RoyalHenOil's recent activity
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Comment on Looking for a better tomato in ~hobbies
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Comment on Looking for a better tomato in ~hobbies
RoyalHenOil Link ParentAnything that isn't a nightshade (other than strawberries due to the high risk of verticillium wilt). You could grow legumes (peas, beans), alliums (onions, garlic, leeks), cucurbits (squash,...Anything that isn't a nightshade (other than strawberries due to the high risk of verticillium wilt).
You could grow legumes (peas, beans), alliums (onions, garlic, leeks), cucurbits (squash, cucumber, melon, etc.), brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, kale, etc.), Apiaceae (carrots, celery, etc.), and plenty of others. Just make sure to rotate them out, too; you don't want closely related annuals growing in the same location year after year.
Alternatively, you could grow perennial fruits and vegetables (such as raspberries or asparagus). They don't require crop rotation.
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Comment on Looking for a better tomato in ~hobbies
RoyalHenOil LinkUnfortunately, I think you might need to practice some crop rotation. If you grow related crops in the same growing medium repeatedly, diseases build up and can devastate your yield. Nightshades...Unfortunately, I think you might need to practice some crop rotation. If you grow related crops in the same growing medium repeatedly, diseases build up and can devastate your yield. Nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, etc.) are particularly susceptible to this.
As a general rule of thumb, you should wait 3–5 years before growing tomatoes in the same spot again. You could grow other plants in the space in the meantime (although I would avoid strawberries; tomatoes and strawberries do not always play nice with each other).
Alternatively, you could fully replace the planting medium. I would also recommend washing down the planters themselves (not just rinsing them, but washing them with soap or disinfectant to kill/remove any lingering viruses, bacteria, and fungal pathogens).
As for varieties, I personally love Amish Paste the best.
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Comment on How are Framework Laptops? in ~tech
RoyalHenOil LinkMy partner and I both have 13" Frameworks. Mine is a little under a year old, and my partner's is about 2–3 years old. We both use them daily for work (I am a multimedia developer, and my partner...My partner and I both have 13" Frameworks. Mine is a little under a year old, and my partner's is about 2–3 years old.
We both use them daily for work (I am a multimedia developer, and my partner teaches video game programming at the tertiary level). We also use them outside of work for light gaming, watching shows on our TV, web browsing, etc.
I bought my laptop as a supplement to my desktop, but now it's the other way around. I use my desktop only when I need the extra grunt (heavier gaming, video rendering, etc.).
We chose Frameworks because we're sick of having to throw out entire laptops just because one component goes bad. So far, our laptops have not needed any repairs or replacement parts, however, so I can't comment on that aspect yet.
I thought it was kind of a gimmick, but I actually really appreciate the swappable expansion cards. They make it easy to adjust my laptop for different workspaces — working on my sofa, working at my desk, or working at the office.
I do wish the battery lasted longer, and all the usual complaints about Windows apply, of course.
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Comment on Experiences with FarmBot or similar gardening robots? in ~tech
RoyalHenOil (edited )LinkI worked on a commercial vegetable-breeding farm that did some (very, very expensive) experimentation with robotics, primarily for weeding. It did not go well. The weeding robot was highly...- Exemplary
I worked on a commercial vegetable-breeding farm that did some (very, very expensive) experimentation with robotics, primarily for weeding. It did not go well.
The weeding robot was highly ineffective because it could not actually differentiate weed seedlings from crop seedlings, it could not effectively remove weeds that were older than a few days (i.e., outside the seedling stage), it could not operate for longer than a few hours, it moved extremely slowly (especially when it was muddy, which was 75+% of the time), and it had so many problems and breakdowns that it required two highly paid people with engineering degrees to monitor and troubleshoot it at all times.
Assuming good weather and no overgrown weeds, this car-sized robot and its two handlers could achieve in 3–4 days what a single minimum-wage employee equipped with a hoe could achieve in 3–4 hours.
That robot was a major factor in my decision to quit. It was one of many very questionable decisions our new director made (including buying a wildly over-specced drone, which required two people to fly at all times — one to actually fly it, and one to watch for angry eagles that would soar in from miles away to come knock it out of the sky because it was so loud), but the robot really topped the cake.
