mat's recent activity
-
Comment on UK asylum seekers will be deported to Rwanda in ~news
-
Comment on Where are you on the spectrum of vacation planning? Detailed to the hour or floating like a leaf in the wind? in ~talk
mat LinkWhat we often do is plan around restaurants we want to visit, which gives us locations to be in at specific times. Then we can sort out travel and accommodation as required (ie, in Japan we booked...What we often do is plan around restaurants we want to visit, which gives us locations to be in at specific times. Then we can sort out travel and accommodation as required (ie, in Japan we booked trains and hotels but in Germany I'd wing it a bit more and just turn up and find somewhere to stay)
I like to have a list of a few non-food things to see in each location which is then used or ignored as we feel on the day. If there is something in particular that we really want to do or see that might sell out, then we tend to book that thing. Sometimes I don't want to think and just picking something off a list is nice. But it's just as likely we'll get distracted by some weird museum or pretty park or whatever.
My parents recently went on a fully organised holiday tour in India, where every day had a fully managed itinerary from breakfast until tea and they said it was weird but kind of fun and also they never wanted to do it again.
-
Comment on Orville Peck & Willie Nelson - Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other (2024) in ~music
mat LinkOrville Peck and Willie Nelson (who is 90!) cover Ned Sublette's country classic. Also if you haven't heard Peck's version of Lady Gaga's Born This Way, I highly recommend it.Orville Peck and Willie Nelson (who is 90!) cover Ned Sublette's country classic.
Also if you haven't heard Peck's version of Lady Gaga's Born This Way, I highly recommend it.
-
Orville Peck & Willie Nelson - Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other (2024)
12 votes -
Comment on Can noise canceling headphones be effective against non continuous noise such as music? in ~tech
mat Link ParentWell, the What Hi-Fi people are audiophiles. So obviously you can't take them too seriously. It's a bonkers industry, I used to sell hi-fi and the stuff people spent insane amounts of money on...Well, the What Hi-Fi people are audiophiles. So obviously you can't take them too seriously. It's a bonkers industry, I used to sell hi-fi and the stuff people spent insane amounts of money on that couldn't possibly do anything blew my mind. A friend of my Dad's makes a "mains cleaner" device which is literally just a few capacitors in a box with an LED on it and sells them for thousands. He won a What Hi-Fi gold award for something he will happily tell you doesn't do a single damn thing.
But What Hi-Fi are at least independent, and consistent, and for my ears what they say is good is usually good. So every five years or so when I need some new headphones, they remain my go-to.
Speakers I can just go and listen to and make my own mind up, but they don't let you try on the earbuds in the shop - even if you did used to work there!
-
Comment on Can noise canceling headphones be effective against non continuous noise such as music? in ~tech
mat Link ParentThe only people I go to for headphone reviews are What Hi-Fi, and they still consistently rate Bose over everyone else for noise cancelling. Sony usually win overall "best" awards because they...The only people I go to for headphone reviews are What Hi-Fi, and they still consistently rate Bose over everyone else for noise cancelling. Sony usually win overall "best" awards because they tend to do sound quality better, but Bose are still class-leading for noise cancelling. This review has their latest cans edging out Sony's best for ANC. Although you do pay for it, of course.
-
Comment on Can noise canceling headphones be effective against non continuous noise such as music? in ~tech
mat Link ParentMy Sony Linkbuds S earbuds, which are only "good" ANC rather than great, are just as good as my 3M Peltor X4A (33dB) ear defenders for most things, and the Peltors are about the best money can buy...Active noise-cancelling is never going to be better than very good passive noise-cancelling.
My Sony Linkbuds S earbuds, which are only "good" ANC rather than great, are just as good as my 3M Peltor X4A (33dB) ear defenders for most things, and the Peltors are about the best money can buy (unless you're talking silly money). The Linkbuds easily outperform my Isotunes in-ear passive ear defenders too.
The ANC can't handle fast attack sounds like hammer strikes, or very loud noises like heavy/powerful machinery, but for a lot of situations cheap-ish consumer ANC is just as good as professional-grade passive protection.
I probably spend more time wearing my Linkbuds than I do my Peltors, and my hearing is pretty sensitive these days - too much noise for too long really sets off my tinnitus so I do have to be careful.
However, this is one of those things that's very personal. How your ears respond, and the sort of nosie you're exposed to, might mean completey different results.
