smiles134's recent activity

  1. Comment on Less than two weeks into US President Donald Trump 2.0 and I completely understand why Jon Stewart left The Daily Show after eight years of George W Bush in ~society

    smiles134
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    I'm all for holding the Democrats accountable for the many many missteps they've made in fighting back against this wave of regressive conservatism, but at the end of the day, we also need to...

    I'm all for holding the Democrats accountable for the many many missteps they've made in fighting back against this wave of regressive conservatism, but at the end of the day, we also need to clearly state that Republicans are at fault. If the Democrats had done this or that, sure, maybe we wouldn't be here. But Republicans are in charge and Republicans are doing the damage. Blame the Republicans for their actions.

    14 votes
  2. Comment on Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport closed after a military helicopter collides with a landing regional jet in ~transport

    smiles134
    Link Parent
    This has to do with the TSA/DHS so not really relevant to avoiding collisions/air traffic control which falls under the FAA/DOT

    I will just note that he recently axed a key aviation safety board

    This has to do with the TSA/DHS so not really relevant to avoiding collisions/air traffic control which falls under the FAA/DOT

    9 votes
  3. Comment on Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport closed after a military helicopter collides with a landing regional jet in ~transport

    smiles134
    (edited )
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    It seems to have been an American Airlines flight colliding with an Army Blackhawk helicopter. Content warning: Explosion seen at a distance Kennedy Center webcam caught the collision over the...

    It seems to have been an American Airlines flight colliding with an Army Blackhawk helicopter.

    Content warning: Explosion seen at a distance

    Kennedy Center webcam caught the collision over the river

    edit: this tweet identifies it as a DC police helicopter, but further evidence later in the thread identifies the helicopter as an Army Blackhawk.

    edit 2: replaced the link with the streamable mirror as the original tweet was deleted.

    17 votes
  4. Comment on Deafheaven - Magnolia (2025) in ~music

    smiles134
    Link Parent
    The Sunbather tour was excellent. I'm a huge Touche Amore fan too so seeing them again was fun.

    The Sunbather tour was excellent. I'm a huge Touche Amore fan too so seeing them again was fun.

    1 vote
  5. Comment on Deafheaven - Magnolia (2025) in ~music

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    Love Deafheaven, and I know their last release was somewhat provocative with how dramatically their sound changed but I did enjoy it. Definitely glad to see them come back to this style though....

    Love Deafheaven, and I know their last release was somewhat provocative with how dramatically their sound changed but I did enjoy it. Definitely glad to see them come back to this style though. Sunbather is such an incredible album and I can't recommend it enough.

    2 votes
  6. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    smiles134
    Link Parent
    This is exactly how I felt about it. I played for a couple hours and was actively frustrated the whole time. Never picked it up again after that. Glad everyone who loves it loves it so much, but...

    While this is not something that would have killed it for me on its own, in combination with the capricious physics engine it meant that I often felt that I was arbitrarily being bounced back to the start for things I had no ability to predict or in some cases even control - and, yes, I am aware that this aspect of the game is somewhat intentional, but I did not find that it improved my experience.

    This is exactly how I felt about it. I played for a couple hours and was actively frustrated the whole time. Never picked it up again after that. Glad everyone who loves it loves it so much, but it's definitely not for me.

    3 votes
  7. Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies

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    Reviews of the new Mel Gibson/Mark Wahlberg movie have me dying. Has anyone been brave enough to see this?

    Reviews of the new Mel Gibson/Mark Wahlberg movie have me dying. Has anyone been brave enough to see this?

    2 votes
  8. Comment on US Department of Homeland Security terminates all advisory boards, halts all investigations in ~society

    smiles134
    Link Parent
    I'm not following -- to be clear, the department heads are folks who've been put there within the last couple of days by the Trump administration And the template was really like, "Send this...

    I'm not following -- to be clear, the department heads are folks who've been put there within the last couple of days by the Trump administration

    And the template was really like, "Send this email, sub in your department/agency/whatever acronyms apply"

    4 votes
  9. Comment on US Department of Homeland Security terminates all advisory boards, halts all investigations in ~society

    smiles134
    Link Parent
    I'm a federal contractor, this language was circulated via memo to all agencies as a template to share from department heads. This fucking blows.

    I'm a federal contractor, this language was circulated via memo to all agencies as a template to share from department heads. This fucking blows.

    7 votes
  10. Comment on US Department of Homeland Security terminates all advisory boards, halts all investigations in ~society

    smiles134
    Link Parent
    Well I just saw a rumor that the US could give B2s to Israel...

    Well I just saw a rumor that the US could give B2s to Israel...

    3 votes
  11. Comment on US Department of Homeland Security terminates all advisory boards, halts all investigations in ~society

    smiles134
    Link Parent
    I don't think this is specifically a move to make anyone richer, but taken with everything else, it's about crippling and neutering government services, programs, regulations, etc.

    I don't think this is specifically a move to make anyone richer, but taken with everything else, it's about crippling and neutering government services, programs, regulations, etc.

