Stranger's recent activity
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Comment on Indiana judge rules tacos, burritos are sandwiches in ~food
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Comment on Indiana judge rules tacos, burritos are sandwiches in ~food
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Comment on EA is looking at putting in-game ads in AAA games — 'We'll be very thoughtful as we move into that,' says CEO in ~games
Stranger LinkEverybody's acting outraged over this as if in-game advertising hasn't been around for decades. It hasn't been subtle either. I remember SSX3 having a ton of in-game product promotion for dnL,...Everybody's acting outraged over this as if in-game advertising hasn't been around for decades. It hasn't been subtle either. I remember SSX3 having a ton of in-game product promotion for dnL, which was a short lived soda created by 7up as a competitor to Mountain Dew. Splinter Cell has Axe body spray billboards. Enter The Matrix had Powerade vending machines. Uncharted 3 had an unlockable Subway uniform.
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Comment on I'm at a loss on what to do about my backyard grass situation in ~life.home_improvement
Stranger LinkHouston? Anyway, you could try sowing clover to supplement or replace the grass. Letting native wildflowers take over is beautiful too.Houston?
Anyway, you could try sowing clover to supplement or replace the grass. Letting native wildflowers take over is beautiful too.
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Comment on Reddit shares soar 14% after company reports revenue pop in debut earnings report in ~tech
Stranger Link Parent/r/worldnews is far more conservative than the rest of the site writ large. Most of the subs that hit /r/All are still very left-leaning. More than that though, the quality of the site has.../r/worldnews is far more conservative than the rest of the site writ large. Most of the subs that hit /r/All are still very left-leaning.
More than that though, the quality of the site has noticeably tanked in the past few months. Obviously everyone thinks the site has been going down hill since <insert event>. Whether it's the API change, COVID, 2016 election, Pao, /r/jailbait ban, Digg migtation, or whatever, it's practically a meme that the site "isn't what it used to be".
Even then, something is different now. It's not a shift in the political leanings or site culture, but something more existentially troublesome: bots. It's becoming uncanny and really feels like the dead internet. Bots and karma farming have always been around, but it feels like it's tipped over a critical mass threshold. It's become routine to click a Hot post in /r/All only to find it's been removed by the mods for being a bot post. Posts will get thousands of upvotes and you go to the comments to find the top comment with hundreds of votes and then a scattering of comments beyond that with vote counts in the single digits. It's bots upvoting bot comments and very little interaction outside of that.
Hell, even /r/OneOrangeBraincell (a sub about cats) just had one of their top posts of the past month simply being a complaint about the number of bot accounts.
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Comment on Heat death of the internet in ~tech
Stranger Link ParentYeah, it's important to remember two things about the Luddites: They were primarily a labor movement. In the end their fears were proven correct. Automation made products more affordable for...Yeah, it's important to remember two things about the Luddites:
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They were primarily a labor movement.
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In the end their fears were proven correct. Automation made products more affordable for everyone but they came at the cost of decimating large swaths of the middle class.
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Comment on What are some non-science-fiction books that are deep, insane, mind-bending, etc? in ~books
Stranger Link ParentAbsolutely seconding House of Leaves. It really is a book like no other. For reference, it's a book about a book about a diary about a manuscript about a documentary film (that may or may not...Absolutely seconding House of Leaves. It really is a book like no other. For reference, it's a book about a book about a diary about a manuscript about a documentary film (that may or may not exist) about a house that's bigger on the inside than it should be. It can be difficult to read, in a literal sense. It involves reading editor's notes, reference footnotes of dubious credibility, tangential asides by the guy who found the original manuscript as he slips into insanity, and as the words of the pages themselves begin to devolve in structure to match the labyrinthine evolution of the house. Arguably one of the most influential horror novels of the 21st century.
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Comment on HADES II Early Access has started in ~games
Stranger Link ParentEarly Access is worth it if you think the game is worth the cost in it's current state. I bought Ultrakill right after Act 2 (out of a propsed 3 acts) came out because the price was reasonable for...There's nothing to gain buying into Early Access.
