turmacar's recent activity
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Comment on Corporations can vote in some Delaware elections, judge says in ~society
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Comment on Battery costs just plunged 70% — this changes everything in ~enviro
turmacar Link ParentThat's what I was told to expect, ended up being ~$4k but I'm not sure how much of that was them having to bring part of the main panel up to code for the permit. This was just for the sub-panel,...That's what I was told to expect, ended up being ~$4k but I'm not sure how much of that was them having to bring part of the main panel up to code for the permit. This was just for the sub-panel, they didn't install the solar or batteries really, that's all plug-n-play to the sub-panel / "Smart Transfer switch".
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Comment on Battery costs just plunged 70% — this changes everything in ~enviro
turmacar Link ParentThey're these. Folded up each one is about 3x2 feet and maybe 4 inches thick and about 25 lbs. Pretty manageable, and they came with a bag. It's not the smallest setup, probably more intended for...They're these.
Folded up each one is about 3x2 feet and maybe 4 inches thick and about 25 lbs. Pretty manageable, and they came with a bag. It's not the smallest setup, probably more intended for RVing but they could be packed relatively easy in a car if there's space. Probably wouldn't want to put too much weight on top of them.
Each panel has it's own connector that daisy-chains to the next so you could only take a few if you wanted, but that would mostly save on weight.
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Comment on Battery costs just plunged 70% — this changes everything in ~enviro
turmacar Link ParentJust to give some anecdotal numbers. I got ~10kWh of batteries with ~1kW of solar panels installed last September in WA. (Jackery) It hasn't been quite a year but I've been keeping running stats....Just to give some anecdotal numbers.
I got ~10kWh of batteries with ~1kW of solar panels installed last September in WA. (Jackery)
It hasn't been quite a year but I've been keeping running stats.
The solar panels (~$1k) generate ~$200/yr, they'll pay for themselves after ~5 years. It's a very small set, they're mostly geared towards taking the solar/battery set camping where they'd keep whatever you wanted charged the whole time.
The batteries (~$6k) charging during non-peak ($0.09/kWh) and running most of the house during peak hours ($0.22/kWh), save ~$400/yr. That's a significantly longer ~15 year payoff. But they've already been really nice during the occasional power outage.
Installation price I'm not counting because it makes me feel better :) but ~$2k is apparently average. Cheaper/more batteries would be nice to factor in less wear on the batteries, and upgrades don't need a professional/permitted installer. I also have a gas furnace so they weren't stressed much in winter.
For pure money saving/generation I'd prioritize solar and target batteries as a backup solution unless your electrical price has bigger swings. Electrical companies will give you bill credit for electricity that goes back into the grid.
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Comment on Google Search as you know it is over in ~tech
turmacar Link ParentI'm sure the PR response is to ask it to check / fix it's work. In practice with the current models I've messed with that only works so well unless you know the right questions to ask. Google...I'm sure the PR response is to ask it to check / fix it's work. In practice with the current models I've messed with that only works so well unless you know the right questions to ask. Google seems to be claiming they've fixed that and 'lil timmy can make an OS from scratch just by asking for it, but I guess we'll see.
Kind of torn, because if nothing else there are some abandonware apps ( Minuum keyboard ) that I miss that would be nice to have working recreations of. Who knows how much it would cost or if it could make stable versions that I could trust though.
All this is also an existential threat to the Internet as a whole. If Google isn't driving traffic to websites but just 'doing it for you' a lot of places that rely on ad revenue are going to die off. That has pros and cons but it's definitely a change they're forcing on everyone.
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Comment on Is solar about to get way better? (I did the math) in ~enviro
turmacar LinkI've not pulled the trigger on getting a full solar install yet, I was quoted ~$40k for a rooftop system. Absolutely agree on getting as much installed as soon as you can though. There will always...I've not pulled the trigger on getting a full solar install yet, I was quoted ~$40k for a rooftop system. Absolutely agree on getting as much installed as soon as you can though. There will always be something newer / cheaper on the horizon.
