Octopus Overlords

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Sun May 19, 2019 10:55 am My current house has a chimney, but whatever fireplace it once had was likely walled in decades ago. That's actually pretty common around here.

Yeah, I've seen that a lot. Since moving out as an adult, I've lived in five houses built in the 19th century, and four were modernized by walling up the fireplace. I guess it's just cheaper than chimney-sweeping and -repair.

Our new house has an unused second chimney coming up from what must have been the kitchen hearth, although the oven and the microwave occupy that space now.

Fireplaces without inserts are a major source of heat loss. I don't know if they even mass produce houses with fireplaces that aren't gas these days.

I can't imagine a new house being built with a fireplace and no insert if it's wood burning..

Anonymous Bosch wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 9:19 pm Back in the day, I used to have 1 - 2 full cords of wood (i.e. one full cord = a 4ft x 8ft x 4ft stack of firewood) delivered in the Autumn,

Must have been nice.

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 10:54 pm When I was a teenager in the late 80s in Reno, our only heat was a wood burning stove. Reno, at 5,000 feet, gets pretty cold in the winter.

Also must have been nice.


For years we heated our home with a Benjamin Franklin-style Jotul wood stove supplied with trees felled from my father's (and co-conspirators) land in the woods to the tune of around 3.5 cords per season. Those shenanigans came to a halt the very same autumn I left home and went to college. Cheap labor suddenly becoming hard to find.

Only one creosote fire in our time (that was an exciting day).

(I don't even know what a fireplace insert is.)

It's kinda what it sounds like. Franklin-style stove are free-standing devices and an insert is basically a self-contained stove that sits inside (i.e. is inserted) the fireplace. Mine has a catalytic converter to reduce emissions and a fan that pulls in outside air, heats it and then pushes it out into the house. Really, the insert stops the fireplace from sucking warm air from the rest of the house and instead pulls in air to be heated and distributed. It has been my primary source of heat in the winter months, cutting my oil furnace forced hot air use significantly over the last ~5 years.

And yeah, having firewood delivery in the Fall? Nope. Now is the time to tackle things like Mt. Log or have wood delivered - so it's seasoned real nice by October. It really is a lifestyle - I'm constantly thinking about where to get wood, where to age it, when it needs to be rotated into the shed, etc... I'm still mainly using split delivery, but if I had a small crew of helpers (lil' Mealers), I can see why operations could expand.

There must be plenty of budding Wiseguys in the neighborhood to help and take their pay under the table.

Well, today the stove told me it needs to be replaced .
Microwave's been telling me for the last week that it too needs to be replaced.
My teeth have been telling me they need some action too.
Fortunately the kids haven't paid their rent and probably won't for a long time.
If I'm gonna die soon now's a good time for it.

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Sun May 19, 2019 4:08 pm Well, today the stove told me it needs to be replaced .
Microwave's been telling me for the last week that it too needs to be replaced.
My teeth have been telling me they need some action too.
Fortunately the kids haven't paid their rent and probably won't for a long time.
If I'm gonna die soon now's a good time for it.

Don't do it. You're irreplaceable!

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Sun May 19, 2019 4:08 pm Well, today the stove told me it needs to be replaced .
Microwave's been telling me for the last week that it too needs to be replaced.
My teeth have been telling me they need some action too.
Fortunately the kids haven't paid their rent and probably won't for a long time.
If I'm gonna die soon now's a good time for it.

Couldn't you sell the kids into slavery or something?

One of their kids is outside mowing the lawn. More than his stepdad did even before he lost his leg.
Had a talk this morning with my wife about kicking them all off the property. She's against it.
<sigh>
PS
Microwave just died.
<sigh #2>

The Meal wrote: ↑Sun May 19, 2019 2:37 pm

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2019 10:54 pm When I was a teenager in the late 80s in Reno, our only heat was a wood burning stove. Reno, at 5,000 feet, gets pretty cold in the winter.

Also must have been nice.

Two things made it a big deal. First of all, we lived out on the edge of the desert with nothing between us and the Sierras to the west. That means that the wind blew a lot, and it blew hard. The tarps we had in place to cover the firewood were nailed to boards. We had to set them at a shallow angle and anchored them three feet down in concrete, otherwise they'd sail over the top of the house and disappear the first time we got a good blow.

The second was that the house was not insulated and was incredibly drafty. Like 'wake up in bed with snow on you' drafty. In the winter you couldn't put a glass of water on the nightstand before bed, or it would be frozen solid in the morning. We actually kept a pitcher of water in the refrigerator at night to keep it warm.

