PepperJackson's recent activity
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Comment on What are your favorite low cost main dishes/meals? in ~food
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Comment on Starter comments on Tildes? in ~tildes
PepperJackson LinkI've thought about this myself. There is often a link with no comment from more than a day ago on the front page. I've thought that tildes could benefit from a system where link posts do not...I've thought about this myself. There is often a link with no comment from more than a day ago on the front page. I've thought that tildes could benefit from a system where link posts do not appear for others until the original poster adds a top level comment. Is this a strict improvement? Probably not, but I think the way I am interested in using tildes would benefit, though I do not necessarily use tildes the same way as others.
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Comment on Looking for low-cost ways to replace industrially processed foods in ~food
PepperJackson Link ParentI guess it's true. I just don't think the difference between "instant pot" and "instapot" is as different as "Cocker Spaniel - Miniature Poodle crossbreed" and "Cockapoo"I guess it's true. I just don't think the difference between "instant pot" and "instapot" is as different as "Cocker Spaniel - Miniature Poodle crossbreed" and "Cockapoo"
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Comment on Looking for low-cost ways to replace industrially processed foods in ~food
PepperJackson Link ParentI think this is very reasonable, thank you. I was just curious. Calling it an instapot really has caught on!I think this is very reasonable, thank you. I was just curious. Calling it an instapot really has caught on!
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Comment on Looking for low-cost ways to replace industrially processed foods in ~food
PepperJackson Link ParentSorry, what I specifically meant here is that "instant pot" is different than "instapot". Where the other ones took the name from the other products, this one took something very similar but not...Sorry, what I specifically meant here is that "instant pot" is different than "instapot". Where the other ones took the name from the other products, this one took something very similar but not what they were referencing. The only other thing I can think of is how it is common to call espresso, "Expresso"
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Comment on Looking for low-cost ways to replace industrially processed foods in ~food
PepperJackson Link ParentWith those it makes sense because there is a thing that actually has the name "Kleenex" or "Jacuzzi" or "Velcro". But how did Instant pot get shortened this way? And why do so many people say it...With those it makes sense because there is a thing that actually has the name "Kleenex" or "Jacuzzi" or "Velcro". But how did Instant pot get shortened this way? And why do so many people say it that way? Language works in mysterious ways
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Comment on Looking for low-cost ways to replace industrially processed foods in ~food
PepperJackson Link ParentI'm curious, I've seen a ton of people do this, but where does the name instapot come from? I know the InstantPot tool, but have met a lot of people call it an instapot. I don't necessarily mind,...I'm curious, I've seen a ton of people do this, but where does the name instapot come from? I know the InstantPot tool, but have met a lot of people call it an instapot. I don't necessarily mind, but to me it's like calling espresso, expresso.
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Comment on Looking for low-cost ways to replace industrially processed foods in ~food
PepperJackson (edited )LinkI have a couple things I'd mention based on your post that I would add to th excellent overview from creesch. For an alternative to juice, consider Spindrift carbonated drinks. They are the only...I have a couple things I'd mention based on your post that I would add to th excellent overview from creesch.
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For an alternative to juice, consider Spindrift carbonated drinks. They are the only one I've found widely available whose ingredients are simply carbonated water and juice. Be careful for "Natural flavors", they can be anything! And not necessarily natural
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Try, when you are buying things from the grocery store, to only buy foods that you can identify every ingredient on the label. It can be hard to find foods that meet this criteria!
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Try this quiz for the New York times: it will help you navigate how to avoid ultraprocessed foods. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/01/05/well/eat/ultraprocessed-foods-challenge-quiz.html?unlocked_article_code=1.wE8.vCLd.Q0HTpPgeQRUv&smid=url-share
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Comment on mRNA COVID vaccines may substantially extend life for those undergoing cancer treatments in ~health
PepperJackson Link ParentOh my goodness you have landed upon something that immunologists have been studying for a bazillion years, that we call adjuvants. Essentially, whenever you give a vaccine, you need to give some...Oh my goodness you have landed upon something that immunologists have been studying for a bazillion years, that we call adjuvants. Essentially, whenever you give a vaccine, you need to give some other components (the aforementioned adjuvants) that activate the immune system to bring about a good immune response. Almost all conventional vaccines use these ancient formulations that use aluminum that seem to be okay. However, immunologists have discovered a number of the receptors that are activated in innate immune reactions and have since developed chemicals that activate these receptors really well.
One of these is a chemical similar to RNA, that we call PolyI:C (more like DNA, but some crossover stimulation). So we think that part of why the COVID vaccines were so good is that they are loaded with their own adjuvants that make the immune response great.
There's just no momentum for bringing new adjuvants to the market, and I find it infuriating! I should read into the details of why, because I know a bunch of people who are interested in this work.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
PepperJackson Link ParentI just bought this game this past weekend and it's been a great bit of fun. I've only played maybe 4 runs because I'm at a busy time at work, but being able to sit down and enjoy a solid 20...I just bought this game this past weekend and it's been a great bit of fun. I've only played maybe 4 runs because I'm at a busy time at work, but being able to sit down and enjoy a solid 20 minutes of gaming is great. I was playing Megabonk for a similar kick, but those runs can get a bit long if you hit some good items. I'm looking forward to playing more this week and weekend now that things have cooled off a bit.
