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Vany has come, been fed, and gone.
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It was a great night. Limey will be happy to know that I did not order the Shepherd's Pie with the salsa on it.
I did briefly contemplate asking for the salsa on the sticky toffee pudding though.
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Tomorrow night I should be in the LA area. After that I'll be meeting up with another set of friends outside Phoenix. Looking at Roswell NM after that. Then to bother LM after she's had that wonderful anniversary getaway. I should be home sometime on Friday.
I went downtown for a lakeside hippie street festival and ended up going to the Mars Volta show at the Sylvee.
As you do in Madison.
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It was a great night. Limey will be happy to know that I did not order the Shepherd's Pie with the salsa on it.
I did briefly contemplate asking for the salsa on the sticky toffee pudding though.
C'mon man, you're from the Midwest! It's ketchup on everything.
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RE: Fallout 4: DQ is absolutely correct about everything I've actually gotten super fat into the game without developing a single settlement except for the Red Rocket gas station for crafting purposes (I love modding weapons and armor).
As long as far as crafting goes, the game with the absolute best weapon crafting system is Biomutant.
I misread this as Fallout 4: DQ.
Now I am waiting for a DeathQuaker focused Fallout.
Fallout 4: DQ is a mod for Fallout 4, but all it involves is a fat nerdy editor yelling at Piper for burying the lead.* (And then pining for her behind her back because it would be unprofessional to act on those feelings.)
I mean, she seems to think journalism involves risking her life to tell people her version of the truth. And it can be that, but you're not a real journalist unless a sweaty editor is breathing down your neck to get your deadline met and your copy clean.
(The pining for her is just because it's me.)
* Yes, per the Associated Press Style Manual, "lead." "Lede" is an alternative and included in many dictionaries, but considered by the go-to style manual for journalists to be jargon.
Just add the Fallhold mod, Freehold will undertake all manner of silly comedic sidequests/adventures to bring these two together.
There may or may not be a post apocalyptic abscondi-cave.
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Vany has come, been fed, and gone.
well. That sounds salacious.
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Fantasy NPC: The Lingering Secretary
A ghostly secretary who died in the line of duty.
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20% APR is just about average for a standard credit card. I don't think it's ethical but thinking you'd get one issued to you sponsored by a big box wholesale store with anything less than that is, to be charitable, decidedly optimistic.
You can get much better rates from credit unions and the like or for loans that have collateral attached to them but for a traditional sort of "I'm sorry, I know you're just checking out with your groceries but I do have to read this CC pitch script for everyone" credit card I don't really know what else you expected regardless of your actual CS.
20% APR is just about average for a standard credit card. I don't think it's ethical but thinking you'd get one issued to you sponsored by a big box wholesale store with anything less than that is, to be charitable, decidedly optimistic.
You can get much better rates from credit unions and the like or for loans that have collateral attached to them but for a traditional sort of "I'm sorry, I know you're just checking out with your groceries but I do have to read this CC pitch script for everyone" credit card I don't really know what else you expected regardless of your actual CS.
Long story short, when I actually carried a balance about 8-10 years ago, the rate on my card was 12.99% and they constantly had offers of "pay no interest for 6 months" so I'd do the typical, "Juggle money between three cards, pay the fees, and still keep your interest rate under 5% overall".
Doesn't look possible these days.
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i haven't had a credit card since 2005-06 (which, incidentally {?!}, is right around the time i finished ridding myself of the ex-wife and paying off her financial excesses). i don't miss them, and never plan to have one again.
that 20+% rate is absurd. at best. and i think other, much less polite descriptors are more appropriate. but, then, i get it -- the dollar ain't what it used to be.
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20% on your credit card, but your savings account pays less than 1% interest. Fun times.
My problem was with finding a notary public though. On the weekend, I mean. Guess I’ll have to take a day off. I’m selling a motorcycle and need to get the title notarized. It’s turning out to be a pain.
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i haven't had a credit card since 2005-06 (which, incidentally {?!}, is right around the time i finished ridding myself of the ex-wife and paying off her financial excesses). i don't miss them, and never plan to have one again.
I've never had a credit card, and I plan to never get one. I've seen too many people get themselves in serious trouble with the things.
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I have a homework assignment due at 11:59 pm Monday. It will take me about 16 hours to complete. I can do it.
