luks's recent activity
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Comment on Soldering irons/stations - Buy once, cry once advice needed in ~hobbies
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Comment on Recommend your social/softer science fiction books in ~books
luks 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.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 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...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 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...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.
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Comment on Tiny undervalued hardware companions in ~tech
luks Maybe not directly helpful for Dell computers, but I retrofitted my ThinkPad X230 with a USB-C connector a few years back from...Maybe not directly helpful for Dell computers, but I retrofitted my ThinkPad X230 with a USB-C connector a few years back from https://www.tindie.com/products/mikepdiy/lenovo-charging-port-type-c-pd-x220-x230/
It should easily be possible to build something similar for a Dell (if the connectors aren't the same anyway already). Combined with a tiny GaN charging brick, it's great :)
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Comment on How do you store ”loose” tech hardware? in ~tech
luks I have one box with larger cables coiled with onewrap velcro. And then for all the micro USB, mini USB, etc. I standardized to USB-C double-ended cables and have tiny adapters for the rest. They...I have one box with larger cables coiled with onewrap velcro. And then for all the micro USB, mini USB, etc. I standardized to USB-C double-ended cables and have tiny adapters for the rest. They live in a little wooden box. I really only ever need 2-3 USB cables at a time, so that works fine for me.
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Comment on What is the horrible phrase my wife learned from her grandpa? in ~humanities.languages
luks Not sure if it's only dialect or normal German, as I've heard my parents say it often, but "Schietwetter" (German for shit weather, ˈʃiːtvɛtɐ) could sound similar to the first part. Not sure about...Not sure if it's only dialect or normal German, as I've heard my parents say it often, but "Schietwetter" (German for shit weather, ˈʃiːtvɛtɐ) could sound similar to the first part. Not sure about the second though. There's also a ton of other words you could make with Schiet...
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Comment on Jury finds Jennifer Crumbley, the Michigan school shooter’s mother, guilty of manslaughter in ~news
luks What? You think arressting a child for a crime they haven't even committed yet is a good solution? If children, then why not adults? And, how would you determine who is at risk? Because of the...What? You think arressting a child for a crime they haven't even committed yet is a good solution? If children, then why not adults? And, how would you determine who is at risk? Because of the behaviors of the parents?
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Comment on Can anyone recommend a printer/scanner combo that works with Linux with no additional drivers? in ~tech
luks I have a Brother L2750DW (black and white laser and double-sided scanning) Printing works out-of-the-box after connecting the printer to my wifi and for scanning I wanted something that didn't...I have a Brother L2750DW (black and white laser and double-sided scanning) Printing works out-of-the-box after connecting the printer to my wifi and for scanning I wanted something that didn't depend on my computer being on. I scan to FTP and have a small USB Stick connected to my router where the files are saved. I then have a script on my computer that runs every minute to check if there are any new files.
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Comment on Oh my days! 3.5yr old got his big boy bed. in ~talk
luks What may work is to child-proof his room so far.that he can turn on and off the light by himself and has some quiet/non-destructive toys he can play with (nothing he can color the walls with!)...What may work is to child-proof his room so far.that he can turn on and off the light by himself and has some quiet/non-destructive toys he can play with (nothing he can color the walls with!) Then he can play quietly until the clock says it's ok to wake everyone else.
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Comment on How would you teach math differently to young kids if budget was not a concern? in ~talk
luks I had great success as a kid at an accredited Montessori (but public) school. Typically, we were taught new lessons in groups of 2-4 and were also always taught how to self-check our answers. As...I had great success as a kid at an accredited Montessori (but public) school. Typically, we were taught new lessons in groups of 2-4 and were also always taught how to self-check our answers. As an adult looking at the curriculum, it appears pretty brilliant - because you're working in the physical realm, big problems are still easy to solve, which motivates small children and a lot of concepts such as fractions, binomial equation and cubes and cube roots are introduced at about kindergarten to first grade the first time in passing.
I've had a very solid grasp of mathematics and the importance of units and operators that I saw in nearly all of my fellow classmates and didn't see in most of the "normal" kids when I re-joined the normal public school system. It also had the added benefit of lettings kids work as far ahead and as quickly or slowly as needed. Also, we sometimes "regressed" and practiced something familiar or taught the younger kids, which helped with solidifying the concepts and connecting information.
My favorite was long division and the stamp game :) and I ended up being about 4 grades ahead by 6th grade.
