RoyalHenOil's recent activity
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Comment on Do you feel like you’ve had many lives so far? Why, why not? Which? in ~life
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Comment on The best games of 2025, picked by NPR's staff in ~games
RoyalHenOil LinkOh, it's nifty that The Drifter made the list! That's a pretty obscure (but very good) game made by a friend of my partner's.Oh, it's nifty that The Drifter made the list! That's a pretty obscure (but very good) game made by a friend of my partner's.
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Comment on Collapse of critical Atlantic current is no longer low-likelihood, study finds in ~enviro
RoyalHenOil Link ParentA reduction or collapse of AMOC will also result in a higher sea level rise in eastern North America (3–4x higher than the global average).A reduction or collapse of AMOC will also result in a higher sea level rise in eastern North America (3–4x higher than the global average).
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Comment on Pluribus S01E01 - “We is Us” in ~tv
RoyalHenOil (edited )Link ParentI hope this isn't too much info, but I wouldn't describe an ant colony as authoritarian. The workers in an ant colony are more like pure communists that are highly cooperative due to being close...I hope this isn't too much info, but I wouldn't describe an ant colony as authoritarian. The workers in an ant colony are more like pure communists that are highly cooperative due to being close to genetically identical. They all follow the same set of genetic instructions (assuming no health problems that mess them up). They don't have a leader, and they don't exhibit behavior that we would describe as laws and punishment in a human society.
Honeybee hives are much closer to what we might describe as an authoritarian human society. Unlike ants, the bees in a hive are more genetically diverse despite being sisters (in the wild, a queen bee typically mates with 20+ drones to ensure genetic diversity in her daughters), so they are less naturally cooperative than ants and must enforce rules to maintain the relative uniformity that a hive requires to survive. If a honeybee diverges too far from expected behavior (e.g., if a worker bee lays eggs or gets drunk on fermented nectar), her sisters will typically kill her in order to protect and maintain the hive. On the other hand, this individual diversity in behavior makes a bee colony more adaptable than an ant colony; the most clever and observant honeybees in a colony will solve puzzles and teach them to their sisters, for example.
All that being said, there are some ant species (like some members of the Myrmicinae subfamily) that do exhibit high intelligence and more complex individual behavior, similar to bees. For example, members of the Myrmecia genus are solitary hunters and foragers that can make complex observations and decisions, and some members of the Myrmica genus appear to pass the mirror test. But as far as I'm aware, they still don't enforce rules rules on each other; if one ant exhibits highly divergent behavior, the others will tolerate her for as long as they recognize that individual as a one of their own (e.g., as long as she still 'smells' like a member of the colony).
In Pluribus (mind you, I've only seen the first two episodes so far), the infected humans strike me as more ant-like than bee-like. Although they're still genetically diverse, their shared mind means they're all following the same set of behavioral instructions, so they don't require any kind of authority and don't enforce cooperation. And like ants, they appear to tolerate divergent behavior (e.g., the 11 immune people exhibiting violence or refusing a vegetarian diet). Even when millions of people are killed by misbehavior, the ant-like-colony takes no action to correct it like a beehive would or a human society would; they're essentially the extreme opposite of authoritarian.
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Comment on Japan unveils human washing machine, now you can get washed like laundry in ~tech
RoyalHenOil LinkWhen my grandmother was in a facility for Alzheimer's patients, I talked to some of the staff, and they were telling me that it was extremely difficult to bathe some of the patients because they...When my grandmother was in a facility for Alzheimer's patients, I talked to some of the staff, and they were telling me that it was extremely difficult to bathe some of the patients because they would become panicky and aggressive. For dementia patients, being bathed by another person can trigger childhood memories of sexual assault.
It would be good to see bathing machines like these (maybe not quite so expensive) in these types of facilities.
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Comment on Shock discovery reveals sea urchins are basically 'all brain' in ~science
RoyalHenOil Link Parent"Fish" used to be the term for animals that get around primarily by swimming (such as shellfish). "Bird" was likewise used for flying animals (such as bees), "beast" for walking animals (such as..."Fish" used to be the term for animals that get around primarily by swimming (such as shellfish). "Bird" was likewise used for flying animals (such as bees), "beast" for walking animals (such as ants), and "worm" for slithering animals (such as snakes). Nice, logically consistent categories — although there were some weird edge cases (e.g., is a lizard a beast or a worm, or is a beaver a beast or a fish?).
Then they decided to redefine "fish" into a taxonomic category before they had any understanding of actual evolution, and now we've got the illogical, catch-all mess of a term we have today — where a lamprey is a fish and a lungfish is a fish, yet a cow (basically a glorified lungfish) is not a fish. Why? Because it doesn't swim. So why isn't a whale a fish? Also because cows don't swim.
