Maxi's recent activity

  1. Comment on How an apple from a rejected tree became the Honeycrisp in ~food

    Maxi
    Link Parent
    The honeycrunch grown in France is also really good (it is a licensed honeycrisp, no idea why it is called something else).

    The honeycrunch grown in France is also really good (it is a licensed honeycrisp, no idea why it is called something else).

    1 vote

  2. Comment on The science of “ultra-processed” foods is misleading in ~food

    Maxi
    Link Parent
    The vox article posted is garbage in so many ways, but saying the Nova classification system is useless is also wrong. Nutritional studies, and these types of information classification schemes...

    The vox article posted is garbage in so many ways, but saying the Nova classification system is useless is also wrong.

    Nutritional studies, and these types of information classification schemes are not meant to be used by lay people. The Nova classification system is a very broad, and simplified, classification system to roughly group similar food stuffs together, so that you can later on stratify data.

    Studying nutrition is extremely hard, Nova helps a lot with analyzing diets of a very large cohort, or analyzing e.g. the assortment of foodstuffs between grocery stores (lets say your comparing Aldi stores most sold products per zipcode, or something). If you look at an individual foodstuff you'll end up sometimes with something that feels weird, but overall these errors get drowned out.

    BMI serves a similar purpose, it gets it mostly right, but there is a possibility on an individual level that you can be obese, but still (mostly) healthy.

    14 votes

  3. Comment on Sweden's wind power industry risks becoming a victim of its own success – rock-bottom energy prices are cooling renewable investment in ~enviro

    Maxi
    Link Parent
    Google just did buy up a whole lot of land in Finland for this specific purpose. Europe north 1 already also exist

    Google just did buy up a whole lot of land in Finland for this specific purpose. Europe north 1 already also exist

    5 votes

  4. Comment on United States Department of Justice will push Google to sell Chrome to break search monopoly in ~tech

    Maxi
    Link Parent
    I wouldn't be surprised if the EU takes the torch on this in case the US succumbs to bribery.

    The EU, on the other hand, could totally pull it off.

    I wouldn't be surprised if the EU takes the torch on this in case the US succumbs to bribery.

    1 vote

  5. Comment on United States Department of Justice will push Google to sell Chrome to break search monopoly in ~tech

    Maxi
    Link Parent
    I'm not joking here when I say that the EU should buy it.

    I'm not joking here when I say that the EU should buy it.

    11 votes

  6. Comment on Caltrain's electrification project is paying off in ~transport

    Maxi
    Link Parent
    At least over here in Europe-land, having public transport be a bit slower than your car isn't a bad thing. As it comes with a lot more convenience. I.e. you can get drunk AF and not have to leave...

    At least over here in Europe-land, having public transport be a bit slower than your car isn't a bad thing. As it comes with a lot more convenience. I.e. you can get drunk AF and not have to leave your car downtown, you don't have to find (and pay for) parking, you can zone out on Tildes rather than drive etc.

    3 votes

  7. Comment on Donald Trump's team mulls postponing Ukraine's NATO membership for at least twenty years, WSJ reports in ~society

    Maxi
    Link Parent
    Would not be entirely surprised if he has receive a whole lot of coaching on how to deal with Trump.

    Would not be entirely surprised if he has receive a whole lot of coaching on how to deal with Trump.

    2 votes

  8. Could we get a ~politics.us?

    ~tildes Text 62 words
    With the inevitablre result of the US election, for the next four years all media will be totally overwhelmed by one person. It'd be nice to be able to at least on Tildes shove all of that into...

    With the inevitablre result of the US election, for the next four years all media will be totally overwhelmed by one person. It'd be nice to be able to at least on Tildes shove all of that into one corner so it can be hidden.

    While Tildes is quite US focused, there is still a lot of us non-us people here.

    40 votes

  9. Comment on What moderate countries are left to emigrate to? in ~travel

    Maxi
    Link Parent
    If the AMOC crashes, climate in NW Europe will go to shit in a handbasket. Think Alaska. Currently the tech industry globally is in a big slump. Basically no jobs available.

