions? in ~food
lou LinkI don't eat any fruit. Since I'm in the tropics, that means I detest all tropical fruits.I don't eat any fruit. Since I'm in the tropics, that means I detest all tropical fruits.
-
Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
lou (edited )LinkAn extremely negative and impolite take on Starfleet Academy I watched two episodes of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. I'm sorry, I don't have any diplomatic words to share. Is this what a bad young...An extremely negative and impolite take on Starfleet Academy
I watched two episodes of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. I'm sorry, I don't have any diplomatic words to share. Is this what a bad young adult novel feels like? What is it that I'm watching? How many times do I need to gratuitously see the protagonist's biceps and abs? Yes, he's attractive. I get it. Move the fuck on. And an entire diplomatic conundrum is resolved through the force of cheap romanticism? What do they even say to each other? What kind of inane, generic, worse-than-soap-opera dialogue for 14-year-olds is this? Dear God, I am not the target audience for this at all. Which begs the question, who is the target audience for this? How many teenagers are begging for Star Trek themed romantasy?
-
Comment on The best films made by directors over 80 — and the myth of creative decline in ~movies
lou (edited )LinkI would venture a guess that most of these films are not huge productions. An 85-year-old can 100% direct a great movie, but they're unlikely to do something like Aliens (James Cameron, 1986) or...I would venture a guess that most of these films are not huge productions. An 85-year-old can 100% direct a great movie, but they're unlikely to do something like Aliens (James Cameron, 1986) or Matrix (1999). Or whatever Peter Jackson did to manage filming three LOTR films at once. So if a director spent their life doing smaller productions, then yes, there is no decline. If they're the kind of person who has to go big, then they have a problem.
In most cases, I don't think there is a decline in creativity, but rather a decline in the ability to work for very long hours on large, complicated sets, while maintaining the same standards they had before.
-
Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
lou (edited )Link ParentI also managed to get back to reading despite my ADHD. It helped to go back to print books, and to have a specific room in the house where I go to read. The other thing was figuring out what I...I also managed to get back to reading despite my ADHD. It helped to go back to print books, and to have a specific room in the house where I go to read. The other thing was figuring out what I really wanted to read. Even if I have a list of books to read, following it too closely can be demotivating. Learning what I actually wanted to read was harder than I thought. Ursula Le Guin is on my list mostly because I feel that I must read at least some science fiction written by women. So it feels like an obligation right now. I expect to learn more about her so I feel compelled to read it, and not just obligated. Right now I'm into some tech-oriented sci-fi, but I expect that to change in a little while. I like Greg Egan too but I'm trying to read things that are older (classics) and also easier right now, since I'm reestablishing my reading habit. Although I love the thoughts Egan makes me think, actually reading him can be difficult. Even more so for me because English is not my first language.
-
Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
lou (edited )LinkWhile reading Rendezvous with Rama, it was clear I was not done with Arthur C. Clarke. So I ordered and read Childhood's End (1953). While Rama is a "mysterious object" story, Childhood's End has...While reading Rendezvous with Rama, it was clear I was not done with Arthur C. Clarke. So I ordered and read Childhood's End (1953).
While Rama is a "mysterious object" story, Childhood's End has a much broader scope.
Significant spoilers
It starts with an alien invasion that turns into a "mysterious yet benevolent dictator" scenario and then morphs into a psychic apotheosis. The story takes place in about 100 years, and we can see humankind evolve under the benevolent yet stringent control of the Alien overlords, only for a new step of our evolution to suddenly present itself as a form of broad and powerful psychic powers that connects children to the ominous Mind guiding their progress, of which our alien Overlords were merely the messengers -- shepherds that guide and protect civilizations destined to merge with it."Childhood's End" has many protagonists that replace each other like in a relay race. Important characters are present throughout the book, assisting in its continuity, but none of them are humans. The persistent bit is the evolutionary process, how humankind evolves culturally and as a society. In a way, it is as if humankind were the real identity behind the actions, while the characters are little more than extensions -- the moving limbs and digits of a central intelligence. I know many complain about these Golden Age science fiction characters that feel more like plot devices than people, but what can I say? I like them, and I think they make sense in that book even more than in "Rendezvous with Rama".
That is not to say that they are not developed with interesting quirks and unique personalities. They most certainly are, but not to the extent that fans of other genres might expect.
I keep thinking that this book works far better than it should because it tells, essentially, three different stories that have no business being that cohesive.
More spoilers
First: a story of a mysterious alien invasion and domination. Second: a story about our indolence under benevolent invaders. Third: a story about psychism emerging in humankind under the coercion of a powerful, godlike Mind.
That was a highly enjoyable read. Clarke is a master of mystery, and the pace with which he dispenses information sustained my curiosity while rewarding it in real ways at regular intervals. Except for some things even the characters cannot fathom, when the time comes, Clarke is not afraid to explain even the most bewildering elements in the most clear and straightforward way. That is very satisfying.
The ending, while grand, failed to impress me. I don't believe that was a failure of the book, but rather a consequence of reading it 73 years after its release. Many elements of the ending are probably not nearly as impactful as they were in 1953. As a reader in 2026, I kinda expected the speculation to go a bit further, going deeper into the realm of cosmic horror. It is entirely possible that elements of this book became part of our general science fiction culture, mitigating its impact. This is not really a criticism of the book, but rather a commentary on how genre fiction evolves with time.
★★★★☆
I'll probably read Arthur C. Clarke's The City and the Stars next!
