thecakeisalime's recent activity
-
Comment on Project Hail Mary | Official trailer in ~movies
-
Comment on Is pop culture a form of "model collapse?" in ~tech
thecakeisalime Link ParentI agree about the human portion - humans aren't just photocopiers, they modify and iterate; they see what works and what doesn't; and they try to improve. Right now, AI is basically a photocopier...I agree about the human portion - humans aren't just photocopiers, they modify and iterate; they see what works and what doesn't; and they try to improve. Right now, AI is basically a photocopier that can collate different ideas together, but they are getting better as well.
It's not out of the question for an AI to be able to iterate and improve upon an idea. Where they currently fall short is that they simply haven't contextualized the "experience" of the world correctly, so sometimes their suggested "improvements" get stuck in a loop of switching back and forth between two states, or go off in a weird and unexpected direction. But I think that human-adjacent contextualization is coming, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it within a year. They already have all of the information, they just need to be pushed in just the right way to "figure it out".
-
Comment on A nine-week (ongoing) job application has turned into a shitshow. Not sure how I should handle it... in ~life
thecakeisalime LinkAt this point, you still seem to need a job. So hold off on going nuclear for now. If you get an offer, great. Start working. Maybe it's better than they've shown with their first (and second and...At this point, you still seem to need a job. So hold off on going nuclear for now.
If you get an offer, great. Start working. Maybe it's better than they've shown with their first (and second and third) impressions. Most likely, it's not.
So keep applying to other jobs and keep interviewing elsewhere. But until then, this job sounds like it's better than nothing. And if it turns out to be worse than nothing, you can always just quit, and then you're right back to where you are now.
-
Comment on Necessities are expensive, luxuries are cheap in ~finance
thecakeisalime Link ParentI don't think this was your intention, but you've highlighted a big part of the problem. So much emphasis is put on being able to drive that cities are unable to properly densify without giving up...where the resident can meaningfully drive to work, school, groceries and doctors
I don't think this was your intention, but you've highlighted a big part of the problem. So much emphasis is put on being able to drive that cities are unable to properly densify without giving up parking spots and driving lanes.
In Toronto, there are currently thousands of unsold shoebox condos that nobody actually wants. For a decade, they've been maximizing unit numbers instead of building housing that people can actually use, and I think it's finally reached a breaking point.
Developers are trying to wait this out instead of undercutting each other in a race to the bottom, but I don't think it'll work this time. No one wanted them in the first place, but they bought because they had no other options. Today, people aren't buying them, and it's not because they (still) don't want them, it's because they can no longer afford them.
-
Comment on Everyone in Hollywood is already using AI (and hiding it) in ~movies
thecakeisalime (edited )Link ParentIt depends. If you look at the progression of the music industry, it went from something you needed to pay hundreds of dollars an hour to record in a studio, down to something you can do on a...- Exemplary
It depends. If you look at the progression of the music industry, it went from something you needed to pay hundreds of dollars an hour to record in a studio, down to something you can do on a laptop in your basement.
A lot of the money in music these days is not in the recording, it's the distribution and advertising. You can go the traditional route with the music labels, or you can record it in your basement, and try to get publicity through social media and word of mouth. The music label isn't doing anything you can't do, they just have connections and money that you don't.
I think film is following a similar trajectory. We can already record pretty decent stuff on our phones, but the CGI was out of reach for most people. AI is helping to bridge that final gap. A single person can now film, direct, edit, animate, and release a "blockbuster" sized movie all on their own (though they may want some actors). It still won't get all the marketing and publicity, but it's the next logical step in indie-filmmaking - CGI/animation that was previously only for the big-budget films can now be done on your laptop.
-
Comment on A huge outbreak has made Ontario the measles centre of the western hemisphere in ~health
thecakeisalime Link ParentThis is kinda touched on in the article, but a lot of the measles cases are happening in the Mennonite population. They mostly don't attend public schools, own their own businesses, don't really...The amount of people willing to live totally outside the bounds of modern society just to avoid vaccination is probably pretty damn minuscule
This is kinda touched on in the article, but a lot of the measles cases are happening in the Mennonite population. They mostly don't attend public schools, own their own businesses, don't really attend events other than things like farmer's markets, and just largely don't interact with the rest of society in ways that make it easy or possible to encourage them to become vaccinated. I can't say for sure whether they have the majority of the measles cases, and I think public health is trying to dance around this issue a bit, but...
