plutonic's recent activity
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Comment on Anyone else a bit unnerved by the number of visible satellites? in ~space
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Comment on ‘It’s shameful’: New York’s elite lash out at Zohran Mamdani’s second-home tax in ~finance
plutonic Link ParentThis really goes to show just how out touch these people are with reality, imagine having that much wealth and still crying that you are hard done by. Unbelievable.This really goes to show just how out touch these people are with reality, imagine having that much wealth and still crying that you are hard done by. Unbelievable.
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Comment on Do you prefer chunky or smooth peanut butter? in ~food
plutonic Link ParentApparently this might be a Canadian thing, which is very strange as we rarely get products first. I guess we also function as a test market sometimes? It has a more-roasty, stronger peanut...Apparently this might be a Canadian thing, which is very strange as we rarely get products first. I guess we also function as a test market sometimes? It has a more-roasty, stronger peanut flavour, I don't think anything else has been added just roasting the peanuts longer.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
plutonic Link ParentInteresting! Thanks for the tidbits, as it is considered the greatest work ever written in German I am not surprised that some German idioms have come from it. Look at how much of modern English...Interesting! Thanks for the tidbits, as it is considered the greatest work ever written in German I am not surprised that some German idioms have come from it. Look at how much of modern English comes straight from Shakespeare.
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Comment on Did wokeness leave us worse off? (gifted link) in ~society
plutonic Link ParentMy Son-in-law (mid 20's) is dating someone who identifies as 'non-binary' and goes by 'they-them'. No problem, I support people's choice to present and call themselves what they want and I will...My Son-in-law (mid 20's) is dating someone who identifies as 'non-binary' and goes by 'they-them'. No problem, I support people's choice to present and call themselves what they want and I will respect that as much as possible. The problem my brain has is his partner physically presents as what my brain considers to be fully 'female'. So I screw it up sometimes, I find I have to consciously pre-think out my sentences to make sure I am using they/them because my brain sees a 'female' and says 'she/her' automatically. They have never make a big deal out of it and I never make a big show of apologizing when I do screw it up, I hope they respect that I am trying my best and I fully support their right to be non-binary and present however they wish.
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Comment on Do you prefer chunky or smooth peanut butter? in ~food
plutonic LinkI don't have too much preference between Chunky and Smooth, I think each has its place, but this new trend of making a 'Dark Roast' peanut butter is where it's at. Jif Dark Roast is my personal...I don't have too much preference between Chunky and Smooth, I think each has its place, but this new trend of making a 'Dark Roast' peanut butter is where it's at. Jif Dark Roast is my personal favourite, but no longer buying do to being Canadian and Jif being American, I'm glad Kraft now has a Dark Roast version but it just isn't as good as the Jif :(
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Comment on Did wokeness leave us worse off? (gifted link) in ~society
plutonic Link ParentYes, an effort should absolutely be made to call people what they want, anything else is really being an asshole. But there is something to say about trying to make things easier for those around...Yes, an effort should absolutely be made to call people what they want, anything else is really being an asshole. But there is something to say about trying to make things easier for those around you. If someone chooses to go with their difficult to pronounce name or use irregular gender pronouns they should accept that people are going to screw it up and as long as it isn't coming from a hateful place they should just accept that is how it is going to be. My real first name has 2 very common spellings and when in a situation where it doesn't matter and someone asks which spelling I use I usually tell them to spell it anyway they want because it doesn't matter to me (this actually gets me weird looks sometimes).
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Comment on Did wokeness leave us worse off? (gifted link) in ~society
plutonic Link ParentInterestingly enough, at my work place which is decently diverse the immigrants who came here with difficult to pronounce names have all taken it upon themselves to 'create' themselves an easily...But idk, even with neopronouns, it's the equivalent of telling someone from another country that you can't pronounce their name so you'll call them "Becky" instead.
