smiles134's recent activity

  1. Comment on US voter opinions about inflation and consumer prices look very bad for Donald Trump in ~society

    smiles134
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    Stuff like this makes me wish we had a mechanism to recall federal officials. Because really, like @deaconblue said, polling this poorly does nothing to Trump. He's never going to resign. Sure,...

    Stuff like this makes me wish we had a mechanism to recall federal officials. Because really, like @deaconblue said, polling this poorly does nothing to Trump. He's never going to resign. Sure, the Republicans probably lose majority control in 2026, and probably lose the presidency in 2028, but that's a full year from now, or a full three years from now. Otherwise, we're stuck with this garbage that almost no one supports.

    I know that impeachment is supposed to be this mechanism, but Congress has abdicated its powers thanks to the GOP sycophancy committee.

    4 votes

  2. Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies

    smiles134
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    Interstellar was unbelievable in theatres, but that's the last of his movies I saw on release. I'm definitely planning to go to The Odyssey, which hopefully isn't a mistake.

    Interstellar was unbelievable in theatres, but that's the last of his movies I saw on release. I'm definitely planning to go to The Odyssey, which hopefully isn't a mistake.

    3 votes

  3. Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies

    smiles134
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    I watched Tenet this morning, which besides Insomnia is the only other Christopher Nolan film I hadn't yet seen, and Jesus Lord what an incomprehensible movie. I wanted to think the reviews were...

    I watched Tenet this morning, which besides Insomnia is the only other Christopher Nolan film I hadn't yet seen, and Jesus Lord what an incomprehensible movie. I wanted to think the reviews were wrong, but the plot is too obtuse to welcome a second viewing, the first hour is almost entirely exposition -- which really doesn't help the viewer understand what's going on -- and wow the sound mixing is terrible.

    Unfortunate stuff, and I'm not sure if Nolan just overestimated his writing ability or what.

    7 votes

  4. Comment on The Odyssey | Official trailer in ~movies

    smiles134
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    Okay, so you're not just talking film, or strictly just Homer, but more so classical Greek mythology appearing in modern narratives. So much of Western culture is wrapped up, inspired by, directly...

    Okay, so you're not just talking film, or strictly just Homer, but more so classical Greek mythology appearing in modern narratives. So much of Western culture is wrapped up, inspired by, directly drawn from those stories that originated in Greek mythology. Shit, The Odyssey is one of the classic examples of the Hero's Journey. I don't think it's so easy to just get away from.

    Shakespeare himself pulled much from mythology. Romeo and Juliet is just a modernized adaptation of the Pyramus and Thisbe myth in Ovid's Metamorphoses.

    Anyway, my point is I think there's a difference between overt adaptations (The Odyssey) and retellings (O Brother) and also a difference between mediums (movie vs. book vs. stage musical), and we haven't had many overt adaptations in film of Homer specifically in a long while.

    5 votes

  5. Comment on The Odyssey | Official trailer in ~movies

    smiles134
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    I think Troy is the only Homeric adaptation I can name and even that is very loose, and of a different story. What others are you thinking of?

    I think Troy is the only Homeric adaptation I can name and even that is very loose, and of a different story. What others are you thinking of?

    1 vote

  6. Comment on Statement from Mozilla's new CEO in ~tech

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    Whyyyyyyyyyy I've used Firefox as my daily browser for almost 15 years. I have no desire to switch but if I keep getting AI shit shoved down my throat I might have to.

    Whyyyyyyyyyy

    I've used Firefox as my daily browser for almost 15 years. I have no desire to switch but if I keep getting AI shit shoved down my throat I might have to.

    33 votes

  7. Comment on The US Government unconstitutionally labels Immigration and Customs Enforcement observers as domestic terrorists in ~society

    smiles134
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    What has emerged to me most in the last 10 years is that the average person spends very little time or energy on critical thinking. It's far easier to just consume headlines to know what to think...

    What has emerged to me most in the last 10 years is that the average person spends very little time or energy on critical thinking. It's far easier to just consume headlines to know what to think or how to feel, and as long as you don't press too hard on any subject, then you won't realize the web of contradictions and outright falsehoods that lay underneath.

    This is what Trump and everyone who uses Trump's abject lack of conscience discovered. They can say literally whatever the fuck they want and face very little consequences. Doesn't matter if it's true or even sounds true. Just send it out into the universe and go on doing your thing. I mean for Christ's sake, this man went on national television and said immigrant communities were eating people's pets and he got elected AGAIN.

