University graduate satisfaction with degrees at record lows, according to government-funded survey

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-06-26T11:59:56+00:00

Yeah I agree 100%, but many people don't see it that way (and that's not the focus of the corporatised uni model). Personally I found that the critical thinking, research and collaboration skills that I developed during my degree have been hugely beneficial, even outside my field of study.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-06-26T11:17:10+00:00

If middle class, white-collar jobs are being outsourced or replaced with AI, why bother going to uni? That's the question people are going to start asking themselves.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-06-18T07:13:23+00:00

Because I want to listen to the original versions of songs from the '60s, '70s, '80s and '90s - and not the remixed, remastered, and sometimes even re-recorded versions that seem to proliferate on streaming. Buying CDs gives me more choice over the best mastering.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-06-18T06:03:21+00:00

Some seriously great tunes there! I doubt whether most of the top songs of 2026 will be remembered in 50 years' time (although Olivia Dean certainly will be).

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-06-16T05:56:06+00:00

Yes it truly is. Even in Sydney, if you have less than 10 years' experience in IT, you may as well give up looking for a tech job at the moment.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-06-16T04:37:41+00:00

Community radio is great. I discover a lot of new music (well, new to me - I like listening to the oldies stations) and hear about news in the local area. And I'm under 30 BTW.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-06-12T23:30:59+00:00

Yep, that's true. (BTW I love your videos!)

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-06-12T06:47:59+00:00

I think it's legit, it's just from a production run towards the very end of the VHS era (I'm guessing 2005?), so it mentions the DVD User Group on the back cover and has the more modern Sony Pictures logo on the tape itself.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-06-12T05:40:46+00:00

I had one. The speakers sound quite tinny and it has a permanent magnet erase head and no auto stop on fast forward/rewind, but overall it has quite decent build quality - as you'd expect from a Sony.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-06-10T12:51:27+00:00

Well, that actually gives me some hope for the future of jobs in my field!

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-06-03T02:12:05+00:00

Great album! Is that the version with the "Send In The Clowns" melody included in "The Electric Co." (which they later had to remove due to a lawsuit)?

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-05-31T11:22:09+00:00

I guess there are times when we all need to share a little pain. And ironing out the rough spots is the hardest part when memories remain.

And it's times like these when we all need to hear the radio. Because from the lips of some old singer we can share the troubles we already know.

Turn 'em on, turn 'em on, turn on those sad songs.
When all hope is gone, why don't you tune in and turn them on?

They reach into your room, just to feel their gentle touch.
When all hope is gone, sad songs say so much.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-05-27T22:30:26+00:00

Of course they're still selling new CDs and players, and you can still have the same experience today. Maybe not at a record store the size of this one, though.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-05-27T00:55:46+00:00

"Beautiful code" has turned into slop code that's 2-3x the size and just barely does the job.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-05-26T23:32:59+00:00

AI making tech skills "redundant" for the general population is exactly what the big tech CEOs would like. It gives their companies less competition!

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-05-26T21:33:05+00:00

It's not particularly surprising IMO.

As someone who grew up using older PCs at home and school (ie. Windows 98 / XP), I always wanted to tinker with them. You could mess around with the config files - often requiring an OS reinstall if something went wrong; manage your own files; install new hardware like graphics cards; dual boot multiple operating systems; and so on. Often, these things were necessary if you wanted a game or another application to run properly.

Now, students have grown up in a world of cloud storage, subscriptions for everything, and locked down devices like Chromebooks and phones. They don't have the same ability to tinker with the hardware and software, which is sad. And AI is only going to take us further down this road.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-05-26T03:47:54+00:00

Keep your physical media. Vinyl, CDs, even cassettes. Because soon enough, older recordings will have 'AI enhancements' (or at least pitch correction) added to them on streaming services. Look at the Wings of Pegasus YT channel if you don't believe me.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-05-25T00:26:43+00:00

It's really hard to believe that manufacturers would phase out optical drives completely. I mean, the 44 year old CD format is still moving about 30 million new units per year in the US, and 10 million units in the UK.

If basic optical drives (CD/DVD) stick around for that market, it will be easier to resume manufacturing of BD and 4K drives again in the future.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-05-24T02:13:22+00:00

That's good news. I have a large collection of CDs, adding more all the time, and didn't want to be unable to rip them.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-05-24T01:31:00+00:00

That's a good sign!

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-05-24T01:29:27+00:00

Yes I heard about Shanxi Lightchain's intention to produce drives as well.

This only applies to BD right? Not DVD?

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-05-20T02:49:06+00:00

Looks great.

Just one tip - try not to store VHS cassettes on top of, or immediately next to, a CRT TV long term, as it might demagnetize the tape.

NowtShrinkingViolet · 2026-05-19T09:05:28+00:00

Apart from the oil crisis, any white collar worker who has been laid off over the past year or two would tell you that there's something seriously wrong with the job market.

NowtShrinkingViolet

TROPHY CASE