Speaking of stranger financial things, our car insurance bills came in and I was wincing waiting to see what nonsense State Farm was going to pull.
The Celica's bill seemed absolutely normal, which made me happy: My bureaucracy roll success kept our rates fairly stable.
The Prius' bill seemed awfully high, close to double what I was expecting, so I wanted to tell Impus Minor how much he'd cost us. But I found that the increase this semester was pretty similar for the two cars: 20.9% for the Prius, 16.9% for the Celica. The "problem" happened in January of 2022, when State Farm mysteriously doubled the Prius' insurance and I didn't notice. Because I'll be honest, we're still taking $250 for the Celica and $600 for the Prius, which is pretty cheap for our coverage ($100,000 damage to other people's vehicles), so I normally just pay and move on. But the Prius went up over $700 and made me do a double-take.
But it wasn't Impus Minor. Or at least hardly at all Impus MInor.
But it wasn't Impus Minor. Or at least hardly at all Impus MInor.
You're probably not the only one seeing car insurance almost double. In the past few years, insurance companies have noticed changes in how people use hybrid and electric cars, like the Prius, and how often they get into accidents. There are more of these cars on the road now, and thus, the data shows that Prius drivers are simply involved in accidents more often than before. Because of this, insurance companies are raising their rates for these cars, so they can keep up with claims payouts.
I'm sure inflation fits in there somewhere too. But I'm not in the mood this evening to break out my graphing software.
But it wasn't Impus Minor. Or at least hardly at all Impus MInor.
You're probably not the only one seeing car insurance almost double. In the past few years, insurance companies have noticed changes in how people use hybrid and electric cars, like the Prius, and how often they get into accidents. There are more of these cars on the road now, and thus, the data shows that Prius drivers are simply involved in accidents more often than before. Because of this, insurance companies are raising their rates for these cars, so they can keep up with claims payouts.
I'm sure inflation fits in there somewhere too. But I'm not in the mood this evening to break out my graphing software.
They also get deemed totaled in an accident far easier than ICG cars due to a variety of reasons, but a small scratch on the armor plated bottom of a Tesla battery will make an insurance adjuster declare the car totaled in about 2.3 seconds.
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Made it through LA to Long Beach. Wishing I had spent a lot more on the hotel. I *think* my car will still be there in the morning.
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Made it through LA to Long Beach. Wishing I had spent a lot more on the hotel. I *think* my car will still be there in the morning.
I’ll probably be selling my other motorcycle as well. I’m pretty sure it’s exactly what you need. Assuming that your car gets jacked tonight.
Where are you going? A Con?
Huh.
Chat-GPT provided me with a translation using expression "(...) plan to purchase an additional 20 aircraft". When asked if really 'an' is suitable with aircraft actually being plural, it noted that I am right, the 'an' is not necessary, and offered translation "(...) purchase 20 additional aircraft".
In the following paragraph, which contained similar sentence it again proposed "(...) purchase an additional 20 (...)"
Huh... I might be missing something about proper usage of 'a/an'...
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Huh.
Chat-GPT provided me with a translation using expression "(...) plan to purchase an additional 20 aircraft". When asked if really 'an' is suitable with aircraft actually being plural, it noted that I am right, the 'an' is not necessary, and offered translation "(...) purchase 20 additional aircraft".
In the following paragraph, which contained similar sentence it again proposed "(...) purchase an additional 20 (...)"
Huh... I might be missing something about proper usage of 'a/an'...
Explanation from a layman who's not particularly smart (i.e., me):
Picture the phrase "additional 20 [blank]" as a box that the [blank] fits inside. In other words, "here's a box of 20 aircraft." It's just one box, so "a/an" works.
C'mon man, you're from the Midwest! It's ketchup on everything.It was a great night. Limey will be happy to know that I did not order the Shepherd's Pie with the salsa on it.
I did briefly contemplate asking for the salsa on the sticky toffee pudding though.
Isn't salsa a fancy ketchup anyway?
Huh.
Chat-GPT provided me with a translation using expression "(...) plan to purchase an additional 20 aircraft". When asked if really 'an' is suitable with aircraft actually being plural, it noted that I am right, the 'an' is not necessary, and offered translation "(...) purchase 20 additional aircraft".
