RoyalHenOil's recent activity
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Comment on The end of reading is here in ~books
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Comment on Modern, abstract art makes me angry in ~arts
RoyalHenOil LinkI'm not generally a fan of abstract paintings when viewed in isolation, but I don't get annoyed by them. I just don't spend long looking at them in museums, because I generally prefer them when...I'm not generally a fan of abstract paintings when viewed in isolation, but I don't get annoyed by them. I just don't spend long looking at them in museums, because I generally prefer them when they're incorporated in something else (I do think they work well in some interior design spaces, as low-distraction backdrops on phones or computers, etc.).
A big part of the reason abstract art doesn't annoy me because it's absolutely everywhere. It's on most of the products at the supermarket, it's in every home (interior design is almost always abstract unless the room is designed to be heavily themed, which I honestly dislike a lot more than abstract design), a lot of clothing is abstract (graphic T-shirts, floral prints, etc. excepted), and most household objects (vases, small kitchen appliances, woodturned legs on furniture, etc.) are just kind of some artful shape that's not depicting anything in particular.
Abstract design is just kind of the norm. Paintings and sculptures that depict something in particular are a strange exception — no doubt a cultural fluke that evolved out of the need/desire to keep records of what things look like before the invention of photography.
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Comment on Physical disc production ending in January 2028 for new games releasing on PlayStation consoles in ~games
RoyalHenOil Link ParentThe weird thing, at least where I live, is that cartridges are cheaper — often substantially so — than digital downloads, despite being so much more expensive to produce and being resellable. I...The weird thing, at least where I live, is that cartridges are cheaper — often substantially so — than digital downloads, despite being so much more expensive to produce and being resellable.
I prefer digital games due to the faster load times (particularly noticeable on the Switch 2), so it's a tough choice between that and buying the cheaper, slower physical copy.
For this reason, I'm a big fan of game key cards. They're the best of both worlds, and I preferentially buy them whenever they're available. Unfortunately, most of the games I'm interested in buying just come on regular cartridges, not game key cartridges, but I'm hoping this changes in the future.
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Comment on How do I keep my dog from fearing water sprinklers? in ~life.pets
RoyalHenOil LinkKikopup has several videos on treating phobias and reactivity in dogs. Although none of them are about sprinklers specifically, the same general strategy should apply.Kikopup has several videos on treating phobias and reactivity in dogs. Although none of them are about sprinklers specifically, the same general strategy should apply.
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Comment on Do you cook with cast iron? Is it the hassle everyone says it is? in ~food
RoyalHenOil (edited )Link ParentI love those chainmail scrubbers! One of the biggest reasons I prefer cooking in cast iron is because I can use a chainmail scrubber without worrying about scratches. I wish I could use it on...I love those chainmail scrubbers!
One of the biggest reasons I prefer cooking in cast iron is because I can use a chainmail scrubber without worrying about scratches. I wish I could use it on everything. It's so annoying dealing with burnt food, etc., on my non-cast-iron cookware. (For them, I use a EuroScrubby pad, which is pretty good, but chainmail is better.)
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Comment on Do you cook with cast iron? Is it the hassle everyone says it is? in ~food
RoyalHenOil Link ParentIf you really want to see rust, take a steel brush grinder to the inside of the skillet to strip off the seasoning, and then put it through the dishwasher. I've done this before, and it's a pretty...If you really want to see rust, take a steel brush grinder to the inside of the skillet to strip off the seasoning, and then put it through the dishwasher. I've done this before, and it's a pretty shocking change! But after you remove the rust and re-season it, it's silky smooth — better than new.
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Comment on Do you cook with cast iron? Is it the hassle everyone says it is? in ~food
RoyalHenOil Link ParentEh, very easily fixed. Rust is super easy to remove, and the edge is super easy to sharpen if it gets a little banged up. You should be sharpening them frequently anyway. Lots of high-carbon...Eh, very easily fixed. Rust is super easy to remove, and the edge is super easy to sharpen if it gets a little banged up. You should be sharpening them frequently anyway.
Lots of high-carbon blades (axes, chainsaw blades, whittling knives, carving chisrls/gouges, etc.) get far harsher treatment than a kitchen knife's occasional trip through a dishwasher, and they last for years and years and years.
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Comment on Do you cook with cast iron? Is it the hassle everyone says it is? in ~food
RoyalHenOil (edited )Link ParentPutting it in the dishwasher will destroy the finish, but not the cast iron itself — except, arguably, the very outer layer, which turns into rust. It would take many, many, many washings to...Putting it in the dishwasher will destroy the finish, but not the cast iron itself — except, arguably, the very outer layer, which turns into rust. It would take many, many, many washings to damage it irreparably.
