anadem's recent activity
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Comment on Hidden giants: how the UK’s 500,000 redwoods put California in the shade in ~enviro
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Comment on Hidden giants: how the UK’s 500,000 redwoods put California in the shade in ~enviro
anadem LinkThere were three giant sequoias at the house I grew up in, in Yorkshire, England. I loved them because two were easily climbable, with branches down to ground level; the third was surrounded by...There were three giant sequoias at the house I grew up in, in Yorkshire, England. I loved them because two were easily climbable, with branches down to ground level; the third was surrounded by other trees so had lost its lowest branches, but had a neat feature where birds had excavated small cups in the bark for roosting, which I've never seen on trees here in California where I live now.
The trees were the mountain sequoias not coastal redwoods, and they weren't extraordinarily large; they were about the same height as the mature beech, sycamore, and walnut trees they grew beside. They were probably all planted in the early 19th century, when the house and its grounds were established.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
anadem LinkI just finished Loot by Tania James. It's an interesting riff written around Tipu's Tiger, an 18th century automaton. James's history of the tiger's construction, and the lives of its constructors...I just finished Loot by Tania James. It's an interesting riff written around Tipu's Tiger, an 18th century automaton. James's history of the tiger's construction, and the lives of its constructors is entirely imagined but beautifully sited in India and Britain. It's a nicely put-together story I found hard to put down. And I've seen the tiger!
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Comment on What are some significant numbers or juxtapositions of numbers and quantities you often notices? in ~talk
anadem LinkSome series of digits are much more satisfying than others even when there's no obvious reason, so when I've had to get a new phone number I search through the available numbers to find one which...Some series of digits are much more satisfying than others even when there's no obvious reason, so when I've had to get a new phone number I search through the available numbers to find one which feels good and flows nicely. Prior to mobile phones I used to have an encyclopedic memory for phone numbers, recalling fifty or more at need, but lost that when our phones stored numbers for us.
I'm delighted by serial numbers, like when the time is 4:56 or 3:21, or the page of my book is 123. Series like 246 or 248 are nice too, and repeated digits 22, 33, etc. My real favorite though is finding a piece of the Fibonacci sequence: 112358.. I'm happy that my phone number includes part of that series.
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Comment on Tell me about your weird religious beliefs in ~humanities
anadem Link ParentThe plainsong in our church services was beautiful. The monks were dedicated, moral men and exemplars of a good life (at least, that's what I saw), but we were immersed in religion which left me...The plainsong in our church services was beautiful.
The monks were dedicated, moral men and exemplars of a good life (at least, that's what I saw), but we were immersed in religion which left me with the usual problems, guilt for one. It was a male-only UK "public" school, a boarding school for boys from wealthy families, so rather limiting in terms of the British class system. The education was scholastically wonderful but I failed to learn how to learn by myself, so despite being immature I did well in the school exit exams and am broadly "well educated", then nosedived in university. The failings were of course mine, and other schoolmates did well. -
Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of February 12 in ~news
anadem Link ParentYes, me too! But the issue is made of those who would abstain from voting for anyone because they recognize Biden's weakness.I would literally vote for anyone over Trump
Yes, me too! But the issue is made of those who would abstain from voting for anyone because they recognize Biden's weakness.
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Comment on Tell me about your weird religious beliefs in ~humanities
anadem LinkBrought up Roman Catholic due to father's Irish mother's requiring that when he married an Anglican, and educated by Benedictine monks all of whom that I knew were excellent men, then lapsing in...Brought up Roman Catholic due to father's Irish mother's requiring that when he married an Anglican, and educated by Benedictine monks all of whom that I knew were excellent men, then lapsing in my late teens into agnosticism, I studied Buddhism when I married into a "hippy-Buddhist" family. Now I'm a staunch atheist on the basis of seeing religiosity as too abstract and too absurd, and my only deep belief is that kindness matters.
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Comment on Atlantic Ocean circulation nearing ‘devastating’ tipping point, study finds in ~enviro
anadem Link ParentThat's a tough one when the temperature gets too hot for crops, or for human survivability for that matter.that their essential needs are met
That's a tough one when the temperature gets too hot for crops, or for human survivability for that matter.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
anadem LinkI'm reading Stendhal's "The Red and the Black" in translation by Horace Samuel. I'm in chapter 14 of 82, slow going but just what I need in terms of not wanting excitement.I'm reading Stendhal's "The Red and the Black" in translation by Horace Samuel. I'm in chapter 14 of 82, slow going but just what I need in terms of not wanting excitement.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
anadem Link ParentI found the book entertaining too, but from reading comments about it I've since come to think it's not actually accurate, so take what he writes with a good pinch of salt.I found the book entertaining too, but from reading comments about it I've since come to think it's not actually accurate, so take what he writes with a good pinch of salt.
