lou's recent activity
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Comment on If a new constitution was written, what would you advocate for in it? in ~society
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Comment on What's a feeling you sometimes experience that you don't have a name for? in ~talk
lou (edited )LinkI have recurring nightmares where my body is infinitely folded. That does not hurt, but after each fold I become smaller to the point where I am a subatomic particle. I don't think about atoms in...I have recurring nightmares where my body is infinitely folded. That does not hurt, but after each fold I become smaller to the point where I am a subatomic particle. I don't think about atoms in the dream, that is just my interpretation. Eventually I cease to have length or mass, and only a sliver of consciousness remains to witness its own dissolution.
It is like existing and not existing. I don't have a word for it. I can barely describe it.
That nightmare sometimes takes the form of a night terror associated with sonambulism. So all these sensations are also present fully while I am awake as a continuation of the nightmare.
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Comment on Disney scales back ‘Snow White’ Hollywood premiere amid Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot controversies in ~movies
lou (edited )Link ParentThanks. Not a lot of people on that sub but they commented on some of Dinklage's remarks about the Disney movie. The top comment agrees with him. Others have different opinions, but I think they...Thanks. Not a lot of people on that sub but they commented on some of Dinklage's remarks about the Disney movie. The top comment agrees with him. Others have different opinions, but I think they are mostly in some sort of agreement.
https://old.reddit.com/r/dwarfism/comments/13460fc/the_peter_dinklage_dilemma/
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Comment on Disney scales back ‘Snow White’ Hollywood premiere amid Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot controversies in ~movies
lou LinkI expected this to be a lot of things. Dwarf identity politics was not one of them. Are non-Dinklage dwarfs also taken aback? Is "dwarf" okay to say? I'm trying to find out if there is a subreddit...I expected this to be a lot of things. Dwarf identity politics was not one of them. Are non-Dinklage dwarfs also taken aback? Is "dwarf" okay to say? I'm trying to find out if there is a subreddit for them but I don't know the correct term.
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Comment on Popping the bag: What happens when a group, once powerful, is suppressed or disbanded? Where do its members go? in ~society
lou Link ParentI am also reading it and can also say that it doesn't feel like AI to me.I am also reading it and can also say that it doesn't feel like AI to me.
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Comment on Popping the bag: What happens when a group, once powerful, is suppressed or disbanded? Where do its members go? in ~society
lou Link ParentGPTZero says it is not AI. I don't know if that website is reliable though.GPTZero says it is not AI. I don't know if that website is reliable though.
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
lou (edited )LinkDr. Mike from YouTube sad that The Pitt (HBO) might be the most realistic medical drama he ever saw. I immediately stopped the reaction and started downloading it. I appreciate realism in general...Dr. Mike from YouTube sad that The Pitt (HBO) might be the most realistic medical drama he ever saw. I immediately stopped the reaction and started downloading it. I appreciate realism in general and it is very hard to find, so I didn't want any spoilers. The show feels very real, but maybe too real for me at times. I am reminded of the times I was at the hospital assisting relatives in their last moments. So I did skip a few scenes that hit too hard.
That said, some less realistic tropes are still there, like patients who immediately open up about their personal issues the second they see a doctor, and doctors who constantly overshare about their traumas to both patients and colleagues. I give it a pass because it is hard to do exposition in that kind of show in a timely manner. It's kitsch and a little cringe inducing, but being realistic about that stuff would make for a very slow narrative.
The Pitt is being sued by the estate of Michael Crichton for copyright infringement of ER (the medical drama from 1994). I watched ER. The claim is insane -- by that measure any realistic emergency room drama would be at fault. It does feature Noah Wyle (who's aging like fine wine by the way...) as the lead and executive producer, as well as two other producers from ER. Great show.
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Comment on Michelle Obama launches podcast with her brother Craig Robinson in ~life
lou Link ParentI thought it was Craig Ferguson. That would've been interesting.I thought it was Craig Ferguson. That would've been interesting.
