@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

wendigo

@wendigo@metalhead.club

A native Floridian, I am fascinated by all forms of musical expression, but I cut my teeth on heavy metal. My first five shows were Dio, Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne, Megadeth, and Exodus. I am an avid progger and free / classical jazz man, too. I welcome and encourage discussion.

While I'd say I am political, I make it a point to discuss such things on my blog, which I'll be setting up shortly.

I am a music gear nerd and Linux expert, questions are always welcome.

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. For a complete list of posts, browse on the original instance.

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Someone here once told me of how Microsoft had these customers who pay $$$ so a real driving force in the development of Excel are these horrific, unspeakable, monstrosities of spreadsheets critical to the operations of some very serious companies, serious bookkeeping, serious material operations. The elderich horror spreadsheets are decades old, have 100,000s of rows, spaghetti code formulas— Microsoft always checks updates will not harm them. IDK. if it was true: but it felt true.

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird I wouldn't doubt it. After all, some critical business systems still run on COBOL. I even saw a story about a public utility still using Commodore 64s.

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

I’ve been noticing the color blue more this spring. I will see a blue object and the shade is more vibrant than it ought. Photos don’t really capture the world exactly as my soft fallible eyes see, yet, I still try to take photo of the phenomenon. First it was this mailbox. A slightly lighter, more saturated shade than standard. Then it was these confounding Hydrangea serrata— the blooms are a pale lavender yet also glowing blue. Could it be the light? My overactive imagination?

A US mailbox on a NYC sidewalk that is a slightly wrong shade of blue— it’s a bit too bright.

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird Could it be that you experience a satisfaction or happiness that is somewhat newfound? That often has the physical and psychological effect of heightening the senses...

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Why is it that the worst tasks: the ones I want to do the least are things that take like 17min tops to complete— but I think about how I haven’t done them — oh no no just can’t bear to do them for 30min a day for two weeks?

For me, at least, a task is odious if it may cause me to find out bad news that produces more tasks, if it involves forms, if it involves talking to people on the phone, especially someone I don’t know (what if they are mean to me? 😫)

It’s not THAT bad. Is it?

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird Just take a deep breath and put your best foot forward. Some odious things have to be endured, but I usually get some pleasure chemicals in the brain once I've completed them.

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird The worst phone calls you'll ever make are to the IRS (you'll never get through to them) or your cable company to cancel your service. That said, I've always found most reps to be very courteous. I don't think yelling is generally a pleasurable thing to do, and it's usually counterproductive for them. Take heart! ;>)

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Have you ever stopped listening to or trusting a person who posts information in media, or online because of a "red flag" ?

That is are there certain topics, habits, actions etc. that instantly decrease your trust in a person you might have otherwise listened to on a podcast, article, or video?

Are there any "green flags" that build trust?

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird No. Absolutely not. I can like the person and not be thrilled about everything about them. Of course, this is on a scale. There's no way I trust anyone who spews Nazi propaganda. But in the milder cases, I try to lead by example as well as posit some arguments and questions for them to consider. I use the tools I'm given. And, I loathe the term 'red flag' that has become so trendy now...

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird It's the idea of them. What does the term really mean? Who decides what a red flag is and isn't? What I'm getting at is that we all have red flags to someone out there. It's purely subjective. That said, there are some things that we can all pretty much agree on as loathsome: Hate, racism, violence, abuse, etc. But we can call those what they are without any confusion...

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird I understand where you're coming from. However, I don't think in red flag terms. People have flaws. That doesn't mean I can't trust them because one or two lands on my radar. On the other hand, I suppose I possess a certain liberty regarding personal safety that women don't because I'm male. Other than that, yes, I take risks that maybe I shouldn't sometimes, but in the end, I'm happy with my approach and have many rewarding friendships. 1/1

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird I have never ever heard another guy tell me that I have red flags. As far as I can tell, it's either a media conflab or an opposite sex / race thing. An "other" thing, which I don't find very egalitarian. 2/2

jake4480 , to horror group
@jake4480@c.im avatar

2024 marks the 45th anniversary of one of the ultimate sci-fi horror masterpieces. Alien was released May 25, 1979.