-
Comment on Google is using AI to censor thousands of independent websites like mine (and to control the flow of information online) in ~tech
thecakeisalime Link ParentThere are extensions for Chrome and Firefox that redirect you from fandom if there's an alternative: https://github.com/KevinPayravi/indie-wiki-buddy...There are extensions for Chrome and Firefox that redirect you from fandom if there's an alternative:
https://github.com/KevinPayravi/indie-wiki-buddy
https://github.com/wiki-gg-oss/redirect-extension?tab=readme-ov-fileThese will work with all search engines, or even if someone just links fandom in a comment somewhere.
-
Comment on Goodbye, old friend in ~life.men
thecakeisalime LinkI'm of the opinion that all friendships are transactional. Not always in an obvious way, but there's a give and a take in every relationship. It's a pretty callous and perhaps bleak way to look at...I'm of the opinion that all friendships are transactional. Not always in an obvious way, but there's a give and a take in every relationship. It's a pretty callous and perhaps bleak way to look at the world, but that's who I am I guess.
I like to hang out with people who make me laugh, make me happy, and make me feel good. In return, I try to do the same. That, at it's most basic, is a transaction. We trade stories, we share food, and we exchange hugs. In doing so, we are all participating in transactions, but hopefully we all got more out of it than we put in (surplus friendship). If something upsets that balance (e.g. having a kid, moving across the country), the relationship changes. Sometimes it dies, but it can also just evolve into a new form.
No one wants to hang out with the guy who mysteriously disappears every time it's his turn to buy a round of drinks for the table. Maybe they're otherwise a fun person, and you still want to hang out with them. But you're probably going to stop inviting them to meetups where they'll be put in a position to skip out on their side of the transaction. Not all social interactions are as obviously transactional as this, but most social norms have developed to a point where you don't have to be aware of the transaction itself behind the norm.
Sometimes we're having a bad day and we need more from someone else than we can give them. Sometimes we don't want to participate at all. If the relationship is strong, that's fine, there's a surplus of friendship. If the relationship is new, this is frequently damaging to the relationship, because you haven't yet built up a surplus. But if someone is having a bad day, every day, people will start to think of them as draining, and this can kill even previously strong friendships.
When you look at one-sided or abusive relationships, it's often one person trying very hard to do all these things for the other, and their actions not being reciprocated. It's easy to see when a relationship is imbalanced, because if you break everything down into a transaction, there's only entries on the one side of the ledger. That's the sign of a bad relationship.
Even this comment is transactional. I'm mostly writing it for myself, to put my thoughts into words so that I can understand them better. Frequently I write a huge comment like this and then delete it because once I've got it in words, it's good enough for me. But this time I'm sharing it with you (and the rest of Tildes), in the hopes that someone else will read it and either tell me I'm a either a visionary genius or an idiot (or more likely, something in between). And in their response, they'll provide me with feedback (their half of the transaction), which I can take, incorporate into my friendship hypothesis, and improve it.
-
Comment on So how do I know my passwords are safe? in ~tech
thecakeisalime Link ParentReputation, mostly. You have to trust the operating system you use. There's simply no way around that. No matter what method of storing and retrieving passwords you use, everything still has to...What keeps anyone, including Microsoft, from copying that file?
Reputation, mostly.
You have to trust the operating system you use. There's simply no way around that. No matter what method of storing and retrieving passwords you use, everything still has to pass through your operating system, and if they're a malicious actor, they can steal your passwords.
There are people who audit operating systems, but now you have to trust that the auditor did their job properly. There are people who test operating systems for security flaws and built-in malware, but again, you have to trust that they're doing their job properly. Somewhere along the line, you just have to trust a number of different companies and/or people.
-
Comment on Thoughts on thinking in ~health.mental
thecakeisalime Link ParentAgreed. The linked post is just "I can't be the best, so why bother?" which is such a defeatist and harmful attitude. There's 8 billion people in the world. Most of us aren't the best at anything....Agreed. The linked post is just "I can't be the best, so why bother?" which is such a defeatist and harmful attitude.
There's 8 billion people in the world. Most of us aren't the best at anything. Should we all give up?
