sparkle's recent activity
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Comment on What’s something you’re personally proud of from this year? in ~life
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Comment on What is the best modern-ish OS to install on older computers? (Parameters within) in ~comp
sparkle Link ParentI was also going to suggest KolibriOS for Computer 1 - it only needs 8MB of RAM and can run on any i586 machine. Would also be able to support modern components like USB and Ethernet. Though not...I was also going to suggest KolibriOS for Computer 1 - it only needs 8MB of RAM and can run on any i586 machine. Would also be able to support modern components like USB and Ethernet. Though not entirely sure if it could handle a PCI USB expansion card (the machine might have USB 1.0/1.1 but didn't want to make any assumptions), but worth a shot.
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Comment on Are ‘ghost engineers’ real? Seeking Silicon Valley’s least productive coders. in ~tech
sparkle Link ParentThanks, you've finally explained why so many of my colleagues are contractors but have been with the company for 5+ years. That always made me scratch my head (UK based company). I also have a...This is probably a main reason why my company usually uses contractor-to-hire - contractors can be fired without cause.
Thanks, you've finally explained why so many of my colleagues are contractors but have been with the company for 5+ years. That always made me scratch my head (UK based company).
I also have a "vampire engineer" on my team who saves me about 5 hours a week in busy work (that I could honestly have automated if I had the time) but creates about 10 hours a week of work for me to fix his shit, re-explain something that he should know because I literally gave him the documentation three weeks ago, or asks so many questions that it's easier for me to just do it because it takes more time to explain than to just do it and he doesn't seem to learn anyway.
Management is well aware and have given him chance after chance but since he's not a contractor, very difficult to fire. I do try to have some empathy since he's young (Gen Z young), English isn't his first language, and I was once fired for asking too many questions at a job where I had zero knowledge of the products, but I at least made improvements and learned. Haven't seen much of either from him.
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Comment on Portland Airport grows with expansive mass timber roof canopy in ~transport
sparkle Link ParentYeah, that sounds about right. Most of my family is from Portland and they'd never mentioned the carpet before and we've all flown in and out of PDX many times over the years. Though we did have...Yeah, that sounds about right. Most of my family is from Portland and they'd never mentioned the carpet before and we've all flown in and out of PDX many times over the years. Though we did have quite a lull from about 2005-2015 (when my grandfather was having some health issues) so if it reached peak during then, definitely would have missed it lol
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Comment on Portland Airport grows with expansive mass timber roof canopy in ~transport
sparkle LinkI was just there a few weeks ago visiting family, heard from some locals that the company had pulled out some of the famous carpet and it caused quite an uproar, such that they found a fabric...I was just there a few weeks ago visiting family, heard from some locals that the company had pulled out some of the famous carpet and it caused quite an uproar, such that they found a fabric printer to recreate it.
Not sure if that was during the construction of the timber terminal or a different renovation, but thought it was a funny bit of Portland trivia I didn't know
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Comment on Do not buy NZXT | Predatory, evil rental computer scam investigated in ~tech
sparkle Link ParentWell I was an idiot who had a 240mm AIO from Arctic running perfectly fine for six years in an old gaming PC turned homelab server. And also had friends recommend Arctic. But I went with the shit...Well I was an idiot who had a 240mm AIO from Arctic running perfectly fine for six years in an old gaming PC turned homelab server. And also had friends recommend Arctic. But I went with the shit brand instead like a dummy lol. Guess I'm not totally immune to influencers and mob mentality :/
On the bright side, my temps are 5-10 degrees cooler than the Kraken and other than a little noise at startup, practically whisper quiet.
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Comment on Do not buy NZXT | Predatory, evil rental computer scam investigated in ~tech
sparkle Link ParentI was always kind of skeptical of them based on just how popular they were among most PC enthusiasts but when my water cooler failed, I figured I'd give one of their coolers a shot. Well, 31 days...I was always kind of skeptical of them based on just how popular they were among most PC enthusiasts but when my water cooler failed, I figured I'd give one of their coolers a shot. Well, 31 days in, exactly one day after the return period, the pump failed entirely. Obviously with a critical component like this you can't just wait for a replacement, so I purchased an Arctic cooler from a local shop and contacted NZXT for a refund. After about three weeks! of back and forth and escalations, they ultimately refused and would only agree to replace the cooler. Felt really scummy and this all makes sense now.