@horror

An angry alien Xenomorph comin at ya, bro. You're probably dead

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@jake4480 @horror I believe the correct phrase is 'edited for time and content'. ;>) Love this film. Did end up seeing it in the theater a few weeks back, and I watched UHD version a few days ago. There really isn't much to edit in this film, and if you do, you end up losing some iconic, pivotal moments. It's a stone cold classic!

futurebird , (edited ) to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

I'm so sick of "big men" enamored of the trappings of power & anyone impressed with them. I'm sick of the mystique of "all he had to do was wave a finger & you were dead" & that is supposed to be impressive rather than terrifying & childish. I'm sick of their entourages, and the way they stick out their lips, pout, posture, bluster. The way they use other people as decorations.

They way they lie to your face as a power play.

It's all... so embarrassing for the human animal of which I am one.

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird Well said.

breadandcircuses , to random
@breadandcircuses@climatejustice.social avatar

I found this truck parked on the street in my neighborhood. Notice that the life-threatening bumper is actually labeled ROAD ARMOR.

We sometimes talk about a . But what's really happening is a war BY cars on pedestrians and cyclists.

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@breadandcircuses It borders on the absurd, but if you meet a truck lover, all they can talk about is gearing it up. I've never been able to ascertain what need or inevitability it addresses. Like guns I would say...

jake4480 , to horror group
@jake4480@c.im avatar

April 26 is Alien Day. Fangoria posted behind the scenes Alien photos (https://www.fangoria.com/original/alien-behind-the-scenes-photos) and a cool piece about the novel for Alien 3 that was different from the film (https://www.fangoria.com/original/alien-3-the-novel). And the audiobook for the Alien 3 novel is read by none other than Lance Henriksen (Bishop)!

The original Alien is being re-released in theaters today for a limited time for its 45th anniversary and in honor of Alien Day (https://www.space.com/alien-day-2024-return-to-theaters).

More on the history of Alien Day: https://www.thequint.com/lifestyle/alien-day-2024-date-history-significance-activities-and-how-to-celebrate

@horror

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@jake4480 @horror I'm supposed to see it today, but I feel so poorly that I'll probably wait until tomorrow. 'The Mummy' is also out in theaters today. I'm going to do a double-feature when I'm feeling better. They both run through Thursday at my local theater. No sleep sucks, bro...

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

I’m very fond of stories in a universe where some advanced, but long vanished, race of enigmatic aliens has left behind strange artifacts: like puzzle boxes or dungeons for our heroes to explore and nearly get killed in. If not aliens let it be a lost human civilization.

I also like to think about those ancient people who built the ‘Temple of Doom’— for all of those traps to work so well after thousands of years they must have been very clever. What was it like to set them up?

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird Wouldn't it be aggravating not to see them in action? I mean, would a Rube Goldberg machine be worth building if you couldn't witness its genius for yourself?

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

So night terrors, sleep paralysis etc. seem to be a real thing. I've had "bad dreams" but never anything that sounds like these experiences. It sounds like it's scary. Scary like when you are home alone and hear a sound and don't know what it is.

I'm curious if people who can have this are can be aware that it's not real when it's happening.

When I get anxious I can also know "this is just that thing" and I'm sort of detached about it?

Can that happen with fear?

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird Whatever made you think they were not real conditions? I've had both for many years. Usually I know it's not real and paralysis only lasts for a brief time. But it is terrifying when you experience at a young age and you don't know what's going on. Even so, it's not too pleasant as an adult, especially the paralysis part.

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird Gotcha. Very real. The worst part is knowing exactly what is going on but not being able to move and wake yourself up...

buru5 , to random
@buru5@mstdn.games avatar

[12] 10 Things I Hate About You is a romantic comedy targeted toward the teen demographic. In essence, it’s William Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” retold with a ‘90s high school backdrop. It features a young Heath Ledger as the leading man and Julia Stiles as “the shrew” to be “tamed.” But who’s really being tamed here? It’s really a charming film full of witty dialog, excellent performances, and a great soundtrack.

https://youtu.be/3Z9t2j6xW1M?si=84nkjPH_qmBqqN9Y

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@jbwharris @sarajw @jake4480 @buru5 @bendaubney @nic @skullvalanche @tangleofwires

Yeah, I don't think it's Billie Piper, but you may be onto something. Definitely not Gwen Stefani. I thought maybe Shirley Manson, but I don't think so...

johnmacintosh , to random German
@johnmacintosh@swiss.social avatar

The British Museum has a tablet that details why 40 employees in ancient Egypt missed work 3,270 years ago?
This limestone “ostracon” is a register of attendance from “Year 40 of Ramses II” that offers a fascinating glimpse into work-life balance in Thebes in 1250 BC.