Early Access is worth it if you think the game is worth the cost in it's current state. I bought Ultrakill right after Act 2 (out of a propsed 3 acts) came out because the price was reasonable for what I'd seen/heard of the state of the game. I played through it and it was an absolute blast. If the dev had abandoned the project right after I'd bought it, then I'd still have considered it a solid buy. Updates have continued to add content towards completing what was promised, but I just consider that gravy at this point.
Similarly, I bought The Long Dark back when it was early in Early Access. The gameplay was slim and it was brutally difficult (it was basically just Wolf Attack Simulator at that point) but I got absorbed into it and ended up playing a dozen or so hours. It's been out of early access for a while now and I booted it back up to see what the finished product looks like but I'm not sure how much I'll play it now. The gameplay has a lot more added to it and a whole story was added but I sort of enjoyed it more when it was simpler and unfairly punishing. I don't much care for the finished product (no shade to the dev; it was a good choice and made the game much more accessible) so in a sense I paid for a game that didn't deliver what I'd hoped for, but the hours of enjoyment I've gotten out of it so far have more than justified the price in my mind.
I realize that's not always the case and there's always the possibility that the game dies in EA, but there's also a lot of fun in being a part of the community that's effectively playtesting these unfinished products. It's a risk that needs to be balanced; you have to go in with tempered expectations.
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Comment on The tech baron seeking to “ethnically cleanse” San Francisco in ~life
Stranger Link ParentOften times figuring out a solution to the main issue isn't the problem. I'm sure you could pull any random researcher or engineer off the street and they could give you a solution to a problem in...Traffic engineering, solving income inequality, environmental science, accounting, you name it are all equally difficult and require just as much talent in order to solve the issues involved with them.
Often times figuring out a solution to the main issue isn't the problem. I'm sure you could pull any random researcher or engineer off the street and they could give you a solution to a problem in their industry within minutes. The problem is usually that there are multiple solutions and competing interests in most large-scale issues. The real roadblock is finding a solution that balances everyone's concerns enough to get the buy-in needed to pass. That's not an engineering problem; it's a political one.
Anyone who thinks the solution to problems like this is simple is coming at it from the perspective that dissenting opinion is irrelevant. It's a dictatorial mindset.
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Comment on Cartoons such as Steven Universe, Gravity Falls, or Avatar? in ~tv
Stranger Link ParentMuch as I enjoyed it (and generally recommend it), I don't think it really fits OP's criteria at all beyond "animated" and "overarching plot". It has a very different feel than the shows OP...Scavenger's Reign
Much as I enjoyed it (and generally recommend it), I don't think it really fits OP's criteria at all beyond "animated" and "overarching plot". It has a very different feel than the shows OP listed.
On top of being much more somber, SR's story is told in a different way that give it a more disjointed feeling imho. The shows OP mentioned all have an overarching plot but by and large follow the perspective of the same character (or character group) with each episode being a sort of "problem of the day", which is to say each episode is it's own fairly self contained story. Major plot developments happen more infrequently so you could skip some episodes and generally pick right up without feeling lost. It's very casual. SR's story is told by jumping back and forth through multiple, independent storylines that eventually converge but mostly feel like completely separate stories. Some episodes favor different threads more heavily, but the overall density means that missing an episode means missing a lot of important info.
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Comment on Riven Remake | Trailer in ~games
Stranger LinkVery cool. I remember playing Riven way back in the day. I was too young to really understand the game, both the story and the puzzles back then; all I cared about was exploring the world. It was...Very cool. I remember playing Riven way back in the day. I was too young to really understand the game, both the story and the puzzles back then; all I cared about was exploring the world. It was beautiful and strange with a mysterious melancholy hanging over everything. I was completely enraptured.