I complain about the house I live in now, but it is nothing compared to that old shack.

another symptom after my accident - a sorta grinding crunchy noise when i rotate/roll my neck in different directions. no pain. another thing to consult the doctor about

Called my primary care doc today to schedule a physical. It's been a few years (4? 5?) since I've had one, so I figured it was about time.

The soonest they can get me in is August 5. They did put me on the "cancellation waiting list", so yay...I guess.

You should be used to flying standby.

Skinypupy wrote: ↑Mon May 20, 2019 12:32 pm Called my primary care doc today to schedule a physical. It's been a few years (4? 5?) since I've had one, so I figured it was about time.

The soonest they can get me in is August 5. They did put me on the "cancellation waiting list", so yay...I guess.

I think for my last one I scheduled it in September or October and the next opening was April. I got in on a cancellation and got bumped up to January! (And then the doctor called in sick the day of and I got rescheduled to March.)

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Mon May 20, 2019 12:39 pm You should be used to flying standby.

Pfft, standby is for peasants. I have status, man!

Hopefully your exam goes better than mine. While making small talk with the new doctor during my first visit, he asked how I found out about him. I indicated he was a referral from RM9. "Oh, ok. Now I will check for a hernia."

Worst segue ever.

Imagine if it had been a Trent Steel referral.

Just saw a news article in the paper about a NJ local that apparently is world-famous for cosplaying Lord Humungus. Someone did a KS documentary (trailer from 2017) and it's coming out this year (that was the news item). Give it up for New Jersey, I guess.

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Mon May 20, 2019 8:08 pm Just saw a news article in the paper about a NJ local that apparently is world-famous for cosplaying Lord Humungus. Someone did a KS documentary (trailer from 2017) and it's coming out this year (that was the news item). Give it up for New Jersey, I guess.

Yup, credit where it's due; few locales could rival New Jersey as a more apropos apocalyptic backdrop for the likes of Lord Humungus.

Conodont.

They are widely used in biostratigraphy. Conodont elements are also used as paleothermometers, a proxy for thermal alteration in the host rock, because under higher temperatures, the phosphate undergoes predictable and permanent color changes, measured with the conodont alteration index. This has made them useful for petroleum exploration where they are known, in rocks dating from the Cambrian to the Late Triassic.

Conodonts: 520 Million Years Long in the Tooth

...
Mercilessly terrifying, mercifully small.

Today was the 900th consecutive day that I logged 10k+ steps on my Fitbit.

I'm still not sure which is more OCD, that I haven't let myself miss the 10k daily goal for this long or that I know exactly how many days it's been.

Just got power back after an hour and a half. Fortunately I have a laptop and battery backup on my internet.
After over 40 years of sleeping with white noise (fans and air conditioner) it's really tough for me to sleep in quiet. I can hear myself breathing and little dogs snoring.

The Humble Brag in its natural environment:

Max Peck wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2019 11:35 pm Today was the 900th consecutive day that I logged 10k+ steps on my Fitbit.

I'm still not sure which is more OCD, that I haven't let myself miss the 10k daily goal for this long or that I know exactly how many days it's been.

Unagi wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2019 8:57 am The Humble Brag in its natural environment:

Max Peck wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2019 11:35 pm Today was the 900th consecutive day that I logged 10k+ steps on my Fitbit.

I'm still not sure which is more OCD, that I haven't let myself miss the 10k daily goal for this long or that I know exactly how many days it's been.

Indeed... There was a reason for saying "still not sure".

Oh, I am paying attention. I meant that in good humor.

AWS260 wrote: ↑Mon May 13, 2019 7:18 pm Name of the Year final!

Pope Thrower vs. Jizyah Shorts!

And the 2019 Name of the Year is... Pope Thrower!

I'm surprised and pleased by this result. But still disappointed that Deicide Huxtable didn't even make the Sweet Sixteen.

AWS260 wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2019 1:55 pm

AWS260 wrote: ↑Mon May 13, 2019 7:18 pm Name of the Year final!

Pope Thrower vs. Jizyah Shorts!

And the 2019 Name of the Year is... Pope Thrower!

I'm surprised and pleased by this result. But still disappointed that Deicide Huxtable didn't even make the Sweet Sixteen.

As good as Jizyah Shorts is, I think Chastity Gooch-Fant should’ve made the finals.

WaPo's web team finally caught on to the private window trick. Now I'm going to give them money, since they're my #3 news source. Dammit, that's not how the internet works. Information wants to be free! (and journalists live on ichor and ambrosia).

Kraken wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2019 12:34 amInformation wants to be free! (and journalists live on ichor and ambrosia).

If information is all you care about, when the page starts to load, right-click the page and select "View Page Source" and then scroll down to the text of the article. I read a lot of news stories this way without paying. I know I'm probably a d**k for doing it, but I refuse to unblock ads.

