marron12's recent activity
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Comment on Chefs of Tildes, what’s one simple cooking trick that can vastly improve the flavour of a dish? in ~food
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~food
marron12 LinkIf you want something similar to an authentic Mexican bean soup, you could try something like this. You just need beans, onion, garlic, tomatoes, chipotle or some other chile, oregano, and...If you want something similar to an authentic Mexican bean soup, you could try something like this. You just need beans, onion, garlic, tomatoes, chipotle or some other chile, oregano, and vegetable or chicken stock. For more texture, you could add in a can of whole beans and optionally smush some of them. (This will also help thicken the soup.)
Optional toppings: avocado chunks, crumbly Mexican cheese, or sour cream. I would eat it with tortilla chips for the crunch, but that's up to you.
I wouldn't use a roux, milk, or cream. To thicken a soup, you need carbohydrates or protein. (Look at the nutrition label on chicken stock. The more protein it has, the more it will thicken your soup.) Beans will give you that on their own. Just make sure to use enough oil if you have fat-free refried beans.
Using flour might make the soup gummy or gluey. I don't think milk would taste good with pinto beans, and you don't need it to get a good, hearty consistency.
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Comment on My ginger carrot hot sauce is missing something, but I can't tell what in ~food
marron12 LinkI would say add more salt (don't be shy), a little sugar or honey, and a second kind of acid. Lemon or lime juice would work well. Maybe try adding a hotter pepper like serrano or habanero...I would say add more salt (don't be shy), a little sugar or honey, and a second kind of acid. Lemon or lime juice would work well. Maybe try adding a hotter pepper like serrano or habanero (doesn't have to be much). You might find inspiration in this recipe or this one.
The second recipe suggests grinding the ginger in a mortar and pestle. You might get more punch out of it that way. Alternatively, chop it fine. Mincing the garlic will also make it less mild than when you slice it.
Roasting your vegetables is going to make them sweeter and milder, so I wouldn't necessarily recommend that if you're looking to add pep. But it could work if your chiles are hot enough and you have a good salt/acid level.
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Comment on The art of translation in ~humanities.languages
marron12 LinkReally interesting article. It's not so often that you get a look behind the scenes of a translator's work. She's good, too. The second example especially is hard to translate ("alegría"), and she...Really interesting article. It's not so often that you get a look behind the scenes of a translator's work. She's good, too. The second example especially is hard to translate ("alegría"), and she found an elegant solution.
The funny thing to me about translation is you can't make an exact copy of the original. There will pretty much always be some part that's different somehow. Like how she went with "honest to God" instead of "by all that's holy." It works fine in Spanish, but it would be over the top in English and make the character less believable.
Or another example. I'm reading Letters back to Ancient China right now. It's about a Chinese mandarin who time travels, but ends up in a different place than he expected. The English translation has this sentence:
It seems that only our special time-travel-paper can survive the journey of a thousand years.
Instead of "survive," the German original has a word that would literally translate as "to rush through, to hurry through." The idea is that the paper travels through a thousand years, and it only takes a moment. You have to choose: do you go with a more literal translation, or do you capture the style and feel of the original, and give up the detail that the journey happens fast? The translator made the right choice. You hear the same voice and get the same feeling in both languages.
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Comment on How much have record corporate profits contributed to recent US inflation? in ~finance
marron12 Link ParentOh, but corporations are people too, you see. Legally. A nice fiction. Based on laws the corporations helped create. Think of the people! The snark in me is strong today. What I want to know is,...Oh, but corporations are people too, you see. Legally. A nice fiction. Based on laws the corporations helped create. Think of the people!
The snark in me is strong today. What I want to know is, when does it break? How much do people have to vote with their feet? How much do they have to cut back, even when there isn't really much left to cut back on? Or what else has to happen to stop this?
Every month, my grocery bill goes up. I'm buying the same stuff. I see people looking more carefully at the prices and walking around with smaller carts. Takeout? No thanks. The prices will have gone up again, portion will be smaller, and the quality worse (again). I don't blame the restaurants for it. But the madness can only go on for so long. Right?
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Comment on US Supreme Court strikes down President Biden's student loan forgiveness: Now what? in ~finance
marron12 Link ParentYeah. My coworkers mostly get it, but family gatherings, it feels like I'm in a different world sometimes. I am, in a way. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if we could actually be in someone...Yeah. My coworkers mostly get it, but family gatherings, it feels like I'm in a different world sometimes. I am, in a way.
