I feel like the 49ers got the bad game out of their system and will be much sharper next week. But the Lions do at least have the horses to keep up on offense.
Love Jared but his lack of mobility in the pocket figures to be a challenge, and though the weather should be better Sunday, he still tends to struggle when playing outdoors. The Niners’ struggles in the running game v GB was troubling, given DET can run the ball effectively with Montgomery and Jahmyr.
DET could absolutely win, but I was more concerned with Green Bay in the Divisional round than I am with the Lions. Pack were hot, their O-line was clicking and Love was on a heater. A 10-point spread was lunacy.
Gibbs the RB is a good big play threat, but they lack a WR who can stretch the field so it feels like a lot of dinking and dunking and need to convert a lot of 3rd downs (which St Brown is good at doing)
And yet Shanahan called 39 passes to 18 runs (if you take out QB sneaks and scrambles) in these conditions! Pretty baffling if you have Christian McCaffrey on your team.
Purdy and Greenlaw bailed him out in the 4th quarter.
I think Scott Ostler has good insight on Shanahan's game calling psyche - he often calls plays with the goal of not to lose. And I think Super Bowl LI and LIV are perfect examples of that.
Shanahan reverts to what he considers his strength: play calls centered on the passing game. The problem is that if the players fail to execute your team goes 3 and out and you leave more time on the clock for your opponent. So, if you're up by 25 points with 15 minutes to play, you can get your a$$ handed to you because you didn't chew enough clock when you had the chance.
Maybe, but we've seen him just pound the rock all game if he thinks it'll work (2019 NFC Championship, for example). I don't know why he thought continuing to pass in the rain with Deebo Samuel injured was the best chance here.
I think Shanahan is wary of using McCaffrey too much. Samuel's presence takes some of the rushing load off McCaffrey.
But let's be fair here: McCaffrey is a beast (though, not Beast Mode). He's easily one of the most punishing running backs in the NFL today, if not the most punishing. You want that kind of player and you want that player to avoid injury. Problem being, that style of play is probably more prone to injury.
Updated satellite system. Required a new cable run, and dealing with years of stuff/mess from living in the way. I got that done yesterday. Actual equipment install Thursday. I hope we got everything prepped/speced, but I also anticipate endless complications with any major project.
This after just having finished installing a new back glass in a truck canopy after a family member decided to back into a tree.
Thankfully, nothing at the moment. Though I do have a bath remodel in mind for the Spring and I need to replace the wheel hubs on my truck. Squeaking from the front right wheel makes me think I have a bad wheel bearing.
I am doing a big apartment clearout. The main mental block to doing this has always been having to haul everything down the 22 stairs from my apartment, and then the actual disposal, so I have said, screw it you can afford a frivolous expense so I have committed to myself to have the Got Junk people come by the end of the month to haul away everything I don't want/need. I want space in my cabinets and closets and no stacks of shit anywhere.
I have also had no backsplash in my kitchen for going on two years due to decision paralysis after replacing my countertops. I have finally bought the new tile and now just need to hire a dude to install it, which will be an easy job so I am hoping to have that all done in the next four weeks.
If they're normal humans, they're going to fight to have their independence and you're going to need to risk-manage things until things go badly enough that its obvious they can't have the independence.
1. They probably wont' want a Life Alert thingy. Install Siri/Google/Alexa spots around their house and show them how to use it. If they fall, they can call 911. My SIL's FIL fell and forgot that he could call 911 vis Siri. Because he was on the floor so long, he has life-threatening complications. He is alone in a hospital bed under Covid protocol and hasn't had anyone been able to visit him despite his wife of 60 years dying last week.
2. Replace tub with step-in shower.
3. Apply handles/rails everywhere. Next to toilet. In shower. Next to sink. Near where they get dressed. Next to the bed. Rail next to the front door so they can get packages left outside.
4. Install a fire blanket and small extinguisher. Not close to the stove, but close enough where it can be reached. Fire blankets are much easier to operate and might not have the strength to pull the pin on an extinguisher, but might as well have both. Someone is going to leave the stove on. They always do. A smoke alarm near, but not in, the kitchen also helps mitigate this risk.
5. Fix all the transition spots (eg, carpet to flooring). Elderly shuffle their feet and they are inevitably going to stumble on even the most trivial of bumps. Ideally, it's just a flat floor. No loose rugs. Replace bathmats with a big giant weighted rugs
6. Everything needs to be downstairs. Upstairs is now storage only.
7. Go to a lawyer that specializes in estate planning. I got mine through MetLaw and she thought of things I would have never thought of. Make their resuscitation/continuation wishes controlled by one person with backups. Make those wishes known to the inner circle of people because this is going to be a fight. I watched a special on Netflix and every single one of them had family members who agonized over this decision, even when their preferences were known but not written down.
8. I am a known fan of motion-sensor light switches for places where they would have their hands full. Laundry room. Pantry. Closet. People trip because they can't see.