Here are three common reasons for employee absences, translated directly from the tablet:

• “Brewing beer”
• “His wife/daughter was bleeding” (i.e., menstruating).
• “The scorpion bit him”

via Brian Roemmele from Twitter

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird @johnmacintosh The Scorpion is a wily dude, canonized by Dewayne "The Rock" Johnson in modern cinema...

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Thinking about organisms that can survive in arid conditions by becoming totally desiccated. On the macro scale the eggs or suspended forms of these creatures aren't very different from the dry soil & jumbled organic matter that surround them. But, due to their structure, they can begin living again.

Is it too much to say that the difference between living & dead organic material is... encoding?

Naively it seems like this boundary is a place to look for the origins of living processes.

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird Don't fleas do this?

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Part of the reason I keep ants is this barren no bug having city has me bug starved. It's just sad to go for a walk on a warm day and not see very many bugs in the park

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird I hear you. We have lizards everywhere, so you don't see too many where I live. However, come summer time, I'll have wee 'sugar' ants all up in my apartment. Is that the same as keeping them? ;>)

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

I need to write up my 'discovery' about thelytoky in Dorymyrmex Bureni. I have photos with date stamps, many posts & videos. I think I will make a spreadsheet & date each observation/event. I'll need to strip out all the fun stuff, but this is still unexpected for this species.

I also need to see the librarian for a deep search of the lit to see if this has been documented before.

I'm not a biologist at all. Is there a book like "how to write a paper for dummies?"

https://sauropods.win/@futurebird/112209125290500641

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird I think I'd search the literature for how to write for scientific journals. I think the style guide is the AP...

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird That sounds like a great idea!

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Cataglyphis lutea (UAE and parts of India) is a desert dwelling ant, the photos of this ant on iNaturalist caught my eye, since, like Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (the Spider Ant of Australia), this these little ants fold their gasters over their mesonoma.

Very little is known about Cataglyphis lutea, shockingly little. I can't even find a mention of gaster folding in any of the brief descriptions of this ant.

This is why descriptions are not enough. 1/

(photos by Jonghyn Park and TimL)

A black ant with a red head and black dot eyes clamors over a rock on remarkably long legs. The antennae and legs are very long and evenly spread giving the impression of a spider (hence the common name) The gaster is folded over the mesonoma.

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird Well, I would say that by folding the gaster over like that, the ant might resemble a spider to some species (and even humans) on a cursory look. So, that would make it a defensive measure?

HailsandAles , to random
@HailsandAles@metalhead.club avatar

One of my closest friends is looking to give Mastodon and the a try but I’m not sure what instance to recommend to them. They’re very into computers and open source stuff. They’re not a metalhead sadly 😅

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@HailsandAles I'm very into computers as well, but I think I enjoy this metal scene a lot more. I follow my technology people. But I would say the serious recommendations so far are good ones.

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@HailsandAles Also, you may want to ask @FediTips

exocomics , to random
@exocomics@mastodon.world avatar

small sample 💖

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird @mensrea @kechpaja @exocomics I don't suppose that Brita makes an acceptable filter option so that you wouldn't have to change the filter every week? ;>)

futurebird , (edited ) to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Easter means a lot to me. I know it's not everyone's holiday, but if you feel like I do about Easter and you have ever wondered if the story of Easter is for you-- don't let anyone tell you it's not.

I can't possibly apologize for all of the harm done in the name of a beautiful story. But, I think it's because of how fundamentally subversive "love thy neighbor" really is, if you take it seriously. So, the message is often poisoned at the source.


wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird Well said.

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

I wonder what would happen if one ran a LLM on data representing analog TV or radio signals for a type of video or music... then generated an analog signal and played it on a TV?

Would it make any difference in the texture, look sound of the resulting output?

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird So, basically, you want to convert analog to digital and feed it through an LLM? What operations or analyses is the LLM supposed to complete before the signal is converted back to analog?

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Have you ever encountered the superstition that you should always burn, or carefully dispose of your cut hair or hair that is caught in a comb or brush because if a bird gets your hair and makes a nest with it you'll go mad?

Or did my grandma make that one up?

