John_Brian_K

1-1/2 episodes into 3 Body Problem....and gotta say this is my kind of series.  Really enjoying all the possibilities.

19 hours ago, Toddwert said:

have you watched Justified that did a season (City Primeval) based in Detroit 

Finished the first season just after we finished catching up on the old series.  Not as great IMO, but pretty good.

2 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

there is a lot of energy around fixed wing VTOL electric commuter airplanes. Very complex mechanical system to achieve a high enough level of safety. I'm not holding my breath on that one.

I have always assumed something along those lines would be the next thing.  Even if they are 10-15 years away...it would take that long just to get a budget plan for revamping the rail lines.

I do not think that USA map is very inclusive.  Also I think the time of rail is closing to an end so it make sense for the USA to wait until that next break through with travel.  It is too late to spend billions on new rail lines IMO.  MAYBE replace the current lines with bullet trains which would need new rail and cars etc, but a full on revamping of a way of travel that has been around for 200+ years?  Seems like a huge waste.  There is a next gen way of fast/convenient travel and I doubt it is on a rail line.

It is fine, but they still could have made it much bigger.

On 4/18/2023 at 3:23 PM, chasfh said:

“Big Six” sports teams in the U.S. and Canada by media market

 

You may notice the Nashville Predators are missing. Not sure of anyone else is.

EDIT: Reviewing it in a little more depth, the thing that surprises me the most is the realization that London, ONT is a top 60 media market!

We are missing the MLS portion of the pie....sad.

A question as old as time itself, but we all know who is really to blame.....

On 4/10/2024 at 9:12 PM, oblong said:

A number I didn’t recognize sent me $50 in Apple Cash.  It wasn’t until then I realized you have to manually set it up to not automatically accept it.  
 

I did some googling and it seems like a scam.  There’s no way to “report” it. Scam is that they steal a card or number and link it to an Apple Cash account and send to you. Then claim it was a mistake and ask you to send it back. You do that.  Seems reasonable.  But when the person with the stolen card goes thru the fraud process and if plays out then eventually they take that money out of your Apple Pay account. Which you already “refunded” 
 

what I don’t get is how they cannot figure out who did it by the person sending the cash. They linked the card to an Apple account.  If they can figure out it was sent to me then can’t they figure out who sent it? 
I deleted the text and reported it as “junk”. They called but left no voice mail.  I’m not touching the money.  If after a few months I still have it then I will buy someone’s dinner. 

That last bit is spot on.  The "Accidently sent you money" thing has been around awhile now.  

Another series I am way behind on, but started watching the Wire last night.  2 episodes in and I really enjoy it like I knew I would.  I have heard such good things about the show.  I wish it was based in Detroit, but other than that I like it alot.

1 hour ago, oblong said:

I drove by the new DETROIT sign on I 94 yesterday on the way to the game and from the freeway it looks good.  Don't let the still photographs from across the freeway fool you.  They did a fine job.

 

I had not even heard about this sign until it was done, but if the concept art is what they were advertising then they did a crap job.  It looks about 6-7 times smaller than what the concept shown.  This is not a pumped up big mac on tv and a flat crap patty at McD's...this is a bait and switch.  It is just a principle thing for me.  I am sick of people just being ok with being lied to.

"Watch it fly!"

Into Mastodon and slipknot lately.

Use a trad external drive then back that up with a static external 3 tb.  Back up the disc one to the static one every 6 months or so....mostly for pictures.  Google now has many of my pics, but I dl those every few months also on the HD so they cannot hold them hostage in 10 years asking for 1000.00 a year to store them or something.

Little late to the party, but started House of the Dragon a few weeks ago, almost done with the first season.  Different that the original...not amazing, but it has good sets and the acting is ok.

4 hours ago, Motor City Sonics said:

Very difficult decisions will have to be made soon. Is it safer to stay here and wait for rescue or should I go out and pursue rescue? Who knows how far I'll have to go to find any evidence of life. We have enough supplies to last until mid-April, but if recuse doesn't happen by then some very drastic decision might have to be made, like, do I actually eat that $1 frozen Michelina pasta primavera that has been in my freezer since 2018? I will do my best to keep you posted on our plight. My dog Lucy is staying as upbeat as she can. She's playing it off like she doesn't care. Her bravery knows no bounds (except when there's thunder). I need to save my strength for the desperate, dangerous days ahead. Until then, be careful and please let me know if the Tigers release Javy Baez.

