Random randomness

[Blackhawk]

As for backlights, they're mainly there to provide a sense of depth to your TV to reduce eyestrain. Our eyes didn't evolve for 2d images. When we're in a lit room, the wall behind the TV tells your brain enough for it to recognize that the image is flat. In a dark room, though, you can't see the room around you as well, so your eyes try to see the 2d image as if it were 3d, which leads to discomfort and eye strain. Backlights just add that wall back into your field of view.

Ideally, though, the backlights should be in the daylight range of white. Our eyes have evolved to see that color as 'neutral', so it doesn't affect our sense of color. Put warm white, cool white, or colored lights behind the TV (or monitor), though, and it tends to distort how we see the colors on the screen.

[disarm]

I'm going to be visiting Austin, TX for the next three days and have freedom to do pretty much whatever I want. Anyone local and have recommendations for food, sights, or activities that I shouldn't miss? My only set plans are for Thursday and Friday evenings, and I leave at the crack of dawn Saturday.

I'm staying in a hotel just south of the Congress Ave bridge and don't have my own transportation other than two capable feet and Uber, but that shouldn't be a limiting factor.

Any fun advice is appreciated!

[Holman]

Just now I was waiting with a colleague for an elevator that didn't seem like it was coming. Looking again made me notice that the elevator door appeared to be half-an-inch open.

I put my hand on it and slid it open easily, leaving us staring down the open elevator shaft. Oops.

(Of course we immediately notified building ops, but still...)

[Jaymann]

Just now I was waiting with a colleague for an elevator that didn't seem like it was coming. Looking again made me notice that the elevator door appeared to be half-an-inch open.

I put my hand on it and slid it open easily, leaving us staring down the open elevator shaft. Oops.

(Of course we immediately notified building ops, but still...)

Sounds like it was designed by Leon.

[jztemple2]

I'm going to be visiting Austin, TX for the next three days and have freedom to do pretty much whatever I want. Anyone local and have recommendations for food, sights, or activities that I shouldn't miss? My only set plans are for Thursday and Friday evenings, and I leave at the crack of dawn Saturday.

I'm staying in a hotel just south of the Congress Ave bridge and don't have my own transportation other than two capable feet and Uber, but that shouldn't be a limiting factor.

Any fun advice is appreciated!

Take a tour of the Circuit of the Americas race facility, it's a pretty interesting place.

Or the capitol building, also pretty interesting. My great-grandfather supplied some of the stonework used in it

Meanwhile, in Florida...

https://twitter.com/MyNews13/status/188 ... w">January

[TheMix]

I'm going to be visiting Austin, TX for the next three days and have freedom to do pretty much whatever I want. Anyone local and have recommendations for food, sights, or activities that I shouldn't miss? My only set plans are for Thursday and Friday evenings, and I leave at the crack of dawn Saturday.

I'm staying in a hotel just south of the Congress Ave bridge and don't have my own transportation other than two capable feet and Uber, but that shouldn't be a limiting factor.

Any fun advice is appreciated!

If you are on S. Congress, there should be a Magnolia Cafe relatively close. Assuming things haven't changed, the food was always good. Unfortunately, I generally was farther north, so I'm not familiar with the restaurants in that area.

Not sure if it's still a thing, but folks used to go to the bridge around dusk to watch the bats leave their colony (too lazy to look up if that is actually what it's called). Though... not sure if that happens much in winter.

Take a stroll around Town Lake / Zilker park. Looks like the Trail of Lights and the Tree are both done for the season, but there might be something else. Botanic gardens are near there too. But I don't know what they have going on in winter.

Otherwise, I guess there is always 6th Street in downtown.

My favorite Mexican restaurant closed. So no recommendation there.

[disarm]

Thanks to both of you for the recommendations!

Checking out Circuit of the Americas would probably be very cool, but not sure I can fit it into the time I have....will look into it though because it does fit my interests.

I'm right on S. Congress (15 minute walk from the bridge/downtown), so the nearest Magnolia Cafe is a 15min walk for me...might give it a go for breakfast tomorrow or Friday.

I did see mention of the bats around the Congress Bridge, but that's apparently more of a summer thing...does seem like something unique and interesting to see if I'm ever visiting at the right time of year though.