In the following paragraph, which contained similar sentence it again proposed "(...) purchase an additional 20 (...)"
Huh... I might be missing something about proper usage of 'a/an'...
Explanation from a layman who's not particularly smart (i.e., me):
Picture the phrase "additional 20 [blank]" as a box that the [blank] fits inside. In other words, "here's a box of 20 aircraft." It's just one box, so "a/an" works.
So essentially '20 additional somethings' is plural but 'additional 20 somethings' is (sort of) singular, despite the actual noun (somethings) retaining plural form?
Isn't salsa a fancy ketchup anyway?C'mon man, you're from the Midwest! It's ketchup on everything.It was a great night. Limey will be happy to know that I did not order the Shepherd's Pie with the salsa on it.
I did briefly contemplate asking for the salsa on the sticky toffee pudding though.
Salsa means sauce in Spanish. One of my favorite ‘salsas’ is Pace Picante sauce. It’s got way more than ketchup does. Chopped onions, some kind of chopped hot peppers. Jalapeños. I had to check. Garlic extract. I like the Herdez brand too. Serrano peppers may be a better flavor, but their salsa is more runny and so less good for dipping.
So essentially '20 additional somethings' is plural but 'additional 20 somethings' is (sort of) singular, despite the actual noun (somethings) retaining plural form?
I think? I don't pretend to fully understand it myself. As a great man once said, "it just works."
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Forgot to mention. Some salsas have no tomato component at all. Green sauces they are, with tomatillo, and green chilies.
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So essentially '20 additional somethings' is plural but 'additional 20 somethings' is (sort of) singular, despite the actual noun (somethings) retaining plural form?Huh.
Chat-GPT provided me with a translation using expression "(...) plan to purchase an additional 20 aircraft". When asked if really 'an' is suitable with aircraft actually being plural, it noted that I am right, the 'an' is not necessary, and offered translation "(...) purchase 20 additional aircraft".
In the following paragraph, which contained similar sentence it again proposed "(...) purchase an additional 20 (...)"
Huh... I might be missing something about proper usage of 'a/an'...
Explanation from a layman who's not particularly smart (i.e., me):
Picture the phrase "additional 20 [blank]" as a box that the [blank] fits inside. In other words, "here's a box of 20 aircraft." It's just one box, so "a/an" works.
David M. Mallon put it well. Additional is an irregular adjective that frequently represents a set of objects.
Thus, "plan to purchase an additional 20 aircraft" is correct in English, because "additional 20 aircraft" is considered a single object: You've got a group of aircraft. Like a bag of bricks. Especially if you're Boeing.
However, because it's an adjective and English lets you get away with dropping the article in certain constructs, "Purchase 20 additional aircraft" is correct as well.
You're probably not the only one seeing car insurance almost double.
"Almost" is an understatement:
January, 2023: $333.75
June, 2024: $764.19
So a 129% increase in 18 months. None of our other insurance comes close.
In the past few years, insurance companies have noticed changes in how people use hybrid and electric cars, like the Prius, and how often they get into accidents.
This amuses me because I'm a hypermiler: I get on the freeway, set the cruise control to 5 mph over the speed limit, and enjoy 48-53 mpg, which is pretty much why you drive a Prius. Yet I see so many people treating the Prius and it's ultra-narrow tires and underpowered engine like some kind of race car. Vany was commenting that on his drive down from Eureka he had a Prius nearly keeping up with him on the twists and turns of Highway 1, but it couldn't quite keep up on the turns because Prius, so the driver drove the car hard in every straightaway. Most Prius drivers I see drive like jerks.
But it tracks.
The Celica:
January, 2023: $186.53
June, 2024: $253.66
If that looks "reasonable", it's because it's "only" a 36% increase in 18 months. Still going up faster than anything else, but not ludicrous.
Most people drive fast in the straightaways and slow in the turns. It’s a mental malfunction. If you’re corner-scared you shouldn’t be speeding. You ain’t got the skill.
Most people drive fast in the straightaways and slow in the turns. It’s a mental malfunction. If you’re corner-scared you shouldn’t be speeding. You ain’t got the skill.
Ha! After watching these egg headed videos, I decided to make everyone drive to me: [1] [2]
I didn't actually watch them.