    Reality doesn't matter. If you have no morals, you can do anything you want.

    17 votes

  8. Comment on Does anyone use Ground News? in ~talk

    smiles134
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    I do -- you'll see my comment as the one @cfabbro replied to. I use to find multiple sources writing about the same topic. I don't really rely on their bias meter as I have my own sense of which...

    I do -- you'll see my comment as the one @cfabbro replied to. I use to find multiple sources writing about the same topic. I don't really rely on their bias meter as I have my own sense of which sources have what bias, but it can be helpful in finding local sources for stories which usually have some context the national sources miss. It's an aggregator at the end of the day

    4 votes

  9. Comment on Paramount launches a hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery in ~movies

    smiles134
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    It's in the linked article. It's not a claim, it's from Paramount themselves.

    It's in the linked article.

    A filing confirms that Paramount’s tender offer is also supported by $24 billion in debt financing from sovereign wealth funds from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, as well as from Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners.

    It's not a claim, it's from Paramount themselves.

    26 votes

  10. Comment on 2025 Spotify Wrapped is now out in ~music

  11. Comment on 2025 Spotify Wrapped is now out in ~music

    smiles134
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    I saw them open for Vs Self earlier this year (I live kind of near where they're based). I don't think they play live very often but they did put on a great show

    I saw them open for Vs Self earlier this year (I live kind of near where they're based). I don't think they play live very often but they did put on a great show

  12. Comment on 2025 Spotify Wrapped is now out in ~music

    smiles134
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    isn't it always the first week of December or am I just hallucinating

    isn't it always the first week of December or am I just hallucinating

    1 vote

  13. Comment on 2025 Spotify Wrapped is now out in ~music

    smiles134
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    Reminds me a lot of early 2010s era Balance and Composure

    Reminds me a lot of early 2010s era Balance and Composure

    1 vote

  14. Comment on 2025 Spotify Wrapped is now out in ~music

    smiles134
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    They had a long tour this summer with a bunch of rotating openers. I saw them with Kerosene Heights and Newgrounds Death Rugby. Really great show. It's a heavy album lyrically, just a heads up.

    They had a long tour this summer with a bunch of rotating openers. I saw them with Kerosene Heights and Newgrounds Death Rugby. Really great show. It's a heavy album lyrically, just a heads up.

    1 vote

  15. Comment on 2025 Spotify Wrapped is now out in ~music

    smiles134
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    Did you check out the new Tigers Jaw song that dropped today?

    Did you check out the new Tigers Jaw song that dropped today?

    1 vote

  16. Comment on 2025 Spotify Wrapped is now out in ~music

    smiles134
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    If you haven't given Infant Island a listen, I highly recommend their 2024 album for a similar to Deafheaven itch

    If you haven't given Infant Island a listen, I highly recommend their 2024 album for a similar to Deafheaven itch

    3 votes

  17. Comment on 2025 Spotify Wrapped is now out in ~music

    smiles134
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    Sunbather is an all timer album for me

    Sunbather is an all timer album for me

    1 vote

  18. Comment on 2025 Spotify Wrapped is now out in ~music

    smiles134
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    Other Midwest emo faves for you (2024/2025 releases that were big for me, if you haven't checked them out): saturdays at your place - these things happen Kerosene Heights - Blame it on the Weather...

    Other Midwest emo faves for you (2024/2025 releases that were big for me, if you haven't checked them out):

    saturdays at your place - these things happen
    Kerosene Heights - Blame it on the Weather
    Pool Kids - Easier Said than Done
    Tiny Voices - Reasons I Won't Change
    Harrison Gordon - Spring Break!
    Ben Quad - Wisher
    Michael Cera Palin - We Could Be Brave
    my point of you - This is my first heist

  19. Comment on 2025 Spotify Wrapped is now out in ~music

    smiles134
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    Oh yeah big fan of Moving Mountains. The new album didn't have much lasting power for me though. Deafheaven is probably in my top 5 favorite albums of the year, if I made my list today.

    Oh yeah big fan of Moving Mountains. The new album didn't have much lasting power for me though.

    Deafheaven is probably in my top 5 favorite albums of the year, if I made my list today.

  20. Comment on 2025 Spotify Wrapped is now out in ~music

    smiles134
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    Yeah, I started listening late last year and that triggered something where I realized I had not been broadening my horizons like I used to back in high school, which started me on my (very...

    Yeah, I started listening late last year and that triggered something where I realized I had not been broadening my horizons like I used to back in high school, which started me on my (very rewarding) journey this year.

    2 votes