paper_reactor's recent activity
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Comment on Holiday season playlist in ~music
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
paper_reactor Link ParentFor what it's worth, I played it on an original xbox one to start and while the graphics were ok and there were some bugs and lower frame rates, I still enjoyed it. That said, I replayed it after...For what it's worth, I played it on an original xbox one to start and while the graphics were ok and there were some bugs and lower frame rates, I still enjoyed it. That said, I replayed it after getting an xbox series x a year ago and the experience was much better. Sometimes, you don't realize what you're missing until you have it. I would still recommend it on an xbox one as I still enjoyed it then, but the newer systems are a big upgrade. I wouldn't be able to go back and enjoy it.
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Comment on Laufey – Santa Baby (2024) in ~music
paper_reactor (edited )Link ParentDefinitely a great song, just has this like bossa nova feel that Laufey just excels at. Just because you mentioned a Parisian Cafe vibe, Caro Emerald has a song called "A Night Like This" that is...Definitely a great song, just has this like bossa nova feel that Laufey just excels at. Just because you mentioned a Parisian Cafe vibe, Caro Emerald has a song called "A Night Like This" that is a more...pop-swing-jazz-bossa nova song with the music video taking place on like Parisian streets.
Also, the live session of Galdive singing Pocket is awesome.
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Comment on Laufey – Santa Baby (2024) in ~music
paper_reactor LinkShe just has one of the coziest voices ever and controls it so well! Her rendition of Winter Weather in "Love to Keep Me Warm" is one of my favorite Christmas songs. Wonder if she'll put out more...She just has one of the coziest voices ever and controls it so well! Her rendition of Winter Weather in "Love to Keep Me Warm" is one of my favorite Christmas songs. Wonder if she'll put out more than just the one Christmas song this year, her voice really captures the mood of sitting by a warm fireplace with cold weather outside.
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Comment on Where does your username come from? (Following up on last year's thread) in ~tildes
paper_reactor LinkI work on modeling nuclear reactors. Rickover wrote a memo (often called the paper reactor memo) about how academics come out with these great reactors on paper that will never be built since they...I work on modeling nuclear reactors. Rickover wrote a memo (often called the paper reactor memo) about how academics come out with these great reactors on paper that will never be built since they aren't practical. I model a lot of paper reactors right now as part of my research and it's just something I think about.
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Comment on Vegan recipe log in ~food
paper_reactor LinkHere's something less common, but it's a household favorite and most of my friends and family enjoy this. I don't measure everything, but doing it by taste isn't too bad. Vegan Fesenjan...Here's something less common, but it's a household favorite and most of my friends and family enjoy this. I don't measure everything, but doing it by taste isn't too bad.
Vegan Fesenjan
Ingredients
- 1 cup of uncooked, green lentils
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 cup of walnuts
- 1 cup of uncooked rice
- 2-4 tbsp pomegranate molasses (can make your own from POM)
- 2-2.5 cups vegetable broth
- Olive oil
- Turmeric, cinnamon, clove, coriander, mushroom seasoning
- Salt and pepper
- Maple syrup or agave nectar
- Chopped parsley or cilantro (I prefer cilantro)
Instructions
- Get rice going. I wash my rice 3-4 times, use a 1.25:1 water to rice ratio, and add a bit of oil and mushroom seasoning to the rice. Bring to a boil then turn to low after it starts bubbling.
- Toast the walnuts. My toaster oven cooks quickly and 6-7 minutes at 300F is enough. Once toasted, use a food processor or blender to finely chop, should not be a paste, but fine.
- Add oil to a pan, finely dice a whole onion, saute till it starts browning. Add about 1 tsp of each spice (turmeric, coriander), but like 1/2 tsp of clove and cinnamon, to toast the spice. More will be added later for taste.
- After toasting spice for like a minute, add two cups of veggie broth and the cup of lentils. Bring to a low-medium boil. Add ~2 tsp of mushroom seasoning. I typically use water with a veggie broth paste I add in so the mushroom seasoning does not make it too salty.
- After about 15 minutes of the lentils cooking, add the walnuts and pomegranate molasses and maple syrup/agave nectar. Cook for about another 15 minutes, until the lentils are the right texture.
- Add black pepper, salt, and more of the other spices and pomegranate molasses until it tastes right. Also add water or cook longer to get the right consistency.
- Add rice then fesenjan to a bowl, garnish with pomegranate seeds (if desired) and chopped herbs, and enjoy.
The warming from the cinnamon along with the tartness from the pomegranate should subtly come through. It a great, hearty, fall meal.
