What is making you happy right now

[wiggin]

The books had lots of issues in terms of pacing. I wouldn't mind if the show made some changes (as long as those changes were consistent with the personalities of the characters). Just look at the Shadow and Bone show.

The fact this was renewed preemptively means it did really well with test audiences.

I feel like they won't be able to replicate the channeling mechanics with any degree of success - that's going to be a real headache since it's so crucial to the plot.

[Loki]

Here's to hoping that the millions they probably spent on CGI will be worth it.

[Flixy]

I've been looking to date again, and with covid measures needing someone in a bar isn't happening soon. So I installed tinder, which is a hell hole in its own right, but after setting expectations correctly and learning what to look for, ended up matching with a girl who seems nice. After chatting for a while went for a walk today, and it was really nice! No idea if it will end up as dating or not, but it was fun to be on a date again, been a while.

[Hazir]

I feel like they won't be able to replicate the channeling mechanics with any degree of success - that's going to be a real headache since it's so crucial to the plot.

Maybe they should watch a bunch of anime for that.

[Hazir]

My BMI is under 30 today. At the beginning of the year it was around 42.

[GGT]

I bought a new (used) car from a regional dealership. Glad I took the time to shop around, kick the tires, compare/contrast the test drives, even tho it was time-consuming and stressful---instead of going the virtual Carvana or Vroom route. Very happy with the car and the price I paid, especially since used cars prices have gone up about 20% during the pandemic!

[Khendraja'aro]

Got the 2nd BioNtech jab yesterday. No side effects save for a slightly sore arm - but even that soreness is less than that after the 1st one.

[wiggin]

It was a gorgeous day today outside. I took my daughter to daycare to pick up my youngest; on our way back, we stopped at a park. There was a bona fide celebrity there playing music. I taught my daughter the macarena. As one does.

[Hazir]

Hehe that's a cute story.

[Aimless]

Just caught my daughter doing arithmetic with her macamoonies... "One... two... THEE macamoonies!" *adds one more* "NOW IT'S FO!" *eats them all up* "now it's zewo... there there..."

Lmao and crying at the same time

[Aimless]

[Hazir]

I have a serious plan of driving from Amsterdam to Istanbul next week. 2.700km, 7 countries, 5 systems of paying for tolls. But I am really looking forward to it. It's not the first time I go to Istanbul over land, but it's been over 20 years ago that I did that for the last time.

[Hazir]

Next month, not next week.

[RandBlade]

Went out tonight for my birthday, went to the Trafford Centre (large Manchester shopping centre) for the first time since Christmas 2019. Had a good time.

Was funny seeing the centre so quiet. The Trafford Centre is never normally quiet but it still was at the moment and a lot of closed stores boarded up which never normally happens either ... But was good to go to the Disney Store and others. Girls lit up, they haven't been shopping besides groceries much since the pandemic began. Emily absolutely loves Toy Story and there was a giant Woody by the entrance she could pose with for a photo.

Met my parents and youngest brother, first restaurant we wanted to go to wouldn't seat us as there's 7 in our group, which isn't the rule (it's rule of 6 or two households) so we tried another restaurant instead and had a great meal there. Got great food and service and all agreed we'd go there again.

[ar81]

I played my first tabletop RPG game. Mechwarrior Destiny. Looks cool, especially if you combine with the Battletech tabletop game where you pilot mechs.

[Hazir]

HbA1c of 30 (down from 100). My GP never had seen results like it in such a short time time (5 months).

[Flixy]

Another social media post shows a piece measuring up to 6.57 inches in diameter also fell on April 28. Unfortunately, researchers say they were unable to verify its size before it was blended into a batch of margaritas.

https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/we...o-16274820.php

[Ominous Gamer]

Trump supporter freaks out over colors, gets charged with hate crime, may become one of the first people charged under new law designed by Trumplite to protect racist statues.

[Hazir]

A plan to get someone's life on a more secure footing seems to work out. It's taking quite a bit of money, but it's worth it.

[Hazir]

From the 1st of July it's no longer allowed in The Netherlands to cold call people for sales. Sales calls will be illegal unless the (potential) customer has given prior consent. Also, the continuation of consent has to be established at the beginning of every single call made under the given consent. The burden of proof lies with the caller.

[wiggin]

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2107454

Guys. This is the fucking future. Screw jetpacks, this is awesome. If you had asked me ten years ago if we'd see in vivo gene editing in humans anytime soon, I would have laughed in your face. There are all sorts of caveats and reasons to be cautious, but damn if it isn't exciting. With the new cell- and gene- and molecule-level tools we're getting, the sky's the limit.

Also a reason to support basic research, because this would never have happened if you only had engineers like me applying existing knowledge to solve problems.

[Hazir]

Wow

[Hazir]

I posted something on reddit and for the first time ever I got more than two thousand upvotes. Tbh, it's like my second post (other than a reaction to others)

[Loki]

Telling people to head over here?

[Hazir]

Telling people to head over here?

I’m not that influential yet. 4k upvotes though.

[Flixy]

Nice. I got 90 on a comment, once

[GGT]

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2107454

Guys. This is the fucking future. Screw jetpacks, this is awesome. If you had asked me ten years ago if we'd see in vivo gene editing in humans anytime soon, I would have laughed in your face. There are all sorts of caveats and reasons to be cautious, but damn if it isn't exciting. With the new cell- and gene- and molecule-level tools we're getting, the sky's the limit.

Also a reason to support basic research, because this would never have happened if you only had engineers like me applying existing knowledge to solve problems.

Isn't this the same CRISPR technology used by a Chinese scientist to edit-out HIV in embryos? *Lula and Nana were genetically manipulated twins born in 2018* And wasn't that roundly criticized by medical ethicists?

[wiggin]

Isn't this the same CRISPR technology used by a Chinese scientist to edit-out HIV in embryos? *Lula and Nana were genetically manipulated twins born in 2018* And wasn't that roundly criticized by medical ethicists?

It uses the same basic tools, yes. But the Chinese case was (1) done with germ line editing (a very big ethical minefield), (2) doesn't appear to have been done with any degree of care or rigor. The case I cited was somatic cell editing in the context of a tightly controlled clinical trial setting... and it worked (at least early indications make it look like it did).

CRISPR is an extremely powerful tool, and it can be used for very good ends or questionable (or even dangerous) ones.

[GGT]

Sooo, the technology is awesome, but there are still ethical questions about its use, and how it's going to be "regulated" in the future, and by whom. Just checking.

[wiggin]

Sooo, the technology is awesome, but there are still ethical questions about its use, and how it's going to be "regulated" in the future, and by whom. Just checking.

There are ethical questions about the use of gene editing for germ line modification. There have not been serious ethical questions about somatic cell modifications to treat disease. This is been something they've been trying to do for decades with various techniques (retroviruses, endonucleases, etc.) but the tools have been dangerous and poorly targeted, resulting in many failures. The precision and relative ease of use of CRISPR techniques means that it's actually feasible. That's why it's a big deal.

The regulatory framework for gene editing of perforce still embryonic just because there isn't adequate data on how to handle it; pretty much par for the course for any new biotechnology. It's very clear who does the regulating, though, it's the FDA or similar bodies elsewhere. I'm not sure what your point is?