Random randomness

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Wed Feb 26, 2025 10:09 pm

Have yall ever seen the movie God Bless America?
One of the kookiest movies I've ever seen. About a middle aged guy and later joined by a young girl that are tired of people being mean to each other. So they start eliminating said people. Famous and common alike. And they're so calm about it. Koolest movie I've seen this year.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 12:33 pm

Ive been told we are getting a Costco. And the best part is that instead of the north side of town where everything has moved for the past couple decades it will be on the south side. In fact right near me...maybe 1 mile or so. God I hope this comes true. I want a hotdog and chicken.

Kasey Chang · Post by **Kasey Chang** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 1:09 pm

First time I've set anything on fire in the microwave...

I had a pack of Lowery's Pork rinds in microwave bag. The instructions say shake it a few times, then put in microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, watch carefully. I've done this at home with a fairly large microwave, no problem. I tried this at "work", which had a smaller microwave. So I put in 1:30. Started, and watched the bag inflate. As it inflated, the bag expanded, so the rotating tray can no longer rotate the bag. Hmm... Then suddenly there was a flash inside, and one side of the bag burst into flames! I stopped the microwave and blew on it then slapped it to put out the flames. WTF?! Only 90% of the pork rinds were "done", but there's no way I'm going to re-nuke this bag, which now has a charred hole in it. I checked the microwave... There's a "bubble" on one side with some char marks. Huh? I couldn't tell if the bubble was there before. Weird.

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 2:57 pm

So you're 'that guy' who microwaves pork rinds at work.

Aside: I've never heard of someone microwaving pork rinds.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 3:05 pm

Unagi wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2025 2:57 pm So you're 'that guy' who microwaves pork rinds at work.

Bad flashbacks of sitting near the kitchen and two coworkers I remember very well who used to nuke fish. There shoulda been a law.

Also, work shoulda had two microwaves. 1100 would hit and there would be a line for 2-7 minutes nuking jobs that would go until after 1300. We had toaster oven. If I wanted warm food I would bring toasteroven food that I could quicker in 20 minutes than getting in line to use the microwave if I didn't want to cook it before 1100.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 3:28 pm

ive tried those pork rinds. they are actually good. I prefer just a bag version though.

Fardaza · Post by **Fardaza** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 3:40 pm

LordMortis wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2025 3:05 pm Also, work shoulda had two microwaves. 1100 would hit and there would be a line for 2-7 minutes nuking jobs that would go until after 1300. We had toaster oven. If I wanted warm food I would bring toasteroven food that I could quicker in 20 minutes than getting in line to use the microwave if I didn't want to cook it before 1100.

Many years ago I also got tired of waiting for the one microwave. I went to Target and bought one. Everybody said thanks, and we all got to eat sooner.

Fardaza · Post by **Fardaza** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 3:42 pm

Daehawk wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2025 12:33 pm Ive been told we are getting a Costco. And the best part is that instead of the north side of town where everything has moved for the past couple decades it will be on the south side. In fact right near me...maybe 1 mile or so. God I hope this comes true. I want a hotdog and chicken.

Are you a Costco member? That's a big expense just so you can buy a hotdog.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 3:48 pm

Nah you can go in the exit and its near the food. Free.

EDIT: Just looked online and it appears they are cutting down on entering through the exit. Figures.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 3:54 pm

AFAIK (remember?) you don't need to be a member to use the CostCo food services but you most definitely do to get the chicken.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 4:02 pm

LordMortis wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2025 3:54 pm AFAIK (remember?) you don't need to be a member to use the CostCo food services but you most definitely do to get the chicken.

They've changed that - both are for members only.

TheMix · Post by **TheMix** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 4:07 pm

Around here they now have you scan your card when you enter - which pops up a picture that they compare. And I don't think they will let you go in the exit.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 4:08 pm

Costco strikes me as the sort of place where you've got to be willing to spend a lot of money to save some money. I don't have a membership, but I can order from them through Instacart. The prices aren't great in general, but I do occasionally use them to buy specific things that aren't available elsewhere.