I was pretty tired after getting up at 3am to travel, so my day consisted of lunch at Joanna's Fine Goods (awesome tex-mex diner with solid margaritas), a nap in the afternoon, then walking into downtown for a nice dinner at Red Ash on 3rd Street. The company I used to book my trip got me a reservation for the bar at Red Ash and everything about it was great...awesome cocktails, steak that I would sell one of my kids to have again, and a great wine selection. Apparently you typically have to book a reservation 3+ months in advance to get in, and it was definitely a nice experience.

Now I'm back at my hotel to recharge and see more of the city tomorrow!

[LordMortis]

Is anything better than totally spacing out during your morning exercise and then you're just done? What a rare and awesome treat. For me, normally, exercise is the slowest, most excruciating, clock watching part of the day. Nothing I do can make it in to anything other drudgery. So when it is magically just done and I don't know how I got there? Bonus!

[Holman]

Is anything better than totally spacing out during your morning exercise and then you're just done? What a rare and awesome treat. For me, normally, exercise is the slowest, most excruciating, clock watching part of the day. Nothing I do can make it in to anything other drudgery. So when it is magically just done and I don't know how I got there? Bonus!

This is why I love biking to work. I have to get to work anyway, it takes the same amount of time as riding the bus, but at the end of the day I've done thirteen miles on a bike and feel well-exercised.

[Unagi]

Is anything better than totally spacing out during your morning exercise and then you're just done? What a rare and awesome treat. For me, normally, exercise is the slowest, most excruciating, clock watching part of the day. Nothing I do can make it in to anything other drudgery. So when it is magically just done and I don't know how I got there? Bonus!

This is why I love biking to work. I have to get to work anyway, it takes the same amount of time as riding the bus, but at the end of the day I've done thirteen miles on a bike and feel well-exercised.

The only concern here is that you're out, daily, during commute times exposed to traffic.
Be safe.

[Holman]

Is anything better than totally spacing out during your morning exercise and then you're just done? What a rare and awesome treat. For me, normally, exercise is the slowest, most excruciating, clock watching part of the day. Nothing I do can make it in to anything other drudgery. So when it is magically just done and I don't know how I got there? Bonus!

This is why I love biking to work. I have to get to work anyway, it takes the same amount of time as riding the bus, but at the end of the day I've done thirteen miles on a bike and feel well-exercised.

The only concern here is that you're out, daily, during commute times exposed to traffic.
Be safe.

That's what's so great about my route. While the first part is on (slow, residential) streets, 85% of the trip is on a paved independent bike/jogging lane that runs along the river. It's very safe.

[Unagi]

Is anything better than totally spacing out during your morning exercise and then you're just done? What a rare and awesome treat. For me, normally, exercise is the slowest, most excruciating, clock watching part of the day. Nothing I do can make it in to anything other drudgery. So when it is magically just done and I don't know how I got there? Bonus!

This is why I love biking to work. I have to get to work anyway, it takes the same amount of time as riding the bus, but at the end of the day I've done thirteen miles on a bike and feel well-exercised.

The only concern here is that you're out, daily, during commute times exposed to traffic.
Be safe.

That's what's so great about my route. While the first part is on (slow, residential) streets, 85% of the trip is on a paved independent bike/jogging lane that runs along the river. It's very safe.

Most excellent!

[wonderpug]

Is anything better than totally spacing out during your morning exercise and then you're just done? What a rare and awesome treat. For me, normally, exercise is the slowest, most excruciating, clock watching part of the day. Nothing I do can make it in to anything other drudgery. So when it is magically just done and I don't know how I got there? Bonus!

This is why I love biking to work. I have to get to work anyway, it takes the same amount of time as riding the bus, but at the end of the day I've done thirteen miles on a bike and feel well-exercised.

The only concern here is that you're out, daily, during commute times exposed to traffic.
Be safe.

That's what's so great about my route. While the first part is on (slow, residential) streets, 85% of the trip is on a paved independent bike/jogging lane that runs along the river. It's very safe.

