Spydrchick's recent activity

  1. Comment on Box office: ‘Furiosa’ just barely beats ‘The Garfield Movie’ in disastrous Memorial Day weekend — the worst in decades in ~movies

    Spydrchick
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    Exactly right. Anything by commitee and accountants ends up becoming flat. They've milked the cow and keep trying, but the cow just can't anymore. Throwing more money and nonsense at a problem...

    Exactly right. Anything by commitee and accountants ends up becoming flat. They've milked the cow and keep trying, but the cow just can't anymore. Throwing more money and nonsense at a problem doesn't necessarily lead to creative genius.

    10 votes
  2. Comment on What have you been listening to this week? in ~music

    Spydrchick
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    twentyone pilots new album Clancy. The whole album flows. They leave you hanging at the end of Paladin Strait. Definitely makes you feel they are continuing the story they've been telling through...

    twentyone pilots new album Clancy. The whole album flows. They leave you hanging at the end of Paladin Strait. Definitely makes you feel they are continuing the story they've been telling through the last several albums.

    More here: https://twentyonepilots.fandom.com/wiki/Dmaorg.info

    1 vote
  3. Comment on What did you do this week (and weekend)? in ~talk

    Spydrchick
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    Got the flower garden in! What a huge improvement to curb appeal. We were getting thumbs up from some of the neighbors. Looks like some of the microclover germinated. I'll see how successful it...

    Got the flower garden in! What a huge improvement to curb appeal. We were getting thumbs up from some of the neighbors. Looks like some of the microclover germinated. I'll see how successful it was in a few weeks. And bonus: my peonies are popping up so they survived the move.

    Still tonnes more to do but damn, it's so worth it.

    2 votes
  4. Comment on Some thoughts on cleaning up my shitty apartment in ~talk

    Spydrchick
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    My best advice is to tackle this in small doses. Start with 10-15 minutes, try not to get overwhelmed. 1: Sort. Put like with like and stuff that goes together, well, together! 2: Trash. Anything...

    My best advice is to tackle this in small doses. Start with 10-15 minutes, try not to get overwhelmed.

    1: Sort. Put like with like and stuff that goes together, well, together!

    2: Trash. Anything not of use, consider donating, selling, or trashing. Sentimental things may or may not be exempt. Up to you, its your stuff

    3: Return any thing borrowed.

    4: Decide on homes for stuff. Bins are excellent, but if you need a cabinet or bookcase, consider if that will work to store the bins.

    5: Don't beat yourself up, and remember to pat yourself on the back every time you accomplish some tasks.

    It may get worse before it gets better. That's okay. Be mindful as you go through everything. Remember as you go if it gets to be too much, set that task aside and do something else or another task.

    Once done, stand back and admire your work!

    5 votes
  5. Comment on Thoughts on the current state of discoverability and search in ~tech

    Spydrchick
    Link Parent
    I might have to try this, as others also find it valuable. As much as we all love free, it's starting to come with too many strings.

    I might have to try this, as others also find it valuable. As much as we all love free, it's starting to come with too many strings.

  6. Comment on Thoughts on the current state of discoverability and search in ~tech

    Spydrchick
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    Not a bad idea. Those used to come up in search along with a few other trusted sources. I like to read a number of articles or papers on a subject to get a better understanding. I may have to go...

    Not a bad idea. Those used to come up in search along with a few other trusted sources. I like to read a number of articles or papers on a subject to get a better understanding. I may have to go directly to the sites I know and search, which may lead to some decent results, but would leave out undiscovered sites.

    I think current search is starting to really dumb down results along with the obvious shoving paid placement being featured. Frustrating to say the least.

    2 votes
  7. Comment on Thoughts on the current state of discoverability and search in ~tech

    Spydrchick
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    I have nothing to add except more ranting. I feel your pain. I used to be able to search medical articles or research papers but now I get Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic or WebMD as top results....

    I have nothing to add except more ranting. I feel your pain. I used to be able to search medical articles or research papers but now I get Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic or WebMD as top results. They are not exactly bad, but also not what I'm necessarily looking for.

