Posts by Joseph Lee3

Raymond Palmer8 said:👍
also, instead of using that 17" monitor mentioned in the original post, I watch DivX files through a projector (I'd highly recommend picking up a screen; regardless of how white your wall is, the difference in image quality is massive), though lately I've been leaning more toward my 107" plasma...

Oh, and if anyone is still under the impression that DivX lacks decent quality, just download a DVD rip of that IMAX "Coral Reef Adventure"—it’ll change your mind instantly.

A screen, you say? Hmm... I was actually wondering why anyone would bother when they have a perfectly good wall right there. I can't decide whether to admit my wall is currently a shade of yellow or just keep quiet, but I honestly don't see the issue you're pointing out. 🤣 Either way, I'm due for a fresh coat of paint soon...

But seriously, I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't experienced it myself. It's better than a box of chocolates. A TV? Please. The best part about using a projector is that I don't even notice when a movie is stuck in a 4:3 aspect ratio, which absolutely kills me when I'm watching on a standard television. And seeing those close-up shots from a low angle? It genuinely gives you goosebumps... it's wild.🙂

As for quality, I often found that movies rented from the local video store looked worse than most of the DivX files I own, so I'm not buying into that argument. When it comes to picture and sound, the difference is night and day once you bring in an actual DVD from outside; that's when you realize what a total scam our local video distributors really are. Disgusting.🙂

Alright, let's give a massive round of applause for the DivX format once again! Everything looks so much more vibrant now: I finally picked up an LCD projector and spent the entire night blasting images onto my wall. I set everything up so the picture was oooooooooooogantuan, hooked the audio into my ridiculously overpriced 5.1 system, and basically passed out from pure bliss. Who even needs a movie theater anymore? Like, would I ever bother going to an AMC Theatres just to catch The Grand Vadrouille? Not a chance.

This level of quality isn't for everyone! I'm off to quickly knead some pizza dough and toss something in the oven...🙂

vidocq said:I was trying to make DivX less relevant, but somehow I’ve just made it even more essential!🙂 🙂

Look, vidocq, its importance is exactly what you'd expect—it’s all about the money driving the music. It’s honestly painful trying to watch something like "Barry Lyndon" on some mediocre DivX file, especially when you're stretching a 4:3 aspect ratio to fit a 16:9 widescreen TV. That’s just masochism. And don't even get me started on "Playtime"; it was shot on 70mm, so watching it on a Criterion Collection DVD is already a compromise, let alone on a compressed DivX file. But realistically, which theater am I supposed to trek to just to experience a masterpiece like "Playtime" the way it was intended? Am I really going to start buying return tickets to some niche indie cinemas in Cardiff? No thanks. Unfortunately, because of current industry standards, we have so few theaters left that actually offer these masterpieces in the formats they deserve. Plus, you’d have to hunt down and buy every single film in high quality, assuming it's even available on physical media to begin with. Personally, I only treat myself to the high-end versions of movies after I've watched them on DivX and realized my heart would actually break if I didn't own the proper version. If anything, that’s the direct benefit DivX provides to the film industry.

On the other hand, the entire artistic impact is pretty much ruined from the jump just by the concept of using a small screen. There isn't much else to say there.

nimblenomad41 said:I totally get that feeling; I just finished ironing the last of my laundry, which had been taking up way too much floor space in my room for days now. My whole place smells like Downy 👍

Man... what, you don't have a housekeeper to bail you out? Honestly, I'd rather walk around in wrinkled shirts than actually face an iron myself.

All jokes aside, a net limiter is a solid little tool (though I haven't personally messed with one). It actually reminded me of the old ffdshow days; I used to have it installed all the time, but after I wiped my hard drive, it completely slipped my mind until just now. Definitely another must-have in the toolkit.

nimblenomad41 said:my DSL connection—along with everyone else's, really—prioritizes uploads over downloads. Basically, the moment someone starts pulling files from you, your own download speeds take a massive hit. That's why NetLimiter is such a handy little tool for capping that upload bandwidth; it’s got a few other useful tricks up its sleeve, too.

It reminds me of that old Satchmo line: "We have all the time in the world..." 🙂

I'm just relieved that what I'm downloading finally has more than ten people seeding it; whether it takes five days or seven doesn't matter much now. In the meantime, I'll just finish folding the laundry—using a net limiter would probably just kill my productivity, much like a distracted housewife.🙂

nimblenomad41 said:see that little blue icon in the bottom right corner with the single L and the flipped L?
that software is called "NetLimiter"

thanks for clearing that up. I've heard the name floating around, but I never really dug into it since I'm pretty much tech-illiterate.

How on earth are you managing to pull down 31 files when you're crawling along at a measly 1 KB/s? 🤔 Is this some kind of high-level "hacking" trick with the BitTorrent client, or what?...

Yeah, it’s a total wrecking ball... 🍿

The professor is out on vacation! 😬

So, come on, you alternative type, give us the details! What kind of center are we actually talking about here? 😎

😕 This thread is getting absolutely unhinged... I’m just sitting here waiting for my turn to lose it, though I might just start manifesting it subconsciously at this point. 🙄
Honestly, it feels like we’re all just involuntary test subjects in some twisted government bio-weapon experiment.

