Random randomness

[Daehawk]

Have no idea what McDonalds makes their cups out of now days. It looks like paper but feels like Styrofoam. Its lile a mix of the two with a semi wax coating. If you hold it to the light you can see the cells in like styro but its thin like paper.

In fact the feel of it is like a thick version of those outer wraps that came on glass Coke bottles in the 80s and early 90s. It was semi styro as I recall.

Anyways Ive had this one a week now and its still like new. I keep it washed so hey free glass

[gilraen]

My compromise has been to eliminate meat as much as possible, and switch milk with almond milk as much as I can. But there is only so much that can be done with no options.

A single almond takes almost a gallon of water to produce. A liter of almond milk uses over 1600 gallons of water to produce. It would be much better for the environment if you just stick with dairy milk.

[Holman]

Egg discussion up-thread reminds me of the central ethical crisis of my life:

0) Animals (us or others) experience suffering.
1) Suffering is bad.
2) Causing suffering is evil.
3) Animal suffering is just as bad as human suffering.
4) Our food economy maximizes animal suffering for profit.
5) [Fill in the fucking blank...]

If civilization survives climate change and 21stC nuclear risks, our descendants will see us as the generations who knew that causing suffering was evil yet did nothing about it.

A lot of people who would still can't do much. The limited amount of animal products that aren't cruel are typically far more expensive than the alternative (as in, if I get them, I won't have enough money left for everything else on the list), and most options are only sold in urban areas. Good luck finding vegetarian options other than whole vegetables in the rural US, and even that is limited to the best known options.

My compromise has been to eliminate meat as much as possible, and switch milk with almond milk as much as I can. But there is only so much that can be done with no options.

Agree and salute.

It's not easy to go vegan or cruelty-free or whatever we call it. But it's sobering to recognize how much cruelty (which is to say, thoughtless suffering) is inflicted routinely in our civilization's everyday routines.

If the ancient Romans had made it a part of Roman culture to viciously torture a sheep every day in the service of Jupiter, we would think they were monsters. Can we say we are better than that?

[Holman]

My compromise has been to eliminate meat as much as possible, and switch milk with almond milk as much as I can. But there is only so much that can be done with no options.

A single almond takes almost a gallon of water to produce. A liter of almond milk uses over 1600 gallons of water to produce. It would be much better for the environment if you just stick with dairy milk.

How's the cow?

There are many metrics to worry about.

[Smoove_B]

Counterpoint: Oat milk

(or the name I prefer, "Oat squeezins")

[LordMortis]

Counterpoint: Oat milk

(or the name I prefer, "Oat squeezins")

The market price of oats is up over 200% year over year, 300% in the last two years and generally rising.

https://markets.businessinsider.com/com ... oats-price

Hello scarcity. That cost will get passed on to you. Of course, if you are feeding live stock oats...

[Anonymous Bosch]

My compromise has been to eliminate meat as much as possible, and switch milk with almond milk as much as I can.

Alas, switching to almond milk means you're just causing suffering to billions of bees instead.

[dbt1949]

But you can't hear them scream.

[Kraken]

"4) Our food economy maximizes animal suffering for profit."

It doesn't intentionally maximize suffering, it's just indifferent to it, and will be for as long as consumers prioritize cheap protein. The non-animal alternatives available today are more expensive -- Beyond and Impossible meat being a case in point. It's a palatable alternative for most hamburger uses, but it costs twice as much as the cheapest ground beef.

Scientists are working on lab-grown meat. This is real living muscle tissue that doesn't come from an animal. I believe the main challenge right now is getting it to vascularize and marble properly. Unlike plant-based meat substitutes, this promises to be cheaper than raising and processing animals.

[Blackhawk]

It's not easy to go vegan or cruelty-free or whatever we call it.

It isn't made any easier if you're one of the few lucky enough to be allergic to beans.