Sometimes I wonder what would happen if we could actually be in someone else's shoes. You can't imagine what this is like? Come live my life for like a month. Be right there with me and my friends and find out what insurmountable debt can do to your mental health.
Would it convince everyone? Probably not. But something's gotta change. I just wish I knew what I could do to help make that happen.
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Comment on US Supreme Court strikes down President Biden's student loan forgiveness: Now what? in ~finance
marron12 Link ParentIt's great, isn't it? 5 or 6 figures of debt, and let's not even talk about how the interest adds up. Why is it again that people are scraping to get by and not having kids? Oh right, not working...It's great, isn't it? 5 or 6 figures of debt, and let's not even talk about how the interest adds up. Why is it again that people are scraping to get by and not having kids? Oh right, not working hard enough and too much avocado toast.
My parent's generation paid $300-$400 a semester for undergrad tuition. I paid $14,000 a semester and double that for grad school. Looking at the prices today, I was lucky. Let's also ignore how hard it is to get a job and how little they pay.
Anything more than 40 hours a week is unthinkable to my parents and grandparents. "Only" 40 would be a huge increase in quality of life for me. Time off? In 10 years, I took a full week once. Otherwise a few days here and there. This is why some parts of the world wonder what the heck is wrong with the U.S.
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Comment on Let's add (and rearrange?) some groups + a few notes about other short-term plans in ~tildes.official
marron12 Link ParentI'm with you on that and I see other people saying the same thing. I love how knowledgeable and courteous people are, but I would spend more time here if the atmosphere was just a little bit...I'm with you on that and I see other people saying the same thing. I love how knowledgeable and courteous people are, but I would spend more time here if the atmosphere was just a little bit looser. Don't throw the site's philosophy out the window. Just warm things up some.
Like posting for example. I don't post because I feel like the standards are high and I should be careful. Same with comments really. I get that I'm not supposed to feel like I'm walking on eggshells, but I do a little bit. Makes me want to like, pass around drinks or an appetizer to get a vibe going.
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Comment on Any astrophotographers here? Share some nebula and galaxy shots! in ~hobbies
marron12 Link ParentIs it possible to take pictures like this in your backyard, or do you have to find a place that's dark enough? How dark does it need to be? I don't know anything about astrophotography, but I'm...Is it possible to take pictures like this in your backyard, or do you have to find a place that's dark enough? How dark does it need to be?
I don't know anything about astrophotography, but I'm endlessly fascinated by all the things we can see in space.
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Comment on Let's add (and rearrange?) some groups + a few notes about other short-term plans in ~tildes.official
marron12 Link ParentYeah, I did see that, plus the answers to the question recently about posting in other languages. All of what I'm talking about can be done, and usually is done in English. I miss being able to...Yeah, I did see that, plus the answers to the question recently about posting in other languages. All of what I'm talking about can be done, and usually is done in English. I miss being able to use English and German like in r/german, but I promise to be good.
If you guys ever had a use for someone who can speak/translate German or Spanish, I'd be willing to pitch in. Assuming I still have the time if it ever gets that far.
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Comment on Let's add (and rearrange?) some groups + a few notes about other short-term plans in ~tildes.official
marron12 Link ParentI see your point, but "humanities" is a little too abstract or academic for me to really want to post there. What I mean is it would take me a while to realize that my topic should go there. My...I see your point, but "humanities" is a little too abstract or academic for me to really want to post there. What I mean is it would take me a while to realize that my topic should go there. My major was one of the humanities, so you would think I would know. Maybe it's my work-addled brain, but it just doesn't click right away. I'm not saying labels should be dumbed-down, just intuitive and easy to understand.
It would help to have a label like ~humanities.linguistics, but I think that would still narrow the discussions. I hung out in r/linguistics for years and it was never as active as the other language-related subs. I think because linguistics is a high level thing, or at least a lot of people (rightly) see it that way. It attracted posts from linguistics students and casual linguists, people who wanted to study linguistics, and a few other people who were brave enough to pop in.
What you didn't find there were topics that the average person is more likely to be interested in. Things like "I'm writing something, is there a good word to say X." Or "why does this work like this." Advice about learning a language, or things you learned when you were studying a language. Just a whole range of topics that could spark really interesting discussions. Even simple questions can lead to great discussions. But you're not going to get as much of that if people feel like the label is over their heads.
