random's recent activity
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Comment on Best foreign films and TV shows? in ~tv
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Comment on What are some cheaper alternatives to Grammarly that are equally as good? in ~tech
random (edited )Link ParentThere are absolutley many situations in which I don't use Grammarly's suggestion, but rather my own sense of correction and style. However, the way I speak and write is naturally formal in...There are absolutley many situations in which I don't use Grammarly's suggestion, but rather my own sense of correction and style. However, the way I speak and write is naturally formal in Portuguese as well, so one might get the impression that a lot of what I write is profoundly influenced by Grammarly when in reality that was not the case.
There's no point in false modesty here: I feel confident enough as a writer that when a tool makes me a suggestion that is all it is for me. A suggestion.
Although I do have the browser extension that is useful for catching low-hanging fruit, anything of length or importance I write on a text editor without any assistance. Only when it is done, do I give it a pass on Grammarly, and I judge every suggestion attentively. I understand the concern with people who just click "NEXT NEXT NEXT" but that is just not my case. Because I read all the explanations, and sometimes cross-referenced with other tools, I ended up improving my English more and more. A tool is what you make of it, right?
Thanks ;)
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Comment on What are some cheaper alternatives to Grammarly that are equally as good? in ~tech
random Link ParentI see. Because I never had Premium, I only really used its features when Grammarly allowed me to try it. It felt useful, but I didn't have it for long. I forgot to mention the Hemingway Editor,...I see. Because I never had Premium, I only really used its features when Grammarly allowed me to try it. It felt useful, but I didn't have it for long. I forgot to mention the Hemingway Editor, which is very good but only highlights troublesome sentences without making suggestions. They're transitioning into using AI but I don't how that's working. It's a little cheaper than Grammarly. Their free trial requires a credit card, I don't really wanna try it.
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Comment on What are some cheaper alternatives to Grammarly that are equally as good? in ~tech
random Link ParentYes, I have. But nowadays it's not like it highlights my entire texts, it's just a few corrections. Grammarly greatly improved my English so, in a sense, it works to make itself less useful. That...Yes, I have. But nowadays it's not like it highlights my entire texts, it's just a few corrections. Grammarly greatly improved my English so, in a sense, it works to make itself less useful.
That said, when you're not writing in your own language some errors are impossible to prevent given that I think in two languages. Grammarly doesn't write anything for me, but it greatly reduces the time I would dedicate to proofreading.
The Premium tier includes highlighting and suggesting improvements to sentences that are difficult to read, as well as other stuff.
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What are some cheaper alternatives to Grammarly that are equally as good?
As a non-native English speaker, I use Grammarly's free tier daily. It is invaluable to help me catch common mistakes, as well as to get a better understanding of the language through the...
As a non-native English speaker, I use Grammarly's free tier daily. It is invaluable to help me catch common mistakes, as well as to get a better understanding of the language through the explanations it provides. I will need to write even more English in the next few months, so it seemed like a good idea to get the Premium subscription. Unfortunately, Grammarly's pricing ($144 for the year) is prohibitive when converted to Brazilian Reais. And even if I am capable of making that payment now, I would rather avoid becoming dependent on something that is so expensive for me. So, what are some affordable alternatives to Grammarly's Premium subscription?
Just to be clear, I am aware that it is not ideal to rely too much on that kind of tool. Rest assured that my domain of English is enough that I am entirely capable of taking the suggestions as extra help and not as a crutch.
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Comment on Is an ethical social media platform even possible? in ~tech
random Link ParentTo the best of my knowledge, and by any metrics I can think of, Tildes has been managed ethically since its creation. That doesn't mean it is perfect, nor that there are any guarantees that it...To the best of my knowledge, and by any metrics I can think of, Tildes has been managed ethically since its creation. That doesn't mean it is perfect, nor that there are any guarantees that it will always remain ethical. But it is completely ethical right now.
That is the best example I can give you.
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Comment on Is an ethical social media platform even possible? in ~tech
random Link ParentThat would really depend on what you define as "ethical", but Tildes does not suffer directly from a need to accumulate capital, and neither do most instances of GNU social.That would really depend on what you define as "ethical", but Tildes does not suffer directly from a need to accumulate capital, and neither do most instances of GNU social.
