I think many of the security questions could be figured out by someone with enough determination. There are some facebook "name generators" that do just that: "First name is the name of your first pet, middle name is the name of the city where you were born, last name is your 1st grade teacher's name." A work around is just to choose a default answer to use for the security questions, but that could present a separate set of issues.
Pointing out the cannonball as being dangerous is probably the worst. As far as ways to jump into a pool, that is probably the safest. It does not carry the risks that come with misjudging the depth before diving in head first or with legs extended. Obviously a ladder would be safer, but where is the fun in that?
As a kid, I was always an adventurous eater (and I still am). I always hated eating off of the kids menu. If I am was a seafood restaurant, or a chinese restaurant, or whatever, I did not want a burger, chicken nuggets, or a grilled cheese. I rarely repeat an order at a restaurant. If I can find something I have not had, I usually go for it. My son is also somewhat adventurous, and is pretty willing to try new things.
As far as different tastes go, I think part of that is physiological. Certain people may detect compounds that other people cannot, or else they perceive that compound differently. Something one person likes and another cannot stand may taste completely different to the two of them. One of my company's managers, who works on the fragrance side, has a very sensitive and discriminating sense of smell. He is also very picky about what he eats. I am certain the two facts are related.
I used to have a mental block about eating bananas after throwing them up once. It was only very recently that I tried them again. I realized I like the taste, but there is still a mental hurdle that I have to overcome. I have to convince myself that I like them before I take a bite.
I used to dislike a lot of veggies. I think some of the things I did not like were a result of my mom's cooking, such that things got a bit mushy. When my son got onto solid food, I realized I could not require him to eat things that I would not eat myself. I forced myself to try things that I did not like. Some things I eat, even though I do not enjoy them. Some things, I started to like. There are a few foods, like yellow squash, that have to be just right for me to eat them.
I definitely second the idea of revisiting foods every few years.
I have made it through 3 episodes of The Wire. I think I mentioned it before, but I am watching more slowly, since I am giving the show my full attention. The show definitely has my interest. I have a feeling D'Angelo's little chess lesson is going to turn out to be an encapsulation of the first season, if not the entire series.
On the other hand, I tore through several episodes of Supernatural and the entire Season 1 of Parks and Recreation while occupied with other things.
I have avoided watching ahead on B5. I like the viewing to be fresh when the recap comes up. It is also interesting watching with a pace more akin to how it would have been viewed initially, instead of tearing through an episode or two every night.
I did not get in much gaming this weekend. I found an app that can be used to track a Magic the Gathering collection, and I spent time using the camera to scan in my collection.
I finally started to dig into Dominions 4. The game has a huge learning curve, and I never played Dom 3 enough to master it the first time around, so I am relearning as well as adjusting to the changes.
I am playing the nation of Pangea, which is all about growth and life and forests, and has a greek flavor to it. Some of your commanders are harpies and druids, and some of the regular troops are satyrs and centaurs. The best mages are Pans, which are goat legged-humanoids who, through the power of their rugged, masculine virility attract topless berserker maenads to fight for you. If that is not enough, you can summon plant-based undead animals, satyrs, and minotaurs to fill out your army.
The other nations I am fighting against are Arcoscephale, which is more of civilized Greece with hoplites and elephants; Agartha, cave dwelling aquatic giants; Ermor, which are based on the Roman empire (though if you choose to set the game in a later age, they have become a nation of undead due to some bad choices); and Tien Chi, which are based on China, and have pretty good magical presence.
You can choose to play an Early Age, Middle Age, or Late Age game. Each nation is different in different ages, and sometimes they even have 2 different offshoots, headed down different paths. Ermor splits into the undead Ashen Empire and Marignon, the Holy Inquisition trying to deal with the undead threat. Magic is fading, so in later ages you find few magic gem producing sites, and often the mages are less powerful. Many nations are dying, and sometimes turn to dark power to survive. In a Late Age game, chances are the victor is left with a world without much left to rule over.
Thanks. I cannot deny being a bit nervous, since I have never lived very far from the place I grew up, but overall I am very excited and looking forward to the change (for the same reason).