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Comment on What is your 'Subway Take'? in ~talk
PepperJackson Link ParentI think "you all" is perfectly fine for me. Pretty cool too have a grandpa who was a "yinzer" thoughI think "you all" is perfectly fine for me. Pretty cool too have a grandpa who was a "yinzer" though
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Comment on What ridiculous thing would you spend billions on? in ~talk
PepperJackson Link ParentYou are so right, I basically didn't read the post in full and just wanted to express how I have wished that I could just pay people to get rid of invasive plants. Sorry about that! I'll have to...You are so right, I basically didn't read the post in full and just wanted to express how I have wished that I could just pay people to get rid of invasive plants. Sorry about that! I'll have to think about my ridiculous and useless expenditure.
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Comment on What ridiculous thing would you spend billions on? in ~talk
PepperJackson Link ParentI quite frankly find it ridiculous that no one else has done this!!I quite frankly find it ridiculous that no one else has done this!!
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Comment on What ridiculous thing would you spend billions on? in ~talk
PepperJackson LinkI have 2 major goals: Buy as much wild land as possible Pay a bunch of people a living wage to remove invasive plant species from community spaces replace with native wildflower meadowsI have 2 major goals:
- Buy as much wild land as possible
- Pay a bunch of people a living wage to remove invasive plant species from community spaces
- replace with native wildflower meadows
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Comment on What words do you recommend? in ~talk
PepperJackson LinkNot exactly useful, but widdershins for anti-clockwise.Not exactly useful, but widdershins for anti-clockwise.
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Comment on What words do you recommend? in ~talk
PepperJackson Link ParentSemiannually and biennially work, if people know what biennial meansSemiannually and biennially work, if people know what biennial means
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Comment on Has anyone else run up against higher costs due to the US tariffs? in ~society
PepperJackson LinkI haven't been meet with anything in particular except one thing: after the de minimus change, the online shop in Britain where I ordered my tea from no longer ships to the US! It's a bummer, but...I haven't been meet with anything in particular except one thing: after the de minimus change, the online shop in Britain where I ordered my tea from no longer ships to the US! It's a bummer, but I don't buy tea that much either. Otherwise I don't order much online so I haven't seen direct changes in price.
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Comment on AI eroded doctors’ ability to spot cancer within months in study in ~tech
PepperJackson Link ParentI also wonder what the future of this is. Meaning, okay, all pathologists are replaced with this technology, now how do we identify new entities? I think these models would be very good at picking...I also wonder what the future of this is. Meaning, okay, all pathologists are replaced with this technology, now how do we identify new entities? I think these models would be very good at picking up qualities that suggest a disease that humans do not notice at all, which would address this issue.
I worry about where we go when we have no people with the skills to be able to train the next generation of pathologists, who could innovate on what we currently know. But on the other hand, I suppose the entire arm of medicine could vaporize and we could pay technologists to click the button without any medical training. Currently pathology relies a lot on clinical context, which I'm sure the models could incorporate.
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Comment on Would you get sick in the name of science? in ~science
PepperJackson LinkThis is an interesting story that brings me back. I took part in a similar study at the University of Washington in the early 2010s. It was for testing a new way to quantify the parasite burden...This is an interesting story that brings me back. I took part in a similar study at the University of Washington in the early 2010s. It was for testing a new way to quantify the parasite burden and a new vaccine candidate. I never felt sick, they told me at the outset that they didn't expect people to get symptoms from malaria because the new test was really good at identifying low numbers of parasites (it is a rRNA test). I still don't know if I was vaccinated or not. Getting infected was so annoying. They were in a bucket just like a KFC bucket with mesh over the top. You just sat your arm on the mesh for 5 minutes, then they pooped all the mosquitoes to see how many had a blood meal. My arm was so swollen from being bitten , but they were not good at getting a blood meal. I eventually made it, and we didn't do the sock trick like they did in the story. I was compensated a bit over $1200 for going to the hospital about 20 times as well as an overnight stay on the day of infection. It paid for my laptop for med school with plenty of left over funds.
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Comment on US Supreme Court upholds Tennessee ban on youth gender-affirming care in ~lgbt
PepperJackson Link ParentIf you think that the Supreme Court cares about the merits of the case, and didn't have their minds made up before the case came before them, I have a bridge to sell you. They work backwards from...If you think that the Supreme Court cares about the merits of the case, and didn't have their minds made up before the case came before them, I have a bridge to sell you. They work backwards from their desired outcome to manufacture the law.
We have a few "go-to" meals for when we want simple, low cost food.
Speed rice bowl with a fried egg. We will break up a box of salted seaweed and mix it into a bowl of rice, then fry an egg in sesame oil with a bit of soy sauce, and pour it on top of the rice. It's quite salty, but I'm a big fan.
Refried beans. These are quite versatile, use them in a burrito, taco, bowl, whatever. I use Samin Nosrat's recipe.
Sweet potato and bean quesadilla. This one is a bit of a wildcard and best for when I want something warm and filling but not very involved to cook. I toss a sweet potato in the microwave, rinse a can of black beans, spread out the cooked sweet potato onto a tortilla, press in the beans, add some cheese, then cook in a skillet. It's not terribly fast, but I quite like the flavor.
Classic beans and greens stew. I use Mark Bittman's recipe.
Pasta Alla Norma (tomato and eggplant based sauce), again Mark Bittman's recipe.