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Comment on Is an ethical social media platform even possible? in ~tech
random LinkIt is entirely possible for something to be both ethical and a social media platform, as there is no contradiction between the two. The real contradiction is not between ethics and social media...It is entirely possible for something to be both ethical and a social media platform, as there is no contradiction between the two. The real contradiction is not between ethics and social media but between ethics and capitalism. It is unlikely for something that is both capitalist and social media to be ethical, but it is entirely possible for ethics to thrive once capitalism is removed from the equation.
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Comment on I want to hear about your unknown favorites! in ~books
random (edited )LinkThe crônica is a uniquely Brazilian genre. It emerged in 19th-century newspapers as a narrative that mixes fiction and fact. They may be described as very short short stories that reflect either...The crônica is a uniquely Brazilian genre. It emerged in 19th-century newspapers as a narrative that mixes fiction and fact. They may be described as very short short stories that reflect either the current news or a cultural zeitgeist. Unlike most that you read in a newspaper, it is distinctly literary, emotional, poetic, and reflexive.
Crônicas can be humorous, amusing vignettes or slice-of-life. Some resemble an oversized joke, others are odd, whimsical, and experimental. They may tell us something about relationships, the homeless problem, or middle-class family dramas. They aren't always overtly factual but usually seek to reveal something about our lives, culture, and society. Crônicas are taught in Brazilian schools both as reading material and as writing practice.
Some well-known Brazilian cronistas are Rubem Braga, Carlos Heitor Cony, Stanislaw Ponte Preta (Sérgio Porto's pseudonym), Rachel de Queiroz, and Luís Fernando Veríssimo.
Because of their unique format and role in Brazilian life, crônicas are not often translated into English, which makes them inherently unknown for the purposes of this post.
My favorite cronista is Luís Fernando Veríssimo. Despite being a well-known leftist, most of Veríssimo's work in crônica is weakly factual and centered around the small dramas and incoherencies of the Brazilian white middle-class. Most of his crônicas are fairly short, barely one, two, maybe three book pages. Some could be considered short stories in length. They have a uniquely Brazilian "feel" that a foreign reader is unlikely to capture. Think of him as a Brazilian Woody Allen with a cultural background largely informed by his time in Rio, Porto Alegre, and the United States. Even in the most prosaic passages, Veríssimo's writing has the refinement, timing, and precision of a surgeon. More than anything, he is a master of dialogue.
Coming from the Brazilian south, LFV is notoriously introverted and hates interviews. This puts him in an interesting position to narrate the follies of our chronically festive society.
My favorite of his books is Comédias da Vida Privada ("Comedies of the Private Life"), his main collection of crônicas published in 1994.
EDIT: I managed to find one of his crônicas translated into English here. It's a good one! For reference, Brazil was ruled by a military dictatorship between 1964 and 1985.
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Comment on South Korea health alert raised to ‘severe’ over doctors walkout in ~health
random (edited )Link ParentIt is difficult to evaluate the particular socioeconomic conditions of South Korea. But we are talking about an increase of 2000 doctors (65%) a year in a country of 51.63 million. Maybe there are...It is difficult to evaluate the particular socioeconomic conditions of South Korea. But we are talking about an increase of 2000 doctors (65%) a year in a country of 51.63 million. Maybe there are legitimate underlying conditions doctors would rather see resolved first. But that increase doesn't seem that menacing.
If anything, it looks like they have a genuine scarcity of medical doctors. Here's some data on that.
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Comment on South Korea health alert raised to ‘severe’ over doctors walkout in ~health
random (edited )Link ParentThis is not necessarily good content, but maybe it's a good place to start....This is not necessarily good content, but maybe it's a good place to start.
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2024/02/21/2003813867
https://old.reddit.com/r/southkorea/comments/1avfcfi/why_are_south_korea_doctors_resigning/
https://old.reddit.com/r/korea/comments/1aynwip/south_korea_a_nation_of_52m_people_have_only/
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Comment on South Korea health alert raised to ‘severe’ over doctors walkout in ~health
random (edited )Link ParentBrazil faced a physician's revolt when we opened our border to some much-needed Cuban doctors. They couldn't handle losing their privilege, basically. They are completely detached and essentially...Brazil faced a physician's revolt when we opened our border to some much-needed Cuban doctors. They couldn't handle losing their privilege, basically. They are completely detached and essentially form a social and economic class of their own.
This news reminds me of our own troubles.
