It’s Halloween, candy has been purchased, costumes have picked out, and movies have been watched.
In local news.
Gabe has been the one rock among tech companies. Steam has been pretty amazing about avoiding enshittification.
On the other hand… I’ll believe it when I can play it.
For the Whovians out there.
Life imitates South Park.
Some good news for today.
So, they come and go?
Well, it’s A business plan, not necessarily a GOOD one, but it was a plan.
Why do I need to pay for so many of my fellow Americans?
Just… *sigh*.
Well, that’s settled at last.
Wikipedia should redirect to here.
This will likely be of interest to several of you lot. On the other hand, this will be of interest to a smaller subset.
For the drink today, as I assume most of you will be tied up handing out candy (who can trust an orphan to hand out candy?), I’m going with a batch drink, a punch.
Cinnamon Apple Bourbon Smash Punch
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 inch fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle pepper
- 1 1/2 cup bourbon
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup apple butter
- 48-60 ounces ginger beer/ginger ale
- 3-5 dashes orange bitters
To start with, we’re going to spice up the syrup. Take a small saucepan, put in the syrup, cinnamon, and ginger. Get that to a slow boil (making sure not to scorch the syrup at the bottom), and let simmer for a couple of minutes (no more than 5). Remove from the heat, stir in the chipotle (you can remove this if you want, or step it up), and strain out the solids. Get a pitcher, add in the spiced syrup, bourbon, lemon juice, apple butter, and bitters. Give that a good stir to get it mixed through and integrated. Let it cool, and then add to a punch bowl with ice and top with the ginger beer. If you would prefer to make this as a mocktail, remove the bitters and sub out a splash of vanilla extract and replace the bourbon with apple cider. If you don’t want to batch a big punch, you could leave the bourbon out when mixing up the items in the pitcher, and just build individual drinks with 2 ounces of bourbon, about 2 ounces of the syrup/lemon/apple mixture, and top with ginger beer (I would use a Collins glass if going this route).
With that, may you not run out of candy, and the houses stay unegged.
If Data dated dated Datas, how many dated Datas would Data date (while dining on dates for the date, of course!)
And frankly, I think this law is decidedly premature. AI isn’t sentient or near it yet — no contracts can be entered into with your toaster, much less these semblances of a toaster. If and when we actually had real AI — then we’d have to take the measure of a man and I think the law would be wrong to bar them.
But I’m sure this is really meant as virtue signaling.
And movies have been watched… and the Glibertariat have been suitably horrified by SF… what the creepy fracking shirt balls was that, man?!?!
Data fucked Yar and that Borg chick.
If those robots look like the ones in the rebooted Battlestar Galactica, then I’m going to date robots.
If Data dated dated Datas, how many dated Datas would Data date
I don’t know, but datass! Can’t blame a guy for trying
Doctor Who is coming back, and the BBC has officially announced a Christmas special for 2026.
Just say no to NuWho.
At least they ended on a high note with Capaldi’s acting chops.
Used Who wasn’t very good either.
Teds is right.
Never much cared for Yoo-hoo either.
The server was just confused… oh behave, baby yeah!
But seriously dude… calm down. Either you trust her or you don’t, and a server obviously doing a bit of acting is always going to play to the crowd some. Don’t be an ass.
Yes, “kuso” means “shit”. But it’s more than “excrement” in meaning. It’s used a bit like “fuck” in English which has meanings vastly greater than “intercourse”.
It has been a triumph… they’re making a note here — huge success.
More seriously — yeah… like most companies, I expect this is 100 percent due to the founder with the vision still being involved. When Gabe finally dies or retires… I expect it to go to shit. Hopefully they’ll at least honor their word and allow archived installers or something when that day comes. Or I’ll die first. One of the two.
Even the changes that Steam has made have usually at least received a rational reason as to WHY they were making the changes. To me at least, they’re among the only digital platform I trust to make purchases on. Even if they say I can’t pass those on to my next of kin (but that’s a digital rights issue more than anything).
inorite? I had no idea either.
I thought that was rather a different sort of game you play with one hand…
Win?
No rap fans around here, yo?
no
Oddly I like it better in Japanese than English.
Perhaps because I focus so much on the words.
Bling-Bang-Bang-Born (Official Music Video)
Me. Going to see The Gza next Wednesday, and then on Thursday I’ll be seeing live the “On the other hand, this will be of interest to a smaller subset.” referenced in the lynx.