If they do not give a decisive title change soon, and continue to pull shenanigans to give Daniel Bryan the victory, then take the title away again, I will lose interest. I like the HBK ref angle for the next PPV, since there are legitimate reasons he could go either way. I hope it gets proper resolution, however it ends.
This week I accepted my relocation offer, so I will be moving to Houston at the beginning of next year. This weekend, I will attack the junk room and figure out what I will get rid of. Maybe.
There should be some time with Dominions 4, and that is a game that can easily suck away the hours.
Perhaps some general housecleaning.
Probably watch a few episodes of The Wire.
I may try to watch last weekend's Battleground PPV, or at least some highlights.
I want to get back to painting some miniatures that I got.
I need to get in some serious guitar time. I have been neglectful this week.
I have feeling this list is going to get truncated before the weekend is over.
I get this sentiment, and I partially agree. On the other hand, if significant hand washing is required first, there seems to be no point on using a dishwasher. A rinse is fine, and a scrub for something that is particularly stuck-on. However, a typical dish should not require much.
Is there a trick for getting peanut butter off that does not require washing the knife by hand?
It’s simple chemistry. Soap just makes water wetter but dishwasher soap works by changing the pH of the water.
Most home dishwashing liquids are detergents, not soap. Saying they just "make water wetter" is an oversimplification. There is a bit more involved in lifting the soils from the substrate. There is a heck of a lot of work that goes into improving their performance in home dishwashers, especially as HE standards become a bigger deal, reducing temperature and water use. Throw in a phosphate ban, requiring new chemistry to prevents spots, and it becomes even more of a challenge, especially with cost considerations to deal with.
The reason high pH is so effective in industrial dishwashing is that it turns the fat and oil into soap.
Earth ships do not have gravity. They do not have the technology. Other races do. B5 uses rotation to simulate gravity.
Ivanova really gets some of the best lines in the series. The B5 mantra last episode. Her response to Londo in this episode. There are very few episodes where she does not get to say something memorable.
I have a question regarding Garibaldi and alcoholism. I do not have any personal experience to go by. In the episode where he was accused of sabotage, he started drinking. He seemed to stop again without too much trouble. I always got the impression that it was a struggle to get back on the wagon. Was that too neat and tidy? Am I overanalyzing, and I should just assume that Garibaldi struggles with the temptation, even if it is not really addressed on screen?
We really do learn a lot about Londo. He says he lead the charge in a battle, but it would be easy to assume that was just pompous blustering. However, Ivanova (I think) seems very impressed with his flying. Before now, I think it would have been easy to assume he had just grown up relatively pampered and sheltered.
Got some reading done while my car was having some work done, book four of The Wheel of Time.
I watched a few episodes of Supernatural (season 2) and Attack on Titan (which took an unexpected turn a few episodes in).
I also watched the first episode of The Wire. I think The Wire will be a little bit slower to get through than other shows, because it seems to be one that demands full attention. I do not see myself watching it while fiddling with something in my tablet.
I am taking my car in for an alignment tomorrow morning, which means about 2 hours of reading while I wait.
I might finally fire up Dominions 4. The current release date is tomorrow, but with preorder, you get in on the beta. I got it earlier this week, but I have not had a chance to play it. In this game, you play a superpower pretender who is attempting to become a god, fighting against other pretenders trying to become gods. You have a fantasy race, and the races are drawn from every mythology. I have not read the full lists, but Dom 3 had flesh eating giants from Hebrew mythology, valkyries, lizard people, and the R'yleh race of illithids and other aberrations who spread madness within their domain.
You battle to conquer a map, moving armies from province to province. You cannot control the battles directly, but you can give limited orders to units and commanders before turning them lose. The game can be played single player, but it is difficult for the AI to cope with all of the options. Where it shines is multiplayer. Turns are simultaneous, so everyone plans their turns and submits them, then they are resolved.
I have also wrapped up much of the TV I had been watching, so I need to figure out what I am going to hit next. I may watch Season 2 of Supernatural, but I am also considering starting The Wire, Sons of Anarchy, and The Sopranos.
I really enjoy travel, but the past few years (bad marriage) made it impossible, and left my finances in bad shape. In the next year or two, I think I will be in a much better position to get out more and hopefully make my son a part of it.