9. Declutter all walk ways.
10. Check max temperature on their water heater.
11. Install slip treads in the shower.
12. If you can, install a towel hook inside the shower. Leaning out of the shower for a towel is a significant risk. Having a towel ready to go inside a shower is kinda nice. I have one now. It's like this.
Fantastic list, thanks. We have the Alexa set up, a 15+ year old estate plan that he has agreed to update (now to get the appointment with the lawyer), handrails went up on the front porch and the step-in shower last summer during bad fall event-- now to check to see if he left those up or not... Need to work on the rest of the list. Just ordered the fire blanket! I hope it doesn't take a fall to finally get him to budge on eliminating the throw rugs. Driving is the other thing we need to get him to agree to limite more...
It was SO HARD to get my mom to stop driving. We finally just refused to renew her license to end the discussion once and for all, and then donated her car!
Getting Mrs Bk97's Mini ready for sale (she bought an Acura RDX a few weeks ago). It needed its annual service, detailing inside and out, a state inspection, and an updated title (I never removed the lienholder after we paid it off several years ago). Now I just have to put together an ad and hope it sells quickly.
I bought a 2008 GTi as a daily commuter to save the on mileage, and wear and tear of my A4 and have decided that I cannot continue to go on without the modern conveniences and am going to be installing an Apple Carplay and a backup cam on the GTi.
Tell me more about installing Apple Carplay. It's the one thing missing in my car that would prevent me from driving it until it absolutely falls apart.
You just install a new head unit in your car stereo. I did this as a total revamp to my car stereo last year. I installed myself but had to buy some aftermarket parts to ensure the new stereo interfaced with the existing controls (for example, the remote volume button on the steering wheel). Crutchfield, where I purchased everything, has all the aftermarket pieces and trim plate for the dash bezel as a one package and their customer support is phenomenal. You can also just go to a reputable car stereo dealer and have them do it.
This. I'm doing it myself but my biggest hang up from getting started is where I'm going to mount the camera. Any car stereo shop could do it for you. I know Best Buy always has deals like free install with the purchase of $200 stereo
I was surprised how well the backup camera worked when installed on my dad's mid-2000s car. For any of you with older parents and old cars they can't or stubbornly refuse to replace, get them to add the backup camera or have it installed for them.
I've been considering this for our 2005 Honda CR-V. The CR-V is built well and is running without problems (minus a catalytic converter theft, but I digress). We're going to have that car for a while longer yet. A backup cam would help us feel safer and more confident when others might be around.
A quality backup cam on my truck was the single best safety improvement in years, and the best upgrade since in car navigation was invented. In dark/tight situations, especially if you are also in an unfamiliar space, or one where random children might be anywhere, it makes a huge difference, I don't care how good you are with mirrors.
Haven't started yet but need to try to soon. Put in shelves in a cabinet that can be used as a pantry so my mom doesn't have to use a step stool to get to the shelves over the over and said cabinet.
on my aspirational list of non-employment projects
- digitize family photos. 90% of it is slides that my dad took over the years and he died about 7 yrs ago. if i dont do anything they will probably be gone forever.
- similarly, i discovered that one of my cousins in India has a ton of old photo albums w/ many 50+ yr old photos that she got from my grandmother.
and lastly .. some sort of family tree/genealogy effort. do people have suggestions?
i dont really need to find long lost relatives on a giant web based app. i just want an easy way to know how i am related as well as a place to put name/phone/address.
sort of like goggle contact + calendar + genealogy app. i dont want just a giant spreadsheet. but it might be trending that direction ..
My wife, whose ancestors were from across Europe, bought the tests. My family did Ancestry and the experience was both disappointing and had unintended consequences. I did the first generation tests, which told me that my ancestors were from the Asian continent. No shit, Sherlock. And then Ancestry refined its testing and told me my ancestors were 100% from Japan. Again, I already knew that. And we new that my paternal grandfather left my pregnant grandmother during WW2. She had to marry his friend who was in the US army to prevent the family from being shipped off to internment camps. My paternal grandfather's name is forbidden to be mentioned and I named my son after the gentleman that married my grandmother. So the DNA tests came back with a trail of kids that he had sired across America and their progeny - a painful reminder of the past. I have no interest in knowing half second-cousins. And the geneology will only map to those who have used the same service - so it's not like you're going to find out that you' re related to Ghandi or Ghengis Khan. In the end, Ancestry didn't reveal anything new to me and just brought up painful history.
urban legend claims he died while having sex. probably not true ...
To honor or sully Genghis Khan's memory, both friends and foes of the Mongols told a number of legends about his death, the scientists said. One story claims he succumbed to blood loss after getting stabbed or castrated by a princess of the Tangut people, a Tibeto-Burman tribe in northwest China.
Doing something about my father’s model train collection (he collected a very specific type of model train, so I’m about to try moving his entire collection on via consignment, got a couple of places to try. Due to visit my mother next month so there’s some time pressure to work with, might actually get this done)
A fun alternative might be to get into model railroading. You have a great opportunity that would cost an arm and a leg to do from scratch. I've got several friends that are into it, and its the single best thing they do.