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Comment on Download and transfer for Kindle books discontinued on Feb 26 in ~books
lou Link ParentYeah, I could previously do it with barebones Calibre, no plug-ins. Looks like I'll have to learn how to use plug-ins on Calibre now. Thanks ;)Yeah, I could previously do it with barebones Calibre, no plug-ins. Looks like I'll have to learn how to use plug-ins on Calibre now. Thanks ;)
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Comment on Download and transfer for Kindle books discontinued on Feb 26 in ~books
lou LinkHas Amazon also made harder to get books from a Kindle device via USB? I'm sure I could do that before, I even tried with a book that I previously copied from the same Kindle. Calibre won't get...Has Amazon also made harder to get books from a Kindle device via USB? I'm sure I could do that before, I even tried with a book that I previously copied from the same Kindle. Calibre won't get them (will tell me to download from Amazon which I cannot do anymore) and the files are encrypted if I copy them. That includes pirated ebooks that I sent to my Kindle via my Kindle's email.
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Comment on I used to teach students. Now I catch ChatGPT cheats. in ~tech
lou (edited )Link ParentI don't think anyone is saying everything AI produces is of poor quality but rather that it often does not produce student essays of sufficient quality. I would expect AI to be remarkably good at...I don't think anyone is saying everything AI produces is of poor quality but rather that it often does not produce student essays of sufficient quality. I would expect AI to be remarkably good at explaining fundamental mathematical concepts, but it is perhaps not as good for other subjects. It is certainly not as good when you must combine different concepts to achieve a synthesis between them that is not cliche or entirely trivial. That is what many graded essays require.
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Comment on Windows 11 Cleanup/Configuration Script(s)? in ~comp
lou (edited )LinkFor #2 I use scoop. Scoop doesn't mess with the base system and installs the portable versions of the programs by default. I always configure it to install programs on a custom folder and drive...For #2 I use scoop. Scoop doesn't mess with the base system and installs the portable versions of the programs by default. I always configure it to install programs on a custom folder and drive that is outside the Windows folder structure nonsense. I recommend using Scoop, but set up a custom installation folder before you even install Scoop. I don't have the links that taught me how to do that, but I'm sure you can find them. It is just a matter of setting up some environment variables beforehand, and Windows even has a GUI for that. Scoop works well and doesn't try to change how Windows works, it merely allows you to install a bunch of programs at once in a way that is the least likely to cause problems. Chocolatey makes it very hard to do that, and is also way more complex. Add some extra buckets (repos) to scoop for even more programs and you are good to go. You should probably avoid the bucket for Windows internal components, as I don't like the idea of scoop interacting directly with the operating system, but the other buckets are reliable. Some programs don't like being portable though, such as Firefox for example. I install it the regular way. You may also update all your scoop programs with a single command. Make sure to install the scoop-search package (
$ scoop install scoop-search) to search programs faster. -
Comment on Sleeping on the floor in ~life.home_improvement
lou Link ParentOh, my wife and I have been sleeping in separate beds for 2 years! It is better for us. We are still in the same bed lots of times (and not just for sex lol), but we sleep separately. So the major...Oh, my wife and I have been sleeping in separate beds for 2 years! It is better for us. We are still in the same bed lots of times (and not just for sex lol), but we sleep separately. So the major concern is really the money, since we paid a lot for my mattress and it would feel wasteful for me not to use it anymore :P
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Comment on Sleeping on the floor in ~life.home_improvement
lou Link ParentAwesome. My EVA arrived, and it is more rigid than I would have wanted. It's what they have on a gym's floor. So I'll keep looking for a better material. That said, right now, my only "problem" is...Awesome. My EVA arrived, and it is more rigid than I would have wanted. It's what they have on a gym's floor. So I'll keep looking for a better material. That said, right now, my only "problem" is that my wife is upset because we spent a lot of money on my new mattress and now she thinks I won't even use it :P
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Comment on Sleeping on the floor in ~life.home_improvement
lou Link ParentThanks! Those are unfortunately very expensive in my location.Thanks! Those are unfortunately very expensive in my location.
