Thufir's Third Random Banter #224

[Insane Jeenyus]

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes yesterday. Was at the supermarket this morning just marvelling at all the things I can't eat anymore...

I found out I was type 2 at age 37 and went through the same supermarket depression. hang in there, its a marathon, not a sprint.

[enderlord99]

Dad just made the tedious supposed-"joke" of a door being a jar, and then announced that he was extremely funny.

Even I'm not that oblivious! I suppose he could have just been lying...

[Bartmanhomer]

Dad just made the tedious supposed-"joke" of a door being a jar, and then announced that he was extremely funny.

Even I'm not that oblivious! I suppose he could have just been lying...

If I was a comedy critic, I would rate his jokes 1 out of 5 stars.

[Anonymouswizard]

I got into a fight with my friend a couple of days ago, because she said I don't like Tomb Raider because I consider the second reboot games to be massively inferior to the Core Design games.

Maybe I'm wrong for wanting a series built on platforming to focus on platforming instead of stealth and third person shooter combat, but I literally grew up with the first four games*. Don't tell me that the games are in the same series when one is based around puzzles and traversing giant multiple-level tombs and the other incudes five minute jumping over pits segments between thirty minute gun battles. But apparently this is pure 'they changed it now it sucks' and I shouldn't want the old puzzle platformer style.

But I've been discovering that it's the really little things that annoy me, like having air control. I've been playing Angel of Darkness (whisk, in my opinion, is just better than TR2013), and the fact that jumps were committed only added challenge and gameplay. I actually have to plan my jumps and ensure I have the right momentum instead of just leaping and wiggling the stick if I'm going to miss. The platforming in the newer games just feels so souled, but in the older ones I don't care about the tank controls because they work and the game is designed around them.

* and to clarify they didn't get into the series until later.

[Iruka]

Locally for me, there is Promised Land Dairy which is doing the same thing.

While I do appreciate the attempt to be more "natural" and "organic" there are plenty of ways to get red coloring naturally and organically, without having to resort to using synthetic chemical dyes.

...also, I don't like Promised Land Dairy's strawberry milk. It has way too much of a citrusy acidic bite to it, which is totally out of place in milk, which is supposed to be sweet and smooth.

They could add beetroot juice. Excellent at colouring stuff and since noone likes beetroots, they should get it for free.

[SZbNAhL]

The main "natural" red dye is E120, but that's of animal origin so you'd lose all the vegetarian and vegan customers, along with various religious groups. I guess if they have to lose one of: vegetarians, people who irrationally avoid anything "artificial" and people who like their strawberry milk to be pink, the latter is the least profitable market.

[Anonymouswizard]

The main "natural" red dye is E120, but that's of animal origin so you'd lose all the vegetarian and vegan customers, along with various religious groups. I guess if they have to lose one of: vegetarians, people who irrationally avoid anything "artificial" and people who like their strawberry milk to be pink, the latter is the least profitable market.

Bah, it's like this 'organic' nonsense, I just had some organic eggs, they were from some totally carbon based chickens. I say we treat the artificial stuff like what it is, chemicals, and the natural stuff like what it is, chemicals.

And darn, a bit of milk in your omelette really does increase the fluffiness. I'm going to try to go and study French cooking now.

[Peelee]

And darn, a bit of milk in your omelette really does increase the fluffiness.

Does the same with scrambled eggs. Ian McKellen has a good video on how he makes his, I totally recommend checking it out.

[Anonymouswizard]

Does the same with scrambled eggs. Ian McKellen has a good video on how he makes his, I totally recommend checking it out.

Except it ruins the taste, scrambled eggs are better with a dash of salted butter.

[Peelee]

Except it ruins the taste, scrambled eggs are better with a dash of salted butter.

Dash of butter. Then out on a slice of well-buttered toast.

[Insane Jeenyus]

Delightful culinary discovery:

Disclaimer: Non vegan/vegetarian; non Hillel / Kosher; lactose free;

take smoked bacon and fully cook. finely chop bacon to about "bacon bit sized bits"

Drop bits into pan of tomato soup and slow cook. place some in a bowl with a slice of smoked provolone or smoke Gouda cheese. let cheese melt then enjoy.

I have enjoyed tomato soup wit cheese many times, but on a whim I dropped in the bacon and YUMMY!

[SZbNAhL]

non Hillel

So it's only acceptable to followers of Beit Shammai? That may be the most obscure joke I have ever made.