Do you have a good horn on your bike? I did a bicycle work commute in Boston for a good while, which was 80% relaxing river path and 20% death-defying. I had an Airzound horn that’s basically an air horn that works on compressed air in a pump-bottle. It was louder than a car horn and was very effective at getting drivers’ attention when needed. Highly recommend.

[Holman]

Is anything better than totally spacing out during your morning exercise and then you're just done? What a rare and awesome treat. For me, normally, exercise is the slowest, most excruciating, clock watching part of the day. Nothing I do can make it in to anything other drudgery. So when it is magically just done and I don't know how I got there? Bonus!

This is why I love biking to work. I have to get to work anyway, it takes the same amount of time as riding the bus, but at the end of the day I've done thirteen miles on a bike and feel well-exercised.

The only concern here is that you're out, daily, during commute times exposed to traffic.
Be safe.

That's what's so great about my route. While the first part is on (slow, residential) streets, 85% of the trip is on a paved independent bike/jogging lane that runs along the river. It's very safe.

Do you have a good horn on your bike? I did a bicycle work commute in Boston for a good while, which was 80% relaxing river path and 20% death-defying. I had an Airzound horn that’s basically an air horn that works on compressed air in a pump-bottle. It was louder than a car horn and was very effective at getting drivers’ attention when needed. Highly recommend.

No horn, but I have a bell for joggers. But there's really only one point at which I have to share the road with cars going faster than a bike, and it's only a twenty or thirty-yard stretch. Plus, I generally wait at a light to do that bit, so the cars next to me are at least starting from a stop.

An unfortunate number of bicyclists have been hit by cars in Philadelphia, though. I try never to forget that.

[Skinypupy]

I do not have a Bluesky account, but have landed on their site a few times from following links here. So I don't follow anyone, don't comment there, don't like things, don't interact with the platform at all outside of viewing the occasional post.

For some odd reason, about half of my "Discover" tab on that site is posts about...mushrooms. Not discussions of mushrooms, not info about psilocybin mushrooms, not research about mushrooms, not recipes for mushrooms. Just dozens of random accounts who only post pictures of mushrooms.

I have no idea what combination of things are in my browser or search history that could have possibly led to that algorhythmic outcome.

[Unagi]

[Isgrimnur]

[A nonny mouse]

[Holman]

I do not have a Bluesky account, but have landed on their site a few times from following links here. So I don't follow anyone, don't comment there, don't like things, don't interact with the platform at all outside of viewing the occasional post.

For some odd reason, about half of my "Discover" tab on that site is posts about...mushrooms. Not discussions of mushrooms, not info about psilocybin mushrooms, not research about mushrooms, not recipes for mushrooms. Just dozens of random accounts who only post pictures of mushrooms.

I have no idea what combination of things are in my browser or search history that could have possibly led to that algorhythmic outcome.

FWIW, I have one or two heavy-posting mushroom/fungi pic accounts in my Bluesky feed as well. I don't know why.

But the major virtue of Bluesky is that (if you stick to the Following or the Popular with Friends tabs) there is apparently no algorithm whatsoever. You simply get posts from accounts you've chosen or accounts those accounts are interacting with. No program is otherwise trying to figure out what you'd like to see.

It almost feel primitive, but it's got a real purity to it.

[Kraken]

I do not have a Bluesky account, but have landed on their site a few times from following links here. So I don't follow anyone, don't comment there, don't like things, don't interact with the platform at all outside of viewing the occasional post.

For some odd reason, about half of my "Discover" tab on that site is posts about...mushrooms. Not discussions of mushrooms, not info about psilocybin mushrooms, not research about mushrooms, not recipes for mushrooms. Just dozens of random accounts who only post pictures of mushrooms.

I have no idea what combination of things are in my browser or search history that could have possibly led to that algorhythmic outcome.

FWIW, I have one or two heavy-posting mushroom/fungi pic accounts in my Bluesky feed as well. I don't know why.

But the major virtue of Bluesky is that (if you stick to the Following or the Popular with Friends tabs) there is apparently no algorithm whatsoever. You simply get posts from accounts you've chosen or accounts those accounts are interacting with. No program is otherwise trying to figure out what you'd like to see.

It almost feel primitive, but it's got a real purity to it.