Guitar is one. I have been playing about a year and a half, and making steady progress. I am nowhere near wear I want to be, but I keep moving forward. There is not much time at home where my hands are otherwise unoccupied that they are not playing. I think I will end up getting lessons before too long, to really push me forward. I would like to get to the point where I am writing my own songs.
Actually, music in general is a passion of mine. It is rare that I do not have music in the background of whatever I am doing. When I was younger, I used to compose with sequencing software on my computer and my Roland JV-1080. It is something I would like to get back to.
Boardgaming is something I enjoy. I have not been able to do it as much as I would like lately. Most of my group seems to have gotten too busy for us to get together regularly. The fellowship with friends is as big a part of it as the games themselves.
There are some other things that I would like to do, but dedicating time to additional hobbies takes time away from the ones I currently do. I have some story ideas I would like to get written down. I also came up with an idea for a board game that I would like to pursue. Maybe in the future I will change gears to make them happen.
Particular thing I’ve never gotten about conservative rhetoric on it is it seems to shade from “This health reform law is bad” into “anything resembling collective responsibility with regard to health care is bad”. The latter seems to oppose the very concept of insurance (a pool of resources in a group set aside for when crappy situations come up among particular members), no?
There is a difference between people choosing to pool their money in the way that works makes the most sense for them, and being forced to do it with no consideration of individual circumstances. Forcing insurance companies to disregard the expected cost of an individual when determining premiums results in healthy people paying more to cover unhealthy people. If someone chooses to live an unhealthy lifestyle, and that increases their healthcare costs, it costs everyone. If gives people a vested interest in the health of other people. The argument for intrusive laws, such as limiting soft drink sizes or controlling the amount of sugar, becomes stronger.
If I am covering the cost of my own healthcare, and I choose to keep myself fit. If I sacrifice the time required to exercise and sacrifice the hedonistic pleasures of junk food, along with the physical benefits, there can be financial benefits. I can choose a high deductible insurance plan, to cover emergencies, without too much worry. Unless the mandate has changed from earlier versions, that is no longer an option.
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.
On “What’s in a Maiden Name?”
I think many of the security questions could be figured out by someone with enough determination. There are some facebook "name generators" that do just that: "First name is the name of your first pet, middle name is the name of the city where you were born, last name is your 1st grade teacher's name." A work around is just to choose a default answer to use for the security questions, but that could present a separate set of issues.
On “Just Stop”
Pointing out the cannonball as being dangerous is probably the worst. As far as ways to jump into a pool, that is probably the safest. It does not carry the risks that come with misjudging the depth before diving in head first or with legs extended. Obviously a ladder would be safer, but where is the fun in that?
On “Anti-Jazz!”
I listened to that Radiolab episode, and I found it interesting, but somehow I forgot about it. Thanks for the reminder.
On “Sunday!”
That is good to hear. I enjoyed it, but I was not blown away.
Does Leslie Knope become less of a Michael Scott clone and develop more of her own personality?
On “Tips for Foodie Parents”
As a kid, I was always an adventurous eater (and I still am). I always hated eating off of the kids menu. If I am was a seafood restaurant, or a chinese restaurant, or whatever, I did not want a burger, chicken nuggets, or a grilled cheese. I rarely repeat an order at a restaurant. If I can find something I have not had, I usually go for it. My son is also somewhat adventurous, and is pretty willing to try new things.
As far as different tastes go, I think part of that is physiological. Certain people may detect compounds that other people cannot, or else they perceive that compound differently. Something one person likes and another cannot stand may taste completely different to the two of them. One of my company's managers, who works on the fragrance side, has a very sensitive and discriminating sense of smell. He is also very picky about what he eats. I am certain the two facts are related.
"
I used to have a mental block about eating bananas after throwing them up once. It was only very recently that I tried them again. I realized I like the taste, but there is still a mental hurdle that I have to overcome. I have to convince myself that I like them before I take a bite.
The mind is a funny thing sometimes.
