zod000's recent activity
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Comment on Getting permission from your significant other in ~life
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Comment on Can we talk about rice cookers? in ~food
zod000 LinkI own both a rice cooker and an instant pot and while you can make rice in an instant pot, I wouldn't get one specifically for it. I was also very against getting a rice cooker for much of the...I own both a rice cooker and an instant pot and while you can make rice in an instant pot, I wouldn't get one specifically for it. I was also very against getting a rice cooker for much of the same reasons you were (cooking rice in a pot is easy), but my wife and daughter wanted one and I have to admit it is easier and more consistent. The best thing about it is probably that because it is so simple, it takes away any sort of mental load that cooking rice already had since it essentially can't get over done and its timer is built in.
I don't use the instant pot as much as I used to, but the only time I use it for rice is when I am cooking other things (usually meat of some sort) with the rice at the same time.
Edit: I forgot to mention any brands. I've used the fancy zojiroushi, and it's super nice, but I find that the very inexpensive 4 cup model from Aroma with the timer (usually around $40 or so) does everything I need and is very consistent.
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Comment on US to pay TotalEnergies $1 billion to stop developing offshore wind in US in ~enviro
zod000 Link ParentMaybe he is doing exactly that, but we all were assuming the more common definition of "fix" as opposed to when a sporting event is "fixed" to benefit gamblers.Maybe he is doing exactly that, but we all were assuming the more common definition of "fix" as opposed to when a sporting event is "fixed" to benefit gamblers.
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Comment on US regulator bans imports of new foreign-made routers, citing security concerns in ~tech
zod000 Link ParentThe FCC page has a link to the exceptions... and currently there are none. The announcement was only made yesterday though, so that's isn't surprising for this clown show. The announcement did...The FCC page has a link to the exceptions... and currently there are none. The announcement was only made yesterday though, so that's isn't surprising for this clown show.
The announcement did include this line "Consumers can continue to use any router they have already lawfully purchased or acquired." so most people should be fine waiting for this idea to hopefully implode under the weight of all the lawsuits.
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Comment on Project Hail Mary - Discussion thread in ~movies
zod000 Link ParentWeird, that isn't how I remembered it, but it's been a couple of years since I read it.Weird, that isn't how I remembered it, but it's been a couple of years since I read it.
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Comment on Project Hail Mary - Discussion thread in ~movies
zod000 Link ParentIt was there briefly at the very end, but I seem to recall that it was a "blink and you miss it" kind of thing.It was there briefly at the very end, but I seem to recall that it was a "blink and you miss it" kind of thing.
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Comment on When you were first getting your driver's license, what were you afraid of? in ~transport
zod000 LinkWeirdly, the only thing I was afraid of was affording auto insurance. Insurance for a male teenager is expensive for pretty good reason statistically, and I had to make sure I was working enough...Weirdly, the only thing I was afraid of was affording auto insurance. Insurance for a male teenager is expensive for pretty good reason statistically, and I had to make sure I was working enough hours to even afford it. Having bills to pay was not something I was used to as a teenager and I was so worried about losing my job and getting my license revoked, which would then make it harder to get a new job.
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Comment on Android to debut "advanced flow" for sideloading unverified applications in ~tech
zod000 Link ParentWe'll leave it at that, but I suspect/hope that many of the Android power users are already on the fringes and significantly less affected by from Google's direct antagonism on this front due to...We'll leave it at that, but I suspect/hope that many of the Android power users are already on the fringes and significantly less affected by from Google's direct antagonism on this front due to using various alternative ROMs.
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Comment on Android to debut "advanced flow" for sideloading unverified applications in ~tech
zod000 Link ParentYes, because Google owns Android. I thought this was clear. I also referred to Apple's walled garden because they own iOS. I didn't think that I needed to be so explicit and explain things, but...But you used the words: through Google's walled garden
Yes, because Google owns Android. I thought this was clear. I also referred to Apple's walled garden because they own iOS. I didn't think that I needed to be so explicit and explain things, but here we are.
If you own an iPhone, you can make calls, texts, or video calls from your iOS devices, and your Apple devices.
