bgc's recent activity
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Comment on What short standalone book is worth more than its page count? in ~books
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What are your favorite special kitchen ingredients?
I’m looking to explore a bit so i’d love to hear your thoughts. These are the items that make my kitchen special. I mainly cook Asian style food (Chinese, Japanese), so my ingredients trend in...
I’m looking to explore a bit so i’d love to hear your thoughts. These are the items that make my kitchen special. I mainly cook Asian style food (Chinese, Japanese), so my ingredients trend in that direction. This is a combination of ingredients, condiments, and even snacks that bring joy to me.
If there’s a particular special brand that you think is extra special, i’d love to hear it too!
- Mirin (in Toronto there is a small store that makes homemade mirin)
- Yuzu ponzu sauce (same supplier)
- Furikake / shichimi
- Korean seasoned salt
- Perilla Oil (an amazing nuttier substitute to sesame oil) - great on subtle dishes like zaru soba
- Szechuan peppercorns - amazing to put into the mortar with other aromatics
- Chinese cured pork belly - wow how immensely flavorful - I like the five spice one. Small cubes makes fried rice sing
- Oyster sauce (two ladies LKK not panda LKK)
- Nem Chua
- Good butter (Kerrygold or St Brigid)
- Sambal Oelek
- Pandan leaves and frozen chopped lemongrass
- Maldon salt
- Frozen cheap chocolate squares (Swiss Delice)
- Lao Gan Ma black bean chili crisp
- Salted yolk potato chips, Honey Butter chips
- Korean seaweed sheets for stock along with the little anchovies
- Frozen unshelled clam meat - just throw a handful into anything like pasta or stir fries. So cheap and so good!
- Chinese cooking wine
- Perilla leaves (gganib)
- when I can find them, Alphonso, Kesar, or Colombian Sugar Mangos
- Concord or Muscat grapes
- fatty Biltong (Florence meats is best)
- wavy soba (for some reason I like the mouth feel)
- frozen special handmade ramen
- Calabrian peppers
- Peperoncinos (I like the ones from Terroni)
- Peruvian sweety drop peppers
- Thai kefir leaves (frozen)
- Thai birdseye peppers
- Vietnamese veggies (rau ram) and Thai basil mmm
- fermented tofu bricks - kinda smelly but adds a slickness and sourness when stir frying Chinese veggies
- Korean coque d’asses (Japanese ones are a bit dry for me). Great frozen as well.
- mango gummy candy from cocoa land lot 100
- Chinese snow pear
- kewpie mayo (creepy baby)
- kozlik triple crunch mustard
- Vietnamese fried onions (need to figure out what brand is best)
- affordable soy sauce (made in Japan ones - yamasa or kikkoman)
- fermented black pepper (I like the Trader Joe’s ones - I put it into ramen broth)
- kecap manis (abc brand) for making Indonesian stuff
- Hungarian Hunters sausages - great snacks that last
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Comment on What things do you have are surprisingly good / handy? in ~life
bgc Link ParentThis is so interesting, I never thought to bring my own bed to a friend’s house. This is like a brilliant version of a Murphy bed…. Thanks for the recommendation!!This is so interesting, I never thought to bring my own bed to a friend’s house. This is like a brilliant version of a Murphy bed…. Thanks for the recommendation!!
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Comment on What things do you have are surprisingly good / handy? in ~life
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Comment on What things do you have are surprisingly good / handy? in ~life
bgc Link ParentOh yes, I also have a big ass screwdriver that has never been used for screwdriving! It mostly is used for weeding.Oh yes, I also have a big ass screwdriver that has never been used for screwdriving! It mostly is used for weeding.
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What things do you have are surprisingly good / handy?
As I write this, I’m using a $10 foot massager from Temu that my wife bought. I thought it was totally stupid but it gets nightly use. We lie on the couch and just let it run. Edit2: it looks like...
As I write this, I’m using a $10 foot massager from Temu that my wife bought. I thought it was totally stupid but it gets nightly use. We lie on the couch and just let it run.
Edit2: it looks like the LINGTENG one on Amazon - probably white labeled from same factory, nothing special about it but we like the simplicity.
What has anyone else found surprisingly useful?
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Here are some things that came in mind as I was walking around:
- Different type of mason jar lids from masontops for sprouting, cold press coffee, pouring spout for watering plants, etc.
- ifixit kit - originally used for phone fixing now used for prying random stuff - the Ifixit jimmy is really useful, and it’s great to have all tools in one place
- Shoegoo - originally used for shoe fixing now used for fixing bike parts - time to invest in a glue gun
- YouTube premium - I originally got a family plan so that my mom wouldn’t watch so many ads, but now it’s an integral part of my passive learning system - languages, guitar, sports, etc.
- hydrogen peroxide - I got it for wound disinfecting but it has only ever been used as a stain remover.
- cheap Muji mini umbrella - way more used than my fancy Davek
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Comment on What is your favorite Final Fantasy game? in ~games
bgc LinkFF6 was my favorite. As a kid from the suburbs without a car, it was my first taste of opera, casino / airships, rafting, mining and factory towns, etc. The world building was truly magical.FF6 was my favorite. As a kid from the suburbs without a car, it was my first taste of opera, casino / airships, rafting, mining and factory towns, etc.
The world building was truly magical.