Now I have an extra cooler I wouldn't even want to give away to somebody. I've thought of Frankensteining it into some other PCs around the house but I guess it'll probably just sit around as an emergency part.
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Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
sparkle LinkIt's finally cold and snowy up here in the Canadian Prairies and I'm finding that this is now my favourite time to run! The snow, at least in its current state, is really pleasant to run on. I've...It's finally cold and snowy up here in the Canadian Prairies and I'm finding that this is now my favourite time to run! The snow, at least in its current state, is really pleasant to run on. I've even tackled a few trails that I had avoided in the past due to their busyness and muddy areas, but the cold and snow have taken care of both those issues. I've been mostly sticking in Zone 2/3 and that seems to be about the sweet spot for me.
I'm kind of excited to see just how cold I can endure. Today was the coldest run so far at -10C with wind chill of -19C (14F/-2F) and I feel with a few wardrobe adjustments, I can easily go down to -20C. One piece of advice I do want to start trying to follow is to start the run in a headwind, finishing with a 25+km/h wind in your face is somewhat less than pleasant.
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Comment on Just bought a Sous Vide. Those who own one, what are your favorite things to use it for? Any recommended accessories? in ~food
sparkle LinkThe reason we got one was because my wife loves baking and she read the Serious Eats article on vanilla extraction techniques and it didn't take much convincing for us to buy one. I see lots of...The reason we got one was because my wife loves baking and she read the Serious Eats article on vanilla extraction techniques and it didn't take much convincing for us to buy one. I see lots of food chemistry already in the thread but no mention of this yet so thought I'd share - especially as I'm using said vanilla to make some ice cream lol
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Comment on Twenty-eight years later, Escaflowne is suddenly trending in Japan in ~anime
sparkle LinkEscaflowne has such a special place in my heart. Growing up without cable, I basically only got to see Pokemon or Digimon on one of the basic OTA channels. Occasionally I'd catch Gundam Wing or...Escaflowne has such a special place in my heart. Growing up without cable, I basically only got to see Pokemon or Digimon on one of the basic OTA channels. Occasionally I'd catch Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon at a friend's house and enjoyed them but never knew what was going on.
I had friends that were big into anime and their mom convinced my highly conservative mom that they were just cartoons and they were perfectly fine for me to watch. They were rich and could afford to import VHS tapes from Japan with subtitles burnt in - this was where my love of subs began. In retrospect, they probably bought them from a licensed distributor in the States, but I was too young to understand any of that.
I suddenly had access to all the greats of 90s anime - Tenchi Muyo, Cowboy Bebop, Nadia of Blue Water, the Gundam Wing episodes that were banned in the US, Big O, Record of Lodoss War, etc but most importantly, Vision of Escaflowne.
I loved every second of Escaflowne. From the stellar soundtrack that I still know from memory to the gorgeous mechanical mechs (that led to many arguments over which mecha was the best) to the captivating characters and the fantasy setting, everything was just so bright and well balanced to me. It was my escape from a troubled childhood and borrowing those tapes (and later DVDs) would always bring such a delight to my life for many years.