Interestingly enough, at my work place which is decently diverse the immigrants who came here with difficult to pronounce names have all taken it upon themselves to 'create' themselves an easily pronounceable western name to go by. In fact I actually don't even know their birth names at all and they are just now known by the western name they chose when they immigrated. Sometimes it's a shortened 'easier' version of their birth name (closer to a nickname) and sometimes it's a completely new name which has nothing to do with their birth name. The important part is that they chose to do this automatically so they could integrate into society here more successfully.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
plutonic Link ParentI think maybe 'Heart of Darkness' is the only 'must read' book but if you enjoy his prose like I do, then I recommend both 'Lord Jim' and 'Nostromo'.I think maybe 'Heart of Darkness' is the only 'must read' book but if you enjoy his prose like I do, then I recommend both 'Lord Jim' and 'Nostromo'.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
plutonic Link ParentHeart of Darkness is one of my all time fav's, I think I've read it twice. What did you think of it? Have you read any other Conrad? He's one of my favourite prose writers, I've read most of his...Heart of Darkness is one of my all time fav's, I think I've read it twice. What did you think of it? Have you read any other Conrad? He's one of my favourite prose writers, I've read most of his books.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
plutonic Link ParentYou are reading 'The Heart is a Lonely Hunter'!! I just finished it last week. I deeply loved that book. It's slow quiet pace, the deep solitude and sadness of the characters and Singer himself,...You are reading 'The Heart is a Lonely Hunter'!! I just finished it last week. I deeply loved that book. It's slow quiet pace, the deep solitude and sadness of the characters and Singer himself, the most lonely of them all after the only friend he has in life, the only one he can 'talk' to is taken from him. It's devastating and deeply emotional, this is the kind of book I really love. A deep examination of the human condition without hitting you over the head with it. I'll be looking forward to what you think of it. The look on the face of Carson on the cover sums up the whole book in my opinion, how does someone write something like that at the age of 23? It seems like it would take an entire life of experience to understand the solitude and sadness that is human life to be able to write that book. An amazing accomplishment, I look forward to reading more of her works.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
plutonic LinkFinished Carson McCullers' 'The Heart is a Lonely Hunter' Published 1940. WOW! This book is absolutely amazing. Solitude, loss of purpose, sadness, misery, fear, it's all in this book. A deaf-mute...Finished Carson McCullers' 'The Heart is a Lonely Hunter' Published 1940. WOW! This book is absolutely amazing. Solitude, loss of purpose, sadness, misery, fear, it's all in this book. A deaf-mute man who acts as a vessel for the worries, dreams, and problems of the lost people around him while himself being more alone and lost than anyone. An amazing examination of the human condition. I was expecting a good book, but this is a great book. A rare 10/10. Read this book.
I started and finished an Audiobook of Elizabeth Gaskell's 'Cranford' Published 1853. This was a cute short episodic book about a group of 'fallen' aristocratic old ladies trying to hold together what they have. They live in a world of past greatness and have all their little old lady cliques and societal 'rules' to live by. Highly sarcastic, reminded me of a mid-1800's version of 'The Golden Girls' without a laugh track.
Started in to an Audiobook of Stella Gibbon's 'Cold Comfort Farm' Published 1932. A comedic novel and literary parody. Not usually my kind of thing but it's considered a comedy classic so I figured I would give it a shot. Young woman moves onto a farm in Sussex with distant family and takes it upon herself to 'reform' these people into her view of what they should be. Parodies often dark novels romanticizing country life such as those written by the Bronte sisters or Mary Webb, some Jane Austin jabs in there too. So far pretty good, 40% in. Less silly humour and more satire then I was expecting, which is what I was hoping for, so great.
Started into Wolfgang Von Goethe's 'Faust Part I' Published 1808. The great Faust! I've been waiting years to read this one and it's finally time. Previously I have read Thomas Mann's 'Doctor Faustus' and Klaus Mann's 'Mephisto' who just happens to be Thomas Mann's Son. This is one of the very famous German stories, starting in Fairy Tales and Myths, the first written version being Christopher Marlowe's play 'Doctor Faustus' from 1592 which was contemporary with Shakespeare. Part I is very approachable, the language, even translated is beautiful. I actually expected more of a challenge with this one but so far it has been remarkably enjoyable and easy to digest. The question now is do I attempt the much more abstract Part II? I am leaning towards giving it a try.
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Comment on Excision - Shambhala 2013 Mix | Dubstep lyrics (2013) in ~music
plutonic Link ParentBest festival for sure! I went 2010-2016.Best festival for sure! I went 2010-2016.
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Comment on Excision - Shambhala 2013 Mix | Dubstep lyrics (2013) in ~music
plutonic LinkHis Shambhala 2009 mix changed my life forever. I saw him in The Village 2010/11 (plus various other places during this era) and gave up on it after that with his music going in a direction I...His Shambhala 2009 mix changed my life forever. I saw him in The Village 2010/11 (plus various other places during this era) and gave up on it after that with his music going in a direction I wasn't a fan of.
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Comment on We must keep age verification from killing anonymity online in ~tech
plutonic Link ParentThis is the only acceptable solution to the "problem". The government can ask for voluntary compliance right down to the operating system level. Microsoft, Apple, and Google will be happy to set...This is the only acceptable solution to the "problem".
