patience_limited's recent activity
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Comment on Anyone else go to a No Kings rally today? in ~society
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Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of October 13 in ~society
patience_limited Link ParentThe edgelords are always with us. đThe edgelords are always with us. đ
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Comment on What are some interesting landmarks in your neck of the woods? in ~talk
patience_limited LinkMy town boasts The World's Largest Cherry Pie Pan, the Lake Michigan shoreline, and a large historic state mental hospital campus that's been turned into condos, shops, and restaurants. The tunnel...My town boasts The World's Largest Cherry Pie Pan, the Lake Michigan shoreline, and a large historic state mental hospital campus that's been turned into condos, shops, and restaurants. The tunnel tour is worth the price of admission.
Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes National Lakeshore is one of the nicest parks in the country, with miles of easy-ish trails and bike paths.
There are seven lighthouses within reasonable driving distance, one that requires a boat ride.
The whole area is postcard-ready.
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Comment on Timasomo 2025: Week 2 Updates in ~creative.timasomo
patience_limited LinkHot pepper harvest is coming in. They're sitting on my kitchen counter getting in the way and mocking me until I do things with them. I've got a pack of 24 sauce bottles on order, exactly enough...Hot pepper harvest is coming in. They're sitting on my kitchen counter getting in the way and mocking me until I do things with them. I've got a pack of 24 sauce bottles on order, exactly enough for the projected 4 recipes.
I'm on vacation next week, the guests leave Wednesday, so I'll start my campaign of culinary chemical warfare thereafter.
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Comment on Does anyone here use a SAD lamp? in ~health.mental
patience_limited Link ParentThat's funny, because my PCP says she diagnoses and prescribes SSRIs for SAD all the time. It came up because this summer, I asked to reduce my (years-long) antidepressant dosage thanks to a major...That's funny, because my PCP says she diagnoses and prescribes SSRIs for SAD all the time. It came up because this summer, I asked to reduce my (years-long) antidepressant dosage thanks to a major health improvement. She told me not to hesitate to bump it back up again if winter blues showed up.
OTOH, I live in a place that's infamous for a six-month long stretch of cloud cover and less than 12 hours of daylight (as little as 7 hours at the winter solstice). SAD is a way of life here.
My local YMCA has daylight-spectrum LED panels everywhere, so working out is my best medicine during the dark days. I have a Varilux HappyLight set up next to my computer monitor, and just run it for hours at a time.
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Comment on What ridiculous thing would you spend billions on? in ~talk
patience_limited Link ParentPorque no los dos? đPorque no los dos? đ
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Comment on What ridiculous thing would you spend billions on? in ~talk
patience_limited (edited )LinkI will build a working volcano. Now hear me out, because this is meant to be silly rather than mere Eeevil Billionaire stuff. The volcano will pump out a colorful light show every night, with...I will build a working volcano. Now hear me out, because this is meant to be silly rather than mere Eeevil Billionaire stuff.
The volcano will pump out a colorful light show every night, with dazzling smoke effects, sparkles, and edible ejecta (candy cannons!). A drone squadron will provide close up views (streaming rights for sale) and enhanced lighting effects.
There will be a gloriously appointed viewing pavilion at a safe distance. I'll preside over a perpetual gala where attendees must show up in extravagant costume, preferably drag. Failure to wear suitable attire will be an occasion for the other attendees to use you as their fashion dummy. There will be a wardrobe of all kinds of glittery, feathery, leathery, potentially dangerous costume materials, and a sewing room for those suddenly inspired. Prizes for best concept, most effective expression of volcanic apocalypse, etc. Top notch edibles, libations, and drugs all around (potential reality show rights also up for auction).
There will be a Nevada Testing Site-style bunker for people who want get really up close and personal with the eruption... complete with a fully equipped dungeon that has a view of the lava.
Hang gliding off the volcanic thermals will be supplied and encouraged, GoPro helmet included. I'll get to build a funicular to the hang gliding platform!
The real evil billionaire scheme here is to secretly pump enough sulfur dioxide and fine particulates into the atmosphere to temporarily mitigate warming, but I get to have fun.
Oh, and a trapdoor to a tank full of sharks. I've always thought that was cool.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club - The Poisoners Handbook by Deborah Blum - How is it going? in ~books
patience_limited LinkJust finished reading it again thanks to a couple of insomniac nights. Looking forward to the discussion!Just finished reading it again thanks to a couple of insomniac nights. Looking forward to the discussion!
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Comment on What have you been eating, drinking, and cooking? in ~food
patience_limited (edited )LinkSometimes simple recipes are the best. I made a triple batch of Marcella Hazan's tomato sauce with the last of the season's tomatoes from the garden. Since most of the late tomatoes were yellow or...Sometimes simple recipes are the best. I made a triple batch of Marcella Hazan's tomato sauce with the last of the season's tomatoes from the garden. Since most of the late tomatoes were yellow or purple, it's orange rather than a classic bright red. The flavor has a good sweet/tart balance, is fresh rather than stewed, and expresses the best of homegrown/heirloom varietal qualities. The tomato acidity perfectly emulsified the half pound of butter into a silky sauce...
