symmetry's recent activity

  1. Comment on What's your current PC wallpaper? in ~tech

  2. Did a fictional character from a show/movie influence your life?

    ~talk Ask
    I've been recently thinking about the impact of fictional characters from tv shows/movies can have on our lives. Have you ever felt influenced by a particular character or show? For me, the show...

    I've been recently thinking about the impact of fictional characters from tv shows/movies can have on our lives. Have you ever felt influenced by a particular character or show?

    For me, the show Mr. Robot coincided with my decision to pivot to cybersecurity. There were a lot of other factors that made me switch, but it was undeniable that the show (and the main character, Elliot) played a sizable role. It's been a decade since it first aired, and I’m still grateful for that change I made.

    Curious to know if anyone else have a similar experience?

    23 votes

  3. Comment on That white guy who can't get a job at Tim Hortons? He's AI. in ~tech

    symmetry
    Link Parent
    That's funny, I guess the people that are South Asian descent get a pass on the training even though they are the ones doing the discrimination? Not a surprise that Cisco needs to have caste...

    That's funny, I guess the people that are South Asian descent get a pass on the training even though they are the ones doing the discrimination? Not a surprise that Cisco needs to have caste discrimination training in place because they were sued by the California Civil Rights Department for that very thing.

    And to your point about how it's valuable to recognize that discrimination, a bill making caste a protected category made it past the California state legislature only to be vetoed by Newsome because it's "unnecessary," no doubt after the wonderful lobbying from these fine people.

    8 votes

  4. Comment on Tildes Game Giveaway: June/July 2025 in ~games

    symmetry
    Link Parent
    I would like to claim 🐈, aka Mr. Ceiling Cat, in remembrance of that meme from yore.

    I would like to claim 🐈, aka Mr. Ceiling Cat, in remembrance of that meme from yore.

    3 votes

  5. Comment on Do you like being thrifty? in ~talk

    symmetry
    Link
    Yes, but it annoys me sometimes. Not for big purchases where I often pay extra for something nicer, but for like regular grocery or dining out. I love to shop at grocery outlet or buy something...

    Yes, but it annoys me sometimes. Not for big purchases where I often pay extra for something nicer, but for like regular grocery or dining out. I love to shop at grocery outlet or buy something that is on sale, when I can afford to shop at high end places daily. When I go to a restaurant and I see the menu, I instinctively scan for the cheapest entree.

    I don’t actually have to do all this, and it annoys me how being thrifty ends up making me feel guilty about spending more money when I absolutely can.

    2 votes

  6. Comment on Twenty years to give away virtually all my wealth in ~life

    symmetry
    Link Parent
    Same people that don't want to make more money because that would mean they would pay more taxes.

    Same people that don't want to make more money because that would mean they would pay more taxes.

    4 votes

  7. What's your quirk?

    ~talk Ask (survey)
    I'll go first. I don't like to sleep in the dark, even though it's considered normal. I usually fall asleep with the lights on and either the computer/tv still on as well. This mostly came about...

    I'll go first. I don't like to sleep in the dark, even though it's considered normal. I usually fall asleep with the lights on and either the computer/tv still on as well. This mostly came about because as a night owl, I would often just pass out and incidentally not turn the lights off. Now I've grown so accustomed to it that attempting to sleep in darkness feels strange and uncomfortable. I used to feel a bit guilty about 'wasting electricity,' but since the advent of LED lightbulbs and low-powered computers, I no longer do.

    That's my quirk, what's yours?

    41 votes

  8. Comment on Notorious image board 4chan hacked and internal data leaked in ~tech

    symmetry
    Link Parent
    Somehow I would have thought that their servers would have been the most battle tested out there considering their notoriety. Guess not.

    Somehow I would have thought that their servers would have been the most battle tested out there considering their notoriety. Guess not.

    28 votes

  9. Comment on USA asks Sweden for help in the egg crisis in ~food

    symmetry
    Link
    Let's get Japanese eggs instead. Safe enough to eat raw. At these egg prices, we should get the best quality eggs possible.

    Let's get Japanese eggs instead. Safe enough to eat raw. At these egg prices, we should get the best quality eggs possible.

    2 votes

  10. Comment on Phishing tests, the bane of work life, are getting meaner in ~tech

    symmetry
    Link
    Has anyone figured out the best (not necessarily, perfect) way to do phishing awareness and prevention? I loathe having to send out phishing test emails. I don't want to make folks sit and watch...

    Has anyone figured out the best (not necessarily, perfect) way to do phishing awareness and prevention? I loathe having to send out phishing test emails. I don't want to make folks sit and watch training videos. Phishing is a very real problem for many companies, but not a problem you can fix by just turning on the spam filter.

    2 votes

  11. Comment on US Food and Drug Administration to revoke authorization for the use of red no. 3 in food and ingested drugs in ~health

    symmetry
    Link
    Dang, not more red 3 maxxing. On a more serious note, does anyone have a list of restricted/banned food additives?

    Dang, not more red 3 maxxing. On a more serious note, does anyone have a list of restricted/banned food additives?

