luks's recent activity
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Comment on Why have so many travel vloggers been traveling to Middle East countries lately? in ~travel
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Comment on What's good in modern flashlights/headlamps? in ~hobbies
luks (edited )LinkI have a Petzl aktik with the core battery. The headlight can take 3 AAA batteries in a pinch but the core battery also fits and is lithium-ion so you get the long runtime. So far it's been really...I have a Petzl aktik with the core battery. The headlight can take 3 AAA batteries in a pinch but the core battery also fits and is lithium-ion so you get the long runtime. So far it's been really great. For a normal flashlight I've also been impressed by Fenix, the build quality is great, but they are quite a bit heavier. Also for camping, definitely get one with a red light mode.
I tend to be doing bike camping trips though, so I've been fine with only having the one headlamp. I also used the XTAR PB2 Powerbank for about 2 years until it died - it uses 2 18650 batteries and basically worked as a battery charger or permanent and i could remove the batteries if needed for my Fenix as well. I unfortunately couldn't find a higher quality replacement. I now have a Nitecore Powerbank - expensive and built-in but really great quality and lightweight.
I would agree with the other comments here, the battery lifetime is usually enough that you don't need to recharge often. Just bring a lightweight Powerbank for redundancy for all electronics and make sure everything uses usb-c to reduce the amount of cables and adapters needed.
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Comment on Advice on avoiding the hedonic treadmill of endless content? in ~life
luks Link ParentI only experienced the tail end of 'learning-to-read' in a Montessori school as I moved there in second grade, but the approach makes a lot of sense to me. They typically start with teaching the...I only experienced the tail end of 'learning-to-read' in a Montessori school as I moved there in second grade, but the approach makes a lot of sense to me. They typically start with teaching the different letter sounds and not the alphabet. A lot of sounds in the alphabet don't correlate well with their typical sound in words and the order of the letters is unimportant until you get to sorting things alphabetically (we did that in second grade). Instead there's a lot of focus on writing and matching sounds and letters. https://www.amontessoristory.com/journal/teach-montessori-reading You can make a lot of the materials at home, we taught my nieces and nephews quite successfully like that.
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Comment on What's the coolest thrift store find you've ever scored? in ~talk
luks LinkA Gore rain jacket for 5$ that retails for about $300. It was completely new, but the label was retro-style so I'm guessing they thought it was from the 80s. I love the jacket and use it anytime...A Gore rain jacket for 5$ that retails for about $300. It was completely new, but the label was retro-style so I'm guessing they thought it was from the 80s. I love the jacket and use it anytime it's raining :)
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Comment on How a flawed idea is teaching millions of kids to be poor readers in ~science
luks LinkI think a similar look should be taken at the way mathematics is taught as well. From what I've seen from my nieces' and nephews' homework, they are taught 5 different ways to do long division...I think a similar look should be taken at the way mathematics is taught as well.
From what I've seen from my nieces' and nephews' homework, they are taught 5 different ways to do long division with decimals, for example: using partial quotients, scaling, expanded notation, area model, and the standard algorithm in sixth grade. Thus it seems they understand nothing, short-term memorize 5 different algorithms instead of one and can't do it two weeks later and are unconfident and confused.
To be quite honest, I am and was very good at elementary mathematics (Montessori), but I would struggle to understand what is being taught. These are all different ways to approach a problem when doing mental math, but someone's preferred route should be individual. Not to mention, they don't do any mental math - there were numerous sixth graders that didn't know what 3*4 was. A calculator was the solution.
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Comment on How America nearly forged a different path in 1916 in ~humanities.history
luks LinkI thought this was a fascinating read! Not quite on topic, but I'd like to learn more about this time period as I've realized I know extremely little and yet these were the times that seemed to...I thought this was a fascinating read! Not quite on topic, but I'd like to learn more about this time period as I've realized I know extremely little and yet these were the times that seemed to have been the birth of many of the political and economic ideas we know today. The sentence about the FBI reminded me that I recently read Killers of the Flower Moon. It was an entirely new type of genre for me and I quite liked the engaging/half-fiction style. I wonder if anyone can recommend similar books covering this time period?
