plutonic's recent activity
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
plutonic LinkStill working on The Wings of the Dove by Henry James Published 1902. This book is extremely difficult. Henry James is way smarter than I am, his intricate, meandering sentences are very hard...Still working on The Wings of the Dove by Henry James Published 1902. This book is extremely difficult. Henry James is way smarter than I am, his intricate, meandering sentences are very hard follow. The perspective of the book is also difficult. He writes mostly from an omniscient hovering view, not really allowing the characters to speak for themselves but telling you what they are thinking and saying, analyzing them deeply while doing so, not concentrating on a single character but everyone at once. Then he will zoom in and you will get actual back and forth talking between characters just to quickly zoom back out again. It is very hard to follow, I've found some success reading the book aloud to myself to find the rhythm of the text. Very little plot, extreme amounts of character development.
He also repeatedly pulls off this trick where he is referring to people using 'he, her, she ect' where you think he is talking about one character only to realize on the next page or two he is actually speaking of someone else and then you have to go back and re-work what you just read to match it to the correct character. He does this multiple times and there is no way he isn't doing it on purpose. He even shows it being done internally to the book once where it happens between characters, one thinking the other is talking about someone they aren't. Why is he doing this? Need to think about that some more. 350/500 pages in.
Audiobook: Something completely different, I've started into Friedrich Engels' The Condition of the Working Class in England 1844 Published in 1845. I consider myself a 'leftist', probably more in the traditional? sense instead of in the modern focus of social justice. I find myself not agreeing with many leftists these days, especially younger people, but I am fundamentally against social conservative ideals and can't see myself ever wavering on that. I am definitely not a Communist, and believe those ideals are extremely naive and something you fall into the trap of believing when very young with little life experience and more importantly experience in dealing with other human beings. In my view the ideas of Communism are fundamentally not in line with the human condition. Works great for insects, not for humans. But that is a whole other discussion.
I have read a few of a classic 'Socialism' books and I've always really enjoyed them, it is really important to understand the conditions of the working class during these times to understand where and why the ideals of Communism came about. Books like 'The Grapes of Wrath, Down and out in London and Paris, The Jungle, ect' Those books are in a way novelized versions of what Engels saw and experienced in England during this period (applied to other times, places and situations). He wrote this book when he was 24 years old which is just incredible and really shows just how smart and what vision he had. This is more of a non-fiction style systematic look at the working conditions of the 'Proletarian' during the uprising of the industrial revolution, probably the most brutal time there ever was for workers in this world.
I'm about halfway now and I don't have too much to say except I was completely shocked by a 12 minute long ruthless, racist rant about the Irish who were immigrating to England during this time looking for work. It is possibly the most racist thing I have ever read, it is really brutal. It shows that these people are still a product of their time and we have to remember that. We are also not used to seeing racism from white Europeans against what we today consider other white Europeans, but this was not always the case, race lines move and shift around throughout time. The Irish and Italians faced brutal racism from the 'pure' British or French whites of Europe for a long time, in Europe and America. What is also interesting is the same racist claims made by Engels against the Irish are the exact same ones you will hear used today against whomever the targets of racism are now. However much things change, they really stay the same. Shocking and I wasn't expecting it.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
plutonic Link ParentAbsolutely great writing! What did you think of that ending? Did it work for you?Absolutely great writing! What did you think of that ending? Did it work for you?
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Comment on The average US college student is illiterate in ~life
plutonic Link ParentI miss my teen years (dial-up internet days) when I used to actually just chill and do nothing but listen to music closely. I can't remember the last time I did that, now it's always music while...I miss my teen years (dial-up internet days) when I used to actually just chill and do nothing but listen to music closely. I can't remember the last time I did that, now it's always music while scrolling or driving and I'm obviously not paying as much attention to the music and I don't seem to appreciate the music in the same way. Also I had to listen to just a few albums over and over then, now the entire world of music is at my fingertips. Listening to whole albums multiple times has become much more rare.
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Comment on What are you no longer a fan of? in ~talk
plutonic Link ParentI don't specifically remember it, I do remember not liking 'Come Back Haunted' at all. I'm actually backwards from you NIN was partially responsible for my gaining an interest in Electronic Music,...I don't specifically remember it, I do remember not liking 'Come Back Haunted' at all. I'm actually backwards from you NIN was partially responsible for my gaining an interest in Electronic Music, it was the intro to 'Head Like a Hole' where I was like.... what is that sound???? Which then led me down the rabbit hole and today I listen to mostly Electronic Music.
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Comment on What are you no longer a fan of? in ~talk
plutonic LinkNine Inch Nails This kills me, in my teenage years and early 20's I lived and breathed NIN. Every release, all the singles, bootlegs, videos, t-shirts, everything. I believe that between Pretty...Nine Inch Nails
This kills me, in my teenage years and early 20's I lived and breathed NIN. Every release, all the singles, bootlegs, videos, t-shirts, everything. I believe that between Pretty Hate Machine, Broken, The Downward Spiral, and The Fragile there is not a single weak track. The whole works is amazing.