The government can ask for voluntary compliance right down to the operating system level. Microsoft, Apple, and Google will be happy to set this up. A simple child-mode flag that is set on the device by parents during initial setup (or anytime after). This would limit and child-mode flag what could be installed via app-stores/gaming stores and also cause the same flag to be set in the web browser (the only browsers that could be installed on a child-flagged device from the app-store would be ones that comply with the child flag). I'm even OK with white-listing what kids are able to look at on the internet via web browsers, probably a lot easier than trying to block things, there are always workarounds for blocks, white-lists are much harder to defeat.
No ones privacy is violated, no one has to provide ID that will be stolen and exploited. Parents remain in control of their parenting responsibilities, we can remain anonymous and the kids can be "protected". The rest of us can continue on as normal, it would be up to the parent to choose a device that supports parental controls and turn the setting on themselves. Linux distro's can choose to comply or not, if not then as a parent you should not provide your child's device with that flavour of Linux. Compliance will not be an issue among any kind of regular device, iOS/Android/Windows/MacOS will comply, big tech are the ones asking for this.
This current international push to de-anonymize the internet is the final nail in the coffin for privacy and freedom in our time. I believe it is that serious. People are literally being arrested for posting things on the internet in the UK, that is completely unacceptable. People must be allowed to speak their mind even if you don't agree with what they are saying, and remaining anonymous while doing so is of the utmost importance.
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Comment on NHTSA tells US Congress: advanced impaired driving detection tech isn't ready in ~transport
plutonic Link ParentIt might have something to do with tolerance and my years of use as I've been a daily smoker for 25 years, I don't even think about if I'm high or not when I get in the car, it's been so long and...It might have something to do with tolerance and my years of use as I've been a daily smoker for 25 years, I don't even think about if I'm high or not when I get in the car, it's been so long and so regular it isn't even something I consider. I don't normally drink at all and I would not even consider driving even after 2 drinks.
What I was getting at with the rest of my comment is that what we considered intoxicated or impaired while driving is very not set in science. If we were to judge it by reaction time most people over 60 would not be driving anymore. People on opiate pain medications are allowed to drive. Generally 2 drinks is ok... maybe 3, not 4 though. I actually like the field sobriety test, I think if you can pass that successfully then you are good to drive.
I really don't believe marijuana intoxication is any problem when it comes to driving for a regular user, I've known many people over the years who regularly drive stoned. I spent years smoking a joint on my commute home every day, while I don't do that anymore I never had an incident.
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Comment on NHTSA tells US Congress: advanced impaired driving detection tech isn't ready in ~transport
plutonic Link ParentThe reality is that the level of impairment between marijuana and alcohol for driving are not even comparable. Otherwise we would see huge amounts of marijuana related crashes and incidents like...The reality is that the level of impairment between marijuana and alcohol for driving are not even comparable. Otherwise we would see huge amounts of marijuana related crashes and incidents like we did with alcohol back in the 70's and 80's. We don't see this at all. If you happen to be in the camp that any impairment is too much while driving then we will need to examine people drinking coffee before or while driving too, as that is also impairment. Coffee is ok? How about a bump of coke? That is just another stimulant, how about a small amount of Methamphetamine? How about people on diet pills? How about people on any kind of medication? Where do we draw the line?
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Comment on At long last, InfoWars is ours - The Onion in ~news
plutonic Link ParentOur Dumb Century is a masterpiece. MAN WALKS ON FUCKING MOONOur Dumb Century is a masterpiece.
MAN WALKS ON FUCKING MOON
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
plutonic Link ParentReally loved 'The Waves', been a few years now though. I've also read 'Orlando', 'A Room Of One's Own', and 'To The Lighthouse' but I think The Waves is my favourite.Really loved 'The Waves', been a few years now though. I've also read 'Orlando', 'A Room Of One's Own', and 'To The Lighthouse' but I think The Waves is my favourite.
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Comment on Which Linux distro do you use, and why? in ~tech
plutonic LinkMint. It just works, no bullshit. I run a very lean desktop setup, mainly just a browser/video/music player, no gaming. I come from a Windows world, but always on the NT side of things...Mint. It just works, no bullshit. I run a very lean desktop setup, mainly just a browser/video/music player, no gaming. I come from a Windows world, but always on the NT side of things (NT-2000-7-Mint) I ran windows 7 until way past the bitter end. At that point it was either go to Linux or Windows 10 and I just couldn't do it. Linux Mint it was. I don't want to have to mess around with stuff, I just want it to work and Mint for 3 years now has done that.
Personally I like it because it makes me think I live in the future I thought I would when I was a child. Many, many other things have fallen short of my childhood future but the night sky isn't one of them, all we need now is a giant orbital space station that would be visible to the naked eye :)