    2 votes

  12. Comment on What are your personal highlights for this past year? in ~life

    symmetry
    Link
    Best thing I did this year was finally move to a different part of the country. I thought the initial euphoria would have faded by now. Nope, still feeling giddy and happy I made this decision. I...

    Best thing I did this year was finally move to a different part of the country. I thought the initial euphoria would have faded by now. Nope, still feeling giddy and happy I made this decision.

    I went to a number of live shows this year, but none was as memorable as going to a pro wrestling show with a friend. It's been years since both of us has watched wrestling on TV. Seeing it live was a whole another level.

    Objectively, the best food I had this year would probably be sushi in Japan. Subjectively, the best food was my mom's cooking.

    3 votes

  13. Comment on Star Trek live-action comedy series in development in ~tv

    symmetry
    Link Parent
    Sadness just now in learning that Lower Decks is gonna end this season. Can't believe it debut during the start of the pandemic and it's been coming up to five years already (something something 5...

    Sadness just now in learning that Lower Decks is gonna end this season. Can't believe it debut during the start of the pandemic and it's been coming up to five years already (something something 5 year mission). The crossover episode with Strange New Worlds was especially nice. I really liked how the series explored the meta of Star Trek in ways that other series didn't. They should make a movie series :)

    10 votes

  14. Comment on Why does "Everything Everywhere All at Once" repulse me so much? in ~movies

    symmetry
    Link
    Maybe a hot take, but EEAAO and Get Out felt similar to me. The more nuanced representation was neat (along with the language/cultural bonus), but it still felt like a Hollywood film and still...

    Maybe a hot take, but EEAAO and Get Out felt similar to me. The more nuanced representation was neat (along with the language/cultural bonus), but it still felt like a Hollywood film and still leans on some tired tropes (not to the level of stereotypes though).

    I definitely wouldn't say I dislike both movies, rather they are pretty meh.

  15. Comment on AI: The decade ahead in ~tech

    symmetry
    Link
    What disgusts me about AI isn't really the tech itself. It's just the people who talk about it ALL THE TIME. All the fucked up "predictions" they make. Their belief about how it's going to change...

    What disgusts me about AI isn't really the tech itself. It's just the people who talk about it ALL THE TIME. All the fucked up "predictions" they make. Their belief about how it's going to change the future of society (with the implied threat that they are the ones holding the keys to it all).

    Sometimes I wish they would just do away with all the pretenses. Take the money spend on AI research and just build a bunch of nukes instead.

    14 votes

  16. Comment on Because European sunscreens can draw on more ingredients, they can protect better against skin cancer in ~health

    symmetry
    Link
    On a more practical note, does anyone know which European sunscreens are good?

    On a more practical note, does anyone know which European sunscreens are good?

    5 votes

  17. Comment on The tech baron seeking to “ethnically cleanse” San Francisco in ~society

    symmetry
    Link
    In Ancient Greece, there is process called ostracism, where a citizen is banished (after a vote) from the city for ten years because they were considered a threat/tyrant. We should bring it back...

    In Ancient Greece, there is process called ostracism, where a citizen is banished (after a vote) from the city for ten years because they were considered a threat/tyrant. We should bring it back for people like him.

    11 votes

  18. Comment on In US lawsuit, ex-Amazon AI exec claims she was asked to ignore IP law in ~tech

    symmetry
    Link
    I would caution that this isn't some "aMaZoN Is bReAkInG LaWs tO GeT An eDgE In AI TeCh" story as the headline might indicate rather this is a case of workplace discrimination. All the outlandish...

    I would caution that this isn't some "aMaZoN Is bReAkInG LaWs tO GeT An eDgE In AI TeCh" story as the headline might indicate rather this is a case of workplace discrimination. All the outlandish things is just what seems like 2-3 hostile managers trying to force her out of the company. Kinda glad she is fighting the workplace discrimination in the court, if the allegation are true, I'm sure the individual defendants aren't gonna stick around at Amazon much longer and hopefully the publicity around this means they can't easily jump to another company.

    15 votes

  19. Comment on In US lawsuit, ex-Amazon AI exec claims she was asked to ignore IP law in ~tech

    symmetry
    Link Parent
    It's an impossible task common to "performance improvement plans."

    It's an impossible task common to "performance improvement plans."

    10 votes

  20. Comment on San Francisco sues Oakland over proposed airport name change in ~transport

    symmetry
    Link
    I understand the outrage, but respect the hustle. In the past 5-10 years, a number of things have left Oakland. I still remember when Oakland International was a legit international airport. I was...

    I understand the outrage, but respect the hustle.

    In the past 5-10 years, a number of things have left Oakland. I still remember when Oakland International was a legit international airport. I was able to catch direct flights from places like London and Stockholm. Nowadays, Oakland is only “international” to a handful of places in North America.

    I’m for a name change if this means bringing back some transpacific or transatlantic routes. I hope it makes sense why it’s important to have more options, so we don’t slip increasingly to the SFO and SJC duopoly.

    7 votes