I'd think the odds are probably higher than most people think - 40/60. DeSantis is a Trump sycophant, which Trump likes. Trump would be gratified to know that he has someone who would gladly represent him as his VP. See Mike Pence in 2016 for evidence of this take.
Also, I notice that Nikki Haley is softening her criticism of Trump while campaigning in New Hampshire. She's clearly trying to position herself as a VP candidate.
Elise Stefanik is another Trump protege, who might get consideration. Stefanik might have better odds than DeSantis because she also parrots the Trump lines *and* she's from New York. It's worth noting that Trump's move to Florida a few years back makes pairing with Stefanik on the GOP ticket possible. It satisfies the Constitutional requirement that the President and Vice-President not both be from the same state. For a more recent example, see when Dick Cheney changed his registration from Texas to Wyoming.
Based on nothing other than how much Trump nurses a grudge, I don't think he'll pick DeSantis - he might act like it's in play for a while for maximum humiliation. Stefanik might be plausible because she's a woman who's all in for Trump, so that might appeal.... unless he's going to apply the same metrics as with his lawyer Alina Habba (conventionally attractive with big tits)
Thanks for playing, pudding fingers. Since you're ineligible to be re-elected in 2026, don't let the door hit you and Eva Braun 2.0 in the ass one the way out in 2027.
"Level 16" on Netflix. 13/19. A creepy story about a strict girls' "boarding school". Two of the girls plan their escape when they learn that the school isn't what it actually is. Suspenseful and entertaining with a little bit of sci-fi feel thrown in.
I've also been watching "Squid Game" finally. Just finished the episode where they play marbles. That was heartbreaking and wonderful television!
Saw The Zone of Interest this weekend. Brilliant film. Wish more people would see it. Not just about the Holocaust, but more generally human indifference.
Step-Ma Chitwood is a Sci-Fi buff, so we watched the original Alien (classic) and then Alien: Resurrection (an incredibly a gross movie). Also watched a Kiefer and Donald Sutherland duo western called Foresaken. Not awful…
As a lad, I got snowed in for a week. We had cards, canned food, and a VHS tape of the original Alien and Caddyshack. As a pre-teen struggling with puberty, I can say that I now had a thing for Sigourney Weaver and Cindy Morgan - who played Lacey Underall in Caddyshack but died three weeks ago.
Cal women's basketball team spilts with Oregon schools over the weekend. A tough loss to OSU on Friday but big win against the Ducks yesterday. The OSU loss probably means that the Bears need to pull off an upset to have a good chance at the post season, but the Oregon win keeps them in the hunt. Cal has equaled last season's win total with eleven to play. https://calbears.com/news/2024/1/21/womens-basketball-bears-down-the-ducks-66-57.aspx
[MSWIM] #1 ASU @ #2 Cal. Cal is behind going into the final event. Top 6 finishers score points. Through a quirk of math - it ends in a tie and is instantly the greatest college dual meet ever raced.
ICYMI: Ben Yurosek in the portal. Welcome to the new era of college football - really good college football player but not a sure-fire NFL pick = portal to the highest bidder. I'd make fun of Stanfurd who will only have only one good player next year, but Cal is not immune to this sort of stuff
Sheer stupidity and arrogance on the player. The player was making a beeline for wherever it was that she was going (locker room, presumably) and probably thought the fan would move a little faster. Actually, only the player knows what she thought. She did, however, MAKE NO ADJUSTMENT in her route or speed and plowed into/clipped the fan.
Hero/Heroine worship took over in reportage on this event.
Article said she was blindsided, but the video clearly shows her doing the blindsiding. The fan was in her field of vision. I don't know why media sticks with a narrative despite clear evidence to the contrary.
Agree. My biggest fear as a fan of college sports is that they take storming the field/court away from us. I get the overall concern for safety of student-athletes and fans even, but it's also one of the differentiating aspects of college sports that sets it apart from professional athletics. Clark is maybe my favorite athlete to watch right now, so would hate for her flop to be the reason that this is taken from us.
Yeah she ran over the (much smaller) fan! I am not sure if on purpose but the collision was def Clark’s fault. I think she intuited that and fell over/flopped on purpose in order to portray herself as the victim. Gimme a break
Comedy is the easiest genre to write, but the hardest to get right. And having a smartly written comedy about lowbrow humor is exceptionally difficult. For example, toilet humor is perhaps the lowest form of humor - so it needs to be a 10-out-of-10 joke to avoid being sophomoric. Honestly, has anyone every written two different bathroom toilet scenes better than these two movies?
i got called the N-word while riding my bike in Orange County shortly after the first Trump election .. still trying to think of what i should have said.
That is terrible and I am sorry this happened to you.
I don't think there is anything to say. These folks are not focused on how to bring meaning and happiness to their own lives, but are focused on destroying others and trolling to bring others down to their level. Why? Because, that is the path for someone who has failed at life. Best not to engage or edify this behavior (at least in the context you describe).
