DuckOverload

joined 11 months ago
[–] DuckOverload 20 points 11 months ago (5 children)

Smarter Every Day. Used to be just some amateur prettyboy nerd just geeking out and getting behind the scenes on cool stuff. Then it seems like he run out of cool ideas and money got involved. Last episode I watched, he was hocking some obviously awful aquarium game that he was involved with.

[–] DuckOverload 1 points 11 months ago

What is a PCB?

[–] DuckOverload 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

Bladerunner was pretentious film school drivel. It's a montage of poetic, symbolic imagery that makes no sense as an actual narrative. Dune was far, far superior because the mythic reality is tied together into a classic hero story, and the whole thing is fantastical enough for Villaneuve's whole thing to work. I can't wait for the second one.

Avengers Endgame was just more of the same MCU formula, trotting out the usual tropes on an ever-increasing scale. Pretty good, as far as all that goes, but really devoid of any tension or depth, IMHO. Guardians 1 is a far better film.

As for those others, I haven't seen them, though they're all on my list. I'm open to any of them being better... of course my opinion will be limited to movies I've actually seen. But aside from glib hot takes, there's not much meaning in comparing completely different films. My essential point is that DnD is an utterly superb movie, and I'll maintain that in its freshness, surprising depth, and comedic sparkle, it's at least the best movie of its kind in a long time.

[–] DuckOverload 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

This wasn't an art film... but it had an original plot, was genuinely unpredictable throughout, awesome, imaginative action sequences, epic high fantasy, great comedy (I laughed my ass off), and real emotional tenderness (well, I cried). Often weaving these together in the same scene. I think you have to judge a movie based on what it's meant to be, and for a fun high fantasy jaunt, this was a monumental achievement. IMHO.

[–] DuckOverload 1 points 11 months ago

I hope so. I'd just like them to make another one.

[–] DuckOverload 4 points 11 months ago

I worked at AT&T and then AT&T for about 8 years. I'm not talking about the anecdotal evidence of personal friends. I'm talking about broader consumer data.

For your information, here's a statistical study: https://www.statista.com/statistics/619788/average-smartphone-life/

This indicates an average of replacing a phone every ~2.7 years. That means there's someone that replaces their phone every year for each person who keeps their phone for 4 years. And many people keep them longer than that. Obviously, I'm not saying that EVERYONE does this. But obviously this is not uncommon.

I don't typically complain about this; it happens to be the topic of conversation here. It just sounds like you're taking it personally for some reason...

[–] DuckOverload 5 points 11 months ago

If you like this, you might enjoy 5minute.games, a list of lots of little games like this. Nonograms is one of the sites listed, and I keep it on my shortlist. Though I don't have patience for more than a 15x15 B/W puzzle.

[–] DuckOverload 37 points 11 months ago (3 children)

www.5minute.games

It's a list of all the good word games, minigames and puzzles on the internet, and you can customize it to shortlist your favorites and even add new links. I go there every day to link to all my favorites.

...oh, full disclosure: I built it. Though hopefully nobody minds, since there's no ads or monetization whatsoever.

[–] DuckOverload 1 points 11 months ago

I think it depends on context. If you're brought up in a wholesome environment with respect and positive values, you'll realize that living like that is better. If you're brought up in a cesspool of fear and violence, you'll think that's the way the world is, and you'll behave accordingly.

It's not that America is inherently bad, or any particular cultural system. It's that when a society doesn't maintain its values and spiritual core, it will rot from the inside out.

The problem is our society has sold out so much of our community, our education, our values for convenience and corporate greed. This is like what the Right used to blather on about, but they're to blame for most of the real depravity. In any case, we're just seeing the fallout.

[–] DuckOverload 4 points 11 months ago

This is the main reason I'm here. In 5-10 years, the fediverse will be standard, and full of the same slobbering morons. But for now, being niche and fresh, it seems to be populated by more intelligent and conscientious folks.

[–] DuckOverload 11 points 11 months ago
[–] DuckOverload 3 points 11 months ago (2 children)

The whole thing about "keeping up with the Joneses" is inherently about judging others' motivations as invalid.

WIth a phone, there are various reasons to want a new phone. But you certainly don't NEED one. The year-over-year improvements have largely become trivial. Mostly, camera upgrades marketed for impressing your peers. In any case, this tendency is certainly based on norms set by the marketing, which people follow. And there is some portion of this that is just conspicuous consumption.

view more: ‹ prev next ›