Am I wrong in thinking that you can use Discord, Teams, or a multitude of other apps/services on iOS?
I don't think of Android as (that much) of a walled garden.
My exact point. It (Google's Android ecosystem) is a walled garden, but less so than Apple's iOS ecosystem. And Google has been consistently tightening their grip, as the topic of this thread clearly shows. The garden is getting worse, not better.
At this point, I wish it was viable to go back to having no mobile phone at all as I fear that anyone that replaces the current duopoly would eventually end up in the same situation.
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Comment on Why are we still doing this? in ~tech
zod000 Link ParentI think the issue is that the price isn't so much reasonable for what you are getting, it's the providing at a loss to push out competitors. It is a good deal, perhaps too good, if you actually...I think the issue is that the price isn't so much reasonable for what you are getting, it's the providing at a loss to push out competitors. It is a good deal, perhaps too good, if you actually use it a lot. That's the honey part of the honey trap. The trap part comes when you find that you cannot stop using it without some serious pain and they can raise the price or restrict the usage with impunity. Companies that do this are gambling that they can survive long enough for the trap to be viable. We clearly see the very successful survivors of such ploys, the losers are usually long forgotten.
I think Netflix was a bad example by the previous post, that wasn't a honey pot IMO. The slowly raising of prices and cutting selection is just good ol' enshittification.
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Comment on Android to debut "advanced flow" for sideloading unverified applications in ~tech
zod000 Link ParentI suppose that is one point of view. If I replaced the door handle to a cool room in my home with some sort of Byzantine puzzle that took hours to solve it would technically be more secure. It...I suppose that is one point of view. If I replaced the door handle to a cool room in my home with some sort of Byzantine puzzle that took hours to solve it would technically be more secure. It would also be a shitty way to go about solving door security and would clearly just be a means to keep people in my family away from the room with the cool stuff in it that they should be entitled to use.
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Comment on Android to debut "advanced flow" for sideloading unverified applications in ~tech
zod000 Link ParentTo be clear, I didn't define Google itself as walled garden, I was talking about their Android ecosystem. Apple's ecosystem is also a walled garden, and a far more restrictive one, but that...To be clear, I didn't define Google itself as walled garden, I was talking about their Android ecosystem. Apple's ecosystem is also a walled garden, and a far more restrictive one, but that doesn't preclude the other. I've been an Android used since the launch of the G1 with Cupcake. Early on, meaning the first few years of Android, I'd have called Android an open system. Google has made the system more and more restrictive to both users and OEMs (and been in court repeatedly because of it). I believe that it has been a walled garden for quite a while, but the walls were "short" if you will forgive the analogy. Google has spent the last decade trying to claw back the freedom that made Android such an appealing platform because they've seen how ludicrously successful and profitable Apple's approach is.
I'm not sure why you are talking about RCS, or making calls, texts, or video calls from any device as those having little to do with Google and you can do all of those things even on Apple devices . RCS is an open standard, though ironically, pretty much everyone uses Google proprietary extensions and thus servers for it, which makes it not all that open in my mind.
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Comment on Android to debut "advanced flow" for sideloading unverified applications in ~tech
zod000 Link ParentThis doesn't seem reasonable at all to me. This doesn't provide any sort of improved security, all it does it further discourage people from daring to use software that doesn't flow through...This doesn't seem reasonable at all to me. This doesn't provide any sort of improved security, all it does it further discourage people from daring to use software that doesn't flow through Google's walled garden.
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Comment on Recommended beginning soldering kits in ~hobbies
zod000 LinkI don't have a specific brand to recommend, but as @IsildursBane said, you should get one with temperature control. I'd also recommend a kit with a weighted base so that you can safely set it...I don't have a specific brand to recommend, but as @IsildursBane said, you should get one with temperature control. I'd also recommend a kit with a weighted base so that you can safely set it down. The brand I used to recommend was Weller, but I have heard they are no longer well made. If you aren't going for inexpensive, I really like the Hakko soldering kit, but it's a bit pricey.