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Comment on Looking for some cat advice in ~life.pets
luks Link ParentWe used one of those cat food pot things for our cat exclusively. She never really overate, just ate too fast, but you could still see her weighing up wether it was worth it to fish out more food...We used one of those cat food pot things for our cat exclusively. She never really overate, just ate too fast, but you could still see her weighing up wether it was worth it to fish out more food or not. Something like this https://www.curbly.com/crafting-a-diy-cat-food-puzzle-game-with-3-simple-materials We didn't make it ourselves but the one we had I can't find online, but it was similar - she could only fish out 1-2 pieces at a time and had to transport them out of the box.
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Comment on Should I take a job to work on something I don’t believe in? in ~life
luks Link ParentYou really shouldn't feel guilty at all - the company certainly won't if they were to decide that they are no longer hiring/found someone better/etc. I also pulled back from an offer/nearly signed...You really shouldn't feel guilty at all - the company certainly won't if they were to decide that they are no longer hiring/found someone better/etc. I also pulled back from an offer/nearly signed contract in the last minute when I got offered something better - they just moved on to their second choice, no hard feelings at all.
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Comment on Nova Launcher discontinued in ~tech
luks Link ParentI just tried it, but I do like using widgets. That seems to be really clunkily solved in kvaesitso - a 1x1 widget takes up the full width of the screen, basically having a 4x1 frame around it. The...I just tried it, but I do like using widgets. That seems to be really clunkily solved in kvaesitso - a 1x1 widget takes up the full width of the screen, basically having a 4x1 frame around it. The search with options for calculator and timer and so on seems really nice though.
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Comment on I need advice, which laptop would you buy now? in ~tech
luks Link ParentThis is precisely what I did - got a three year old refurbished ThinkPad X13 Yoga, whatever the name was for about $250. It looked brand new and runs faster than my $2500 work computer (most...This is precisely what I did - got a three year old refurbished ThinkPad X13 Yoga, whatever the name was for about $250. It looked brand new and runs faster than my $2500 work computer (most likely due to spyware, but...)
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Comment on Help me find the perfect sandals? in ~life.style
luks LinkI've had the same pair of Teva Hurricanes for 3 years now - they have been super durable and don't slip around for me at all despite also sweating a lot. I think because they're designed as river...I've had the same pair of Teva Hurricanes for 3 years now - they have been super durable and don't slip around for me at all despite also sweating a lot. I think because they're designed as river sandals also. Although when they are fully wet, you do slip a bit. I find they do chafe a bit for the first 2-3 days, but then the straps soften up again.
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Comment on Anyone interested in trying out Kagi? (trial giveaway: round #2) in ~tech
luks LinkI'm also a bit late to the party, but would be interested in trying it out as well. Even with DDG and other alternatives, it seems nearly impossible to find non-AI, non-ad information.I'm also a bit late to the party, but would be interested in trying it out as well. Even with DDG and other alternatives, it seems nearly impossible to find non-AI, non-ad information.
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Comment on Soldering irons/stations - Buy once, cry once advice needed in ~hobbies
luks Link ParentThese guys explain most things about soldering pretty well https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3jAw41LRBxU Apart from that, you can get a few through-hole components and a PCB to practice soldering...These guys explain most things about soldering pretty well https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3jAw41LRBxU
Apart from that, you can get a few through-hole components and a PCB to practice soldering bigger components , as well as small kits of SMD components and a board to practice that as well at Amazon/AliExpress/etc. A lot of it is just practice and learning what works for you.
ETA: fixing loose wires or a bad cap is probably a lot easier than soldering SMD LEDs - they can be a bit sensitive to heat. Diagnosing the issue for the former can be a bit more complicated though and requires some experience
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Comment on Recommend your social/softer science fiction books in ~books
luks Link ParentI quite liked his "Ministry for the Future" - not an easy read emotionally, but it was very interesting to have technical science fiction interleaved with social effects and political documents.I quite liked his "Ministry for the Future" - not an easy read emotionally, but it was very interesting to have technical science fiction interleaved with social effects and political documents.
