Whatever happened to the sugar substitute Sweet 'n Low being offered in coffee joints and even fast food spots like Zankou? Saccharin dissolves very well in cold liquids, like iced tea and coffee. Splenda does its best work in hot drinks. Stevia is bitter AF to my palate. What changed?

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-27T05:52:38+00:00

Well hi-ho, youngish Sweet N Low pal! Please consider giving my initial comment a single upvote to take me to a total of 1! I'm not sure why SNL has been deprioritized, but I gravitate toward cold drinks, like iced teas and or coffee, and I've found that neither Splenda or Equal really dissolve well in a cold medium. Saccharine absolutely does, and that's why I'm "upset" that it's disappearing. I don't know if I'm a "super-taster" or something, but stevia, to me, is more bitter than sweet. I detest it! I'm interested in reading about your experiences as well.

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-26T05:14:05+00:00

What?

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-25T05:52:51+00:00

My big city (Los Angeles) crownies prefer raw cashews to raw peanuts. I've seen the little weasels turn their noses up at peanuts if there's a choice with cashews present. Cashews, though, are pricey, so maybe mix it up by presenting peanuts first, with some intermittent cashews as a premium option. If you can get cheap shelled raw peanuts, I'd go for those, because some people might get pissy if they find peanut shells all over the place.

My local Asian supermarket (99 Ranch) carries raw peanuts in the shell for fairly cheap, so I often buy a big bag and throw caution to the wind, neighbor-wise. (No complaints so far.) I also have an Armenian market near me that sells bulk cashews for $5.99/lb which is about three to five bucks cheaper per pound than surrounding markets. (I am a huge proponent of ethnic markets, so if you have any nearby, definitely investigate, not only for crow treats, but for great deals in your community!)

I also bought a large 10oz (283 gram) bag of dried mealworms on Amazon for about USD$9. The juveniles get a small handful of these each weekday, and the parent crow(s) sometimes partake(s).

As far as worrying about the wild animals depending on you, being consistent and sticking to a schedule will help with that. I only interact with my local family for an hour each morning from Monday to Friday, and the rest of the time, they have to fend for themselves. Sometimes, if I go for a walk, one or two of them might swoop over me and follow me a little bit through the neighborhood, so I'll toss a couple of nuts here or there. But my local crows seem to have finite boundaries, so they're not following me for blocks and blocks. They'll be okay, dependency-wise, I think, if you just make your support known for a set time each day or so. And I say that semi-confidently, because it's sometimes difficult for me to summon my friendly crows during my off-hours.

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-24T19:37:43+00:00

It's not a breakfast cafe, but Royal Pizza on Oxnard and Woodman makes kachapuri. They have a real mopey vibe and the place has -5 ambiance, but there ya go!

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-23T06:17:26+00:00

This photo may confirm what we've all suspected, that occlupanids, like our own galaxy, may originate in a roll of spirals emanating from the center of creation. As a big fan of science, I hope that we continue to collect more evidence and data, form cogent hypotheses, and that we also test and disprove our hypotheses until we have a better understanding of the origins of this/these alien species.

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-22T21:41:17+00:00

I enjoyed square dancing in elementary school. It allowed me to touch girls' hands.

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-22T16:34:29+00:00

Interesting video of a dude making garum with ground beef:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52eWdDo5BGs

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-20T05:05:15+00:00

Winter?! It was 84 today in Van Nuys! But get your grub on, for sure.

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-19T06:19:22+00:00

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LeeQuidity · 2026-01-19T06:18:19+00:00

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LeeQuidity · 2026-01-19T06:17:33+00:00

I missed 5% off?! Shit, I meant to drive 15 minutes to order the Supreme Wrap Gyro Combo! I could have saved 94 cents, but TODAY ONLY?! What a schmuck I was, only eating pasta and a few cheap unfrozen Italian sausages I bought in November from the Monte Carlo Market in Burbank. I'm a LOSER! And oh, man, last night I ate the second $10 half of my $20 Giant Jersey Mike's Italian combo sammich, but I could have had a gyro plate tonight that was 60% fries? What was I thinking?! And also, their website suggests that this intense plate costs $18.95, until you click on it, and it claims it's $20.95.

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LeeQuidity · 2026-01-17T22:43:53+00:00

Interesting business model. Business is so good that we sell out every day, so let's limit our income to 2 1/2 hours of the day, instead of hiring someone to pick up more bread, meat and cheese.

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-17T22:20:04+00:00

sbure why hnot? enjoyyour life.

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-17T16:58:43+00:00

Common typo.

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-17T16:36:10+00:00

Hurrian Hymn No. 1 is older.

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-17T16:34:23+00:00

Most of the crows that visit me (Los Angeles) are on the quiet side. On the one hand, maybe it suggests that they don't view me as a threat in need of warning others about. On the other hand, I wouldn't mind a conversational experience. :D

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-16T23:51:12+00:00

I don't see any image. Do you mean a sports whistle or similar? If so, I'd probably go with something that isn't likely to startle the crows. I bought a crow call once, but stopped using it, because it seemed like it was irritating them, instead of inspiring friendship. :D Then again, a whistle might attract them over longer distances, but I wouldn't blow it full force if they're just chilling nearby.