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Comment on Colossal Game Adventure Schedule: April - September 2026 in ~games
zod000 Link ParentLufia is decent/OK, but Lufia 2 was such a massive improvement. I honestly don't know what made teenage me blow so much money ($75) on it when it came out. I saw the price and thought "the only...Lufia is decent/OK, but Lufia 2 was such a massive improvement. I honestly don't know what made teenage me blow so much money ($75) on it when it came out. I saw the price and thought "the only SNES games that have ever been priced like that are FF III (actually 6) and Chrono Trigger, so it has to be good!". Flawless logic! Luckily, it turned out to be true.
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Comment on Colossal Game Adventure Schedule: April - September 2026 in ~games
zod000 Link ParentThe Ancient Cave is a game in itself. I have fully beaten it many times and I will do it again when it comes up in the CGA. Semi-spoiler After you beat the game a couple of times it unlocks a mode...The Ancient Cave is a game in itself. I have fully beaten it many times and I will do it again when it comes up in the CGA.
Semi-spoiler
After you beat the game a couple of times it unlocks a mode where you can just start straight at the Ancient Cave and choose your party from every possible character and make combinations that can never happen in the regular game. They aren't actually better, but it can be interesting and fun. -
Comment on open_slate: private and powerful 2-in-1 tablet in ~tech
zod000 LinkThis thing looks really interesting and I might bite since they did actually release the Brax3 successfully. As an aside, has anyone here had hands on experience with the Brax3 phone? I'm curious...This thing looks really interesting and I might bite since they did actually release the Brax3 successfully. As an aside, has anyone here had hands on experience with the Brax3 phone? I'm curious how well it works, its performance, and how good its privacy features actually are.
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Comment on Norwegian influencer buys failed property development in Spain to build ‘self-sufficient’ eco-community – Modern Eco Village plans to erect 500 homes, schools and shops in ~design
zod000 Link ParentThose kind of numbers might have doable with the super low interest rates that we had 3-4 years ago or prior to the 2008 disaster. Maybe also if you lived in an area with extremely low property...Those kind of numbers might have doable with the super low interest rates that we had 3-4 years ago or prior to the 2008 disaster. Maybe also if you lived in an area with extremely low property taxes and insurance rates. Knowing what my monthly mortgage payment was based on this house price, I can't believe there are people buying homes that cost double that aren't legit rich. I can only imagine those people are in dangerously precarious debt positions and are just living above their means.
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Comment on Norwegian influencer buys failed property development in Spain to build ‘self-sufficient’ eco-community – Modern Eco Village plans to erect 500 homes, schools and shops in ~design
zod000 Link ParentNo, I wasn't thinking of the 30% "rule" for monthly payment, that ship has sadly sailed for most people. Hell, I bought this house at about a 1:3.5 ratio and my payment was over 40% of my salary....No, I wasn't thinking of the 30% "rule" for monthly payment, that ship has sadly sailed for most people. Hell, I bought this house at about a 1:3.5 ratio and my payment was over 40% of my salary. I feel like all the old, smart rules of thumb are to be questioned these days.
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Comment on Norwegian influencer buys failed property development in Spain to build ‘self-sufficient’ eco-community – Modern Eco Village plans to erect 500 homes, schools and shops in ~design
zod000 Link ParentI've always felt that a 1:5 ratio was stretching people far too thin. Maybe with the current prices, that's the only way that people can buy homes, but there is no way I'd bite. I've always tried...I've always felt that a 1:5 ratio was stretching people far too thin. Maybe with the current prices, that's the only way that people can buy homes, but there is no way I'd bite. I've always tried to be closer to 1:3 or 1:3.5.
While I think there are cases of all three scenarios in play for different people, I suspect that it is "option 3" most of the time. While I never refer to my wife as "the boss" like this, I always run things by her and she does the same for me because we have a particularly demanding family life where at least one of us has to be there essentially at all times. If I just go out, it could be preventing her from going to an appointment, preventing one of the kids from getting to or from an event, or who knows what.
I've had to make it clear to people that thought I was literally asking permission to do things like I was a subordinate in my own home. It is a matter of both respect to your partner and just general logistics.