Bah, it's like this 'organic' nonsense, I just had some organic eggs, they were from some totally carbon based chickens. I say we treat the artificial stuff like what it is, chemicals, and the natural stuff like what it is, chemicals.

Seconded.

[Teddy]

The main "natural" red dye is E120, but that's of animal origin so you'd lose all the vegetarian and vegan customers, along with various religious groups. I guess if they have to lose one of: vegetarians, people who irrationally avoid anything "artificial" and people who like their strawberry milk to be pink, the latter is the least profitable market.

It takes a rather hardcore vegetarian to refuse to eat something because it contains extract from an insect, and vegans wouldn't even pick it up to read the label of contents given that it's milk.

[Anonymouswizard]

It takes a rather hardcore vegetarian to refuse to eat something because it contains extract from an insect, and vegans wouldn't even pick it up to read the label of contents given that it's milk.

To be fair, it is practically impossible to avoid eating insects/insect parts, they're just generally small enough for you to not notice. Plus it's extra protein, I don't personally see the problem.

[PhyrexianShovel]

Bah, it's like this 'organic' nonsense, I just had some organic eggs, they were from some totally carbon based chickens. I say we treat the artificial stuff like what it is, chemicals, and the natural stuff like what it is, chemicals.
*snip*

That's not really the point of organics. The point is to avoid pesticides and similar chemicals that harm the environment. It's more about not supporting those that harm the environment then it is about dietary restrictions. Although I agree that organic eggs sound dumb. How would you put pesticides on chickens?

[Iruka]

That's not really the point of organics. The point is to avoid pesticides and similar chemicals that harm the environment. It's more about not supporting those that harm the environment then it is about dietary restrictions. Although I agree that organic eggs sound dumb. How would you put pesticides on chickens?

The exact regulations will vary, but to be labeled as "organic" the chickens get for example more space, their food has to be free of pesticides and use of medication is more restricted.

[PhyrexianShovel]

The exact regulations will vary, but to be labeled as "organic" the chickens get for example more space, their food has to be free of pesticides and use of medication is more restricted.

Oh, I see. So they're basically free-range chickens with some other upsides. Thanks for the info!

[Anonymouswizard]

That's not really the point of organics. The point is to avoid pesticides and similar chemicals that harm the environment. It's more about not supporting those that harm the environment then it is about dietary restrictions. Although I agree that organic eggs sound dumb. How would you put pesticides on chickens?

Talk about a) missing the joke entirely (the eggs were organic in the 'to do with living matter' sense, not the 'to do with organic farming' sense) and b) not realising that I don't give a dire rat's arse about what organic farming entails. It's going to be obsolete once we apply our new, more efficient genetic engineering methods to these plants we've been genetically engineering for the least ten thousand years or so, why should I worth about it? The future's going to be cool if we can avoid an eternal cyberpunk dystopia.

[Teddy]

Talk about [...] b) not realising that I don't give a dire rat's arse about what organic farming entails. It's going to be obsolete once we apply our new, more efficient genetic engineering methods to these plants we've been genetically engineering for the least ten thousand years or so, why should I worth about it?

You might be underestimating the amount of time it'll take to genetically engineer plants that are both fully pest resistant yet at the same time not ecosystem-destroying.

The future's going to be cool if we can avoid an eternal cyberpunk dystopia.

Or turning the Earth into the bastard hellspawn of a desert and a marshland...

[Qwertystop]

Oh, I see. So they're basically free-range chickens with some other upsides. Thanks for the info!

I don't think the "increased space" is generally part of "organic" as far as labelling requirements go. "Organic" and "free-range" are orthogonal (and "free-range" probably means less than you intuitively expect, though that's jurisdictional).

You might be underestimating the amount of time it'll take to genetically engineer plants that are both fully pest resistant yet at the same time not ecosystem-destroying.

Sterility is the usual way to go, yes? Existing gengineered crops are usually grown from seed bought fresh from whatever company makes them, not bought once and reseeded from the results, as far as I know. That removes "ecosystem-destroying" as a risk beyond the confines of the fields.

[Iruka]

I don't think the "increased space" is generally part of "organic" as far as labelling requirements go. "Organic" and "free-range" are orthogonal (and "free-range" probably means less than you intuitively expect, though that's jurisdictional).

As I said, it varies with jurisdictions and the specific certifications. But at least around here, more space seems to be part of the package.