    8 votes
  12. Comment on US Department of Homeland Security terminates all advisory boards, halts all investigations in ~society

    smiles134
    Link Parent
    It doesn't seem to want to function at all. Remove all barriers from the richest people getting richer.

    It doesn't seem to want to function at all. Remove all barriers from the richest people getting richer.

    14 votes
  13. Comment on A shower thought on cameras in ~talk

    smiles134
    Link Parent
    mullets are making a comeback, especially in sports

    mullets are making a comeback, especially in sports

    1 vote
  14. Comment on Elon Musk makes 'Nazi-style salute' at US President Donald Trump's inauguration parade in ~society

    smiles134
    Link Parent
    You can watch him do it. What other proof is needed?

    You can watch him do it. What other proof is needed?

    13 votes
  15. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    smiles134
    Link Parent
    I've got I think 300ish hours in Slay the Spire between my PC and switch, so definitely familiar with that one and looking forward to the sequel. I haven't played Monster Train and will check it...

    I've got I think 300ish hours in Slay the Spire between my PC and switch, so definitely familiar with that one and looking forward to the sequel. I haven't played Monster Train and will check it out! I just started on Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles which Epic gave out for free. I've also played a tiny bit of Dicey Dungeons.

    2 votes
  16. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    smiles134
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    After 600 hours, I finally got the Completionist+ achievement on Balatro, meaning I've cleared every deck on every stake. I thought Black deck Gold stake was going to be the end of me but I got...

    After 600 hours, I finally got the Completionist+ achievement on Balatro, meaning I've cleared every deck on every stake. I thought Black deck Gold stake was going to be the end of me but I got kind of lucky with an early scaling combo and just snuck it out.

    I've started to go through the challenge decks now, but I'm also going to branch out into other roguelike deck builders because 600 hours is a lot of time to sink into one game and I'm ready to try something new!

    9 votes
  17. Comment on TikTok is coming back online after US President-elect Donald Trump pledged to restore it in ~tech

    smiles134
    Link Parent
    Considering the amount of congratulating I'm seeing from the right on social media, I'm assuming they're cool with it. Laws don't apply when it benefits their own.

    Considering the amount of congratulating I'm seeing from the right on social media, I'm assuming they're cool with it. Laws don't apply when it benefits their own.

    13 votes
  18. Comment on Buying a game from a director that you really have problems with (Kingdom Come) in ~games

    smiles134
    Link Parent
    I'm sorry but this is very off base. The idea of separating art from the artist is an extremely modern concept from the 20th century evolving out of New Criticism (which eventually leads to...

    I see the historical default for the relationship between artist and art as anonymous

    I'm sorry but this is very off base. The idea of separating art from the artist is an extremely modern concept from the 20th century evolving out of New Criticism (which eventually leads to Barthes's essay on Death of the Author). New critics argued that taking consideration of external factors distracted critics from the actual composition itself and favored focusing strictly on the words, their structure, and other formal features.

    If we look at your example of buying artwork from a street vendor from a historical point of view, people going to markets knew who those vendors were. The world was smaller. And in any case, that's not the interaction that's happening here. We're not looking to buy jewelry from an anonymous source. We actually know who the source is and what their public comments are.

    Say I bought a necklace with a cool design from some guy on the street, and I later found out that design was a symbol for something I deplore. I wouldn't keep wearing that necklace.

    8 votes
  19. Comment on Nintendo Switch release reactions in ~games

    smiles134
    Link Parent
    I've had my eye on Super Mario RPG. Don't see a lot of people talking about it!

    I've had my eye on Super Mario RPG. Don't see a lot of people talking about it!

    1 vote
  20. Comment on Nintendo Switch release reactions in ~games

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    I'm curious what folks would consider the premium Switch titles. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom for sure, but beyond that, what would you tell someone just picking up the Switch to go...

    I'm curious what folks would consider the premium Switch titles. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom for sure, but beyond that, what would you tell someone just picking up the Switch to go out and buy?

    I find myself wanting to play my Switch more, but I never feel like there are titles I have to have out there, and sometimes the games I do grab end up feeling lackluster (like Mario Strikers, which I do love but the online play is half-baked to be VERY generous, and Super Mario Party, which never expanded beyond the four boards offered on release).

    Games beyond those I've already mentioned that I'd consider THE Switch games to get:

    • Mario Odyssey
    • Metroid Dread
    • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

    There's also Mario Kart 8 (but was initially a Wii U title), Link's Awakening remake (originally GameBoy), Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door remake (GameCube), Metroid Prime remaster (GameCube).

    It's probably true that this is happening with other consoles too, but it's striking to me that so many of the best games on a console are remakes or remasters from earlier eras.

    Anyway, like I said, I do like my Switch and want to play more, so what are y'all's favorites on the console?

    edit: can't believe I forgot Mario + Rabbids! Genuinely surprising combo of elements that really works.

    1 vote