TLDR; whales are fish by any rational definition.
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Comment on A new era of intelligence with Gemini 3 in ~tech
RoyalHenOil Link ParentI was a kid when the dotcom crash happened, with no investments whatsoever, and it still very negatively impacted me. Both of my parents worked in computer-related fields and did not have a lot in...I was a kid when the dotcom crash happened, with no investments whatsoever, and it still very negatively impacted me. Both of my parents worked in computer-related fields and did not have a lot in savings to fall back on (my brother died two years previously after a lengthy hospital stay). My family never really recovered financially, and my sister and I grew up really struggling.
It seems really odd to be so focused on investment decisions when most people weren't (and still aren't) in any position to live off their investments. Young families were harshly impacted, and that can ripple for generations. It's a major part of the reason my sister and I both elected to not have kids.
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Comment on Denmark's drive to conscript teenage girls – as the threat from Russia increases, it is no longer only young men who are being called to serve in ~life.women
RoyalHenOil Link ParentI would actually take it several steps further. I think literally every single civilian who is eligible to vote, regardless of age or career or any other demographic factor, should be considered...I would actually take it several steps further. I think literally every single civilian who is eligible to vote, regardless of age or career or any other demographic factor, should be considered for conscription. If your number comes up, you can be weeded out on a per-person basis if you don't meet the requirements. (And honestly, there are a lot of non-combat roles that should have pretty moderate requirements.)
I suspect the world would be a more peaceful place if every voter, politician, diplomat, etc., potentially had skin in the game. And the kinds of wars that would actually merit conscription in such a scenario (e.g., resisting an invading force) would also benefit from drawing from the country's full pool of talent.
This approach might not have made much sense historically, when you basically just needed strong bodies to throw at the front lines and when it was far more costly to assess potential recruits. But technology has dramatically changed the nature of warfare.
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Comment on Large US study finds memory decline surge in young people in ~health.mental
RoyalHenOil LinkI would love to see what (if any) link this has to sleep quality. My instinct is that it's not social media that is shortening attention spans, but rather smartphones that are disrupting sleep...I would love to see what (if any) link this has to sleep quality. My instinct is that it's not social media that is shortening attention spans, but rather smartphones that are disrupting sleep patterns.
Anecdotally, sleep quality is overwhelmingly the biggest factor in how alert and focused I feel the next day, and I have found that I sleep much better if I read a Kindle or a book before bed than if I read my phone.
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Comment on Crossdressing Garbage in ~creative
RoyalHenOil Link ParentAs someone who's not inclined to gossip, it took me a very long time to understand this, but a lot of people who gossip aren't necessarily fundamentally judgmental. They're often just bored and...- Exemplary
As someone who's not inclined to gossip, it took me a very long time to understand this, but a lot of people who gossip aren't necessarily fundamentally judgmental. They're often just bored and scrambling around for something weird or funny to entertain other people with.
When I've had coworkers who gossip a lot, I've found that an effective non-confrontational way to deal with it is to tell them funny or weird stories about me and my life. If they say, "Did you know [so-and-so] did [some embarrassing thing]?", instead of engaging directly, I might say "Oh, that's like the time I did [some other embarrassing thing that I don't mind sharing]." We'll laugh about what I did, and then they start sharing funny anecdotes from their own life, and it basically just makes for a much friendlier conversation.
It doesn't have to be anything private or salacious. In my experience, silly things I did as a kid (like the time I filled the bathtub with dirt and plants to make a lizard habitat, and my mom's surprise when she went to take a shower) can be a really good redirection, even if it has essentially nothing to do with whatever they're gossiping about.
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Comment on Financial collapse? in ~finance
RoyalHenOil Link ParentYou can save a lot of money on fruit and vegetables if you go about it the right way (e.g., don't build raised beds — just grow in the ground like your granny did). It's not a realistic option for...You can save a lot of money on fruit and vegetables if you go about it the right way (e.g., don't build raised beds — just grow in the ground like your granny did). It's not a realistic option for many people, however, depending on their climate and soil.
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Comment on Financial collapse? in ~finance
RoyalHenOil (edited )LinkI'm not necessarily expecting a full-on collapse, but I'm pretty bearish, too. I got very nervous about the economic outlook in February, so I sold off my US-based investments then (I'm a US...I'm not necessarily expecting a full-on collapse, but I'm pretty bearish, too. I got very nervous about the economic outlook in February, so I sold off my US-based investments then (I'm a US citizen, but I don't live in the US and don't have the mindset that the US is the only market). I reinvested them in non-US ETFs, weighted somewhat toward European defense because I think (fear, more like) that this particular industry is going to see more action and development over the next few years.