Sterility is the usual way to go, yes? Existing gengineered crops are usually grown from seed bought fresh from whatever company makes them, not bought once and reseeded from the results, as far as I know. That removes "ecosystem-destroying" as a risk beyond the confines of the fields.

It also makes the farmers very dependend on the seed company, which I would see as a downside.

[enderlord99]

I just remembered out of nowhere my childhood habit of stuffing the family cat into my shirt and pretending to be pregnant.

[Algeh]

On the milk container issue, I do buy my milk in glass bottles from the local dairy, but that's not common in my area. I'm just lucky enough to have a glass-bottle small dairy that sells milk at the farmers market walking distance from my house once a week. I used to live in a different city in my state that had a dairy with re-usable plastic bottles and wide distribution, though. (That dairy ran a chain of milk-focused convenience stores with drive-thru windows and I miss them terribly. Being able to pick up milk on the way home without getting out of the car was a major bonus of living in that town. I don't really drive much now, though, since I walk to work, so I suppose it wouldn't be the same anyway.)

It's going to be a rough transition when the farmers market shuts down for the winter at the end of the month and I have to actually get in the car to buy perishables again. I've really been enjoying being able to get everything but shelf-stable bulk stuff on foot all summer.

[Teddy]

Sterility is the usual way to go, yes? Existing gengineered crops are usually grown from seed bought fresh from whatever company makes them, not bought once and reseeded from the results, as far as I know. That removes "ecosystem-destroying" as a risk beyond the confines of the fields.

Yeah, but that requires fertile plants to hybridise from, because we aren't quite at the stage where we're able to synthesise entire seeds from molecular matter, and you need to make sure those aren't eco-system destroying either. To put in perspective, contemporary genetically engineered crops primarily do one thing, and that's a tailored immunity to very strong planticides, meaning they can grow completely free of competition.

Then we have the whole part about a cyberpunk dystopia...

[PhyrexianShovel]

Talk about a) missing the joke entirely (the eggs were organic in the 'to do with living matter' sense, not the 'to do with organic farming' sense) *snip*

Sorry, I have trouble getting jokes over the internet. We should have a common indicator for it like we do for sarcasm.

*snip* It also makes the farmers very dependend on the seed company, which I would see as a downside.

Yeah, basically this. I remember hearing something about a group of farmers that were forced to buy seeds because of their contract even though the plant wasn't sterile, which really screwed up their business model. Forcing all farmers to do so by genetic means would mean mostly the end for independent farmers. I think the right way to go would be to make it not sterile, but just only have the seeds be opened by some kind of tool, and not naturally. Probably too difficult to make happen, though.

[Asmotherion]

Delightful culinary discovery:

Disclaimer: Non vegan/vegetarian; non Hillel / Kosher; lactose free;

take smoked bacon and fully cook. finely chop bacon to about "bacon bit sized bits"

Drop bits into pan of tomato soup and slow cook. place some in a bowl with a slice of smoked provolone or smoke Gouda cheese. let cheese melt then enjoy.

I have enjoyed tomato soup wit cheese many times, but on a whim I dropped in the bacon and YUMMY!

i'd add some onions and turn this into an amazing pasta sause!

[enderlord99]

Look at this mashup of two versions of the same song, both of which were internet-remixes of the same source material.

[FinnLassie]

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes yesterday. Was at the supermarket this morning just marvelling at all the things I can't eat anymore...

I'm allergic to soy, cannot have dairy or many grains unless I want my body to suffer, so I can relate to the long stares at all of the shelves of food I can't have any longer.

[Bartmanhomer]

Happy Indigenous Peoples Day everybody.

[Anonymouswizard]

You might be underestimating the amount of time it'll take to genetically engineer plants that are both fully pest resistant yet at the same time not ecosystem-destroying.

Decades to centuries. It's still quicker than millennia,

Or turning the Earth into the bastard hellspawn of a desert and a marshland...

True, we might have to get the desert and marshland hitched quickly.

Sorry, I have trouble getting jokes over the internet. We should have a common indicator for it like we do for sarcasm.

That's fine, I was hoping the snark about the chickens being 'totally carbon based'.

WRT organic farming, I just don't care about it. I'm not exactly against it, more I just think we're starting to get tools that make it obsolete.

Happy Indigenous Peoples Day everybody.

Considering that over here I'm partially indigenous (I'm somewhere up to half celtic, somewhere up to half germanic), go Indigenous People!