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Comment on What's your recommended survival crafting game to play solo? in ~games
bgc Link ParentThe actual story is a bit clumsily written so you didn’t miss much. I think the star is the gameplay with permadeath - learning to survive despite issues with cannibals, hygiene and diarrhea…The actual story is a bit clumsily written so you didn’t miss much. I think the star is the gameplay with permadeath - learning to survive despite issues with cannibals, hygiene and diarrhea…
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Comment on Tildes Video Thread in ~misc
bgc LinkAn interview with Paul Singer of Elliott Management - interesting insights from a very sharp perspective on shareholder value. https://youtu.be/3EOLtbqjQB0?feature=sharedAn interview with Paul Singer of Elliott Management - interesting insights from a very sharp perspective on shareholder value. https://youtu.be/3EOLtbqjQB0?feature=shared
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Comment on What's your recommended survival crafting game to play solo? in ~games
bgc LinkI enjoyed playing NEO Scavenger. The graphics are pretty bad and the UI is rough but if you can put up with that it’s fun to unravel.I enjoyed playing NEO Scavenger. The graphics are pretty bad and the UI is rough but if you can put up with that it’s fun to unravel.
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Comment on An uncompromising guide to sleep masks (for side-sleepers) in ~health
bgc LinkGreat review, keep it up! I appreciated that it wasn’t fluff and very practical.Great review, keep it up! I appreciated that it wasn’t fluff and very practical.
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Comment on The illustrated encyclopedia of sleeping positions on a plane in ~travel
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Comment on Recommendations for less mass-produced and more artistic tv in ~tv
bgc LinkTry a Korean show on Netflix entitled ‘My Mister’ - it’s very famous for good writing.Try a Korean show on Netflix entitled ‘My Mister’ - it’s very famous for good writing.
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Comment on Sid Meyer's Alpha Centauri lovers, tell me what sets it apart in ~games
bgc (edited )LinkThe graphics are nothing to write home about but the balance and deep faction philosophy / lore are what set it apart. As the game unfolds, I find myself sympathizing with different leaders and...The graphics are nothing to write home about but the balance and deep faction philosophy / lore are what set it apart. As the game unfolds, I find myself sympathizing with different leaders and their mindsets - even Sister Miriam. The unfolding of dystopian technologies and decisions without judgement is really well done. Finally, (spoiler alert) having the planet itself as an entity with agency and self preservation goals has a very Speaker for the Dead kind of feel.
https://youtu.be/24OXzIRIiMQ?feature=shared
There is also an undercurrent of ironic humor that’s prevalent in the choice of quotes - see retroviral engineering, for example.
The gameplay mechanics are also fun in that you can flexibly customize the units and that adds value to tactical combat beyond most civ games.
The expansion doesn’t live up to the original.
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Comment on Seven things killing movie theaters (and how to save them) in ~movies
bgc Link ParentYes, I agree - as mentioned by another post earlier, the competitive option of at home viewing has become a superior experience at a lower price. Movie theaters will have to adapt - where I live,...Yes, I agree - as mentioned by another post earlier, the competitive option of at home viewing has become a superior experience at a lower price. Movie theaters will have to adapt - where I live, the subculture themed smaller theaters are still booming as a hipster kind of outing. Some will live and others will make way for a better economic use of the space (in my city one of the theaters became a giant Asian spa). The production studios will still make money on content.
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Comment on Generic preventitive healthcare advice wanted in ~health
bgc LinkAbdominal ultrasound, vaccinations, scans on any nagging sports injuries, EKGs, dermatology. Look up executive healthcare annuals and that’s a good starting point. Hope that helps!Abdominal ultrasound, vaccinations, scans on any nagging sports injuries, EKGs, dermatology.
Look up executive healthcare annuals and that’s a good starting point.
Hope that helps!
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Comment on E-bikes: Seeking advice on a commuter bike that meets disability needs in ~transport
bgc LinkI can't speak for the other brands, but I have an Aventon Level 2 Stepthrough and I think it would handily tick off all your use cases. It's a bit heavy but well constructed. The assist has...I can't speak for the other brands, but I have an Aventon Level 2 Stepthrough and I think it would handily tick off all your use cases. It's a bit heavy but well constructed. The assist has multiple levels and has been very useful for me. The bike is a very upright position. I remove the battery to charge at home.
It has a limited suspension in the fork so it eats some bumps.
I got it from Costco on sale in Canada.
Cost around $2000 CAD I think before tax
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Comment on How Hertz’s bet on Teslas went horribly sideways in ~finance
bgc LinkI am a loyal Hertz customer but I was pretty confused by the Tesla offering. It was enticing at first because it was cheaper than my usual 'whatever is cheapest' economy car rental, it dawned...I am a loyal Hertz customer but I was pretty confused by the Tesla offering. It was enticing at first because it was cheaper than my usual 'whatever is cheapest' economy car rental, it dawned pretty fast that I would have to learn a new driving and charging paradigm for use, and also as a non EV driver, I simply don't know how the app works for a rental or even how long it takes to charge. Too stressful for me regardless of how cheap it is.
I wish they could have reduced the friction for these things.
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
bgc LinkWife and I are watching Drive My Car, a Japanese film adapted from the short story by Haruki Murakami. They added material to the short story but it all feels natural. Really good watch if you...Wife and I are watching Drive My Car, a Japanese film adapted from the short story by Haruki Murakami. They added material to the short story but it all feels natural. Really good watch if you like slow burn art house films.
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Comment on What books helped you deal with the anxiety of life's uncertainties? in ~books
bgc LinkMy favorite is Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. You can find a good free audio version from Librivox. https://librivox.org/siddhartha-by-hermann-hesse/ (Credit to the narrator, A Praetzellis)My favorite is Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. You can find a good free audio version from Librivox.
https://librivox.org/siddhartha-by-hermann-hesse/ (Credit to the narrator, A Praetzellis)
Siddhartha by Herman Hesse - I suggest the librivox recording if anyone prefers audiobooks. It’s a quick and beautiful read.