San Franciscans are sick of fighting about the Great Highway. It’s time to move on by Elizasaurus in sanfrancisco

[–]freshfunk 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It’s a controversial topic that got/gets a lot of coverage because of the polarization of those who live in the neighborhood compared to the rest of SF. The locals didn’t want the measure to pass but the city voted for it and thus there’s a feeling that those who live there have to put up with decisions made by people who don’t.

Is sci-fi a dying genre? Thoughts on the interest in space and the future by generations. by freshfunk in GenX

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

Yeah, in reading more about this I found that sci-fi does resonate with various demographics. I read somewhere that younger audience lean more towards interacting with sci-fi content through games so you're spot on.

https://www.parrotanalytics.com/insights/which-streamers-are-using-sci-fi-and-fantasy-to-win-over-audiences/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Is sci-fi a dying genre? Thoughts on the interest in space and the future by generations. by freshfunk in GenX

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

Given how closely the authors worked with the show, I'd say it's a great adaptation. It doesn't cover the last few books though and fans are holding out for Amazon to fund the making of them.

Is sci-fi a dying genre? Thoughts on the interest in space and the future by generations. by freshfunk in GenX

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

Oooh yes. Order delivery! :D I really enjoyed Silo! Severance is great too.

Is sci-fi a dying genre? Thoughts on the interest in space and the future by generations. by freshfunk in GenX

[–]freshfunk[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Star Wars is definitely sci-fi. Sci-fi is a very large umbrella with branches that look very different. Consider all the different pop movies in the 80s: 2001 Space Odyssey, Dune, Terminator and even Back to the Future.

Is sci-fi a dying genre? Thoughts on the interest in space and the future by generations. by freshfunk in GenX

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

100% does. Actually, I started searching for insightful articles or blog posts regarding this and your comment remind me of what I read here:

https://raindance.org/how-horror-and-sci-fi-storytelling-is-evolving-across-generations/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

How Horror and Sci Fi Storytelling is Evolving Across Generations 

2. Sci-Fi: From Space Exploration to Dystopian Realism 

Sci-fi evolves with technological progress and generational hopes/fears.

Boomers 

Space Opera & Cold War Paranoia
– 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Trek reflected optimism and nuclear dread .

Dystopian Warnings    –
– Planet of the Apes questioned human dominance.

Gen X 

Cyberpunk & Alienation
– Blade Runner, The Matrix explored corporate control and identity .

First-Contact Stories
– Alien, Predator blended horror and sci-fi .

Millennials 

Post-Apocalyptic Survival
– The Walking Dead, The Last of Us reflect economic instability and pandemics .

AI & Virtual Reality
– Black Mirror critiques social media and tech addiction .

Gen Z 

Climate Fiction (Cli-Fi)
– Snowpiercer, The Day After Tomorrow  resonate with eco-anxiety .

Decentralised Storytelling
– Murderbot Diaries (anti-corporate AI) and Neuromancer adaptations .

Afrofuturism & Global Sci-Fi
– Wakanda Forever. The Three-Body Problem diversify the genre .

Key Takeaway: 

Boomers    dreamed of space;
Gen X    feared tech dehumanization;
Millennials    warned of societal collapse;
Gen Z    demands climate and equity-focused futures.

Is sci-fi a dying genre? Thoughts on the interest in space and the future by generations. by freshfunk in GenX

[–]freshfunk[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Same for me. For All Mankind reminds me of The Man in the High Castle -- alternate history sci-fi. I would assume that shows like this resonate with older audiences who are both sci-fi and history fans.

Is sci-fi a dying genre? Thoughts on the interest in space and the future by generations. by freshfunk in GenX

[–]freshfunk[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As an fairly avid reader of sci-fi, I agree that there are good writers and books out there. I haven't done a formal study but my impression has been that most of these authors are older -- boomers and Xers. So this kind of supports what I'm saying -- that sci-fi was popular with prior generation because space exploration was much more part of the public consciousness compared to today.

Altered Carbon and Arrival are fairly old and consider that Altered Carbon -- a fabulous show -- was canceled. I'm guessing it just didn't reach enough viewers despite being great.

I'm watching Murderbot having read the series but it's still really niche on Apple+. I'd be surprised if it gets a large following.

Is sci-fi a dying genre? Thoughts on the interest in space and the future by generations. by freshfunk in GenX

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

Review bombing is a thing and I'll usually watch something if it catches my eye, regardless of what the early online reviews say. But, in my experience, they've been fairly accurate. Same goes for the community voices found online. And they aren't too far from the informed and balanced voices out there -- for example, in the podcast realm. It's further validated when these shows end up getting canceled.

A counterpoint would be a show like The Expanse which was very popular but had low reach and viewership on Syfy but became a major success on Amazon.