And as with all tools, there are people who can use those tools to improve their work, and there are people who will eschew the tools, due to principle, to make it more "human", or just because they can. There are woodworkers who don't use power tools. There are bakers who bake in wood-fired stone ovens where it's more difficult to control temperature and humidity. There are people who still send letters, when an email would work just as well.
AI and LLMs don't need to replace thinking (though that seems to be what OP has used it for). They can be used to augment or accelerate your thinking, or you can just ignore them entirely. OP needs to think about out why they want to think for fun (that's a weird sentence) and then decide if AI makes it more fun or less fun.
For me, the end product is usually my goal. If an AI can get me there faster and with fewer mistakes, great. As with all tools, I have to be careful that I don't rely too much on it and use it where it's not appropriate (like using a big chef's knife when I need a pairing knife). But OP comes across as though the journey is what makes it fun for him. In that case, he should probably avoid AI.
-
Comment on 23andMe sells its most valuable asset to biotech company Regeneron, which promises to keep your DNA private in ~finance
thecakeisalime Link ParentI'm very conflicted on whether to send away for genetic testing. In theory, I love these sorts of things, and like you, there are some useful insights that could apply to me. However, I really,...I'm very conflicted on whether to send away for genetic testing. In theory, I love these sorts of things, and like you, there are some useful insights that could apply to me. However, I really, really, hate the privacy implications.
On the other hand, my wife did it before we even met, and my sister has done it as well. So from that perspective, my kids and I have lost a good chunk of our privacy already.
-
Comment on Tips for starting a garden? in ~hobbies
thecakeisalime Link ParentThis is great advice. You're probably going to kill plants, especially in your first year, and it's fine. The only thing I'd add is to start small, which seems at odds with the fact that you're...This is great advice. You're probably going to kill plants, especially in your first year, and it's fine.
The only thing I'd add is to start small, which seems at odds with the fact that you're going to kill a bunch of stuff, but it's really easy to say "hey, let's just plant in all this free space I have" and get overwhelmed at the amount of effort.
In my second year of gardening, I scaled up way too quickly, and just didn't have the time to care for everything, so it all got pretty neglected. It's just a very expensive way of figuring out which plants are hardy and can naturally thrive in your environment.
-
Comment on Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals win election in ~society
thecakeisalime Link ParentIs being fired not being held accountable? There's no way to hand out that amount of money to everyone in need without allowing people to temporarily slip through the cracks. But they were...Which is why we had 330 people who work for Canada Revenue(!) who were fired for fraudulently claiming CERB they didnt deserve along with millions of other Canadians who falsely gamed the system
Is being fired not being held accountable? There's no way to hand out that amount of money to everyone in need without allowing people to temporarily slip through the cracks. But they were identified and dealt with. Why is that a problem?
Which is why we bought hundreds of ventilators for thousands apiece that were sold off for scrap at $14 each after never being used.
Early in the pandemic, it seemed like ventilators were a key part in treatment. It turned out to not be the case. But if the government hadn't bought them and they were needed, you'd be saying "why didn't the government buy ventilators?" In emergency situations, it's sometimes better to act fast with the knowledge you have, knowing that you might be wrong.
ArriveCan was awful, and there's no excuse for that.
So, which human lives are the higher priority? The ones he "saved"? Or the ones he screwed over for years to come?
Are you suggesting that the lockdowns and mask mandates should not have happened? And that they are responsible for all these non-inflation things? If so, please be aware that:
-
The lockdowns and mask mandates were provincial, not federal. Direct your anger at your provincial government.
-
The lockdowns and mask mandates saved lives. Thank your provincial government.
As for inflation, yes. Canada printed a lot of money, and inflation happened bigly. Compared to the rest of the G7, we're pretty middle of the pack as far as inflation goes. We've also handled it properly, and are well on track to a normal level of inflation. Typically, as bonds mature, the BoC reissues them. But they don't have to. In this case, they used the funds to pay off their debt, reducing the supply through quantitative tightening.
Food prices aren't high in Canada because of inflation, they are high because of corporate greed. Record profits (higher than inflation) from companies like Loblaws prove that.
Poilievre's plan to deal with inflation and Canada's debt is to give a bunch of money to corporations via tax cuts. The same corporations making record profits, but not giving their employees raises commensurate with inflation. How does reducing government revenue result in lower inflation and lower debt?