TheMix · Post by **TheMix** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 4:10 pm

Max Peck wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2025 4:08 pm Costco strikes me as the sort of place where you've got to be willing to spend a lot of money to save some money. I don't have a membership, but I can order from them through Instacart. The prices aren't great in general, but I do occasionally use them to buy specific things that aren't available elsewhere.

FYI, website prices are often significantly higher than in-store prices. At least for groceries.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 4:22 pm

TheMix wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2025 4:10 pm
Max Peck wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2025 4:08 pm Costco strikes me as the sort of place where you've got to be willing to spend a lot of money to save some money. I don't have a membership, but I can order from them through Instacart. The prices aren't great in general, but I do occasionally use them to buy specific things that aren't available elsewhere.
FYI, website prices are often significantly higher than in-store prices. At least for groceries.

Oh, I know that. I'm comparing them to the other stores on the same platform, some of which have in-store prices and some of which do not. I would get a bit of a break on the pricing if I shelled out for a membership, but I don't use them enough to make it worthwhile. Shopping there in person isn't an option because the nearest location is too far to walk (let alone walk back with a Costco-sized anything worth buying

) and I don't have a car.

Madmarcus · Post by **Madmarcus** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 4:28 pm

I've found that their cat litter, meat, coffee, and recently eggs are worth it. We buy some other things but they are mostly things that we could replace at about the same cost in other stores. Or, like the praline pecans, things we really shouldn't buy but love.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 4:41 pm

When I was a member for one person it wasn't worth much. The chicken for $5 and hotdog Pepsi for $1.50 were nice but didn't warrant $60 a year. The samples were a nice touch but you had to want things in bulk and it was usually best to make them coordinate with quarterly discounts on things you could buy to last three months. So a couple of cannisters of 48 oz of Folgers every quarter for $6 was awesome. But then they stopped carry Folgers (at the time. What they carry changes) and I let my membership lapse on that similar things. I've since picked up a BJs membership as they are much closer and I don't need to buy as much bulk. However, I'm finding even then the savings isn't adding up to $55 a year and am likely to let them lapse as well.

One thing I did like about Costco was their clothing. It was crappy quality clothing but the price was always right. There was always something that matched what I needed at the time at a price I thought was good. BJs have equitably crappy clothing but not equitable pricing.

With egg pricing at above $6 a dozen and rising from the sub $1 years before COVID inflation and then Bird Flu and then Cage Free mandates, I have wondered how Costco compares.

disarm · Post by **disarm** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 5:24 pm

One of the biggest benefits of Costco membership is their gas prices. In CT, the price at Costco is typically $0.30-40/gallon less than a normal gas station, meaning I can save more than $7 every time I put 25 gallons of gas in my truck...and I drive 18-20k miles every year. What my wife and I save on gas each year easily covers the membership fee, so everything after that is actual savings.

Food prices aren't always lower, but there are some things that are quite a bit cheaper, and the prepared foods are good quality. They also tend to have good deals on other random seasonal items (food and non-food) that you can't get anywhere else.

Lastly, I just had my annual optometrist visit and I always make them price match Costco for my contact lenses. Costco Optical is one of the cheapest places to buy contacts, and I saved a little over $150 for a year supply. Not only are they less than what the optometrist wants to charge, but they come in lower than pretty much any of the other online retailers.

The value of a Costco membership really depends on how you use it, but it can be a significant money saver depending on your needs and lifestyle.

Kasey Chang · Post by **Kasey Chang** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 5:32 pm

Unagi wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2025 2:57 pm Aside: I've never heard of someone microwaving pork rinds.

I used to buy them puffed, until I saw this:

And it does work. You just have to make sure it's a LARGE microwave so the bag can rotate freely even when inflated. Never had this problem at home, and it's actually not oversalted, unlike most pork rinds I've eaten.