Or just actively block Java on that page. It breaks some animated page elements when they use them, but prevents their 'out of views' popup from working.

And you're not being a dick by not unblocking ads. That's like saying you're being a dick for not disabling your antivirus. It was either WaPo or the Times that started displaying malware infected ads a few years ago.

*JavaScript

Trent Steel wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2019 2:04 pm

AWS260 wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2019 1:55 pm

AWS260 wrote: ↑Mon May 13, 2019 7:18 pm Name of the Year final!

Pope Thrower vs. Jizyah Shorts!

And the 2019 Name of the Year is... Pope Thrower!

I'm surprised and pleased by this result. But still disappointed that Deicide Huxtable didn't even make the Sweet Sixteen.

As good as Jizyah Shorts is, I think Chastity Gooch-Fant should’ve made the finals.

Oh come now, the inherit greatness of Truman Peyote simply cannot be denied!

hepcat wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2019 10:53 am

Trent Steel wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2019 2:04 pm

AWS260 wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2019 1:55 pm

AWS260 wrote: ↑Mon May 13, 2019 7:18 pm Name of the Year final!

Pope Thrower vs. Jizyah Shorts!

And the 2019 Name of the Year is... Pope Thrower!

I'm surprised and pleased by this result. But still disappointed that Deicide Huxtable didn't even make the Sweet Sixteen.

As good as Jizyah Shorts is, I think Chastity Gooch-Fant should’ve made the finals.

Oh come now, the inherit greatness of Truman Peyote simply cannot be denied!

Gets my vote!

hepcat wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2019 10:53 am Oh come now, the inherit greatness of Truman Peyote simply cannot be denied!

The tournament seeding was terrible. Truman Peyote vs Storm Duck in the first round?

I’m having Ham Balls for lunch.

hentzau wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2019 12:29 pm I’m having Ham Balls for lunch.

Pig testicles are known to be very good for the immune system, and for preventing skin rashes.

I have not thought of Mr. T eating my balls for 10+ years. Thanks for that.

Need to make a random rant about my delivery job.

Dropping at houses are easy. Drive up to the door, drop, take photo, mark complete, done. Can be done in 30 seconds if the driveway's short. Assume 3 minute drive between houses, that means I can drop anywhere between 12-16 orders per hour.

Then there are these stupid houses that you can drive up to the garage in the back, but NOT to the FRONT door. And guess where they want their delivery? Front door, of course, where there's NO PLACE TO PARK, and NO OBVIOUS PATH from the outside from garage to front door. Even when there is a path, it's still a PITA to figure out which is which. As often, the house address is for the garage entrance, not the FRONT entrance (which is technically a DIFFERENT street!).

Dropping at large apartments are usually easy... Drop it all at the lobby. Unless they want door to door. Then it's time to find an elevator, and spend MINUTES walking the corridors, even worse if the place is a f***ing maze. Takes 10-15 minutes to drop one box, when it should be done in less than 5.

Even worse are the apartments with NO truck loading zones or passenger zones. I don't want to drive into a garage, as I'm in a delivery van. Really horrible, an apartment complex where the "guest" elevator access is OUT OF ORDER. Had one yesterday. Circled the entire complex once, it's all "no parking" on the street. The courtyard is a circle, again, no parking. Went into the garage, found guest elevator and call box: out of service, use the ones on the perimeter (where there's no parking). Toss the box next to the mailboxes and marked it "delivered to mailbox area, unable to gain access to interior".

Apartment complexes that are not well labeled, are VERY bad. How can you expect me to find a particular building if you don't label the buildings visible from the parking lot? It's wandering through the parking lots, trying to find complex numbers while hopefully not run over anyone. Occasionally jump out and run up to doors, looking for a complex number or such.

Seems every complex have different numbering schemes. You'd expect a building with 4 doors, it'd be AB on one side and CD on the other, but no. It's AD and BC. Then there are the numbers. Some go in a circle, like 1 2 3 4, some want even and odd, 1 3 on one side and 2 4 on the other. Gets worse when they add a second and/or third story... And NO ELEVATORS.

Some apartments have signs that show which numbers can be accessed from this set of stairs, which helps, but it's not universal. There's just so much frustration when you've climbed 3 flights of stairs, only to find this staircase does NOT lead to the apartment you wanted.

Oh, and the dumbest instructions are "call me to let you in", and of course, when I called, they don't answer. But I have to wait for them to give them a chance to call back. Stand there and do nothing.

It didn't help when yesterday was an 83 order day. And I ran into EVERY ONE of those frustrations in a single day. Ended up doing almost 3 hours overtime.

hentzau wrote:I’m having Ham Balls for lunch.