 

It took me 2 hours to get to work today...normally a 30 minute commute, 40 tops.

What the hell did they need CGI in a movie like that for?  Did Godzilla make an appearance?

1 hour ago, oblong said:

I just scheduled my first colonoscopy.

Obviously I've heard the worst part is the prep with fasting and drinking the stuff... I'm just letting y'all know in case it prompts someone to get off their ass and schedule theirs if eligible.

 

Had my first one last year.  Nothing about it was bad at all IMO.  Not that I want to party with laxatives and gallons of gatorade, but it was not bad at all.

18 hours ago, oblong said:

Having retired siblings with nothing to do but obsess over items that are like #278 on your list. 
 

An aunt died late last year and the memorial is next month in TN.  I’m driving down by myself for various reasons.  This is located in a college town and in the area near the freeway every possible hotel chain you can imagine and some you never heard of is located there. I mean you have 3 or 4 sharing a parking lot.  I quickly glanced at availability and its wide open and prices are fine. I’m being bombarded with questions on where I am staying and if I want them to book (no, I want to utilize my points) to let them know when I booked, etc.  keep in mind I will see this sibling 4 or 5 times before we leave. She’s local.  I’m working. I have a wife. A special needs son. I’m going out most nights doing stuff.  I’m not worried about this. It’s not on my radar especially at 2:00 pm on a Monday.  It’s not that big of a deal.  

This one hits a little for me.  2 brothers basically retired who I barely see anymore, also 2 special needs boys at home.  My father just passed last month and the amount of argument over minute details about the funeral sucked the life out of me.

On 3/12/2024 at 5:09 PM, Tiger337 said:

Glad you like it.  It's a great series. 

Have you read all 19 books?  I am on 5 right now on chapter 30 and think I got it figured out just based on his past books, but could be way off.

On 3/16/2024 at 12:49 PM, casimir said:

It’s funny to think back to what my first phone was vs what I have now.  It was gotten for me over 20 years ago by wife because my wheels broke down on the way to work (a 45 minute jaunt).  It was literally just a phone.  A flimsy plastic antenna that could be pulled out of the phone which probably didn’t really do anything to help at all.  I think I could text with it, but it only had alphanumeric keys, so it took forever to text anyone.

I was 18 I think and paid by the minute on the contract.  Had to unhook the battery, attach it to a charger that plugged directly into the wall.  I thought I was sooo cool.

39 minutes ago, oblong said:

Interesting.  I've never had that happen to me.  As it is, the only people who call my phone are scammers or Walgreen's for prescriptions.

 

 

Yeah feels like it happens much more than would be considered just a coincidence.  

41 minutes ago, casimir said:

I seldom use my phone as a phone.

Same, I very rarely use it to talk to someone....the only time I use it as a phone is when it is connected to my car and I use it that way with speaker phone, but never really just up to my ear.

2 minutes ago, oblong said:

are you saying they call then you pick it up b/c of the call or you just pick it up to get, then you get the call?  Like something detects you have it in your hand so they call?

 

Yeah like I just grab my phone to check the time or something and the phone rings with a random number, so I am looking at the phone...my phone case is a fold over and always facing up...so the back camera always just sees my desk or whatever and the the front camera sees nothing because the case is covering the camera...I unfold the case to look at the screen and a call comes in at that moment.  Not before...like a second after looking at the phone. 

The number of times I will pick up my phone during the day and immediately have some random number call me is pretty disturbing.  Beyond coincidence IMO.

I feel like all this kind of thing is basically just accepted as a part of modern living in the 2020's..."You did nothing wrong...what are you scared of?"

I guarantee every single generation goes through a similar thing, but it is sad IMO.

4 hours ago, Motor City Sonics said:

Has any else's DTE bills been through the roof the last 3 months?   Mine are insane and we had an easy winter.   I literally keep my house 60 degrees at night (I like it chilly when sleeping).    

I am on the plan and mine have stayed the same for the most part even through the reassessing process.