N'word is whole different ball of wax. I'm a big fan of using a thumbs down in instances of road rage etc. People expect you to flip them off or yell profanities, so that a thumbs down kinda throws them off in its sort of decency.
Side note: I did the 23andMe spit test a couple of years ago. I always wondered if what my mother told me about Native American heritage was true. According to 23andMe, it wasn't. However, there was something else that I didn't expect - 23andMe says that I am 0.4% Egyptian and 0.5% Nigerian. I find this interesting and suspect that this comes from my mother's side of the gene pool. I know exceptionally little about that side of my ancestry. My father's side is pretty well-documented, so I'm wondering where this bit comes from. About the only thing that Mom said in which I have any sort of confidence in, is that her background is almost entirely Irish. That did show up in the 23andMe test results.
I also find it rather gratifying. I took the view years ago that being human is what counts most. I think we're more closely related than most of us suspect. Racism just gets more and more dumb the longer I live.
better. The last month was a whirlwind: Cf98 got RSV, then Es99 got RSV and was hospitalized for a couple days, then it was Christmas, the missus bought a new car, 2024 happened, and we just got back from a weeklong trip to CA. And Es99 started her first day of preschool today, so we're off the hook after 10 months of balancing her and working from home. It's a quiet, calm, peaceful day in the house and I am very thankful for that.
my guess is that my externally facing continuously optimistic demeanor makes it seem like things are great. it is of course all by design to not have to say the tough things out loud.
i am thankful for DBD though. it does give me something of a safe space to complain about random things in a psuedo-anonymous way
PRO
30 years ago today, an exciting turn of events made a sports commentator go full Yorkshire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o58stoJJ5No
Lions come from behind in Q4 and beat the Buccaneers 31-23
https://www.espn.com/nfl/playbyplay/_/gameId/401547757
this was great. Goff and Lions played w/ good poise as the game winded down even though the Bucs had chances to keep it interesting.
hopefully Goff and the Lions have a chance in the game. i suspect they will have a harder time on the road ...
I feel like the 49ers got the bad game out of their system and will be much sharper next week. But the Lions do at least have the horses to keep up on offense.
Love Jared but his lack of mobility in the pocket figures to be a challenge, and though the weather should be better Sunday, he still tends to struggle when playing outdoors. The Niners’ struggles in the running game v GB was troubling, given DET can run the ball effectively with Montgomery and Jahmyr.
DET could absolutely win, but I was more concerned with Green Bay in the Divisional round than I am with the Lions. Pack were hot, their O-line was clicking and Love was on a heater. A 10-point spread was lunacy.
Gibbs the RB is a good big play threat, but they lack a WR who can stretch the field so it feels like a lot of dinking and dunking and need to convert a lot of 3rd downs (which St Brown is good at doing)
49ers come from behind in Q4 and beat the Packers 24-21
https://www.espn.com/nfl/game/_/gameId/401547756/packers-49ers
i didnt appreciate how hard it was raining near the end of the game until they showed.a good shot of the swirling winds and pouring rain.
And yet Shanahan called 39 passes to 18 runs (if you take out QB sneaks and scrambles) in these conditions! Pretty baffling if you have Christian McCaffrey on your team.
Purdy and Greenlaw bailed him out in the 4th quarter.
I think Scott Ostler has good insight on Shanahan's game calling psyche - he often calls plays with the goal of not to lose. And I think Super Bowl LI and LIV are perfect examples of that.
Shanahan reverts to what he considers his strength: play calls centered on the passing game. The problem is that if the players fail to execute your team goes 3 and out and you leave more time on the clock for your opponent. So, if you're up by 25 points with 15 minutes to play, you can get your a$$ handed to you because you didn't chew enough clock when you had the chance.
Maybe, but we've seen him just pound the rock all game if he thinks it'll work (2019 NFC Championship, for example). I don't know why he thought continuing to pass in the rain with Deebo Samuel injured was the best chance here.
I think Shanahan is wary of using McCaffrey too much. Samuel's presence takes some of the rushing load off McCaffrey.
But let's be fair here: McCaffrey is a beast (though, not Beast Mode). He's easily one of the most punishing running backs in the NFL today, if not the most punishing. You want that kind of player and you want that player to avoid injury. Problem being, that style of play is probably more prone to injury.
Deebo Samuel injured. 50/50 for NFC Championship vs. Lions
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39362497/source-deebo-samuel-considered-50-50-nfc-championship-game
This is the key to at least the NFC Championship game, and maybe the Super Bowl.
Yup. It’s a different O with #19.