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Comment on How do people get over enshittification? in ~life
luks Link ParentYou actually just get a credit for the price of the socks and can choose any new one you want in the store. It's been an absolutely painless process for me. My mom's gone one step further and sent...You actually just get a credit for the price of the socks and can choose any new one you want in the store. It's been an absolutely painless process for me. My mom's gone one step further and sent in worn-out darn tough socks she found at Goodwill ;)
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Comment on Understanding the leftist that didn't vote: "Everybody else gets one, but not me" in ~society
luks (edited )LinkWhile I also wish that the Democrats were more left/progressive, I typically don't feel like I have a choice. I'm living in Europe right now, but visit the US often. Neither party captures the...While I also wish that the Democrats were more left/progressive, I typically don't feel like I have a choice. I'm living in Europe right now, but visit the US often.
Neither party captures the policy I want to see, but one is significantly further away than the other. And I do think some of the typical arguments do hold weight - I don't feel like I have a choice to abstain and not voting for the left benefits the right, allowing them to strip away my rights. There is a much lower danger of that from the left.
I'm trans, although I transitioned long ago and no one would know, but if they manage to hamper medical transition or revert legal changes, that would be a serious threat to my well-being. Not to mention the thousands of young people who would be impacted. So I do think it's a matter of privilege to feel that you have a choice.
(ETA: I do think though that the hyper specific identity politics are harmful and that many young people today are not trans in the sense that they need medical intervention. Both parties are missing the mark there completely)
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Comment on What do you actually do at work? in ~life
luks (edited )LinkI studied physics and now work in a lab testing semiconductor devices, although most are electrical engineers there. It's mostly doing the measurements -which can be a bit routine - but also...I studied physics and now work in a lab testing semiconductor devices, although most are electrical engineers there. It's mostly doing the measurements -which can be a bit routine - but also includes designing test setups/PCBs, programming the analysis algorithms and then collating the data and presenting it to the other people working on the project. I wish it would be a bit less conputer-based and more moving around and I'd like more time to read papers and get a better idea of the current developments, but I'm quite happy that it's pretty varied and not solely spreadsheets. Pretty often, some measurement doesn't work or something blows up and then it's a lot of critical thinking to find the root cause. We also have a small workshop for small mechanical work. I'm still quite new to working, but I like that it's varied, I need to think but it's not so high stress everyday, and there's a practical/manual aspect to it.
To get a bit more physical/practical work in, I'd like to do a shorter 4-day work week and then find a more outdoors job for the fifth day. I think that could be pretty difficult to achieve as 5 days/week are definitely the standard.
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Comment on The New York Times misses what’s true and important about an anti-trans school resolution in ~lgbt
luks (edited )LinkTo discuss the actual topic, this is something I've noticed a lot in recent years. My parents subscribe to the NYT, but have been thinking of cancelling it due to, among other things, the pretty...To discuss the actual topic, this is something I've noticed a lot in recent years. My parents subscribe to the NYT, but have been thinking of cancelling it due to, among other things, the pretty blatant transphobia. IIRC, the NYT don't have a good track record with moral panics in general, also heavily pushing the satanic panic a few decades ago.
The one article I distinctly remember, which wasn't mentioned here, was about bottom surgery for men. They outted a number of private resources, which then had to be taken offline as they were bombarded by transphobes. Security through obscurity doesn't work when a national newspaper needlessly names it and tells people they can go view titillating images there.
(Edited for spelling)
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Comment on The New York Times misses what’s true and important about an anti-trans school resolution in ~lgbt
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Comment on Help me ditch Chrome's password manager! in ~tech
luks LinkI am by no means highly knowledgeable on the topic, but I've been using Bitwarden for a number of years and it would tick all your boxes. I use Firefox, setup is limited to creating an account and...I am by no means highly knowledgeable on the topic, but I've been using Bitwarden for a number of years and it would tick all your boxes. I use Firefox, setup is limited to creating an account and then installing the Bitwarden extension. It also works on mobile, either with the extension or an app that lets you fill in passwords for all apps too.
Bit off-topic, but can you recommend some blogs? I enjoyed reading a few about 15 years ago (primarily Going Slowly), but don't know what's out there right now.