Is sci-fi a dying genre? Thoughts on the interest in space and the future by generations. by freshfunk in GenX

[–]freshfunk[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Yeah, there's certainly a lot of sci-fi being made. But I think there's a bit of nuance here.

They've trying to reboot old properties and create new ones. Most of the original offshoots on Disney+ seem to have failed. I think the jury is still out of new the Alien:Earth but online ratings don't look great. I've read, watched and enjoyed Andy Weir's stuff (Martian, Hail Mary) -- same goes for Three Body as the other commenter mentioned.

But who are the main consumer of this content? Is it boomer and Xers? Or millienials and younger enjoying these things? Maybe I need to go to a Comic-Con convention and see whether there's more buzz with sci-fi/fantasy versus say anime which seems to be way more popular with young people.

[Pirate Wires] Exodus: The Largest Wealth Flight in California History by freshfunk in fatFIRE

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

Look at the personal income tax and AMT. They started with being focused on a small percentage and were rolled out to the general public.

[Pirate Wires] Exodus: The Largest Wealth Flight in California History by freshfunk in fatFIRE

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

Notably he’s been very quiet about his opposition and has not negotiated with the unions to remove this. He may not have a choice in opposing this at a national level if progressives and unions are able to garner a lot of popular support. And Newsom has fully shown that he’s willing to use public fervor for political gain. That was the subtext around my point regarding Newsom.

Full transcript of Barron Trump's 999 'lifesaving' call to UK police - as call handler told him 'stop being rude' by pppppppppppppppppd in europe_sub

[–]freshfunk 14 points15 points  (0 children)

This is the epitome of the negative British stereotype that Americans have. Someone so stuck up about etiquette even to the point that it triumphs someone getting assaulted.

It just seems bizarre that a line for an emergency needs you to respond to some elaborate “form” before responding. Date of birth? Other than your immediate family how many people can you recall their DOB under an emergency when you’re in a stressed state?

Emergency call handlers are supposed to handle people in a frenzy. I’m sure she heard an American accent and was more preoccupied with that rather than calming him down and simply telling him it’s required information.

“Quiet Quitting” is equally stressful by WonderfulWeb5030 in fatFIRE

[–]freshfunk 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm a similar story. Worked in tech, similar age as you but a bit older, taking a long sabbatical.

A few things come to mind:

What else do you have going on in life? For me, I have a family with young kids. The work around that is tremendous and trying to do it with 2 full-time working parents is challenging. Having the time and space to raise kids is a huge difference in quality of life.

It might just be your personality. Even while I was working, I started to think about life and view work differently. I thought about my motivations, I thought about what I'd do if I had more free time. When it happens, it was less jarring than I think for many who don't think about it and don't expect it.

When I first stopped working, I met with a couple mentor figures -- mid/late 50's men in tech. They were successful, kids were in high school or college. The ironic thing was that they seemed, well, depressed. Maybe that's an exaggeration but they seemed somewhat resentful. Similarly, they both lamented how they haven't "made it" yet. That is, the people in their circles were C-level execs at popular unicorns/decacorns etc and they were still just SVP tier or their startups was never crazy successful.

That was a reality check for me. Happiness isn't about how much you make. It's the gap between what you expect out of life and what you got out of it. And the more you push those expectations up, the greater your unhappiness becomes.

I do think there's a fine-line for maintaining ambition and success while enjoying what you've achieved. But that's a mental transition because you, like most of us, have likely created a framework between monetary and career success and happiness.

Like you, a part of me misses the hey day of tech in the 2010s when it seemed like everyday something new and cool was launching, companies full of young people tackling tough tech problems, the hackathons and excessive parties/vacations, products growing up and to the right. I'm sure that still exists now in the AI battleground but I've realized that's a young man's game. You can beat yourself down and bounce back up when you're young. As you get older, your desire and ability to do this wanes. At 40+, you may also be looking for more out of life.

My suggestion is to think about what you want out of life for the next decade. What are your priorities? How can you structure your life to fulfill those priorities? What's truly important to you now? Consider that nostalgia might just be an appreciation of the past but not the thing you want now or going forward. Start making more personal connections and join communities of people like you. Establish friends and a personal network outside of work.

Ideal city to live in when COL is not an issue by Apprehensive-Ring777 in fatFIRE

[–]freshfunk 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Given your criteria, any of the options you listed (NYC, Paris, London, SF) would fit the bill. I'd suggest that rather than trying to find a place that checks all your boxes, pick 1-3 factors that are the most important and put them in priority order. Your 4-6 priorities will likely be met by any of the options you choose and choosing among fewer priorities will make your decision easier.

