I’m currently using the DeLonghi EC860 which I bought when I didn’t know that much about making espresso. Now I realise that pressure is not great and the steaming wand doesn’t do great foam for express and the so-called automatic cappuccino system is superfluous. In the last year or soi got myself a grinder, replaced the ports filter with a bottomless non-pressurised one, and got myself a separate milk frother, and my coffee has been awesome.

Seems that the machine is acting up quite a bit lately and it may be time for a replacement. Any suggestions for a somewhat entry level machine with some additional options? I don’t want to have to figure out pressure and so on each time, and it doesn’t need to have a built in grinder. A good steaming wand would be nice. Most mornings I make a 3shot cappuccino for myself, but on weekends make another cup for my wife, and occasionally my parents if they come over for a visit (my current one seems to overheat after the 3rd shot nowadays).

Preferably not to pricey, around the same-ish price range?

LARGEST FOREST RESERVE IN NEGERI SEMBILAN

The awe-inspiring Taman Negeri Kenaboi is a destination that should undoubtedly be on the must-see list for tourists when visiting Malaysia.

For the intrepid nature lovers, there is something glorious about spending their vacation at the park; the lush green forest transports you from the stress of daily life into a strange, solemn calm.

I will move to Malaysia next month and will be working around Petaling Jaya ? do you have apartment or condo recommendation which have access to MRT/LRT station by walking distance? my budget is up to 1700 MYR so far i am interested in Maisson Residence 1300 MYR studio type

is anyone else exploring the wider fediverse?

I know of a few users who were originally from kbin/mastodon, I've heard some mentions of peertube, and I'm currently posting this from calckey.

@cafe@monyet.cc #redditmigration

I just realised I am eligible for Ptptn first class loan waiver but one of the requirements stated that the application must be submitted within 12 months from the convocation date. I got straight up rejected by the system. It is now 16 months from the convocation date. Damnnnnn, this waiver could mean so much to me.

Any advice on what could be done?

I’ve made the full transition to ebooks maybe 10 years ago and have barely bought physical books ever since. I’m a prolific reader, I read maybe at least 1 book a week, and I guess one of the advantages of ebooks is that I can quickly jump to the next book once I’ve finished the one I’m reading.

Recently my wife and I were at Pavillion Bukit Jalil and were thinking of checking out that famous bookshop there, and I realised I no longer have the excitement to visit a bookstore. I recall I’d visit Borders so often back when I younger and we always on the lookout for my next book, or for newly released books by my favourite authors, and was so excited when the next book I. The series’s was available. Nowadays, though, most of them are already in my preorder list on Google Play Books, so the thrill of the hunt is no longer there.

A few months ago I dug out some of my old physical books to read downstairs so that my toddler can see me reading an actual book instead of staring at my iPad or phone (reading, but it looks like I’m just staring at a screen) because I want to encourage her to get into reading too. I’ve found, though, somehow it was a lot harder to continue. I’d keep wanting to switch to the ebook version so that I can read in bed when the lights are dimmer.

How about you guys? What are your thoughts or experiences about the switch to ebooks? Do you still read physical books? Do you miss it?

I do Grab Food delivery and noticed that some shops purposely put different name on their Grab profile and actual signboard name. At first I thought it was just laziness or simply some people fucked up, an annoyance to us riders having to play hide and seek, but now I begin to feel like this is a deliberate ploy.

These are so called virtual kitchens. They don't actually exist, but just a front for some other companies/operations. Nothing wrong with that, even Nestle don't sell everything under the Nestle brand.

Where it gets insidious is when a single shop use multi terminals, spamming the marketplace. Customer don't realise that the vast choice they see on the platform are actually them getting more of the same, and platform owners don't mind because it makes their platform look thriving. This is just hearsay but it seems like the platform marketing people are also encouraging/facilitating this behind the scene.

For customers, virtual kitchens by brick and mortar restaurants is not a big problem actually, other than feeling spoffed, since this are still run by people with actual experience in food business industry.

Dedicated virtual kitchens? Those can be really sketchy. They don't accept dine ins, so there is zero customer monitoring of their cleanliness etc. Even for us riders we can only go up until the hole in the wall pickup counter. Can't see anything inside.

British media did a coverage on this in the UK, aka ghost kitchens

And since they are not an eatery there is also a question on whether they are subjected to inspection by the authorities. I don't recall seeing any of those Gred Kebersihan stickers in these premises.

So yeah, guys, tech doesn't always make life better. It can be a source of issues that we have no idea how to navigate at all.

Caveat emptor. (Buyer beware)

What are you guys currently reading?

I just finished Sebastian De Castell's The Malevolent Seven and damn it was good, although in the first quarter I wondered if I really wanted to be reading it. Wish the next was already out, but thankfully the author is quite prolific.

About to start Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary based on a blind recommendation. Never read The Martian, I'm not so much into scifi usually, mostly into fantasy and historical fiction but there are exceptions so I'm gonna give it a go.

According to Chai, a fateful drive down a windy highway that year brought him to the idea. While driving, he had passed the corpse of a stray dog laying along the road. It wasn’t the first stray he saw that year, but the conditions of that stray’s death struck him with overwhelming clarity.

“Somehow, relating to the stray dog ignited a sense of identity in me. I, too, had to fend for myself and learn never to rely on others,” – Kenji Chai, Creator of Chaigo

Being from a turbulent family, Chai felt he never truly belonged anywhere, just like a stray. Unlike the stray however, he believed he could decide the course of his life through hard work. Inspired by the life of strays, the Chaigo alias was finally given life.

Me: look at this big beautiful leaf on my pokok level kayangan!

My wife: looks like can wrap nasi lemak already!

OMAIGODOMAIGODOMAIGODOMAIGODOMAIGODOMAIGODOMAIGODOMAIGODOMAIGODOMAIGODOMAIGODOMAIGODOMAIGODOMAIGODOMAIGODOMAIGOD

Who wants to go?

It's as long as a scroll.