redwall_hp's recent activity
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Comment on The hatred of podcasting in ~life
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
redwall_hp (edited )LinkI just picked up Ghost of Tsushima. I have no idea why I didn't sooner, because it's been a lot of fun. It reminds me a lot of what I liked about Witcher 3's gameplay, but newer, and the katana...I just picked up Ghost of Tsushima. I have no idea why I didn't sooner, because it's been a lot of fun. It reminds me a lot of what I liked about Witcher 3's gameplay, but newer, and the katana combat is well done. Though I would like more chances to do iaijutsu, besides when you initially start encounters, though I'm still in Act I, so maybe that changes.
I think it's also the first game I've seen make use of gestures on the DualSense controller. It basically gives you an extra d-pad, since you swipe in four directions to trigger non-combat actions. The game also does really nice, subtle haptics that add to the immersion. Horse galloping, sword swinging and impacts, bow drawback and straining, etc.. It really feels like it was made for the PS5.
The lack of a minimap or compass is interesting. The wind blows in the direction of your tracked quest objective, and birds and foxes sometimes lead you to points of interest. It feels surprisingly natural.
I kind of wanted to play it with the Japanese dub, but I can't realistically pay attention to subtitles while fighting, given how unforgiving the parry and dodge mechanics are.
Edit: Also, you can pet the foxes sometimes after they take you to an Inari shrine.
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Comment on Looking for low-cost ways to replace industrially processed foods in ~food
redwall_hp (edited )Link ParentI made the switch years ago, and now soda with sugar tastes disgusting from how sweet it is. I even skip sugar in my coffee mostly now, unless I'm getting a latte or something. Just a splash of...I made the switch years ago, and now soda with sugar tastes disgusting from how sweet it is. I even skip sugar in my coffee mostly now, unless I'm getting a latte or something. Just a splash of milk, maybe some Splenda once in awhile.
Avoiding sugar in drinks is probably the single best dietary choice anyone can make. One typical 32 oz fast food cup of Coca-Cola, the default size for most meals, is 350 calories. That's 1/5 of your daily budget for the standard 2000 calorie diet...and fruit juice is even higher.
Coke Zero, though, has no calories or sugar.
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Comment on Honk your horn in ~health.mental
redwall_hp Link ParentThe Dodge Spirit had those too. And they were clicky, like chiclet keyboards.The Dodge Spirit had those too. And they were clicky, like chiclet keyboards.
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Comment on CS2 skin update ‘rug pulls’ collectors as $1 billion wiped from market cap in ~games
redwall_hp (edited )Link ParentUnlike games where you can only buy cosmetic items to outfit your character, which is by far the norm, Valve dabbles in various grey market activity. Weapon skins are tradeable to any Steam user,...Unlike games where you can only buy cosmetic items to outfit your character, which is by far the norm, Valve dabbles in various grey market activity. Weapon skins are tradeable to any Steam user, and last I was aware (I've since switched to PlayStation) you could even put them on a marketplace and get Steam wallet credit for whatever people were willing to pay.
So, anyway, people have straight up casinos where they escrow the cosmetics and gamble on items worth thousands of dollars. I've seen articles, with interviews, about teens becoming compulsive gamblers over it.
Also, money laundering.
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Comment on US President Donald Trump has begun demolishing the east wing of the White House, without approval in ~society
redwall_hp LinkArs Technica has satellite photos. The whole thing's been leveled.Ars Technica has satellite photos. The whole thing's been leveled.
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Comment on Amazon Web Services crash causes $2,000 Smart Beds to overheat and get stuck upright in ~tech
redwall_hp (edited )Link ParentThe Register had a few, such as the (not essential for use) monitoring for LitterRobots. And Philips Hue lightbulbs and such. I heard some restaurants were impacted, because Toast powers their...The Register had a few, such as the (not essential for use) monitoring for LitterRobots. And Philips Hue lightbulbs and such.