I hope that doesn't come off as aggressive. It's just a topic I'm passionate about and spend a ton of time on.
A lot of this doesn't matter if there aren't a lot of other people who want to talk about language stuff. But I think the part about making labels easy to understand is generally applicable. ~creative, ~arts, and ~design are some that make me wonder "does this go there" and "which one do I choose." That could be one of the reasons those topics aren't used as much.
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Comment on Chocolate chips wouldn't melt? in ~food
marron12 Link ParentIt's been a while, but I want to say I've had luck melting the Ghirardelli chips with 60% cacao. I might have had to add a little oil. But I looked at the nutrition info just now, and those chips...It's been a while, but I want to say I've had luck melting the Ghirardelli chips with 60% cacao. I might have had to add a little oil. But I looked at the nutrition info just now, and those chips have almost the same amount of fat as the Ghirardelli dark chocolate melts (6g per 15g of chips). The semisweet and milk chocolate chips only have 3-4g of fat per 15g.
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Comment on Let's add (and rearrange?) some groups + a few notes about other short-term plans in ~tildes.official
marron12 Link ParentI'd like that too, but what about something like ~world or ~global like json suggested. That could be a place for anyone who wants to talk about what's going on in their part of the world. Or talk...I'd like that too, but what about something like
~world or
~global like json suggested.That could be a place for anyone who wants to talk about what's going on in their part of the world. Or talk about stuff related to Africa, say, or India. Whatever matters to you. Got a cool tradition in your corner of the globe? I for one would love to hear about it. That kind of thing.
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Comment on Let's add (and rearrange?) some groups + a few notes about other short-term plans in ~tildes.official
marron12 Link~diy might be a welcome addition if the thread yesterday is anything to go by. A couple others I wouldn't mind seeing: ~history ~languages~diy might be a welcome addition if the thread yesterday is anything to go by.
A couple others I wouldn't mind seeing:
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Comment on An introduction to microtonal music (including a long list of recommendations) in ~music
marron12 LinkI listened to Agonanist, the Basiani Ensemble, and Sound Tracker - Gamelan. Agonanist was a little unsettling, maybe because I've never heard anything like it before. Interesting though. Almost...I listened to Agonanist, the Basiani Ensemble, and Sound Tracker - Gamelan.
Agonanist was a little unsettling, maybe because I've never heard anything like it before. Interesting though. Almost like the sounds were three-dimensional shapes that moved around. Maybe that sounds silly. I don't have any musical training and don't know if it's normal to hear it like that.
The Georgian polyphonic singing was soothing and beautiful. They sing a lot with one breath and the voices interact with each other in interesting ways. Maybe I'm imagining it, but it seemed like the sound of inhaling was part of the music in the first song.
And the very last video you linked, just gorgeous. It would be quite an experience to hear that live.
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Comment on How many of you feel yourselves being drawn back to Reddit for the sake of niche communities and discussions? in ~talk
marron12 LinkIs something like this along the lines of what you're looking for? I'm not familiar with Tsukihime, I just did a search for it on Lemmy and that came up. I don't think it's close to the level of...Is something like this along the lines of what you're looking for? I'm not familiar with Tsukihime, I just did a search for it on Lemmy and that came up. I don't think it's close to the level of Reddit yet, but I'm noticing a good number of niche communities popping up on Lemmy. I'm on lemmy.world and it feels kind of like Reddit from years ago.
I'm not in the camp "avoid Reddit at all costs." I just use it way less than before and mostly don't miss it, just because the level of discussion dropped so much in the subs I liked. It's interesting to see new communities being built elsewhere.
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Comment on How often do US health insurers say no to patients? No one knows. in ~health
marron12 LinkI don't think it's a coincidence either. 7-10% is a lot less than the other numbers mentioned in the article (20%, 30%, 50%, 66%). Which is going off of limited data, but still. If the insurance...Vermont demands more details, requiring insurers that cover more than 2,000 Vermonters to publicly release prior authorization and prescription drug information that is similar to what the state insurance commissioners collect. Perhaps most usefully, insurers have to separate claims denied because of administrative problems — many of which will be resubmitted and paid — from denials that have “member impact.” These involve services rejected on medical grounds or because they are contractually excluded.
