Month: March 2022

Why are YouTube comments so weird? They are weird.

Or “Nice song…IF YOU’RE DEAD AND/OR DYING.”

The algorithm burbled up Queensrÿche’s “Silent Lucidity” on YouTube, and it’s been awhile since I listened to the song, so I watched the video.

It’s still a very nice song, and yes, it still sounds a lot like Pink Floyd. I submit that if Dave Gilmour recorded vocals for it and had included it on The Division Bell, no one would have suspected a thing. In fact, it might have been picked as the best song on the album. Zing!

Anyway, I started reading the comments because I wanted to see if people were still making the comparison to Pink Floyd (the song was released as a single way back in 1991), but instead I found what almost feels like a parody of YouTube comments, where everyone is proclaiming how old they are for reasons (??) or how the song means something to them because someone they know died or nearly died or maybe they themselves died, which I guess are things that can happen, but most especially happen in YouTube comments. Am I a bad person to find these comments weird? Probably. Here are some samples:

I played this song after I was dealing with health issues 4 years ago. And 3 years later today, I’m now cancer free!

85 years old and music is my life.

Just played at my Mother’s funeral.

Boyfriend of 6 years only ever played this song for me after he was diagnosed with cancer.

PLEASE SHOW YOUR CHILDREN THIS MUSIC

I’m a 97 years old man and i love this song so much!!!.

OMG Im 55 years old and heard this song yesterday

It’s my late husband’s birthday today

Reminds me when I was in rehab for a year

My mom would play this song for my brother and I when we were younger. She passed away 5 years ago today.

This was the first song I heard in ICU after coming off sedation .

My late husband practiced and practiced until he got this just right on his guitar.

My son is special needs, almost died at 20 days old

My dad passed away one month ago because of covid-19, he dedicated me this song when I was just a kid

And an actual Pink Floyd reference!

Una obra maestra a nivel Pink floyd. En mi top 10 de temas preferidos del rock! Translation: A Pink Floyd level masterpiece. In my top 10 favorite rock songs!

Oh, and here’s the actual video, for reference:

Treadmill workout 115: Rolling along

I was about to adjust the volume on a weirdly quiet video without flying off the treadmill today (this requires stretching forward to reach the volume controls on my iPad). Major accomplishment.

Other than that, a decent workout. I flagged a bit in the last km, not sure why, but overall was good and BPM was lower, too.

Stats:

Speed: 6.5
Incline: 5

Pace: 8:51/km (8:49/km)
Time: 48:43 (47:05)
Distance: 5.50 km (5.34 km)
Calories burned: 478 (335)
BPM: 130 (120)

Hot takes on the future of the iMac 27 inch all-in-one

silver imac apple magic keyboard and magic mouse on wooden table
iMac 27″, 2009-2022, RIP. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

After Apple’s March 8 event, they did a curious thing–they removed the 27″ iMac from its site. Apple later confirmed that it was gone, dead, fini.

Here are various Mac dudes from the internet on what they think this means in terms of a potential replacement:

John Gruber (Daring Fireball): I can’t speak to the rumors, but product-fit-wise, I think the 27-inch iMac doesn’t have a spot in the lineup anymore. I think the Mac Studio and Studio Display fill that spot. It even makes sense in hindsight that the consumer-level iMac went from 21 to 24 inches, if it’s going to be the one and only iMac.

Stephen Hackett (512 Pixels): I think it’s more likely that we see the iMac Pro resurrected as an all-in-one companion to the Mac Studio. This could take place even with Ternus’ wink-and-nod show at the end of today’s event.

Jarrod Blundy (HeyDingus): I’m not sure where that puts the future for a larger iMac. The 27-inch Intel iMac is gone from Apple’s website. Maybe they’re going to introduce a larger size with the M2 iMac. Or perhaps they’ve decided that at 24-inches and 4.5K resolution, it handily splits the difference between the old 21-inch (4K) and 27-inch (5K) iMacs.

Jason Snell (Macworld): We’ll see how the Mac Studio performs when it arrives on March 18, but it seems clear that Apple has decided to redefine the iMac’s place in the product line. Instead of packing it full of power, it has left that for the Mac Studio…While I hope that, in time, there’s a larger and more capable iMac for those who want one, I’m happy that the iMac is no longer the compromise users make because they don’t want a Mac Pro.

Mark Gurman (Bloomberg): FYI: Still expecting an iMac Pro, for those wondering. M2 versions of the Mac mini, MacBook Pro 13-inch and 24-inch iMac are also in development.