I'm really really glad to see it seeing a surge in popularity. I'm always a bit disappointed when I visit Japan and the only 90s anime that still get much recognition are Evangelion, Gundam Wing, DBZ, Sailor Moon, all ones I love but any media relating to Escaflowne is pretty rare. Maybe there will be a resurgence in merch next time I'm there :)
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Comment on What are your favorite “chore” games? in ~games
sparkle Link ParentI wish so bad Shipbreaker had a native VR, it's one of the few games I've played that I felt could thoroughly benefit from it and I would actually buy a VR headset for it. I haven't played it in...I wish so bad Shipbreaker had a native VR, it's one of the few games I've played that I felt could thoroughly benefit from it and I would actually buy a VR headset for it. I haven't played it in two years so not sure if VR has been added yet, if it has guess I'm buying myself a VR headset for Christmas lol
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Comment on Satisfactory tips and tricks? in ~games
sparkle (edited )LinkI have about 250 hours from early access and 1.0, here's some tips I learned on the way- If your preferred method of traversing areas is power lines with the zip line thingy, you can right click...I have about 250 hours from early access and 1.0, here's some tips I learned on the way-
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If your preferred method of traversing areas is power lines with the zip line thingy, you can right click when equipped and it will automatically attach to any power line and stay attached, no need to hold down the fire button. Learned this after my first 100 hours lol
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Once you setup elevator part factories, don't tear them down/repurpose them as almost all of them will be reused for future parts.
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I changed the default hologram color when placing to white as the arrows were difficult for me to see in the default
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Even if it seems simple, automate it! Edit: and even if it's not efficient, still automate it!
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When your trains go to a station, they can use freight platforms that aren't directly attached to it. What I mean by this is you can have like freightA-freightB-freightC-station1-freightD-station2 and a three car train pulling into station2 can use both freightC and freightD. Obvious in hindsight but it just didn't occur to me to try when I started trains
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If you have to do something with resources to keep things running (looking at you oil) - just sink the excess into an Awesome Sink. Smart/Programmable splitters are fantastic for this as you can send the bulk into your industrial storage containers and factories with the overflow output going to the sink.
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Abuse dimensional depots. Seriously, after you unlock them, reserve at least ten spheres to build depots for the most common parts like concrete, belt materials, rods, cable, wire, etc. Nothing sucks more than building a new factory and having to run/drive/fly all the way back to main base to get more parts.
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Comment on AI is killing remote work in ~tech
sparkle Link ParentI was introduced to nohello a few years ago by a coworker and I've desperately wanted to use it but I'm worried it might be seen as passive aggressive, culturally insensitive (I'm at a large...I was introduced to nohello a few years ago by a coworker and I've desperately wanted to use it but I'm worried it might be seen as passive aggressive, culturally insensitive (I'm at a large multinational corp and some nationalities just saying hello and nothing else is their culture apparently) or just plain ignored.
How has your experience been with it? Has anybody pushed back against it?
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Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health
sparkle LinkI've never been an outside exercise person before this year, but I've been consistently doing 2-3 runs per week outside since April. I'd like to keep it up, but obviously the temps are starting to...I've never been an outside exercise person before this year, but I've been consistently doing 2-3 runs per week outside since April. I'd like to keep it up, but obviously the temps are starting to drop here (Central Canada).
Do any fellow cold weather runners have advice for gear and any other tips to share? The coldest I've run so far is -5C with just leggings, light zip jacket, t-shirt, light gloves (ditched after 20 minutes as my hands got too hot), wrightsock double layer socks, and a ball cap with headlamp for safety. Overall I felt pretty comfortable for the hour or so I was out there.
The weather here in the late fall/winter mornings can range from -15 down to -30 typically and the wind can at times be brutal with wind chill reaching -40 or lower. I think on those days I will just stick inside on the treadmill :)
I do have a balaclava/gaiter and thicker gloves, but little else for outdoor exercise gear.
Some questions I have running through my head are below -
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What other clothes should I invest in? I assume I'll at least need a thicker jacket, possibly warmer leggings, and some warmer socks.
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Is there a hard limit to temperatures? Should I not even bother below say, -20?
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How should I approach breathing? Cold air is harsh, should I breathe through a balaclava to warm the air up a little?
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Should I do a warmup on the treadmill first before going out?
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If sidewalks aren't cleared or poorly cleared, should I primarily stick with the roads? Or would that just be far too risky? My area is largely residential so it wouldn't be like going on the highway or something crazy.
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Is there any way to prepare myself for poor traction other than just to be aware? I've been walking on snow/ice for years and never had problems but I imagine it's much different while running.
Thanks and happy running everybody!