I ended up getting a battery system that allows me to run my house on non-peak electricity. It came with two 500W solar panels, mostly meant for using the battery for camping. Having just that 1kW of solar on top of an arbor for the last year they've generated ~$200, which is a month's electric bill in spring or fall. The solar panel part of the system will pay for itself in 5 years. I'm probably going to buy another set.
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Comment on What do folks carry in their hiking/backpacking/camping first aid kits these days? in ~hobbies
turmacar Link ParentAdmittedly having to remember to reactivate the subscription for inReach when going far out of normal service is one extra thing to remember, but I think everyone should be using travel checklists...Admittedly having to remember to reactivate the subscription for inReach when going far out of normal service is one extra thing to remember, but I think everyone should be using travel checklists anyway. Especially if you're doing that kind of off-the-grid trip.
I know this is just me whinging, and I know I'm not exactly up-to-date on all Apple capabilities, but why is it still so much a thing that "iPhone can do it!"? It seems to pop up again and again even when other manufacturers did something first and iPhone is coming to the standard late. I swear I've had relatives surprised that I can send pictures to people using an android phone...
All the recent android flagships also have satellite backup/sos messaging service. The important hardware isn't anything dramatic on the phone, it's a large enough population of LEO satellites to provide the service. The cellular radio in a modern phone is more than capable of sending a signal 100 miles straight up if it's short.
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Comment on Railway solar project turns unused track space into energy in ~enviro
turmacar Link ParentI mean, a train going 100-300 km/h dragging something would already be "very bad" for the track infrastructure. The difference between this an solar roads would be that the wheels aren't in...I mean, a train going 100-300 km/h dragging something would already be "very bad" for the track infrastructure.
The difference between this an solar roads would be that the wheels aren't in contact with the solar surface. Yes there's flex between ties, but they're panels, there's going to be flex between them. I'd wonder a bit about dust / debris settling on them, but on any busy track a fast train going by is a fair bit of air pressure to dislodge stuff.
I'm sure SNCF owns some parking garages..... but why not try this too? Acres of surface lots aren't as much of a thing in France as they are in the US.
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Comment on Valve has released CAD files for the Steam Controller in ~games
turmacar Link Parent30%, at least in the 2000s, was a significantly smaller cut than brick and mortar stores and dealing with physical inventory, which is why it's also what Apple / patreon / most other online...30%, at least in the 2000s, was a significantly smaller cut than brick and mortar stores and dealing with physical inventory, which is why it's also what Apple / patreon / most other online retailers take by default.
It could definitely be revisited but "shelf space" on Steam is a legitimate asset, if only because of the download/patching/cloudsave infrastructure they provide, much less everything else in the platform. ( I have a weird love of the useless trading cards ) I feel like more of the complaints come from want-to-be competitors like Epic than developers.
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Comment on Nobody understands the point of hybrid cars in ~transport
turmacar Link ParentThere's a story, possibly apocryphal, about one of the old electrified train routes out of Chicago making more electricity than it used in one direction. I know Rio Tinto has some all-electric...There's a story, possibly apocryphal, about one of the old electrified train routes out of Chicago making more electricity than it used in one direction. I know Rio Tinto has some all-electric dump trucks that net generate electricity because they're hauling ore down from a mountain and are significantly lighter traveling back up.
There's a lot of weird cool stuff that fully electrifying vehicle fleets would let us do that we kind of sidestepped because oil was so cheap/plentiful/transportable and batteries sucked comparatively for so long.
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Comment on Steam Controller 2 sold out in ~games
turmacar Link ParentDon't get me wrong, wouldn't have been in a funk if I had to wait. I just really like the original and was free at launch time. The rest is just general frustration with the modern state of having...Don't get me wrong, wouldn't have been in a funk if I had to wait. I just really like the original and was free at launch time.
The rest is just general frustration with the modern state of having to compete with bots to do just about anything online. I get that it's not a trivial problem... but a lot of times the only resources thrown at it seems to be a bucket of corporate apathy. After all none of these products are 'necessary'.
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Comment on Steam Controller 2 sold out in ~games
turmacar Link ParentI was lucky enough to get one, but I have no idea why Valve didn't handle this launch like they did the Deck where you reserved a virtual spot in line if you had a long-term steam account in good...I was lucky enough to get one, but I have no idea why Valve didn't handle this launch like they did the Deck where you reserved a virtual spot in line if you had a long-term steam account in good standing with $X spent. Maybe at this point they figure people have gamed that a bit, but you're never going to completely defeat scalpers.