It's nice to see it updated into a seemless world (rather than a clickable slideshow). That's obviously the biggest needed change, but hopefully it holds up well besides that. It's been too long for me to remember anything other than my childhood impressions, but I know that I loved Outer Wilds which was clearly inspired by the Myst series, so I'm looking forward to playing through Riven now that I'm old enough to fully appreciate it.
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Comment on Best "dad" jokes and puns! in ~talk
Stranger Link ParentMost people don't put much effort into cooking the perfect steak, but when you finally come across someone who's mastered the art form, it's truly a rare medium well done.Most people don't put much effort into cooking the perfect steak, but when you finally come across someone who's mastered the art form, it's truly a rare medium well done.
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Comment on Best "dad" jokes and puns! in ~talk
Stranger (edited )LinkMy wife bought a crochet book the other day. I told her I tried reading one of those once but I couldn't ever get through it without laughing. She asked me why and I told her, "Because it had me...My wife bought a crochet book the other day. I told her I tried reading one of those once but I couldn't ever get through it without laughing. She asked me why and I told her, "Because it had me in stitches."
Nearly got divorced over that one.
Edit: I'm also a fan of the "bar" jokes.
Two guys walk into a bar. One says ouch.
A termite walks into a bar and asks, "Is the bar tender here?"
Two whales walk into a bar. The first whale says, (imitating whale song) "Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo." Then the second whale says, "Steve, you're drunk."
A horse walks into a bar. Everyone leaves, recognizing the inherent danger in the situation.
A horse walks into a bar and the bartender asks, "Why the long face?" The horse responds, "My wife left me."
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Comment on Slay the Spire 2 | Reveal trailer in ~games
Stranger Link ParentThe problem with the daily challenges is: Removing the ascended challenges after getting used to them makes it very easy, even with the unique daily modifications. Playing for a high score is a...The problem with the daily challenges is:
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Removing the ascended challenges after getting used to them makes it very easy, even with the unique daily modifications.
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Playing for a high score is a whole other kind of limiting since the only repeating bonus is the 4x card bonus, which in turn encourages you to stick to commons over anything else. It's a different challenge, sure, but not a more creative one imho.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Stranger Link ParentSame with Slice and Dice. Saw the recommendation on here. Downloaded the trial version. Been addicted. According to the stats, I've played 60 games with a 1:2 W:L ratio. I've mainly been playing...Same with Slice and Dice. Saw the recommendation on here. Downloaded the trial version. Been addicted.
According to the stats, I've played 60 games with a 1:2 W:L ratio. I've mainly been playing on Hard and Unfair. I've beaten Unfair once, and at this point winning seems to come down entirely to good RNG. There's too much random chance in every aspect of the game for tactics alone to outweigh the multiple curses. Hard feels like the sweet spot, though that might be different in the full version since you can pick your team composition.
Unfortunately, as much as I've played it, I don't feel like the paid version offers enough to justify the cost. That's not to say the full game isn't worth ~$10, just that the difference between the free and paid version isn't (in my mind).
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Comment on Not every student needs Algebra 2. UC should be flexible on math requirement. in ~science
Stranger Link ParentIs the problem entirely that students find it challenging to learn or is part of the problem that instructors have difficulty explaining it adequately? Being an effective instructor doesn't just...letting people avoid challenges is wrong
Is the problem entirely that students find it challenging to learn or is part of the problem that instructors have difficulty explaining it adequately? Being an effective instructor doesn't just require an understanding of the topic but also an understanding of how to approach the topic from the perspective of someone who doesn't already understand it. I've sat through so many courses with instructors who have zero charisma, whose lectures are simply reading the textbook, who are more interested in students passing their tests than understanding the material, and/or who don't speak English as a first language (bless their heart, but I shouldn't have to struggle to decipher what word is being spoken before trying to understand the concept). When topics are easy, students can take on the brunt of overcoming the instructor's shortcomings, but when the topic is more complex then that task may become insurmountable. Especially when this is one of multiple classes you're likely taking, it may not even seem worth the while to put in the effort when that effort can be better used in another class.