-
Comment on Can noise canceling headphones be effective against non continuous noise such as music? in ~tech
mat LinkBoth my Sony and Sennheiser noise cancelling devices (the Sony's are in-ear, the Sennheisers over-ear) do a great job at reducing non-continuous noise, including music and speech. They do work...Both my Sony and Sennheiser noise cancelling devices (the Sony's are in-ear, the Sennheisers over-ear) do a great job at reducing non-continuous noise, including music and speech. They do work best with continuous noise like engine sounds but that doesn't mean they don't help with other noise.
From everything I've read, Bose are the best for noise cancelling if that's your main goal. My priorities are sound quality though.
-
Comment on What's the best way to avoid scams when being paid by strangers on the internet? in ~finance
mat Link ParentAh, that all sounds a lot like America problems, and from what I understand their banking system is very.. um.. let's say retro. I have discussed this with my bank and there is no way to get money...Ah, that all sounds a lot like America problems, and from what I understand their banking system is very.. um.. let's say retro.
I have discussed this with my bank and there is no way to get money out of my account with only the sort code and account number. Even if there was, all unexpected payments need 2FA, which requires both biometric and a passphrase authentication. Someone can't just type my account number into something and move money around.
-
Comment on What's the best way to avoid scams when being paid by strangers on the internet? in ~finance
mat Link ParentWhy is that? My bank details aren't private information. Because I'm technically a small trader and I don't want to pay for business banking, I have my personal current account number and sort...I wouldn't recommend receiving wire transfers for most people
Even for domestic, giving out your banks routing number and your account number makes me leery.Why is that?
My bank details aren't private information. Because I'm technically a small trader and I don't want to pay for business banking, I have my personal current account number and sort code printed on my invoices, so even people who use paypal or revolut (aka 95% of my customers) get to see them. This has been going on for years with no issue.
I was under the impression that the only thing someone can do with your account number and sort code is give you money. Plus of course I'm protected against fraudulent direct debits anyway. Also I don't have much money to steal, so good luck robbing my current account. If anything I'd expect the thieves to take pity on me and drop a few hundred quid in.
Bank transfers aren't reversible by the sender - except in very unusual circumstances - so they're a good safe way to receive money.
-
Comment on What's the best way to avoid scams when being paid by strangers on the internet? in ~finance
mat Link ParentI have sold thousands of things to untrusted strangers over the internet using paypal and never once had a chargeback. It's still my main way of taking money although I do have other methods these...I have sold thousands of things to untrusted strangers over the internet using paypal and never once had a chargeback. It's still my main way of taking money although I do have other methods these days. No bugger ever has them installed though, so it's usually still paypal.
In my experience the wannabe scammers tend to vanish the second you require payment before doing any work, and I don't even unlock my workshop until full payment has cleared into my actual bank account.
I wouldn't know what to do with a cheque and I would likely not accept one. They seem shady.
-
Comment on What cooking techniques need more evidence? in ~food
mat LinkSorted Food just did a video on this very topic In my experience about 50% of traditional cooking "rules" are nothing more than superstition. To be fair, it hasn't been that long that people have...Sorted Food just did a video on this very topic
In my experience about 50% of traditional cooking "rules" are nothing more than superstition. To be fair, it hasn't been that long that people have been doing actual science on cooking and there's centuries of old chef's tales to navigate.
One which particularly annoys me is the persistent myth that risotto needs constant stirring and stock adding gradually. Neither is true. Chuck in most of your stock just after the rice, stir occasionally, add more liquid as required. Which turns it from a fiddly, annoying dish to a quick and easy one. Risotto is delicious and I think lots of people don't make it because so many recipes make it sound like a lot of work.
Harold McGee's book, On Food and Cooking is excellent for this kind of investigating.
-
Comment on What did you do to "prepare" for your marriage? in ~life
mat LinkAside from the preparations for the wedding, we didn't do anything. Why would we need to do anything? Marriage is just a legal arrangement. If your relationship is good now, it won't be any...Aside from the preparations for the wedding, we didn't do anything. Why would we need to do anything?
Marriage is just a legal arrangement. If your relationship is good now, it won't be any different when you're married (and if it's not, marriage won't fix it). There's a bunch of paperwork to do I guess, but it's not very hard. My life as a married person is basically identical as my life before marriage. There's a few legal affairs which are a little easier now but that's it.
The idea you'd read a book or ask a bunch of strangers on the internet about how to be married is incomprehensible to me, but if it makes you feel better, go for it.