I once picked up a really dirty, rusty old cast iron dutch oven from a garage sale. Its owner used it for camping and left it outside in the weather for months or years, so it was in a pretty sorry state. I used a wire brush to knock all the crud off, ran it through the dishwasher to finish cleaning it, soaked it in vinegar (to remove the resulting rust), hand-washed it to remove the iron acetate (i.e., what vinegar turns into when it touches iron), and re-seasoned it in the oven. You would never know it had been neglected.
My partner and I have a very cheap enameled cast iron saucepan that we put through the dishwasher, even though there are some chips on the underside where my partner accidentally dropped it on the stove trivet. We've run it through the dishwasher over hundred times or so since the damage occurred (we use it about once a week and we've had it for several years), and it's definitely rusty where it's chipped, but it's holding up fine. I think it will probably survive many hundred more washes before we have to replace it — and that's with never de-rusting or oiling the exposed cast iron.
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Comment on Do you cook with cast iron? Is it the hassle everyone says it is? in ~food
RoyalHenOil Link ParentThis has been my experience — not with searing steaks specifically (I'm a vegetarian), but with other kinds of high-heat cooking, especially stir fry. I don't have a fancy stove with a wok burner,...This has been my experience — not with searing steaks specifically (I'm a vegetarian), but with other kinds of high-heat cooking, especially stir fry.
I don't have a fancy stove with a wok burner, but with my cast iron wok (which has a particularly thick bottom because it's designed to sit flat on a trivet), I can get absurdly high heat even on just my medium burner. It's way too heavy for tossing, but the poor conductivity of the steel also means that I get a lovely temperature gradient up the sides of the wok, which is super handy for stir fry that you have to actually stir instead of toss.
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Comment on Around twenty drown in France as French seek relief from heatwave in ~enviro
RoyalHenOil Link ParentHumidity really does make it so much worse — both hot weather and cold weather. I moved from Georgia (USA) to Victoria (Australia). Victoria has hotter, drier summers than Georgia and warmer,...Humidity really does make it so much worse — both hot weather and cold weather.
I moved from Georgia (USA) to Victoria (Australia). Victoria has hotter, drier summers than Georgia and warmer, wetter winters. I strongly prefer a dry 40°C (104°C) here over a wet 30°C (86°F) back home, and I likewise strongly prefer a dry -5°C (23°F) back home over a wet 5°C (41°F) here.
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Comment on Around twenty drown in France as French seek relief from heatwave in ~enviro
RoyalHenOil Link ParentIt sounds like your apartment is well insulated. Insulation works great when you're artificially heating and cooling your home, but if it's hot outside and you don't have A/C, insulation is...It sounds like your apartment is well insulated. Insulation works great when you're artificially heating and cooling your home, but if it's hot outside and you don't have A/C, insulation is stifling — usually worse than being outdoors.
Historically, homes in hot climates made uses of cross breezes (using strategically placed windows, doors, courtyards, and covered walkways) to passively cool buildings in the summer.
If it's possible, I recommend trying to replicate this in your apartment using windows/doors — and fans if you have them. What you want to do is draw in cooler outdoor air (generally located lower to the ground and in shade) and push out hotter indoor air (generally located near the ceiling and in upper storeys). Remember that hot air rises, so you want to let it out and provide a way for cooler air to come in to replace it.
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Comment on Signs you're a dangerous terrorist: using Signal, moving zines in ~society
RoyalHenOil Link ParentI'm a US citizen living overseas, and even I'm too nervous to travel to the US now. I particularly don't want to travel there with my partner (not a US citizen).I'm a US citizen living overseas, and even I'm too nervous to travel to the US now.
I particularly don't want to travel there with my partner (not a US citizen).
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Comment on Celebrating 30th wedding anniversary - AMA in ~life
RoyalHenOil LinkWhat are the biggest (or at least clearest) differences you've observed between your relationship and other relationships around you that haven't gone the distance?What are the biggest (or at least clearest) differences you've observed between your relationship and other relationships around you that haven't gone the distance?
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Comment on If AI is sentient then so is ‘Age of Empires II’ in ~tech
RoyalHenOil Link ParentEven humans are not really maximally conscious. A lot of our thought processes are done unconsciously, like language generation and most decision making. We are only aware of a portion of our...Even humans are not really maximally conscious. A lot of our thought processes are done unconsciously, like language generation and most decision making. We are only aware of a portion of our internal processing, and even that awareness is pretty inconsistent (e.g., blanking out while driving your regular commute).
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Comment on Around twenty drown in France as French seek relief from heatwave in ~enviro
RoyalHenOil Link ParentMasonry is not insulation. Insulation uses material that doesn't conduct heat easily (which, in effect, is usually material that traps air — like foam and double-glazed windows — because stagnant...Masonry is not insulation. Insulation uses material that doesn't conduct heat easily (which, in effect, is usually material that traps air — like foam and double-glazed windows — because stagnant air is particularly resistant to conducting heat), whereas stone/bricks/concrete conduct heat very readily. This is why they feel cooler to the touch than, say, wood; they're conducting your body heat away faster than wood can.