Or the future lives who will have to pay down this massive debt, now costing us over a BILLION dollars a month just in interest
You're welcome to use BIG SCARY NUMBERS, but a billion dollars in interest isn't that bad. In 2023, the GoC was using 7.5% of their revenues to cover debt. Is 7.5% a lot? For comparison, that's the same rate it was in 2014, and prior to that, it was as high as 30.7% in 1990. USA hasn't had a ratio as low as 7.5% since the '70s. Now, I'm not saying this is great, but it's not nearly as bad as a big capital BILLION makes it seem. Again, compared to the G7, we're pretty middle of the pack.
-
-
Comment on Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals win election in ~society
thecakeisalime Link ParentWe handed out billions, and saved many lives and jobs. The economy should not be placed at a higher priority than human life, which is something Poilievre and the trucker convoy he supported will...We handed out billions, and saved many lives and jobs. The economy should not be placed at a higher priority than human life, which is something Poilievre and the trucker convoy he supported will never understand.
But it seems to me that if the economy is a major issue, we should probably listen to an economist. Carney's stated plan to grow our economy seems strong, and we'll have to wait and see if it works out.
RE: Poilievre's performance
A. Sure, he united the party. That's the bare minimum for a leader. Carney united the entire Liberal membership, getting 85% of the votes. That's pretty united.
B. Maybe Trudeau stepped down because it was the right thing for the party, or maybe he got forced out of the party, which would show that the party membership knew what was good for the party. Either way, the correct outcome was achieved, and the party was stronger for it. I don't see how this is a win for Poilievre, because it united the party in a way that they wouldn't have been able to achieve if Trudeau had stayed until the election.
C. The carbon tax was a good thing, and it absolutely suffered from bad messaging. Largely perpetuated via misinformation from the Conservatives. We can certainly give Poilievre credit for poisoning a good idea, but I'd rather he show some initiative and come up with some good ideas of his own.
-
Comment on Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals win election in ~society
thecakeisalime Link ParentHow much of those worsening conditions can be attributed (directly or indirectly) to the Liberal government? The last decade has been pretty bad worldwide, and in the middle, there was a global...Meanwhile, Liberal voters ignored an entire decade where Canadians suffered worsening conditions under a Liberal gov and despite having the same team members and a guy who's even more bent on Net Zero policies than Trudeau, believed that a resume was more important than actual past performance. Its a forehead slapping moment for me indeed.
How much of those worsening conditions can be attributed (directly or indirectly) to the Liberal government? The last decade has been pretty bad worldwide, and in the middle, there was a global pandemic.
What is wrong with Net Zero policies?
What is the actual past performance that Pierre Poilievre demonstrated? Isn't a resume just a list of past performances? Why wouldn't that be relevant? Poilievre and the Conservatives spent the last decade complaining that a schoolteacher was running the country, and now that someone with in-depth experience with the economies of two different countries is here... their work history is no longer relevant?
-
Comment on Question and tip thread for those looking to get into a new hobby in ~hobbies
thecakeisalime Link ParentUntil you get a lame, a light dusting of flour and a bread knife can make scoring easier. I use rice flour, because it doesn't absorb into the bread, but any flour will do.Until you get a lame, a light dusting of flour and a bread knife can make scoring easier. I use rice flour, because it doesn't absorb into the bread, but any flour will do.
-
Comment on Question and tip thread for those looking to get into a new hobby in ~hobbies
thecakeisalime Link ParentThat looks pretty good! Different flours absorb water differently. If you are using a low protein flour, you will want to use less water. Exactly how much less will be a matter of experimenting....That looks pretty good!
Different flours absorb water differently. If you are using a low protein flour, you will want to use less water. Exactly how much less will be a matter of experimenting. But most recipes are written as though you're using bread flour (~13-14%). If you're using 9-10% flour, you may be able to cut the water by as much as 10%. Check the nutrition info on the packaging to figure out how much protein it has. If you're in the US and using all purpose flour, it's probably about 10% though.
Did you score your bread? From your picture, it looks like you might have, or maybe that's another crack. Either way - cracks are formed pretty early on in the baking process, and is often due to underproofing your bread (though in your final picture, it doesn't look too bad). The sudden blast of heat causes a huge burst of activity from the yeast, causing rapid expansion and cracking. The other reason for cracks is just that you need deeper or more scoring lines. The scoring gives the bread room to expand as it rises, and if it outgrows the one slash you gave it, it will force its way through anyway. If the problem isn't underproofing, then cracks aren't necessarily bad. It's just an aesthetic thing. Some people don't score their bread at all and they'll get cracks all over the place (sometimes on the bottom where the dough edges come together after shaping) - it looks way more rustic, but tastes the same.
