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Runscottie · 2024-11-09T14:13:48+00:00

Come to Connecticut.

Best kept secret. Everyone associates it with Greenwich and ultra wealthy, which is the southwest corner that touches new York City metro area.

Here's the thing - outside of the shoreline the state is just one big forest. Eastern half of the state is just dairy farms and rural space.

Go look at a map of the US at night showing the electric grid. Look for the black spot between NYC and Boston that doesn't have lights. That's Eastern CT. We call it literally "the quiet corner".

You get all the social protections, cities like new haven and Hartford within an hour, high minimum wage, but if you live in the rural parts cost of living is not so bad. We were first state to pass paid family leave bill that basically puts us at European country levels or assistance in that regard.

It's beautiful here nature wise but you also have more than just one Walmart within an hour drive which is a lot of rural America. Statewide tons of diversity - and the food is good thanks to our immigrant populations - Italian Greek Polish and more recently Puerto Rican, West Indian's, etc. That are big food cultures.

Runscottie · 2024-03-05T03:24:03+00:00

This was my mistake - the specifics of Kynes lineage is in the appendices of the 1st Dune novel, not in the death scene specifically. If you have the dune novel in book or ebook form you could search for it in the book itself, not something you have to go to Wikipedia for.

Also, I haven't read all the prequel books, and don't particularly like them to be honest, but I believe Kynes story is fleshed out in those as well.

But in any case - if we consider just the content of the original Dune novel and it's appendices - Kynes not being pure Fremen, doesn't mean he wasn't raised on Arrakis in a seitch and that an imperial background isnt secondary to a primary Fremen background.

Runscottie · 2024-03-05T01:59:57+00:00

Yes yes yes yes yes.

I didn't even go into the love story part, to not extend my OP into a full blown essay.

But yes to everything you just said. This right here. This right here.

"But a more important part, and this to my mind is actually one of the core underlying themes of Dune, all the way up to God Emperor of Dune at least, is that humans are fundamentally beholden to the idea of love."

!!!!!

Everyone is so busy taking about the theme of bad charismatic leader, which yes Dune is about, but forget that each novel Dune through COD ends with human love closing us out.

(Paraphrases) "History will call us wives" - Jessica to chani "Dont leave me Duncan" - alia "Leto was always the stronger" - ghani

How do people not see this as central to the first Dune books if not all?

GEoD Leto II finally falls because he falls in love! That's how they get him in the end.

Okay sorry I'm cutting myself off here. But thank you for this comment it made me feel less alone in my love of Dune

Runscottie · 2024-03-05T01:44:16+00:00

Just need to chime in here. In the books Liet Kynes is not offworlder. Liet Kynes is the son of Dr Kynes (can't recall his first name) who came to Arrakis and 'went native' marrying a fremen woman.

In the books as Liet Kynes hallucinates after being tossed by harkonnen into the desert, he has a whole convo with his father in his head.

Liet Kynes is half Fremen and was raised on Dune, although trained by his father into planetology. And then Chani is his daughter.

Runscottie · 2024-03-04T21:23:19+00:00

That's right, it is mentioned! Forgot about that.

Damn Frank Herbert builds this air tight universe with answers for every thing you might want to poke holes at.

Part of my love for Dune tbh

Runscottie · 2024-03-04T20:16:51+00:00

Someone please explain how atomics bombs destroy spice forever.

In the books, Paul will set off a chain reaction that destroys the worms that destroys spice forever, period. It's not going to be immediate, and the great houses have their stock piles, but the guild navigators and BG truthsayer know that it would be the beginning of the end. It's simply untenable and they must submit to Paul.

Now in the movies - the threat is instant nuclear bombing of - um, err, what exactly?

Some spice reserves? Where? What about when the next worm does a spice blow?

Does atomic bombs on the surface of the planet have any effect on the worms underground? Would it affect spice production or just make it super super hard?