"
I used to dislike a lot of veggies. I think some of the things I did not like were a result of my mom's cooking, such that things got a bit mushy. When my son got onto solid food, I realized I could not require him to eat things that I would not eat myself. I forced myself to try things that I did not like. Some things I eat, even though I do not enjoy them. Some things, I started to like. There are a few foods, like yellow squash, that have to be just right for me to eat them.
I definitely second the idea of revisiting foods every few years.
On “Somnology!”
I would be interested in a trek through Mike Carey's Lucifer, but at 75 issues, that is another long commitment.
I am also amenable to discussing Endless Nights or the Death miniseries.
On “Sunday!”
I have made it through 3 episodes of The Wire. I think I mentioned it before, but I am watching more slowly, since I am giving the show my full attention. The show definitely has my interest. I have a feeling D'Angelo's little chess lesson is going to turn out to be an encapsulation of the first season, if not the entire series.
On the other hand, I tore through several episodes of Supernatural and the entire Season 1 of Parks and Recreation while occupied with other things.
"
I have avoided watching ahead on B5. I like the viewing to be fresh when the recap comes up. It is also interesting watching with a pace more akin to how it would have been viewed initially, instead of tearing through an episode or two every night.
On “Saturday!”
I did not get in much gaming this weekend. I found an app that can be used to track a Magic the Gathering collection, and I spent time using the camera to scan in my collection.
I finally started to dig into Dominions 4. The game has a huge learning curve, and I never played Dom 3 enough to master it the first time around, so I am relearning as well as adjusting to the changes.
I am playing the nation of Pangea, which is all about growth and life and forests, and has a greek flavor to it. Some of your commanders are harpies and druids, and some of the regular troops are satyrs and centaurs. The best mages are Pans, which are goat legged-humanoids who, through the power of their rugged, masculine virility attract topless berserker maenads to fight for you. If that is not enough, you can summon plant-based undead animals, satyrs, and minotaurs to fill out your army.
The other nations I am fighting against are Arcoscephale, which is more of civilized Greece with hoplites and elephants; Agartha, cave dwelling aquatic giants; Ermor, which are based on the Roman empire (though if you choose to set the game in a later age, they have become a nation of undead due to some bad choices); and Tien Chi, which are based on China, and have pretty good magical presence.
You can choose to play an Early Age, Middle Age, or Late Age game. Each nation is different in different ages, and sometimes they even have 2 different offshoots, headed down different paths. Ermor splits into the undead Ashen Empire and Marignon, the Holy Inquisition trying to deal with the undead threat. Magic is fading, so in later ages you find few magic gem producing sites, and often the mages are less powerful. Many nations are dying, and sometimes turn to dark power to survive. In a Late Age game, chances are the victor is left with a world without much left to rule over.
On “Weekend!”
Thanks. I cannot deny being a bit nervous, since I have never lived very far from the place I grew up, but overall I am very excited and looking forward to the change (for the same reason).
"
If they do not give a decisive title change soon, and continue to pull shenanigans to give Daniel Bryan the victory, then take the title away again, I will lose interest. I like the HBK ref angle for the next PPV, since there are legitimate reasons he could go either way. I hope it gets proper resolution, however it ends.
"
This week I accepted my relocation offer, so I will be moving to Houston at the beginning of next year. This weekend, I will attack the junk room and figure out what I will get rid of. Maybe.
There should be some time with Dominions 4, and that is a game that can easily suck away the hours.
Perhaps some general housecleaning.
Probably watch a few episodes of The Wire.
I may try to watch last weekend's Battleground PPV, or at least some highlights.
I want to get back to painting some miniatures that I got.
I need to get in some serious guitar time. I have been neglectful this week.
I have feeling this list is going to get truncated before the weekend is over.
On “Advice”
I get this sentiment, and I partially agree. On the other hand, if significant hand washing is required first, there seems to be no point on using a dishwasher. A rinse is fine, and a scrub for something that is particularly stuck-on. However, a typical dish should not require much.
Is there a trick for getting peanut butter off that does not require washing the knife by hand?
"
It’s simple chemistry. Soap just makes water wetter but dishwasher soap works by changing the pH of the water.