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Comment on The old new way to provide cheap housing in ~design
anadem Link ParentAs a neutral and really rather uninterested spectator, I too read your "I really don't need to be educated about ..." as rude and nasty, and find your comment quoted at the top of my post here to...You're reading this into my comments, and I don't particularly appreciate the condescending insistence
As a neutral and really rather uninterested spectator, I too read your "I really don't need to be educated about ..." as rude and nasty, and find your comment quoted at the top of my post here to be equally unnecessarily aggressive. I feel it's worthwhile to post this not to further irritate you, but rather just in hope you'll reevaluate your pose.
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Comment on Venezuelan referendum approves takeover of oil-rich region of Guyana in ~news
anadem Link ParentPopulation of Guyana: ~ 813,000 Population of Venezuela: ~ 28,800,000 Unless Guyana has some tricks up its sleeve, that's not likely to be a very major conflict.The last thing we need right now is a third major conflict on a third continent.
Population of Guyana: ~ 813,000
Population of Venezuela: ~ 28,800,000Unless Guyana has some tricks up its sleeve, that's not likely to be a very major conflict.
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Comment on Sewing machines are mechanical marvels – here’s how they work in ~engineering
anadem Link ParentHe comes off as such a smug ass, so pleased with himself. Ugh, it gives me creeps me to remember. A long-ago sketch by Peter Cook went "for my brother Esau is an hairy man, but I am a smooth man"...He comes off as such a smug ass, so pleased with himself. Ugh, it gives me creeps me to remember.
A long-ago sketch by Peter Cook went "for my brother Esau is an hairy man, but I am a smooth man" (or something like that, it really was long ago); somehow the presenter reminds me of that. My reaction is perhaps just from some odd suppressed memory of mine, but ugh again.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~transport
anadem LinkIt's not what you're asking, but I've kayaked down the Rhône from Lyons to Avignon, something over 200 km. At one point I had to paddle upstream a short distance and that wasn't fun; in fact it...It's not what you're asking, but I've kayaked down the Rhône from Lyons to Avignon, something over 200 km. At one point I had to paddle upstream a short distance and that wasn't fun; in fact it was only possible by staying close to the bank where the flow was least and it wouldn't be feasible as transportation. But I don't know how the current there compares with the Delaware or other rivers you might want to travel.
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
anadem Link ParentAs a child we always used cloth napkins, and each of us had a special napkin ring into which our own napkin would be folded and rolled. My napkin ring was flattened on one side, so it wouldn't...As a child we always used cloth napkins, and each of us had a special napkin ring into which our own napkin would be folded and rolled. My napkin ring was flattened on one side, so it wouldn't roll around, which I remember finding mildly insulting.
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Comment on Sewing machines are mechanical marvels – here’s how they work in ~engineering
anadem (edited )LinkI love sewing and sewing machines, any and all machines really, but unfortunately the veritasium presenter just weirds me out which is a shame because it looks interesting. (Edit to add: I forced...I love sewing and sewing machines, any and all machines really, but unfortunately the veritasium presenter just weirds me out which is a shame because it looks interesting. (Edit to add: I forced myself to watch the vid and yes it was mostly interesting; i wish I liked the presenter though).
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Comment on What spices will you only buy from specific regions? in ~food
anadem Link ParentIs most "cinnamon" sold in the US actually cassia? Cinnamon in the UK is a much sweeter, softer taste than what I've bought in California. How would I find cinnamon here in the US that's like what...Is most "cinnamon" sold in the US actually cassia?
Cinnamon in the UK is a much sweeter, softer taste than what I've bought in California. How would I find cinnamon here in the US that's like what I got in Britain? -
Comment on No more alarm clocks in ~life
anadem LinkYes it's wonderful! I wake when my body's ready, and have a cup of tea while the dawn breaks and the sun rises. Our living room window faces east so the glow of the sky then warmth of the sun are...I would love to hear how it goes
Yes it's wonderful! I wake when my body's ready, and have a cup of tea while the dawn breaks and the sun rises. Our living room window faces east so the glow of the sky then warmth of the sun are a lovely way to reconnect with the world. The need to go to bed at a decent time is good for me too, helping me keep good habits; staying up late means missing the dawn.
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Comment on Privacy is priceless, but Signal is expensive in ~tech
anadem Link ParentThat includes me. My circle didn't want / couldn't be bothered to move off WhatsApppeople have tried it but aren't active
That includes me. My circle didn't want / couldn't be bothered to move off WhatsApp
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Comment on New system could produce freshwater from saltwater more cheaply than how tap water is made in ~enviro
anadem Link ParentA sailboat came ashore here one afternoon a year or so ago; the captain had set course then had a nap below, just stepped off the boat when it grounded. By next morning the largest remaining...isn't just a boat hull and find ways to tear it apart
A sailboat came ashore here one afternoon a year or so ago; the captain had set course then had a nap below, just stepped off the boat when it grounded. By next morning the largest remaining pieces of the hull were little bigger than a napkin.
If your property is in coastal redwood territory they do seem to spring up pretty much everywhere, or at least they did while we lived there: the old trees had been felled in the early 1900s, but the offspring were big and flourishing and babies kept popping up. They weren't quite as invasive as acacia but would certainly out-compete acacias; they might not win against the even more invasive eucalypts though, as those sprout up so high so fast, and make their surroundings desolate with their shed bark.