I did toss in a cup of chopped fresh herbs and a teaspoon of dried chili flakes during the last 15 minutes of cooking; the last of the garden basil and some hardier oregano and thyme. One pint (enough for 1 lb. of pasta) for this week's dinners, two for the freezer.
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Comment on Who/what are your go-to sources for authentic recipes of regional cuisines? in ~food
patience_limited LinkFor Thai, I like Thai Chef School. They don't shy away from esoteric ingredients, though. Vietnamese, I've gotten restaurant-quality results from Viet World Kitchen. The phĂ´ broth is worth the...For Thai, I like Thai Chef School. They don't shy away from esoteric ingredients, though.
Vietnamese, I've gotten restaurant-quality results from Viet World Kitchen. The phĂ´ broth is worth the labor.
Cooking With Lane is a good general resource for Thai, Vietnamese, and Laotian recipes, techniques, and ingredients.
China, Sichuan region - I'm just starting to explore China Sichuan Food and Yi's Sichuan Kitchen. Extensive libraries of recipes and techniques.
Kenji Lopez Alt's The Wok: Recipes and Techniques will change your kitchen and diet. I've gotten much more vegetarian and vegan quick cooking done with what I've learned from this book.
Moroccan - My Morrocan Food, Morrocan Kitchen Delights. Moroccan Kitchen Delights is very bloggy, but the recipes are sound.
Ethiopian: Brundo Spice Company has a good recipe library. Not exactly Ethiopian cuisine, but Mashal Teff has a large library of recipes that substitute gluten-free Ethiopian teff flour in baked goods and they're pretty tasty.
More when I've finished re-collating my bookmarks...
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Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of October 6 in ~society
patience_limited Link ParentThank you for the update.Thank you for the update.
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Comment on The once and future maternity home in ~life.women
patience_limited LinkFrom the article: The writer, Gretchen Sisson, is the author of Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood. The story paints a chilling picture of coerced...From the article:
Are maternity homes back? Reporters have been asking this question long before the Dobbs decision â from the Associated Press proclaiming a ânew beginningâ for maternity homes nationwide, to The Washington Postâs glowing coverage of Texas âmaternity ranches,â to The New York Timesâ critical look at the âoppressive sanctuaryâ of Florida maternity homes.
Histories like Ann Fesslerâs The Girls Who Went Away and Gabrielle Glaserâs American Baby increased many advocatesâ awareness of the complicated history of pre-Roe maternity homes, and this summerâs addicting Liberty Lost podcast (from reporter TJ Raphael, featuring Abigail Johnson) showed many listeners that that history is far more recent than they believed.
Iâve studied domestic adoption in the U.S. for over fifteen years, and Iâve done hundreds of interviews with mothers who have relinquished their infants. I know the harm this system inflicts on tens of thousands of American women every year, and I know their stories intimately. I also know that most of what Americans believe about adoption, and about maternity homes today, is wrong. Adoption isnât the benevolent system weâre taught it is; it doesnât exist because we have âso many babiesâ in need of homes; itâs not the âcommon groundâ we should concede in abortion debates. To understand todayâs maternity homes, we have to first reframe what we think we know about adoption.
The writer, Gretchen Sisson, is the author of Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood.
The story paints a chilling picture of coerced birthing by disadvantaged women and girls for the benefit of well-off people desiring to adopt in the U.S. The Handmaid's Tale is already happening, not covered or positively recommended by news sources.
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The once and future maternity home
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Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of October 6 in ~society
patience_limited LinkRutgers University professor Mark Bray, author of Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook in 2017, is attempting to flee the U.S. to Spain with his family due to death threats following targeting by...Rutgers University professor Mark Bray, author of Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook in 2017, is attempting to flee the U.S. to Spain with his family due to death threats following targeting by right-wing sources.
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Comment on Updated 2025 fall vaccine guide in ~health
patience_limited LinkI've gotten all three plus Pneumococcus for this year. 'Flu, RSV***, and Pneumococcus*** shots, zero side effects, not even mild arm soreness . That's a first for me, I usually react strongly to...I've gotten all three plus Pneumococcus for this year. 'Flu, RSV***, and Pneumococcus*** shots, zero side effects, not even mild arm soreness . That's a first for me, I usually react strongly to influenza vaccinations.
Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine - three days of fever up to 102° F, ten days of swollen arm and RA flare joint pain, which is pretty typical for me.
***Early RSV and Pneumococcus vaccinations at the rheumatologist's recommendation since I'm on immunosuppressants.
Honestly, I get vaccines for everything and usually have to have proof to enter hospital facilities for work. I'm just glad only one caused any problems.
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Comment on Travel essentials: eight items to pack for your next trip â and what to leave at home in ~travel
patience_limited (edited )LinkA few things not otherwise mentioned... I hate to be cold when I can't move around to warm up, and airplanes tend to run chilly for my taste. I bring a packable down jacket. It doubles as a neck...A few things not otherwise mentioned...