    Climate change will probably make the winters wetter and colder, but I grew up in Florida, if I can survive it you probably can too.

    If the AMOC crashes, climate in NW Europe will go to shit in a handbasket. Think Alaska.

    As a westerner with modest savings, if you can get a job in tech, you'll live very comfortably.

    Currently the tech industry globally is in a big slump. Basically no jobs available.

    12 votes

  10. Comment on What moderate countries are left to emigrate to? in ~travel

    Maxi
    Link
    Immigration is hard, it is not like the movies. Any reasonable country wll have quite strict immigration requirements, despite what the populist politicans in said country claim. You didn't...

    Immigration is hard, it is not like the movies. Any reasonable country wll have quite strict immigration requirements, despite what the populist politicans in said country claim.

    You didn't mention where you come from, but that plays a big role in how hard it is to immigrate. If you are living in a developing country, you will have a lot harder time to meet any immigration requirements than if you live in a developed country.

    There usually are the below pathways available:

    • Be a child of a parent with citizenship in the country you want to immigrate to. Some countries allow immigration also for grandchildren, but this is very country specific and proving it may be hard / impossible if you have no documentation.
    • Be a spouse of a person with citizenship in the country you want to immigrate to. This might not give you working rights in the country, or it will take some time before you have working rights.
    • Get a (sponsored) job in the country you wish to immigrate to. This is nigh on impossible unless you have special skills. If you work in the medical sector, note that your degree probably is worthless in the country you want to immigrate to. Same might go for any licensed profession.
    • Apply for a university and get a study visa for the country you want to immigrate to. Note that this often comes with a lot of financial requirements, 100k+ USD per year. Many countries do not allow students on student visas to work, and you'll have to prove you have the funds required, in cash, while applying for the visa.
    • Some countries have investment visas. I.e. if you start a company in the country and invest 500k+ you may get a work visa for your company. If the company goes bust, you lose immigration status.

    To actually succeed and thrive in the country you want to immigrate to, you will need to learn the local language fluently. This will also be more-or-less a requirement for finding a job, unless you work in the IT sector.

    Also note, that only very few countries offer remote working visas (i.e. you work for a company in your home country, but move somewhere else). To qualify for a work visa, you need a job where the employer is in the country you move to.

    43 votes

  11. Comment on California EV maker Aptera unveils solar car with 64 km of daily, charge-free range in ~transport

    Maxi
    Link
    I would still class this as a novelty vehicle. This'll work in areas closer to the equator that has enough sun. You'd also need to have a parking space that's facing south, or you'll only get a...

    I would still class this as a novelty vehicle. This'll work in areas closer to the equator that has enough sun. You'd also need to have a parking space that's facing south, or you'll only get a fraction of the benefits. In my country 94% of energy was produced with renewables last year, just by plugging my car into the wall I'm already 94% green.

    Ultimately, the market for this car is going to be quite small.

    5 votes

  12. Comment on Cheaper ways to heat a log cabin workshop (UK) in ~life.home_improvement

    Maxi
    Link
    Looking at the setup, I can see a few issues that need addressing. The main problem is that 44mm thick wood walls provide very minimal insulation - you're essentially heating the outdoors at this...

    Looking at the setup, I can see a few issues that need addressing. The main problem is that 44mm thick wood walls provide very minimal insulation - you're essentially heating the outdoors at this point.

    Here's what I'd suggest, in order of priority:

    1. Insulation first - This needs to be addressed before any heating solution will be effective. But it is a shed...

    2. For heating, I'd recommend looking into Chinese diesel heaters. These are essentially knockoffs of Eberspächer heaters but much more affordable. They:

      • Run on heating oil (tax-free in UK) or even used cooking oil
      • Are very efficient and cost-effective to run
      • Can be DIY installed (plenty of good tutorials on YouTube)
      • Can be found quite cheap on Alibaba
      • See e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNKTZosL6d8

    3. If you want a more conventional solution, a mini-split heat pump would be your next best option

      • Installation would run around £1,500
      • Requires professional installation
      • More expensive to run than diesel heater in UK climate
      • Still 3-5x more efficient than your current 1500W resistive heater

    Your current electric heater is probably the least cost-effective solution - you're fighting physics trying to heat an poorly insulated space with resistance heating in UK electricity prices.