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Comment on I’m worried that the Israel-Palestine conflict is tearing Tildes apart in ~tildes
random (edited )Link ParentIt just seems that more things are going on, making it more difficult to have a predictable outcome from interactions. Which is positive but may create some uneasiness. Especially for those who...It just seems that more things are going on, making it more difficult to have a predictable outcome from interactions. Which is positive but may create some uneasiness. Especially for those who may find themselves less equipped to handle an increasingly diverse and complex set of linguistic patterns.
It feels a little bit like the day that my parents and whole family created Facebook accounts. I love my parents, but it's just another kind of environment to adapt to.
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Comment on I’m worried that the Israel-Palestine conflict is tearing Tildes apart in ~tildes
random Link ParentOlder users tend to compare Tildes to how it was before the influx of Reddit users in 2023.Older users tend to compare Tildes to how it was before the influx of Reddit users in 2023.
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Comment on ‘We love the adrenaline’: Brazil’s illegal hot-air ballooning scene in ~hobbies
random (edited )LinkAs a Brazilian of a certain age, I can't really appreciate the article's attempt at poetry. Baloeiros to me are murderers, their pleasure brought only devastation. They may say they can control...As a Brazilian of a certain age, I can't really appreciate the article's attempt at poetry. Baloeiros to me are murderers, their pleasure brought only devastation. They may say they can control the harmful effects of their floating incendiary bombs -- they can't. I suppose it's easy for a foreign journalist to find beauty when those in danger are not their own.
Here's a recent ballon fire I found with a quick search: https://g1.globo.com/jornal-nacional/noticia/2021/08/23/incendio-provocado-por-balao-destroi-mais-da-metade-de-parque-na-grande-sao-paulo.ghtml.
And here's a case with death: https://www.correiobraziliense.com.br/app/noticia/brasil/2009/04/05/interna-brasil,95868/queda-de-balao-provoca-incendio-e-morte-no-rio-de-janeiro.shtml
More:
https://www.band.uol.com.br/videos/queda-de-balao-provoca-incendio-na-grande-sao-paulo-17170110
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Comment on The Playdate handheld console is now in stock and available in twenty-two additional countries in ~games
random (edited )Link ParentSome people have disposable income and a desire for retro quirkness. That's not something people buy out of a purely cost benefit calculation (money/playtime ). It also looks cool. It has a crank,...Some people have disposable income and a desire for retro quirkness. That's not something people buy out of a purely cost benefit calculation (money/playtime ). It also looks cool. It has a crank, and it cost two thirds of a Nintendo Switch. This may be a videogame console, but it's priced as a piece of art. As art, it's actually pretty cheap. And it really does look awesome.
All those official mini consoles were not worth it either. But they're super cute and look great on a shelf.
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Comment on Tell me about your weird religious beliefs in ~humanities
random (edited )Link ParentI'm not the creator of that argument. I read it on a Richard Rorty book, and I think he was reinterpreting someone else's argument. So you wouldn't offend me, but the ghost of a well known...I'm not the creator of that argument. I read it on a Richard Rorty book, and I think he was reinterpreting someone else's argument. So you wouldn't offend me, but the ghost of a well known American philosopher may or may not knock on your door :P
For the purpose of the argument, the signals firing of in them brain everything are exactly the same. Other than that, not necessarily. But I'm talking from memory. You're likely to find good answers here.
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Comment on Tell me about your weird religious beliefs in ~humanities
random Link ParentI'm sorry, maybe there's a misunderstanding going on. I believe in existence of onsciousness. That's the whole point of the argument.I'm sorry, maybe there's a misunderstanding going on. I believe in existence of onsciousness. That's the whole point of the argument.
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Comment on Tell me about your weird religious beliefs in ~humanities
random Link ParentSuppose that I put someone's hand over a flame. That would undoubtedly cause genuine pain. Now I stimulate that person's brain directly, creating the same sensation of pain as before. Given that...Suppose that I put someone's hand over a flame. That would undoubtedly cause genuine pain. Now I stimulate that person's brain directly, creating the same sensation of pain as before. Given that pain is inherently subjective, would you say that the first pain was more real than the other? Some would answer "no", since, for them, in regards to the subjective experience of pain there is no fake pain. I was merely asking myself, maybe the same reasoning would function for consciousness.
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Comment on Tell me about your weird religious beliefs in ~humanities
random Link ParentIn that case you'd have to refer to your own consciousness sensation.In that case you'd have to refer to your own consciousness sensation.
Brazilian movies.
Some titles are in Portuguese because I'm on mobile but you'll find them all on IMDB.