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird No, but that is a very interesting one. Sounds like something out of Native or Celtic lore...

chris , to random
@chris@mstdn.games avatar

Found my iAudio M3 Digital Audio Player from 2004. 20 years old and still working, now look at these features:

  • slimmer than the OG iPod, slightly bigger than a credit card
  • excellent sound
  • 20GB Toshiba 1,8" replaceable harddrive
  • format-agnostic, direct encoding
  • supports lossless FLAC! (see display screenshot) and a ton of formats
  • USB 2.0
  • Line-in INPUT
  • Mic, audio recording
  • Rockbox support

Such a cool device, love the minimalistic design. Next project: replacing the battery.

Photo of a MP3 Player (Digital Audio Player) iAudio M3 from 2004, side view. A silver, metallic device, about the size of a deck of playing cards or slightly bigger than a credit card with 3 round buttons for play, forward, previous - very minimalistic, no display. On the right side: a volume dial, a lock button and a recording button.
Photo of a MP3 Player Display on the remote of a (Digital Audio Player) iAudio M3 from 2004. A blue 8-line display with dark text: FL (for FLAC) 1020 KBPS 44Hz Clock DVA Voice Recognition Test HDD Portable Digital Audio Player iAudio

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@chris Wow! That's some great tech. I can really appreciate it. Wish I had been smart enough to buy one back in the day...

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

My husband is mad that I put a teaspoon of icecream in my oatmeal.

But OMG I'm RIGHT! This is it! This is the ultimate soothing food.

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird Why are all the good ant girls taken? ;>)

futurebird , (edited ) to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Did you have "sex ed" (sometimes called "health class") in school? Did it help you in any way? Hurt?

Which of the following apply (check more than one if needed, so if you had a multiple classes at different ages check both)

If I could change one thing about the education we had it would be to have more focus on the reality of rape and the nature of consent. These topics weren't addressed much beyond a cartoon version of bogey men jumping out of bushes and I think it left many unprepared.

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@futurebird We did. My Dad taught me the birds and the bees, though, at an earlier age. I think is counsel was probably a lot more helpful, looking back. And, I was taught to respect all women, not just my mama...

world_beauty Bot , to random
@world_beauty@universeodon.com avatar

Mangaia's Milky Way
Credits: Tunç Tezel, TWAN

wendigo ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@world_beauty I was looking up at Orion at about 2 or 3 this morning and thought about these photos you boost... ;>)

wendigo , to random
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

I think Metalhead.club has helped me reunite with the concept of album again, something that has been lacking for me since the 90s really. This applies across the board to any genre thankfully. Song titles are hard for me because the concept of album is a headspace like being drunk is different from being sober or depressed is different from mental balance. In the headspace, I remember and experience constituent parts or lines/webs of thought easily. As I have mentioned, album art helps.

wendigo OP ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@thomas I grew up with the album because that was how my Dad was. Certain albums were always played at certain times, and I began to remember all the comforting parts like I were smelling them, if that makes sense. Then he passed away, and I kind of got lost for a while, joined the Navy, life happened, etc...

wendigo OP ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@trendskater @thomas Nor me, but I kind of lost my love of it. Perhaps because I couldn't share my love of them the way I wanted to again until now. Especially with new stuff. I'm fine with recordings pre-90s. But I really haven't had a favorite modern album in ages, and I certainly haven't listened to many more than once in a long time. The metal stuff (and others) I've been introduced to here has me excited again, and I know I've listened to a few many times already...

wendigo OP ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@jake4480 @trendskater @thomas Interesting. To me, the album is sacrosanct. I never discard songs even if I don't care for them, but I struggle to find a case where I was faced with that choice. Sometimes I come back a few weeks / months / years later and find that I'm good with questionable songs. For a long time, I wasn't very thrilled with 'Candy Apple Grey' by Hüsker Dü only to find a few years later that I now have a much deeper appreciation for it. For example.

wendigo OP ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@jake4480 This is where Qobuz comes in handy. If you say to me hey man check this out, I can see if Qobuz has it and add it to my favorites. Then I'm not storing it on my hard drive. Also, you can make playlists that live there, too. I know that's not always great for the artists, but I can't possibly buy everything that someone recommends or that's rated highly by some magazine...

wendigo OP ,
@wendigo@metalhead.club avatar

@jake4480 The thing is, everything that I have gleaned from the wonderful people here is on Qobuz or Spotify, Bandcamp or not. There's no way I could keep up with it otherwise... ;>) I can go back later and download / buy the stuff I want...

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