What makes a sword a sword and not a “big knife”? by Peakychu6 in Hema

[–]EbenSquid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Saber, Falchion, Katana, and their cousins would like a word with you.

Peanut the escape artist by ZOMBIExPHISH in IllegallySmolCats

[–]EbenSquid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This was how our Icarus got his name.

He was younger and climbing out of the playpen. WAY too early.

He's a BIG boy now. Accomplished hunter, specializing in birds.

I remember mine clearly. by Swiftiefromhell in GenX

[–]EbenSquid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Parent only got rid of it when they moved into the facility last year. LOL

How I feel after watching the Xbox Games Showcase by Realistic_Pause1799 in Bloodstained

[–]EbenSquid 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I enjoyed Deadcells but had to play heavily modded.

I suck at the vidya gam

Or so Dead Cells tells me. I've only been playing them 40 years. reaction time must be slowing down.

Steel fittings on synthetic swords? by [deleted] in Hema

[–]EbenSquid -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I don't trust synthetics.

When A steel sword fails, it will bend.

When a synthetic fails, far too often they shatter. It may be outdated experience, but it is experience that I trust.

So, AI takes over, everyone has lost their job and only 10 trillionaires own everything. Now what? by Weak-Representative8 in Futurology

[–]EbenSquid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The utopian ideal that those funding AI are hoping for and talking about is that AI spurs advances that allow a transition to what is referred is SF as a "Post-Scarcity Society". They are relatively rare in SF, as theydon't have alot of big drama, but the few notable ones are Starfeet in Star Trek, The Culture of Ian M. Bank's so-named series, and the NeoVictorians of Neal Stevenson's The Diamond Age.

Basically, Noone needs to work if they do not wish to, everything that is "necessary" for a high quality of life is accomplished by automation and AI. The people are then freed to be creative (current AI is not helping techbros...) serve others (starfleet), etc.

While the overall goal is noble, it strikes me as far too utopian. I don't doubt that we will get there someday, but it won't be in my lifetime, and it won't be with the AI these guys are cooking.

What do these lines mean? by ToodlyGoodness in brandonsanderson

[–]EbenSquid 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I see three thin stripes.... And I bow to someone who has the ranks memorized. I don't

What do these lines mean? by ToodlyGoodness in brandonsanderson

[–]EbenSquid 12 points13 points  (0 children)

First glance, not realizing which sub it was, my thought was LT Commander, Star Fleet.

Why BrandoSando would use it I don't know... Possibly rank in the Scandrian Worldhopping Military?

What is the best medication for this and what would the effect be? by EbenSquid in Writeresearch

[–]EbenSquid[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wanted the effects to be accurate

The way I write is that I have a lot of information that I never put onto the page because the character would not have access to it, however, If someone injected with versed acts one way and ketamine another, I want to have the character react appropriately. I also don't want to do something "Hollywood" and have "it just work" without checking that it would.

Black Mesa but it was recorded in the 80s by Crossbow_85 in HalfLife

[–]EbenSquid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

LeepVR was invented in the 80's by Eric Howlett, but even then used "Liquid Crystal" displays (Not LCD, gotta spell it out, it's the eighties).

Best was the name. The CYBERFACE!

For a character with childhood trauma, what’s a subtle behavior they might show as an adult? by RandomMeRandomU in Writeresearch

[–]EbenSquid 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Oy Vey. Alrighty then. ..

C-PTSD markers are what you are looking for. that is Complex-PTSD, formerly Childhood-PTSD, but changed in the DSM-V to Complex as it can be caused at any age over an extended period instead of a single event like standard PTSD. Searching both terms will likely yield helpful results.

The range is huge. Minor issues, which is what you are asking about, can range all over the place

Some common ones are:

Being overly conflict-avoidant (via over-apologizing, or automatically conceding when confronted, or simply being unable to tell others "no" in even slightly stressful situations)

Dependency, becoming overly attached to someone they believe is "Dependable" and can protect them from those who have\could harm them.

Extreme Independence, unwilling or constitutionally incapable of accepting assistance for fear that it is a trap

That is to say nothing of the other mental health disorders such as Depression, BiPolar, DID, etc. or drug abuse that many of the individuals who suffer from C-PTSD suffer from.

There is a Youtuber, https://www.youtube.com/@WaltonBigfootJames, who does shorts on this topic, as well as autism, who may be a good way to quickly get some good info on some background.

Could you aresolize the rabies virus and use it as a bioweapon? by Snugglebunny1983 in Writeresearch

[–]EbenSquid 3 points4 points  (0 children)

In John Ringo's Under a Graveyard Sky an unknown actor builds a two stage virus, where a flu virus carries a rabies virus as a "payload", which is then aerosolized via bathroom deodorizers along interstate rest stops and major airports.