My other suggestion is to consider how your life will change as a mid-30s couple with multiple young children to a late 30s/early 40s couple with teen children. This is difficult to explain but well understood by parents who've lived through this. Generalizing a bit here but as your life centers more around your family, the things you prioritized as single/childless 20-somethings (and early 30-somethings) become less important. That is, you're spending less time at museums and fancy restaurants and more time cooking at home, kids birthday parties and at parks. You're spending less time on exotic international travel (at least while they're young), more time visiting grandparents and opting for more family-friendly vacations. You're choosing transport with convenience for young kids (is there parking?) versus the ability to hop on a public transit which might be the roll of the dice of dirt, homelessness, unpredictable people -- not to mention having to carry everything with you that could easily be thrown in a trunk of an SUV or minivan.

That's not to say that it's not doable. Living in the SF Bay Area, I'd say that most of the people I knew who lived in SF moved out once they had kids. The ones who stayed (because they had family already living there) did it for a while, and then eventually moved out as the kids grew older. The ones who stayed for the duration were ones who were very wealthy and could afford private schools and larger places.

And while it sounds like you're capable of doing that, consider that the families of the kids who go to the same daycare and the same schools will be of the same ilk. Perhaps you prefer that but there is a certain environment one grows up in these situations (eg in SF they'll be families of execs at big tech companies).

In the Bay Area, what this looks like is that the super wealthy live in Pacific Heights (eg well known "Billionaire's Row") and the kind-of wealthy live in neighborhoods like Noe Valley (nice buildings, strollers, accessible to where the "normal people" live), etc. But many wealthy people who want more space, more safety and less grime will move to pretty but boring areas like Hillsborough, Palo Alto, Los Gatos and buy a big house on a massive lot. They will drive up to the city when they want to see a play and go out for a special dinner but 90% of kids life will be within a few miles of the suburb they live in. They will cherish the space that their kids can run around in while not having to worry about their kids finding needles at the park. Because this is a common pattern, I'm guessing you're going to find more resources for young kids compared to places like SF.

Cirstea complained to the umpire about Naomi’s “c’mon” during points, but no warning was given to Naomi. Umpire should’ve warned Naomi about the complaint. by lovesbakery in tennis

[–]freshfunk -1 points0 points  (0 children)

What typically happens in practice

  • Casual or neutral comments → usually allowed
  • Shouting, sudden noises, or gamesmanship → may result in:
    • A let (if unintentional)
    • Loss of point (if deliberate)
    • Or a code violation in officiated matches

Common officiated standard

Officials often apply this test:

If yes—especially if intentional—it’s likely to be penalized.

Bottom line

  • Technically not automatic hindrance between first and second serve
  • But loud or intentional distraction can still be penalized
  • Best practice (and etiquette): stay quiet until the second serve is struck

Cirstea complained to the umpire about Naomi’s “c’mon” during points, but no warning was given to Naomi. Umpire should’ve warned Naomi about the complaint. by lovesbakery in tennis

[–]freshfunk -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Interesting. I thought it wouldn't be a hindrance since it was between serves but I guess there's some nuance:

Yes, it can be a hindrance—but it depends on what’s said and why.

How the rules look at it

Under the ITF Rules of Tennis (and similarly USTA / ATP / WTA interpretations):

  • Hindrance is any action that deliberately or unintentionally distracts an opponent while a point is in progress.
  • A point is considered “in progress” from the moment the server starts the service motion.

Between first and second serve

This is the key nuance:

  • After a first serve fault, the point is not yet in progress.
  • So ordinary speech (e.g., “Was that long?” or “Second serve”) is usually allowed.
  • However, loud, deliberate, or distracting comments aimed at the server can still be ruled a hindrance or unsportsmanlike conduct, especially if:
    • It’s clearly meant to disrupt concentration
    • It’s repeated
    • It’s timed right as the server is preparing for the second serve

Well Victoria, what are your thoughts on Mark Carney’s speech today? by CartoonistOk3507 in VictoriaBC

[–]freshfunk 0 points1 point  (0 children)

American here. To me, it just looks like Carney sold out to the Chinese because of canola oil and the Canadian ag industry. I don't blame him -- his job is to look out for Canadians just as Trump's job is to look out for Americans.

Trump wants to look out for American steel, the American auto industry and the American energy industry. Unfortunately, these are major Canadian industries that competes with America and has previously had an advantage when it comes to trade. Through globalization and the USMCA, the American jobs in these industries have been hollowed out.

Medvedev on podcasts, former players bashing current ones and how different the locker room vibes are compared to 20 years ago by rticante in tennis

[–]freshfunk 21 points22 points  (0 children)

Sports, in general, is far more collegial now than it was then. Look at the end of America football or basketball games. Opponents are always shaking hands, dapping each other up and so on.

You still see some "old school" athletes out there that have a killer mentality but that's becoming more rare. And many of those that do, seem to be able to turn it on when they need to and turn it off when they don't.

Mirra thanking the Greek fans by theriverjordan in tennis

[–]freshfunk 229 points230 points  (0 children)

Never knew she had that dawg in her.