And then [With_Teeth] came out. It's a pretty decent album, some quite good tracks. But also some not so great tracks, especially the With-A Teeth-A thing. Still went out of my way to go to both the Seattle and Vancouver shows that tour and it was still awesome, also saw them at Coachella around that time.
Then I heard 'Capital G' on the radio and it was downright terrible. I actually did not even listen to that album at all, what was it, Year Zero? And then I never listened to anything Trent put out ever again, except on recommendation Ghosts I-V, that is good stuff. I decided this last summer that I was going to be brave and go back and listen to all those albums I never listened to. Maybe I was wrong. Honestly I wish I never did it. This music is no longer for me.
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Comment on British Columbia announces it is making daylight time permanent after years of promises in ~society
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Comment on British Columbia announces it is making daylight time permanent after years of promises in ~society
plutonic LinkTo say that I'm excited about this is a understatement, we are in full celebration here at work today. I wake up at 5:30AM and start work at 7AM, so no matter if we stayed on Standard Time or...To say that I'm excited about this is a understatement, we are in full celebration here at work today. I wake up at 5:30AM and start work at 7AM, so no matter if we stayed on Standard Time or Daylight Savings Time I'm commuting and starting work in the pitch black in the winter. It will be extremely nice to get that extra hour of light after work so that I am not also arriving home in the pitch black. It would also have been rough (if we went the other way with the change) seeing it start getting light at 3AM in the summer, having it be already hot out by 7AM on the worst days. I've been dreaming of this for years and finally someone got sick of waiting on the US who can't even accomplish simple things anymore.
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Comment on Dan Simmons, author of the Hyperion Cantos, dies aged 77 in ~books
plutonic Link ParentIt's interesting, I find that basically everyone loves the first 2 books and then it's really hit or miss for people on the next 2. You aren't the first person I have seen say they also enjoyed...It's interesting, I find that basically everyone loves the first 2 books and then it's really hit or miss for people on the next 2. You aren't the first person I have seen say they also enjoyed the rest of the series. Just didn't work for me.
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Comment on What are some bands you regret not seeing live (or, just never had the chance to see in the first place)? in ~music
plutonic Link ParentI had tickets to the Vancouver Wesley Willis show for the same tour, he didn't make it :(I had tickets to the Vancouver Wesley Willis show for the same tour, he didn't make it :(
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Comment on Writers who don't read books: a response in ~books
plutonic Link ParentWe all stand on the shoulders of giants.We all stand on the shoulders of giants.
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Comment on Writers who don't read books: a response in ~books
plutonic LinkI don't watch Youtube video's so I have no idea what this is really about so I'm commenting on the headline only. The idea of a writer who doesn't read books doesn't even make sense to me. A...I don't watch Youtube video's so I have no idea what this is really about so I'm commenting on the headline only.
The idea of a writer who doesn't read books doesn't even make sense to me. A writer needs to be an absolutely voracious reader, it should consume their entire life. A great writer lives and breathes language and reading/writing. Think of the library of Cormac McCarthy, thousands of titles, chicken scratch and margin notes in a huge amount of them. Hunter S. Thompson said he wanted to know what it felt like to write a great book so he literally sat down and typed out the entirety of 'The Great Gatsby' on his typewriter. Books piled up all over the place at Owl Farm. The best artists are usually obsessive and partly insane.
But also reading at scale does not always equal a great writer, I think about the critic Howard Bloom whom claimed to read up to 5 books every day. You may not agree with his views but the man was a genius and deeply loved literature. His attempts at fiction never really went anywhere.
Could you imagine a musician who doesn't listen to music? The ones I have met are obsessed with music and have a deep and wide knowledge.
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Comment on Dan Simmons, author of the Hyperion Cantos, dies aged 77 in ~books
plutonic LinkHyperion is my all time favourite Sci-Fi and up there with the best stories I have ever read. (First 2 books only, the third book is so bad I couldn't even make it halfway). An absolute...Hyperion is my all time favourite Sci-Fi and up there with the best stories I have ever read. (First 2 books only, the third book is so bad I couldn't even make it halfway). An absolute masterpiece of character building, world building, and pacing. The only other book of is his I've read is Ilium and I didn't think much of it. Sad day for Sci-Fi fans.
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Comment on What are some bands you regret not seeing live (or, just never had the chance to see in the first place)? in ~music
plutonic LinkNirvana, I am just a couple years too young to have caught them live. (Started Grade 8 in 1994).Nirvana, I am just a couple years too young to have caught them live. (Started Grade 8 in 1994).