My take on the takes: Gurman has been pretty accurate with his sources over the last year or so, and I feel like Apple will continue a 27″ form factor all-in-one, but that they didn’t have one ready to go for this event. Why they decided to drop the current 27″ iMac in the meantime, I can’t say. Maybe supply was drying up and they didn’t want to keep making them with an eventual replacement coming?

Of all the takes, Gruber’s is the one that doesn’t immediately hold up as well, because some simple math shows how implausible it is. As Hackett points out, a base Mac Studio plus Studio Display is twice the price of a base 27″ iMac. Now, Apple has done this sort of thing before–the $3,000 “trashcan” 2013 Mac Pro was replaced with a $6,000 version in 2019–but I don’t think that’s what is happening here. In the case of the Mac Pro, they replaced a like model for a like model–a Pro for a Pro. The Mac Studio is clearly meant for professionals where a base 27″ iMac clearly was not, since it cost $1799. One final thing to add here: You could pair a Mac mini with a Studio Display monitor to bring the overall price down, but even that comes out to well above what the base 27″ iMac cost. I just don’t think it adds up–literally!

What this does mean, I think, is Apple is continuing its (absurd) strategy of equating size to “pro” (I guess we should be glad they don’t sell TVs. Anything above a 48″ model would be priced as a Pro model and cost $1,000 more). If Gurman is right, the next 27″ iMac will be more like the (also discontinued) iMac Pro, meaning a consumer-level iMac with larger display is effectively dead, but the 27″ (or larger) iMac will live on as a higher-priced “pro” machine.

UPDATE, February 16, 2024: It's almost a year later and I've changed my mind. The 27" iMac is dead, the only all-in-one model that will persist is the current 24" model. The reason Apple killed the 27" iMac because its price couldn't be justified next to the overpriced and overengineered Studio Display, which is essentially the same 5K display the 27" iMac had, and costs $1600--only $200 less than the entire 27" iMac used to.

Treadmill workout 114: Breaking the time barrier

I seem to be trending close to a 9:00/km average or even slightly below it lately, which is nice in that it means I’m getting faster and presumably stronger, increasing my stamina. Today’s workout was the same, though the BPM was up a fair bit, but not to an actual alarming extent.

Looking at the weather forecast, my hope for mild and not-wet weather to resume outdoor runs is not looking great, with highs forecast to be single digits over the next couple of days and plenty of precipitation seemingly on the way. Maybe next week! (Although the 10-day forecast is also a bit poopy at the moment, but that could change.)

Still, today’s workout was good and I am glad.

Stats:

Speed: 6.5
Incline: 5

Pace: 8:51/km (8:49/km)
Time: 48:43 (47:05)
Distance: 5.50 km (5.34 km)
Calories burned: 478 (335)
BPM: 130 (120)

On why venting doesn’t work

air conditioner unit near wall of modern building on street
This type of venting does work! Photo by ready made on Pexels.com

A few months ago, I stopped reading and posting at Broken Forum, after being a member there since its inception in January 2012. The main reason was pretty simple: I got tired of most threads and discussions being complaints about everything. The forum is dominated by a few voices, and these people are largely given to complain about things. I am certainly not complaint-free myself–though I’ve tried! The last couple of posts I’ve made here have been more negative than usual. Who knew monitor stands could rile me up so much? The general state of humanity is perhaps a bit more understandable.

I came across this article on Slate via Pocket: Venting doesn’t work

Here’s a quote from the end of the article, with some techniques on how to counter the urge to vent. I especially like the imagery of the macarena-inspired technique:

There are lots of other things you can do when overwhelmed by negative emotion. Try “square breathing,” four breaths in and four breaths out, in order to take your body out of fight-or-flight mode. If that doesn’t work, there’s another schoolteacher trick: Cross your arms in front of you like steps five and six of the macarena; make fists, pretending one holds a bouquet and the other a candle; breathe in the roses; and blow out the flame. Psychologists call techniques like this “psychological distancing,” and studies show that they’re an effective way to defuse upsetting emotions like anger. When a modicum of calm descends, try to identify the root of your frustration by asking yourself: “Why am I so upset about this?” Ultimately, anger is like smoke. You have to get at what’s feeding the fire. After sitting with your emotions, move forward by problem-solving, scheduling a future time to discuss underlying issues, or using any number of other healthy coping mechanisms.