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Comment on Several Russian developers lose kernel maintainership status in ~comp
sparkle Link ParentThe last sentence in Bottomley's email sounds like this may have been a direct ask from a three letter agency (DHS or NSA via Treasury Dept perhaps) I used to work in FinTech and we had to...The last sentence in Bottomley's email sounds like this may have been a direct ask from a three letter agency (DHS or NSA via Treasury Dept perhaps)
I used to work in FinTech and we had to frequently check to make sure none of our customers or associations were on the OFAC list. We did these checks monthly because the fines were quite high if you were caught. But these were for profit businesses and the wording of the law was pretty clear. Perhaps in the case of the Linux Foundation, they assumed they were exempt because they are non-profit or there was no exchange of money with the Russian maintainers. Or the companies that the maintainers were a part of were recently added to the OFAC list.
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Comment on Starship Launch 5 successfully caught by launch tower in ~space
sparkle Link ParentIt would help if most media outlets wouldn't title every SpaceX article with "Elon Musk's SpaceX does XYZ". Not this one in particular but a large portion do. I've even seen some (typically more...It would help if most media outlets wouldn't title every SpaceX article with "Elon Musk's SpaceX does XYZ". Not this one in particular but a large portion do. I've even seen some (typically more clickbaity outlets) completely omit "SpaceX" and just state "Elon Musk does XYZ" as though he is personally inventing the craft or spacesuits.
I know it's exactly because of the audience interaction with a vitriolic topic which leads to more ad revenue, but for crying out loud, separate the man from the product.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
sparkle Link ParentI didn't like Hyperion Cantos when I first read it but I think I went into it with the wrong mindset and made the mistake of forcing myself to finish it. I've been getting back into more space...I didn't like Hyperion Cantos when I first read it but I think I went into it with the wrong mindset and made the mistake of forcing myself to finish it. I've been getting back into more space opera lately so I think maybe I'll try to get back to it since it'll basically be the first time for me (again).
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Comment on Use plain text email in ~tech
sparkle Link ParentMost everybody who has a decent amount of sense and thinks with their brains and not wallets, you mean. I wish we could go back to Slack (in fact some of us still use it to communicate with...At the end of the day, it's hard to explain, but most everyone I work with who has given Slack a fair try soon resents having to go back into Teams.
Most everybody who has a decent amount of sense and thinks with their brains and not wallets, you mean. I wish we could go back to Slack (in fact some of us still use it to communicate with external organizations, another fantastic feature of Slack that is clunky in Teams) but the powers that be dictated that we go all in on Teams simply because it was cheaper for our organization. And probably not by much either...
The only thing I like about Teams is that it does have better noise cancellation - far too much background noise and conversations would get picked up in voice chat on Slack that aren't in Teams on the same hardware.
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Comment on Georgia voter cancellation site in ~society
sparkle Link ParentInteresting, I used to live in Georgia but now live in Canada and had jury duty summons. I mailed them a form with an explanation of why I was unable to attend and have never heard anything since....Interesting, I used to live in Georgia but now live in Canada and had jury duty summons. I mailed them a form with an explanation of why I was unable to attend and have never heard anything since. I suppose if I get a second summons though, that will further prove how inept the state can sometimes be... I'm still registered to vote so hopefully it's not tied to that.
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Comment on I'm a game developer with a special interest in horses and riding. I wrote a lengthy guide on what could be done better when adding horses to games. in ~games
sparkle LinkI just wanted to echo what others have said about this being a fun niche deep dive into something I otherwise wouldn't be interested in and also add that I love the choice of Baskerville(?) as the...I just wanted to echo what others have said about this being a fun niche deep dive into something I otherwise wouldn't be interested in and also add that I love the choice of Baskerville(?) as the sites font. It's the same that I use on my Kindle so reading this felt like reading a book and I love it!
Well nobody but me has known I had a problem so I've had nobody to tell, but I'm pretty proud that I've been (99.9%) sober from alcohol the entire year for the first time in probably a decade. Lost a good bit of weight and been exercising and generally feeling a lot better, feels like it's been one of my better decisions in a long line of bad decisions.