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Comment on Street Fighter | Official trailer in ~movies
turmacar Link ParentI don't think anyone would be able to really follow Raul Julia's M. Bison, but David Dastmalchian is an actor that could do something interesting at least? They seem like they're taking notes from...I don't think anyone would be able to really follow Raul Julia's M. Bison, but David Dastmalchian is an actor that could do something interesting at least? They seem like they're taking notes from the Netflix live action anime in a good way.
Guess we'll find out in October.
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Comment on The Punisher: One Last Kill | Official trailer in ~tv
turmacar LinkThis looks really good, and the Daredevil revival has been really good. But I can't help feeling like I want to see Kingpin's taskforce attempt to arrest a heavy hitter like Dr. Strange. I'm sure...This looks really good, and the Daredevil revival has been really good.
But I can't help feeling like I want to see Kingpin's taskforce attempt to arrest a heavy hitter like Dr. Strange. I'm sure in-universe they're making some distinction like "an Avenger is not a Vigilante" but it's a little weird wondering what the other NY based supers are up to. Maybe this is all happening while Strange is off dealing with the Multiverse or something.
In the comics the street level / world / cosmic hero thing tends to work because there's just so much going on at any given time but the MCU has been setup so it's mostly sequential.
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Comment on Bitcoin’s creator has hidden behind the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto for seventeen years. But a trail of clues buried deep in crypto lore led to a 55-year-old computer scientist named Adam Back. in ~finance
turmacar (edited )Link ParentI also don't really buy "the guy got tense when it was suggested he was a controversial shadowy figure". Like a few years ago if a reporter had suggested I was behind the Snowden leaks or...I also don't really buy "the guy got tense when it was suggested he was a controversial shadowy figure". Like a few years ago if a reporter had suggested I was behind the Snowden leaks or something I would also have been a bit startled and asked them not to print that.
I know this is the guy that broke Theranos, but there's a lot of leaps in technical understanding going on in this article. Claiming PGP and Bitcoin are related because they use public key cryptography is like saying Gears of War and Three Thousand Years of Longing are related because they use English. Saying it's suspicious that Black and Satoshi both used C++, in the 90s, is basically connecting the dots that they both used keyboards to program. I think that successfully narrows Satoshi candidates to anyone who read 2600 in the 90s.
Generally he seems to be finding things a group of people were doing and every commonality is 'proof' of his suspicions. This is ridiculous reasoning:
How was I going to find someone so good at hiding his tracks?
As I wrestled with this question, it occurred to me that Mr. Back, too, was adept at operating anonymously on the internet. Deeply paranoid about government monitoring, he constantly gamed out ways to elude it. In fact, like Satoshi, Mr. Back was a big fan of using pseudonyms.
And again, describes everyone from the phone phreaks in the 60s to Banksy. Half of getting online in the 90s was having a handle.
IDK, some of the later sections are more compelling. Maybe Black is Satoshi but this article doesn't seem to have proof of anything other than the author wanting to find Satoshi.
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Comment on When $1.4 billion isn’t enough: ‘Avatar’ sequels under the microscope as Disney weighs franchise’s future in ~movies
turmacar Link ParentHollywood accounting is always weird, but I can't imagine that that billion dollars of profit factors in the park, or the plushies, or any of the rest. I know that's the franchise as a whole and...Hollywood accounting is always weird, but I can't imagine that that billion dollars of profit factors in the park, or the plushies, or any of the rest. I know that's the franchise as a whole and not Avatar 3 in particular, but it still seems disingenuous for them to be talking about the movie in a vacuum.
The profit trending lower is something to keep in mind sure. But thinking out loud about wrapping up the whole project seems silly.
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Comment on TV series suggestions in ~tv
turmacar LinkHaven't seen a recommendation for Shrinking, which if you like Ted Lasso it's right up y'all's alley. For All Mankind is a fun alt-history thing, though I'm a few seasons behind at this point. The...Haven't seen a recommendation for Shrinking, which if you like Ted Lasso it's right up y'all's alley.