I love rap.
https://youtu.be/ZG_k5CSYKhg?si=rskT_4PQViJJvOIs
Oh my God. Such transcendent lyrics:
It’s so cool, it’s so hip, it’s alright
It’s so groovy, it’s outta sight
Rap has become a parody of itself. I think it started to go wrong when Biggie rapped “Finally, a nigga rapping about blunts and broads.” Finally? It had already become reduced to that cliche back then. Before that, it was a pretty rich musical genre that had some good surprises in the form of KRS-1 and Slick Rick’s story telling/cautionary tales and what not. Now, it’s all blunts and broads all the time and very little substance and every song sounds the same. Kendrick Lamar occasionally surprises, but he’s the exception, not the rule.
I tend to ignore his public statements given his history of fabulism.
“1 1/2 cup bourbon”
What’s everyone else going to drink?
That is for a number of servings, I would hope the 48-60 ounces of ginger beer later would have tipped you off to that if nothing else. 🙂
1 is a number.
Ted S,:
The Loneliest Number
one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYzY7-V5vxY
Or one R.J.
This note has been sitting around as a potential comment in a notepad window. Given the gaming related links on fridays, I figure It’s on topic?
For a while, I brainstormed what I think would be my ideal video game at this point in time. (Preferences change over time and I can be surprised by something I didn’t expect). I could describe it in the form of X meets Y meets Z, but I’d rather just do a design runthrough. (Then do the short form)
Fundimentally turn based with strategic turns and tactical turns. You use the strategic turns to assign your dudes to tasts either in your main outpost or venturing forth into territory either unclaimed or controlled by other factions. You need to supply enough resources and facilities at your various outposts to meet the needs of your dudes and keep them supplied for whatever tasks they’ve been assigned to. Each of your dudes has their own strengths and weakness, and can try any task, but those not good at it will generally, well, do poorly at it. But they can improve these skills.
Of them you should at least be able to customize your main dude, who acts as your player character for story events. Perhaps with enough resources you can unlock a means of customizing the appearance of existing characters. During the strategic turn phase you can have your main character run around whatever area he or she (only two options) is in at the time. This is not required, but would piggyback off the part of the engine designed for the tactical turns.
Tactical turns come into play when exploring unknown areas, dealing with hostiles, or situations like that, when detailed actions matter. You only have access to those characters and resources were in the area at the end of the strategic turn, but running away is allowed. Hit rates should not remind players of XCom. Some tactical turns are needed for puzzle solving. There can be more than one location which gets a tactical situation during any given strategic turn, and you get to pick the order these are reseolved.
You work to take additional territory for its resources and thus the ability to support more dudes, who can be recruited either from other factions, or requested from your homeland. But the non-player factions are doing the same and can expand into your space. You can end up being dislodged and having to wander to find a new spot to try again.
The story goal would involve finding and piecing together a mystery related to the locale, but it’s not a time pressure or ticking clock. Whatever you need to get done will be there later if you’re a bit pressed by the hostiles.
Expansions would come in the form of new worlds with their own biomes and mystery objectives to uncover. Plus with randomized map generation, you should be able to get a lot of replayability. I’m not sure how to set up for side stories involving your dudes, this is all concept stage “what would be achievable in a game” rather than digging into the tech level. The tech exists, it’s Rimworld meets XCom meets [insert good RPG here].
Whoah, that was a bigger wall of text than I expected.
Sorry.
Don’t sweat it — you needed the text wall to fortify your tower defense before your hero went out a-questing.
Look into Mutant Year Zero, Phoenix Point, Invisible Inc., Classified: France ’44, and the Lamplighter’s League. Several of those may hit close to the mark for you.
Wok and woll!
I just bet they’re saying to their coyote contact “Boy, George… this wasn’t good for our karma.”
If all those Rent-A-Room type places can get you to pay 3x the cost of things by rent-to-own… why shouldn’t they get in on the deal? Can’t really blame them for thinking there were enough suckers to make it worth their while… rent-a-pcs were a thing in what, the ’90s too?
In the words of a the character from Scott Pilgrim that changed it from “evil ex-boyfriends” to “evil exes”… “LAZY ASS!” (them, not you…)
And the best part is that the article was written by Ana Faguy.
