Chiasmic's recent activity

  1. Comment on Tildes Gardening Group: Week 30/3/26 in ~hobbies

    Chiasmic
    Link
    How much do people care about where they get their seeds from? Do you notice a difference in seed quality/plant growth from different brands?

    How much do people care about where they get their seeds from? Do you notice a difference in seed quality/plant growth from different brands?

    2 votes

  2. Comment on Scientists uncovered the nutrients bees were missing -- colonies surged fifteen-fold in ~science

    Chiasmic
    Link Parent
    Out of interest, what system would you prefer? And how would you mitigate against the risk of being outproduced and then overtaken by an adjacent capitalist/equivalent system?

    Out of interest, what system would you prefer? And how would you mitigate against the risk of being outproduced and then overtaken by an adjacent capitalist/equivalent system?

    1 vote

  3. Comment on US Supreme Court rules against Colorado ban on ‘conversion therapy’ for LGBTQ+ kids in ~lgbt

    Chiasmic
    Link Parent
    All good and reasonable points. I think though you would get all the same issues if you limit it just to children? I guess it boils down to a question over what the benefit of licensing it, and...

    All good and reasonable points. I think though you would get all the same issues if you limit it just to children?

    I guess it boils down to a question over what the benefit of licensing it, and how broadly it should be used. Especially in the age of social media and everyone offering a side hustle, would it not be helpful to know people have had some basic training for most talking therapies?
    Even a really basic license you give to everyone in good faith and then remove if there are issues that would normally lead to a removal of license which would at least get rid of the worst ones. But I think this is going a bit too much off topic!

  4. Comment on Inside the ‘self-driving’ lab revolution in ~science

    Chiasmic
    Link Parent
    Not only mindless, but due to being mindless, humans can introduce minor variation in process to increase efficiency or make it less mindless, which reduces reproducibility.

    Not only mindless, but due to being mindless, humans can introduce minor variation in process to increase efficiency or make it less mindless, which reduces reproducibility.

    9 votes

  5. Comment on US Supreme Court rules against Colorado ban on ‘conversion therapy’ for LGBTQ+ kids in ~lgbt

    Chiasmic
    Link Parent
    Yes, I would agree, and its an issue with medical or financial advice as well- when does it stray from chat to advice? Is saying to your friend you think its a good financial decision to buy a...

    Yes, I would agree, and its an issue with medical or financial advice as well- when does it stray from chat to advice? Is saying to your friend you think its a good financial decision to buy a house financial advice? Is saying you would recommend a specific operation for urinary issues a case of medical advice?

    The clear dividing line in my head is when it is advertised or offered to others on a professional basis. This would normally involve taking money or profiting from your activities, and that could include advertising income from social media which discusses issues, or charitable donations which support activities so you don’t need payment.
    Personally I think this would be effective, as it makes clear criteria, cuts off financial incentive or means of supporting unlicensed therapy/advice and doesn’t invade privacy. It could also specifically address children separately or together as needed.

    You might still have issues with friends or family offering non paid/professional talk therapies, but I don’t think there is a good way to legislate on that without overstepping the mandate of the state. Having said that, it should be relatively small scale and localised.

  6. Comment on US Supreme Court rules against Colorado ban on ‘conversion therapy’ for LGBTQ+ kids in ~lgbt

    Chiasmic
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    I think there is a difference between talking about something, and offering a service/advice to someone [edit: particularly in a professional role]. Clearly* there is a benefit to only licensed...

    I think there is a difference between talking about something, and offering a service/advice to someone [edit: particularly in a professional role]. Clearly* there is a benefit to only licensed people giving medical advice or financial advice. To license someone offering a service that involves talking where there is potential for harm seems like a reasonable extension of such a norm.

    *clearly from my point of view anyway. We can discuss it if you want and don’t agree.

    2 votes

  7. Comment on Tildes Gardening Group: Week 30/3/26 in ~hobbies

    Chiasmic
    Link Parent
    Interesting, makes sense but I hadn’t considered that. I have cilantro (coriander) already and I plan sunflowers, but you’re right it might need some local customisation.

    Interesting, makes sense but I hadn’t considered that. I have cilantro (coriander) already and I plan sunflowers, but you’re right it might need some local customisation.

    2 votes

  8. Comment on Tildes Gardening Group: Week 30/3/26 in ~hobbies

    Chiasmic
    Link Parent
    No I’m not, I might give that a go!

