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Totally Useless Thread On A Rainy Wednesday

Everything that would not belong anywhere else.
 

ShyFlyer (Founding Member) 14 Mar 21, 16:31Post
What's the better approach:

Parent leaves a house to a child in a legal will.

-or-

Parent sells a house to a child for a arbitrary amount.
Make Orwell fiction again.
miamiair (netAirspace FAA) 14 Mar 21, 20:47Post
ShyFlyer wrote:What's the better approach:

Parent leaves a house to a child in a legal will.

-or-

Parent sells a house to a child for a arbitrary amount.


Or a Perpetual Trust.
And let's get one thing straight. There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight. — E. B. Jeppesen
ShanwickOceanic (netAirspace FAA) 16 Mar 21, 16:09Post
Visited the ex the other evening, and noticed that Pissy-Cat was walking very slowly. It seemed surprised by the table leg it walked into. She took it to the vet, apparently it's lost a lot of weight since the last visit a month ago. Its 17-year reign of soggy stinking destruction (and murder) may be coming to an end.

I've already volunteered to bury the thing in the woods if need be. It's thirsty work, so I'd better drink a lot first. {angel}
My friend and I applied for airline jobs in Australia, but they didn't Qantas.
Lucas (netAirspace ATC & Founding Member) 16 Mar 21, 19:59Post
ShanwickOceanic wrote:Visited the ex the other evening, and noticed that Pissy-Cat was walking very slowly. It seemed surprised by the table leg it walked into. She took it to the vet, apparently it's lost a lot of weight since the last visit a month ago. Its 17-year reign of soggy stinking destruction (and murder) may be coming to an end.

I've already volunteered to bury the thing in the woods if need be. It's thirsty work, so I'd better drink a lot first. {angel}



You know, I've missed the Pissy-Cat updates.
ShanwickOceanic (netAirspace FAA) 18 May 21, 10:29Post
Ordered some USB cables from amazon.de, less than 10 euros' worth, and for some inane reason they decided to send them via UPS.

SMS a few days ago: "Hey, we're going to drop this thing at our pickup location 20 minutes' walk from the nearest bus stop unless you tell us to deliver it to your house." Deliver it to THE ADDRESS I PUT IN THE ORDER, DAMN IT. Thank you.

Email this morning: "Your Amazon package is on hold." Click the link to track the package, and find "Awaiting security details needed by the driver". Oh, you mean like the PHONE NUMBER I PUT IN THE BASTARD DELIVERY DETAILS specifically because the downstairs door is always locked.

"Pickup locations": See, there's one downtown, right by the damn bus stop, 100 metres further from my house than the other one. Maybe I can get it sent there?

"Change delivery": Despite the tracking number and the massive auth token in the link I clicked to get here, nope, can't do that without an account. Snarl.

Register for an account, spend five minutes dreaming up a password that complies with their inane requirements, adding more obscenities as needed to push it over the character limit.

Get a verification email, click the link, have to enter username and password. Only now there's the option to sign in with my Google account, which would've saved me all that password hassle.

Now enter the tracking number AGAIN.

Click "Change delivery" AGAIN.

"You can change your delivery after a delivery attempt has been made. Please track again using the InfoNotice number, which can be found above the barcode on the notice you received."

There isn't an InfoNotice number above the barcode because I don't HAVE the bastard barcode because there IS NO SODDING NOTICE BECAUSE YOUR IDIOT DRIVER COULDN'T GET INTO THE BUILDING BECAUSE HE DIDN'T CALL THE TWATTING PHONE NUMBER THAT I-

You know what? Fark it. They can go back to Amazon.
My friend and I applied for airline jobs in Australia, but they didn't Qantas.
Fumanchewd 25 May 21, 09:34Post
Happy 80th Birthday to Bob Dylan yesterday. IMO, one of the last great lyricists and musicians not concerned with all of the BS.
"Give us a kiss, big tits."
ShyFlyer (Founding Member) 22 Jun 21, 16:55Post
Debt Consolidation Loans: A Story

Lenders: Hey, could you use a consolidation loan? We got 'em!
Me: Yeah, sure. Hand me an application.

