Honestly, this is pretty impressive IMO. Particularly since visa-free travel is not reciprocal. The below is just plain wrong; Australia is even less open than it appears:

Ranked 83rd out of 99, Australia is one of the least open nations. Citizens of just 34 countries can visit Australia without prior visa authorisation

Barring some niche cases (e.g. royal family, military/crew, transiting, Torres Strait Islanders), only one country’s citizens can travel to Australia without prior visa authorisation; New Zealand (and even they can be refused clearance at the border). Every other foreign country needs to apply for and be granted a visa before they are permitted to board the plane. Australia has somehow managed to convince 33 countries that their ETAs and eVisitor visas are not really visas. They just happen to be permission that a person needs to obtain before they are allowed to enter a country… If only we had a word for that.

I’m honestly surprised how well the Australian passport performs considering Australia effectively has a universal visa requirement. That being said, it’s also one of the most expensive passports in the world.

I think it depends on where you are more than your age. I very rarely carry a wallet on me and I am definitely not Gen Z. That being said, where I live, every legitimate (i.e. non laundering/tax dodging) business accepts paying by phone. I can use public transport by scanning my phone, I can prove my ID by showing my phone, I can claim medical benefits by using my phone, and every franchise has it’s own loyalty app I can download on my phone.

You’re talking to a bot.

Damn… I wish I had that talent to speak for minutes on end without actually saying anything; awkward silences would be a thing of the past!

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/load-reddit-images-directly/

You’re welcome.

Also works for customer service. Have a ridiculously minor issue that really doesn’t matter but still irks a small part of you and you’re too much of a wimp to speak up about? Check your sent folder in the morning after a night of drinking.

Protip: support@company.com.

Great. More taxpayer money going towards complete and utter stupidity. Anyone with even the most basic knowledge of the Internet knows how dumb and technologically unfeasible this is, yet this nonsense still continues to gain traction.

I was expecting it to be something like they eat a percentage of their own babies or something.

Well… If you insist.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasmanian_devil

“Gestation lasts 21 days, and devils give birth to 20–30 young standing up … As there are only four nipples in the pouch, competition is fierce, and few newborns survive.”

One guess as to what happens to the spares.

Are you for real? I also use search engines to find manuals or documentation, if I want to know how to open a jar I want to see something like, “Twist jar lid counterclockwise with firm grip for opening.” Instead, with the internet as it has now become, I get:

"Opening a jar might seem like a trivial task, but mastering this skill can save you from frustration and potentially embarrassing moments. Whether it’s a jar of pickles or a jar of pasta sauce, the techniques for opening them remain largely the same. In this guide, we will explore the art of jar opening, providing a comprehensive step-by-step guide that anyone can follow.

The first step in the jar opening process is to ensure that you have a firm grip on both the jar and the lid. Holding the jar securely with one hand will provide stability and prevent it from slipping. Meanwhile, using your other hand to grasp the lid firmly will give you the leverage needed to twist it open. This initial grip is crucial, as it sets the foundation for the rest of the opening process.

With a secure grip established, the next step is to begin twisting the lid counterclockwise. This motion may seem straightforward, but it requires a combination of strength and finesse. Applying too much force can result in the lid becoming stuck even tighter, while too little force will yield no progress at all. Finding the right balance is key, and it may take some trial and error to get it just right.

If the lid proves to be particularly stubborn, there are a few tricks you can try to loosen it. One common method is to tap the lid gently on a solid surface, such as a countertop or table. This action helps to break the seal between the lid and the jar, making it easier to twist off. Alternatively, you can try running the lid under hot water for a few seconds. The heat causes the metal to expand slightly, further aiding in the loosening process.

Persistence is key when it comes to opening a stubborn jar. If your initial attempts are unsuccessful, don’t be afraid to try again. Sometimes, a fresh approach or a little extra force is all it takes to break the seal. However, it’s important to exercise caution and avoid using excessive force, as this can result in injury or damage to the jar.

Once the lid begins to loosen, continue twisting it counterclockwise until it comes off completely. This may require multiple rotations, so be patient and persistent. As the lid loosens, you may hear a satisfying pop as the seal is broken, indicating that you’re on the right track.

With the lid successfully removed, you can now enjoy the contents of the jar to your heart’s content. Whether it’s a delicious spread for your morning toast or a savory addition to your favorite recipe, the possibilities are endless. Just be sure to securely reseal the jar after each use to maintain freshness and prevent spills.

