Fiachra's recent activity
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Comment on The spectacular failure of the Star Wars hotel in ~movies
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Comment on Consider the Consequences!, the 1930 pioneer of interactive fiction, remade as a Twine game in ~games
Fiachra LinkRandom Internet hobbyists have done such amazing things for historical preservation and just for the promotion of obscure gems like this. There's been a lot on the Internet to be pessimistic about...Random Internet hobbyists have done such amazing things for historical preservation and just for the promotion of obscure gems like this. There's been a lot on the Internet to be pessimistic about recently, but we really are living in a golden age for stuff like this. Long may it continue.
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Comment on UNM researchers find microplastics in canine and human testicular tissue in ~science
Fiachra LinkThe question my mind jumps to is, if this turns out to be a serious health concern, is there any good mitigation we could do to prevent/reduce it? Seems hard to just filter microplastic out of...The question my mind jumps to is, if this turns out to be a serious health concern, is there any good mitigation we could do to prevent/reduce it? Seems hard to just filter microplastic out of everything you consume. I'm guessing we would avoid certain foods that act as bioaccumulators for plastic, but beyond that I dunno. Maybe we need that lab-grown bacteria that eats plastic.
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Comment on The spectacular failure of the Star Wars hotel in ~movies
Fiachra LinkDespite the dumpster fire it turned out to be, there are nuggets of clever ideas in this that give me hope someone else could put together a good experience along the same lines. The "final...Despite the dumpster fire it turned out to be, there are nuggets of clever ideas in this that give me hope someone else could put together a good experience along the same lines. The "final battle" set piece is a good example of how chaining together some good practical illusions can create a very fun immersive experience for kids. Hopefully another company learns from this and executes a similar idea with more love and care than Disney did.
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Comment on Am I alone in thinking that we're bouncing back from a highly technological future? in ~life
Fiachra LinkI think it seems that way partially because personal wealth isn't growing in pace with technological development anymore. Even a decline in confidence in your financial future is going to make you...I think it seems that way partially because personal wealth isn't growing in pace with technological development anymore. Even a decline in confidence in your financial future is going to make you rethink that iPhone purchase: what if a rainy day is coming? I'm trying to buy my first house in the middle of a housing crisis, Im not interested in a marginally better way to scroll Instagram while on the go.
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Comment on Meet Max, the cat receiving an (honorary) doctorate from Vermont State University this weekend in ~life.pets
Fiachra LinkThey wait until nearly the end to answer the obvious question, "what subject was the doctorate for?"They wait until nearly the end to answer the obvious question, "what subject was the doctorate for?"
Litter-ature
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Comment on Cryptocurrency mining as a novel virtual energy storage system in islanded and grid-connected microgrids in ~enviro
Fiachra Link ParentI once had a very laborious conversation with a crypto fan trying to pitch his governance-token-based DAO as "cyber anarchism". I'm no anarchist myself but I made a polite, pointless effort to...I once had a very laborious conversation with a crypto fan trying to pitch his governance-token-based DAO as "cyber anarchism". I'm no anarchist myself but I made a polite, pointless effort to explain that anarchists are never going to go for a system where people get more votes depending on how many tokens they own.
This was in a solarpunk forum two years ago so they were probably an early warning of this pseudo-environmentalist branding we're seeing now.
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Comment on Cryptocurrency mining as a novel virtual energy storage system in islanded and grid-connected microgrids in ~enviro
Fiachra LinkCan't help but suspect that this is crypto people adopting the language of environmentalism to promote themselves, the same way they were all into "helping the third world access banking" a few...Can't help but suspect that this is crypto people adopting the language of environmentalism to promote themselves, the same way they were all into "helping the third world access banking" a few years ago.
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Comment on Students invent quieter leaf blower in ~engineering
Fiachra Link ParentThat's why we have to give it to them for christmasThat's why we have to give it to them for christmas
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Comment on Students invent quieter leaf blower in ~engineering
Fiachra LinkAbout a million unpolular neighbours worldwide are getting a surprise christmas present this year.About a million unpolular neighbours worldwide are getting a surprise christmas present this year.
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Comment on Robert Fico: Slovakia’s prime minister in life-threatening condition after being shot multiple times in ~news
Fiachra Link ParentThe shooter's grudge wasn't with Abe personally, but a cult group Abe happened to have ties with. Still not sure that counts as politically motivated though, like if something similar happened...The shooter's grudge wasn't with Abe personally, but a cult group Abe happened to have ties with. Still not sure that counts as politically motivated though, like if something similar happened because Trump University had financially ruined someone, I don't think that would be seen as politically motivated.