I heard some restaurants were impacted, because Toast powers their point of sale. Presumably other tablet based PoS solutions may have also been at risk.
Feeling pretty good about my company's multi-region strategy and incident response practices now lol.
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Comment on Amazon Web Services crash causes $2,000 Smart Beds to overheat and get stuck upright in ~tech
redwall_hp Link ParentDon't forget that the beds require a subscription, and send gigabytes of data back to the company.Don't forget that the beds require a subscription, and send gigabytes of data back to the company.
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Comment on Amazon Web Services outage impacts in ~tech
redwall_hp LinkFun take from The Register: Today is when the Amazon brain drain finally sent AWS down the spout Good to call out the three solid years of layoffs and forced attrition through return-to-office...Fun take from The Register: Today is when the Amazon brain drain finally sent AWS down the spout
Good to call out the three solid years of layoffs and forced attrition through return-to-office policies at Amazon...
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Comment on Amazon Web Services outage impacts in ~tech
redwall_hp Link Parent"Amazon ate my homework.""Amazon ate my homework."
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Comment on Amazon Web Services outage impacts in ~tech
redwall_hp Link ParentI've barely slept. I got paged over and over all night from the metric monitors on my team's apps freaking out from zero traffic in our east region. Our product is chugging along, though, because...I've barely slept. I got paged over and over all night from the metric monitors on my team's apps freaking out from zero traffic in our east region. Our product is chugging along, though, because we did a region failover.
Basically a cycle of trying to nap for a few minutes, acknowledging a page, confirming it's the same thing, playing mute whack-a-mole on the monitor, resolving the page, catching up on what other teams are doing for the mitigation, repeat.
And Slack is slow.
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Comment on Spit on, sworn at, and undeterred: what it’s like to own a Cybertruck in ~transport
redwall_hp Link ParentA full wrap would make sense. Glorified stickers with a business name don't really offer protection.A full wrap would make sense. Glorified stickers with a business name don't really offer protection.
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Comment on Star Trek: Starfleet Academy | Official trailer in ~tv
redwall_hp (edited )Link ParentUnfortunately, we live in the evil mirror universe, so in twenty years it will be illegal to even remember TV shows without having first paid $36 per episode on top of your mandatory...Loosen up on copyright and let folks explore.
Unfortunately, we live in the evil mirror universe, so in twenty years it will be illegal to even remember TV shows without having first paid $36 per episode on top of your mandatory McDisneyCola™️ subscription. And, of course, ads will be beamed directly into your brain.
Star Trek will also be illegal, because space communism.
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Comment on Spit on, sworn at, and undeterred: what it’s like to own a Cybertruck in ~transport
redwall_hp (edited )Link ParentThe other type of person who buys a mobile dumpster is a strongly overlapping set in a Venn diagram: small business owners fraudulently claiming a personal vehicle as a business expense. It used...The other type of person who buys a mobile dumpster is a strongly overlapping set in a Venn diagram: small business owners fraudulently claiming a personal vehicle as a business expense. It used to be the Escalade was one of the go-tos for this, because the tax code requires a minimum weight.
Under Section 179, a vehicle over 6000lb with a cargo bed can have up to 100% of the immediate cost taken as a write off, presuming 100% of its use is "for business use." So they're buying a personal vehicle through their business, but telling the IRS it's not primarily for their personal use.
I see lots of them with shitty decals or stenciled-on paint jobs advertising businesses, some of which I already knew are run by awful people. (One of them was being sued for labor practices too, last I heard.)
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
redwall_hp Link ParentI haven't read the book, but I know of it because there's a PBS American Experience documentary based on it. It was a good watch, and I've contemplated trying the book but never got around to it.I haven't read the book, but I know of it because there's a PBS American Experience documentary based on it. It was a good watch, and I've contemplated trying the book but never got around to it.