I like the excellent timing of this article showing up just after I lapsed into a bit of venty behavior. It’s helped me step back and calm back down. I am not committing to the macarena, though. Not yet, anyway.

My hot take on Apple’s March 8, 2022 event

A list!

  • iPhone SE: Unexciting but necessary update. Bumping the price by $30 seems like classic Apple penny-pinching, but is more likely due to the addition of 5G. The design is looking a tad dated, but for people who prefer Touch ID, this is it.
  • iPad Air: I don’t know why anyone would buy the 11″ iPad Pro now. This should be the “regular” iPad but Apple is pitching it exactly as if it was a “Pro” model. Muddled marketing at its best. Yes, there are differences between this and the 11″ Pro, but they are mostly meaningless. I almost wonder if Apple is going to kill off the 11″ model altogether. They seem to like equating “Pro” to size (which is dumb).
  • Green iPhone 13: It’s green. Do new colors midway between models really goose sales? I guess they must. Also, the sizzle reel showing off the color was almost disturbing with its jagged, sharp-edged imagery that also included a praying mantis because I guess they’re green?
  • Baseball on Apple TV+. Timing is embarrassing, with the season start in limbo due to a labor dispute. Also, boring. Sorry, baseball fans.
  • Mac Studio: Basically a phat Mac mini, but given that the Intel Mac mini lives on in the line-up, this is not intended to be a replacement for a higher end Mac mini, but its own thing, an in-between machine that sits between the mini and the Mac Pro. I think Apple got this mostly right. The top end model is expensive, but cheaper than the current Mac Pro, so I guess that’s some kind of progress. Apple actually put ports on the front. The world did not end. Why did it take decades for Apple to get over its form before function fetish? I don’t know. But this is a solid little powerhouse.
  • On the other hand, the new Studio Display is overpriced and loaded with dubious features (does it really need a good sound system with spatial audio?) The worst aspect is the included stand is literally the terrible tilt-only stand used on the 24″ iMac and if you want something height-adjustable (you know, like every other monitor on Earth) it will cost $400 extra ($500 Canadian). This is obscene and disgraceful. I honestly don’t know how Tim Cook can justify this kind of consumer-hostile bullshit. A height-adjustable stand is table stakes, not a premium extra. Absolutely disgusting, the nadir of everything Apple has come to represent at its worst. I think it casts a pall over everything they announced. Yes, I have strong opinions on this!

Overall, I am getting kind of tired of these events. Really, everything could have been a press release, none of it was particularly noteworthy. The Mac Studio is nice, but not really a revolution, it just demonstrates that Apple can sometimes move beyond its conservative timidity with its product lines. And even now people out there will be crying that it makes the line confusing and no one will know what to buy, etc. Bah.

On a scale of 1 to 10 Polishing Cloths, I rate this event 4 out of 10 Polishing Cloths.

Haiku to aliens silently observing us

scenic view of night sky
Photo by Hristo Fidanov on Pexels.com

Assuming there are a) aliens and b) they find us interesting enough to observe, of course. A haiku, in the form of a gentle plea:

Hello aliens
We're not as dumb as we seem
We need more time, please

This haiku is inspired by:

  • Putin thinking it was smart to invade Ukraine
  • People who cry about losing freedom because they have to wear a mask sometimes during a global pandemic
  • Global warming made a lot worse by guess who!
  • The general decline in rational thought, reason, compassion and what passes for common sense

Sometimes I think, “Wouldn’t it be neat to have a glimpse 100 years into the future, to see what wondrous technologies are yet to come?” but these days I’m more likely to pass on such an idea because I feel that future glimpse would reveal a world in which we (humans) are either gone or set back a thousand years or so in terms of technology due to our inability to stop fighting/killing each other and being so selfish and short-sighted about everything and anything. Sure, social media (nominated for Top Scourge of the 21st Century by me) amplifies all of this and perhaps makes it seem so much worse than it might really be, but I still find myself sighing over how often I see people being so casually thoughtless and uncaring. It feels like the glue that holds us together is wearing thin and everyone is moving toward looking out for #1, which will probably lead to our eventual doom.

Or maybe we will have flying cars and baby machines. Who can say? It’s easy to focus on the negative, so let me try one more haiku:

Hello aliens
We are a work in progress
Please do not blast us

There, a wee bit more positive, woo.