-
Comment on Where will people commune in a godless America? in ~humanities
mat Link ParentI don't know about the US but nobody in the library service in the UK would agree that the "primary purpose" of a library requires quiet. My wife works in the library service and gets very angry...I don't know about the US but nobody in the library service in the UK would agree that the "primary purpose" of a library requires quiet.
My wife works in the library service and gets very angry at the stereotypical "ssshh" attitude of library staff portrayed in films and TV. I certainly don't remember talking being discouraged in a public library this century, and I visit lots of libraries. Maybe in an academic library, but they're different.
Lots and lots of social events going on at libraries near me. Plenty of them not just chatty but actively noisy (Lego club gets pretty rowdy, but my kid loves it).
-
Comment on Apple's $3500 nightmare in ~tech
mat Link ParentOne of my friends works at Meta on Workplaces, the area where Zuck was most desperate to make VR/AR a thing and even with free headsets and strong encouragement by management, nobody there wanted...One of my friends works at Meta on Workplaces, the area where Zuck was most desperate to make VR/AR a thing and even with free headsets and strong encouragement by management, nobody there wanted to wear headsets at work.
There are definitely applications in certain jobs for AR and that's why MS Hololens still exists and until very recently, Google Glass too. But mostly, nobody wants to or benefits from sitting at a desk wearing a headset, especially not all day. Even the most comfortable headsets are still not as comfortable as not wearing a headset. Having meetings in VR, which is one of the most-touted 'benefits', is mostly not so good as to make the effort worth it. Zoom isn't perfect but it's good enough.
-
Comment on What are some of your favorite PlayStation 1 games? Any odd or unique ones worth playing? in ~games
mat LinkI put a lot of hours into Tekken 2 and WipeOut 2097, back in the day. Was Micro Machines on the PS1, I can't remember..I put a lot of hours into Tekken 2 and WipeOut 2097, back in the day.
Was Micro Machines on the PS1, I can't remember..
-
Comment on It annoys me that so many PC games feel like they're intended for consoles in ~games
mat Link ParentHome-Ins-End-Del for life yo. They align better than wasd. I got railgunned in the face by Thresh once. Remains the highlight of my Quake 2 gaming.before WASD was even a twinkle in Thresh's eye
Home-Ins-End-Del for life yo. They align better than wasd.
I got railgunned in the face by Thresh once. Remains the highlight of my Quake 2 gaming.
-
Comment on How do you store ”loose” tech hardware? in ~tech
mat LinkI mostly try not to store such things. How many HDMI cables do I actually need that aren't already plugged into my TV? How many USB cables can I even plug in simultaneously? Network cables? What...I mostly try not to store such things. How many HDMI cables do I actually need that aren't already plugged into my TV? How many USB cables can I even plug in simultaneously? Network cables? What even is that one, can't be SCSI can it? Jesus. Get in the bin!
I have one small drawer of currently-used chargers and charging cables - a few standard usb micro/c/mini and an annoying large amount of USB on one end and proprietary on the other - and another small box of assorted cables which, every time I add something to, I go through and remove anything I haven't needed for a while (especially if the device I used it with has moved on)
-
Comment on 93 years of Shatner in ~tv
mat LinkI think Shat's version of Rocket Man is, quite genuinely, better than Elton John's.I think Shat's version of Rocket Man is, quite genuinely, better than Elton John's.
-
Comment on In the AI era, is translation already dead? in ~humanities.languages
mat Link ParentBoth the professional translators I know say the same thing. Translating simple text and documents by machine has been essentially solved already - even before the fancy chatbots came along. But...Both the professional translators I know say the same thing. Translating simple text and documents by machine has been essentially solved already - even before the fancy chatbots came along. But translating fiction is a huge step from what the ML systems can do right now. It requires so much contextual awareness and the kind of long-form consistency and deep cultural understanding that the machines are simply not capable of - so far. Perhaps they will be one day. But translating fiction seems like a fairly niche case, it's probably cheaper to just keep paying humans to do the job than pour a shedload of development and compute resources into automating it.
Just as an aside, the people I know who translate fiction for a living take many months, even years sometimes, to complete a work. Some authors write entire books faster than that! It's hard work and it's not that well paid either.
The Telegraph is a very strongly Conservative paper, of course they'd say it was working.
Migration Observatory, who have rather less of an agenda, are less sure.
"Crucially, it is not possible to disentangle the effects of [world events] and other factors from the effects of a particular policy, such as the Rwanda scheme, or the Illegal Migration Act."