[dbt1949]

Back when I was a vegetarian I used to get artificial meats all the time. Some were actually pretty good. Tried making some recipes on my own. They would have gagged a maggot.
Anyrate the artificial meats of the time were too expensive to eat regularly.

[Daehawk]

They still are.

[Zarathud]

Chickens are dumb, stupid animals. Helping to raise over 100 of them in our garage made me lose all sympathy to eating chickens. The bastards would periodically peck each other to death or hang themselves on the chicken wire.

Cows I respect having seen dairy cows at two uncles’ farms while a kid.

[Jeff V]

"4) Our food economy maximizes animal suffering for profit."

It doesn't intentionally maximize suffering, it's just indifferent to it, and will be for as long as consumers prioritize cheap protein. The non-animal alternatives available today are more expensive -- Beyond and Impossible meat being a case in point. It's a palatable alternative for most hamburger uses, but it costs twice as much as the cheapest ground beef.

Scientists are working on lab-grown meat. This is real living muscle tissue that doesn't come from an animal. I believe the main challenge right now is getting it to vascularize and marble properly. Unlike plant-based meat substitutes, this promises to be cheaper than raising and processing animals.

There are also companies who are compassionate about the critters they slaughter for us to eat. Kindness comes with a price, and that price makes the vegan frankenfoods seem like a bargain.

[Blackhawk]

Back when I was a vegetarian I used to get artificial meats all the time. Some were actually pretty good. Tried making some recipes on my own. They would have gagged a maggot.
Anyrate the artificial meats of the time were too expensive to eat regularly.

They're still pretty good, especially if you think of them as a new food rather than 'fake hamburger.' And they're still very expensive. The bigger problem for me was that the place around here had such a small selection that I was extremely limited in my options, and eating the same three things over and over got old, fast. These days I generally try to steer myself toward more fish. It's not cruelty-free, but it's better than beef, chicken, or eggs by a fair margin.

And I'll look at oat milk. The way prices are I don't even use almond milk anymore for anything but smoothies (cow's milk foams too much.)

[Daehawk]

In the 90s my wife got some fake meat. She said its pretty good. I laughed and scoffed but tried it anyways. It was amazingly good. It wasn't the chicken or hamburger patty crap you see now. It was by Worthington and owned by a place down the road..or founded by this place near us. It was Savory Slices and the other can was Turkee Slices. Both were the size and shape of a piece of bologna. The beef was really really good with a piece of bread only. Even in the 90s they we nearly $5 a can. They're gone now...replaced after some company bought them out.

[Daehawk]

Im seriously considering trying to find Chiffon Margarine for sale online and ordering a bowl. Its only in Jamaica now I think.

[hepcat]

From some of the stuff you folks eat Id think you were pregnant.

[Exodor]

Its snowed twice this week, and now its hailing. I'll just put this over here with the rest of the apocalypse.

It snowed on Monday, enough that Portland public schools cancelled classes. In April.

We got a light dusting this morning.

WTF

[stimpy]

Giants assistant Alyssa Nakken becomes first woman to coach on-field in MLB history.

Ya think they could have found a better picture?

[Rumpy]

It's all about the angle. She seems pretty excited to me.

[Max Peck]

After reviewing the contents of my pantry, I've determined that the most Daehawk foodstuff in my possession is NoNuts Golden Peabutter. It's the closest I've been able to find to peanut butter that isn't made with a high-oxalate ingredient, but it took some getting used to before I actually enjoyed eating it.

[Daehawk]

To fake foods that try to be real foods....

[Unagi]

I've determined that the most Daehawk foodstuff in my possession is ...

Oh, now that should be its own thread.

[hepcat]

After reviewing the contents of my pantry, I've determined that the most Daehawk foodstuff in my possession is NoNuts Golden Peabutter.

To be truly Daehawk foodstuff, it must also be either fruit flavored, spicy or questionably old (expiration dates are a guideline only in the world of Daehawk!)

