Octopus Overlords

I'll 'h-allow' it.

I think you meant you'll halal it. you may now carrion.

What, is it All Hallows' Eve already?

Alefroth wrote: Thu Aug 29, 2024 3:26 pm

GreenGoo wrote: Thu Aug 29, 2024 3:10 pm Article stated that the employee chose not to go forward with charges. It's possible that it was just bad reporting.

Because she fears for her safety. How awesome are we?

In this context, ILB was suggesting it wasn't up to her (or at least not up to the org itself ANC).

So my response about bad reporting was a suggestion that the reporter got it wrong when he/she said the *employee* decided not to go ahead with pressing charges.

However, yes, concern for one's wellbeing is a strong motivator.

I've recently been watching videos of people wearing Harris merch, or anti-MAGA merch, in MAGA territory, just to be instigators and to push back when someone inevitably engages them while they mind their own business. Amusingly, the 2 I've seen recently were both women older than 50. One MAGA said she was brave to wear the Harris shirt in that area. She reminded him that he belongs to a party where she might feel threatened physically just by being a member of the other party. He backed down.

As opinionated as I am, I'm not entering hostile territory and announcing my otherness while shopping for groceries. These women are in fact, brave, imo. They were also white, fyi.

Fortunately I live in an area (which was once ostensibly conservative) where nobody flies flags of any stripe except American on Independence Day. They follow the Walz creed of mind your own damn business.

GreenGoo wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 10:16 am As opinionated as I am, I'm not entering hostile territory and announcing my otherness while shopping for groceries. These women are in fact, brave, imo. They were also white, fyi.

I've been keeping my head down locally for a while now. If things get ugly, I don't want to be known as the town lib.

Zaxxon wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 9:13 am I'll 'h-allow' it.

Blackhawk wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 10:55 am

GreenGoo wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 10:16 am As opinionated as I am, I'm not entering hostile territory and announcing my otherness while shopping for groceries. These women are in fact, brave, imo. They were also white, fyi.

I've been keeping my head down locally for a while now. If things get ugly, I don't want to be known as the town lib.

Yeah, trying to collect all the out-group flags in one run is not a listed achievement.

I've never been one to post political signs in my yard or put bumper stickers on my car. I don't think it's anybody's business, and I don't think it's worth potentially getting into an argument over it. I'm a very "no conflict" person, probably to a fault. I rarely ever post anything political on Facebook; at best I may like a meme or comment that is anti-Trump.

If someone asks me directly, I'll tell them my views. Outside of that, I just want to get along with people. I've never been one to get mixed up in drama, and I'm not about to start when I'm nearing 50.

Jaymann wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 10:21 am Fortunately I live in an area (which was once ostensibly conservative) where nobody flies flags of any stripe except American on Independence Day. They follow the Walz creed of mind your own damn business.

Our next door neighbor, whose political orientation I had already surmised, confirmed it yesterday by putting a small trump lawn sign right on our property line -- with a spotlight trained on it for that extra flair of "F U". I'm sure he thinks I started it by displaying the only Harris sign on our trumpy block.

I put out a Biden sign last election and it was stolen within a day. Got a replacement, stolen again. Tried once more, and it got cut up into pieces and thrown in my driveway.

Gave up after that.

Chapter 17 Political Campaign Signs

20A-17-102 Campaign signs.
(1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), a person is guilty of a class B misdemeanor if the person knowingly removes, alters, defaces, or otherwise vandalizes a sign:
(a) advocating the election or defeat of a candidate for public office; or
(b) advocating the approval or defeat of a ballot proposition.

(2) A person is not guilty of a violation of Subsection (1) if the person who engages in the conduct described in Subsection (1) is:
(a) as it relates to a sign described in Subsection (1)(a), the candidate or an agent of the candidate;
(b) as it relates to a sign described in Subsection (1)(b), the person who placed the sign, the person who directed the placement of the sign, or an agent of either;
(c) a property owner of property on which the sign is placed or the property owner's agent; or
(d) a public official who removes the sign in accordance with an official duty of the public official.