Lenders: (reviews application) Yeah, um, we checked and you've got too much debt relative to income. You won't make the payments.
Me: Well, I have 10+ years of on-time payment history. I have money. It's the interest rates that are holding me back. I make all of my payments on time. Let me give you my money instead of those other people.

Lenders: Yeah, we have spoken with our purely arbitrary decision. We only give loans to people who don't really need them in the first place.
Me: Then quit advertising then.
Make Orwell fiction again.
Lucas (netAirspace ATC & Founding Member) 23 Jun 21, 22:25Post
ShyFlyer wrote:Debt Consolidation Loans: A Story

Lenders: Hey, could you use a consolidation loan? We got 'em!
Me: Yeah, sure. Hand me an application.

Lenders: (reviews application) Yeah, um, we checked and you've got too much debt relative to income. You won't make the payments.
Me: Well, I have 10+ years of on-time payment history. I have money. It's the interest rates that are holding me back. I make all of my payments on time. Let me give you my money instead of those other people.

Lenders: Yeah, we have spoken with our purely arbitrary decision. We only give loans to people who don't really need them in the first place.
Me: Then quit advertising then.


What do you bet the same institution would give you a loan on a vehicle without batting an eye?
ShyFlyer (Founding Member) 24 Jun 21, 02:52Post
Lucas wrote:What do you bet the same institution would give you a loan on a vehicle without batting an eye?

Oh, I could get a car loan to put me in a shiny new Tesla 3 easy, as that would be secured debt. This is a loan for unsecured debt, where you'd think payment history would matter, yet it does not apparently.
Make Orwell fiction again.
ShanwickOceanic (netAirspace FAA) 24 Jun 21, 09:02Post
consolidation loan
too much debt relative to income. You won't make the payments.

{banghead}
My friend and I applied for airline jobs in Australia, but they didn't Qantas.
Fumanchewd 27 Jun 21, 06:06Post
I love Mormons, no joke they are the nicest most helpful people on the planet. We moved into our new house April 2020 and have been slowly working on our backyard. I finally put up our 30 x 5 raised garden with PVC irrigation and a piping structure to support shade cloth for the Arizona Summer. I have put in a retaining wall with a bunch of trees. A nice grass area and on and on. The last big piece of our yard was putting down alot of gravel, which is common thing to do in Arizona. We still have some small projects such as pavers, landscape lights, maybe a jacuzzi, but this was the last of the skeleton of the backyard, and one that would prevent from so much dirt blowing onto our patio and dirtying the sides of our house.

So I bought 20 tons of gravel, thinking that we may need another 10 ton delivery depending on how it went. Well the first late afternoon/evening I hit it (The days are 110F +), I did 20 wheel barrows, was exhausted, and was dismayed that I only made a small dent in it. Well, if I just do a couple of hours at night, it should only take a few weeks I thought. The second night, a neighbor I have never spoken to came over with a wheelbarrow and just started to help. I have known alot of Mormons and I suspected that he was Mormon as most neighbors in Arizona don't do that type of thing in the heat and Mormons are often super helpful and offering assistance to anyone. The next day he showed up again, we each did about 25 loads and then he told me he had called in the calvary. 2 missionaries showed up undercover (no white dress shirts or ties). Then 3 showed up in the full missionary gear of the shirts and ties. Then another 4 showed up in the full dress shirts, ties, and Elder badges. Shovels and ties were flying, the Elders were engulfed in a cloud of dust and before I knew it almost the whole pile of gravel is gone. It was almost like my neighbor had called in Thing 1 and Thing 2. My neighbor and I have another 1-2 hours tomorrow night to finish it up.

It was incredible, it would have probably taken me a couple of weeks in the Arizona summer to do it myself. I didn't ask for it, they just showed up, this type of solideraty and helping your neighbor seems to be a thing of the past, but its nice to see how there are still communities that do it. I would be willing to help them in anyway I can as well.

Personally, I have known quite a few Mormons and they are typically stellar people. I love Mormons.
"Give us a kiss, big tits."
ShyFlyer (Founding Member) 27 Jun 21, 14:50Post
ShanwickOceanic wrote:
consolidation loan
too much debt relative to income. You won't make the payments.

