sparksbet's recent activity

  1. Comment on Spotify now lets parents block kids' music from polluting their recommendations in ~music

    sparksbet
    Link Parent
    I liked GPM's interface better, but imo YTM's is no worse than Spotify's. They're pretty similar imo. And if you had playlists in GPM, I think those carry over? Mine did, at least.

    I liked GPM's interface better, but imo YTM's is no worse than Spotify's. They're pretty similar imo. And if you had playlists in GPM, I think those carry over? Mine did, at least.

    2 votes

  2. Comment on Spotify now lets parents block kids' music from polluting their recommendations in ~music

    sparksbet
    Link Parent
    fwiw imo the algorithm on GPM's successor, YouTube Music, is still a lot better than Spotify's.

    fwiw imo the algorithm on GPM's successor, YouTube Music, is still a lot better than Spotify's.

    2 votes

  3. Comment on Help me choose a small electric car in ~transport

    sparksbet
    Link Parent
    I currently live in a suburban house with a garage where adding a charger would be trivial. I'm also aware of a public charging station near me, so I have at least some options if I find myself...

    I currently live in a suburban house with a garage where adding a charger would be trivial. I'm also aware of a public charging station near me, so I have at least some options if I find myself low on power while out and about. I can see not having suitable parking with charging options limiting some of my choices when I move out to rented housing, but there are lots of rental options that would similarly have garages with outlets where I could easily install a Level 1 charger, so lack of access to charging is not a big factor for me personally.

    1 vote

  4. Comment on Help me choose a small electric car in ~transport

    sparksbet
    Link Parent
    I think the discussion of reliability in that thread is honestly talking about something different than what I was thinking of, which is the need to perform regular maintenance like oil changes....

    I think the discussion of reliability in that thread is honestly talking about something different than what I was thinking of, which is the need to perform regular maintenance like oil changes. My understanding is that there are way fewer things that you have to regularly maintain like that with electric vehicles. I have ADHD and as I'm sure my dentist could attest, I'm not great at keeping up with regular small tasks like that even when they're important.

    2 votes

  5. Comment on Help me choose a small electric car in ~transport

    sparksbet
    Link Parent
    Omg yeah this does seem to meet my requirements perfectly (and there's one available new at a dealer near me according to Chevy, which means I probably won't have trouble finding one when I'm...

    Omg yeah this does seem to meet my requirements perfectly (and there's one available new at a dealer near me according to Chevy, which means I probably won't have trouble finding one when I'm ready to buy!)

    5 votes

  6. Comment on Help me choose a small electric car in ~transport

    sparksbet
    Link Parent
    To be clear, I said I'm an anxious driver, and that's the case because I did not drive at all while living in Europe and am getting back on the road after 10 years or so not driving. I'm getting...

    To be clear, I said I'm an anxious driver, and that's the case because I did not drive at all while living in Europe and am getting back on the road after 10 years or so not driving. I'm getting back in the swing of things slowly through exposure now that I'm back in the US. I technically had a European driver's license but never actually drove using it while living there.

  7. Comment on Help me choose a small electric car in ~transport

    sparksbet
    Link Parent
    Yeah I'm definitely not planning to drive long distances in it, so I'm 100% satisfied with "city driving" type range.

    Yeah I'm definitely not planning to drive long distances in it, so I'm 100% satisfied with "city driving" type range.

    1 vote

  8. Comment on Help me choose a small electric car in ~transport

    sparksbet
    Link Parent
    Yeah to be clear I mean "I can definitely do Level 1 charging because I've done the hardest part, which is finding where the outlet is located in my parents' garage" lol. I haven't researched much...

    Yeah to be clear I mean "I can definitely do Level 1 charging because I've done the hardest part, which is finding where the outlet is located in my parents' garage" lol. I haven't researched much about doing Level 2 bc frankly at home I don't need the speed that badly.

    1 vote

  9. Comment on Help me choose a small electric car in ~transport

    sparksbet
    Link Parent
    I'm not sure I buy that a hybrid has the maintenance benefits I'm looking for when it's still got all the ICE internal components that need regular maintenance (even if they don't ever serve as a...

    I'm not sure I buy that a hybrid has the maintenance benefits I'm looking for when it's still got all the ICE internal components that need regular maintenance (even if they don't ever serve as a point of failure) in there. A hybrid is definitely an improvement over a pure ICE vehicle in terms of savings on gas, so I'd definitely go with one if I can't get an EV, but it doesn't really add up for me since it still has all the same parts that can fail and need maintenance as a pure ICE vehicle, plus extra stuff. As for EV battery replacement costs, even older EV batteries are afaik holding up for much longer than expected, and with modern EV batteries I'm not particularly worried that I'd incur those costs any sooner than I'd incur major costs from issues with an older ICE engine.