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Comment on How to tell if a conspiracy theory is probably false in ~science
Fiachra Link ParentAdmittedly in this case they work very similarly, but I would say "just asking questions" is used to obscure a lack of evidence for the claim being pushed, where the Socratic "planting seeds"...Admittedly in this case they work very similarly, but I would say "just asking questions" is used to obscure a lack of evidence for the claim being pushed, where the Socratic "planting seeds" method is trying to make a close-minded conspiracy theorist see that there is evidence/arguments outside of their bubble.
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Comment on Florida man worries about his ruined reputation after pulling gun on Uber driver dropping the man's daughter off at their house in ~transport
Fiachra Link ParentI have noticed a subset of the gun-supporting kind of American that seems to greatly overestimate the amount of home invasions, random kidnappings and gangland sieges that happen in the real world.I have noticed a subset of the gun-supporting kind of American that seems to greatly overestimate the amount of home invasions, random kidnappings and gangland sieges that happen in the real world.
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Comment on How to tell if a conspiracy theory is probably false in ~science
Fiachra Link ParentYeah sometimes it seems like people expect a Columbo moment where the perp is stunned into silence by the clarity of the evidence, but I have yet to see it happen in real life or online. Being...Yeah sometimes it seems like people expect a Columbo moment where the perp is stunned into silence by the clarity of the evidence, but I have yet to see it happen in real life or online. Being disproven makes people defensive which leads to doubling down and further claims.
That's why I'm big into pushing this image of "planting seeds". You don't truly know the soil you're planting them in, so you'll never be sure which seed will grow into bigger questions, the one thing you know for sure is it'll start small and grow in its own time.
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Comment on How to tell if a conspiracy theory is probably false in ~science
Fiachra Link ParentThe advice I've seen is to avoid contradicting or debunking directly and go with the Socratic method instead. Question how they know X or Y, point out contradictions in their theory and ask what...The advice I've seen is to avoid contradicting or debunking directly and go with the Socratic method instead. Question how they know X or Y, point out contradictions in their theory and ask what they think of them, "but have you considered... ", that sort of thing. Planting seeds of doubt that might help them later to start questioning their theory.
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Comment on RIP 'Red vs. Blue.' Machinima is gone—but its legacy is everywhere in ~tv
Fiachra Link ParentAs far as I know they would cut together in-game footage with CGI segments to make episodes. CGI was for action scenes and the like.As far as I know they would cut together in-game footage with CGI segments to make episodes. CGI was for action scenes and the like.
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Comment on The unbreakable Kryptos code in ~misc
Fiachra LinkI don't think he actually did this, but if I wanted to achieve maximum notoriety for my uncrackable secret code I would make it in four increasingly difficult parts but have the last part just be...I don't think he actually did this, but if I wanted to achieve maximum notoriety for my uncrackable secret code I would make it in four increasingly difficult parts but have the last part just be completely random letters. Then swear up and down that it was solvable for the rest of my life.
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Comment on The world owes Spider-Man 3 an apology in ~movies
Fiachra Link ParentI'm not sure most other would even say they're pretty good, just that they're not the irredeemable messes they're said to be. The bad majority doesn't erase the bits that are good, so if you're...I'm not sure most other would even say they're pretty good, just that they're not the irredeemable messes they're said to be. The bad majority doesn't erase the bits that are good, so if you're willing to turn your brain off there is something you can manage to enjoy.
I welcome this more optimistic approach to deeply flawed media.
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Comment on The beautiful dissociation of the Japanese language in ~humanities.languages
Fiachra (edited )Link ParentPicture the reaction you would see in your own country if they required everyone to switch from the Latin alphabet to katakana. Edit: come to think of it, even a spelling reform of English to make...Picture the reaction you would see in your own country if they required everyone to switch from the Latin alphabet to katakana.
Edit: come to think of it, even a spelling reform of English to make it phonetic within the existing Latin alphabet is unthinkable, let alone switching to a whole other writing system
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Comment on Saudi Arabia’s 105-mile long Line city has been cut a little short – by 103.5 miles in ~design
Fiachra LinkOutlandish projects like this always get me speculating about hidden motives. I wonder did The Line already accomplish its true objective? Did it successfully distract from some scandal, or...Outlandish projects like this always get me speculating about hidden motives. I wonder did The Line already accomplish its true objective? Did it successfully distract from some scandal, or attract VC investment to the country? Were certain groups of people already removed from that land?
After seeing this video I fully believe you. The idea of having the laser track the lightsaber at the end of that game, so it seems like the player is predicting the laser? That's some special, "bring joy to the heart of a child" genius.