“No fucking shit” says everyone who had half a neuron and realized he was joking in the first place.
Next up, water is wet — a hot stove will burn you and Hollywood is full of whores.
That growth was partly fueled by the availability of manufacturing and blue-collar jobs that were eagerly filled by the more than 15,000 Haitian immigrants who had moved to the city over the past eight years, fueling businesses such as Mercado’s.
Now that third-world peasants can’t just show up and be declared “temporarily legal” by the Biden administration, they’re not showing up any more. People who are looking for jobs in Springfield, drivers, and pet owners are cautiously optimistic.
Don’t know why — but after the punch recipe… I was expecting this for the music. Happy Halloween all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aiurhWq0JI&list=RD7aiurhWq0JI&start_radio=1
I have a Luna controller and a collection of free games. My Steam deck gets all my attention though.
I don’t mind the Steam Deck, but I still prefer my full PC setup for most RPGs, the Deck is good for most tactical games and action games (K+M will always beat controller for any FPS, including FPS/RPGs).
Had a bit of a stoic moment this morning. I’d made a rather elaborate, inflatable elephant costume to wear to the office (and the lunchtime party / contest today), but when I put it on and tried to get into my car, it wouldn’t fit.
I had to pop the trunk.
I’m really surprised you didn’t remember the size of the car, Shpip. I did something similar once and felt like a real dumbo.
Swiss isn’t going to like this. Tusk, tusk you two.
“This will likely be of interest to several of you lot.”
Why yes, it was. I love the GFY emails from 4Chan’s lawyers to Ofcom.
Fucking Brits are itching for another ass kicking.
So, when do we fine Ofcom twice any fines applied to US entities?
I am not sure about jurisdiction but somewhere, somehow sending fake bills is considered a crime, one which ofcom is guilty of and 4chan is not…..sorta a Leticia James situation.
Yeah, the limeys need a good solid ass kicking.
A history of the Grim Reaper.
Alternate history of Grim Reaper
So listen here. This thing is kind of an after hours type thing now. So, after your normie bar hopping and cosmotarian cocktail parties, come see the violence inherent in the system after dark (or, like, when you’re done with your local minivan Trunk or Treat in the elementary school parking lot).
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87821224358?pwd=eW55MTRDbDNtQkh2aHd3M1Nmenlzdz09#success
I can do a shutdown zoom face time
Nice. It will be pretty late if I join.
Can we have a costume contest?
Trunk or Treat?
Fuck that noise. Drag your sorry asses across my lawn, say “Trick or Treat” and “Thank you” if you expect me to let you walk off with some candy.
Uffda. You are harshing OMWC’s buzz.
The one night he can take his van out and give kids candy and not worry about vigilante beat downs. And you want to take it away?
One is indeed the loneliest number.
Im rehashing the viking costume, Mrs OBE my witch or wife..whichever.
Will set out the candy, some tunes and the fire pit.
Dude! Be careful with that Viking costume.
We can’t even buy them here because they are known choking hazards. Side effects also include suicidal thoughts
Amazon has been trying to break into the gaming scene but with their flagship game New World wasnt…great and I am sure they will butcher the rehashed LOTR MMORPG
A picture of Sam.
A fine choice for a Halloween picture.
It’s the costume I decided to break out for tonight as well. Past two years I’ve been doing the Babyface killer from Happy Death Day, I had been doing Sam the two years before that, and tonight I see if a two year rotation is enough or if I need to find a third costume to add to the mix.
I had a few ideas for you, but then I realized you probably wouldn’t want to shave your beard for a costume.
My niece came by as my first trick-or-treater this evening.
She’d wrapped a blanket around her midsection to look chubbier, and was wearing overalls and carrying a toy pickaxe.
ME: What are you supposed to be for Halloween?
NIECE: A non-binary prospector.
ME: ???
NIECE: There’s gold in them/their hills!
I laughed harder than I should have at this.
Savage.
I’m going to call bullshit on people worried about starving due to SNAP benefits. We have yet to have a single trick or treater come to the door. There was a family of deer in our yard, so that could have been a group in a really good costume that just wasn’t interested in candy.
Maybe they’re hitting the neighborhoods where they think the picking is better. You’ll probably get some locals, at least, whose parents only have one car.
We have no kids in the neighborhood and houses are too far apart for commuters..I’m thinking the concertina wire across the driveway is kind of a negative.