This is a nice video showing some of the early materials:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIFQjONnn1g&t=381https://hollismontessori.org/blog/2018/3/19/montessori-basics-how-math-progresses-through-the-levels
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Comment on US Obstetrics and Gynecology certification examinations are being held in person in Texas in ~health
luks I think they're trying to say it's not banned absolutely and thus teaching or being tested on the material can't be illegal as it could be necessary to know.I think they're trying to say it's not banned absolutely and thus teaching or being tested on the material can't be illegal as it could be necessary to know.
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Comment on Gordon Lightfoot - Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald (1976) in ~music
luks It's a much less known shipwreck song by Lightfoot, but I find the Ballad of the Yarmouth Castle to also be an extremely haunting and beautiful song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N16szs0jXrcIt's a much less known shipwreck song by Lightfoot, but I find the Ballad of the Yarmouth Castle to also be an extremely haunting and beautiful song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N16szs0jXrc
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Comment on How do you divide a room completely and maintain high visibility? in ~life.home_improvement
luks (edited )LinkMaybe some open shelves like the kallax ones from Ikea with plexiglass on one side? I don't have a good idea for the door, but for the shelves you could then remove some of the panels and add...Maybe some open shelves like the kallax ones from Ikea with plexiglass on one side? I don't have a good idea for the door, but for the shelves you could then remove some of the panels and add carpet/scratching post/etc. to make it a little cat playground.
Something like https://ikeahackers.net/2011/01/cat-activity-centersleep-center.html or https://ikeahackers.net/2014/07/kallax-cat-scratching-furniture.html but the large units. And then just have an overhang at the top or extend the Plexiglas to the ceiling.
This is the best image of what I had in mind: http://imgur.com/gallery/f582R You could also just add a board to some of the shelves that extend out a bit farther to allow the cats to jump between levels which would lessen the need to drill holes in the big boards.
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Comment on Trans identity and the gender binary in ~lgbt
luks I agree that it's difficult to divide people into two neat little boxes of "has dysphoria" and "doesn't have dysphoria". In fact, I think it's a much better idea for everyone to think about each...I agree that it's difficult to divide people into two neat little boxes of "has dysphoria" and "doesn't have dysphoria". In fact, I think it's a much better idea for everyone to think about each step in the medical process individually.
I've seen a lot of both: obviously dysphoric people who keep telling themselves that everything is normal and there is no way they could actually be trans, but also (primarily young) people whose sole reason to transition seem to be GNC tendencies but who feel entirely comfortable with their bodies. I think the former group tends to get there eventually, but the latter worries me. Especially those that extrapolate from a label to 'must do all the steps even if it feels wrong'. You see quite a few questions about microdosing T or how to avoid basically all of the consequences of T.
I think my main concern with lumping both groups together is that a lot of the studies on transsexual people, which show huge benefits with hormone therapy and little post-op regret, probably aren't applicable to the non-dysphoric group. With the current ratio of self-identifying transgender/non-binary people to diagnosed transgender people being about 100:1 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4823815/), it worries me a lot that health insurance might not deem transition care as medically necessary in the future if the definitions aren't better delineated in the future.
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Comment on Trans identity and the gender binary in ~lgbt
luks Yeah, when I was thinking about if I really was trans or not and whether I truly needed to medically transition, I based a large part of my decision on my childhood memories as I was a bit...Yeah, when I was thinking about if I really was trans or not and whether I truly needed to medically transition, I based a large part of my decision on my childhood memories as I was a bit hesitant to fully trust my current feelings at the time as being a teenager is a volatile time for most people. I had a staggeringly long list of weird memories. Looking back at it now, 14 years later, it's amazing how much of a difference transitioning made. Any tendencies towards depression and depersonalization vanished - I used to read about 2-3 books a day just to escape reality and had massive problems both with self-care as I couldn't face the mirrors in the bathroom, as well as with falling asleep.
One of the long lists I have is at https://pdfhost.io/v/xlKhxp5Ld_Statistics_and_Studies_of_Transsexuals.pdf The interesting studies start on page 37. For example, in posthumous studies the authors found that the BSTc sizes of trans men and women matched those of their identified genders even though the subjects had never undergone any hormone therapy. This paper also gives an easy-to-read summary of the research into the origins of transsexuality: https://doi.org/10.4158/EP14351.RA
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