{banghead}


Exactly. Especially when you note that the monthly payment quoted was less than all of my payments on said debt.
Make Orwell fiction again.
Fumanchewd 07 Jul 21, 20:21Post
ShanwickOceanic wrote:Ordered some USB cables from amazon.de, less than 10 euros' worth, and for some inane reason they decided to send them via UPS.

SMS a few days ago: "Hey, we're going to drop this thing at our pickup location 20 minutes' walk from the nearest bus stop unless you tell us to deliver it to your house." Deliver it to THE ADDRESS I PUT IN THE ORDER, DAMN IT. Thank you.

Email this morning: "Your Amazon package is on hold." Click the link to track the package, and find "Awaiting security details needed by the driver". Oh, you mean like the PHONE NUMBER I PUT IN THE BASTARD DELIVERY DETAILS specifically because the downstairs door is always locked.


I don't understand European UPS. It is fantastic in the states and most of Asia but sucks in Europe. I just purchased some engine parts from a shop in the UK to drop ship to a Japanese airline. In the US and Asia we always use UPS Intl Express Saver for this client with no issues. Trying to get these picked up in the UK is a nightmare, the computer isn't even accepting the client's account number. I am asking them to use FX, DHL, or TNT instead, we'll see.

I also purchased some engine parts from Hannover, Germany a month ago and same issue, no UPS. Come to think of it Latin America UPS sucks too.
"Give us a kiss, big tits."
DXing 11 Jul 21, 14:45Post
Does a rainy Sunday count???


Yes, your federal tax dollars at work!!! Even a robot can't stand the Capitol!! {laugh} {laugh} {laugh} {laugh}


What's the point of an open door policy if inside the open door sits a closed mind?
Mark 12 Jul 21, 20:17Post
Well... I feel stupid. I was on the phone for an hour with Consumer Cellular troubleshooting why my phone doesn't ring or why the speaker phone function won't work. I thought it was a software issue that they could fix remotely. I hung up on her after she went through her checklist with no results. Then I took the phone to Cell Phone Repair. There, she played with my phone, then took it back to the shop. Ten minutes later, she comes out and says.... "Your speaker was clogged with lint." Bloody hell! That's it? I could have fixed that with a paper clip at home! Good thing is, she didn't charge me anything.
Commercial aircraft flown in: B712 B722 B732 B734 B737 B738 B741 B742 B744 B752 B753 B762 B772 A310 A318 A319 A320 A321 DC91 DC93 DC94 DC1030 DC1040 F100 MD82 MD83 A223 CR2 CR7 E175
ShyFlyer (Founding Member) 13 Jul 21, 01:18Post
We've all been there in some fashion.

Way back during the time of the iPhone 4, I dropped mine and then noticed it acting strange (no sound for calls/texts). I had it in a real beefy case (OtterBox Defender) so it was really odd that it could be damaged.

I poured through all the software settings to see if I had accidently turned off anything. Nope. Rebooted it. Nope, still silent. I was contemplating taking it to either T-Mobile or the Apple Store to be fixed when, taking it out of the case, I discovered the cause of the issue: the phone as a switch on the side to turn off the ringer. The case had a cover over the switch, but dropping the phone provided just enough of a jostle that the switch moved on it's own.
Make Orwell fiction again.
Mark 13 Jul 21, 20:53Post
ShyFlyer wrote:We've all been there in some fashion.

I discovered the cause of the issue: the phone as a switch on the side to turn off the ringer. The case had a cover over the switch, but dropping the phone provided just enough of a jostle that the switch moved on it's own.


Weird. Same thing just happened to my girlfriend's iPhone SE.
Commercial aircraft flown in: B712 B722 B732 B734 B737 B738 B741 B742 B744 B752 B753 B762 B772 A310 A318 A319 A320 A321 DC91 DC93 DC94 DC1030 DC1040 F100 MD82 MD83 A223 CR2 CR7 E175
Mark 15 Sep 21, 13:20Post
Was sitting at my home office desk at 17:30 yesterday and felt strange. Stood up and noted to myself I was dizzy. Walked out into the living room and was immediately told that I looked awful. It was hard to talk and I had trouble forming words and getting my tongue to work. My girlfriend/life partner/soul mate, who's also a nurse, read my mind and before I knew it, we were off to the ER.

