Minori's recent activity

  1. Comment on The powerhouse of American citrus is suffering a brutal, unrelenting decline in ~food

    Minori
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    It's possible to defeat with genetic engineering, just not socially palatable. The worst part of being an agricultural engineer might be realizing how many problems we could solve if better crops...

    If other crops are similarly susceptible and hard to defeat with GMO engineering

    It's possible to defeat with genetic engineering, just not socially palatable. The worst part of being an agricultural engineer might be realizing how many problems we could solve if better crops didn't get so much nonsensical pushback. Anyone remember golden rice?

    This specific disease is contained to citrus trees, particularly sweet citrus. There's no risk of HLB spreading to any staple crops as far as I know.

    2 votes

  2. Comment on The powerhouse of American citrus is suffering a brutal, unrelenting decline in ~food

    Minori
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    The bitter peels make the best marmalade! That's why bitter Sevilla oranges are preferred for marmalade.

    my memories of eating them have me remarking how bitter the flesh itself was.

    The bitter peels make the best marmalade! That's why bitter Sevilla oranges are preferred for marmalade.

    2 votes

  3. Comment on The powerhouse of American citrus is suffering a brutal, unrelenting decline in ~food

    Minori
    Link Parent
    That wouldn't make much difference for the spread of this disease. If anything, random backyard orange trees make it easier for the bugs to hop from place to place. A few more acres between trees...

    That wouldn't make much difference for the spread of this disease. If anything, random backyard orange trees make it easier for the bugs to hop from place to place. A few more acres between trees doesn't matter to the bugs spreading the contagion; it got from China to America.

    The primary factor hastening its spread is climate change. Climate is the reason Spain and California still have oranges while Florida is basically dead.

    I wrote a couple papers on the disease back in uni while studying genetic engineering. The best we can hope for is new cultivars, a la the rainbow papaya.

    9 votes

  4. Comment on Palantir employees are starting to wonder if they're the bad guys in ~society

    Minori
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    Tech workers are extremely left wing by any measure though. While the libertarian tech bros get a lot of media attention, they're not even close to a majority.

    Tech workers are extremely left wing by any measure though. While the libertarian tech bros get a lot of media attention, they're not even close to a majority.

    4 votes

  5. Comment on China calls for ‘concerted’ efforts to tackle excess solar production in ~enviro

    Minori
    Link Parent
    Does rooftop solar commonly replace those? Seems most roofs are black heat magnets.

    especially when replacing vegetation or high-albedo surfaces like reflective roofs

    Does rooftop solar commonly replace those? Seems most roofs are black heat magnets.

    3 votes

  6. Comment on China calls for ‘concerted’ efforts to tackle excess solar production in ~enviro

    Minori
    Link Parent
    To clarify, you want the libraries to function as datacenters? I'm totally onboard with municipal ISPs.

    To clarify, you want the libraries to function as datacenters?

    I'm totally onboard with municipal ISPs.

    1 vote

  7. Comment on For $700 a month, sleeping pods make San Francisco more affordable, but at what cost in ~life

    Minori
    Link Parent
    That seems a bit optimistic? $200k puts you in the 85th percentile for individuals (source). Plenty of people will achieve that level of income, but it's not the standard.

    it's still the case that if you're smart and capable it won't be long before you're pulling in >$200,000.

    That seems a bit optimistic? $200k puts you in the 85th percentile for individuals (source). Plenty of people will achieve that level of income, but it's not the standard.

    6 votes

  8. Comment on For $700 a month, sleeping pods make San Francisco more affordable, but at what cost in ~life

    Minori
    Link Parent
    Ehhhh, their housing situation is the worst in the US by many metrics. Most Californians live in the crazy expensive cities and have to deal with the worst parts of the state.

    Ehhhh, their housing situation is the worst in the US by many metrics. Most Californians live in the crazy expensive cities and have to deal with the worst parts of the state.

  9. Comment on For $700 a month, sleeping pods make San Francisco more affordable, but at what cost in ~life

    Minori
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    Not much different from Japanese pod hotels. A unique offering for specific circumstances.

    Not much different from Japanese pod hotels. A unique offering for specific circumstances.

    4 votes

  10. Comment on Do I need dating apps? (same-sex, a bit of ace) in ~life

    Minori
    Link Parent
    Yep, I'm not saying to lie about who you are. We're still human; even the best people have some faults and quirks.

    Yep, I'm not saying to lie about who you are. We're still human; even the best people have some faults and quirks.

  11. Comment on The powerhouse of American citrus is suffering a brutal, unrelenting decline in ~food

    Minori
    Link Parent
    This is all citrus trees though. It doesn't really matter what kind of oranges you grow. This disease has been slowly spreading from China since the 70's and nobody has created a genetically...

    This is all citrus trees though. It doesn't really matter what kind of oranges you grow. This disease has been slowly spreading from China since the 70's and nobody has created a genetically modified orange tree yet that can resist the disease.

    10 votes

  12. Comment on Polymarket asked to work with us. We exposed their scam instead. in ~society

    Minori
    Link Parent
    Defensive positions about Polymarket specific or betting markets generically?

    Defensive positions about Polymarket specific or betting markets generically?

    2 votes

  13. Comment on Do I need dating apps? (same-sex, a bit of ace) in ~life

    Minori
    Link
    Don't think about it too hard. Find somebody you click with (but don't obsess over the first date "spark"). Whether that means the yin to your yang or your partner in crime all depends on the...

    I also don't know if there are... things to "know" when trying to date as a lesbian? Like when folks talk about being masc/femme, those things don't really mean anything to me - I have male-dominated hobbies and don't wear feminine clothing, but to say that any bit of me says "masculine" in any way just doesn't seem right.