In conclusion, opening a jar may seem like a simple task, but it requires a combination of strength, finesse, and patience. By following the steps outlined in this essay, anyone can master the art of jar opening and conquer even the most stubborn lids. So the next time you’re faced with a tightly sealed jar, remember these techniques and approach the challenge with confidence."

My sister got a job with a primarily LLM-written cover letter. When trying to sway someone to your side, how you say something can matter more than what you say.

For people who aren’t good at articulating themselves, noting down key dot points about their skills and job history alongside a job description, then asking a LLM to write out a cover letter can be very helpful, even if only to get a rough draft.

As an aside, out of curiosity, I asked ChatGPT 3.5 to rewrite my comment above and got the following, not sure which is better TBH.

My sister landed a job using a cover letter mostly written by a language model. When persuading someone, the tone and style of your message can outweigh its content.

For individuals who find it challenging to articulate themselves, outlining key skills and job experiences alongside a job description, and then seeking assistance from a language model to compose a cover letter, can prove highly beneficial, even if only as a starting point.

I think it’s likely that the type of content children are exposed to matters more than the medium. Children who are exposed early to digital technology will have an advantage in adapting to our increasingly digital society over those who are prevented from accessing digital media until they are much older.

GCompris is an educational program; it’s not equivalent to watching Spongebob (no offence to Spongebob).

Coming up next for the Oxford dictionary: Truck-kun.

I learnt my lesson from Starfield; the most expensive video game I ever purchased… I pre-ordered that tripe and suffered the consequences. Never again.

I am so glad I learnt my lesson and decided to wait for the reviews for Dragon’s Dogma 2. Pretty sad that this is the outcome, but I am glad that I decided to wait and see.

How disappointing… At one time Capcom was my all time favourite video game developer, I grew up playing the Breath of Fire series and it remains one of my all time favourite video games. Such a shame that they turned into such short-sighted idiots.

I was looking forward to this game and I would have 100% purchased this if it lacked micro-transactions and the Denuvo bloatware/malware. In their attempt to make more money, they at least received less money from me.

You argue my statement to be untrue then provide your unrealistic utopian vision of cramming high density urban living as if it has any reflection in our current reality. Developers are not building your utopia, they are doing everything they can to maximise their profit. I’ve lived in enough expensive high density shitty apartments with no air conditioning and no maintenance to take everything an ‘anti-NIMBY’ has to say with a shaker of salt.

Increasing density is not necessary to resolve the housing crisis. Halting and properly managing population increase is the solution. Governments not sabotaging public transport is the solution. Social housing as opposed to housing-for-profit is the solution.

Sure, but no one here said it was…

Whenever I hear the word ‘NIMBY’ thrown around I just think about how these people expect current and future generations to be worse off than their parents.

You want a garden? No, fuck you NIMBY. You want a pool? No, fuck you NIMBY. Solar panels? No, fuck you NIMBY. Now, get in your box and stay there. No complaints.

Housing supply is an issue and it’s purely because of poor infrastructure, shitty government, and out-of-control migration.

There are UN refugee camps in Lebanon and other surrounding countries where refugees from the Syrian civil war have been waiting for months and even years to be resettled in a third country like Australia; it is not fair to these people to knowingly grant tourist visas to people who are clearly not tourists, who will then almost definitely apply for onshore protection.

Cancelling the visas after granting them though is a dick move. They should never have been granted in the first place.

“At the very least, those affected must be granted temporary visas immediately so they can stay safely in Australia while any issues are resolved,” he said.

There is absolutely no way that the majority of these visa holders will ever permanently depart Australia, and anyone who claims otherwise is being naive.

I’m looking forward to games that really do take advantage of AI effectively. Having almost infinite variations of characters and plots would make each play through a new experience. I reckon some interesting games will be coming out in the next few years.

“In effect, Yuzu turns general computing devices into tools for massive intellectual property infringement of Nintendo and others’ copyrighted works.”

So, what’s the point of the Switch then? If all these devices can play any Switch game, yet Nintendo refuses to allow people to buy and run them on these devices, then it sounds to me like they’ve done this to themselves. I empathise for all the work developers have put into their games, but I have no sympathy for the executives who decide to make their games exclusive to an overpriced irrelevant piece of technology.