What Are The Penalties For A Misdemeanor In Utah?

Class B misdemeanor- 0 to 180 days in jail for incarceration with maximum fine of $1,000, plus 90 percent surcharge.

Unless it was a covert activity, in this day of video recording everything, you'd think that would be a dangerous game for no gain, except for the self gratification of being all kinds of a different asshole. Vandal, political intimidator, etc...

If it was covert and the asshole wore a mask and left no trace of their coming and going, then they get continue being a cowardly asshole.

Kraken wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 11:21 am

Jaymann wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 10:21 am Fortunately I live in an area (which was once ostensibly conservative) where nobody flies flags of any stripe except American on Independence Day. They follow the Walz creed of mind your own damn business.

Our next door neighbor, whose political orientation I had already surmised, confirmed it yesterday by putting a small trump lawn sign right on our property line -- with a spotlight trained on it for that extra flair of "F U". I'm sure he thinks I started it by displaying the only Harris sign on our trumpy block.

You're already moved into the Berkshires? When traveling out there it's interesting how you start to see more Trumpites. Like mushrooms springing up...the bad kind. Massachusetts is still a reliably blue state but even in Liberal Lexington there are some run ins. Once in a while some right wing group likes to rally by the Battle Green which is always fun to counter protest.

And that's if you can trust law enforcement and the judiciary not to be drinking buddies with the defendant down at the local Bierhalle.

Kraken wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 11:21 am

Jaymann wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 10:21 am Fortunately I live in an area (which was once ostensibly conservative) where nobody flies flags of any stripe except American on Independence Day. They follow the Walz creed of mind your own damn business.

Our next door neighbor, whose political orientation I had already surmised, confirmed it yesterday by putting a small trump lawn sign right on our property line -- with a spotlight trained on it for that extra flair of "F U". I'm sure he thinks I started it by displaying the only Harris sign on our trumpy block.

So he put it right on the property line to provoke you into an argument or something? Gah.

Skinypupy wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 11:35 am I put out a Biden sign last election and it was stolen within a day. Got a replacement, stolen again. Tried once more, and it got cut up into pieces and thrown in my driveway.

Gave up after that.

Ring video doorbell.

Carpet_pissr wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 12:47 pm So he put it right on the property line to provoke you into an argument or something? Gah.

Noooo... That doesn't sound like something a vocal TFG supporter would do. It can't be.

LordMortis wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 12:51 pm

Carpet_pissr wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 12:47 pm So he put it right on the property line to provoke you into an argument or something? Gah.

Noooo... That doesn't sound like something a vocal TFG supporter would do. It can't be.

Yeah, but this is kinda personal!

I remember growing up when it was said, "good fences make good neighbors." I have since discovered the need for fences means, good fences make for neighbors who treat fences as a means to prop things until the fences are no longer good. Distance... Distance makes neighbors. And living in a 1950s cluster development boy did I not understand that. I thought having space and the responsibility of ownership instead of walls was enough to to change the dynamic between me and a neighbor when I got out of apartment dwelling. I was such a sweet summer child...

$iljanus wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 12:20 pm

Kraken wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 11:21 am

Jaymann wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 10:21 am Fortunately I live in an area (which was once ostensibly conservative) where nobody flies flags of any stripe except American on Independence Day. They follow the Walz creed of mind your own damn business.

Our next door neighbor, whose political orientation I had already surmised, confirmed it yesterday by putting a small trump lawn sign right on our property line -- with a spotlight trained on it for that extra flair of "F U". I'm sure he thinks I started it by displaying the only Harris sign on our trumpy block.

You're already moved into the Berkshires? When traveling out there it's interesting how you start to see more Trumpites. Like mushrooms springing up...the bad kind. Massachusetts is still a reliably blue state but even in Liberal Lexington there are some run ins. Once in a while some right wing group likes to rally by the Battle Green which is always fun to counter protest.