    The other thing I've noticed lately is youtube vids rather than well written articles for DIY stuff. This is usually not super helpful and I totally agree it usually ignores part of my search terms. I have a decent understanding of a good boolean search and yet more recent results do not seem as accurate or helpful.

    4 votes
  8. Comment on I gave up meat and gained so much more | A tale of one person's life, culture, and growing up in ~life

    Spydrchick
    Link Parent
    Thank you for the kind words. This is a go to recipe in our house. They made this at work, everyone thought there was cheese in it! Stuffed shells, about 6 servings For the "ricotta" 1 15 oz block...

    Thank you for the kind words. This is a go to recipe in our house.

    They made this at work, everyone thought there was cheese in it!

    Stuffed shells, about 6 servings

    For the "ricotta"
    1 15 oz block of firm tofu, drained
    Juice of ½ lemon
    3 Tbl Nutritional yeast
    1 tsp granulated garlic
    1 tsp granulated roasted garlic
    1Tbl pizza seasoning (or Italian seasoning)
    salt and pepper to taste

    Whir everything up in a food processor until combined

    Boil the shells as directed on the package. (16 for this recipe, I used Barilla brand jumbo shells) Drain and stuff, see below

    I use 1 16 oz jar of Rao's Arrabbiata (if you don't care for spicy, use marinara) sauce. In a 9 or 10 inch square pan spoon enough sauce to cover the bottom. Stuff the shells with the tofu ricotta. Spoon the remaining sauce over the top. Bake for 45 min at 350°.

    Cashew Parm:

    1 ½ cups of raw cashews
    ¼ cup nutritional yeast
    2 tsp granulated garlic
    generous pinch of salt

    Pulse in the food processor until a crumbly consistency. Store in freezer.

    Sprinkle the cashew parm over any dish where you would use parmesean. I haven't tried using it to make a crusted tofu, but I keep meaning to give it a go.

    2 votes
  9. Comment on Opinions or experiences on Corsair build kits in ~comp

    Spydrchick
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    I own an Origin built computer (owned by Corsair) and I really love it. It wasn't a kit but I'm sure everything will be well matched. Kepp us updated on what you do.

    I own an Origin built computer (owned by Corsair) and I really love it. It wasn't a kit but I'm sure everything will be well matched. Kepp us updated on what you do.

  10. Comment on I gave up meat and gained so much more | A tale of one person's life, culture, and growing up in ~life

    Spydrchick
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    Context: vegan for almost 2 decades, vegitarian or pescatarian for at least a decade prior. This is a beautifully written and compassionate view of what it means to be vegan. This article...
    • Exemplary

    Context: vegan for almost 2 decades, vegitarian or pescatarian for at least a decade prior.

    This is a beautifully written and compassionate view of what it means to be vegan. This article resonates because I too live in Wisconsin, and understand the cultural impacts of being vegan along with the realities of factory farming. Veal crates are especially distressing.

    The one thing that stands out to me is the abundance of options, when one might assume there is less. If you can cook even a little bit or own a knife, the world of cuisine is just out there. Bread becomes such a joy. Wheat, yeast and water transformed into deliciousness. Beans and rice are the cornerstone of so many dishes from every corner of the Earth. Pasta and noodles paired with sauces and veg. Fruits, nuts become such yummy snacks.

    Spices and seasonings open up a huge panoply of flavors and combinations. With some basics: garlic, ginger, cumin, cayenne, ancho, cinnamon, thyme, tarragon, oregano, fennel, bay leaves; you can make almost any dish by blending to create Mexican, Italian, Carribean, Greek, Indian, etc.

    I am not secretive about my veganism, but at the same time I do not announce it to the world. I am allergic to dairy (hives and wheezing, not tummy issues), so it makes it easier to refuse food graciously. Other times I just say I am plant based, depending on the crowd. My friends know I'm vegan and my immediate family are also vegan. Day to day is easier. I make no judgements of others as I too was once a meat eater. I love sharing recipes and cookimg for others.

    Please consider reading this and maybe also consider moving away from meat and dairy. The resources for doing so are endless and it creates such a positive change. Being a whole food, plant based vegan has improved my health. It has helped me cope with climate change and environmental issues knowing I am no longer contributing to factory farming of animals. And while I still get upset about the animal cruelty, I am no longer a part of that system. By opting out, I get peace of mind.