Kasey Chang · Post by **Kasey Chang** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 5:34 pm

LordMortis wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2025 3:54 pm AFAIK (remember?) you don't need to be a member to use the CostCo food services but you most definitely do to get the chicken.

Actually, it depends on whether the food court was outside the checkpoint, or inside. If it's inside, you do have to be a member. If it's outside, then they don't bother checking as they aren't going to make the food cashiers membership cops.

Kasey Chang · Post by **Kasey Chang** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 5:38 pm

LordMortis wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2025 4:41 pm I've since picked up a BJs membership

Look on StackSocial next time you renew. I've seen $30 membership + $30 free giftcard deals every once in a while there.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Thu Feb 27, 2025 5:46 pm

Kasey Chang wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2025 5:38 pm
LordMortis wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2025 4:41 pm I've since picked up a BJs membership
Look on StackSocial next time you renew. I've seen $30 membership + $30 free giftcard deals every once in a while there.

That's pretty common for new memberships. Not so much available for renewing.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Fri Feb 28, 2025 6:07 am

Just venting a little...mortgage has increased on me starting this month. They know my bills and they know my income and it took them like 3 or 4 months to work out this new payment plan...hint - same monthly payment as old $450 a month.

But starting this month they are going to $510 a month. I cant stress enough that I DO NOT have that to spare. I usually have $100 from after all bills. I use part of that for things like toilet paper and such. That leaves me with enough to pay Walmart+ and Amazon prime..at half price each. I 'might' have $20 left a month...might. Last month two checks overdrew me and I owed like $65 in fees. Luckily my bank waved those. But I was told straight up they only do that for good customers once a year...and I used my one in Jan. So I cant go over again.

Im not sure what to do. They are claiming its property tax assessment increase or something. Im gonna call them and see if anything can be done. I cant pay that extra $50 a month every month. And thats even if they stay at that amount.

All I can do is send them the $450 and let them charge me a late fee or whatever . If they are rude about it Ill tell them ill send them $50 less a month and see if they like it any more than i like $50 more. Not much they can do ..well take this shit hole of a falling in house maybe. Im SICK of them and this whole thing.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Fri Feb 28, 2025 11:35 am

Ok...

1. I called my mortgage. they cant help. They did say i can not pay that extra $50 a month and I wont lose the house. Ill just kept being nagged for it and ill still owe it at the end of my new loan period. Best news though is if I could pay it i would actually have nothing left at the end this time....MAAAAaaaaaybe $7 she said. thank God. She suggested a personal loan. Ive tried. no luck. Also they have like $20k min loan amounts plus thats like another 10 years in debt. pass.

2. I also asked about them paying full price for my property tax when i get a discount. They cant do anything on their end. Told me to call my tax office. Did and they said I can get that back myself and it wont go to my mortgage place..yessss...a win. Trouble is I have to go in...maybe monday when my friend takes me to the vet for my little doggy.
$846.

3. I CAN get my own home insurance. They told me they are charging me $1000 a year for their own ins. I can get it at $68 a month plus a annual fee of $30. So lets see.... $846. Sooo if I can get it that would let me cover that extra $50 a month for mortgage.

It sucks when a person..me..cant afford a $510 a month payment. So embarrassing.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Fri Feb 28, 2025 9:01 pm

While cleaning out our hall closet, eldest daughter found my Battle Vest. I thought it gone forever sometime after youngest daughter borrowed it to wear to an Opeth concert.

I haven't seen it in at least ten years.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Fri Feb 28, 2025 9:15 pm

If you lost that in a closet i wonder what else is in there?

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri Feb 28, 2025 9:52 pm

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Fri Feb 28, 2025 10:23 pm

Daehawk wrote: Fri Feb 28, 2025 9:15 pm If you lost that in a closet i wonder what else is in there?