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Comment on What was your first programming language, what languages do you know now, and what tips do you have for those trying to learn any of those? in ~comp
paper_reactor Link ParentThanks for the offer, just hard to pick up another language when I'm in the middle grad school and am crunched for time. Plus, realistically, my employer primarily uses C++/Fortran/Python, but I...Thanks for the offer, just hard to pick up another language when I'm in the middle grad school and am crunched for time. Plus, realistically, my employer primarily uses C++/Fortran/Python, but I know there's a small group of people slowly implementing Julia there. Once I graduate, I hope to make some updates to my skillset.
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Comment on It’s hearty, it’s meaty, it’s mold in ~food
paper_reactor Link ParentIt can get pricey if you want more "direct" vegan replacements from the store. Vegan cheese is pricier, vegan chicken nuggets are pricier, vegan egg is pricier, etc. Overall, I spend less eating...It can get pricey if you want more "direct" vegan replacements from the store. Vegan cheese is pricier, vegan chicken nuggets are pricier, vegan egg is pricier, etc. Overall, I spend less eating vegan as compared to an omnivore diet, but specialty products can add up quick.
I think the struggle people have with vegan food (when they aren't vegan or are new vegans) is that they want a vegan meal that mimics/replaces a meat/dairy meal when vegan cooking has a different mindset. This drive for mimicking/replacing will increase costs unless you learn how to make your own replacements which is time consuming.
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Comment on Surviving vegetarianism as a non-vegetarian chef in ~food
paper_reactor Link ParentAlways makes happy to see someone mention veganism! I've always found it funny that all the seasonings we cherish and love are really just plants and minerals. Don't want plain chicken? Slap some...Always makes happy to see someone mention veganism! I've always found it funny that all the seasonings we cherish and love are really just plants and minerals. Don't want plain chicken? Slap some ground up plants and minerals on it.
Also, while unrelated to this thread, because I perused a previous comment of yours I've included a couple resources I've used for my seitan/seitan-like recipes that my wife and I enjoy.
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Comment on Which board games have you all been playing this week? (to 19th September) in ~games.tabletop
paper_reactor LinkMy wife and I recently picked up "Her Story" on sale and it's a nice, light, partial engine building game. The premise is that you are writing a book with 8 chapters about notable women in...My wife and I recently picked up "Her Story" on sale and it's a nice, light, partial engine building game. The premise is that you are writing a book with 8 chapters about notable women in history.
While the game isn't strategically too difficult, I've still found it to be quite fun, especially since the game kind of forces competitiveness. Many of the cards center around providing benefits to players who aren't in the lead or are in last place which balances the game and helps keep it interesting. Late comebacks and last second wins are very possible.
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Comment on German cabinet approves measure to expedite solar deployment in ~enviro
paper_reactor Link ParentAnother thing to keep in mind is that in Germany, 215 GW of solar capacity will be roughly 22 GW of actual energy production based on actual capacity factor. This would of course need to be...Another thing to keep in mind is that in Germany, 215 GW of solar capacity will be roughly 22 GW of actual energy production based on actual capacity factor. This would of course need to be coupled with batteries, wind, and likely peaker plants to meet electrical demand.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
paper_reactor LinkI am still plugging away at the code I'm writing for my PhD in FORTRAN and C++. I've finished the neutron transport solver(s), need to merge them all, and I'm also almost done writing the kinetics...I am still plugging away at the code I'm writing for my PhD in FORTRAN and C++.
I've finished the neutron transport solver(s), need to merge them all, and I'm also almost done writing the kinetics solver(s). Next will be adding the thermal-hydraulic and thermal expansion modules. Alongside that, I'm looking at improving an older project that involves control-rod modeling and also taking a look at cross-section generation for my project.
When I can, I'm trying to learn Julia and improve my skills with scripting (bash and python).
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Comment on What silly thing do you argue about with your significant other? in ~talk
paper_reactor LinkWhen we walk our dogs, I rate them based on barking, leash pulling, and how well they handle bridges. My wife always gives them a 10/10 whereas I don't. Honestly, she gives them a 10/10 no matter...When we walk our dogs, I rate them based on barking, leash pulling, and how well they handle bridges. My wife always gives them a 10/10 whereas I don't. Honestly, she gives them a 10/10 no matter what the situation is lol, whereas I rarely do and it's a point of fun contention. I explain why they didn't earn a 10/10 and she says, "But they're dogs".