Chiefs come from behind in Q4 and beat the Bills 27-24
https://www.espn.com/nfl/game/_/gameId/401547758/chiefs-bills
Travis Kelce celebrates his wide-open TD by chucking the ball into the stands and then doing a heart-hands to his beau Taylor Swift
https://twitter.com/BradHensonPro/status/1749427365338394642
His brother Jason celebrates like the same TD like the rest of us would
https://twitter.com/NFLonCBS/status/1749231771407843660
Ravens pull away from the Texans in Q4, win 34-10
https://www.espn.com/nfl/game/_/gameId/401547755/texans-ravens
A NON-EMPLOYMENT PROJECT THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON
Updated satellite system. Required a new cable run, and dealing with years of stuff/mess from living in the way. I got that done yesterday. Actual equipment install Thursday. I hope we got everything prepped/speced, but I also anticipate endless complications with any major project.
This after just having finished installing a new back glass in a truck canopy after a family member decided to back into a tree.
Thankfully, nothing at the moment. Though I do have a bath remodel in mind for the Spring and I need to replace the wheel hubs on my truck. Squeaking from the front right wheel makes me think I have a bad wheel bearing.
I am doing a big apartment clearout. The main mental block to doing this has always been having to haul everything down the 22 stairs from my apartment, and then the actual disposal, so I have said, screw it you can afford a frivolous expense so I have committed to myself to have the Got Junk people come by the end of the month to haul away everything I don't want/need. I want space in my cabinets and closets and no stacks of shit anywhere.
I have also had no backsplash in my kitchen for going on two years due to decision paralysis after replacing my countertops. I have finally bought the new tile and now just need to hire a dude to install it, which will be an easy job so I am hoping to have that all done in the next four weeks.
Helping elder parent recognize that they need to make some risk management accommodations for their older age. Any tips/success stories?
I talked about this a few days back:
https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/dbd-01-16-2024-sorry/comments
If they're normal humans, they're going to fight to have their independence and you're going to need to risk-manage things until things go badly enough that its obvious they can't have the independence.
1. They probably wont' want a Life Alert thingy. Install Siri/Google/Alexa spots around their house and show them how to use it. If they fall, they can call 911. My SIL's FIL fell and forgot that he could call 911 vis Siri. Because he was on the floor so long, he has life-threatening complications. He is alone in a hospital bed under Covid protocol and hasn't had anyone been able to visit him despite his wife of 60 years dying last week.
2. Replace tub with step-in shower.
3. Apply handles/rails everywhere. Next to toilet. In shower. Next to sink. Near where they get dressed. Next to the bed. Rail next to the front door so they can get packages left outside.
4. Install a fire blanket and small extinguisher. Not close to the stove, but close enough where it can be reached. Fire blankets are much easier to operate and might not have the strength to pull the pin on an extinguisher, but might as well have both. Someone is going to leave the stove on. They always do. A smoke alarm near, but not in, the kitchen also helps mitigate this risk.
5. Fix all the transition spots (eg, carpet to flooring). Elderly shuffle their feet and they are inevitably going to stumble on even the most trivial of bumps. Ideally, it's just a flat floor. No loose rugs. Replace bathmats with a big giant weighted rugs
6. Everything needs to be downstairs. Upstairs is now storage only.
7. Go to a lawyer that specializes in estate planning. I got mine through MetLaw and she thought of things I would have never thought of. Make their resuscitation/continuation wishes controlled by one person with backups. Make those wishes known to the inner circle of people because this is going to be a fight. I watched a special on Netflix and every single one of them had family members who agonized over this decision, even when their preferences were known but not written down.
8. I am a known fan of motion-sensor light switches for places where they would have their hands full. Laundry room. Pantry. Closet. People trip because they can't see.
9. Declutter all walk ways.
10. Check max temperature on their water heater.
11. Install slip treads in the shower.
12. If you can, install a towel hook inside the shower. Leaning out of the shower for a towel is a significant risk. Having a towel ready to go inside a shower is kinda nice. I have one now. It's like this.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Plastic-S-Hooks-for-Towel-Bar-Large-Plastic-Towel-Hooks-for-Bathroom-Shower-Room-White-1-Piece/2874117923?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=1473
Fantastic list, thanks. We have the Alexa set up, a 15+ year old estate plan that he has agreed to update (now to get the appointment with the lawyer), handrails went up on the front porch and the step-in shower last summer during bad fall event-- now to check to see if he left those up or not... Need to work on the rest of the list. Just ordered the fire blanket! I hope it doesn't take a fall to finally get him to budge on eliminating the throw rugs. Driving is the other thing we need to get him to agree to limite more...
It was SO HARD to get my mom to stop driving. We finally just refused to renew her license to end the discussion once and for all, and then donated her car!
Getting Mrs Bk97's Mini ready for sale (she bought an Acura RDX a few weeks ago). It needed its annual service, detailing inside and out, a state inspection, and an updated title (I never removed the lienholder after we paid it off several years ago). Now I just have to put together an ad and hope it sells quickly.
I would think it would sell quickly if priced right.
I bought a 2008 GTi as a daily commuter to save the on mileage, and wear and tear of my A4 and have decided that I cannot continue to go on without the modern conveniences and am going to be installing an Apple Carplay and a backup cam on the GTi.
Tell me more about installing Apple Carplay. It's the one thing missing in my car that would prevent me from driving it until it absolutely falls apart.