    43 votes
  11. Comment on What are three things you're feeling positively about today? in ~talk

    Spydrchick
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    1: Saw the aurora last night, maybe will again tonight. 2: My brand new Speed Queen washer is the fucking bomb diggity. 3: Finished a bunch of details in the laundry/entry. It looks really nice.

    1: Saw the aurora last night, maybe will again tonight.

    2: My brand new Speed Queen washer is the fucking bomb diggity.

    3: Finished a bunch of details in the laundry/entry. It looks really nice.

    3 votes
  12. Comment on Extreme G5 geomagnetic storm reaches Earth, NOAA says, following "unusual" solar event in ~space

  13. Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv

    Spydrchick
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    Binge watched Dead Boy Detectives. (Netflix) What a fun romp. I hope they renew for season 2 as I'd love to see the Sandman tie in.

    Binge watched Dead Boy Detectives. (Netflix) What a fun romp. I hope they renew for season 2 as I'd love to see the Sandman tie in.

    2 votes
  14. Comment on Spring gardening thread in ~hobbies

    Spydrchick
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    Prepping for a flower garden. I have the borders marked out and need to turn the soil. I'm going to be planting stuff to attract pollinators and native plants. I also bought a few shrubs for...

    Prepping for a flower garden. I have the borders marked out and need to turn the soil. I'm going to be planting stuff to attract pollinators and native plants. I also bought a few shrubs for foundation plantings.

    New place, new learning curve. I brought all of my of my perennials from my last garden. Clematis, irises and my bleeding heart all have growth. The mini roses have green wood, so fingers crossed. I think it's too soon up here to see peony growth, we will see.

    The last owner had daylilies, they are in desparate need of division. There are also random raspberry canes shooting up all willy nilly. Gotta figure out what to do with those. I plan to try to completely cull some nasty shrub roses. They were unsightly in fall and have some wicked thorns and prickers. Still waiting to see what else emerges. Should be a fun season.

    2 votes
  15. Comment on US senior homes refuse to pick up fallen residents, dial 911. ‘Why are they calling us?’ in ~health

    Spydrchick
    Link Parent
    What's super sad is many of these folks have no one to care for them. Kids and grandkids live far away in other cities, other states. In some cases, family will just dump these poor people in a...

    What's super sad is many of these folks have no one to care for them. Kids and grandkids live far away in other cities, other states. In some cases, family will just dump these poor people in a facility and then only visit on holidays, if at all.

    These businesses know this and use it to their advantage.

    10 votes
  16. Comment on US senior homes refuse to pick up fallen residents, dial 911. ‘Why are they calling us?’ in ~health

    Spydrchick
    Link
    As someone who had a loved one in a care facility, this is status quo almost everywhere. (in the US) Wall of text upcoming. The staff are underpaid and often deal with understaffing. The charges...

    As someone who had a loved one in a care facility, this is status quo almost everywhere. (in the US) Wall of text upcoming.

    The staff are underpaid and often deal with understaffing. The charges to residents are criminal. There is no way overhead for independent living is much above normal rent, yet they charge residents 2-4 x market rate for a similar unit with utilities included. Part of the scam is they bundle in a certain number of meals. They are usually not creative, tasty, or in some cases very nutritious. My MIL never ate a single meal over several years, yet was always charged the full rate which was non negotiable. Considering how difficult it is to get in to a decent place, they have you by the short hairs amd they know it.

    Assisted living is worse. They don't really itemize out costs well, and again bundle services to make it deliberately confusing. Unless the resident has family nearby to make sure proper care is happening in a reasonable and timely manner, things slip through the cracks. Meds not being taken on the correct schedule, incontinent individuals not be cared for with assists and/or changes of Depends, etc. Then there are thefts by staff and other residents, sexual assault which are far more common than one would think. Staffers all have access to keys, so there's little feelings of privacy or safety in many cases. The 911 lifts that are in the article happen alot in AL. They are supppsed to be documented. I assure you this documentation is for the facility so they can move you out if necessary.

