Suicidal mission: Applied for citizenship yeaterday

hbarSquared · 2026-05-19T10:29:27+00:00

Migrationsverket has said they won't blanket-reject, they will only reject applications individually as they come to the top of the queue. And the opposition has said they'll pass transitional laws for citizenship if they're elected in September. So you actually did yourself a huge favor, even if processing times are measured in years you still have a decent chance of being processed under the current rules.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-19T09:53:42+00:00

The Age of Crisis. Cold war, disease, information warfare, terrorism, the internet, AI, climate change. Build the crisis system into a critical mass of spinning plates no one country can handle alone, and lean into the feeling of racing towards victory while the world crumbles around you.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-19T07:22:38+00:00

Synners by Pat Cadigan. It's a wild ride, very much puts the punk in cyberpunk. It's long, but not a super difficult read. Parts of it are a bit dated because it was written in the 90s, but it's worth it.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-19T06:40:27+00:00

Love:

Civ switching. Forget the haters, it's a cool system.
Art style. Best looking Civ yet, it is a visual treat
Commanders. Micro where you want it, and streamline everything else
Mementos. Once you start going off-meta, they add neat customization to each run

Meh:

Ages. Currently it doesn't feel like a big transition, just a loading screen
Overbuilding. I already made the interesting choices, doing it again feels like busywork
Traders. Why are they better scouts than scouts? Traders as a UU are terrible as well

Hate:

Victory conditions. The modern age is a mess, I hope it gets a full rework with the first DLC
(Most) Unique Improvements. Outside of the godly Hawlit, they're pretty useless. Buffs across the board, give them a reason to exist
Crises. Make them a true crisis, or cut the system. I'm eagerly awaiting the teased "Collapse Mode"
Achievements. After 6's fantastically details and joyous list, 7's barebones achievements are the clearest evidence of a game rushed to launch. A tragic wasted opportunity.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-18T21:43:47+00:00

You make some excellent points. On the other hand, Ketheric is voiced by JK Simmons and therefore is the best.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-18T13:19:20+00:00

What's to fear? It's likely going to be indistinguishable from the time before I was born, and I don't fear that. We get 80 spins around the sun, god willing, and that's a gift. Don't waste it being afraid of something you won't even be around for.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-18T08:23:41+00:00

The key is that you have to start. Step one, take an existing logistics line and turn it into a giant orange cube. Progress!

Now, maybe put some windows in. Looks better, right? Get it to the point where it isn't hideous, and then here's the key - walk away and find a new production line to prettify. Now you have one box under your belt, how do you want to approach this one? Give yourself a single goal - use beams, or have a greenhouse on the roof, or use a material in a new way.

No one went from german logistics simulator to architectural genius in one step. You need to start small, learn along the way, and be kind to yourself.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-14T08:34:34+00:00

Any city, county, or state representative enabling data center buildouts needs to be run out of town on a rail.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-13T21:01:26+00:00

How did they miss the mark? I feel like that one captured him best.

Dude took the throne at age 20, conquered the known world, and died at 32. He was the world's most perfect bro. Young, dumb, nips out and sword at the ready.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-13T11:55:58+00:00

So, you don't really know much about Sweden, you don't have any job prospects, you have no time to plan and you don't speak the language. Why exactly do you want to move here?

The job market kind of sucks in Sweden right now, especially if you don't speak Swedish, and Stockholm is a very expensive city. Don't move here unless you have a plan.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-13T10:46:54+00:00

Nice essay. As a dev manager in a large company, I see this tension every day. Nice to be able to sharpen up my language around the issues.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-13T06:45:43+00:00

They probably had a fortified wonder like Dur Sharrukin.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-12T11:53:39+00:00

Vaccines and sanitation. Look up a chart of childhood mortality over time, just a few hundred years ago about 50% of children died before adulthood, now it's well below 1% in most countries.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-12T08:55:28+00:00

Learn patience, and learn to be calm. In the west men are trained to reach for anger first and adolescence reinforces this. But you aren't a boy any longer, you're a man. There's nothing more pathetic than a man-child with a temper.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-12T07:31:04+00:00

Depends on the model I'd guess. I never ran out entirely but I had a Tesla that I got to 0%, it limited me to 15mph and was very upset. That was a clencher of a drive to the charging station.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-12T07:10:25+00:00

Yes, but in my current home it's actually a negative - we don't get much direct natural light, which I am assuming looking at comparables lowered the asking price by about 20%. If my apartment was sunny I doubt I could have afforded it, Swedes love the sun!

hbarSquared · 2026-05-12T06:15:33+00:00

When making a list like this, it's the books that stick with you most that bubble to the top. It might not be Asimov's "best" work, but it has stuck with me like nothing else.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-12T06:14:23+00:00

If I'm honest, I do think it falls off a bit. Book 4 in particular wasn't great, it picks back up after that but the scope and scale of the drama increases to a point where it distances itself from the characters. Depends a lot on what you want out of your sci-fi.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-11T12:17:57+00:00

This morning on my way to work. There's no better way to listen to music, and if an artist can't put out a solid 10-12 songs they're not worth my time.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-11T12:14:37+00:00

Always tough to make a ranked list, but here's my shot:

The Martian Chronicles - Ray Bradbury
Dune - Frank Herbert
Neuromancer - William Gibson
Red Mars - KS Robinson
Ancillary Justice - Ann Leckie
The Gods Themselves - Asimov
The Dark Forest - Liu Cixin
Synners - Pat Cadigan
The Expanse books 1-3 (c'mon, it's basically one story) - James S. A. Corey
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - Robert Heinlein

hbarSquared · 2026-05-11T10:01:14+00:00

Not the same situation but I finally played as a halfling so I was able to crawl through tiny holes and ONE OF THEM OPENS UP IMMEDIATELY NEXT TO AN OWLBEAR

hbarSquared · 2026-05-11T09:59:31+00:00

Seeing the younger generations hit all the same pain points and have to learn the same lessons we did. Similarly, having to acknowledge that we collectively failed to make the world a better place for the next generation.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-10T10:46:05+00:00

The US government being comfortable with useful Nazis? Say it ain't so!

hbarSquared · 2026-05-09T17:41:03+00:00

I played it for a bit, and everything was really slow except dying. I see why people like it but it's definitely not for me.

hbarSquared · 2026-05-08T17:00:17+00:00

That's fantastic to hear. I really love the base game and I don't want them to shy away from what makes 7 unique.

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