That's why I haven't gotten into it, so far. I want to be entertained, and I'm lazy. For all its sinister aspects, FB's algorithm is pretty good at showing me things I like to read or watch. I'm very gradually adding contacts at Bluesky and maybe it will hit critical mass eventually, but I don't want to seek out engaging content. Spoon feed me, please.

[Blackhawk]

Where was the link to the Bluesky 'starter list' someone posted a while ago?

[Jaymann]

I just hit "Discover" and follow/comment people with interesting posts. Often they will follow you back. Plus there are some well known names like John Scalzi, George Conway, AOC, Randall Munroe, and many gamers.

[Punisher]

Where was the link to the Bluesky 'starter list' someone posted a while ago?

Just signed up.
This might help as right now I could only think of ryan reynolds, which i added.

[gbasden]

Take a look at Starter Packs. They are a quick way to follow groups you are interested in. You can search on that page to topics that interest you, from python developers to radical leftists to NBA coaches.

[Blackhawk]

That's the link.

[Unagi]

I'm pretty sure the predominant flavor of Red Velvet Cake is 'food coloring'.

[KKBlue]

Ha! Feel the same! Looking up the ingredients learned a bit of coco is common and butter lend to a richness in flavor. A suggestion was to use beetroot powder for coloring vs the red dye (especially since No 3 has gotten much attention lately).

[hentzau]

I have spent the last 3 days on a Sev A incident with Microsoft, sitting on Teams meetings all day long while we wait for them to figure out our problem. When I close my eyes I see meeting squares.

[gbasden]

I have spent the last 3 days on a Sev A incident with Microsoft, sitting on Teams meetings all day long while we wait for them to figure out our problem. When I close my eyes I see meeting squares.

I feel you. I have gotten to the point where I dream about Teams meetings. :/

[hitbyambulance]

Now I'm back at my hotel to recharge and see more of the city tomorrow!

***GO TO TACO DELI***

also my usual Austin stops:

as many tacos as possible
Waterloo Records (and End of an Ear if i have time)
the Austin Public Library bookstore (a whole storefront of 50 cent paperbacks / $1 hardbacks
the Half-Price Books flagship store

(also Chuy's is actually an ok chain-restaurant Tex-Mex place)

[disarm]

Lunch has been Mexican two out of three days... sitting in Chapulin Cantina on S. Congress right now!

House-made mole, wagyu tacos, and a spicy margarita... delicious!

I skipped Mexican lunch yesterday to try Terry Black's Barbecue and it totally lives up to the hype.

[EvilHomer3k]

That looks great. I got $5 lunch at the college's cafeteria today. I asked there were onions in the zucchini and they went back to ask the cook. They come back and say no. Then 2 minutes later they say it's in the sauce. I already had it in my to go container. Your meal looks like it's worth picking out the onion.

[TheMix]

That does look yummy.

Austin, I think, probably also has a lot of good BBQ. I'm just, sadly, not very familiar with it. For whatever reason, I rarely ate BBQ when I lived there.

[Daehawk]

From the youtube videos Ive been seeing the best BBQ in Texas is Goldies or Terry Black's..

[hitbyambulance]

i always have to hit up some Tex Mex place in Austin when i'm there so i can get real queso

[disarm]

i always have to hit up some Tex Mex place in Austin when i'm there so i can get real queso

I didn't have queso at either of the places I went, but today's mole was fantastic. Now you mention queso while I'm on the way to my last meal here and that will definitely not be on the menu...damn...

[Pyperkub]

I made homemade mole a month or so ago and I added some guajillo and one other spicy Chile with the anchos and it came out more spicy than mole should be.

Will learn for next time. Otherwise it was pretty good.

[Punisher]

I have spent the last 3 days on a Sev A incident with Microsoft, sitting on Teams meetings all day long while we wait for them to figure out our problem. When I close my eyes I see meeting squares.

This is why you should be using a screen saver on your eyes.

[Isgrimnur]

https://theonion.com/it-only-tuesday-1819569397/

Tuesday’s arrival stunned a nation still recovering from the nightmarish slog that was Monday, leaving some to wonder if the week was ever going to end, and others to ask what was taking Saturday so goddamn long.

[Fardaza]

Hard to believe people would wait that long to get into the Super Bowl on Sunday!