For All Mankind is a fun alt-history thing, though I'm a few seasons behind at this point. The first several at least are very well done.
Abbott Elementary is a fun school-based comedy similar to Parks and Rec or The Office. There's a couple crossover episodes with It's Always Sunny but that was more a promotional thing than an on going plot point.
The live action One Piece show is a lot of fun. Nails the fun anime spirit while being a much needed (IMO) editing pass that vastly compresses the pacing of the anime.
Primal is a fantastic wordless animated show. Maybe a little out there compared to the shows listed but it's at least an interesting art piece.
Your Friends and Neighbors with John Hamm is entertaining.
If you're watching LetterKenny, Shorsey is also a great series from the same people.
Honorable mention to everything Dropout TV does. I know you said you're probably not interested in gameshow stuff but theirs are mostly an excuse for improv comics to play not about winning, and it makes them really fun.
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Comment on Android to debut "advanced flow" for sideloading unverified applications in ~tech
turmacar Link ParentIt's frustrating that it's a technological solution to a legal problem. This is a reasonable enough middle ground to try and combat fraud while also allowing people to install whatever programs...It's frustrating that it's a technological solution to a legal problem.
This is a reasonable enough middle ground to try and combat fraud while also allowing people to install whatever programs they want on devices they own. Still not a fan of 'sideloading' as the framing but that battle was lost at least a decade ago. So, fine.
But in large part it's a band-aid in order for Google / telecom companies to "do something" so there won't be any actual legal pressure to fix the problem. (Basically?) Every western country has an aging population, scams are going to become more of a problem, not less of one. There needs to be a legal framework to meaningfully punish the companies enabling the scams.
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Comment on BYD claims five-minute electric vehicle charging with new battery tech in ~transport
turmacar Link ParentI'm just very on-board the Technology Connections et. al. argument of: if you can get ~100+ miles of charge overnight and rarely travel more than 50 miles a day, that really is good enough. For my...I'm just very on-board the Technology Connections et. al. argument of: if you can get ~100+ miles of charge overnight and rarely travel more than 50 miles a day, that really is good enough. For my use case an EV having 300+ mile range or charging in 5 minutes is firmly in "nice to have" territory. Even with my daily ICE car that I love I'll rent a vehicle for a long trip because it'll be more comfortable and I won't have to worry about maintenance or not having a vehicle to get to work because I was in a collision out-of-town.
The infrastructure we have for refueling ICE cars probably shouldn't be the goal infrastructure we have for refueling EVs, they're different tech with different pros/cons. Modern gas stations are a long way from the service stations earlier generations of cars required with mechanics on call. Future charging stations will also probably look pretty different than modern gas stations. If nothing else, electricity is a lot easier to transport and the distribution networks far more built out than daily/weekly tanker trucks of fuel. (Excluding rant about the US's lacking investment in the electric grid) A central distribution node isn't needed in the same way you do with a liquid fuel. It would be handy for some use cases. But for most it would be more space and time efficient to have trickle charging in places the vehicle is already parked for 8+ hours a day.
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Comment on BYD claims five-minute electric vehicle charging with new battery tech in ~transport
turmacar LinkAssuming the claims actually hold up in the real world and it doesn't impact longevity too much this is pretty exciting tech. Fast charging isn't useful unless you're doing a road trip or can't...Assuming the claims actually hold up in the real world and it doesn't impact longevity too much this is pretty exciting tech. Fast charging isn't useful unless you're doing a road trip or can't charge overnight but it's a big hangup for people who haven't looked into EVs that much.
This is from the reddit discussion, but the philosophical argument the judge references in the decision's introduction is this one which is a write-in submission to a magazine.
The author is barely a published philosopher, much less a well known or respected one. Not trying to disrespect Diogo Joao Baptista Gomes, but I can't imagine he wrote 3 paragraphs for a magazine contest question in 2022 expecting it to be the basis of a legal decision saying corporations can vote in the US.
It very much seems like the Judge went to the nth google page or asked an AI for a supporting argument for "What is a Person?" and got this.