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Comment on I’m making tteokbokki for the first time tonight: any tips? in ~food
paper_reactor LinkI know you said you were skipping the fish cakes, but I highly recommend getting some (odeng) the next time you make it. The tteokbokki my mom and grandma made almost always had odeng and it was...I know you said you were skipping the fish cakes, but I highly recommend getting some (odeng) the next time you make it. The tteokbokki my mom and grandma made almost always had odeng and it was my favorite part.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
paper_reactor Link ParentIf you haven't played it, I recommend Chained Echoes. Just an awesome game I think made by one guy that is just a great, clean, homage to jrpgs.If you haven't played it, I recommend Chained Echoes. Just an awesome game I think made by one guy that is just a great, clean, homage to jrpgs.
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Comment on What are your favorite ways to cook eggplant or dishes containing eggplant? in ~food
paper_reactor LinkZaalouk is a good option, I'll use it as a dip with some like toasted pita and hummus and call it dinner. Roasted eggplant just pairs really well with tomato-based sauces/dishes.Zaalouk is a good option, I'll use it as a dip with some like toasted pita and hummus and call it dinner. Roasted eggplant just pairs really well with tomato-based sauces/dishes.
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Comment on The IBM mainframe: How it runs and why it survives in ~tech
paper_reactor Link ParentThank you for the response! It was definitely helpful and I understand that designing, building, and maintaining these types of systems requires an incredible amount of people with a lot of...Thank you for the response! It was definitely helpful and I understand that designing, building, and maintaining these types of systems requires an incredible amount of people with a lot of knowledge in various topics. And thank you for the article on quantum-proofing, interesting read and the videos were a good watch. I'm curious to how quantum-computing may also change things beyond cryptography.
Sorry for the lack of clarity for my third question, but you touched on some of the points I was trying to get at. More directly, I was trying to ask, "If a company does want to move away from a dedicated/centralized mainframe that they solely use, what kinds of issues would arise?"
You touched briefly on the Coke/Pepsi example which is what I was thinking about. I was curious on what drawbacks and benefits you saw for a large company in using or not using mainframes.
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Comment on The IBM mainframe: How it runs and why it survives in ~tech
paper_reactor Link ParentDo you see a point where a shift away from COBOL happens on a larger scale? In my field (nuclear), FORTRAN is still standard, but other languages are creeping in and making dents outside of...- Do you see a point where a shift away from COBOL happens on a larger scale? In my field (nuclear), FORTRAN is still standard, but other languages are creeping in and making dents outside of research and academia. Less people are learning FORTRAN which makes using it a potentially losing battle over time.
- How often do you usually see companies upgrading mainframe hardware or getting new mainframes to replace operating ones? Rephrased, how long are mainframes usually designed to last?
- One of the benefits (from what I gather) of having dedicated mainframes is that they are just handling a specific company's data/operations with redundancies for that data/operations. Does a company trying to move to a cloud environment complicate managing those resources since they may be shared across multiple companies and would it really be beneficial?
- And I guess last question just for fun since it is IBM even though it's still early, are there already forays into how quantum computing may change how mainframe-type operations would have to occur?
Sorry if some of these questions seems misplaced, this is just something I have zero experience with. Thanks for your time!
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Comment on Are you currently learning a new language? Are there any languages that are on your wishlist to learn? in ~humanities.languages
paper_reactor LinkI speak English and Farsi, but I've been wanting to learn Korean (half my family is Korean) and have been trying to learn "survival" Icelandic since I'll be needing that soon.I speak English and Farsi, but I've been wanting to learn Korean (half my family is Korean) and have been trying to learn "survival" Icelandic since I'll be needing that soon.
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Comment on PostmodernJukebox ft. Wild Bill - Stayin' Alive (Bee Gees, ragtime rockabilly cover, 2023) in ~music
paper_reactor Link ParentI wonder if this common haha, I did the same thing with PMJ. Ingested their music at an alarming rate until I was done after a short bit of time. I did find some other cool artists like Caro...I wonder if this common haha, I did the same thing with PMJ. Ingested their music at an alarming rate until I was done after a short bit of time. I did find some other cool artists like Caro Emerald thanks to the style of music and the algorithms deciding what I might also like.
I personally found covers by Scary Pockets to stick with me longer (their cover of Creep is something I listen to fairly regularly). Pomplamoose is also really good with some of the same musicians as Scary Pockets. They do a lot of covers and mashups along with writing some original songs.
I find it rare that I'm listening to entire Christmas albums. Because these weren't in the megathread from the other comment, I'll toss out Pomplamoose, specifically "A Better New Year" and "Boom Tinklelinketty Christmas" as songs regularly in my playlist that may not be as common. Laufey has some excellent Christmas songs also, but the vibe is more cozy fireplace.