
Barber of Seville
2025-04-24T01:18:15Z via Identi.ca Web To: Public CC: Followers
Ah, it's as if the radio is rubbing it in of how I no longer have streaming access to Looney Tunes because every time I hear this overture, I think Rabbit of Seville.‘Looney Tunes’ has been removed from Max.
2025-04-21T19:14:23Z via Dianara To: Public CC: Followers
Tragic: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2025-03-18/looney-tunes-shorts-removed-max
I only recently discovered this. Funny that the article uses a scene from Rhapsody Rabbit, which was exactly the short I was looking for after re-watching Cat Concerto.
Back to physical media, I suppose.
Productive Holiday
2025-04-19T02:08:28Z via Dianara To: Public CC: Followers
I spent my holiday finally creating a scheduled script that updates the name record on my domain provider's web service via a series of curl calls to their management portal whenever my home IP changes. That way, the name record that points to my home VPN is kept up-to-date. They used to provide this feature where I can call some endpoint and they'll automatically update name records. Unfortunately, this feature is no longer provided on their end so I had to come up with something on my own.
I've been meaning to do this for a while but I finally discovered two quirks about my provider's service:
- it is sensitive with quotes being sent in with requests
- request keys are also URL-encoded (curl encodes only the content/values)
- but the worst of them all: invalid requests are responded with a successful message! An actual successful message also includes details of what record was updated so that was the subtle detail to watch for.
I was using jq to parse out JSON responses from my provider to build out my request but neglected that it needed raw strings without quotes and spent a good time tracing my curl calls and comparing it with browser traffic to finally see where the discrepancies are.
I did get to wake up later than usual though.
Loading Overlays
2025-04-15T00:08:19Z via Dianara To: Public CC: Followers
I seriously believe that loading overlays on an entire web page is a UX anti-pattern. In general, if I have to access/modify the DOM of your website to use it, then your website is broken.
Sometimes I miss the days of static web pages where I can still navigate the website while assets are downloading.
The Last of Us: Future Days
2025-04-14T08:22:07Z via Dianara To: Public CC: Followers
That supermarket scene brought back memories of the gameplay. I'm such a nerd thinking "where's the brick?" when I saw the bottle in play.
That is all.
Tupulpo likes this.
Sneaky Chromium
2025-04-07T22:07:45Z via Dianara To: Public CC: Followers
Recently updated to chromium-135.0.7049.52-1.
Upon launch, it disabled the uBlock Origin extension. Sneaky.
Fortunately, chromium isn't my main browser so I can easily just uninstall it.
Maurice Ravel's La Valse
2025-04-04T20:16:51Z via Dianara To: Public CC: Followers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_valse
An upcoming HSO concert includes this work: https://www.myhso.org/concerts/2025-spotlight-with-your-hso
As usual, I prepare myself for these concerts by listening to the programming on repeat the week prior to the concert and I've been thinking a lot about La Valse.
My interpretation of this work is Dancing Mania occurring at a Viennese ballroom. It starts out as a fade-in to the dance floor with couples dancing as normal. With the lack of a musical conclusion, we see the dancing never ends as we fade-out and transition back to the dance floor again but this time the dancers are now in a dilapidated state and perhaps some of them already collapsed. I love the instrumentation and tonal shift here! We then end with the last few couples madly dancing with what seems to be flames surrounding them until they too finally collapse with the final notes of the work.
I look forward to experiencing this work live!
Jim Fulner likes this.
Trusted Traveler
2025-04-01T19:19:35Z via Dianara To: Public CC: Followers
In light of recent events, my suggestion for Canadians who may travel into/through the US is to apply for the trusted traveler program either via Global Entry or Nexus.
If you can, wait until the initial review is completed. That way, regardless of the results, you'll know ahead of time if anything in your background is flagging their systems. With that information, you can then bring additional supporting documentation if needed.
HD Frasier on Hulu
2025-03-31T06:09:36Z via Dianara To: Public CC: Followers
It seems that Hulu is finally rolling out HD Frasier!
They replaced the classic Paramount closing logo for all episodes but not all episodes are in HD yet.
I already have a copy of the BluRay release but that'll just be my backup.
Canadians and US Visas
2025-03-29T01:29:01Z via Dianara To: Public CC: Followers
It irks me a little whenever I hear broadcasters stating that Canadians failed to obtain a US visa.
Canadians actually do not require a visa to enter the US with a few exceptions (entry by marriage engagement for example).
I myself took a bit to understand this process too and this is how I understand it:
A visa is permission to present yourself for entry into the country. You normally obtain this document at a consulate outside of the US. Canadians never do this in most cases.
Once at the port of entry, you then request to obtain status to be admitted into the country. They use the visa, if required, and additional paperwork to confirm eligibility to be admitted.