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Comment on Looking for a beginner turntable and near field speaker in ~hobbies
redwall_hp Link ParentCD players will have various points where quality can affect the sound, most importantly are the DAC and the amplifier. CDs are digital, but the PCM data has to be converted to an analog signal...CD players will have various points where quality can affect the sound, most importantly are the DAC and the amplifier. CDs are digital, but the PCM data has to be converted to an analog signal somehow, and then that has to go through amplification before the signal is strong enough to drive speakers. If you have a cheap DAC, it can fail to faithfully reproduce the audio or it can introduce noise or whatever.
I can't speak for products or brands, because I live fully in the world of computers, phones and streaming services now, but I do dabble in music production. Chances are any CD player designed for external speakers is probably not going to have any issues at this point, though.
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Comment on Some protein powders and shakes may contain high levels of lead in ~health
redwall_hp Link ParentThat's interesting. I don't know why I have that reaction, but I have pretty much my whole life. (No blood sugar issues either, at least according to the A1C tests on my annual blood panel.) I do...That's interesting. I don't know why I have that reaction, but I have pretty much my whole life. (No blood sugar issues either, at least according to the A1C tests on my annual blood panel.)
I do also like overnight oats. I don't do it often, but they're pretty good too when I need a break from yogurt.
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Comment on Some protein powders and shakes may contain high levels of lead in ~health
redwall_hp Link ParentI'm not either, but my go-to breakfast lately has been protein-enriched yogurt smoothies. I try to keep my breakfast calories down so they don't infringe on lunch and dinner, but I need something...I'm not either, but my go-to breakfast lately has been protein-enriched yogurt smoothies. I try to keep my breakfast calories down so they don't infringe on lunch and dinner, but I need something to keep away the nausea-inducing hunger that shows up if I don't eat a full meal within two hours of waking up. High protein stuff like that (or Oikos Triple Zero yogurt) does the trick.
Sometimes I'll also do scrambled eggs, if I have time.
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Comment on What ridiculous thing would you spend billions on? in ~talk
redwall_hp (edited )LinkTo start with: a whole fleet of itasha cars. Everything from entry level sports cars to wildly expensive super cars, all vinyl wrapped with different anime designs. Then I'd use the rest for art...To start with: a whole fleet of itasha cars. Everything from entry level sports cars to wildly expensive super cars, all vinyl wrapped with different anime designs.
Then I'd use the rest for art installations all over the US. I'm thinking a lot of statues of Hatsune Miku everywhere, to spread music and international unity. (Also, anyone can collect figures. Building life sized ones is a real flex.) And statues of John Brown and Generals Sherman and Grant all over the South, in places that particularly need a reminder.
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Comment on Some protein powders and shakes may contain high levels of lead in ~health
redwall_hp Link ParentPeople who talk GLP-1 medication also find it exceptionally difficult to eat enough food to hit the required protein targets to not have issues with the rapid weight loss, and tend to take protein...People who talk GLP-1 medication also find it exceptionally difficult to eat enough food to hit the required protein targets to not have issues with the rapid weight loss, and tend to take protein shakes.
People also often find themselves medically unable to eat solid food and have to drink protein shakes. (Having your wisdom teeth removed is a very easy way to have to do that in the short term.)
Specifically, Dave Weiner implemented media attachments in RSS ca. 2000 and Adam Curry's Daily Source Code is usually credited as the first use of it as a radio show format (around 2004). Around the same time, people were making podcatchers like iPodderX, which were specialized RSS readers that downloaded audio to be synced to an MP3 player later.
Apple added podcast support to iTunes in 2005, which is probably around the year I started listening to podcasts. (CNET's Buzz Out Loud, PotterCast, and some others.)
I didn't originally use iTunes, because I was still using a SanDisk MP3 player and manually dragging files onto it. Getting an iPod definitely made it more convenient, since the process became automatic. I think I had mostly fallen out of the habit of listening to podcasts around 2012-2013.