David M Mallon |
3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Whenever we do an excavation anywhere in Polk County, even if we're only digging down ten inches in a random field somewhere, we end up hitting tons of rubble-- mostly bricks, with pieces of old concrete and terracotta pipe. Starting to wonder if Des Moines is built on top of some sort of lost civilization...
Syrus Terrigan |
Whenever we do an excavation anywhere in Polk County, even if we're only digging down ten inches in a random field somewhere, we end up hitting tons of rubble-- mostly bricks, with pieces of old concrete and terracotta pipe. Starting to wonder if Des Moines is built on top of some sort of lost civilization...
yep.
Iowa.
BigNorseWolf |
3 people marked this as a favorite. |
David M Mallon wrote:Whenever we do an excavation anywhere in Polk County, even if we're only digging down ten inches in a random field somewhere, we end up hitting tons of rubble-- mostly bricks, with pieces of old concrete and terracotta pipe. Starting to wonder if Des Moines is built on top of some sort of lost civilization...yep.
Iowa.
Look. I'll buy lizard people, hollow earth, alien visitors. But civilization in IOWA? Pull the other one.
NobodysHome |
*SIGH*. And now it's "mouse moving a mountain" time.
As Dancing Wind predicted, Maui has put out a, "Please don't come here" announcement as they use much of their hotel capacity to house displaced residents. It's unlikely to change by October, so only a complete jerk would keep their plans.
Unfortunately, I found out how I'm involved: A bride set up a "dream wedding" on Maui, one of GothBard's friends is the maid of honor, and she rented a large place in Lahaina and invited a bunch of us to enjoy a week in Maui with free lodgings. Considering how hard it is to arrange weddings on any of the islands, I wouldn't be surprised if the bride decides that she's going to go forward with the wedding anyway, since the wedding site is miles away from Lahaina and doesn't look like it was affected by the fire.
So first I have to convince GothBard that we shouldn't go, and we need to bow out without offending anyone. That shouldn't be too hard. But convincing a group of people I don't even know that holding a wedding nowhere near you home less than 2 months after a massive tragedy there is in incredibly poor taste? That might be harder. We'll see how it goes.
NobodysHome |
4 people marked this as a favorite. |
In other news, complete with minor spoilers, is why Divinity 2 (and therefore Divinity 3 Baldur's Gate 3) is such a good game:
It's a massive open-world RPG where you can do whatever you want do, and the game's engine and plotline deal with the repercussions of your decisions.
Be a good guy, ally with the humans and elves and murder all the goblins? No problem!
Be a bad guy, ally with the goblins and murder all the humans and elves? No problem!
Play 4 undead and commit genocide and kill every living NPC in the entire game? No problem! (Not that we did that and had a mountain of fun doing it, giggling all the way or anything.)
So, the game can adapt to whatever it is you do. Which we did last night.
So, we didn't appreciate this so we re-loaded and proceeded to scour the entire countryside for anything that could be used in a blockade: Boxes, barrels, chests, candelabras. You name it, we grabbed it. We then built our own little makeshift fortress around the NPC: They couldn't get out, and no bad guys could get in unless they spawned there. And we joined them in our little play fort.
The fight started, two bad guys spawned inside of our fortress, we used all our top-level spells to dispatch them, the NPC tried and tried and tried to figure out a way to get out, including attacking the walls, but the crates held and we teleported our fighters out of the fortress to mop up the remaining bad guys.
Fight won!
And we immediately got the, "Congratulations! You won!" cut scene without the game missing a beat.
In short, they knew people like us would cheese the game, and they deal with it.
NobodysHome |
3 people marked this as a favorite. |
OK. The kids are waaaaay more imaginative than I am. I feel shame.
Miraculously, the game recognized it and after a short while all the goblins were dead without him having to do anything.
I am astonished that the game engine is that advanced.
Impus Minor's "feat" was far more along the lines of our cheesiness: There are flowers that emanate antimagic fields that you have to deal with. He's playing a barbarian. He managed to use stealth to reverse pickpocket a necromancer in the Underdark, putting the anti-magic flower in the necromancer's pocket. The necromancer caught him and a fight broke out. Between the necromancer in the anti-magic field and the barbarian right next to him.
Eew.
I'm totally stealing that one.
Drejk |
I am astonished that the game engine is that advanced.
I doubt that's engine handling it. More like devs in their foresight properly scripting results to an action they predicted.
In case of other companies, I would be really impressed by such foresight.
Here, I can only say... Larian.
And yes, I am reading spoilers, even despite not being in position to buy it in near future.
Also, I have still to finish Divinity: Original Sin. Both of them.
Brigadoon |
I love it when companies put meaningless claims on their products. Like this box of maxipads that claim they are "up to 100% leak and odor free". Well, 0% is "up to" 100%, so it doesn't really mean anything.
Ahh, but that’s the beauty of marketing. Likes how eating Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs is part of a balanced breakfast, provided you’re balancing it with half a dozen grapefruits and a dozen bran muffins
Limeylongears |
If I'm gonna spend 600 bucks on it, it better f@!!ing stop bullets
It says:
'Does not offer protection'
And,
'Asset'
captain yesterday |
3 people marked this as a favorite. |
I didn't get the first place, because I make too much money.