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Comment on Not so empty nesters: record-high number of US adults under 35 live at home, new data says in ~life
RoyalHenOil Link ParentYeah, "home" has a strong connotation of belonging in English and means something deeper than where you live, so it's often used to mean something like "origin". For example, if you're an...Yeah, "home" has a strong connotation of belonging in English and means something deeper than where you live, so it's often used to mean something like "origin". For example, if you're an immigrant, your "home country" is the country you originated from.
There's also a sense that "home" is something you go back to, so if there are two places that you might call "home", it often refers to whichever one you're not presently at. If I'm at the house where I live, "home" usually means my parent's house (the house where I grew up) or my origin city/state/country more generally. If I'm at their house, it usually means the house where I currently live or my current city/state/country more generally. If I'm at some third place, like the shop or a different country, it usually refers to the house I live now — though not always.
It depends a lot on context and the exact phrasing ("I live at home" vs "I'm at home"). It's a pretty complex word.
A less ambiguous alternative is "place" (as in "I'm heading back to my place"), which refers just to whichever place you live currently, regardless of how much it feels like "home" to you. But it strikes a pretty casual note.
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Comment on Keir Starmer announces resignation as leader of Labour Party in the UK in ~society
RoyalHenOil Link ParentWhy is it so hard for political parties in the UK to make more impactful changes?It's a massive, systemic issue with the way that the UK's government operates...
Why is it so hard for political parties in the UK to make more impactful changes?
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Comment on The global fertility crisis is worse than you think in ~society
RoyalHenOil (edited )Link ParentIt's pretty hard to take the fertility crisis that seriously when the main people I see talking about it (business leaders) are, simultaneously, spouting anti-immigrant and anti-welfare/healthcare...It's pretty hard to take the fertility crisis that seriously when the main people I see talking about it (business leaders) are, simultaneously, spouting anti-immigrant and anti-welfare/healthcare rhetoric and laying off thousands of workers. Whatever they may say, their actions are consistent with a population that's too large and human beings too devalued.
Even in countries like South Korea, there are an awful lot of child-free spaces around. It's hard to believe that South Korea's leadership actually want more children as much as they say they do, while they turn a blind eye to rampant discrimination against children.
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Comment on The global fertility crisis is worse than you think in ~society
RoyalHenOil Link ParentFor demographers, "fertility rate" refers to the average number of children born per woman, without factoring in any causes. That being said, we are arguably facing a fertility crisis (in the...For demographers, "fertility rate" refers to the average number of children born per woman, without factoring in any causes.
That being said, we are arguably facing a fertility crisis (in the sense of couples being unable to have children) as a consequence of the birth control crisis (in the sense of couples choosing to use birth control). In advanced economies, children are a financial drain on a couple's resources, so they tend to delay having children until they're more financially stable — which means waiting until they're older. Modern medicine is really effective at helping older couples still have healthy children, but it's still far from perfect and it doesn't come cheap.
As a consequence, even couples who want to have children often end up having fewer children than they would like — often just one or two kids (below the replacement levels) when they would have preferred three or four (above replacement levels).
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
RoyalHenOil Link ParentThat sounds interesting. Time travel stories are my absolute hands-down favorite when they actually explore the topic (instead of just using it as a cheap deus ex machina or whatever).That sounds interesting. Time travel stories are my absolute hands-down favorite when they actually explore the topic (instead of just using it as a cheap deus ex machina or whatever).
I agree with you (although I have to admit that I do have difficulty with changing tires sometimes — my upper body strength is pathetic, and some of those lug nuts are really tight!). I think just having a habit of trying things and seeing projects through, whatever they are, builds self-confidence that can be applied to anything.
I didn't grow up building high-tension fences, designing irrigation systems, or building furniture — all things I self-taught for the first time as an adult, without any guidance but how-to guides and videos. I didn't grow up doing anything like those tasks; instead, I grew up doing little crafts like sewing Halloween costumes and painting pictures. But these activities, simple as they were, gave me confidence that I can try new things, recover from mistakes, and ultimately succeed if I'm determined enough.
In my personal observation, the number one thing I see holding people back is anxiety. They're so scared of messing something up and have no confidence whatsoever in their ability to improvise when something goes wrong. They think they have to do everything in the 100% "best" way (e.g., thinking they need to invest in expensive raised garden beds before they'll even entertain growing vegetables), which raises the stakes so high that they're afraid to try it at all. And even when the stakes are extremely low (e.g., messing up a loaf of sourdough bread), people often freeze up the moment something goes a little sideways and they need to wing it.
In my experience with teaching skills to other people, it's about a bazillion times easier to teach somebody who already has some kind of confidence-building hobby than somebody who does not. I can teach a programmer (for example) how to prune fruit trees without much trouble, even though there's essentially no overlap between the two skills, simply because programmers are pretty used to making mistakes.