Treadmill workout 113: After the bathroom incident

I think I had food poisoning or something that made my guts go, “Whoa, what are you doing?” yesterday because after the workout I spent way more time in the bathroom than I’d prefer. By the end of the day, I was exhausted and worried I was getting sick for the first time in 2+ years. Today, after having breakfast, I felt much better and think it was some transient bug or something.

Anyway, I managed to do a workout today after initially fearing I would be too unwell to do it and was actually pretty dang zippy, too. Nice!

Stats:

Speed: 6.5
Incline: 5

Pace: 8:51/km (8:49/km)
Time: 48:43 (47:05)
Distance: 5.50 km (5.34 km)
Calories burned: 478 (335)
BPM: 130 (120)

Treadmill workout 112: SBS

Or Silly Bowel Syndrome, as I once again had to use the loo about three-quarters of the way through the workout. I also flagged a bit in the second km, but ended up with a fairly jaunty pace overall and pushed comfortably past 5K as I watched to the end of the currently playing video. Not bad for a Monday.

Stats:

Speed: 6.5
Incline: 5

Pace: 8:51/km (8:49/km)
Time: 48:43 (47:05)
Distance: 5.50 km (5.34 km)
Calories burned: 478 (335)
BPM: 130 (120)

Campbell Valley Regional Park, Saturday, March 5, 2022

First, a few observations about the park in list form:

  • It’s very big
  • The perimeter trail has little to see and is near enough to the roads that the buzz of traffic is a distraction
  • It’s apparently prone to flooding and unsafe conditions. I wanted to check out the abandoned Langley Speedway, but the trails approaching it from the north and south were a) closed due to unsafe conditions on the boardwalk and b) flooded. We could have braved the flooded side, as a few branches and logs had been placed to make it passable, but it was getting late and we didn’t feel like dealing with getting our toes wet at that point.
  • Horses! We saw horses, as they can ride on some of the trails.
  • Bikes! We saw a few bikes, as they are allowed on the perimeter trail (another reason to avoid, perhaps).
  • Birds! They tended to be clustered in a few areas and while there weren’t oodles of them, there were enough to make the trip out not be a bust
  • “Patriots”! A bunch of yahoos were gathered at an intersection near to the park and were waving flags and crying about having no freedom boo hoo because sometimes you’re required to wear a mask to keep yourself from infecting others (or getting infected) with a highly contagious virus that has killed millions of people. Meanwhile, Russia has invaded Ukraine because Putin is a bloodthirsty psychopath and maybe Ukrainians have more concerns about actual freedom than the idiots waving their stupid signs and annoying motorists.

Anyway, the weather was nice and I got some shots. Here are a few!

This squirrel’s belly fur freakily lines up with the railing it’s standing on
This is where we turned back, our hopes of seeing the speedway dashed. Others were more willing to risk getting a bit damp.
Junco giving me the eye
Evergreens providing a splash of color amongst the yellow and brown
Chickadee hanging out
Spotted towhee with those red, red eyes
Mallard apparently swimming by herself

Treadmill workout 111: Sunday sweating

Another 5K workout interrupted by having to use the loo. Why can’t my body learn to be patient and wait until I’m off the treadmill? On the plus side, this time the interruption didn’t appear to affect my overall pace, which was reasonably zippy.

I accidentally queued up a “You’re using your PC” wrong video, which was old (2020, which feels ancient these days) and was a little too basic to be useful to me. It’s pretty much a primer on what sort of things to look for when you’re new to computers, which…I am not.

Stats:

Speed: 6.5
Incline: 5

Pace: 8:51/km (8:49/km)
Time: 48:43 (47:05)
Distance: 5.50 km (5.34 km)
Calories burned: 478 (335)
BPM: 130 (120)

Treadmill workout 110: Saturday sweating

I don’t normally do a workout on Saturday, which is my traditional birding day, but today I did! And may again in the future. The workout was pretty on par, with no weird phone calls or other interruptions.

Among other videos, I watched more of a series on creating a video game from The Game Maker’s Toolkit. It has the bonus of being:

  • fresh (recent)
  • directly applicable to me (I am also learning Unity and designing games in general)
  • the host has one of those soft, extremely listenable British accents

Here’s the first video for reference:

And here are my stats, completely unrelated to British guys with red hair making video games (higher BPM is probably due to having the door to the room shut, which made it a lot warmer and caused copious sweating):

Speed: 6.5
Incline: 5

Pace: 8:51/km (8:49/km)
Time: 48:43 (47:05)
Distance: 5.50 km (5.34 km)
Calories burned: 478 (335)
BPM: 130 (120)