Onward to options B through Z!
If only I lived in a giant college town with an abundance apartments to rent!
Also, one of the good things about having ladscaped in Madison for several different companies over the last 18 years is I know what apartment complexes are nice, okay, or real s~!! holes. So that helps weed places out.
NobodysHome |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
captain yesterday wrote:I didn't get the first place, because I make too much money.That’s a thing for apartments?
My guess would be an apartment building managed by a professional management company trying to maximize income. If a prospective tenant's income is too high relative to the rent, then the tenant is likely "slumming" while looking for a better place, and will therefore likely be a short-term tenant. That's great in a strictly rent-controlled place like Berkeley, but without rent control, the property owner ends up losing money on having to renovate the apartment twice (paint, carpet cleaning, etc.) and do a tenant search twice in a short time span, and having the apartment be vacant twice within a year or two.
The shadier reason is Section 8 fraud, but let's go with, "They consider CY a flight risk because his income is so much higher than the rent, so they're looking for someone whose income more closely aligns with long-term residency."
NobodysHome |
I love it when companies put meaningless claims on their products. Like this box of maxipads that claim they are "up to 100% leak and odor free". Well, 0% is "up to" 100%, so it doesn't really mean anything.
My favorite is, "The #1 Best-Selling xxx."
Which basically means, "We have the most convincing marketing to trick people into buying our stuff."
Brigadoon |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
gran rey de los mono wrote:I love it when companies put meaningless claims on their products. Like this box of maxipads that claim they are "up to 100% leak and odor free". Well, 0% is "up to" 100%, so it doesn't really mean anything.My favorite is, "The #1 Best-Selling xxx."
Which basically means, "We have the most convincing marketing to trick people into buying our stuff."
Or, as an American, when businesses rave about their BBB rating.
NobodysHome |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Sometimes your kids can make you proud just by asking questions. Impus Minor is going in for his annual physical.
NobodysHome: So, they're likely going to offer you both a flu shot and a COVID shot, and it'll be up to you whether to get them. Just remember that Impus Major had the myocarditis reaction, so under no circumstances should you get a Moderna vaccine.
Impus Minor: What's the current rate of infection for COVID in this area?
My "little" guy -- only 19 and already doing risk-rewards analyses! I'm so proud!
captain yesterday |
2 people marked this as a favorite. |
captain yesterday wrote:I didn't get the first place, because I make too much money.That’s a thing for apartments?
Dane county has rules in place that a certain amount of occupants in an apartment complex must be low income, they were already at their maximum amount of not poor people.
NobodysHome |
Brigadoon wrote:Dane county has rules in place that a certain amount of occupants in an apartment complex must be low income, they were already at their maximum amount of not poor people.captain yesterday wrote:I didn't get the first place, because I make too much money.That’s a thing for apartments?
OK, I have to admit, that I didn't see.
BigNorseWolf |
3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Also, one of the good things about having ladscaped in Madison for several different companies over the last 18 years is I know what apartment complexes are nice, okay, or real s%%& holes. So that helps weed places out.
Buy a plot of land and start stacking pavers into a house.
Vanykrye |
4 people marked this as a favorite. |
Ah, life in the Bay Area!
One of my teeth decided to split in half and go its separate ways.
I can be seen on Friday to take care of it.
What do I do for the next two days with a split-in-half tooth?
Apparently not their problem.
I'd consider yourself lucky you're getting seen this month.
NobodysHome |
2 people marked this as a favorite. |
It was sad -- I discovered a "meh" series of YouTube videos where a family from New Zealand is preparing for their upcoming trip to the U.S. (and probably funding it) by doing reaction videos to videos of "things you should know when you visit the United States". They found a particularly good video where the guy was honestly giving great advice, including, "Buy travel insurance! Medical costs in the U.S. are unbelievable! If you come here and injure yourself and you didn't buy insurance, you will go bankrupt!"
Not something you think about when you leave the U.S. because you're already paying for private health insurance. But for people who come here, I realized just what a terrifying financial risk they're taking just walking down the street.
captain yesterday |
6 people marked this as a favorite. |
It was very rewarding as a hippie to walk onto a military base and start making demands and then those demands are immediately fulfilled.
Still super weird though when people say "sure thing, boss!" when I do.
When you work by yourself as much as I do it's very easy to forget you're also the one in charge on every job site you walk onto.
Credit to the Military guy though as soon as he saw I was the boss he didn't say "him?!" He just said "Ah! You're Yesterday! You do great work!!".
Drejk |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Wow... Speaking of U.S. health care... I have what is considered "good" dental insurance from my employer...
...so the crown I need is going to run me only $2069.Ow.
You should be able to get a crown for something in between $400 and $1000 (the high end for having a crown on implant) in Poland. If you could get miraculously cheap flight you might end paying slightly less than at home...
David M Mallon |
3 people marked this as a favorite. |
The people who have been going nuts over the "first ever musical episode of a Star Trek series" seem to have forgotten about basically the entire last year of Deep Space Nine.