    Don't think about it too hard. Find somebody you click with (but don't obsess over the first date "spark"). Whether that means the yin to your yang or your partner in crime all depends on the person and relationship. You'll figure out what you need as you go. Have some confidence in yourself and be open to new experiences!

    I also honest to god do not know what expectations are regarding trans women. I can't write them off as I've never dated or been romantically interested in a trans woman, but I do fear that the... equipment, for lack of better phrase... might matter to me, and I don't want to offend too late? Is it transphobic to say I'd prefer to date cis women?

    To get into the giblets, genital configuration matters a lot to some people and not at all to others. If you find a trans woman you're potentially interested in, around your age range, she's more likely to be post-op. Regardless, talk about it, and don't be afraid to ask questions. Open and honest communication is critical for sex and relationships.

    To consider an extreme example, if a partner was perfect in every way except for the sex life, how much would you care? It's a good question to ask independent of the trans stuff, because some people have incompatible desires and sex drive will vary.

    I'm some flavor of bisexual, but I broke up with a guy because we just weren't sexually compatible. For a time, it made me question my bisexuality entirely. Labels can be useful for communication, but don't let them stifle your heart. If a woman checks all the boxes till you learn she's trans, well maybe it's still worth seeing where things go?

    4 votes

  14. Comment on Vibe coding is just the return of Excel/Access, with more danger in ~comp

    Minori
    Link Parent
    The business "why" for a bit of code is frequently impossible to semantically embed. I'm fully aware of domain driven design, but sometimes code is just doing code things to accomplish a business...

    The business "why" for a bit of code is frequently impossible to semantically embed. I'm fully aware of domain driven design, but sometimes code is just doing code things to accomplish a business use case in a stupid way (for reasons outside of any engineer's control). Knowing what the code literally does rarely helps me solve bugs in my job because it doesn't contain references to the regulatory reasons the API exists.

    1 vote

  15. Comment on Olympic committee announces a broad ban on transgender athletes and athletes with differences in sex development in Women’s events (gifted link) in ~lgbt

    Minori
    Link Parent
    I actually completely agree with you, so thank you for clarifying. I think we each took different meanings of the word debate, so our framing was different. Bad actors don't deserve anyone's time....

    I said elsewhere I'm open to discussion, but debates are not, in my experience, where anyone changes minds. It's where people score points.

    I actually completely agree with you, so thank you for clarifying. I think we each took different meanings of the word debate, so our framing was different. Bad actors don't deserve anyone's time.

    If someone called an issue "debatable" then I'd assume it's controversial or there are various opinions which can be discussed. That's why I mentioned engaging in good faith.

    Your perspective of "debate" as a point scoring competition is an understandable interpretation too. Performative talking to convince onlookers or otherwise posturing.

    Online especially, it's really hard to judge intent when someone asks questions. Sometimes they're asking out of genuine ignorance, and sometimes they're malicious. On Tildes, I hope and assume most questions come from a place of curiosity and a desire to discuss and learn.

  16. Comment on Olympic committee announces a broad ban on transgender athletes and athletes with differences in sex development in Women’s events (gifted link) in ~lgbt

    Minori
    Link Parent
    This is a thread about olympic level policies, so a survey of olympic level athletes feels appropriate. Unfortunately we only have so much data, and nuance is extremely hard to find in...

    This is a thread about olympic level policies, so a survey of olympic level athletes feels appropriate. Unfortunately we only have so much data, and nuance is extremely hard to find in quantitative surveys. I shared it for context, and I really appreciated EsteeBestee's comment.

    At the end of the day, data isn't the problem any-ways. Even if 95% of athletes said trans people shouldn't participate in any sports, I'd still personally support transgender people in sports. It's a difficult issue.

  17. Comment on Olympic committee announces a broad ban on transgender athletes and athletes with differences in sex development in Women’s events (gifted link) in ~lgbt

    Minori
    Link Parent
    In general, humans are shockingly bad at statistics and probability.

    In general, humans are shockingly bad at statistics and probability.

    1 vote

  18. Comment on Do I need dating apps? (same-sex, a bit of ace) in ~life

    Minori
    Link Parent
    It's cliche but extremely true. If I could add anything, it'd be "be the best version of yourself" because self-improvement is attractive to almost everyone. Worst-case scenario, you'll still be a...

    Just be yourself, as cliche as it sounds.

    It's cliche but extremely true. If I could add anything, it'd be "be the best version of yourself" because self-improvement is attractive to almost everyone. Worst-case scenario, you'll still be a better person for yourself!

    9 votes

  19. Comment on Olympic committee announces a broad ban on transgender athletes and athletes with differences in sex development in Women’s events (gifted link) in ~lgbt

  20. Comment on Olympic committee announces a broad ban on transgender athletes and athletes with differences in sex development in Women’s events (gifted link) in ~lgbt

    Minori
    Link Parent
    I think your experience is actually the default. Most people kind of go with the flow. I don't personally get painting and all that artistic expression stuff. It doesn't bring me any joy or...

    I could be bodyswapped right now into either sex, or an asexual robot, whatever, and I think i'd just behave however is expected of me within reason, because it is easy to go with the flow. and I intellectually understand that trans people have a strong affinity for behaving one gender, I just can't "emotionnaly" understand how they could have such a strong affinity... it doesn't compute (to me).

    I think your experience is actually the default. Most people kind of go with the flow.

    I don't personally get painting and all that artistic expression stuff. It doesn't bring me any joy or release or creative expression or anything else I've heard artists talk about. Some parts of the human experience are probably universal, but some things will resonate more or less with different people and that's perfectly okay :)