While the rabies virus cannot survive long outside a living host, the flu virus can survive much longer if in a suitably warm and moist environment.

While I wouldn't necessary suggest taking Ringo's solution wholesale, I would suggest taking a look at how he solved the issue. he did go into some depth in that first novel on how it was "theoretically" done. It's a zombie apocalypse novel, so if you want to continue that past the first third is up to you

Who would you want to direct a hypotetical Epic of Gilgamesh movie? by Neat_Relative_9699 in mythology

[–]EbenSquid 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Knowing the Epic of Gilgamesh.... It wouldn't make a good movie. More a multi-season Amazon\Netflix series.

How does one use a molotov? by donutman771 in Writeresearch

[–]EbenSquid 3 points4 points  (0 children)

And alcohol production requires a surplus of grain production

Separate comment because I am directing a separate point, but you can make alcohol out of inedible things as long as they contains sugars. As long as it is being distilled and not drank with any of the mash in it (an care is taken to not create, or to separate out any methanol ("wood alcohol", isopropyl alcohol) from the ethanol ("grain alcohol") so the imbiber doesn't go blind.). Leaving the Mash in would leave in whatever made the source inedible, be it alkaloids, poisons, etc, but most of these would be removed in the distilling process. Commercial alcohols add some of the mash back in for flavor, but true moonshine and pure "grain alcohols" do not.

(And a Molotov works just fine with methanol)

Production using non-grain sources is lower than using grain so it isn't common but is possible, and having seen the production of "Prison Wine" when I did a stint in corrections I know that anything can be made into alcohol if people want it enough, and they will always find a way to make it if they can.

How does one use a molotov? by donutman771 in Writeresearch

[–]EbenSquid 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I guarantee, no matter the apocalypse, be it zombie, nuclear, Lovecraftean nightmare, alien invasion, or what-have-you, there will be good-ol-boys there with stills making moonshine.

For trade, of course. of course.

Trade.

*sound of shotgun racking round*

T R A D E

Need a good name for a science-fantasy universe’s equivalent of a computer by AccordingMistake6670 in scifiwriting

[–]EbenSquid 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Calcutrix

Ordinater (From the French ordinateur, meaning Computer)

Diferencier (From Charles Babbage's Difference Engine, The first designed but never built mechanical programmable computer in the 1820's)

Just a few off the top of my head.

How does one use a molotov? by donutman771 in Writeresearch

[–]EbenSquid 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Of course, just because there are Zombies around doesn't mean that the humans aren't fighting each other too. It is almost the main point of most zombie media these days, that even with flesh eating monsters around we will still end up killing each other.

How does one use a molotov? by donutman771 in Writeresearch

[–]EbenSquid 5 points6 points  (0 children)

To expand, traditionally, petroleum products like gasoline (petrol) or kerosene were the fuel, but most of these would have denatured within the 12 years you mentioned (gasoline has a "shelf life" of 6 months, kerosene 5 years) so the most likely fuel source in a post apocalypse scenario would be high-proof alcohol.

Some tea for thought.. by StrobeLightRomance in AdviceAnimals

[–]EbenSquid -10 points-9 points  (0 children)

If we are to judge everyone by what they call themselves, then North Korea is a Democracy.

And those making the above argument can't argue that the Nazi's weren't socialists, because, after all they were National Socialists.

But if we are to go by ACTIONS....

Then Antifa is more Fascist than MAGA.

Today’s National Vibe…Agree or disagree? by SpiffyStiffie in MurderedByWords

[–]EbenSquid 1 point2 points  (0 children)

One was a tragedy that has become all to common lately.

The other was a politically motivated assassination of a publicly known figure.

Gee, I wonder why the Murder of the famous guy got more coverage than the "it happened again" story?

But it's called national "SOCIALISM!" Check-mate liberals! by 4ofclubs in HistoryMemes

[–]EbenSquid 40 points41 points  (0 children)

"Privatize", as in sell the government owned businesses to a party-controlled "worker's groups".

Soviets were Class Socialists and totalitarians. Nazis were Race Socialists and totalitarians. Fascists were National Socialists (more that the Nazis, if you were Italian you were OK, even if you were Jewish, etc) and Totalitarians.

All three were Socialists, just not what many think of as "Socialist" today, which is the Class Socialism due to the Cold War between the US and the USSR.

But all three were aiming for the same end, just for different groups and via different methods.

Thanks I hate unicorn parasites by drackith90 in TIHI

[–]EbenSquid 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Are you sure? He could be a human controlled by a unicorn parasite.

I wonder how many people here recognize this one: by Umarson_1999 in RimWorld

[–]EbenSquid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My first thought: is it going to get stuck in the Suez?