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Curious_Canid

@ Curious_Canid @piefed.ca

Posts
5
Comments
118
Joined
9 mo. ago

I am owned by several dogs and cats. I have been playing non-computer roleplaying games for almost five decades. I am interested in all kinds of gadgets, particularly multitools, knives, flashlights, and pens.

  • What unusual/uncommon item(s) do you always keep around for a perfectly logical reasons?

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  • A small marlin spike. It's surprising how often I want to untie knots in all kinds of things. A marlin spike makes that easy.

    Earplugs. They can obviously be used for protection from overly loud environments. They're also great for shutting out voices, music, or other noise when you're trying to read or focus on a task. I like the Loop Switch 2 plugs because they're small, versatile, and effective.

    Ultralight folding bag. I carry a 19 liter bag (Nanobag Sling) with shoulder-length handles that folds down to about the size of my thumb. Any time I need to carry more things than will easily fit in my hands, I pull out the bag. It also lets me support awkward or heavy items using my shoulders and back instead of my hands and arms.

  • Do you read books on your phone?

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  • DRM is always a moving target. For a long time I used the free DeDRM tools in combination with Calibre to remove it from Kindle books, but that software is no longer supported. There are several commercial options. The only one I've found that has really kept up with the changes is EPubor Ultimate.

    When the big change hit, almost nothing worked for a while. EPubor got their DRM-removal working again in a month or so. Since then, I don't think they've ever been more than a week behind in updating their software to deal with the changes.

    I hate DRM. I pay for everything I use and feel that I should be treated as a valued customer and not as a probable thief.

  • Do you read books on your phone?

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  • I do almost all of my reading on my phone and have for more than a decade. There are many excellent book reading apps, but your source for material will probably limit those options. I prefer books in the ePub format when possible. PDF files also work fairly well, although they are not as convenient to read because they have built-in page breaks that don't correspond match up with phone screens. Standard ePub and PDF files do not include any DRM (copy protection), although there are variants which do.

    If you buy books from Amazon you have to use their Kindle app (unless you use tools to strip the DRM). Borrowing books from your library is a great option, but that will also limit your reader options. Many use OverDrive, which has its own reader. Fortunately Kindle and OverDrive both work pretty well.

    Personally, I use various tools to remove the DRM from the eBooks that I buy, then I convert them to ePub. I do believe in authors getting paid for their work, so I don't share them.

  • ‘Crap’: Stephen Colbert blasts CBS for denying it blocked James Talarico interview from air

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  • I understand where you're coming from, but I don't think that Trump has anything resembling a plan. He reacts to events, minute by minute, generally in the most cruel and hateful way possible.

    He has plenty of advisors and backers who have coherent long-range plans, and they are making a disturbing amount of progress, but they're hampered by Trump's volatility and lack of focus. It also helps that those trying to define his agenda mostly have different interests.

  • [Video] China showcases humanoid robot kung-fu performance at Chinese Lunar New Year show

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  • We are screwed.

  • What would you want done with your remains upon death?

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  • I came here hoping to see this comment. Thank you for reinforcing my faith.

  • Dumped by '''Feminist AI'''

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  • Bear in mind that it doesn't actually say "AI" girlfriend. It says "IA" girlfriend. I grew up in Iowa and this all seems perfectly normal to me.

  • I don't actually read the news. I surmise the news based on memes that begin popping up for which I have no context.

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  • That approach makes up a large part of the world in which we now live. It is also one reason why things are as messed up as they are. On the other hand, whether or not to read the news has become a major mental health issue, so I'm not going to blame anyone who avoids it.

  • Improving handwriting when exhausted & slightly psychotic?

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  • I realize this is an odd suggestion, but think about getting yourself a nice fountain pen and try writing with that. Using a pen that is different from what you're used to can help you focus on the actual process of writing.

  • This is Bogie. This rope is his very favorite toy because it makes his tiny human smile too.

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  • Bogie is awesome. And the tiny human is lucky to have someone like that in her life.

  • "Erased"

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  • There is an excellent book titled "How the Irish Became White" by Noel Ignatiev. It's based on his doctoral dissertation and it provides a detailed historical look at just how arbitrary the concept of race really is.

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  • No, but it does simplify life if you believe that.

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  • Religion is a lot more fun when you just ignore all of its teachings and use it to justify your own prejudices and psychoses. Christianity has nothing to do with what they believe, if they believe anything at all.

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  • It's a good thing the Republicans aren't actually trying to govern. They would never have time for this kind of ridiculous ideological theater if they had jobs.

    If you had told the Continental Congress that their successors would eventually be investigating half-time shows they would have surrendered to King George.

  • I went back to Linux and it was a mistake

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  • Whether or not this particular person should know better, migrating to Linux is unlikely to be a seamless transition for most people in the real world. I think the article emphasized the problem and understated the benefits. Let's just not pretend there aren't compromises to be made, even if they are reasonable ones.

    I have to use a Windows machine for work. I use both Windows and Linux for personal use. And I still miss OS/2. :-)

  • What are some product categories where the mainstream option IS the best option?

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  • For me, the Free series was a significant innovation, but it all depends on what aspect matter to you.

  • Rightwing critics blame Mamdani as New York snow fails to melt

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  • I love all these responses, but that one deserves a special shout-out for brilliance. I'm still laughing.

  • What are some product categories where the mainstream option IS the best option?

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  • That has frustrated me too. The Style PS was my idea of a perfect keychain tool, but they killed it in favor of the older, and less capable, Micra.

  • What are some product categories where the mainstream option IS the best option?

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  • I did specify that I was talking about plier-based tools in my original response.

    I grew up with Swiss Army knives, back before Leatherman was in business. (Yes, I am that old.) I still carry a Rambler with me everywhere I go.

  • Rightwing critics blame Mamdani as New York snow fails to melt

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  • The character was intended to be a thoughtful conservative, and I thought they did pretty well with that. I'm somewhere to the left of Bernie Sanders, but I don't mind watching intelligently written characters who I disagree with.

    Also, I will watch almost anything with Jeff Daniels. He is one of the most versatile actors of our time and he brings depth to every role. His performance is what made "Pleasantville" for me. (I hate Dumb and Dumber, but he added something to it.)