You just install a new head unit in your car stereo. I did this as a total revamp to my car stereo last year. I installed myself but had to buy some aftermarket parts to ensure the new stereo interfaced with the existing controls (for example, the remote volume button on the steering wheel). Crutchfield, where I purchased everything, has all the aftermarket pieces and trim plate for the dash bezel as a one package and their customer support is phenomenal. You can also just go to a reputable car stereo dealer and have them do it.
This. I'm doing it myself but my biggest hang up from getting started is where I'm going to mount the camera. Any car stereo shop could do it for you. I know Best Buy always has deals like free install with the purchase of $200 stereo
I was surprised how well the backup camera worked when installed on my dad's mid-2000s car. For any of you with older parents and old cars they can't or stubbornly refuse to replace, get them to add the backup camera or have it installed for them.
I've been considering this for our 2005 Honda CR-V. The CR-V is built well and is running without problems (minus a catalytic converter theft, but I digress). We're going to have that car for a while longer yet. A backup cam would help us feel safer and more confident when others might be around.
A quality backup cam on my truck was the single best safety improvement in years, and the best upgrade since in car navigation was invented. In dark/tight situations, especially if you are also in an unfamiliar space, or one where random children might be anywhere, it makes a huge difference, I don't care how good you are with mirrors.
Haven't started yet but need to try to soon. Put in shelves in a cabinet that can be used as a pantry so my mom doesn't have to use a step stool to get to the shelves over the over and said cabinet.
Reorganize the pantry/kitchen.
Build a rack in dock closet to organize life vests, water skis, and what not.
Prep the garden for spring, which has tended to show up in February thanks to global warming
Trying to find a publisher or agent for my third novel, also trying to get started on my fourth.
I've always wanted to be a writer, but don't have the time or focus. Good good for you!
on my aspirational list of non-employment projects
- digitize family photos. 90% of it is slides that my dad took over the years and he died about 7 yrs ago. if i dont do anything they will probably be gone forever.
- similarly, i discovered that one of my cousins in India has a ton of old photo albums w/ many 50+ yr old photos that she got from my grandmother.
and lastly .. some sort of family tree/genealogy effort. do people have suggestions?
i dont really need to find long lost relatives on a giant web based app. i just want an easy way to know how i am related as well as a place to put name/phone/address.
sort of like goggle contact + calendar + genealogy app. i dont want just a giant spreadsheet. but it might be trending that direction ..
Definitely just send those slides out to be digitized. My mom did this for all of our family photos many years ago and it's great to have them all.
My wife, whose ancestors were from across Europe, bought the tests. My family did Ancestry and the experience was both disappointing and had unintended consequences. I did the first generation tests, which told me that my ancestors were from the Asian continent. No shit, Sherlock. And then Ancestry refined its testing and told me my ancestors were 100% from Japan. Again, I already knew that. And we new that my paternal grandfather left my pregnant grandmother during WW2. She had to marry his friend who was in the US army to prevent the family from being shipped off to internment camps. My paternal grandfather's name is forbidden to be mentioned and I named my son after the gentleman that married my grandmother. So the DNA tests came back with a trail of kids that he had sired across America and their progeny - a painful reminder of the past. I have no interest in knowing half second-cousins. And the geneology will only map to those who have used the same service - so it's not like you're going to find out that you' re related to Ghandi or Ghengis Khan. In the end, Ancestry didn't reveal anything new to me and just brought up painful history.
given how prolific Ghengis Khan was, i suspect we are all related to him!
https://www.livescience.com/genghis-khan-death-cause-revealed.html
urban legend claims he died while having sex. probably not true ...
To honor or sully Genghis Khan's memory, both friends and foes of the Mongols told a number of legends about his death, the scientists said. One story claims he succumbed to blood loss after getting stabbed or castrated by a princess of the Tangut people, a Tibeto-Burman tribe in northwest China.
Doing something about my father’s model train collection (he collected a very specific type of model train, so I’m about to try moving his entire collection on via consignment, got a couple of places to try. Due to visit my mother next month so there’s some time pressure to work with, might actually get this done)
A fun alternative might be to get into model railroading. You have a great opportunity that would cost an arm and a leg to do from scratch. I've got several friends that are into it, and its the single best thing they do.
OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY
GOP operatives use OpenAI to influence elections
https://www.thedailybeast.com/openai-shuts-down-chatgpt-use-in-dean-phillips-campaign-bot
DeSantis has ended his campaign for president, I for one am heartbroken (I am not heartbroken)
Only thing I will miss is the nickname Tiny D - such a good one!
Having to watch a re-run of Biden v Trump is a barf-inducing prospect though. I feel like the guy in Clockwork Orange.
Another thought - if T loses in general, will he be back again in 2028, claiming that 20 and 24 were stolen?
I'm assuming he'll be dead or institutionalized by then.
fingers crossed etc
What odds do you give for Trump picking DeSantis as VP running mate? I am doubtful but others (including DeSantis) seem to this T would go for this.