I had a lot of savings in both US dollars and Australian dollars, and I was worried that either or both currencies might undergo excess inflation, so I also invested a big chunk of my savings in a gold ETF. It's nice that gold has risen in value, I guess — but to me, this investment is just a hedge; any extra money I make off the top is a bonus. I do not intend to sell those shares until I'm far more confident in the world economy than I am now, which will be well after gold peaks in value.
There will be dips, especially if there's a sudden economic shock, but I don't think we are near gold's peak yet (however, take my opinion with a grain of salt; I'm not an economist). If I had to gamble, I'd say we're still a few years away from the world economy stabilizing enough that people/institutions/governments are broadly unconcerned about currency devaluation and start moving away from gold again. (Anecdotally, I live in a region that had a gold rush in the 1850s/1860s, and a lot of gold mining companies are starting to spin up here again. This seems pretty bullish on gold's value over the next several years.)
Apart from that, I invested in areas that would help me save money in the near-term future (some bulk purchases, looming home/car repairs, thorough medical and dental checkups, etc.). Ever since, I've been focusing on keeping my savings high and my expenses low so that I can coast a good, long while if I lose my job.
I'm still just as pessimistic about the economy today as I was in February, but I am personally feeling a lot better now — way more prepared for what may come.
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Comment on How I escaped MAGA. Critical thinking woke me up. in ~society
RoyalHenOil Link ParentThis is far from universal. I'm an avowed atheist, but my Christian friends believe I will go to heaven. They think that God isn't heartless or an idiot and that he knows who we all are inside....You can only be saved through Christ. You can only know Christ through his church. You still have concepts of sin against a god.
This is far from universal.
I'm an avowed atheist, but my Christian friends believe I will go to heaven. They think that God isn't heartless or an idiot and that he knows who we all are inside.
Evangelical Christians broadly feel otherwise, of course, and they're very common and very politically influential in the US. But they are just one flavor of Christianity; they are definitely not such a dominant force worldwide, and their beliefs about God and the afterlife should not be treated as inherent to the religion.
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Comment on How I escaped MAGA. Critical thinking woke me up. in ~society
RoyalHenOil Link ParentIt's the same for me. I'm a second-generation atheist (my parents became atheists before I was born), and while of course I am threatened by anti-atheist sentiment and anti-atheist legislation, I...It's the same for me. I'm a second-generation atheist (my parents became atheists before I was born), and while of course I am threatened by anti-atheist sentiment and anti-atheist legislation, I really have no interest in converting people to atheism. I have absolutely no qualms socializing with theists, dating theists, etc., etc., so long as they accept me as well. Several of my close friends are deeply religious Christians, and I think it's one of their most fascinating characteristics; why would I want to change something so cool about them?
But I've noticed that a lot of first-generation atheists are far less tolerant of religion. My parents are both activist atheists, for example, and it drives me a little insane sometimes. I do like discussing the philosophy of atheism with them, but I don't really like it when it veers into them wanting religious people to change their beliefs.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, my dating history includes both deeply religious Christians and second+ generation atheists — but no one who converted to atheism later in life. (I'm not saying I would never hypothetically date a new convert, but it's rare for me to meet one who doesn't drive me a little crazy.)
As atheism gets more popular and it increasingly becomes something you're born into rather than switch to, I think (hope) this particular issue will die down.
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Comment on Debunking myths on farmworker pay in ~life
RoyalHenOil Link ParentOf course there is variation, but my point is that agricultural labor earns much higher wages in Australia than in the US, yet this is not reflected in grocery prices. I was agreeing with the...Of course there is variation, but my point is that agricultural labor earns much higher wages in Australia than in the US, yet this is not reflected in grocery prices. I was agreeing with the video; agricultural wages are not a major factor in food prices. There are other economic forces at play that matter a lot more.
US farm workers should be paid better. It would not meaningfully affect consumers.
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Comment on Debunking myths on farmworker pay in ~life
RoyalHenOil Link ParentIt will definitely vary based on region and on the specific product, but average grocery prices are lower here at the moment. In part, this will be because the Australian dollar is currently a lot...It will definitely vary based on region and on the specific product, but average grocery prices are lower here at the moment. In part, this will be because the Australian dollar is currently a lot weaker than the American dollar, and Australia has a big agriculture industry that easily feeds the country. The US has a big agricultural industry as well, but American farmers are having a rough time right now.
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Comment on Debunking myths on farmworker pay in ~life
RoyalHenOil (edited )LinkThis fits with my experience as well. I worked on a vegetable-breeding farm in Australia for eight years, and I spent my first four years as a lowly field worker. Minimum wage here is $25 AUD...This fits with my experience as well. I worked on a vegetable-breeding farm in Australia for eight years, and I spent my first four years as a lowly field worker.