Nope, still in Braintree. The Berkshires tend more liberal, although IDK if that extends to Pittsfield. Pittsfield has all the problems of a real city, probably including a MAGAt infestation.

For all the trump signs, Biden won MA by 33 points in 2020. I'm rooting for a 40-point spread for Kamala.

Carpet_pissr wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 12:47 pm

Skinypupy wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 11:35 am I put out a Biden sign last election and it was stolen within a day. Got a replacement, stolen again. Tried once more, and it got cut up into pieces and thrown in my driveway.

Gave up after that.

Ring video doorbell.

I have one in a box that's been sitting in my office for a year now. I'm just not smart enough to install it.

Skinypupy wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 1:20 pm I have one in a box that's been sitting in my office for a year now. I'm just not smart enough to install it.

Well, if hiring someone to do it so you can put out a Harris/Walz sign and catch the person and shame them on your neighborhood FB page isn't enough, what will it take?

Skinypupy wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 1:20 pm

Carpet_pissr wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 12:47 pm

Skinypupy wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 11:35 am I put out a Biden sign last election and it was stolen within a day. Got a replacement, stolen again. Tried once more, and it got cut up into pieces and thrown in my driveway.

Gave up after that.

Ring video doorbell.

I have one in a box that's been sitting in my office for a year now. I'm just not smart enough to install it.

Lefty loosey
Righty tighty
You're welcome

Yeah, they are insanely easy to install, and IIRC Ring does a fantastic job of walking people through it step by step as if they had never held a screwdriver before.

Carpet_pissr wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 1:48 pm Yeah, they are insanely easy to install, and IIRC Ring does a fantastic job of walking people through it step by step as if they had never held a screwdriver before.

Might depend on whether you have a battery one or one that is wired. In our case, I got a battery one. And put it up in a different location from the original doorbell. If you get one that is wired, then you would need to replace the existing one. And sort out wires. And make sure it fit the location, etc.

I think you all vastly underestimate my level of mechanical incompetence. I'm pretty sure I could find a way to collapse half my house by just hanging a picture.

My wife literally forbids me to do anything that involves a hammer and screwdriver around the house because I will somehow screw it up so badly that we will need to hire someone to come fix it afterwards. I am the anti-handyman.

TheMix wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 1:54 pm Might depend on whether you have a battery one or one that is wired. In our case, I got a battery one. And put it up in a different location from the original doorbell. If you get one that is wired, then you would need to replace the existing one. And sort out wires. And make sure it fit the location, etc.

Yup, that's what we've got. I looked at the instructions and it talked about shutting off the circuits to the doorbell. I have literally no idea where I would do that.

Skinypupy wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 1:56 pm I think you all vastly underestimate my level of mechanical incompetence. I'm pretty sure I could find a way to collapse half my house by just hanging a picture.

My wife literally forbids me to do anything that involves a hammer and screwdriver around the house because I will somehow screw it up so badly that we will need to hire someone to come fix it afterwards. I am the anti-handyman.

TheMix wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 1:54 pm Might depend on whether you have a battery one or one that is wired. In our case, I got a battery one. And put it up in a different location from the original doorbell. If you get one that is wired, then you would need to replace the existing one. And sort out wires. And make sure it fit the location, etc.

Yup, that's what we've got. I looked at the instructions and it talked about shutting off the circuits to the doorbell. I have literally no idea where I would do that.

Where is easy. You have a fuse box somewhere. Back of the house? Garage? Basement? Somewhere you have a fuse box. In said box you just have to flip the correct fuse to shut off power. I would recommend some sort of tester, though to confirm that the power is off. I have a really simple one from Home Depot (something like link, though mine is even more basic).

The harder part is going to be trying to figure out which fuse. If your fuse box is anything like mine, the permanent ink used to label the fuses faded in the first 12 minutes... so it's mostly guesswork. I'd start with anything related to the room that the front door opens into. Especially if you have a wall socket front wall. You can even get devices that will trip that circuit. Which may save you time. You plug the device into the wall socket, push the button, then go see which fuse got flipped.

I believe something like this would work.