We shopped the local Walmart today, about noon. Parking lot was jammed, The candy aisles were crammed with candy but very few shoppers. The After Market is going to have to some giant sales to move that stuff out before Thanksgiving/Christmas.
We finally got a couple dozen kids (and one kid who wouldn’t walk up to the house because of my costume, I call that a win). This was the neighborhood carloads of kids came into for the past several years. But this year, even the houses across the street, with kids of the appropriate age were doing nothing.
It was slightly chilly and windy, but the rain held off. On the plus side, two neighbors down the street from us were doing bonfires next to each other, I sent the girlfriend down to be social.
We are going to start in another hour. We may just walk a few streets.
Maybe they are too weak from hunger to make it to your door.
Trunk or treats have killed trick or treat I g where I live.
Uh oh, they might have to cut back on beer and weed. https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/uc-students-hungry-snap-confusion-21131736.php
I finally got to read SugarFree’s most excellent story.
Damn.
I’m gonna second this. That was, well it was what it was. Thoroughly read. People will pay to read that.
I imagined her as Kamala post-election.
We’re too far out in the woods for trick-or-treaters and the moose would eat any punkins we put out. Meh.
Regarding Molyneux, I would rather have Black and White 3 than whatever it is he’s working on.
I’d rather have the Black and White [1] that was promised rather than the one that was delivered.
Well, I got an interview with Coronis Health tomorrow for a remote “proofreader role.” My qualifications “strongly align with what [they] are seeking… matching closely with your skills.” This is from the hiring manager. Here’s how it goes, she says:
“1. Welcome and intros
2. Times questionnaire (30 minutes)
3. Discussion and Q&A”
I confirmed the time and, as they offered to answer anything, asked what type of questionnaire it was, professional, personal, etc.
“The questionnaire is majorly based on your past experience and how to handle duties and responsibilities.”
Huh. This gig pays *really* well. I’ve done some AMA Style but never worked in it. Quick look shows how to reference and superscripts, which I will have to learn. (DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!)
I forgot I even applied to this place. Looking about, they are interested in journalism and AP experience, so that’s a plus. Big Things. But I have never done medical work, though I’m familiar with much of the vocab and terminology (I think, which means I’m over-selling myself). Just now, thinking of taking the day off so I have more time to the company+ up. And also to hear from y’all.
I think I can honestly wing whatever questions they have and answer with a positive spin.
Big question: Uh, I don’t plan on bringing up my disability, but I’ll be truthful if it does come up. Never know how to, really. I’m a chatty and (overly) honest cat and I try to muzzle everything. OTOH, the stupid law (that benefits?) me requires x% of disabled employees, and I can check that box for ’em.
This is a rather novel development. It’s full time, but states “20-40 hours/week.” But at $40/hr, even 20hrs is above what I was shootin’ the moon for. Again. Big Things. Uh, what are your thoughts? What do ya reckon they’ll be asking? I can provide as much info as ya’d like.
Much appreciated, y’all. Big. Things.
Good luck.
“journalism and AP experience” as in Associate Press? Interesting. And this is a medical industry job…
Being familiar with structured rule systems like the AMA Manual of Style is a useful, though vertical skill.
Thanks. They reached out to me and I don’t have a record of sending them any cover letter /etc. They found me? Uh, that’s sexy. And they wanna pay *ME?!* Fuck, I’m chargin’ way more than $20 (according to them).
Responsibilities: Confirm the accuracy of data, references, and citations in clinical and non-clinical documents.
– Provide and prepare feedback and suggest improvements to enhance readability and quality
of content
– Review and proofread healthcare-related content for grammar, punctuation, spelling,
consistency, and formatting.
– Cooperate with writers, editors, and subject matter experts to resolve inconsistencies and
clarify content.
– Maintain version control and track edits using proofreading tools and software.
– Ensure accurate usage of medical terminology and alignment with organizational style guides
and regulatory standards.
– Adhere to confidentiality guidelines and HIPAA compliance when handling patient-related
documents.
Worries: I suppose with proper resources, checking data, references and such it wouldn’t be too much. But me no knowy.
Proofreading tools and software? Uh. I imagine i can learn, but I have zero clue. I’ll need to ‘brush up’ on regulatory standards as well…
This is very exciting and strange.
Nice.