I thought I was having a brain stem stroke. So did she. Got to the ER five minutes later and the stroke team gathered within a minute and the lead MD did a couple of quick tests (smile, stick out tongue, etc.) and said it wasn't a stroke. My BP was 153/94 and my temp was 99.5° F (37.5° C). My creatinine was up a little. All of the other objective data was normal.

They watched me for 90 minutes. During that time, I became totally OK and my speech returned to normal. I asked the doc if it was a transient ischemic attack (TIA). She didn't think so. The only thing I can think of is that I've been under a bit of stress lately.
Commercial aircraft flown in: B712 B722 B732 B734 B737 B738 B741 B742 B744 B752 B753 B762 B772 A310 A318 A319 A320 A321 DC91 DC93 DC94 DC1030 DC1040 F100 MD82 MD83 A223 CR2 CR7 E175
Queso (netAirspace ATC Tower Chief & Founding Member) 15 Sep 21, 20:33Post
Mark wrote:Was sitting at my home office desk at 17:30 yesterday and felt strange. Stood up and noted to myself I was dizzy. Walked out into the living room and was immediately told that I looked awful. It was hard to talk and I had trouble forming words and getting my tongue to work. My girlfriend/life partner/soul mate, who's also a nurse, read my mind and before I knew it, we were off to the ER.

I thought I was having a brain stem stroke. So did she. Got to the ER five minutes later and the stroke team gathered within a minute and the lead MD did a couple of quick tests (smile, stick out tongue, etc.) and said it wasn't a stroke. My BP was 153/94 and my temp was 99.5° F (37.5° C). My creatinine was up a little. All of the other objective data was normal.

They watched me for 90 minutes. During that time, I became totally OK and my speech returned to normal. I asked the doc if it was a transient ischemic attack (TIA). She didn't think so. The only thing I can think of is that I've been under a bit of stress lately.

Covid.
Slider... <sniff, sniff>... you stink.
GQfluffy (Database Editor & Founding Member) 17 Sep 21, 18:59Post
Stupid. {sarcastic}
Teller of no, fixer of everything, friend of the unimportant and all around good guy; the CAD Monkey
ShyFlyer (Founding Member) 27 Sep 21, 18:18Post
I've been living in Denver for nearly five years now. I'm registered to vote here, I have voted here, and hold a valid and current Colorado DL.

Got called for jury duty in my hometown in New Mexico. {sarcastic}
Make Orwell fiction again.
ShyFlyer (Founding Member) 10 Nov 21, 01:33Post
I've been thinking about a new vehicle, mostly from a daydreaming perspective but, as the miles rack up on my CX5 (just under 120K) and the fact that it isn't really capable of hauling a bunch of cargo (I will move, eventually), the time to replace it is coming.

So far, the following are on my radar, no particular order, with MSRPs as I would spec them out.

Ford Maverick (Lariat) - MSRP $35000
The more I learn about this little trucklet the more I like it. I'd spec it with the hybrid engine for the MPGs, but I'm disappointed that doing so means I can't also have AWD. At least for the 2022 model year. I'm pretty sure it will fit in my garage. Top trim level is very affordable.

Ford F-150 Lightning (Pro) - MSRP $40000 (maybe)
I was eyeing an F-150 when I bought my Mazda, but passed mainly due to the MPG. When a hybrid engine option became available, my interest in it was renewed. However, even in XL Trim, the hybrid specs out at nearly $50000 MSRP. Then came Lightning. The base model is said to have an MSRP at just under $40K. Ford has been really light on the details on the Lighting, especially the Pro trim. I have a feeling that come spring 2022, we'll find out that to get the Pro at $40K, you'll have to buy them in bulk. The other trims are way out of my price range.