[Daehawk]

Sometimes I gotta eat what I got . Cabinet, fridge, freezer were all empty for 4 days before the 11th. I ate beans and peas...eech. Some near date too

[Max Peck]

To fake foods that try to be real foods....

Pea butter is real enough in it's own right. There is a legitimate need for "nut butters" that aren't made from nuts (or peanuts). For some people that would be due to food allergies/intolerances, and for me it's because I need to avoid oxalate as much as I can if I don't want to be dealing with kidney stones for the rest of my life. Renal colic is kind of a downer.

Switching from peanut butter to pea butter was weird, because the texture and flavor were noticeably different, but I've gotten used to it now. It isn't my fake peanut butter, it's just what I use for things where I previously would have used peanut butter. The down side is that there is no getting around the need for added oil in order to make it a spreadable paste and sugar (or some sort of sweetener) to give it a more palatable flavor.

This also ties in to the discussion about meat replacements. Most plant-based protein sources are no bueno for me because they use high-oxalate ingredients. About the only options I have are peas and lentils, so unless I severely limit my diet I'm going to need to get most of my protein as nature intended.

[coopasonic]

Giants assistant Alyssa Nakken becomes first woman to coach on-field in MLB history.

Ya think they could have found a better picture?

It's all about the angle. She seems pretty excited to me.

Of all the people, I did not expect that response from Rumpy. I am impressed.

[Isgrimnur]

Renal colic

I hate it when my kidneys cry all night inconsolably.

[Rumpy]

It's all about the angle. She seems pretty excited to me.

Of all the people, I did not expect that response from Rumpy. I am impressed.

Haha, thanks, I guess? *bows*

[Daehawk]

San Fran cops pull over driverless taxi because it didn't have its lights on. After the cop tries to open the door the taxi takes off. Not catching Johnny Cab.

[dbt1949]

American cops would have shot holes in it.

[Daehawk]

American cops would have shot holes in it.

Did San Francisco leave the union?

[LordMortis]

no citation was issued

That's kinda puppies. Actually being pulled over for driving no headlights is pretty much a guaranteed ticket under normal circumstances. How do you let Cruise off with a warning? Are they subsidizing the SFPD already? (In which, case I would actually find the possibility of letting them off acceptable, maybe) Of course, according to Izzy, I want others to suffer as I've suffered rather than having to have driverless vehicles not have to go through what I did, and I've actually received a ticket for driving with no headlight at dusk from the racketeer force.

[Daehawk]

Dont all those driverless cars have the ability for a human to take over remotely? Why aren't they checking their cars for lights and such? And do they pull over all by themselves when police lights are behind them?

[Isgrimnur]

[dbt1949]

American cops would have shot holes in it.

Did San Francisco leave the union?

My bad. I saw MetroUK at the top and thought it was them.

[Unagi]

So, on Monday, the teacher of my daughter’s soon-to-begin after-school baking class sent us an email about the class

Happy Monday!
I thought I’d get this to you so you have a few days to gather some items your child will need for the next 7 weeks.

Apron
- 1 cutting mat
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 wire whisk
- Oven mitts
- 1 paring knife for cutting (preferably with a sheath or cover)
And please label!
Please, also send an 8 x 8 container so they can take home what we will be making, bird nests!

So, I’m to send my 11 year old to school with a knife. And she won’t be the only one armed.

[stimpy]

Forget the knife.
Have you ever been smacked by a wire whisk?
Hurts like hell and leaves multiple bruises all at once!!

[hepcat]

Have a house guest for two weeks and I almost immediately came down with either food poisoning or stomach flu. I hope it’s the former, but I’m quarantined in my bedroom just in case.

It was the latter. My house guest started throwing up this morning around 3am. Hopefully I have antibodies now that will prevent reinfection, which a quick webmd search seems to confirm. But I'm paranoid.

Help me Smoovie-Wan-Kenobi. I require your advice.

This has been the visit from hell....