NobodysHome |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
NobodysHome wrote:You should be able to get a crown for something in between $400 and $1000 (the high end for having a crown on implant) in Poland. If you could get miraculously cheap flight you might end paying slightly less than at home...Wow... Speaking of U.S. health care... I have what is considered "good" dental insurance from my employer...
...so the crown I need is going to run me only $2069.Ow.
If you Google it, it's $500 to $3000 per tooth, depending on where you live.
Guess where I live?
Brigadoon |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Drejk wrote:NobodysHome wrote:You should be able to get a crown for something in between $400 and $1000 (the high end for having a crown on implant) in Poland. If you could get miraculously cheap flight you might end paying slightly less than at home...Wow... Speaking of U.S. health care... I have what is considered "good" dental insurance from my employer...
...so the crown I need is going to run me only $2069.Ow.
If you Google it, it's $500 to $3000 per tooth, depending on where you live.
Guess where I live?
Hopefully close enough to a border with more affordable dental care?
Drejk |
NobodysHome wrote:Hopefully close enough to a border with more affordable dental care?Drejk wrote:NobodysHome wrote:You should be able to get a crown for something in between $400 and $1000 (the high end for having a crown on implant) in Poland. If you could get miraculously cheap flight you might end paying slightly less than at home...Wow... Speaking of U.S. health care... I have what is considered "good" dental insurance from my employer...
...so the crown I need is going to run me only $2069.Ow.
If you Google it, it's $500 to $3000 per tooth, depending on where you live.
Guess where I live?
Nobodys's closest border is with Pacific Mexico. I have zero idea what is dental care quality-and-cost in Mexico.
gran rey de los mono |
NobodysHome wrote:Priced at that figure to warn you of its excessive levels of Digital Horny, I assume (though it's around £50 here)...and does anyone else find it suspicious that Baldur's Gate is $69.99?
"Well, it would normally be an even $2000, but .."
How much for a non-horny version?
Freehold DM |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
NobodysHome wrote:You should be able to get a crown for something in between $400 and $1000 (the high end for having a crown on implant) in Poland. If you could get miraculously cheap flight you might end paying slightly less than at home...Wow... Speaking of U.S. health care... I have what is considered "good" dental insurance from my employer...
...so the crown I need is going to run me only $2069.Ow.
Go for it.
I'm serious.
Its time to take the mask off of medical tourism.
Freehold DM |
The people who have been going nuts over the "first ever musical episode of a Star Trek series" seem to have forgotten about basically the entire last year of Deep Space Nine.
You said it.
Freehold DM |
Brigadoon wrote:Nobodys's closest border is withNobodysHome wrote:Hopefully close enough to a border with more affordable dental care?Drejk wrote:NobodysHome wrote:You should be able to get a crown for something in between $400 and $1000 (the high end for having a crown on implant) in Poland. If you could get miraculously cheap flight you might end paying slightly less than at home...Wow... Speaking of U.S. health care... I have what is considered "good" dental insurance from my employer...
...so the crown I need is going to run me only $2069.Ow.
If you Google it, it's $500 to $3000 per tooth, depending on where you live.
Guess where I live?
PacificMexico. I have zero idea what is dental care quality-and-cost in Mexico.
From what I have heard SURPRISINGLY good. There's a reason a lot of dental vids on YouTube are in Spanish.
Drejk |
Limeylongears wrote:That sentence makes no sense to me.NobodysHome wrote:Priced at that figure to warn you of its excessive levels of Digital Horny...and does anyone else find it suspicious that Baldur's Gate is $69.99?
"Well, it would normally be an even $2000, but .."
Limey meant advertise the amount of horniness.
NobodysHome |
2 people marked this as a favorite. |
NobodysHome wrote:Wow... Speaking of U.S. health care... I have what is considered "good" dental insurance from my employer...
...so the crown I need is going to run me only $2069.Ow.
sweet Jesus.
I am sorry man.
Well, it's like I was telling GothBard -- we had a series of "unexpected income events": Higher-than-expected stock options, canceling the Maui trip, and a 3-payslip month for GothBard. It would have been really nice to put all that extra income into savings for future emergencies. Instead it's all evaporated into current emergencies, but it made it so can pay for all of this idiocy directly out-of-pocket.
Not fun, but glad it's simply do-able.
Wei Ji the Learner |
3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Freehold DM wrote:NobodysHome wrote:Wow... Speaking of U.S. health care... I have what is considered "good" dental insurance from my employer...
...so the crown I need is going to run me only $2069.Ow.
sweet Jesus.
I am sorry man.
Well, it's like I was telling GothBard -- we had a series of "unexpected income events": Higher-than-expected stock options, canceling the Maui trip, and a 3-payslip month for GothBard. It would have been really nice to put all that extra income into savings for future emergencies. Instead it's all evaporated into current emergencies, but it made it so can pay for all of this idiocy directly out-of-pocket.
Not fun, but glad it's simply do-able.
...and then imagine folks that get hit with all this and don't have that.