-
Comment on Ashes of Creation founder resigns as studio begins mass layoffs in ~games
lou LinkRUMORS According to some, briefly releasing the game on Steam right before shutting down the company was a move to avoid refunding players for money invested in the game. Apparently, Steam froze...RUMORS
According to some, briefly releasing the game on Steam right before shutting down the company was a move to avoid refunding players for money invested in the game. Apparently, Steam froze whatever funds AOC has in its books. Perhaps to refund people.
https://x.com/JakeSucky/status/2019191741421641821
https://old.reddit.com/r/MMORPG/comments/1qw6m7z/news_ashes_of_creation_steam_revenue_is_frozen/
-
Comment on Passing question about LLMs and the Tech Singularity in ~tech
lou LinkI'm pretty confident that LLMs have already plateaued and will see little substantial improvement in the next 10 years. And by substantial, I specifically mean "things that feel like sci-fi"....I'm pretty confident that LLMs have already plateaued and will see little substantial improvement in the next 10 years. And by substantial, I specifically mean "things that feel like sci-fi". They'll become more useful and more efficient within the same paradigm, but there won't be any earth-shattering developments.
If AGI ever happens, I am not convinced it'll have much to do with LLMs. LLMs are fancy probability engines. They are to me closer to the Mechanical Turk than to true intelligence.
That said, I'm a science fiction guy who reads about some of that stuff. Not a STEM person.
-
Comment on The film students who can no longer sit through films in ~movies
lou Link ParentI don't know about when televisions where invented. But the idea that television makes you dumb was very present in the 1990s and 2000s. The main idea, then, was TV competing with books, not...when televisions were invented, and in particular when colour televisions were invented, was there mass concern that younger generations no longer wanted to sit around and listen to radio dramas?
I don't know about when televisions where invented. But the idea that television makes you dumb was very present in the 1990s and 2000s. The main idea, then, was TV competing with books, not radio. That is still a common trope many parents will reproduce. My sister is barely 40. She demonizes videogames (which are still associated to the TV) but gave my godson a tablet, which is way more addicting in my view.
-
Comment on The film students who can no longer sit through films in ~movies
lou (edited )LinkAs a film major, I was glad to sit through lots of slow movies. That said, many were silent, and many were very short. The Conversation is like 2 hours of 1970s audio recording ASMR. It is a good...As a film major, I was glad to sit through lots of slow movies. That said, many were silent, and many were very short. The Conversation is like 2 hours of 1970s audio recording ASMR. It is a good movie, but I encourage the reader to watch it and make their own conclusions.
I used to watch Bergman and Tarkovsky for fun, but most students were not like me. Even back in 2003, some of my colleagues struggled. And even if I agree that kids these days don't pay attention, The Conversation is a very high bar.
There is also the issue of people who go to film school but don't like films. That also existed in 2003, and to this day I don't understand why they did that.
-
Comment on The Devil Wears Prada 2 | Official trailer in ~movies
lou Link ParentThe Devil Wears Prada is listed as a comedy-drama. I don't remember it being funny, but it was amusing. That trailer doesn't have a single amusing bit. It is also lacking in drama. Here's the...The Devil Wears Prada is listed as a comedy-drama. I don't remember it being funny, but it was amusing. That trailer doesn't have a single amusing bit. It is also lacking in drama.
Here's the trailer from 2006: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZOZwUQKu3E.
-
Comment on What are some of your recent "little" failures? in ~talk
lou (edited )LinkBecoming the main person who puts my kid (2 years and 4 months) to sleep. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. My wife is putting him to sleep right now, and I'm a little frustrated about that. I...Becoming the main person who puts my kid (2 years and 4 months) to sleep. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. My wife is putting him to sleep right now, and I'm a little frustrated about that. I assessed the situation and determined that it would take way too long for him to sleep with me today, given his agitation.
-
Comment on My relationship feels like it's collapsing and I don't know what to do in ~life
lou (edited )LinkIf I understand correctly you mention that you're confident everyone in your home is neurodivergent. Perhaps getting a bunch of diagnosis would help, as some of those issues can be treated. Your...If I understand correctly you mention that you're confident everyone in your home is neurodivergent. Perhaps getting a bunch of diagnosis would help, as some of those issues can be treated.
Your life sounds like a lot, so it's understandable that you're having issues with your relationship. I don't really have a solution for that because that is so much stress I'm a little scared just reading it. You shouldn't feel bad, most people would be barely functional and you seem to manage somewhat.
I would probably want to postpone the wedding in those circumstance, but I don't know how that works for you emotionally. That is another expense and clearly another source of stress right now.
Marital counselling might help and I would say it's urgent too.
Good luck!
-
Ashes of Creation founder resigns as studio begins mass layoffs
26 votes -
Comment on What healthy habit has made a difference for you? in ~health
lou LinkReading books in print provide me with a truly offline, slow-paced experience that disengages from the torrent of information of the internet. It also provides me with a kind of introspection that...Reading books in print provide me with a truly offline, slow-paced experience that disengages from the torrent of information of the internet. It also provides me with a kind of introspection that is not really about myself. Which is great because my thought patterns can be very obsessive.
-
Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
lou Link ParentClick to view the hidden text I'm guessing 3D modeling was not that common in 1973. Because all of those glass totems with schematics for things to produce could fit on a flash drive these days....Click to view the hidden text
I'm guessing 3D modeling was not that common in 1973. Because all of those glass totems with schematics for things to produce could fit on a flash drive these days. That thought made the scene much less impactful to me.
-
The evolution of space opera (1928 – 2025)
9 votes
Years ago we got visitors from Argentina all they did was to eat fruit. Fruits are here are cheap too.