Edit:
I just did.
Most people drive fast in the straightaways and slow in the turns. It’s a mental malfunction. If you’re corner-scared you shouldn’t be speeding. You ain’t got the skill.Ha! After watching these egg headed videos, I decided to make everyone drive to me: [1] [2]
** spoiler omitted **
Edit:
** spoiler omitted **
Unfortunately, his understanding of math is limited.
Going 75 instead of 70 on a 60-mile trip saves you 3.4 minutes. Doesn't seem like a lot.
Going 75 instead of 70 on a 420-mile trip (such as to Disneyland) saves you 24 minutes. Suddenly it feels significant.
So the first video should have been, "Freeway speeding on short trips isn't worth it."
The second video is out-and-out terrible: Acceleration burns gas and vastly increases wear-and-tear on your car. So, "If you don't care about money, pollution, or the lifespan of your car, here's a 'trick' that'll save you 30-60 seconds on an hourlong trip."
Which, amusingly enough, is less than he's losing with his whole, "Don't bother speeding," argument.
As you might ascertain, I disagree with the man.
*** And for the record, I figured out long ago that San Pablo's lights are set for a car to do 28 mph, so I do 28 mph instead of the posted 30 and I can drive for 10 miles through perhaps two dozen stop lights and not stop at a single one. THAT is a win...
EDIT: *Plus* the whole, "Some people may fundamentally disagree that losing 3.4 minutes for every single hour you drive is 'insignificant'."
Is there anything more frustrating in Customer Support than dealing with a person who doesn't know that the **** they're talking about?
NobodysHome: You recently implemented two-factor authentication on your system and the "Text me" feature isn't working so I have to use email every time. Can you please adjust my account to enable text message authentication?
Customer Rep: We recently made additions that make it less convenient to log in, but it's for your safety. We support both email and text message authentication. We do not support two-factor authentication.
And the sad thing was, it wasn't a bot nor an AI -- from the other text it was obviously a customer service rep cutting-and-pasting from various Q&A docs with no understanding whatsoever of what they were sending me.
Most people drive fast in the straightaways and slow in the turns. It’s a mental malfunction. If you’re corner-scared you shouldn’t be speeding. You ain’t got the skill.Ha! After watching these egg headed videos, I decided to make everyone drive to me: [1] [2]
** spoiler omitted **
Edit:
** spoiler omitted **Unfortunately, his understanding of math is limited.
Going 75 instead of 70 on a 60-mile trip saves you 3.4 minutes. Doesn't seem like a lot.
Going 75 instead of 70 on a 420-mile trip (such as to Disneyland) saves you 24 minutes. Suddenly it feels significant.
So the first video should have been, "Freeway speeding on short trips isn't worth it."
The second video is out-and-out terrible: Acceleration burns gas and vastly increases wear-and-tear on your car. So, "If you don't care about money, pollution, or the lifespan of your car, here's a 'trick' that'll save you 30-60 seconds on an hourlong trip."
Which, amusingly enough, is less than he's losing with his whole, "Don't bother speeding," argument.As you might ascertain, I disagree with the man.
*** And for the record, I figured out long ago that San Pablo's lights are set for a car to do 28 mph, so I do 28 mph instead of the posted 30 and I can drive for 10 miles through perhaps two dozen stop lights and not stop at a single one. THAT is a win...
EDIT: *Plus* the whole, "Some people may fundamentally disagree that losing 3.4 minutes for every single hour you drive is 'insignificant'."
despite what nyc cameras say, I really don't speed.
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despite what nyc cameras say, I really don't speed.
In California, if you do the speed limit on the freeway you'd better be in the right lane, because otherwise you're a hazard to all other drivers. 5-10 over is the norm and you won't get cited except on holiday weekends. 15 over is typical for the left 2 lanes. It's not until you're at least 20 over that people start saying, "OK, that guy's going too fast," and you might get pulled over.
One of the things I appreciate about the CHP: Weave around in traffic (which is incredibly dangerous) and they'll nail you even if you're going only 5 over. Drive steadily in the left lane at 15 over and provide plenty of following distance and they won't blink an eye.