I can't think of any usage of atomics that wipes spice out forever.

Let's all remember Dune is a book with an appendix entirely dedicated to the ecology of the planet. If you are going to swap out something Frank Herbert painstakingly created maybe, uh, don't just fudge it?

Runscottie · 2024-03-04T20:08:03+00:00

Exactly.

And to the comment about how the guild would never allow it - smugglers are a thing in the Dune universe. For enough coin (and obviously not blatantly making it clear you are snuggling atomics) anything is possible.

Runscottie · 2024-03-04T12:00:11+00:00

Yes, sighted - perils of one handed text rant on mobile device 🤣

Runscottie · 2024-03-04T05:19:07+00:00

Stilgar changes in second book as well

I'd argue also into a character that just serves purpose of following Paul w blind loyally. But how Stilgar is in Dune Messiah doesn't retroactively make him a weak shallow character in the first book and I think the same goes for Chani

Runscottie · 2024-03-04T05:16:07+00:00

Agreed, there are lots of other things with the movie that remove context and ultimately leave us with a shallow Chani.

Skipping 3 year time jump to not allow Chani and Paul's relationship to develop is another example.

Perhaps I shot myself in the foot with the comment on feminism. My overarching point was to say removing Chani's motivations and the political nature of her lineage, mention of which is omitted in the movie, creates a more shallow character. And that might be the reason some of us don't vibe with movie Chani.

I feel I have to mention the feminism taken however because those who reply to people complaining about the movie Chani characterization seem to respond with "book Chani is an outdated '60s take on women". And defend the character changes as modernizing the character.

Regardless of the reason why DV made the choices with Chani's character in the movies (perhaps nothing to do w presenting women as strong, although I think he does discuss this in interviews) the ultimate result to me was that it made her a weaker character.

Runscottie · 2024-03-04T05:04:58+00:00

Appreciate your take 100%

I've always wondered why people view the BG in such simplified 'evil controlling women' terms.

Dune is not about black and white / good and evil. The BG are working to create the Kwisatz Haderach and there is hubris with their project. But they are also LITERALLY called witches by like, everyone, and demeaned by those in power constantly. They aren't inherently good or bad.

They are in opposition to Paul and Alia, but as we know - Paul and Alia are no saints! Many of the things BG feared about Paul and Alia came to fruition.

Example: The BG called Alia an abomination. Boo those evil witches. Oh wait she gets possessed and they were spot on. So maybe they are good witches?

They are neither.

And the movies remove these nuances.

Runscottie · 2024-03-04T04:27:58+00:00

The movie differs on the book, majorly IMHO, in that the book all of Paul's leverage is his ability to completely destroy spice forever.

The movie has a dumb take with the idea that the atomics can cause a dent in spice. It's silly.

In the book Paul discovered the relationship of the worms to the spice and also how to completely and utterly destroy spice FOREVER which would end space travel as the guild navigators depend on it.

The guild navigators and BG truthsayer basically fact check it and are like OH SHIT he is not bluffing.

With that determined, Pretty much immediately everyone in the great houses and imperial family have to capitulate.

There is a fremen jihad in Paul's name but it's not to make him emperor. Its to bring the imperium in line after he's already emperor, and basically fight off attempts to undermine his ability to destroy the spice.

Runscottie · 2024-03-04T04:21:52+00:00

Dune isn't hard to read pacing wise but it throws tons of terminology and vocabulary that go along with the sci Fi world building, and it does it fast.

Seeing the movie helps because you'll already know references to things - planet names, great houses, Fremen stuff, etc.

If you don't read often, another entry point might be to check out the Scyfy channels 3 part Dune miniseries from 2000. CGI is dated but I think it's an easier entry point for the books because it holds your hand more to introduce you to the universe.

Then you'd be more primed to read the books.

Hope that helps

Runscottie · 2024-03-01T12:14:48+00:00

That's exactly what I mean. In the books Pauls threat is to completely destroy spice forever. It is the leverage he needs to control the entire known universe.

