rubix's recent activity

  1. Comment on Sturgill Simpson's new album released early on YouTube (Johnny Blue Skies & The Dark Clouds - Mutiny After Midnight) (2026) in ~music

    rubix
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    Update: Guess this was a sneak peak and the link is now dead.

    Update: Guess this was a sneak peak and the link is now dead.

    1 vote

  2. Comment on Sturgill Simpson's new album released early on YouTube (Johnny Blue Skies & The Dark Clouds - Mutiny After Midnight) (2026) in ~music

    rubix
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    The official release is March 18, but it's available to listen to early! Sturgill Simpson is one of the few people in modern country music that I actively listen to and this album is really great....

    The official release is March 18, but it's available to listen to early! Sturgill Simpson is one of the few people in modern country music that I actively listen to and this album is really great.

    https://www.mutinyaftermidnight.com/

    3 votes

  4. Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies

    rubix
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    With the Oscar nominations out, several theaters near me have been programming the international feature film picks. Sirāt was a tense ride, much in the same way Sorcerer is. They both build up...

    With the Oscar nominations out, several theaters near me have been programming the international feature film picks.

    Sirāt was a tense ride, much in the same way Sorcerer is. They both build up tension and end somewhere you're unlikely to expect from the first half. The soundtrack by Kangding Ray is an incredible mix of hypnotic ambient tracks and dark, ecstatic techno. As someone who spent a lot of time at festivals and grew up listening to techno, this soundtrack is instantly one of my favorites. The emotional arc of the film stumbled for me, but it was still a experience worth seeing on the big screen.

    It Was Just an Accident was blisteringly funny and a powerful political statement. The whole film felt deeply personal, painfully human, and emotionally cathartic. Where Sirāt falls apart at the end for me, this film comes together into something special. I still need to see The Secret Agent which I've heard lots of praise about, but It Was Just an Accident is my standout nomination at the moment.

    3 votes

  6. Comment on 'KPop Demon Hunters,' 'Frankenstein' join Criterion Collection in ~movies

    rubix
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    It's great that some Netflix titles are getting the Criterion treatment. I would love to see May December and I'm Thinking of Ending Things get proper physical releases as well.

    It's great that some Netflix titles are getting the Criterion treatment. I would love to see May December and I'm Thinking of Ending Things get proper physical releases as well.

    3 votes

  7. Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books

    rubix
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    The description sounds right up my alley! I've got these bookmarked after I get through a couple other things first. I'm trying out Ursula K. Le Guin after hearing her work recommended so often...

    The description sounds right up my alley! I've got these bookmarked after I get through a couple other things first.

    I'm trying out Ursula K. Le Guin after hearing her work recommended so often from friends and online. Rocannon's World felt like a good start since it's the first entry in the Hainish Cycle.

    1 vote

  8. Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books

    rubix
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    In the last couple weeks I finished Project Hail Mary and am now thoroughly waiting in anticipation for the film adaptation. I've got tickets for an early 70mm screening in a couple weeks. I also...

    In the last couple weeks I finished Project Hail Mary and am now thoroughly waiting in anticipation for the film adaptation. I've got tickets for an early 70mm screening in a couple weeks.

    I also read We Are Legion (We Are Bob). Really fun, but not entirely to my taste. I may continue with the series eventually, but I'm in no rush. Reading about a programmer who loves making Star Trek and other contemporary nerdy references just didn't engage me.

    A few days ago I picked up There Is No Antimemetics Division after seeing @HelmetTesterTJ mention it in the last thread. Really enjoyed the blend of sci-fi and cosmic horror! I may circle back to their other recommendations of The Ministry of Time and Lexicon.

    The general premise of forgetting important things lead me to my next pick, The Memory Police. I'm just over halfway through and it's a very fun change of pace from all the sci-fi I've been reading, focusing more on magical realism I suppose.

    3 votes

  9. Comment on Here are your choices for a self-hosted ebook server in ~books

    rubix
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    Just set up a Booklore instance on my home server and I'm really liking it! Managing metadata feels significantly less clunky than Calibre. Searching for and swapping covers is super easy. The...

    Just set up a Booklore instance on my home server and I'm really liking it! Managing metadata feels significantly less clunky than Calibre. Searching for and swapping covers is super easy. The OPDS server setup was fairly easy and I can now sync with koreader which is extra handy since I'm using a Pocketbook device.

    1 vote

  10. Comment on What have you been eating, drinking, and cooking? in ~food

    rubix
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    This isn't entirely true, hot tea and other drinks in the winter is absolutely normal in Russia. However, I was surprised that street vendor ice cream sells very well in the winter. They don't...

    This isn't entirely true, hot tea and other drinks in the winter is absolutely normal in Russia.

    However, I was surprised that street vendor ice cream sells very well in the winter. They don't need freezers so it's easy to set up a table to sell it. It also doesn't melt on you while you're eating it!

    1 vote

  11. Comment on Need a replacement for my old macbook pro, should I just get another one? in ~comp

    rubix
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    Speaking of Macbooks, my last personal one lasted just over a decade of very frequent use before the battery finally gave out. I used that as an excuse to upgrade to the newer M-series chip which...

