Phoonzang

@Phoonzang@lemmy.world

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨But yes.⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago⁩:

  There’s also fuel cells, where fuel is not burned to create steam to move something, but combined with oxygen in a different way (the end products still being the same) so the electrons shuttled around during this reaction can be utilised as electricity. Think of combustion as oxidation of your fuel, the oxidation meaning that you (among other things) move electrons from the fuel to oxygen. In combustion, unfortunately you can’t access the electrons directly, as they are always stuck in the chemical bonds of the molecules, that’s why we take the detour via heat/mechanical - the steam engine. The fuel cell now separates fuel and oxygen, and thus divides the combustion reaction into two parts that happen at opposite sides of the cell. Those sides are divided by a membrane that does not allow the electrons to transfer across, so they need to take a detour through an electric circuit, in which we can harvest them as electrical power.

  I always found it really fascinating that fuel cells are the only other technology than solar where the electrons we use as electrical power are more or less directly generated as opposed to the detour via a generator. Unfortunately, fuel cells are still a very niche technique.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Nuclear Demonology⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  Nucular, it’s pronounced nucular.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Sid Meier’s Civilization VII - Official Teaser Trailer⁩ ⁨⁨5⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Yeah, it seems at a certain breaking point in the difficulty curve it becomes “catch up with the AI boni”, which made it a completely different game for me. And as you said, usually by renaissance you know if this is going to be a landslide victory (which at that point becomes a chore), or if you’re screwed.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨epidemiology⁩ ⁨⁨6⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  To be less hypothetical and more scary: Think about all the ancient pathogens that are dormant in the permafrost. Those could become a real problem when it starts to thaw because of global warming.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨How is the hydrogen made?⁩ ⁨⁨7⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  …and with what devices? Currently, there’s 11 GW of Electrolysis capacity available worldwide, with about 400 GW potentially realised by 2030. That’s 0.07% now of the total production of 16 TW from fossils, increasing to a whopping 2.5% in 2030. And that does not take into account that energy markets will be competing with industry that uses hydrogen as a reduction agent (steel, for example) to replace fossils. It also does not take into account that hydrogen is not as easy to transport than other fossils.

  Hydrogen might be the solution to the energy crisis, but for that we’d have to pick up our game immensely. Which will not happen if everyone thinks hydrogen is already freely and abundantly available.

  !Remind me in 20 years

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Discord Shuts Down Servers for Switch Emulators Suyu & Sudachi; Disables Lead Developers Account As Well⁩ ⁨⁨7⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Wait. The OPA from expanse? There is some resemblance, but I’d say it more looks like a gamepad/emoji hybrid.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨the Perks of ownership...⁩ ⁨⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Homeowners insurance: “Since you don’t have some certificate or whatever, your proper solution is something we won’t cover. If you want it covered, get someone with a certificate to do a hackjob.”

  At least in Germany, you’re not allowed to touch anything “important” like water, electric, plumbing, or gas. Even if you would do a much better job, quicker, and cheaper, than any contractor who’d be allowed to do that work. Every single contractor I hired remodeling our house did something which was clearly not up to code (DIN or EN), and almost every time they put up a fight explaining it away, even when I read them the exact wording of the norm. “Well, if I’d do it that way, I would never finish work!” “This would be too much work, nobody does it that way” “I am always doing it this way and never had any complaints”

  Discussion was always over when I asked whether I should get an inspector to settle it. They begrudgingly fixed the issue, and without fail tried to bill me for it (additionally).

  I am so done with contractors, those are the original gatekeepers.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨I tried over 20 Steam Next demos so that you don't have to!⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago⁩:

  I think it’s “Tiny civilization”, which is really cute indeed. Got it on sale for less then 2 bucks, well worth it!

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨What games can you recommend that didn't get the appreciation that they deserved?⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago⁩:

  I picked it up on sale after watching Fury Road, which in turn I put off watching for years because I really like the first trilogy and did not want to have that memory tainted by some cash grab Hollywood sequel. Boy was I wrong about the film, and I was equally blown away by the game, to a point I felt really guilty getting it for 10 bucks or so. I really, really wish there was a multiplayer, though.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨why isn't the use of the bidet more widespread?⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago⁩:

  The one we got was really expensive, but it was the only brand available in Germany that actually has those things in the market for 10+ years (so it’s a well tested product). It’s one of the premium brands for bathroom “furniture” anyway, and the bidet ones are their top of the line bowls, so I guess in the end we’re not just paying premium for the bidet. Including installation and all the other parts, I think it was something like 3 or 3.5k EUR. I don’t really have any comparison (the cheaper brand would be around 1k less), but the thing is well thought through, has tons of options, easy to clean, easy maintenance, and has some really long warranty. I still feel I splurged on it, but in the grand scheme of things when remodeling a house (roughly 150k in total), I did not really register. Don’t know if that helps in any way…

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨why isn't the use of the bidet more widespread?⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago⁩:

  Remodeled the house including bathrooms, went for japanese style bidet (i.e. included in the toilet). Would not want to live without it.

  • water temperature, as well as pressure, is adjustable. I have on with different presets, so every family member gets to have their own favorite setting
  • not messy at all, has a very directed jet of water. Of course you can splash around sitting weirdly on the toilet, but that needs to be very deliberate. Mine has a function that when nobody sits on the toilet, the jet won’t start.
  • there’s options with blow dryers, but even if not, just one dab to dry off instead of wiping and wiping and wiping.
  • according to my plumber, it was one more water hose and an electric plug to connect. The device itself of course is much more expensive than a stander toilet. Just using TP now feels so terrible unhygienic. Imagine getting shit on your hand, and you have paper towels, or running water (and paper towels) to clean up. What would you choose? Maybe not really a “problem” solves, but a very, very nice luxury.
• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨You didn't bought it you rented it!⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago⁩:

  Brother it is! I have a laser combo scanner printer MFC thingy, I guess from around 2010 or so, still works like a charm as a network device. I buy a third party toner every three years and that’s it.