    Whatever you decide to do, I very strongly recommend insulating the shed.

    10 votes

  13. Comment on Sweden rejects applications for thirteen offshore wind farms – government believes building them would have unacceptable consequences for national defence in ~enviro

    Maxi
    Link
    Fwiw, eastern finland has almost no windmills because the defence forces keep rejecting the building plans.

    Fwiw, eastern finland has almost no windmills because the defence forces keep rejecting the building plans.

    5 votes

  14. Comment on Meatball lovers, rejoice – IKEA has announced the opening of its first restaurant on the UK high street in ~food

    Maxi
    Link Parent
    We need more fast food that's actually healthy. There' so many meals that can be made ahead of time, kept warm, and served immediately that'd also be tasty. It's kinda annoying to go somewhere to...

    We need more fast food that's actually healthy. There' so many meals that can be made ahead of time, kept warm, and served immediately that'd also be tasty. It's kinda annoying to go somewhere to shop or run errands, and then either need to eat a hamburger or some shitty sandwhich, or alternatively go sit down and spend 45min to wait for a "proper" meal.

    4 votes

  15. Comment on Best solution to extract PDF data? in ~comp

    Maxi
    Link
    If there's not too much, honestly just screenshotting it and using a mac to copy paste is pretty easy. ChatGPT is also surprisingly good at this sort of stuff.

    If there's not too much, honestly just screenshotting it and using a mac to copy paste is pretty easy.

    ChatGPT is also surprisingly good at this sort of stuff.

    2 votes

  16. Comment on Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid in ~health

    Maxi
    Link Parent
    The former, definitely. The manufacturers that make nice pans cost 2-300 USD. You can (with luck) get an antique that'll clean up as nice as a new 2-300 USD pan for 5usd.

    The former, definitely. The manufacturers that make nice pans cost 2-300 USD. You can (with luck) get an antique that'll clean up as nice as a new 2-300 USD pan for 5usd.

    1 vote

  17. Comment on Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid in ~health

    Maxi
    Link Parent
    Denser oilier wood last longer than cheaper. You can coat with most any oil, I've in the past used olive oil and canola oil. Now I use a combo of beeswax and jojoba oil.

    Denser oilier wood last longer than cheaper. You can coat with most any oil, I've in the past used olive oil and canola oil. Now I use a combo of beeswax and jojoba oil.

    5 votes

  18. Comment on Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid in ~health

    Maxi
    Link Parent
    Cast iron. If you're unsure how to use it, get cheap IR thermometer and read 190c-200c before you start cooking. Now you're nonstick. Older castiron pans are smoother, new lodge ones require you...

    Cast iron. If you're unsure how to use it, get cheap IR thermometer and read 190c-200c before you start cooking. Now you're nonstick.

    Older castiron pans are smoother, new lodge ones require you to sand them smooth first. We can't make cast iron to the same tolerances as before.

    6 votes

  20. Comment on More US states ban PFAS, or ‘forever chemicals,’ in more products in ~enviro

    Maxi
    Link Parent
    I would like to point out that in scientific publication, you will find very very very few if any articles that do not use qualifying language such as "may" and "results indicate" and "our...

    Note that associations are not the same as causation and the use of "may" is very intentional. Note as well that I am not saying PFAS is not an issue or not a health concern, but hyperbolic statements like extremely toxic is not correct. This isn't lead.

    I would like to point out that in scientific publication, you will find very very very few if any articles that do not use qualifying language such as "may" and "results indicate" and "our modeling suggests that".

    If you do not use such language in your papers, even if the results are excedingly compelling, you may (hah) not pass peer review.

    Discrediting entire papers simply from this language alone is incorrect. Consensus in the scientific world, and causation, is not inferred from single studies but from a body of work. There will also never be a time where you will find all studies published to show correlation or causation on a matter, there will always be studies with opposing outcomes for the same issue. Even for topics that are not controversial.

    3 votes