    5 votes

  10. Comment on Help me choose a small electric car in ~transport

    sparksbet
    Link Parent
    afaik the new Nissan Leaf is an SUV, not a sedan. The Ioniq 6 looks to be a bit more expensive than the Fiat 500e (which remains the only electric hatchback I can find) but at a similar price point.

    afaik the new Nissan Leaf is an SUV, not a sedan.

    The Ioniq 6 looks to be a bit more expensive than the Fiat 500e (which remains the only electric hatchback I can find) but at a similar price point.

    1 vote

  11. Comment on Help me choose a small electric car in ~transport

    sparksbet
    Link Parent
    I've heard good things about certified pre-owned, I'm just worried about actually finding any suitable certified pre-owned electric cars around me.

    I've heard good things about certified pre-owned, I'm just worried about actually finding any suitable certified pre-owned electric cars around me.

    3 votes

  12. Comment on Help me choose a small electric car in ~transport

    sparksbet
    Link Parent
    I currently live with my parents and would be able to install level 1 charging relatively easily here. Finding a suitable place to rent is a longer-term goal and relies on me having my own car...

    I currently live with my parents and would be able to install level 1 charging relatively easily here. Finding a suitable place to rent is a longer-term goal and relies on me having my own car anyway, so I don't have a specific current place I'm renting that I'd need to keep in mind.

    1 vote

  13. Help me choose a small electric car

    ~transport Ask (recommendations)
    I moved from Europe back to the US Midwest this spring. While I'm still getting my financial situation stabilized, I will at some point in the next year or so need to buy my own car (currently I...

    I moved from Europe back to the US Midwest this spring. While I'm still getting my financial situation stabilized, I will at some point in the next year or so need to buy my own car (currently I am living with my parents and borrowing their cars as needed). Given the state of the world and gas prices, an electric car seems like a no-brainer to me. Less maintenance and with current gas prices I'd save money even if I could only charge at the stations in my neighborhood, much less if I install something simple at home. I'm an anxious driver and have incredibly little desire to drive long distances, so range is also not super important to me.

    The problem I've found is that I'm not a "car person" and I'm not sure how to find and pick the right car for me. I figure we've got some car people here on Tildes who will have a better idea of the market and manufacturers involved.

    My parameters:

    • No Tesla. This is non-negotiable. I will buy an ICE vehicle before I get a Tesla.
    • Nothing super luxury. I'm not made of money. I know there aren't any really cheap electric cars available that I'd dream of here in the States yet, but I want to stay as affordable as possible.
    • I do not want anything bigger than a sedan. SUVs and crossovers make me nervous and I want to drive a small car.
      • A hatchback would actually be my preferred form factor, but I don't think there's many options of that size. The only one I've found upon searching is the Fiat 500e, which appeals to me for that reason.
      • ICE cars who appeal to me in terms of size and design include the MINI Cooper 2-door, the Volkswagen beetle, and the Kia soul.
    • I'm not wed to getting a new car, but as an anxious driver (thus wanting a lot of the fancy modern safety features and alerts) and someone who isn't super knowledgeable about cars (thus not wanting to rely on my own ability to spot a dud before buying it), I'm leaning towards it. I'll take suggestions for used cars to look for, but keep in mind that since I'm in the Midwest, there may be a smaller pool of used EVs available for me to buy locally.
    35 votes

  14. Comment on Summer US box office hits all-time $4.76b record: how audiences surrendered to moviegoing in ~movies

    sparksbet
    Link Parent
    Movie-going already took a huge dip because of Covid, though. It's hard to even compare well-performing movies now to pre-covid well-performing movies when it comes to box office numbers for that...

    Movie-going already took a huge dip because of Covid, though. It's hard to even compare well-performing movies now to pre-covid well-performing movies when it comes to box office numbers for that reason. Bouncing back some this year is striking within a landscape where movie-going was already lower than it had been a decade ago.

    I also don't think the comparison to concerts is all that apt. Concerts are usually much more expensive than going to the movies even if you do get snacks at the movie and don't buy anything more than your ticket at the concert, and that's before bringing in other factors like how comparatively difficult it can be to get to the venue. It makes sense that concert attendance would be more sensitive to economic conditions given that.