Isg isn't too far off with that picture. It's one of those closets that's directly above a stairway so it goes really deep the higher up in the closet you go so, there's a lot of room for junk on the shelf on top and it was pushed waaaay back on the shelf.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Sat Mar 01, 2025 7:35 am

My health benefit card refilled today...and im guessing everyone's did cause i think everyone and their ancestors are all on there. I loaded up my food cart and went to click out and was told an item was sold out to either remove it or save it to a list for later. So I did. Then it said it again next time i tried to check out..and next. I went into my list and withing 3 hours of the card refilling about 8 things on my 20 item list were gone.

So i removed them all. Then when i try to check out for the 4th or so time it says I need to add a 2nd payment method as what i have in my cart is more than on my card...UHHhh NO. I have $84 in my cart and plenty on my card to use . I got mad and simply shut my browser.

Now ive decided to go back in and simply delete my entire cart and see if that fixes it. But after 30 min I STILL cant log in...just sits there on a blank screen wit ha timer circle spinning. F me

EDIT: Well got in..added only what is in stock and it still says its over what I have and to add a 2nd payment method..which is a total lie. Shrug. Guess Im getting nothing.

Madmarcus · Post by **Madmarcus** » Sun Mar 02, 2025 12:01 pm

Is there anyone here with knowledge about Vancouver or Vancouver Island? I'm thinking about heading out there this summer to visit some friends and I'd love to know if there are any interesting festivals or other time specific reasons to pick one time over another.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Mar 03, 2025 9:55 am

My radio station asked wanna feel old?...and said Bud from Married With Children...David Faustino....is 51 years old. Sigh.

Fardaza · Post by **Fardaza** » Mon Mar 03, 2025 10:56 am

Madmarcus wrote: Sun Mar 02, 2025 12:01 pm Is there anyone here with knowledge about Vancouver or Vancouver Island? I'm thinking about heading out there this summer to visit some friends and I'd love to know if there are any interesting festivals or other time specific reasons to pick one time over another.

I've been there once. Butchart Gardens is a year-round beautiful site to visit. It should be excellent in summer!
We also went to the Whistler Olympic Village from 2010 winter olympics. It was interesting but left an empty feeling, like going to see the "largest donut in the world". There was really nothing there. Summer would definitely make it feel more so. No snow.

The whole area of Vancouver is incredibly beautiful though!

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Mar 03, 2025 11:06 am

I just had some real organic maple syrup. Never had it before. its pretty good. i think I prefer the crap stuff more. But ill eat this. its nice.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Mon Mar 03, 2025 11:40 am

Hot Take o' the Day™: "Organic" is just a marketing buzzword for overpriced.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Mon Mar 03, 2025 11:43 am

Max Peck wrote: Mon Mar 03, 2025 11:40 am Hot Take o' the Day™: "Organic" is just a marketing buzzword for overpriced.

I don't think that's a hot take - I thought that was a "known" at this point.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Mar 03, 2025 11:44 am

At least in my neck of the woods, the fake stuff is now Table or Pancake syrup. The Mapleoso got to them.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Mar 03, 2025 12:58 pm

Its one of the items I can get with my free benefits card from my new supplemental health company. never had any in my life and always wanted some. So now i have some. If I dont use the money each month they simply make it go away..no rollover. So Im not wasting anything.....and it was a bit over $5.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Mon Mar 03, 2025 1:32 pm

When I first had "real" maple syrup I was taken aback by how thin it was. It was excellent after I got used to it but after years of consuming the cheap stuff it was quite a shock.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Mar 03, 2025 2:26 pm

I dont have any pancake mix...or didn't...i have a order in for some sweet potato mix..gets great reviews.

Something like this though Im not sure if its the same brand....

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Tue Mar 04, 2025 2:42 pm

Thats it! These mice have chewed up something of my late wife. They have to go....and I cant find my 3 traps..argh. Them doing cpr was cute but ill make sure theres no one left to use it on mwahahaa..cough cough..sry....they must go though. They are chewing stuff I want to keep. They are chewing in my ceiling now..this has to stop. I dont want me or my little old dog getting a disease either. Sry cute little furry creatures. I tried to starve you out by lidding the trash cans but you ate part of my home instead...out ya go!