Mike Fisher, Vermont’s state health care advocate, said there’s little indication consumers or employers are using the state’s information, but he still thinks the prospect of public scrutiny may have affected insurers’ practices. The most recent data shows Vermont plans had denial rates between 7.7% and 10.26%, considerably lower than the average for plans on Healthcare.gov.
“I suspect that’s not a coincidence,” Fisher said. “Shining a light on things helps.”
I don't think it's a coincidence either. 7-10% is a lot less than the other numbers mentioned in the article (20%, 30%, 50%, 66%). Which is going off of limited data, but still. If the insurance companies are refusing to show their data, there's something to hide.
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Comment on The bizarre, true story of the world’s greatest living art thief in ~arts
marron12 LinkI can sympathize with that. Books are a window to a whole new world, especially when you're alone. Reading a book and giving it back is fine, but there's something special about having them...Duncan Jevons, a turkey-farm laborer from Suffolk, England, stole 42,000 library books over 30 years, starting in the mid 1960s, stashing them a few at a time in his battered leather briefcase. He lived alone and had broad literary tastes, taking volumes on nearly every subject except sports. Books, said Jevons, never cause problems like people do. He was eventually nabbed by the police and spent eight months in jail.
I can sympathize with that. Books are a window to a whole new world, especially when you're alone. Reading a book and giving it back is fine, but there's something special about having them around. Not saying it's OK to steal, of course, just that I can relate somewhat.
Breitwiese’s favorite book thief is a fellow Frenchman, an engineering professor named Stanislas Gosse, who had a passion for religious tomes. Gosse stole a thousand volumes over two years from a securely locked library in a medieval monastery. The locks were changed three times during his binge, to no avail, for Gosse had learned, in the course of his constant reading, of a forgotten secret passage behind a hinged bookcase connecting to a back room of the adjacent hotel. He filled suitcases with books that felt to him abandoned, soiled with pigeon droppings, and entered and left the premises by blending in with tourist groups. Gosse cleaned the books and stored them in his apartment. He was arrested in 2002 after police hid a camera in the library, but just served probation.
He had to climb the outside walls of the abbey to get there. He originally faced 5 years in prison, but his lawyer got him a suspended sentence because he took good care of the books, restored some of them, and returned all of them. He got a $20,000 fine and community service (helping the monks catalog and restore books).
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Comment on What is one food item that you absolutely hated initially but it slowly grew on you? in ~food
marron12 Link ParentI think part of it depends on how the food is grown. Pesticides, fertilizer, and other farming methods (like only growing one crop in a patch of land) can deplete the soil and make food less...I think part of it depends on how the food is grown. Pesticides, fertilizer, and other farming methods (like only growing one crop in a patch of land) can deplete the soil and make food less nutritious. Plus plants and animals are pushed to grow bigger and faster, which tends to come at the expense of taste.
Like apples for example. The big pretty ones at the supermarket taste OK, but they've got nothing on the smaller ones from the farmer's market that might have a few bug holes. The best turkey I ever had weighed a whopping 8 pounds. It was from a local farmer that let them run around outside, eat bugs, and grow slow.
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Comment on What is one food item that you absolutely hated initially but it slowly grew on you? in ~food
marron12 Link ParentBeets and goat cheese salad is one of my favorites. Golden beets are good too if you can get them. They're sweeter and milder. Or a beet and potato salad if you don't mind something a little more...Beets and goat cheese salad is one of my favorites. Golden beets are good too if you can get them. They're sweeter and milder.
Or a beet and potato salad if you don't mind something a little more labor intensive.
Technique can absolutely change the flavor. Take a steak, sprinkle salt on it, and immediately plop it in a cold pan. Turn the heat to medium and let it plod along until the steak is done. Now take the same steak. Pat it dry if it's damp, salt it, and throw it in a cracking hot pan. Sear it a minute or two per side and finish in the oven. It's the exact same ingredients, but the second way will give you a much tastier steak.
Or if you're roasting broccoli, for example. The taste (and texture) will be very different depending if you roast it plain and add oil and salt later, or if you toss it in oil and salt beforehand.
And that all gets kicked into high gear when we're talking about baking.
Love gets called a secret ingredient, not just as a joke, but because it gives you the patience to do all the extra steps that make the food taste better.