    Move up to memory care and this all becomes more complicated. There is supposed to be a better staff to patient ratio. Again, understaffing and crappy pay play a part. These residents need far mlre care, are given far less space in general. Think small hospital room. They are forced into group settings. Again costs have risen and many are on Medicaid. If the facility decides you have exhausted your funds (pension, 401k, savings) and they don't take government funds, good luck. These facilities are cold and profit driven, so you are now out of care and a roof over your head. It never got to that point with my FIL, instead, they left him unattended in his wheelchair in his room (against orders) He tried to stand up, fell, and died in the hospital a week later from a broken hip. They family sued and got a pittance. Far less than the facility mafe off my in laws several years there. Lawsuits are baked into their business costs.

    So yeah, they will continue to use and abuse this public service until something changes. EMTs are right to be upset about these calls. Staff should be trained to pick up fallen patients/residents. The facility staff should be paid accordingly, there should be proper staffing. But money and profits are more important. If these facilities have to fill out more paperwork and get dinged for non essential calls it might have an impact, but then there might be that chance that the resident needed medical care that staff cannot handle. In that case the EMTs are exactly the right move. It's a hard issue to solve.

    28 votes
  17. Comment on US to require automatic emergency braking on new vehicles in five years in ~transport

    Spydrchick
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    I have an issue with this and would like to know what others think. My 2017 Mazda Cx5 has emergency braking. When I have already used my brakes to slow down to a reasonable speed, generally when...

    I have an issue with this and would like to know what others think.

    My 2017 Mazda Cx5 has emergency braking. When I have already used my brakes to slow down to a reasonable speed, generally when another vehicle is turning in front of me, I let off the brakes and then all of a sudden the emergency sytem kicks in after the vehicle in front has already turned. My braking was precise and correct. The sensor and response was late and potentially dangerous.

    The technology is not anywhere near where it should be. Same with the self driving and/or lane assist. In addition, I feel that these sensors and aids instill a false sense of security and safety. I still swing my head around to see what or who is around me. The most recent safety innovation that is most helpful is the back up camera and sensors. But as I live in a place where winter can get fierce, its doubly important to keep your vehicle clean so it continiues to work correctly.

    Maybe my vehicle just doesn't perform as well as other, newer models. Thoughts?

    45 votes
  18. Comment on Early tests of H5N1 prevalence in milk suggest US bird flu outbreak in cows is widespread in ~health

    Spydrchick
    Link Parent
    Sorry, Ejection Fraction. Normal is 55-80%. If your EF falls below 35%, they generally want to implant a difibrilator as your risk of sudden cardiac death is fairly high. I wore an AED vest 24/7...

    Sorry, Ejection Fraction. Normal is 55-80%. If your EF falls below 35%, they generally want to implant a difibrilator as your risk of sudden cardiac death is fairly high. I wore an AED vest 24/7 for three months upon my diagnoses. My EF was at 38% at the 3 month point in my recovery.

    5 votes
  19. Comment on Early tests of H5N1 prevalence in milk suggest US bird flu outbreak in cows is widespread in ~health

    Spydrchick
    Link Parent
    Do what you can, that's all that you do. The system lays a heavy burden on individuals, so try not to let that weigh you down. I do think its important to be mindful in everyday choices. We don't...

    Do what you can, that's all that you do. The system lays a heavy burden on individuals, so try not to let that weigh you down. I do think its important to be mindful in everyday choices. We don't make those in a fishbowl. There are families and friends to take into account, outside pressures, pressures we place upon ourselves. Its very important to be kind to ourselves in the process as well as to others.

    I've been fully vegan for almost 2 decades, mostly whole food plant based. That was my choice and I have zero judgements regarding others. I will say I think that lifestyle change made a huge difference in my health in general and my cardiac health in particular. I am always happy to discuss the subject with anyone who is curious.

    17 votes
  20. Comment on What did you do this week (and weekend)? in ~talk

    Spydrchick
    Link Parent
    Thank you! We made it safe. Lighto is curious but still a little wary, Gipsy has been under the bed since she got out of her carrier. Honestly I just plan to let her be. She'll venture out when...

    Thank you! We made it safe. Lighto is curious but still a little wary, Gipsy has been under the bed since she got out of her carrier. Honestly I just plan to let her be. She'll venture out when she's ready.

    1 vote