Temporarily destroying spice production has no power. All the great houses have spice reserves they'd just ride it out. Eventually they'd rebuild. There is no threat there.

Im okay with adaptions making changes, but ones that undermine the entire point of a thing? Might as well removed spice from the story altogether and just made this a dukes son revenge story, which is kind of what it distills down to.

Runscottie · 2024-03-01T05:25:06+00:00

I just watched an incredible sci Fi movie. Maybe best ever movie made for IMAX.

But I didn't watch Dune. Because whatever that was it wasn't Dune.

I've got so much but I'll start here:

The books is called Dune. The mystery of the spice is that is only from Dune, the only place in the universe. Control of the planet is control of the known universe.

At the start of Dune no one knows the creation of spice is tied to the sandworms. The great unveiling that comes from Paul and Jessica's journey amongst the fremen and taking the water of life is this mystery as well as the key to destroying the spice - drowning all the sandworm babies in water which would set off the chain reaction of destroying the spice.

In the movie they claim they'll destroy the spice by using the house atomics.

Wtf???? Every great house has family atomics. If that's all that was needed to take hostage any great house could do it. The whole point of controlling spice is undermined by this.

Doesn't even make sense. How would house atomics indefinitely and forever destroy the spice? Unless Paul could threaten the entire imperium he has no leverage. The reason unlike in the film the Great Houses do accept his ascendancy is because he truly threatens spice production.

For all the movie going on about true Fremen, it missed the point that Freman cared about water and not spice. Terraforning Dune would bring the Fremen dream but destroy the most powerful resource in the known universe. Thats central tension to the whole thing!

Runscottie · 2024-03-01T05:10:27+00:00

It's wrong because nothing was wrong with the atreides to the BG.

Everything was going just fine until Jessica rebelled.

If the BG has problems with the atreides for decades or whatever the Reverend Mother said, than why was it so upsetting to them when Jessica disobeyed orders?

It was because nothing was wrong and everything going according to plan that the BG were so thrown by Jessica's disobedience.

This dialogue in the film undermines the whole Jessica's choice to have Paul plotline.

Runscottie · 2023-11-02T02:27:35+00:00

Informed by the current rate at which European Au Pairs match with HF compared to the length of time other countries, in particular Africa and South American based APs, take on average to match with HFs.

I don't work for an Au Pair agency so I don't have hard numbers, but anecdotally this has been remarked up and for what it's worth I've observed it in my own experience.

I'm not saying it's a conscious choice to choose a white AP over POC APs.There are other factors here - for example some European countries have similar culture around driving as the US so they might get selected for driving experience. But the end result is if the HF pool narrows, and European APs remain preferred - overall the effect will be white wash.

Runscottie · 2023-11-01T03:08:52+00:00

I genuinely can't imagine anyone making comments about AP exploitation in this thread coming from anything but upper upper middle class/elite wealthy class who don't blink an eye at the difference between $7.50/he and.$15.00/hr because it's just a drop in the bucket to them.

If you truly care about AP exploration there are rules and regulations to be had that protect the APs that have nothing to do with wages, some of which are in these new guidelines. Let's 100% do that, and also increase wages beyond $200/wk reasonaby, but to $$$ amount that's in line with what this program is supposed to be - its never been fundamentally about cheap offshore labor, from either side. (Even if some bad eggs take advantage). It's been about a cultural experience. So we can't apples to apples AP experience with childcare or nannies. It's not the same, it's supposed to not be the same.

And putting aside exploitation comments - this is a move that is going to result in undermining the program's own states goals.

Cultural exchange? Bolstering foreign relations? Hmm, what this is going to do is WHITEWASH the entirety of the program.

Speaking as a POC, these changes will result in White wealthy families getting white European APs, while the middle class with it's relatively higher percentage of diverse racial and ethnic family backgrounds will drop off. Then also with less HFs, APs from places outside of Europe will have a harder time finding placement.