Edit:
Here are examples of automation that we did use regularly with great success, most of it very tried-and-true by now:
- Automated irrigation
- Automated greenhouse ventilation based on temperature and wind conditions
- Automated fertilizing and spray regimes
- Fully light/moisture/temperature/CO2-controlled cabinets (for growing tricky, wild-gathered plants with desirable genes)
- Automated winnowing machines (so tried-and-true that we literally used antique Victorian-era machines outfitted with modern motors; we used a lot of Victorian machinery, actually — that stuff was built to last, although ungodly heavy with all the wood and cast iron, and a perfect fit for the small-to-medium-scale operations involved in commercial plant breeding)
- Handheld manual pollination machines, developed in-house for specific crops
I worked in the R&D department, and automation was very low on our list of concerns (until our new director tried to shove it down our throats). Even though Australia has very high wages, the cost of labor was not our biggest hurdle, nor the biggest hurdle faced by our customers (major commercial farmers worldwide) — not by a long shot. I'd say that about 95% of our efforts were biology-focused: combating disease, improving yield and quality, increasing pollination, expanding climate tolerance, etc.
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Comment on Half of people on weight loss drugs quit within one year, Danish study finds – more likely to stop taking the drugs if they were younger, lived in poorer areas, or were men in ~health
RoyalHenOil Link ParentI'm inclined to agree. I have (unintentionally) been losing a weight over the last few months due to a stomach problem that makes anything with a gummy or chewy texture — which includes most...I'm inclined to agree.
I have (unintentionally) been losing a weight over the last few months due to a stomach problem that makes anything with a gummy or chewy texture — which includes most readily available high-calorie foods — painfully indigestible. Despite my condition, I still sometimes sneak a spoonful of rice or a bite of bread, even though it leaves me in pain and nauseous for three days. I just can't help myself.
Many of us — perhaps due to the omnipresent threat of starvation that our ancestors faced — simply don't have a lot of self-control around high-calorie foods. Their ready availability is a pretty recent phenomenon that we (as a society/culture and perhaps as a species) haven't adjusted to.
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Comment on Conservative activist Charlie Kirk shot and killed at Utah college event in ~society
RoyalHenOil Link ParentI think this might be a semantic misunderstanding. To me, the phrase "to face the consequences of one's own actions" is an observation that someone has previously done something that is now...I think this might be a semantic misunderstanding.
To me, the phrase "to face the consequences of one's own actions" is an observation that someone has previously done something that is now causing them harm, while the phrase "to have it coming" specifically means that they deserve that harm.
For example, if you lend money to a friend and they don't repay you, I might say that you're facing the consequences of lending them money, but I wouldn't say that you had it coming (unless, for some reason, I'm glad they didn't repay you).
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Comment on Don’t like joining in? Why it could be your superpower. in ~life
RoyalHenOil Link ParentIntroversion/extraversion is the only aspect of MBTI that is well supported by the science — although the way that MBTI characterizes it is highly misleading. Introversion not an on/off thing....Introversion/extraversion is the only aspect of MBTI that is well supported by the science — although the way that MBTI characterizes it is highly misleading.
Introversion not an on/off thing. It's a normal distribution, where most people fall in the middle (neither particularly introverted nor extraverted). But there are some pretty fundamental brain differences between people who do fall at the far ends of the scale.
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Comment on The sunscreen scandal shocking Australia in ~health
RoyalHenOil Link ParentFor sure! My long sleeve work shirts are substantially cooler than a T-shirt. If you occasionally mist your hat with water, you'll get a nice evaporative cooling effect that will make it more...For sure! My long sleeve work shirts are substantially cooler than a T-shirt.
If you occasionally mist your hat with water, you'll get a nice evaporative cooling effect that will make it more comfortable (nicer than a bare head, in my opinion, at least if you have dark hair).
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Comment on The day return became enter in ~tech
RoyalHenOil Link ParentI was born in the mid 80s, and I don't think I've ever actually seen a typewriter with my own two eyes. My parents both worked at a cutting-edge Kinko's (print shop) and used a Mac Plus for all...I was born in the mid 80s, and I don't think I've ever actually seen a typewriter with my own two eyes.