Skinypupy wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 1:56 pm I think you all vastly underestimate my level of mechanical incompetence. I'm pretty sure I could find a way to collapse half my house by just hanging a picture.

My wife literally forbids me to do anything that involves a hammer and screwdriver around the house because I will somehow screw it up so badly that we will need to hire someone to come fix it afterwards. I am the anti-handyman.

TheMix wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 1:54 pm Might depend on whether you have a battery one or one that is wired. In our case, I got a battery one. And put it up in a different location from the original doorbell. If you get one that is wired, then you would need to replace the existing one. And sort out wires. And make sure it fit the location, etc.

Yup, that's what we've got. I looked at the instructions and it talked about shutting off the circuits to the doorbell. I have literally no idea where I would do that.

So you're basically Mitch from Modern Family? Got it!

And I felt guilty being a home owner without being particularly competent at any maintenance.

I feel better now. My dad, however, has been rolling in his grave for the last 35 years.

My dad was super handy and I was his helper but he was a lousy teacher and I’m very un-handy.

I’ve gotten a lot better after working at Home Depot for 12 years but I still have to follow directions and can’t improvise anything.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dramatist wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 4:13 pm My dad was super handy and I was his helper but he was a lousy teacher and I’m very un-handy.

This is me. Dad isn't just a lousy teacher, he's impatient. I did manage to get that from him, though.

I’ve gotten a lot better after working at Home Depot for 12 years but I still have to follow directions and can’t improvise anything.

I wouldn't say I'm a lot better but I'm better after 20+ years of home ownership. That combined with computer tech work for more than 30 years gives me the sense to back out or quit before you do something so poorly that it all goes FUBAR. I'll call in the experts and pay them after I make something a bit worse before I make things a whole lot worse.

Speaking of Arlington...

Charlotte Clymer is an Army veteran who served in the 3rd Infantry Regiment, which guards Arlington and escorts honored remains.

She posted a long Twitter thread about her experience with this duty. Since Twitter sucks, she also posted it to her substack. It is very thoughtful and worth your time to read:

In Praise of the Hardest Job in Arlington National Cemetery

I've installed multiple Ring doorbells - my own, my mom's, friends of the family. If I can install one, you know it's idiot-proof because I don't know jack shit about installing anything. I was raised by a single mom. While other kids were learning how to work on engines or install light fixtures, I was learning to cross-stitch.

Unhandy men unite! Well, maybe not unite because we might break something.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Put me on that list. My father was handy, but didn't bother teaching me unless it was something he needed extra hands for (and even then he only showed me as much as I needed to do that part of the job.)

I've also gotten a bit better over time, but I'm still well short of competent.

LordMortis wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 4:34 pm This is me. Dad isn't just a lousy teacher, he's impatient. I did manage to get that from him, though.

Interesting. My Dad was probably moderately handy, but SUPER impatient, like anger issue impatient. And hyper critical to boot, so not a great combo if you are wanting to teach your kid about lawnmower maintenance in the 95º weather and your kid turns a wrench the wrong way.

The funny thing is that maybe because of that, and having to basically teach myself the little bit of handy I have, I take every opportunity to tell me kids "hey come help me so you can learn how to do this yourself in the future" but I rarely get takers. My eldest is pretty open to anything having to do with car maintenance, so at least she can change her engine air filter, check and put air in tires, charge a battery, replace cabin air filters, etc.

I'm probably too impatient and critical as well, tbh, but at least I am actively trying to teach them stuff, which is more than I got.

Literally everything you could possibly want to do around the house has step by step instructions on youtube. So unless you're blind and/or incapable of learning the anti handiman excuse is really just an excuse.

HOLD THE DAMNED FLASHLIGHT STEADY!

My apologies for any flashbacks.

Skinypupy wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2024 11:35 am I put out a Biden sign last election and it was stolen within a day. Got a replacement, stolen again. Tried once more, and it got cut up into pieces and thrown in my driveway.

Gave up after that.

It’s sad an expression of you r views leads to vandalism