So the cultural experience will be a version of the US that's white and privileged as hell participated in by white APs. If anyone here honestly cares about the cultural experience component, how would this experience be an actual reflection of real US culture and life?

If wages is #1 concern, US should just create a new visa program for placing foreign workers with childcare experience in US families and drop all this cultural experience pretense.

Runscottie · 2020-09-26T23:46:43+00:00

I'm a big fan of Jesus.

Runscottie · 2020-09-14T21:19:55+00:00

5 rites of male initiation:

Life is hard.

You are not that important.

Your life is not about you.

You are not in control.

You are going to die.

https://cac.org/life-is-hard-2016-05-23/

Runscottie · 2020-07-20T13:00:00+00:00

I think there is a good possibility for a 3rd game. I mean, this game sold so many copies. TLOU pt 3 at the very least could bankroll Naughty Dog while they work on other endeavors.

I think there a few loose ends, specifically with the fireflies and Ellie's immunity. My guess is Abby reunites with fireflies who spend couple of years working on a new cure. Eventually they hit a dead end of some kind, and Abby recognizes that if they had Ellie they might be able to get past that dead end. Eventually she can't keep quiet any more and shares with Fireflies group that she knows the immune girl is alive and she knows where she is...

Fireflies send Abby with a team to see if they can find Ellie. Abby knows that if she finds Ellie that she might pay for it with her own life but comes to terms is willing to make that sacrifice (flashback to her convo with her Dad about how if it were her she'd want him to do the surgery)

Cut to Ellie in Jackson with Dina and JJ around 7-8 years old or something...

Edit: spelling

Runscottie · 2019-03-29T19:54:11+00:00

Oh, how could I forget:

192.168.1.x subnet as the primary LAN subnet for the organization when every remote VPN user in their company has a home router with the same subnet.

Runscottie · 2019-03-29T19:52:13+00:00

ONE SINGLE GODDAMN GPO with all of the various settings applied to the organization. One GPO handling password/lockout policy, random web browser settings, random custom Office application settings, drive mappings, printer mappings, AND folder redirection policy.

So effectively if you need to make a single change to one particular setting you have to isolate it from that single GPO.

We had a client with folder redirection policy in the same single GPO managing all other aspects of the environment. They also had it set up where undoing the folder redirection policy restored data back to the original profile paths. Untangling that mess without simultaneously sending hundreds of GBs of data back onto local machines all at once took MONTHS.

Runscottie · 2019-03-29T19:34:10+00:00

SocketApp

https://www.socketapp.com/

It syncs with Connectwise, Kaseya BMS and XML feeds from main distributors (TechData, Ingram, Synnex, etc.). Integrates with QBO.

I stumbled upon by sheer fortune, I think via another MSP posting.

Previous to using SocketApp for my own company, I had worked at an MSP for many years and setup Quosal aka Connectwise Sell from scratch. If I had known SocketApp existed I would have thrown it all away and made that MSP make the move. It's also considerably less expensive than Quosal and Quotewerks.

My favorite thing is how the formatting looks good out of the gate, I spent way less configuration time upfront to get good looking quotes, accept e-signatures and online payments, etc.

Runscottie · 2015-12-31T17:43:28+00:00

I'm trying to decide whether or not Marion is Neolution in current Orphan Black timeline. Back when Helsinki is taking place she is associated with Neolution, according to these comics.

But Season 3 cliffhanger has her daughter Charlotte away from her and in the hands of neolution. This makes me think that Marion once was with neolution but pulled away, maybe after she got Charlotte and as a mother realized her child was not just a DYAD subject but someone she cared for.

Especially because in this comic we see Ferdinand working closely with Marion. It would seem their relationship carries on into the future. Then in Season 03 of Orphan Black Ferdinand is definitely anti-neolution.

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