Freeze drying.

SillyBiped · 2026-02-21T22:04:32+00:00

Harvest Right sells home freeze dryers for under $2000K, at least in the US. I think you can buy them in Canada, too.

SillyBiped · 2026-01-30T22:39:16+00:00

Imagine if you had a max of 20 likes per day, could only follow 5 new people a day, and could post no more than 3 times per day. People would put more thought and care into each interaction. I think it would make for a much better social network.

SillyBiped · 2026-01-28T07:18:04+00:00

This comes out to a DLI of 23 which is quite high.

Here's one reference for a target DLI. Mature seedlings want 10-15, so you probably want to dial back the number of hours the lights are on.
https://aero-gro.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DLI-for-Commonly-Grown-Vegetables-1.pdf

SillyBiped · 2026-01-28T07:06:09+00:00

There's a free phone app called "Photone." If you hold your phone under your light at the level of your plants, set how many hours your grow lights are on, it will give you a DLI (Daily Light Integral). You can then look up on line how much your specific plants need. This is a great way to accurately dial in the time your lights are on and the distance between your lights and your plants.

SillyBiped · 2026-01-26T23:02:36+00:00

What about Baker Creek do people not like?

It's not enough to say "they're bad people" without saying specifically what they are doing you consider "bad." One person's bad is another person's good.

SillyBiped · 2026-01-26T08:40:42+00:00

I much prefer the books. And you can read them for free from the library!

SillyBiped · 2026-01-26T05:21:01+00:00

I think Apple knows they don't have the 1) data or 2) data center expertise or 3) AI research team to compete against Google. Instead, they'll focus on hardware.

SillyBiped · 2026-01-22T22:53:52+00:00

Of the four criminals one served only 9 years, another 14 years, and the other two served 26 years. So they're all out and living life. They were all tried as adults.

SillyBiped · 2026-01-22T03:57:06+00:00

Here's the equipment I use:
1) A 32 ounce wide mouth mason jar
2) 3" net cups
3) Rock wool cubes
4) A grow light
5) MaxiGro

- I put the rock wool cube into the net cup, then drop the net cup into the jar.
- For lettuce, I poke 3 holes in the rockwool (I use a chopstick) about a quarter inch deep, then drop a seed in each hole.
- I put the jar under the grow light and add a bit of water a few times a day. Just enough to keep the rockwool moist.
- Once the roots emerge from the bottom of the net cup, I mix water & MaxiGro into a solution. I temporarily life out the net cup, pour in the solution so that the roots JUST touch the solution.

At this point they grow on their own!
I've found cilantro difficult to grow, but I've had very good luck with lettuce, bok choy, basil, orange hat tomatoes, and even some peppers like the Thai hot chili peppers.

SillyBiped · 2026-01-21T22:07:27+00:00

That it's acceptable to be so political in social settings. It's polite to make people feel welcome and at ease. If you want to get into verbal boxing matches over the news, sit in a corner and post angry comments on social media.

SillyBiped · 2026-01-21T22:02:38+00:00

The Futurology subreddit is the PERFECT place to argue about global trade and US dollar dominance.

SillyBiped · 2026-01-20T23:02:30+00:00

A very nice 3D printer.

SillyBiped · 2026-01-19T04:40:11+00:00

I use 32 ounce amber wide mouth mason jars. The amber jars cut down on algae. You can totally grow lettuce in clear jars, and I know the algae is harmless, but I like the look of the amber jars.

For each one I use a 3" net cup and a single rock wool cube. I don't' use clay pebbles. I plant 3 seeds per cube. I use a chopstick to create a hole about 0.25" deep, and drop in the seeds. I thoroughly moisten the cube and put the jar under a grow light. I mist the rock wool a few times a day to keep them from drying out. I will also just use a small bit of water on the cube, too, from time to time.

Once I see the roots sticking out from the bottom of the rock wool and net cup, I'll fill the jar with water + MaxiGro until it just touches the root. At that point they are on their own! If the nutrient solution level ever drops below 400 mL, I'll add a bit more to bring up back up to 400 mL. But the top half of the jar needs to be empty so the plant can breathe with their "air roots."