Whenever you leave the country, you repeat the above process if you want to re-enter. Canadians with work or study status skip to requesting re-admittance and never present a visa.
It's more likely in these stories that Canadians are attempting to renew their work or study status -- I suppose all this is confusing to most audiences so they just say "visa".
The thing is though, it is the border officer's prerogative to ultimately determine admissibility. Having a valid visa (if required) and a previously held status does not guarantee admission and re-entry.
I feel there's more to the Canadian's story linked. Normally if you're given a hard time, you'll be given ample opportunity to withdraw your request to enter and voluntarily turn back. My speculation is that the Canadian in this story insisted to remain in the system (perhaps as a way to contest the officer's decision) and they processed the denied entry while keeping her detained. This denied entry is why an entry ban is now in play; a voluntary withdraw avoids this situation.
Conscientious Objection
2025-03-26T22:04:41Z via Dianara To: Public CC: Followers
In light of recent events, particularly the seemingly callous acceptance of collateral damage for taking out a single target and the ongoing dehumanization of innocent populations, I feel I must make my position publicly known.
I cannot in good moral conscientious directly participate in actions that may immediately result in bringing harm to any human life. I've always thought about how minimizing collateral damage may mitigate this feeling but given how our leaders have become increasingly more overt with dehumanizing other populations, I've come to the realization that participating in such activities is contrary to my personal moral belief that all humans around the world have the right to life.
Therefore, if ever called, I will happily serve in a non-combatant or civil role but harming life is something I can never see myself finding acceptance.
Open Sushi Bar Unlocked
2025-03-07T08:40:43Z via Dianara To: Public CC: Followers
Normally when I go to a sushi bar, I ask for omakase service and unless they have a pre-fixed menu, they would just give me pieces and tally up what was given to generate the bill.
For my recent visit, I somehow unlocked an open sushi bar because the chef suddenly told me that it's now my choice and he would make whatever I ordered and not include it in the tally. That is, these pieces were free! He would even give me the end pieces of blocks of fish after fulfilling other orders!
Now I just need to remember this cheat code for next time...
New Era
2025-02-27T01:43:55Z via Dianara To: Public CC: Followers
As of today, I am now an American citizen!
I mark this day by updating my avatar to something that represents my cultural origins.
2025-02-27T01:40:35Z via Identi.ca Web CC: Public
Best Option in Pirate Yakuza
2025-02-25T07:20:49Z via Dianara To: Public CC: Followers
Yes, this was a day-one purchase.
Yes, it was due to Honolulu.
Yes, I played this over the weekend.
All I wanted to say is that they provide the best option I've seen in a game: the option to bypass QTEs!
Also, I like that I can now dodge to avoid damage -- I hated that I was forced to stand there and take damage in Infinite Wealth.
Flow
2025-02-20T02:21:54Z via Dianara To: Public CC: Followers
I just watched Flow and I think it's the best animated feature at least for 2024.
It did so much with no dialogue and the camera kept me engaged throughout. I got Ico vibes from this and I believe that game is an artistic masterpiece.
My only gripe with this film is who they cast for the capybara! I'd prefer silence.
“We tried to record a capybara, but they don’t really speak. They’re very silent. They only make noise when you tickle them. So it was one person’s very fun job to tickle a capybara. But the sound was really high-pitched and sounded more like an anxious small dog. It didn’t fit the character. So we looked around for another animal and, after a long kind of search, we settled on this baby camel. So the capybara is actually voiced by a baby camel. ”
AP reporter and photographer barred from Air Force One over ‘Gulf of Mexico’ terminology dispute
2025-02-15T00:35:32Z via Dianara To: Public CC: Followers
https://apnews.com/article/trump-ap-news-ban-air-force-one-b90b8b842d63aef9960ccffb4a657dc2
❗
Hopefully, Americans are closely watching this because this action is very serious and detrimental to the rights and freedoms of Americans.
Wine Key
2025-02-03T06:32:08Z via Dianara To: Public CC: Followers
https://www.samsclub.com/p/members-mark-carbonated-mineral-water/P990338372
People say that these are hard to open and I agree.
However, I found a great solution that spares my joints: use a wine key! The problem is that it takes significant force to break the seal but the foil cutter of wine keys is great for breaking through this seal and making the cap easy to open!
David Lynch
2025-01-16T23:31:49Z via Dianara To: Public CC: Followers
:(
pmOS 24.12 Scare
2025-01-13T20:57:02Z via Dianara To: Public CC: Followers
I upgraded pmOS to 24.12 on my PinePhone and freaked out when I had no audio interface until I saw the edit under Extra notes in https://gitlab.postmarketos.org/postmarketOS/pmaports/-/issues/3359#note_459502 .
“I solved this with "sudo apk fix --reinstall alsa-ucm-conf" ”
Jim Fulner likes this.