    3 votes

  15. Comment on Adulting -- what advice or encouragement did you receive / wish you had received when you were just starting out moving out? in ~life

    sparksbet
    Link
    Once you're married or in a long-term relationship, have at least some emergency savings in an account that belongs only to you, in case you break up and things get messy. You may trust them now,...

    Once you're married or in a long-term relationship, have at least some emergency savings in an account that belongs only to you, in case you break up and things get messy. You may trust them now, but you cannot guarantee they won't have a mental health crisis or gambling addiction or reveal that you were wrong to trust them. Give yourself that safety net.

    For similar reasons, don't let yourself take on more than a fair share of shared expenses. It's okay to negotiate how to divide them and whether to use a joint account or not, but definitely don't do what I did and pay all the rent while your partner covers groceries when those expenses are wildly unequal, and definitely don't rely on savings that are in an account your partner solely owns.

    3 votes

  16. Comment on Norway's King Harald dies aged 89 in ~news

    sparksbet
    Link Parent
    I'm decidedly opposed to monarchy on principle and I don't necessarily agree with everything you say in this post, but I think in Norway's case it's also vital to consider the historical context...

    I'm decidedly opposed to monarchy on principle and I don't necessarily agree with everything you say in this post, but I think in Norway's case it's also vital to consider the historical context for why they're so on-board with their own monarchy. Norway spent so long being owned by either Sweden or Denmark, without a king of their own, that getting their own monarch represented a lot when it comes to their own national identity and right to self-determination. I think that context adds a lot and makes the picture more complicated than just "divine right of kings vs. democracy". I similarly think that a return to the monarchy of Hawaii would be wildly different than, say, the continuation of the British monarchy. Monarchs are always at least in part symbols, and what they're symbols of varies a lot with context.

    3 votes

  17. Comment on How rigid/fluid is your LGBT identity? in ~lgbt

    sparksbet
    Link
    My gender is definitely on the fluid side of things. I am definitely non-binary and exactly how I express myself varies a lot based on how I'm feeling as well as based on the context I'm in. It's...

    My gender is definitely on the fluid side of things. I am definitely non-binary and exactly how I express myself varies a lot based on how I'm feeling as well as based on the context I'm in. It's like one of those slimes kids play with or like flubber or smth. There's a core there that things are centered around, but the exact shape and consistency varies wildly.

    ofc this makes selecting the exact set of labels that apply to me pretty hard, but I think labels are only useful to the extent they are useful. When I get overwhelmed or confused by parts of myself that don't fit well into categories, at the moment I focus less on trying to find new categories or labels for those things and more on ascertaining what I practically want from my life, regardless. Am I a trans man or a butch woman or something in-between? That's a tough philosophical question. But I knew I wanted top surgery and I'm happier now that I've gotten it. I am happier when people use certain pronouns but otherwise don't care that much. I want to wear men's clothing. Those are concrete, practical things that I can choose without having the exact labels of my identity figured out.

    6 votes

  18. Comment on Why Germany's favorite soda comes in a beer bottle in ~food

    sparksbet
    Link Parent
    It's also noteworthy that many European sugar-free beverages contain cyclamate, an artificial sweetener that has been banned in the US, so that may affect taste as well.

    It's also noteworthy that many European sugar-free beverages contain cyclamate, an artificial sweetener that has been banned in the US, so that may affect taste as well.

    4 votes

  19. Comment on X corp is taking down Nitter instances and demands takedown of project repository in ~tech

    sparksbet
    Link Parent
    If Discord were owned by Epstein or someone equivalent and he was deliberately making it a hospitable space for other child groomers, I think it would be totally reasonable to label it the Child...

    Like, is Discord a Child Grooming chatroom because there are plenty of that happening on it at some point in time?

    If Discord were owned by Epstein or someone equivalent and he was deliberately making it a hospitable space for other child groomers, I think it would be totally reasonable to label it the Child Grooming chatroom.

    28 votes

  20. Comment on Why Germany's favorite soda comes in a beer bottle in ~food

    sparksbet
    Link Parent
    Honestly my local Rewe tended to have a wider variety than the Getränkemarkt I lived near, but it was pretty bougie (it had a mochi bar). Normal cheaper grocery stores tended to have pretty...

    Honestly my local Rewe tended to have a wider variety than the Getränkemarkt I lived near, but it was pretty bougie (it had a mochi bar). Normal cheaper grocery stores tended to have pretty limited selection, you're right.

    3 votes