Fun fact: in Canada, it used to be mandatory that all purpose flour had 13% protein content (or more). Unfortunately this is no longer mandatory, but a lot of AP flours still have high protein content - I just have to be more vigilant in checking labels.
-
Comment on Question and tip thread for those looking to get into a new hobby in ~hobbies
thecakeisalime Link ParentBread is seen as something hugely intimidating, because there's a lot to do, and a lot of variables to change, but really, it's not that bad. You will screw things up, but as long as you used the...Bread is seen as something hugely intimidating, because there's a lot to do, and a lot of variables to change, but really, it's not that bad. You will screw things up, but as long as you used the correct ingredients and it's cooked all the way through, it will taste good. The texture will be the part that changes the most as you make mistakes, but it's still yummy.
The no knead recipe is a good one to start with. If it's too wet (and without pictures, it's impossible to know if your bread was actually too wet, or just wetter than you thought it should be), then it might take a bit longer to cook, or it might be a bit denser than you'd like. Importantly, after baking, should let the loaf sit for at least an hour, but ideally two or three, without cutting it, which is always the worst part of baking bread - it smells so good and you can't eat it yet. If you don't wait, it'll be overly moist inside, and a little gummy. Sometimes I don't wait, but the texture does get much better if you do wait.
As for equipment, I've been using the same enamel dutch oven for about four years now, and I've had no issues. I have heard of people having them flake, but I think that's a manufacturing issue. You don't need a dutch oven for bread, though it does help if you like crusty bread.
The most important piece of equipment you can get is a digital kitchen scale. Stop using cups and teaspoons. The amount of flour in a cup will vary wildly, but 500 grams is always 500 grams. It's also just faster and easier once you get the hang of it. Plus, it lets you use baker percentages in your recipes, which makes it much easier to scale them up and down.
Beyond that, there is so much equipment you can get, but you don't need any of it. My suggestion is to just start simple, and then if you find you can't do something because you're missing a piece of equipment, ask yourself if you really want to do that thing. If the answer is still yes, see if there's a way to improvise at first (there almost always is). At that point, if you still want it, maybe you should buy it.
I mostly work with sourdough, so all of my resources are sourdough based, but the Foodgeek blog helped me get started, so I figure I should give them a shoutout here.
-
Comment on Are there any good online CS degrees? Is it advisable to enroll into an online CS degree? in ~comp
thecakeisalime Link ParentYou're in luck (kinda). Front end and back end are no longer separate jobs again. The "full stack" developer is back Not as any real benefit to the employee though - companies just think it saves...I'm a developer who started before "front end" and "back end" were separate jobs.
You're in luck (kinda). Front end and back end are no longer separate jobs again. The "full stack" developer is back
Not as any real benefit to the employee though - companies just think it saves money by not hiring two different employees. It doesn't, because it's hard to be maximally proficient in two different languages, and I'm not capable of doing the same amount of work as two employees.
The only benefit is that as a developer I get to think about the entire integration from top to bottom. But this can be solved with a product architect.
-
Comment on Is it possible to make a country healthier one slice of rye bread at a time? If the rocketing wholegrain consumption of the Danes is anything to go by, absolutely. in ~food
thecakeisalime Link ParentPart of the confusion might just be that the article talks a lot about rye and uses it almost interchangeably with whole grain. Rye is just a naturally dense grain, and doesn't promote gluten...Part of the confusion might just be that the article talks a lot about rye and uses it almost interchangeably with whole grain. Rye is just a naturally dense grain, and doesn't promote gluten development in the same way that wheat does. I think the picture of 90% whole grain bread in the article is still 100% wheat.
I still disagree about their comment about it not affecting taste (though I personally prefer the taste), but I think their thoughts on texture not changing makes sense if they're talking about whole wheat instead of whole rye.
They spoiled a lot of stuff in the trailers. I think the trailer would have been better if they ended it at 2:15 (after "Oh my God", before they show what he's looking at). But if they really wanted to include the "alien surprise", they could have ended at 2:19 with the external shot of the space ships. Everything after that just seems extra spoilery for very little gain.