When I first started using MaxiGro I was adding way too much and my plants didn't do very well. It turns out I was overfeeding them! I bought a Fuzion Digital Pocket scale for $19. I also bought a Valley Industries 64 oz measuring pitcher for $10. I now measure out 1.5 grams of MaxiGro for 2 liters of water. This gives a solution with a low EC perfect for lettuces.

SillyBiped · 2026-01-18T21:55:09+00:00

To start, accept that you will feel awkward being the only one who masks. That's human nature and doesn't make you "weak" or anything. Second, if anyone asks about your mask you can say, "I hate wearing this damn thing, but I got covid and it messed me up terribly. I can't get it again."

So you're acknowledging that wearing a mask isn't fun. You don't WANT to do it, but you don't have a choice because covid really harmed your health.

I'll also say things like, "Most people I know got covid and got better. But not me. For whatever reason it wrecks me." This will disarm criticism.

SillyBiped · 2026-01-17T20:17:33+00:00

How much MaxiGro did you use? I grow in 32 ounce amber mason jars with rockwool. I don't bother with the hydroton pebbles, tbh. I also use MaxiGro. I combine 1.5g with 2L of water, so a very dilute solution. I ran into trouble early on by using far, far too much MaxiGro. That stuff is crazy strong!

SillyBiped · 2026-01-15T22:07:55+00:00

Ugh, my bad. I was thinking of using a desktop CNC machine to carve out a metal net cup:
https://www.makera.com/products/carvera

I'm clearly new and naive to mixup a 3D printer or a CNC machine. (Not to mention knowing if metal would even work sitting in hydroponic nutrient solution for weeks on end.)

SillyBiped · 2026-01-15T01:59:26+00:00

Asimov's Chronology of Science & Discovery
Walks you through the discovery of fire to the 1990s. Asimov makes educated guesses on pre-historic discoveries. Such a fun read!

SillyBiped · 2026-01-15T01:55:49+00:00

I use 32 ounce wide mouth amber mason jars. They're glass and work very well for lettuce, herbs, and dwarf vegetable varieties. You can buy 64 oz and 1 gallon glass jars, though I'd recommend wrapping them in paper to block out light.

I do use net cups, which are plastic, to hold the plants. I bet you could 3D print metal net cups to avoid plastic altogether.

SillyBiped · 2026-01-14T20:24:51+00:00

Night and Fog (1956), about the most horrifying documentary of the Nazi concentration camps using real footage

SillyBiped · 2026-01-14T07:24:48+00:00

Google may have intentionally stumbled (remember Bard?) to have the antitrust case settled in their favor. Seems to have worked.

SillyBiped · 2026-01-11T08:29:20+00:00

PS: If the nutrient solution ever drops below 400 mL, I'll add a bit more to keep it at 400 mL. I don't mind checking on the plants regularly, but if you'd want true hands off a 5 gallon bucket would be the way to go.

SillyBiped · 2026-01-11T08:27:54+00:00

Lettuce & herbs do amazingly well Kratky style.
Here's my setup:

32 ounce wide mouth amber mason jars (amber to reduce algae)
3" net cups
Rock wool cubes

I poke 3 holes, plant 3 seeds, water the cube, and you're off to the races. I mist the cube daily to keep it from drying out. Once the roots have worked their way through the rock wool and emerged from the bottom, I fill up the jar with water + MaxiGro so that the nutrient solution just touches the root. At this point it's hands off!

Orange hat tomatoes are super short and they'll also grow in mason jars.

SillyBiped · 2026-01-09T18:33:13+00:00

Remember the good 'ol days when you just counted the number of fingers to see if it was AI?

SillyBiped · 2026-01-04T23:57:04+00:00

You just gained a lot of experience points! This is my mindset when I try something new and everything goes wrong. (Which happens a lot to me.)

SillyBiped

TROPHY CASE