EXAMPLES:
- Driving to Shiro's house I like to relax, so I set cruise control at 70 in the 65 zone and sit in the second-to-the-right lane. I'm slower than most traffic. On occasion we've been late and I've set cruise control at 80 in the second-to-the-left lane. I've passed many an officer in this situation and never been pulled over.
- Driving to L.A. on I-5 I set the cruise control at 80 in the 70 zone. I am definitely one of the slow ones.
Well, that was somewhat entertaining.
At some point before noon, Door Dash came by and left a bag of food on our porch. No knock, no holler; all so quiet I didn't even notice until Talky was headed home and said, "Hey! There's a package on your porch!"
It was still piping hot and addressed to "Gabe P". Unfortunately, there's no Gabe P on our block. Nor was there an address nor a phone number. Impus Major tried calling the number, but it was one of Door Dash's robocenters and he didn't feel like sitting on the phone for 10 minutes just to let them know they'd screwed up.
We asked the neighbors and got nothing so we left it on our porch with a "Not Ours" Post-It on it. By the time we got back from our walk it was gone. Who knows where.
But after hearing how little of the money you pay to such delivery services reaches the restaurants, and seeing continuing issues like this one, it makes me happy that we've abandoned food delivery.
EDIT: Here's an example of GrubHub's sales blurb for restaurants that already puts it at an unknown membership fee, then "5%-20%" of all sales (which you know is 20% for mom-and-pop shops), then an unspecified order processing fee for accepting credit cards (let's be ridiculously generous and say that fee is "only" 5%), then a 10% delivery fee. So... 35% plus membership if you believe their advertising.
When I heard someone do an investigation into it (John Oliver, maybe?), the real figure was that restaurants only keep about 35% of what you pay for your food delivery. That was the number that made me start phoning in my orders and picking them up myself.
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Wait until the robots start knocking on your door with deliveries certain they are always correct, and demanding payment... in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
:: machine gun chatter
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Nah. I take that back. If that comes to pass, robots will be preyed upon for their hardware, and scavenged for both parts and copper.
But then its banter will become, stand back human... in 5,4,3,2,1.
:: machine gun chatter
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Today's amazing feat of being a normal-sized human who works with a bunch of giants: squeezing through a 10" gap under a stuck garage door. Going to file this one right next to "you're going to have be the guy who spreads the tar on the foundation because you're the only one who fits in the trench we dug."
Wait until the robots start knocking on your door with deliveries certain they are always correct, and demanding payment... in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
:: machine gun chatter
I was absolutely convinced it was some kind of scam, and they were going to come back and try to guilt us into paying for the food. Impus Major made the excellent observation, "That would be a stupid scam."
So we accepted it as a mistake and the food eventually vanished. All is well on my porch. (I was going to say "in the world" and thought better of it.)
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It was eaten by snakes.
-Frank Zappa.
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You could have feed it to the crows and raccoon babies.
Ok, maybe not the raccoon babies - while I have deep faith in crow's ability to eat anything, the fast food might not be healthy for the lil 'coons.
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Nah. I take that back. If that comes to pass, robots will be preyed upon for their hardware, and scavenged for both parts and copper.
But then its banter will become, stand back human... in 5,4,3,2,1.
:: machine gun chatter
Wooo hooo free machine gun!
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Today's amazing feat of being a normal-sized human who works with a bunch of giants: squeezing through a 10" gap under a stuck garage door. Going to file this one right next to "you're going to have be the guy who spreads the tar on the foundation because you're the only one who fits in the trench we dug."
You should see who I work with, everyone else is 6'4" or taller. It is pretty hilarious when someone has to move my truck though.
But yes, I've always been the guy sent underneath porches or in tight spaces.
I'm 5'9". I wish I was taller.
5'6" or 5'7", depending on who you ask. And after watching all my friends who were 6' or taller, I'm perfectly happy with my height.
Then we all heard the loud CLANG!!!
Hi, intent on his explanation, had been following me without looking, and walked forehead-first into the metal sign at full speed.
It was hilarious.
But every single one of my 6'+ friends has multiple similar stories: "I was so tall that I banged my head on xxx."
Somehow, I rarely bang my head. Heightwise I fit into pretty much any airline or small car, and so I don't deal with all the issues of being 6'+ in a world where economics makes companies manufacture everything for people 5'10" and shorter.
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I'd kill to start my height with a 5.