The unimportant news thread

[greg]

Just stumbled on this picture.

All I can say is, LOL.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Actually, important news, I think. Science Confirms That Life Flashes Before the Eyes Upon Death.

https://hyperallergic.com/720694/science-confirms-that-life-flashes-before-the-eyes-upon-death/

[MusicTurner]

Actually, important news, I think. Science Confirms That Life Flashes Before the Eyes Upon Death.

https://hyperallergic.com/720694/science-confirms-that-life-flashes-before-the-eyes-upon-death/

Thanks for this.

[Karl Henning]

I went outside to see the near-total lunar eclipse at about 3am. Remarkable sight, with the moon glowing red except for a small slice or light. Would have been more dramatic to stay out for the two hours or so to watch the shadow move across the moon, but didn't seem practical to stay up that long in the wee hours.

Nice!

Rather less important:

Can you split your Oreo to be just how you want it? MIT researchers devised an 'Oreometer' to find out.

[Brahmsian]

Random thought of the day:

I've never understood the concept of "instant coffee"? But I see that it is still made and available in grocery stores.

I guess it's for people without some kind of coffee maker?

[DavidW]

Random thought of the day:

I've never understood the concept of "instant coffee"? But I see that it is still made and available in grocery stores.

I guess it's for people with some kind of coffee maker?

I think you meant without.  But also if you just cleaned your coffee maker, or it is in the dishwasher but you wanted afternoon coffee... you could have instant.  If your coffeemaker doesn't do small batches but you just wanted one cup well... boom.  If you're camping, instant coffee might be the easiest solution.  If you're the only coffee drinker in the house, and you only drink a cup then it might make more sense to drink instant.  I don't personally drink instant, it is either the real thing or it is tea.

That is not the most insane thing I could think of.  Microwave popcorn is, when it takes just as little effort to use your own kernels and oil (you can still even microwave it, doesn't have to be on the stove).

[JBS]

Keurig style single cup coffeemaker are available for much less than Keurig prices.

What I don't understand is those people who use Keurig pods of tea to make themselves a cup of tea. Have they never heard of tea bags?

[Karl Henning]

Keurig style single cup coffeemaker are available for much less than Keurig prices.

What I don't understand is those people who use Keurig pods of tea to make themselves a cup of tea. Have they never heard of tea bags?

Keurig "tea pods" are perhaps the height of Convenience Absurdity.

I go weeks with the only coffee I drink being instant. Just noting.

[MusicTurner]

I've actually come to prefer the taste of instant coffee mostly, on a daily basis.

Without any added sugar, I do like say capuccino, cafe au lait, and the like. But ordinary coffee can have a sourness to it, that I dislike.

[DavidW]

I've never been a fan of Keurig coffee makers, they generate so much waste and the pods are more expensive than bagged coffee (also more expensive than instant as well).

[JBS]

I've never been a fan of Keurig coffee makers, they generate so much waste and the pods are more expensive than bagged coffee (also more expensive than instant as well).

I have one of the cheap Keurig-style machines I referred to, and use it with bagged coffee.  The pods are actually unnecessary.

[Karl Henning]

I have one of the cheap Keurig-style machines I referred to, and use it with bagged coffee.  The pods are actually unnecessary.

Great adjustment! Tell me more.

[DavidW]

I have one of the cheap Keurig-style machines I referred to, and use it with bagged coffee.  The pods are actually unnecessary.

Oh I thought they only fit pods.  How does that work if you don't use pods?  How does it fit?  With a conventional coffee maker you just put in a filter and the coffee, but then again it has a basket.

[Brahmsian]

I think you meant without.

Yes, I did. Thanks, I corrected my post.

[JBS]

Great adjustment! Tell me more.

Oh I thought they only fit pods.  How does that work if you don't use pods?  How does it fit?  With a conventional coffee maker you just put in a filter and the coffee, but then again it has a basket.

Mine has a small basket inside the main basket in which you place the coffee. The small basket has a built in filter. If you want to use a pod, I think you take out the small basket. [I've never brewed with a pod, so I'm not exactly positive on that.]  The usual guidance of 1 scoop of coffee for 6 ounces of water applies.
I just took photos of the set-up and tweeted them out.
https://twitter.com/JacobKishnevi/status/1517957075170693124

[DavidW]

Well that is a great maker.  Allows you to do both!

[JBS]

Well that is a great maker.  Allows you to do both!

Mine's by Black & Decker but I think the dual use is a standard feature on all brands.  I did have to order it online (via Home Depot).

[Spotted Horses]

Random thought of the day:

I've never understood the concept of "instant coffee"? But I see that it is still made and available in grocery stores.

I guess it's for people without some kind of coffee maker?

My default method for making coffee these days is a pour-over, which means I boil water (3 minutes in an electric kettle) than wait 3-5 minutes for the coffee to trickle down. Then there is the funnel to clean. Alternatives are a French press or a stove-top cappuccino pot, which require about the same time. But I keep some Starbucks VIA instant packets around for when I am really short of time, or the family is asleep and I don't want to risk waking someone up puttering around in the kitchen. Just add water and it's done, with nothing to clean. Starbucks instant actually tastes like coffee, and I would put it on the same level of quality as a Keurig machine. (It contains condensed coffee with some micro ground coffee to give it a little extra kick.) It is nothing like the instant coffee I used to drink in my youth, which was advertised as "freeze dried." When I first drank coffee it was only instant and when I had real coffee on some sort of occasion (a dinner party my parents had at our house) I didn't even recognize the taste.

[Karl Henning]

My default method for making coffee these days is a pour-over, which means I boil water (3 minutes in an electric kettle) than wait 3-5 minutes for the coffee to trickle down. Then there is the funnel to clean. Alternatives are a French press or a stove-top cappuccino pot, which require about the same time. But I keep some Starbucks VIA instant packets around for when I am really short of time, or the family is asleep and I don't want to risk waking someone up puttering around in the kitchen. Just add water and it's done, with nothing to clean. Starbucks instant actually tastes like coffee, and I would put it on the same level of quality as a Keurig machine. (It contains condensed coffee with some micro ground coffee to give it a little extra kick.) It is nothing like the instant coffee I used to drink in my youth, which was advertised as "freeze dried." When I first drank coffee it was only instant and when I had real coffee on some sort of occasion (a dinner party my parents had at our house) I didn't even recognize the taste.

When I make proper coffee, I have a French press. But I find that I'll go weeks without bothering with it.

[Spotted Horses]

When I make proper coffee, I have a French press. But I find that I'll go weeks without bothering with it.

My preference for the pour-over is ease of preparation and cleaning. With a French press you have to time it to steep for a set time before pressing and draining. Then you have to disassemble it into about four pieces to wash, then reassemble. With the pour over you pour the water in and it is done when it has drained out. It stops itself, and if you come back some time later nothing is over-extracted. Then there is only one stainless steel thingy to clean. The one refinement to the pour-over is you are supposed to pour a little, just enough to wet the grounds, wait 30 seconds, then pour the rest.