My parents both worked at a cutting-edge Kinko's (print shop) and used a Mac Plus for all their typing needs, and my school had Apple II's and dot matrix printers.
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Comment on The sunscreen scandal shocking Australia in ~health
RoyalHenOil Link ParentSunscreen in general should not be a first defense. It's very easy to miss spots or apply too thinly without realizing, and it needs to be reapplied every two hours (more often if you're swimming...Sunscreen in general should not be a first defense. It's very easy to miss spots or apply too thinly without realizing, and it needs to be reapplied every two hours (more often if you're swimming or sweating). Plus, the sunscreen itself can be ruined if the bottle is exposed to heat (e.g., if you leave it in your car or leave it out in the sun at the beach; it should be kept in a cooler with ice).
I worked on a farm for eight years, and I learned to rely primarily on other methods that don't give you a false sense of security: long-sleeve shirts, wide-brimmed hats, etc.
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Comment on The sunscreen scandal shocking Australia in ~health
RoyalHenOil Link ParentAustralia and New Zealand vie for first place in skin cancer rates. The sun is more intense down here. When I lived in the US (in the Southeast), it took me noticeably longer to burn than where I...Australia and New Zealand vie for first place in skin cancer rates. The sun is more intense down here.
When I lived in the US (in the Southeast), it took me noticeably longer to burn than where I live now in Australia, even though I'm now further from the equator and at a lower elevation.
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Comment on Should C be mandatory learning for career developers? in ~comp
RoyalHenOil Link ParentI agree. C (and, to a lesser extent, other C-like languages as long as I ignore a lot of their high-level features) really click for me in a way that more Python-like languages do not. I feel like...I agree. C (and, to a lesser extent, other C-like languages as long as I ignore a lot of their high-level features) really click for me in a way that more Python-like languages do not. I feel like tearing my hair out whenever I try to write anything in Python.
I think I'm just too much of a control freak; I want to understand exactly what my code is doing, to the extent that that's possible, or I feel lost. But I imagine I might feel differently if I were a "real" programmer rather than just an occasional hobbyist.
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Comment on Should C be mandatory learning for career developers? in ~comp
RoyalHenOil LinkI'm not a developer, but I learned C through the CS50x course. I've lightly dabbled in several other languages — C++, C#, Lua, Python, etc. — but I found C's syntax particularly simple to...I'm not a developer, but I learned C through the CS50x course. I've lightly dabbled in several other languages — C++, C#, Lua, Python, etc. — but I found C's syntax particularly simple to understand and work with (albeit in the easy-to-learn-hard-to-master sense), and it really helped solidify a number of computer science topics in my head, particularly around how computers manage memory. After taking CS50, I used C in several Arduino projects, which further helped me grok some of the inner workings of computers.
I don't do any programming in my line of work, but I edit text and develop graphics/diagrams for mainframe-related educational material, and I suspect I owe several raises and promotions to C.
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Comment on Dehumidifiers are confusing. Here's why. in ~engineering
RoyalHenOil Link ParentThanks, this is the type of dehumidifier we use in the part of Australia where I live (although we have much nicer models than the one in the video). We have wet winters that soar to 70-80% RH on...Thanks, this is the type of dehumidifier we use in the part of Australia where I live (although we have much nicer models than the one in the video).
We have wet winters that soar to 70-80% RH on rainy days while the temperature is 0–10°C (32–50°F). Those are prime chilblain conditions, not to mention mold conditions, so desiccant humidifiers make winter tolerable.
We just run our dehumidifier in the coldest, wettest room (our unheated bathroom/laundry), and it keeps the whole place reasonably regulated.
As a bonus, desiccant dehumidifiers also make it feasible to air dry laundry indoors on cold, rainy days. And they're so narrow and lightweight that they're easy to pack away in spring.
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Comment on Medieval Europeans were fanatical about a strange fruit with a vulgar name that could only be eaten rotten. Then it was forgotten altogether. Why did they love it so much? And why did it disappear? in ~humanities.history
RoyalHenOil (edited )Link ParentI'd never heard of quinces before I moved to Australia. You never see them in shops, but they're popular backyard trees. They have to be cooked, and they are extremely sour and require a lot of...I'd never heard of quinces before I moved to Australia. You never see them in shops, but they're popular backyard trees.