I'd think the odds are probably higher than most people think - 40/60. DeSantis is a Trump sycophant, which Trump likes. Trump would be gratified to know that he has someone who would gladly represent him as his VP. See Mike Pence in 2016 for evidence of this take.
Also, I notice that Nikki Haley is softening her criticism of Trump while campaigning in New Hampshire. She's clearly trying to position herself as a VP candidate.
Elise Stefanik is another Trump protege, who might get consideration. Stefanik might have better odds than DeSantis because she also parrots the Trump lines *and* she's from New York. It's worth noting that Trump's move to Florida a few years back makes pairing with Stefanik on the GOP ticket possible. It satisfies the Constitutional requirement that the President and Vice-President not both be from the same state. For a more recent example, see when Dick Cheney changed his registration from Texas to Wyoming.
Based on nothing other than how much Trump nurses a grudge, I don't think he'll pick DeSantis - he might act like it's in play for a while for maximum humiliation. Stefanik might be plausible because she's a woman who's all in for Trump, so that might appeal.... unless he's going to apply the same metrics as with his lawyer Alina Habba (conventionally attractive with big tits)
You're probably right about DeSantis. I keep forgetting how important it is to T to be able to humiliate someone else.
Never underestimate the power of large human mammaries to sway people with or without huge egos.
Thanks for playing, pudding fingers. Since you're ineligible to be re-elected in 2026, don't let the door hit you and Eva Braun 2.0 in the ass one the way out in 2027.
DBD AV CLUB
BoomTho showing his art talent
https://twitter.com/boomtho/status/1748817529613762922
"Level 16" on Netflix. 13/19. A creepy story about a strict girls' "boarding school". Two of the girls plan their escape when they learn that the school isn't what it actually is. Suspenseful and entertaining with a little bit of sci-fi feel thrown in.
I've also been watching "Squid Game" finally. Just finished the episode where they play marbles. That was heartbreaking and wonderful television!
Saw The Zone of Interest this weekend. Brilliant film. Wish more people would see it. Not just about the Holocaust, but more generally human indifference.
Step-Ma Chitwood is a Sci-Fi buff, so we watched the original Alien (classic) and then Alien: Resurrection (an incredibly a gross movie). Also watched a Kiefer and Donald Sutherland duo western called Foresaken. Not awful…
As a lad, I got snowed in for a week. We had cards, canned food, and a VHS tape of the original Alien and Caddyshack. As a pre-teen struggling with puberty, I can say that I now had a thing for Sigourney Weaver and Cindy Morgan - who played Lacey Underall in Caddyshack but died three weeks ago.
I saw Cindy Morgan recently passed away. Caddyshack was all-time.
Madonna with meatballs
CAL
Cal women's basketball team spilts with Oregon schools over the weekend. A tough loss to OSU on Friday but big win against the Ducks yesterday. The OSU loss probably means that the Bears need to pull off an upset to have a good chance at the post season, but the Oregon win keeps them in the hunt. Cal has equaled last season's win total with eleven to play. https://calbears.com/news/2024/1/21/womens-basketball-bears-down-the-ducks-66-57.aspx
Instead of reading a recap of the weekend's action on the main page readers are provided with a review of a season that ended over a month ago.
Go Bears!!!
[MSWIM] #1 ASU @ #2 Cal. Cal is behind going into the final event. Top 6 finishers score points. Through a quirk of math - it ends in a tie and is instantly the greatest college dual meet ever raced.
https://calbears.com/news/2024/1/20/mens-swimming-diving-13-pool-records-go-down-at-spieker.aspx
https://twitter.com/kylesockwell/status/1748825909132513455
ELSEWHERE IN COLLEGE
ICYMI: Ben Yurosek in the portal. Welcome to the new era of college football - really good college football player but not a sure-fire NFL pick = portal to the highest bidder. I'd make fun of Stanfurd who will only have only one good player next year, but Cal is not immune to this sort of stuff
I hate her team, but I respect what she's done
https://www.cbssports.com/womens-college-basketball/news/tara-vanderveer-becomes-winningest-coach-in-ncaa-basketball-history-stanford-legend-recounts-journey-to-1203/
Florida football is under investigation
https://www.tampabay.com/sports/gators/2024/01/19/florida-gators-ncaa-investigation-recruiting-nil/
Iowa star player Caitlin Clark collides with an Ohio State fan that rushed the court after the Buckeyes upset the Hawkeyes. Real or flop?
https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39356881/iowa-caitlin-clark-colliding-buckeyes-fan-kind-scary
https://twitter.com/NuccioKing/status/1749401947700973940
Sheer stupidity and arrogance on the player. The player was making a beeline for wherever it was that she was going (locker room, presumably) and probably thought the fan would move a little faster. Actually, only the player knows what she thought. She did, however, MAKE NO ADJUSTMENT in her route or speed and plowed into/clipped the fan.
Hero/Heroine worship took over in reportage on this event.