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Comment on What's an obscure book/series that you've read that you would like to recommend? in ~books
plutonic (edited )LinkThe Red Laugh by Leonid Andreyev From Google Books: A gripping collection of short stories and poems that delve into the depths of human emotion and experience. From tales of love and loss to...The Red Laugh by Leonid Andreyev From Google Books: A gripping collection of short stories and poems that delve into the depths of human emotion and experience. From tales of love and loss to darker explorations of revenge and redemption, this volume showcases the raw power of Andreief's writing and his unique ability to capture the essence of the human spirit.
I felt it for the first time as we were marching along the road—marching incessantly for ten hours without stopping, never diminishing our step, never waiting to pick up those that had fallen, but leaving them to the enemy, that was moving behind us in a compact mass only three or four hours later effacing the marks of our feet by their own.
It was very sultry. I do not know how many degrees there were—120°, 140°, or more—I only know that the heat was incessant, hopelessly even and profound. The sun was so enormous, so fiery and terrible, that it seemed as if the earth had drawn nearer to it and would soon be burnt up altogether in its merciless rays. Our eyes had ceased to look.[2] The small shrunk pupil, as small as a poppyseed, sought in vain for darkness under the closed eyelid; the sun pierced the thin covering and penetrated into the tortured brain in a blood-red glow. But, nevertheless, it was better so: with closed eyelids, and for a long time, perhaps for several hours, I walked along with my eyes shut, hearing the multitude moving around me: the heavy, uneven tread of many feet, men's and horses, the grinding of iron wheels, crushing the small stones, somebody's deep strained breathing and the dry smacking of parched lips. But I heard no word. All were silent, as if an army of dumb people was moving, and when anyone fell down, he fell in silence; others stumbled against his body, fell down and rose mutely, and, without turning their heads, marched on, as though these dumb men were also blind and deaf. I stumbled and fell several times and then involuntarily opened my eyes, and all that I saw seemed a wild fiction, the terrible raving of a mad world. The air vibrated at a white-hot temperature, the stones seemed to be trembling silently, ready to flow, and in the distance, at a curve of the road, the files of men, guns and horses seemed detached from the earth, and trembled like a mass of jelly in their[3] onward progress, and it seemed to me that they were not living people that I saw before me, but an army of incorporate shadows.
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Comment on Third spaces: What do we want, and how do we get them? in ~life
plutonic Link ParentMy idea is really unrealistic, I cannot see us going back to a world where we allow smoking (of anything) inside a business where workers have no choice but to inhale the secondhand smoke. I'm...My idea is really unrealistic, I cannot see us going back to a world where we allow smoking (of anything) inside a business where workers have no choice but to inhale the secondhand smoke. I'm just dreaming here :)
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Comment on Third spaces: What do we want, and how do we get them? in ~life
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Comment on Third spaces: What do we want, and how do we get them? in ~life
plutonic LinkI would love to see Marijuana smoking lounges (I'm Canadian). Marijuana Bar Non-Alcohol Drink Bar Snack Bar Pool Tables Arcade Machines Skeeball Live Music (Including DJ's, with open deck nights)...I would love to see Marijuana smoking lounges (I'm Canadian).
- Marijuana Bar
- Non-Alcohol Drink Bar
- Snack Bar
- Pool Tables
- Arcade Machines
- Skeeball
- Live Music (Including DJ's, with open deck nights)
- Open Mic events
- Board games
- Couches and tables to chill at
- Mini-golf in the basement if possible
So something resembling a 'Chuck-E-Cheese' but for adults, somewhere to chill and relax with some friends, smoke some bowls (or whatever). I picture that scene in Hackers (1995) where they are in some sort of club/arcade with roller blades discussing computer security books lol.
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Comment on Lithium plume in our atmosphere traced back to returning SpaceX rocket in ~space
plutonic LinkWhat this is telling us is the move we are making towards reusable lower and upper stage rockets is the needed path forward. We are already well on our way with the technology, Falcon 9 lower...What this is telling us is the move we are making towards reusable lower and upper stage rockets is the needed path forward. We are already well on our way with the technology, Falcon 9 lower stage reuse has revolutionized the entire launch industry and everyone is now trying desperately to replicate it. Reusable upper stages are going to be much more difficult but at least 1 company (SpaceX) is currently trying, if they succeed it will be much like reusable lower stages, once proven possible everyone will follow. SpaceX and Blue Origin are leading the world in re-usability currently, China is quickly catching up.
This is an example where Capitalism will drive development to the cheapest solution, which just happens to also be the best environmental solution. Win/Win here.
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Comment on What are important historical books lost to time? in ~books
plutonic LinkThe missing works of the 'Epic Cycle'. Only the Iliad and Odyssey have survived but we know others existed: Cypria Aethiopis Little Iliad Iliou Persis Nostoi Telegony Imagine what we could learn...The missing works of the 'Epic Cycle'. Only the Iliad and Odyssey have survived but we know others existed:
- Cypria
- Aethiopis
- Little Iliad
- Iliou Persis
- Nostoi
- Telegony
Imagine what we could learn from these books about the ancient greek world, the 2 surviving texts alone are some of the greatest treasures we have.
It seems very divisive looking around online!