TIL: Today I Learned

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TIL: The general conditions necessary to the formation of saltpetre are: 1st, the presence of decaying organic matter, animal or vegetable, especially the former; 2d, an alkaline or earthy base, as potash or lime; 3d, sufficient moisture; 4th, free exposure to the oxygen of the air; and 5th, shelter from sun and rain.

These conditions are often found in nature, as in the soil of all caves, ... and in cellars, stables, manure-heaps, &c. In crowded cities, with narrow, dirty streets and lanes

From INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SALTPETRE (1862)
 
It's a crappy 24-hr diner chain.

For what it is it's fine imo. I like it better than a lot of greasy spoon breakfast places, much better than denny's.

TIL: The general conditions necessary to the formation of saltpetre are: 1st, the presence of decaying organic matter, animal or vegetable, especially the former; 2d, an alkaline or earthy base, as potash or lime; 3d, sufficient moisture; 4th, free exposure to the oxygen of the air; and 5th, shelter from sun and rain.

These conditions are often found in nature, as in the soil of all caves, ... and in cellars, stables, manure-heaps, &c. In crowded cities, with narrow, dirty streets and lanes

From INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SALTPETRE (1862)

I looked up all about how to make black powder after watching Taboo tv series in which Tom Hardy's character gets a chemist to make him some. Yes you can basically make it at home but it takes a long time, like months to a year. I believe the chinese discovered it naturally occurring in caves where bat droppings turned into salt peter, then they mixed it with the other stuff to get gun powder. But you can make it basically by letting a bunch of straw sit with some feces and urine for like 6 months then mixing with charcoal from burnt wood or something close to that.
 
For what it is it's fine imo. I like it better than a lot of greasy spoon breakfast places, much better than denny's.

Well, I would describe Denny's the exact same way. I'll eat at any of these places, I'm not a food snob or anything, but I do know enough to know it is crappy ;)
 
Well, I would describe Denny's the exact same way. I'll eat at any of these places, I'm not a food snob or anything, but I do know enough to know it is crappy ;)

This certainly makes you sound like a food snob, just an unfulfilled one. I've never had bad food at an IHOP, or at a Denny's. I wouldn't take...wait...

I was gonna say I wouldn't take a date there, but I actually have.
 
This certainly makes you sound like a food snob, just an unfulfilled one.

An actual food snob turns up their nose at food they deem bad. You'd never catch one inside a Denny's or IHOP.

My friend who's willing to walk 3 miles for "acceptable" food instead of going to the Denny's down the block is a food snob. I don't think it makes me a food snob to recognize that the food 3 miles away is better than the food at Denny's, but still be willing to eat at Denny's.
 
An actual food snob turns up their nose at food they deem bad. You'd never catch one inside a Denny's or IHOP.

That's where the "unfulfilled" comes in. If you think they are crappy, what "makes" you go there? Sounds like a path to martyrdom. I never go anywhere I don't want to be, myself.
 
That's where the "unfulfilled" comes in. If you think they are crappy, what "makes" you go there? Sounds like a path to martyrdom. I never go anywhere I don't want to be, myself.

Nothing "makes" me go there, I'm just willing to go there if it's convenient, because I'm fine with eating food that I know is crappy relative to other food.
 
Nothing "makes" me go there, I'm just willing to go there if it's convenient, because I'm fine with eating food that I know is crappy relative to other food.

Ah. A slave to convenience.
 
I've definitely had crappy food at dennys. Ihop I always seem to like. Dennys just seems greasier? Limp bacon, mushy hasbrowns, luke warm food. I haven't had that at ihop, it's diner food but it's been served fresh off the griddle. Of course ymmv, just as the quality of fast food varies greatly between locations of the same brand as well.
 
Denny's and IHOP are both crap. Why shell out $10 for a breakfast platter when I can make a better version of it at home for a fifth of the price? Comes out quicker too.
 
Denny's and IHOP are both crap. Why shell out $10 for a breakfast platter when I can make a better version of it at home for a fifth of the price? Comes out quicker too.

Well, reasons.

I met this girl after a concert. Parleyed commenting on her performance into meeting for a cup of coffee. I make better coffee than Denny's, but I suspect that if I had gone with coffee at my place she'd not have agreed.

To be clear, I'm not actually sure that was a Denny's. Might have been Coco's, or Carrow's. Definitely one of those national chain diner places that's open all night and amenable to stretching coffee past three or four in the morning in an effort to get someone out of their clothes. Not distinct or memorable enough to identify in retrospect, but that doesn't make them or their coffee "bad," in particular.
 
I certainly can't make a breakfast platter for $2 at home.

That's probably pretty close. Eggs are about a quarter apiece. Same for a potato. Bacon is probably thirty to forty cents a slice.
 
That's probably pretty close. Eggs are about a quarter apiece. Same for a potato. Bacon is probably thirty to forty cents a slice.

I mean, sure, but you can't buy those things in that low of quantity (except for the potato). You'd need to commit to eating a breakfast platter every day for a week if you wanted to get to that cost ratio.
 
I mean, sure, but you can't buy those things in that low of quantity (except for the potato). You'd need to commit to eating a breakfast platter every day for a week if you wanted to get to that cost ratio.

No, you just have to commit to keeping a kitchen moderately well stocked with basic stuff. That's not such an uncommon practice as to justify "I certainly can't do THAT."
 
I mean, sure, but you can't buy those things in that low of quantity (except for the potato). You'd need to commit to eating a breakfast platter every day for a week if you wanted to get to that cost ratio.

There's tons of things you can do with eggs, bread, bacon, and potatoes.

tbh if I had all those ingredients on hand, I'd just as likely make it into a quiche or an omelet or a breakfast burrito. With some onion you could make a spanish tortilla. Much tastier.
 
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