I hate to be cold when I can't move around to warm up, and airplanes tend to run chilly for my taste. I bring a packable down jacket. It doubles as a neck pillow when in its stuff sack. I'll also bring a large gauze scarf - usable as an accessory, a head wrap to dull light and noise so I can sleep on the plane, and a lightweight blanket to keep the ventilation drafts off any exposed skin.
My day bag doubles as my tech bag. Staying well organized is half the battle when you're doing minimalist travel. Something that can safely carry the phones, tablet, cables, lightweight power adapter, identity documents, credit cards, currency, and other bits and bobs, each in its own accessible pocket, is a win. The whole thing is small enough to stuff into my backpack (and pull out again) quickly for those annoying "one carry-on personal item and we're going to be authoritarian pricks about it" situations.
If you might need to do a serious load of soiled laundry while on the road, a Tide pod fits in a small Nalgene jar and won't leak. I haven't been impressed with detergent sheets for anything but sink washing.
If you have to carry refrigerated medications, this is a reliable cooling case for trips up to 10 hours.
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Comment on Timasomo 2025: Week 1 Updates in ~creative.timasomo
patience_limited LinkI've got about a pound of hot peppers harvested, but the rest were still on the green side and we've just had a temperature dip into the 30's. Hoping a few more days of sunlight lets me pick...I've got about a pound of hot peppers harvested, but the rest were still on the green side and we've just had a temperature dip into the 30's. Hoping a few more days of sunlight lets me pick enough so I can start the first big batch of hot sauce base on Saturday.
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Comment on Cory Doctorow: Tech-like apps can obfuscate whatâs really going on, sloshing a coat of complexity over a business that allows its owners to claim that theyâre not breaking the law in ~tech
patience_limited (edited )Link ParentTo be clear, this isn't an article, it's an excerpt from Doctorow's recent book release, Enshittification - Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It. That's not revealed until the...To be clear, this isn't an article, it's an excerpt from Doctorow's recent book release, Enshittification -
Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It.That's not revealed until the bottom of the page after the article, which is LitHib's choice, not necessarily the author's. I expect the detail you're seeking is in the full text.
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Comment on Private vs public surveillance: reflections on Edward Snowdenâs personal record in ~tech
patience_limited LinkHere's a case in point that illustrates exactly what Snowden warned us about: Police Said They Surveilled Woman Who Had an Abortion for Her 'Safety.' Court Records Show They Considered Charging...Here's a case in point that illustrates exactly what Snowden warned us about:
We wouldn't consent to having police tail our cars all the time. Even though driving is treated as a public activity, the record of all of a vehicle's locations couldn't be kept until private cameras, GPS trackers, and data retrieval made that possible. It's not legal for the U.S. government to collect this information without a probable-cause warrant. But they can just outsource the data gathering.
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Comment on What happens when the internet goes out at your work? in ~tech
patience_limited (edited )LinkNearly all of our workflows are Internet-dependent; no service means no access to e-mail, documents, VOIP phones, customer remote connections, cloud hosts, online meetings, ticketing systems,...Nearly all of our workflows are Internet-dependent; no service means no access to e-mail, documents, VOIP phones, customer remote connections, cloud hosts, online meetings, ticketing systems, GitHub, Slack, image and CAD files... we can't even ship equipment. There are a few hosts we can access via local Ethernet for testing, but that's not enough to stay busy all day. I have OneDrive sync to my laptop for active project documents that I need for reference - that's not where I spend the majority of my time.
Well, this past week, Spectrum (the major ISP for the parts of the region that don't have access to downtown fiber) and Verizon had crappy service, so I was losing connections at both work and home. Periods of ~25 -100% packet loss throughout the day...
Usually, if Internet at work or home is down, I can switch locations and/or hotspot on Verizon. Verizon service works well enough to access cloud resources and customer sites, though I'm not going to be moving around 1 GB software and configuration packages. If the office service is down, the only thing I can't reach under normal circumstances is the lab bench system, which is on an isolated network with its own service, but the same ISP as the rest of the office. However, it seems that a wide area cable Internet outage is more than Verizon can handle, and everything slowed to a crawl.
Replacing the Spectrum router took care of my home Internet issues very nicely, with an unexpected bump up to 500 Mb service. The office service issues remain intermittent; there's a lot of excavation activity in the area to expand fiber coverage so hopefully we'll have more reliable service soon.
I had a lovely time getting rained on with about 8,000 others at my local event. Smaller than the summer protest but better organized, and with great speakers. I got to make paperclip chains at a booth spreading the Paperclip Resistance Movement.
Our state representative used the word "anti-fascist" multiple times, to great cheering from the crowd. 100% peaceful, zero counterprotesters. Lots of families with children, including newborns in arms.
The state and local police were in attendance to direct traffic, smiling and clapping at the best signs and costumes. Less thrilling was a Flock camera installation in the park.
I'm hoping the inflatable suit remains a hallmark of these protests - there's so damned little joy for so many people right now. I was happier than I've been in a long while to march along behind a dragon, a unicorn, and a Pikachu, trailed by a couple of sad clowns with American flags.