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Comment on Not every student needs Algebra 2. UC should be flexible on math requirement. in ~science
Stranger Link ParentFunny story, but I got through high school without ever really understanding functions. The whole "one output" aspect just didn't make sense to me with how it had been explained. Got by well...Even knowing what a “function” is would help demystify “algorithms” if you understand that it’s just inputs and outputs.
Funny story, but I got through high school without ever really understanding functions. The whole "one output" aspect just didn't make sense to me with how it had been explained. Got by well enough to pass the tests, but it just didn't click what their significance was. I went to college and passed Calc 1 without picking it up too. I majored in CS and took Intro to C++ where we were taught functions in the context of programming. Picked up the concept of functions just fine in that context but it wasn't until about a year or so later that my brain clicked and I realized function meant essentially the same thing in each context. It was like a mind blowing revelation that they had been the same thing this whole time.
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Comment on Tell US Congress: Stop the TikTok ban in ~tech
Stranger Link ParentTikTok is fully banned in Nepal and India. TikTok is banned from government employee devices in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Taiwan, and the EU due to security concerns. Concerns over...TikTok is fully banned in Nepal and India.
TikTok is banned from government employee devices in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Taiwan, and the EU due to security concerns.
Concerns over TikTok are not uniquely American.
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Comment on 'If anything happens, it's not suicide': Boeing whistleblower's prediction before death in ~transport
Stranger Link ParentHe wouldn't have commit suicide specifically to hurt Boeing. He would have done it for other reasons. If he blamed Boeing for the circumstances that made him feel that he needed to take his own...He wouldn't have commit suicide specifically to hurt Boeing. He would have done it for other reasons. If he blamed Boeing for the circumstances that made him feel that he needed to take his own life though, then he might have seen staging or as a conspiracy as a form of payback.
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Comment on US President Joe Biden's 2024 State of the Union address in ~news
Stranger Link ParentFunny story, what we know as the State Of The Union Address stems from the Constitution requiring the president to occasionally inform Congress of the state of the Union and offer considerations...it's troubling to watch what used to be an order of business turn just another opportunity to score social media points.
Funny story, what we know as the State Of The Union Address stems from the Constitution requiring the president to occasionally inform Congress of the state of the Union and offer considerations and measures as deemed necessary. Notably however, there is no requirement that it be done in-person. In fact, for over 100 years starting with Jefferson the annual presidential address to Congress had been delivered via written message.
Woodrow Wilson was the first to break the tradition. He decided to give an in-person speech because he thought it would be more "effective". After Wilson, the address went back to written message until FDR decided bring back speeches (as well as broadcast them).
Since then, there's always been a bit of political theater with the speeches. Reagan was the first to bring a "special guest" to the address as a human prop. Ford had members of the House stage a walkout during his speech over Watergate and then Vietnam. W. Bush got boos. Obama got Samuel Alito silently commenting on his speech. Trump had Pelosi ripping up his speech.
Biden's been heckled a few times now, and this is arguably one of the most dysfunctional Congresses in living memory. Given Biden's style and the current environment, it probably shouldn't be that surprising that the speech was partisan. It reflects the times: the state of the Union is partisan.
By that definition, an enchilada is also a sandwich.
People are having fun. No one's forcing you to be a part of it.
As a more serious matter though, nailing down these definitions has real world consequences. Reasonable people can debate whether a tomatoe is a fruit or a vegetable or whether such designations even have any real meaning as a matter of culinary or botanical significance with respect to colloquial usage. However as a legal matter in the US, it's settled law per the 1893 case Nix v Hedden where the Supreme Court determined that tomatoes are a vegetable for import tariff purposes on the grounds that they are typically consumed analogous to vegetables.
From the opinion:
Not only is this still considered good law, but it has been cited in multiple succeeding Supreme Court cases as precedent to defer to common usage over technical definitions. So while a burrito may technically conform to your arbitrary definition of a sandwich, I doubt you'd consider it an act of good faith if someone brought you one when you asked for a sandwich as it does not fit the common usage of the term.