    No I’m not, I might give that a go!

    2 votes

  9. Comment on Tildes Gardening Group: Week 30/3/26 in ~hobbies

    Chiasmic
    Link Parent
    Life admin, getting in the way of good hobbies since 10,000 BCE

    Life admin, getting in the way of good hobbies since 10,000 BCE

    2 votes

  10. Comment on Tildes Gardening Group: Week 30/3/26 in ~hobbies

    Chiasmic
    Link Parent
    I might try it this year, I was put off by the idea of attracting more slugs but it’s unlikely, my garden is quite closed off.

    I might try it this year, I was put off by the idea of attracting more slugs but it’s unlikely, my garden is quite closed off.

    2 votes

  11. Comment on Can we talk about rice cookers? in ~food

    Chiasmic
    Link Parent
    I would think it does as it needs to depressurise afterwards from what I remember.

    I would think it does as it needs to depressurise afterwards from what I remember.

    1 vote

  12. Comment on Can we talk about rice cookers? in ~food

    Chiasmic
    Link
    I own a yum-Asia panda. It is for up to 3 cups of rice. There are larger variants for big families. I also have an instant pot. The rice cooker I think does rice subtly better than the instant...

    I own a yum-Asia panda. It is for up to 3 cups of rice. There are larger variants for big families. I also have an instant pot. The rice cooker I think does rice subtly better than the instant pot, but also is much smaller and easier to fit in a canned kitchen. Somehow I find the instant pot more effort, although maybe that’s just psychological? It also is helpful to have both for when you have used the instant pot to make a dish that needs rice as a side…
    I have steamed veg in it, but it’s quite small for that tbh, and it takes a different amount of time for rice so it’s not set and forget otherwise your veg will be overdone. I’ve done quinoa in it to really good effect as well.
    Eventually I will try other more exciting things, but for now that suits me.

    If I were you and had a big kitchen, and want to be able to experiment with other things, get an instant pot and see if it suits you. If you prefer a smaller simpler gadget because of a cramped kitchen then go for a rice cooker. I like the yum Asia one.

    3 votes

  13. Comment on How China forgot Karl Marx: The Chinese economy runs on labor exploitation (gifted link) in ~society

    Chiasmic
    Link Parent
    I would agree with you there. When I said agency over life, I meant more in social standing, but in terms of physical limitations of social interaction such as transport or free time to do so, yes...

    I would agree with you there. When I said agency over life, I meant more in social standing, but in terms of physical limitations of social interaction such as transport or free time to do so, yes you are right.

    1 vote

  14. Comment on Tildes Gardening Group: Week 30/3/26 in ~hobbies

    Chiasmic
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    None yet this year, but last year my main foes were: Slugs. I had some success with sharp shells as a mechanical barrier to slugs, but no entirely. They devoured some crops not kept in plastic...

    None yet this year, but last year my main foes were:

    1. Slugs. I had some success with sharp shells as a mechanical barrier to slugs, but no entirely. They devoured some crops not kept in plastic troughs including most of my sunflowers :(.
    2. Caterpillars. Again these got my peas which ruined eating off the pod as half had the little critters. They also got my kale, although that did recover. I managed to physically shake them off the kale as it was in a plastic trough and I could turn it sideways.
    3. Ear wigs! I’ve been told these are not pests, they don’t eat crops. Well they liked my beans a lot! It didn’t grow nearly as many beans as its leaves were 50% eaten by earwigs. I didn’t get a solution to this other than long hunting at night and physically removing them again.
    4 votes

  15. Comment on Tildes Gardening Group: Week 30/3/26 in ~hobbies

  16. Comment on Tildes Gardening Group: Week 30/3/26 in ~hobbies

    Chiasmic
    (edited )
    Link
    I haven’t got anything done since last week because life has got in the way, as has the weather. I’ve been doing some gardening since about 2020 (Covid hobby!), but getting slightly more serious...

    I haven’t got anything done since last week because life has got in the way, as has the weather.
    I’ve been doing some gardening since about 2020 (Covid hobby!), but getting slightly more serious every time. I’m not sure I know any good pearls, I’m still quite basic in my approach to gardening. I guess I care more about making sure I don’t crowd seeds which was a beginners mistake of mine!
    I guess this year I’m worried about pests which were a pain last year.
    I think I enjoy the early growth or harvesting phase most. I don’t like the very beginning which is often frustrating as I procrastinate doing things…

    4 votes

  17. Tildes Gardening Group: Week 30/3/26

    ~hobbies Ask
    Welcome all to our weekly (ish) gardening group discussion! Feel free to discuss anything related to gardening, beginner or advanced, challenge or success. ‘Seed’ questions? How long have you been...