😢 I had the exact same thought regarding Sullivan’s travels and high society... Oh, well 🙄

I’m constantly hunting for a spark of inspiration... once I finally make it big, I’ll be the next Sugar kan Kowalczyk 😎

Not all soy milk is created equal, if you can even call it that. Most of the plain stuff tastes like nothing at all, but if you grab the version fortified with calcium, it’s actually decent—honestly, way better than those watery rice or oat alternatives. You should track down some Provamel with added calcium next time you're at a Whole Foods. 👍

James Newman4, you starting a nursery or something?😛

silvermason16 said:Grace Flores85, don't go making a mess of things here. 🙂

Is there actually a rule against being wrong, or are we just expected to pretend we have all the answers? 🙄 Based on what we’ve gathered...
So, we're dealing with bad information now?

So, what’s actually the deal with the difference between E300 and E330?

In the States, for instance, the FDA allows about 48 different emulsifiers on their approved list, whereas over in Europe, they're much more restrictive.
The European Union keeps a list of seventy-five approved emulsifiers, which feels like they’re trying to catalog every single way to keep things from separating.

It looks like we’re headed toward a situation where, following a constant stream of fresh studies and that updated list, everything is bound to shift.
Keep it short.

Just to clear the air on this before things get messy: that "E" designation isn't just some shorthand for emulsifiers. It’s actually a systemic coding system where the number serves as the specific identifier for the substance itself. Emulsifiers are really just one small subset of additives—it's purely a coincidence that they happen to start with an E, which is why people constantly conflate the two terms. You've also got preservatives, colorants, and flavorings all living under that same umbrella.

Furthermore, when you look at the regulatory guidelines, they don't actually categorize additives into "allowed" versus "forbidden" buckets. It’s more like a master list of what’s permitted, provided you follow the specific FDA standards for each individual product category. If an ingredient on that list suddenly turns out to be hazardous, it just gets scrubbed from the books entirely.

And then they have the nerve to claim that the numbers don't strictly follow a sequence, even if there’s some underlying logic at play—suggesting you might run into an E425 only to find E426 has vanished entirely, leaving you to jump straight to E427.

Matthew Sullivan32 said:Why even use the conditional tense here? It’s not like we aren't already buying and eating this stuff—sometimes we know exactly what's in it, and sometimes we're just blissfully unaware.

I'm right there with you.🙂

starfish_from_sea said:Well, yeah, 🙄
I’ve started checking labels on everything I buy lately,
and whenever I spot things like E 330 or maybe E 124, I just put it back on the shelf.

Hey Chemist, can you clear something up for me—what exactly is "modified starch" in food,
like in those chocolate puddings or other stuff we grab at the grocery store?
Just seeing the word 'modified' makes my stomach turn.👎

Modified starch is basically just starch that's been tweaked (🙄 ) through various processes to make sure it actually works for whatever specific texture or consistency a manufacturer is aiming for. Most people see that word and immediately think of GMOs, but there’s absolutely no connection between modified starch and genetic engineering. It’s just taking standard starch from things like potatoes or corn and shifting its physical structure so it behaves differently—for instance, helping it hold onto water better, which is pretty essential for instant products like soups or baby food that need to thicken up once you add liquid. Modified starch isn't a health hazard! 🙂 I'll say it again: modified starch is perfectly safe to eat!

If you're looking for info on additives or those E-number codes, there are plenty of websites out there that list them all, such as: this one

As for the whole massive debate regarding whether these lists are even necessary or justified, it's a long story and I don't really have the energy to dive into it right now...🙂

frozenangler9 said:When it comes to local folklore, I remember hearing stories from back in the Midwest about "boundary lights"—these strange glows that supposedly drift through the fields at night to mark the edges of the farmland.😁 😁

There are actually texts regarding Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that discuss these so-called luminous beings, known as devayonii. They aren't quite what you'd expect; they're essentially born from just three elements—space, gas, and light—which means they lack the physical density and liquid components that make up a standard biological body.

They aren't ghosts or souls of the departed, but entirely independent entities that simply haven't assembled all five elemental building blocks required for a full physical form. There are nine distinct types described with their own specific names. If you're looking to dive deeper, you can find more details in the book Cognitive Behavioral Therapy by Paramahansa Yogananda, though finding a copy might be a bit of a scavenger hunt.

blueranger12 said:When I find myself hating a movie that everyone else seems to adore, it actually starts to worry me. It’s not just a bad feeling; it feels like a restless, tossing-and-turning kind of discomfort.
I find it much easier to process someone telling me what they loved than dealing with the weight of someone tearing something apart.

Regarding point A—don't let it get to you when your taste clashes with the masses. Just take a look at the top rentals at Blockbuster or any of those massive Hollywood summer blockbusters. Honestly, if you truly used popularity as your primary yardstick for quality, you’d probably be jumping off a bridge right about now!

b) That second part sounds a bit like a textbook case of an inferiority complex. 😵
Look at how Jessica Nguyen85 refuses to back down! Just stay the course! 🎉