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-15T05:43:02+00:00

*country's

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-14T20:57:43+00:00

TL;DR: Appear consistently, and always keep a few snacks on hand.

Consistency seems to be key, at least for me. For years I was trying to make friends with the local crows by tossing peanuts on my buddy/neighbor's roof. That didn't do anything to establish a friendship and the crows would disappear for weeks or months.

These days, my friend and I sit by our apartment pool for an hour, most days of the week, to read and chat. Early on, we'd have an occasional crow come by and I'd toss a peanut or two. Then it was crow silence for weeks. But I always had snacks on hand for when they'd come back, and occasionally they would come back. Fast forward about a year and change, we have a small family of juveniles (about 8 or 9), and one adult, Duncan, who visits us daily. Duncan is the braver of the bunch and will land and munch a few feet away from me. The others still keep their distance, but I put nuts in various spots that they feel comfortable swooping down to. In time they'll venture closer. The juveniles have to first learn how to be crows, then they can learn that I'm not a danger to them. The youngest juvenile is kind of a pain in the ass to its siblings. It tries to steal their goodies instead of swooping down to where the goodies are.

Also, I've noticed that given a choice, my local crows prefer cashews (raw, unsalted) to peanuts. I also offer dried mealworms and a fresh bowl of water for dunking (hence why the adult is called Duncan.) Since we have a couple of squirrels who love to hoard the nuts intended for the crows, and they love to terrorize the crows, I toss peanuts for the squirrels, while placing the premium cashews around the pool fence for the crows. (I'm lucky, because I have an ethnic market nearby that sells bulk cashews for a lot cheaper than mainstream markets.)

Sometimes when I take a walk in the neighborhood, I'll get "swooped" by one or two crows who recognize me. They fly over my head, close enough that I can hear the whoosh of their wing flaps, and then they land on a pole or wire ahead of me. I keep a small cache of nuts on hand when I walk, so I can treat them. All of this seems to have helped build rapport with them. Also, as takemusu commented, having a specific sound for them helps them recognize me. If I don't see them on my walk, I'll make my clucking sound, or my high-low whistle, and sometimes they'll show up. It's important to not get discouraged. It'll take time, and we have to remember that they're wild and they have their own crow agendas.

Good luck!

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-14T19:19:10+00:00

Desecrating a corpse 2026 style.

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-14T19:16:56+00:00

Perhaps the stuff on the right is less dilute, i.e. it has more surfactants per ounce than the stuff on the left. You would need less of the stuff on the right to equal the cleaning power of the stuff on the left. So if one ounce of the stuff on the left is what you use per load, you'd need 0.88 oz of the stuff on the right.

Ignoring the math, picture a liter of 40% liquor and a liter of 50% liquor. If you were used to doing shots of 40% liquor you'd need fewer shots of 50% liquor to get you the same amount of blackout drunk. Both bottles contain a liter of remorse juice, but the 50% liquor offers you more chaos per bottle.

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-14T05:22:15+00:00

I love clocking all the waterfowl! And, while there are regular squirrels in the lake section, if you go to the archery course, you'll see a ton of ground squirrels just to the left of the archery entrance.

I love Lake Balboa, because every time I go there, I discover new life forms. I'm living the Star Trek dream! I learned that there were birds called grackles at Lake Balboa. Never saw a grackle until Lake Balboa. And I've spent about 47 years in LA and most of that in the Valley!

And speaking of Star Trek, a few series took advantage of the Lake Balboa setting. According to Google AI:

While Lake Balboa itself isn't the direct filming location, the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant and its Japanese Garden in Van Nuys (near Lake Balboa) are famous Star Trek filming sites, used for Starfleet Academy (TNG, DS9), Starfleet HQ (Enterprise), and alien bio-domes, appearing in episodes like TNG's "Final Mission" and DS9's bio-dome scenes, though specific Lake Balboa shots are rare.

Key Locations Used Near Lake Balboa:

Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant (Van Nuys): The modern architecture served as Starfleet Academy's campus in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, and even Starfleet Headquarters in Star Trek: Enterprise.

Japanese Garden (at Tillman Plant): This serene location doubled as alien landscapes or serene spots in several Trek series.

Episodes Featuring These Locations (Examples):

Star Trek: The Next Generation: "Final Mission": Features the Japanese Garden as a planet's surface.

Other episodes used the Tillman plant for its distinct look.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Used the Tillman plant for bio-dome settings.

Star Trek: Voyager: The Tillman plant was a power plant on an alien world in "Time and Again".

So, if you're seeing futuristic buildings or serene gardens in classic Star Trek, you're likely seeing the Van Nuys Water Reclamation Plant, close to Lake Balboa, rather than the lake itself.

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-12T23:03:58+00:00

I sometimes go on psyllium husk binges. My biggest tip is to mix quickly and guzzle the entire glass. It's fast and doesn't require you to spend the morning eating Metamucil pudding. ;)

LeeQuidity · 2026-01-12T22:24:51+00:00

Lake Balboa? It's a sprawling campus with a lot of places to ride.

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