    Welcome all to our weekly (ish) gardening group discussion!

    Feel free to discuss anything related to gardening, beginner or advanced, challenge or success.

    ‘Seed’ questions?

    1. How long have you been gardening?
    2. What’s the best pearl you have learnt?
    3. What are you worried about happening this year?
    4. When in the season do you enjoy gardening most?

    last session

    18 votes

  18. Comment on I think Tildes moderators and admins may need to make a decision regarding how to handle Harry Potter related posts in ~tildes

    Chiasmic
    Link Parent
    Fair enough if that’s your experience. For what it’s worth, I usually adopt a ‘non violent communication’ and with real people, and when ai speak from my true self, it often works far better than...

    Fair enough if that’s your experience. For what it’s worth, I usually adopt a ‘non violent communication’ and with real people, and when ai speak from my true self, it often works far better than I expect. Doesn’t work as well with assholes though. And for the record I’m not saying you are telling HP fans to go to hell, but I found rereading the whole thread some comments could be interpreted to say that or at least infer it.

    I have no strong feelings about whether donations makes it right or wrong, but my gut feeling is on a utilitarian point of view (which is only one aspect of ethics) it probably does cause a net positive and allows for compromise which to me is most important. And I chose a billion to prove a point, but I would say it’s also true for £1000 or even £100. You could do a lot to undo any harm JKR does with the £1 or whatever she gets from each person who watches the show. But I hear your point of view too, that for you personally it doesn’t help.

    11 votes

  19. Comment on I think Tildes moderators and admins may need to make a decision regarding how to handle Harry Potter related posts in ~tildes

    Chiasmic
    Link Parent
    That’s not quite what I’m saying. It would be more of a message which makes it’s clear it’s controversial, links to a page about the controversy and links to program charity list. It’s a...

    That’s not quite what I’m saying. It would be more of a message which makes it’s clear it’s controversial, links to a page about the controversy and links to program charity list. It’s a compromise to allow different groups to get along without derailing a conversation.

    But I get your point on a visceral level, I don’t like the idea of someone else determining right or wrong for me. But on an abstract level all communities have some things they consider correct axiomatic beliefs: e.g. people are equal, please don’t torture people, slavery isn’t okay etc. it’s probably acceptable to codify things like that (and probably fit into the don’t be an asshole rule).
    It’s ultimately up to Deimos about whether disagreeing with protrans points in a non asshole way is deemed acceptable or non acceptable for this community, and probably is the point that underlies most of this thread.

    6 votes

  20. Comment on I think Tildes moderators and admins may need to make a decision regarding how to handle Harry Potter related posts in ~tildes

    Chiasmic
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    I think here we fundamentally disagree on an axiomatic matter. I do think there is more room for change and growth, particularly in a compassionate (my buzzword it seems) environment. I have...

    I think here we fundamentally disagree on an axiomatic matter. I do think there is more room for change and growth, particularly in a compassionate (my buzzword it seems) environment. I have personally found the tone of the comments ‘stern’ for the lack of a better word. While posts don’t literally say ‘fuck you wizard lover burn in hell’ I do think some of the comments do indirectly imply that/a moral failing which means they would burn in hell if there was one. I don’t think that’s effective, or helpful.

    In general I don’t get on with a dogmatic/ “my way or the highway” approach, and communities are ultimately based on a degree of compromise. People are able to not quite see eye to eye on everything and still be a member of the same community, and still even get on. People can come to different conclusions on different matters based on how they weigh up moral pros and cons. Yes there are evil people out there, but most people are not. The left wing often has a problem with pragmatic compromise, which is why it is so often splintered, fragmented and full of infighting.
    In my mind it’s also the route of partisan politics in general which ruins politics for me. Us vs them isn’t productive.

    Edit: and re a donation, I would argue there must be a value where a donation does make a difference- if you donated £1 billion then I don’t see how it could not be an overall net good. Then it becomes a qualitative maths problem, and personally I reckon if you donate more than the total value of a show you watch (given how only a small fraction would end up in JKR pocket) it probably is a net good. I think you can achieve a lot more with a positive donation than through a boycott. But that is my opinion and is not evidence based.

    10 votes