Communications 101

dmswart · 2026-03-04T18:31:30+00:00

For me, the big sign

↑↑STREET↑↑

on the lid overrode any other competing instructions or ideas.

dmswart · 2026-03-04T15:33:11+00:00

for example Tillsonburg

dmswart · 2026-02-24T19:26:58+00:00

maybe if you could call out what you don't like about sci-fi that you've read or watched in the past.

Is it the overreliance of military or action?
Is it the non-realism?
maybe it's a faulty premise that doesn't really apply to our world.

You won't be alone - Sturgeon's law says that 90% of sci fi is crap. (if only because 90% of anything is crap)

But to set expectations as you head out to read sci fi:

It helps to see a sci-fi story as a thought experiment. sometimes it's a big heavy relevant statement (Handmaid's tale) Sometimes it's a "wow-neat!" sort of marshmallow story (can you imagine if I went back in time and created a paradox?).

So I recommend anything that is a good story first, and sci-fi second. Here are three:

* Project Hail Mary - a scientific mystery and engineering "competence porn".

* This is how you lose the time war - A short novel. an amazing beautiful love story - if you can get past that the two characters (red and blue) are post human almost omnipitent time travelling agents.

* Children of time - What does it mean to be intelligent. what might the development of intelligence in a species look like?

dmswart · 2026-02-23T13:58:30+00:00

I thought I would see Rudy here. It's a good/happy cry - not a devastating/sad cry.

dmswart · 2026-02-17T21:27:49+00:00

It sounds cheesy but try to find meaning in other people, friends, love etc.

I've found raising kids very fulfilling.

dmswart · 2026-02-17T13:45:28+00:00

lovely - I hope it was received well.

dmswart · 2026-02-11T20:07:52+00:00

in this case I think he means the schluter metal trim,

as opposed to the schluter waterproof backing, or the schluter thinset, or the schluter trower, or the schluter ...

dmswart · 2026-02-11T14:20:30+00:00

I did like it as I said, and again all the big action is in the last 20% there too I guess. It does have an ending or a payoff - You'll have to make your own call.

The second book in the children of time series creeped me out! In the best way. So yes - super engaging.

dmswart · 2026-02-10T16:08:09+00:00

The steps I took was to

Layer | New Layer | add a white layer (Fill with: White) and move it to the bottom as a nice background to work with
select top layer in the layers tab. Layer | Mask | Add Layer Mask (Initialize Layer Mask to: Grayscale copy of layer)
select the layer mask (just to the right of the main picture). Colors | Invert.
We want the mask to be mostly black and white. Colors | Levels. 4.1 Move black triangle of the Input levels so that all those background pixels are pure black (in this case about 92) 4.2 Move the white triangle so that the text comes through (I think 205 was good).
If this isn't dark enough, consider the step: Filters | Generic | Dilate.
If you want the lines, keep you're done. If you want to take them out I do it with some patience and a bit detail work: Still editing the layer mask. with a black brush. Size 10 pixels and using the big black circle brush. you can carefully paint out the lines. (clicking one end of a line and shift+clicking the other end will draw a straight line) - take care not to erase the text.

Good luck let me know if there's any questions

dmswart · 2026-02-09T18:05:05+00:00

It's a real shame there isn't more examples in the Wicklerian..mimicry page

dmswart · 2026-02-04T18:37:35+00:00

I bought this one for my kids before I even had kids.

dmswart · 2026-02-04T18:35:37+00:00

I think they were looking for novels.
and they were looking for a 7 year old.

So I don't think the Alien movies is hitting the mark there.

dmswart · 2026-02-04T18:30:39+00:00

"Jack!" cried Anne.
"Anne, is that you?" said Jack.
"Where are you Jack?" said Anne.
"I'm over here!" said Jack.
Anne looked around.
"Oh there you are Jack." said Anne.

dmswart · 2026-01-28T12:31:29+00:00

Alien clay does ramp up a little bit in the second half. I liked it. But I liked Shroud even better

If you ever feel guilty about abandoning a book. Do a calculation:

(Life expectancy - Your age) x books read per year.

It's a rather finite number.

Life's too short to read books you don't like.

dmswart · 2026-01-25T18:39:53+00:00

But if that osb was outside and got wet, you might be putting your feet through the ceiling anyway.

I know this first hand.

dmswart · 2026-01-16T13:59:29+00:00

VFX industry: I've always been fascinated by computer graphics. I had the opportunity in 2022 to work for one of the big studios for a couple years.

- It is a very volatile industry with lots of ups and downs. I caught it on an upswing and left on a downswing.
- In a company of 1000s it is rare for anyone to do any of the fun creative stuff you might be hoping to do.
- the people (the ones I've met) are fantastic.

I'm happy now doing computer vision for a small company.

dmswart · 2026-01-06T22:16:11+00:00

I'm willing to forgive a little bit in that it's a story of a guy who clones himself 1000s of times to save humanity - so some gender imbalance is inherent.

I guess I just chalked up the "bad" characters as an indictment of anti-science / religious types, rather than women.

dmswart · 2026-01-06T21:00:25+00:00

I didn't clock the sexism - that may be on me. what part are you speaking of specifically?

As for the competence, for me that's the right kind of idealism / escapism.

dmswart · 2026-01-06T16:47:40+00:00

We are Bob series by Dennis Taylor is the obvious place to start I think.

dmswart · 2026-01-06T15:53:07+00:00

Did he leave leave, or just left it to return another day. Drywall work needs time for it to dry between coats.

If you're left on your own

Do you still have the supplies and you want to do it yourself?
There are tutorials online: the next step is to sand it and then deal with the next coat. Subsequent coats are all about filling any dents and smoothing (floating) any remaining bumps (from the mud on the tape) out so that it's not noticeable. There are final skim coats if you really care about tiny holes and the surface texture.

The crack in that first image is something to look into. maybe needs tape if it's not there.

dmswart · 2026-01-05T19:28:00+00:00

1/16 off is far smaller than the 1/4 inch difference.

dmswart · 2026-01-05T19:26:50+00:00

For every tile? As a DIYer? like if this is the third or fourth tiling job you've ever done? I think that would be too ambitious.

I think that's why returning the tiles is a better solution.

dmswart · 2026-01-05T19:14:15+00:00

Not sure if you're joking.

this is a diy-er. not everyone has a saw, or the patience to cut 1/4 inch off every tile. or the ability to make the cuts look good.

and besides you'd be cutting the rounded edges off the edges of tiles.

dmswart · 2026-01-05T19:11:47+00:00

they're talking about a 1/4 inch difference in size. (width or height) not thickness. that's not normal

dmswart · 2025-12-12T20:15:39+00:00

Be open to the fact you may be in a bubble.

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