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Comment on Sleeping on the floor in ~life.home_improvement
lou Link ParentAwesome! I genuinely slept very well on the floor so I think that is something worth trying.Awesome! I genuinely slept very well on the floor so I think that is something worth trying.
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Comment on Sleeping on the floor in ~life.home_improvement
lou Link ParentI am most certainly not in shape, and I loved sleeping on the floor with my makeshift bedding. But I still don't know how I'm going to feel sleeping on the floor multiple times. I am not extremely...I am most certainly not in shape, and I loved sleeping on the floor with my makeshift bedding. But I still don't know how I'm going to feel sleeping on the floor multiple times. I am not extremely overweight but I am definitely above my ideal weight. I hope that the softer materials I put between me and the floor will mitigate some of the effects of being overweight.
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How the Vatican's embassies work
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
lou (edited )LinkI am reading the manga Tomie, by Junji Ito. It is considered a classic of the horror genre in manga. As a modern, non-Japanese, ADHD reader, some things are not ideal for me. I sometimes find it...I am reading the manga Tomie, by Junji Ito. It is considered a classic of the horror genre in manga. As a modern, non-Japanese, ADHD reader, some things are not ideal for me. I sometimes find it difficult to discern who is the character I am looking at. They often look very similar, names are not always used, and when they are used they are long Japanese names that I find hard to remember. I had to look up the recap for the first volume and then read it all over again, just because I failed to understand the plot due to failing to identify several characters. That is something reviewers never talk about, but it is something I find very relevant.
That gets easier in future volumes. Horror is sometimes defined as a genre seeking to cause fear and repulsion. In my opinion, Tomie is more about the latter than the former. Tomie causes me disgust more than it scares me. The art is usually quite pedestrian, but it gets progressively brilliant when nasty things occur. That seems intentional, as the simple "real world" within the fictional universe is contrasted with the complexity and elaboration of the grotesque elements. This works very well.
I don't know if the chapters in this Complete Tomie volume that I am reading were released in sequence as a single series or if they were interspersed with other stories. I can only say that reading them in sequence gets tiresome. We always know that whatever background each story has, they will eventually take a turn in which Tomie shows up. We also know that any man will be preyed upon and dominated by her in some form. So, while there are exceptions, a lot of times it is easy to predict at least some events in the story.
I am liking this manga, but it is very different from what I imagined it. I thought that a Japanese horror master would be more subtle and sophisticated. Tomie is raw, disgusting, and in your face. I'm not sure if I think Junji Ito is a genius or anything like that, but Tomie is an enjoyable horror that is easy to read, with wonderful grotesque images that will linger on the reader's mind.
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Comment on Random amusing Tildes meta photo in ~tildes
lou (edited )Link ParentDon't worry friend, I am perfectly fine ;) I just have plenty of things to say that are more or less ready in my mind, requiring little elaboration. It's just a matter of putting the words out. I...Oof, that is a lot to unpack and all sounds rather personal. Sorry if asking about it brought up any negative emotions for you. I didn't intend for that to happen! But thanks for sharing your experiences despite that.
Don't worry friend, I am perfectly fine ;) I just have plenty of things to say that are more or less ready in my mind, requiring little elaboration. It's just a matter of putting the words out. I have an indefinite number of semi-complete texts in my head that I will write when the circumstances arise. My brain is pretty weird, but that is something I can use sometimes if I wanna look smart (because people will assume I thought of everything on the spot lol).
So it's not like I experienced those emotions right now. These events were processed long ago ;)
EDIT: I am also a film major who worked as a critic, so of course I have plenty of nasty things to say about theater :P
I would add a provision for the review and improvement of a new constitution after 100 years. Substantial changes could be made, but that would not be mandatory. A country could just choose to maintain the current constitution. That sounds sensible but I admit it could also backfire.