Minimum wage here is $25 AUD (~$16.50 USD), but most farm workers are deemed casual employees (meaning they work on a seasonal, as-needed basis and don't get paid time off, etc.), and their minimum wage is $31.25 AUD ($20.60 USD). Yet Australian grocery prices are quite a bit lower than American grocery prices.
The farm where I worked paid quite a bit more than minimum wage, and it also gave every casual employee an annual raise for returning year after year. Even though farm work is deemed "unskilled", experience is extremely valuable in farming world. Many of my younger coworkers had agriculture degrees as well.
During my four years doing field work, I learned how to operate tractors, build greenhouses, manually hybridize a variety of crops, identify a variety of pests and diseases, manage hydroponics, design irrigation systems, tie and untie a large variety of knots very quickly (including the infamous trucker's hitch), etc., etc. But I had nothing on the old-timers who've been farming since childhood; they were the best paid amongst us and had an incredible wealth of knowledge in all kinds of different areas. They were our supervisors and trainers.
Vegetable breeding is very labor-intensive because you don't get economy of scale. There were about 40 field workers growing hundreds and hundreds of different varieties, often in extremely tight spaces (some of our crops were smaller than a parking space, and our largest crops were maybe 1/4 acre at most). Each variety had to be sown, planted, pruned, and harvested at different times and/or in different ways — plus we had to be extremely careful to never cross-pollinate anything or get any seeds mixed up — so we had to do nearly everything manually using basic hand tools (mostly hoes, bypass pruners, and knives).
We also didn't have a lot of time to work. We worked 7.5 hours, weekdays only, and many of us only worked part-time (a lot of my coworkers had farms of their own to run). We also spent a lot of time traveling because many of our crops were off-site; wind-pollinated crops, like spinach, must be grown miles apart to eliminate the risk of cross-pollination, and our furthest crops were almost an hour's drive away. Yet our operations were extremely productive: we sold seed by the pallet to the biggest growers in Australia, and we supplied even more overseas. Each person's productivity was so high that the cost of our labor must have had minimal effect on the final price of food.
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Comment on Same-sex partnership systems cover more than 90% of Japan’s population a decade after introduction in ~lgbt
RoyalHenOil (edited )Link ParentAustralia has something similar to this called a "de facto relationship". It offers essentially the same legal benefits as marriage (though some details vary, like the requirements for proving...Australia has something similar to this called a "de facto relationship". It offers essentially the same legal benefits as marriage (though some details vary, like the requirements for proving that you're in a relationship for purposes of getting a visa), but it's much easier to get into one. You basically just have to live together and consider yourselves a couple.
They're pretty popular, making up something like 15% of registered couples. My partner and I have been in a de facto relationship for 14 years now. It ensures our relationship is recognized in Australia (for the benefits) but not the US (for easier tax reporting, since I'm an American-Australian dual citizen and my partner is only an Australian citizen).
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Comment on Looking for a better tomato in ~hobbies
RoyalHenOil (edited )Link ParentThat is very good to hear! Once disease builds up, it's tricky to deal with. I hybridized tomatoes on a commercial farm for two years, and we used a simple trick to induce them to flower and fruit...That is very good to hear! Once disease builds up, it's tricky to deal with.
I hybridized tomatoes on a commercial farm for two years, and we used a simple trick to induce them to flower and fruit reliably: Each "stalk" of the tomato plant (which in our case was always two) could only have 10–12 leaves. Every time a new leaf matured at the top of the plant, we cut off the lowest leaf to maintain that exact number of leaves at all times.
This has two benefits:
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One, it maintains a good balance between vegetative growth and reproductive growth (if tomatoes have too many leaves, they get stuck in vegetative mode and don't fruit well).
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Two, it greatly improves air flow around the stem and roots, which is especially important in humid conditions (tomatoes evolved in a dry, desert-like climate and do not tolerate excess moisture very well).
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Comment on Looking for a better tomato in ~hobbies
RoyalHenOil Link ParentAnything that isn't a nightshade (other than strawberries due to the high risk of verticillium wilt). You could grow legumes (peas, beans), alliums (onions, garlic, leeks), cucurbits (squash,...Anything that isn't a nightshade (other than strawberries due to the high risk of verticillium wilt).
You could grow legumes (peas, beans), alliums (onions, garlic, leeks), cucurbits (squash, cucumber, melon, etc.), brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, kale, etc.), Apiaceae (carrots, celery, etc.), and plenty of others. Just make sure to rotate them out, too; you don't want closely related annuals growing in the same location year after year.
Alternatively, you could grow perennial fruits and vegetables (such as raspberries or asparagus). They don't require crop rotation.
I've had a few. Some highlights:
Despite all of that, I've never really felt like I've changed much as a person. My interests and personality have stayed pretty steady, all in all.