VW ID.4 - MSRP $40000
It certainly doesn't have the cargo capacity of the F-150, but it would still be more capable than my current ride. It probably could tow more than my current ride too, but I haven't yet seen how much that would impact range. I suspect that it would probably drop the range at best 50%. That would mean a lot of stops. Though, to be realistic, I wouldn't be towing a lot, anyway, even with an ICE vehicle.
Make Orwell fiction again.
DXing 10 Nov 21, 02:02Post
ShyFlyer wrote:I've been living in Denver for nearly five years now. I'm registered to vote here, I have voted here, and hold a valid and current Colorado DL.

Got called for jury duty in my hometown in New Mexico. {sarcastic}


My daughter got a jury summons late last week. It was addressed, and then forwarded to her from an address that she hasn't live at for 9 years and she has had 6 different addresses in 4 different States between then and now.


ShyFlyer wrote: VW ID.4 - MSRP $40000
It certainly doesn't have the cargo capacity of the F-150, but it would still be more capable than my current ride. It probably could tow more than my current ride too, but I haven't yet seen how much that would impact range. I suspect that it would probably drop the range at best 50%. That would mean a lot of stops. Though, to be realistic, I wouldn't be towing a lot, anyway, even with an ICE vehicle.


I currently drive a 2017 Chevy Bolt. For around town you can't beat this thing. I've gone so far as to have a level 2 charger installed in the garage. Far as I am concerned I'll probably never have an ICE car for my personal use ever again. My wife is still addicted to gasoline but I hate the car she has and only drive it as a last resort.

That being said I've been looking at the ID.4 myself. Longer range and roomier than the Bolt. Only thing really holding me back is that my car is under a battery recall and it would affect the trade in value. Supposed to get a whole new battery pack in the next month or so. Waiting to see if that ups the range at all. If it does I'll probably hold on to the Bolt and just dream about the ID.4. It is a stunning car though.

I'd wondered about the all electric F-150 they are talking about. Like you I wondered what happens when you hook up the family camper. Can't imagine that doesn't knock the hell out of the range.
What's the point of an open door policy if inside the open door sits a closed mind?
Mark 10 Nov 21, 13:16Post
I'd stay away from the VW. Those damned things require so many proprietary tools that it becomes nearly impossible for a backyard mechanic to do his own work.

Regarding the Maverick, it's a nice truck, but it DOES have the problem you mentioned... you can't get 4x4 with the hybrid engine. I looked at one a few weeks ago and made the decision, if I were to get one, to live without the hybrid because having 4x4 is important to me. Also, I looked at a Lariat package and its options (versus those of the XLT) weren't worth the extra money.

The F150... well... if I chose one, it would be an XLT 4x4.

The lease on my 2019 Ford Escape Titanium 4x4 with a 2.0 engine is up in April 2022. I've decided to go with a 2022 Escape Titanium 4x4 with the 2.0 liter engine.
Commercial aircraft flown in: B712 B722 B732 B734 B737 B738 B741 B742 B744 B752 B753 B762 B772 A310 A318 A319 A320 A321 DC91 DC93 DC94 DC1030 DC1040 F100 MD82 MD83 A223 CR2 CR7 E175
DXing 11 Nov 21, 12:11Post
Mark wrote:I'd stay away from the VW. Those damned things require so many proprietary tools that it becomes nearly impossible for a backyard mechanic to do his own work.


Lift the hood on an EV and you won't even recognize a thing, except the fill tube for window washer fluid and brake fluid. All sorts of high voltage warning stickers all over and wires thick enough that just common sense says if you touch it, nothing good can happen. Along with all the computer sensors involved in a modern vehicle, the days of the shade tree mechanic are going the way of the whip maker and wooden wheel repairman.

Seriously, one of the things I love about my Bolt is the lack of maintenance required. No oil changes, no spark plugs, wires, or air cleaners to replace. No fuel filter to replace. No antifreeze needed, water pump to go bad at the worst possible time, no radiator problems. No timing belt to break or need adjustment. Just get the tires rotated and brakes checked. Transmission fluid at some point but I never did that myself anyway.

I just plug it in at night, by morning it's fully charged and ready to go. Drive right by all those folks standing in the chilly air or trying to keep dry while they pump expensive gas.
What's the point of an open door policy if inside the open door sits a closed mind?
 

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