Aotearoa Weekly Kōrero 20/9/2024
Aotearoa Weekly Kōrero 20/9/2024
Welcome to this week’s casual kōrero thread!
This post will be pinned in this community so you can always find it, and will stay for about a week until replaced by the next one.
It’s for talking about anything that might not justify a full post. For example:
- Something interesting that happened to you
- Something humourous that happened to you
- Something frustrating that happened to you
- A quick question
- A request for recommendations
- Pictures of your pet
- A picture of a cloud that kind of looks like an elephant
- Anything else, there are no rules (except the rule)
So how’s it going?
Been off on stress leave the last couple of days but I’m lucky to have an extremely supportive manager. They let me take the days off without using annual or sick leave. Also found a good psychotherapist through work’s EAP services which has helped.
That's really cool they let you do that. Hopefully you're feeling less stressed, and not sitting at home worrying about all the work that's piling up.
Just got some Deadly Sin coffee beans.
The taste for me is great, strong but smooth, not the burnt taste some stronger coffee’s have. A blend of Robusta and Arabica beans hence the higher strength.
It’s tough commenting on-line suggesting foods, drinks, movies etc to others, it’s all a very personal preference.
Oooh, I was just looking at ordering more coffee. And the strength of the coffee (as in flavour not caffeine) is something I struggle to get right. Cafe coffee is always a lot stronger than what I make at home, even when I caefully measure proportions.
I might order a bag of this and give it a go!
Just some notes after a few days of Deadly Sin tasting. We found it really has a strong taste, but not burnt like some darker coffees. This makes it taste very strong yet smooth.
Mrs Floofah is not keen, too strong for her, so this morning I made a DIY blend 50% Deadly Sin and 50% Hummingbird Colombia. My blend was noticeably a less strong taste, but the blend has nicely perked up the Colombia.
TIL - roasting and blending coffee is a science.
I have a loose definition of "week". This is the first thread in almost a month...
Anyway, a while back I asked about gateway routers, and @thevoyagekayaking@lemmy.nz recommended the Ubiquiti Dream Machine SE. I eventually built up the courage to spent that much money on it, and it arrived this week.
After a few challenges I managed to get it set up. It has now replaced my ISP router, and I've also replaced the Pi-hole with the UDM's options for local DNS entries and ad blocking. I also have set it up as a VPN client with Wireguard and ProtonVPN, and I can choose which devices are routed over the VPN and even customise it per domain so streaming services that don't like the VPN can be excluded.
I have a 300Mbps connection that normally averages about 280Mbps, and ProtonVPN lets me keep this speed (I'm on a paid plan).
The internet in general feels more snappy too, lower latency. I'm pretty happy with this purchase, and keen to get some cameras plugged into the PoE as soon as my wallet has recovered.
Maybe time for an automod to make the thread? If that exists on Lemmy
Tools exist that can do it, but there's always a pinned post at the top of c/nz if anyone wants to post something or read something.
The problem with using a bot is that people with bots disabled won't see it! I also just don't really like the idea, it seems so impersonal. Perhaps a good compromise is setting up the posts in advance with a post scheduling tool, so it's not a bot but my account still posting them.
It begins! Here's a mug of kool-aid ;) So, who's taking odds on TTC and TTA*?
There's a legitimate criticisms to be made of Ubiquiti's products, but they perform very well, are relatively simple to setup and maintain and most importantly for me, you get a perpetual license in the up front purchase price - no annual ransomware like other similar providers. Plus you can host the controller yourself, you don't have to be tied to their cloud offering (if they even still bother with it).
I haven't setup their built-in ad blocking yet as the local DNS was a bit of a pain so I still use pi-hole for all my own home stuff's DNS anyway, and I have wireguard running off their box as I set that up when their implementation was very new and not quite what I was after. But only a matter of time before I switch to the same setup as yours.
*(time till cameras, time till access-points)!
What trouble did you have with local DNS? I haven't had any issues.
What I like about Pi-hole is the control. With the block ads setting here, it's a checkbox on or off. Pi-hole lets me add custom block lists, and see a log of what's being blocked to help me resolve issues with sites not working.
Annoyingly I have Amplify APs which while made by Ubiquiti they aren't compatible with the Unifi range in terms of controller. They work fine but I have to manage them separately.
I snagged an OKJ Bronco for a great price a couple of weeks ago as a damaged packaging product. Turned out it was pretty much perfect inside except for a couple of small scratches which I covered up with enamel paint very easily.
Managed to hang a lamb leg in there last weekend which turned out delicious. Might try to do some ribs in there if the weather is decent this Sunday.
I've had my Bronco for a few years now and it is so good to use. Have done briskets, pork shoulders, ribs, chickens so far everything's been delicious.
Early on a cold morning it can be a little tricky to get the chimney drawing air well - so one trick i've recently learnt is to switch my vacuum pipe to the blow side and to force air into the inlet which seems to get it cranking pretty quickly :)
Oh, and as you mention Lamb, you really should treat yourself and try some West Kentucky style Mutton BBQ. It can be hard to get actual mutton, but it works with hogget too, its delicious and makes too much sense for NZ BBQ to not start adopting it!
Haha yes I actually figured out the same, I used my small battery workshop blower on low setting to force air into the inlet and it gets it going really quick. It has a flexible rubber nozzle so I can basically squeeze it into the inlet.
I don't think I've seen any mutton around, but I haven't really been looking. I'll have to keep an eye out.
Sadly I was too lazy to spritz my ribs yesterday and they ended up way too dry. They weren't the meatiest ribs either which didn't help, or I left it at too high a temp. I'll have to practice more!
Wow, that thing looks amazing!