They have to be cooked, and they are extremely sour and require a lot of sugar.
To me, quinces taste like what pears wish they could taste like. They have a very fresh, complex, floral note.
Another fruit that I love, but never heard of until I came to Australia, is the gooseberry. There seem to be two varieties: sweeter red ones that are better for fresh eating, and tart green ones that are great for jams, etc.
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Comment on Medieval Europeans were fanatical about a strange fruit with a vulgar name that could only be eaten rotten. Then it was forgotten altogether. Why did they love it so much? And why did it disappear? in ~humanities.history
RoyalHenOil (edited )LinkI ate some medlar fruit earlier this year (collected from a local park that has some medlar trees) and I plan to grow my own. Medlars are reasonably common ornamental trees in Australia. If you...I ate some medlar fruit earlier this year (collected from a local park that has some medlar trees) and I plan to grow my own. Medlars are reasonably common ornamental trees in Australia.
If you are curious, the fruit has a delicious, intense sweet-sour, apple-butter-like flavor with strong pear overtones. I recommend picking the fruit up when it falls off the tree (it will still be too hard and astringent to eat at that point), then setting it on your counter until it's ripe. When it's ripe, it will be very squishy and you can spoon it out like jam to add to scones, tarts, or whatever.
A big benefit of the two-step ripening process is wild animals don't show much interest the fruit, so you can get a big harvest. (This is also a benefit of quinces, which aren't edible directly off the tree.)
My only complaint is that the fruit is fairly small, a bit smaller than a fig, so it's a little fiddly.
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Comment on What are the standards for a good father/husband? in ~life.men
RoyalHenOil LinkI'm not sure what the norm is, but I think my partner and I contribute relatively evenly. We don't have a system — we both just kind of do tasks as we notice they need doing and we feel up for...I'm not sure what the norm is, but I think my partner and I contribute relatively evenly. We don't have a system — we both just kind of do tasks as we notice they need doing and we feel up for doing them — although there are some tasks he tends to do a bit more (like cooking, dishes, and grocery shopping) and some that I tend to do a bit more (like laundry, home repairs, and putting random things away).
If he notices me doing a chore, he'll generally jump in and help me with it. If I do a chore on my own, he generally notices and thanks me for doing it. If I'm having an off week and don't get much done, he picks up the slack. (I do these for him as well, of course.)
On the whole, I'd say I'm probably a little neater than him and have slightly higher standards — although there are exceptions — but I rarely have complaints. We're pretty good at meeting in the middle.
I suspect we work so well together in this area for two reasons: We both have experience living alone (so we're both familiar with all the chores involved in running a household) and we're both people pleasers (so we readily show each other appreciation, and we're motivated by each other's appreciation).
I think the people-pleasing trait is particularly important. We've been living together for nearly 15 years, but we still thank each other several times a day and we still do as many of our chores together as we can. It's basically a bonding activity.
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Comment on Bluesky will block Mississippi IP addresses in response to its age assurance law in ~tech
RoyalHenOil Link ParentIt's not just Mississippi, unfortunately. Australia has similar laws in the works.It's not just Mississippi, unfortunately. Australia has similar laws in the works.
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Comment on How many remakes have ever actually lived up to or surpassed the original? in ~movies
RoyalHenOil Link ParentI was going to suggest the same. It's hard to imagine how the original could have been better — but I didn't see it, so maybe it was.I was going to suggest the same. It's hard to imagine how the original could have been better — but I didn't see it, so maybe it was.
That is very good to hear! Once disease builds up, it's tricky to deal with.
I hybridized tomatoes on a commercial farm for two years, and we used a simple trick to induce them to flower and fruit reliably: Each "stalk" of the tomato plant (which in our case was always two) could only have 10–12 leaves. Every time a new leaf matured at the top of the plant, we cut off the lowest leaf to maintain that exact number of leaves at all times.
This has two benefits:
One, it maintains a good balance between vegetative growth and reproductive growth (if tomatoes have too many leaves, they get stuck in vegetative mode and don't fruit well).
Two, it greatly improves air flow around the stem and roots, which is especially important in humid conditions (tomatoes evolved in a dry, desert-like climate and do not tolerate excess moisture very well).