    Speaking of Macbooks, my last personal one lasted just over a decade of very frequent use before the battery finally gave out. I used that as an excuse to upgrade to the newer M-series chip which has been such a huge performance increase and felt very worthwhile.

    It sounds like your Macbook was already used? If not, you should have easily been under warranty to get it fixed. All my work Macbooks have never had any issues either, other than eventually being replaced for more performant machines.

    5 votes

  12. Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books

    rubix
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    There Is No Antimemetics Division sounded right up my alley when I saw your post and I'm about halfway through right now! As a massive fan of the video game Control, this book feels like a perfect...

    There Is No Antimemetics Division sounded right up my alley when I saw your post and I'm about halfway through right now! As a massive fan of the video game Control, this book feels like a perfect accompaniment.

    4 votes

  13. Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books

    rubix
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    I just caught up on the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Over the last couple of weeks I breezed through the entire series and it's been so much fun! Really looking forward to the next entry in May....

    I just caught up on the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Over the last couple of weeks I breezed through the entire series and it's been so much fun! Really looking forward to the next entry in May.

    After DCC I was ready for a change of pace and opted for The Killing Star by Charles R. Pellegrino and George Zebrowski. It's speculative fiction that starts similarly to DCC where first contact proves to be devastating to humans. Sober in tone and an intriguing thought piece on what would actually happen in such an event.

    Then I finally went back and finished King of Ashes by S.A. Crosby. In the end, I found it an enjoyable, fairly quick read, but probably not something I would revisit. I suppose my interests right now are more focused on sci-fi and some non-fiction. Eventually I'd like to check out All the Sinners Bleed or some of his other works, but I won't be rushing to them.

    I'm now juggling two books, the first of which I'm halfway through; Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. It's been ages since I've read a book in preparation for the film adaptation coming out. It's also my first Weir novel and I can see why he's so popular. The writing is snappy and entertaining. The Martian and Artemis seem like great future reads based on my taste right now.

    The other book I started up is Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future by Dan Wang. This one came as a recommendation from a friend currently working through it. The subject is of immense interest examining China's technological and geopolitical rise while comparing it against America's current, more lawyerly, state.

    5 votes

  15. Comment on Looking for a simple lists app in ~tech

    rubix
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    Not OP, but I'm a very dedicated Obsidian user. The only plugin I consider a necessity is the community Kanban plugin. I keep a very basic board going for my personal life tasks with three...

    Not OP, but I'm a very dedicated Obsidian user.

    The only plugin I consider a necessity is the community Kanban plugin. I keep a very basic board going for my personal life tasks with three columns; Ready, Doing, and Done. If I'm diving into a specific hobby or project, I'll make a folder for it and create an extra board for that folder with specific tasks when I'm focused on it.

    For most everything else I just maintain a light organization of top level folders and create documents inside them as I need to write things down. Spending too much time tailoring an organization system bogs me down and ends up eating my time. Obsidian has solid searching and tagging which is easier to use than most of the Obsidian setups I've seen described on YouTube and Reddit.

    2 votes

  16. Comment on Is it possible to live without WhatsApp? in ~tech

    rubix
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    I haven't used FB or any of the company's products in at least a decade. At this point I no longer know what I'm missing, if anything. When I cut it out of my life I did spend a bit of time...

    I haven't used FB or any of the company's products in at least a decade. At this point I no longer know what I'm missing, if anything. When I cut it out of my life I did spend a bit of time identifying what value I felt I was getting from it and figured out where else to get that information.

    Your local newspapers very likely have event listings for your community. If you frequent a few specific venues, sign up for their newsletters to stay apprised of their events.

    I've never really understood the argument that without FB it would be difficult to stay in communication with people, but everyone has different situations and needs so I'm not trying to downplay them. We do live in a world awash with communication choices that may just require a touch of intention; email, text, phone calls, Telegram/Signal/Discord/Slack. There are plenty of options. In fact, I feel that my communications with family and friends have improved due to the intentionality required.

    9 votes

  17. Comment on At CES 2026: A thumb-sized device that runs a fully isolated OS on your phone or PC in ~tech

    rubix
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    This feels like an ad rather than a genuine post

    This feels like an ad rather than a genuine post

    6 votes

  18. Comment on How I stopped cooking breakfast every day - baked oats in ~food

    rubix
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    I often like to make a batch of plain oats for a few days and put a faster breakfast together. This recipe looks pretty tasty which might be a fun change, but I usually prefer savory oats. My go...

    I often like to make a batch of plain oats for a few days and put a faster breakfast together. This recipe looks pretty tasty which might be a fun change, but I usually prefer savory oats. My go to is with green onions, a sunny side up or soft boiled egg, soy sauce, and a bit of chili crisp. Or if I'm feeling lazy for dinner, I'll make the same but sub the egg for a can of sardines or tuna in oil.

    6 votes

  20. Comment on Pasta al formaggio (mac & cheese): Italian chef Paolo Lopriore rewrites the American classic recipe in ~food

    rubix
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    You make your mac and cheese with tomato sauce?

    You make your mac and cheese with tomato sauce?

    30 votes