Article said she was blindsided, but the video clearly shows her doing the blindsiding. The fan was in her field of vision. I don't know why media sticks with a narrative despite clear evidence to the contrary.
Agree. My biggest fear as a fan of college sports is that they take storming the field/court away from us. I get the overall concern for safety of student-athletes and fans even, but it's also one of the differentiating aspects of college sports that sets it apart from professional athletics. Clark is maybe my favorite athlete to watch right now, so would hate for her flop to be the reason that this is taken from us.
Flop. She purposely runs into the tOSU fan and pushes her then flops.
I was good with the no-call.
Yeah she ran over the (much smaller) fan! I am not sure if on purpose but the collision was def Clark’s fault. I think she intuited that and fell over/flopped on purpose in order to portray herself as the victim. Gimme a break
The pushoff definitely makes it look like a flop
I thought the arms extended was more a natural reaction to getting bumped. But neither gave ground, though the karen wasn't looking around.
Duane Akina named Arizona DC. Looks like he was already a DB coach there last year.
Fun fact: all those Akina memes on CGB started a DECADE ago. Time flies...
I miss CGB and the gif oracle. Those were the good ol' days and those gifs helped me endure the Tosh backstabbing.
I miss Redonkulous Bear.
Have your jimmies been rustled?
Never expected Wilcox to become our long tenured Head coach. Maybe it was good we can't post gifs anymore.
Wilcox lipping his lips in slow motion!
Yeah that was after the disastrous 2013 season.
Name a movie that seemed dumb based on the premise/trailer, but was actually a good film
Dumb & Dumber
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Comedy is the easiest genre to write, but the hardest to get right. And having a smartly written comedy about lowbrow humor is exceptionally difficult. For example, toilet humor is perhaps the lowest form of humor - so it needs to be a 10-out-of-10 joke to avoid being sophomoric. Honestly, has anyone every written two different bathroom toilet scenes better than these two movies?
Yeah comedy is all in the execution, writing is less important
Couldn't agree more with Austin Powers. Along that same line, I would add The Naked Gun. Same kind of humor.
The Man with Two Brains .. Steve Martin classic from 1983
Steve Martin is some genius brain scientist that can transplant brains and uses such technology to save a woman whose brain he falls in love with.
HAG and I watched this in HS.
I'm doing ...
Immediate term, okay, I threw out my back at the gym. Not as bad as other times, but I was in a great routine working out and it has thrown that off.
In the medium term, anxious as hell about the end of 2024 and outcome of elections.
i guess i am less anxious about the outcome of elections because i am already expecting the worst ..
Me too, but a huge part of the anxiety is in not knowing how to respond when it does.
i got called the N-word while riding my bike in Orange County shortly after the first Trump election .. still trying to think of what i should have said.
That is terrible and I am sorry this happened to you.
I don't think there is anything to say. These folks are not focused on how to bring meaning and happiness to their own lives, but are focused on destroying others and trolling to bring others down to their level. Why? Because, that is the path for someone who has failed at life. Best not to engage or edify this behavior (at least in the context you describe).
N'word is whole different ball of wax. I'm a big fan of using a thumbs down in instances of road rage etc. People expect you to flip them off or yell profanities, so that a thumbs down kinda throws them off in its sort of decency.
A smile and a wave would probably throw them, as well.
"Thank You for your support." That's easy for me to say, presenting as Whitey McWhiterson.
Some people are demonstrably deplorable. Hurling racial epithets demonstrates that fact, again and again. Sorry you had to encounter that ish.
Side note: I did the 23andMe spit test a couple of years ago. I always wondered if what my mother told me about Native American heritage was true. According to 23andMe, it wasn't. However, there was something else that I didn't expect - 23andMe says that I am 0.4% Egyptian and 0.5% Nigerian. I find this interesting and suspect that this comes from my mother's side of the gene pool. I know exceptionally little about that side of my ancestry. My father's side is pretty well-documented, so I'm wondering where this bit comes from. About the only thing that Mom said in which I have any sort of confidence in, is that her background is almost entirely Irish. That did show up in the 23andMe test results.
I also find it rather gratifying. I took the view years ago that being human is what counts most. I think we're more closely related than most of us suspect. Racism just gets more and more dumb the longer I live.
"If you're going to be racist at least get the slur correct?"
better. The last month was a whirlwind: Cf98 got RSV, then Es99 got RSV and was hospitalized for a couple days, then it was Christmas, the missus bought a new car, 2024 happened, and we just got back from a weeklong trip to CA. And Es99 started her first day of preschool today, so we're off the hook after 10 months of balancing her and working from home. It's a quiet, calm, peaceful day in the house and I am very thankful for that.
first day of preschool today .. fun
A day that you remember forever.
just OK.
my guess is that my externally facing continuously optimistic demeanor makes it seem like things are great. it is of course all by design to not have to say the tough things out loud.
i am thankful for DBD though. it does give me something of a safe space to complain about random things in a psuedo-anonymous way