Most home dishwashing liquids are detergents, not soap. Saying they just "make water wetter" is an oversimplification. There is a bit more involved in lifting the soils from the substrate. There is a heck of a lot of work that goes into improving their performance in home dishwashers, especially as HE standards become a bigger deal, reducing temperature and water use. Throw in a phosphate ban, requiring new chemistry to prevents spots, and it becomes even more of a challenge, especially with cost considerations to deal with.
The reason high pH is so effective in industrial dishwashing is that it turns the fat and oil into soap.
On “Babylonia!”
Earth ships do not have gravity. They do not have the technology. Other races do. B5 uses rotation to simulate gravity.
Ivanova really gets some of the best lines in the series. The B5 mantra last episode. Her response to Londo in this episode. There are very few episodes where she does not get to say something memorable.
I have a question regarding Garibaldi and alcoholism. I do not have any personal experience to go by. In the episode where he was accused of sabotage, he started drinking. He seemed to stop again without too much trouble. I always got the impression that it was a struggle to get back on the wagon. Was that too neat and tidy? Am I overanalyzing, and I should just assume that Garibaldi struggles with the temptation, even if it is not really addressed on screen?
We really do learn a lot about Londo. He says he lead the charge in a battle, but it would be easy to assume that was just pompous blustering. However, Ivanova (I think) seems very impressed with his flying. Before now, I think it would have been easy to assume he had just grown up relatively pampered and sheltered.
On “Sunday!”
Ha! I am still reading it.
"
Got some reading done while my car was having some work done, book four of The Wheel of Time.
I watched a few episodes of Supernatural (season 2) and Attack on Titan (which took an unexpected turn a few episodes in).
I also watched the first episode of The Wire. I think The Wire will be a little bit slower to get through than other shows, because it seems to be one that demands full attention. I do not see myself watching it while fiddling with something in my tablet.
On “Linky Friday #42”
1.75 to 3.25 billion years is all the same to me.
On “Weekend!”
I am taking my car in for an alignment tomorrow morning, which means about 2 hours of reading while I wait.
I might finally fire up Dominions 4. The current release date is tomorrow, but with preorder, you get in on the beta. I got it earlier this week, but I have not had a chance to play it. In this game, you play a superpower pretender who is attempting to become a god, fighting against other pretenders trying to become gods. You have a fantasy race, and the races are drawn from every mythology. I have not read the full lists, but Dom 3 had flesh eating giants from Hebrew mythology, valkyries, lizard people, and the R'yleh race of illithids and other aberrations who spread madness within their domain.
You battle to conquer a map, moving armies from province to province. You cannot control the battles directly, but you can give limited orders to units and commanders before turning them lose. The game can be played single player, but it is difficult for the AI to cope with all of the options. Where it shines is multiplayer. Turns are simultaneous, so everyone plans their turns and submits them, then they are resolved.
I have also wrapped up much of the TV I had been watching, so I need to figure out what I am going to hit next. I may watch Season 2 of Supernatural, but I am also considering starting The Wire, Sons of Anarchy, and The Sopranos.
On “20 Years Later”
This has gotten me to consider my own passions.
I really enjoy travel, but the past few years (bad marriage) made it impossible, and left my finances in bad shape. In the next year or two, I think I will be in a much better position to get out more and hopefully make my son a part of it.
Guitar is one. I have been playing about a year and a half, and making steady progress. I am nowhere near wear I want to be, but I keep moving forward. There is not much time at home where my hands are otherwise unoccupied that they are not playing. I think I will end up getting lessons before too long, to really push me forward. I would like to get to the point where I am writing my own songs.
Actually, music in general is a passion of mine. It is rare that I do not have music in the background of whatever I am doing. When I was younger, I used to compose with sequencing software on my computer and my Roland JV-1080. It is something I would like to get back to.
Boardgaming is something I enjoy. I have not been able to do it as much as I would like lately. Most of my group seems to have gotten too busy for us to get together regularly. The fellowship with friends is as big a part of it as the games themselves.
There are some other things that I would like to do, but dedicating time to additional hobbies takes time away from the ones I currently do. I have some story ideas I would like to get written down. I also came up with an idea for a board game that I would like to pursue. Maybe in the future I will change gears to make them happen.
On “A Question…”
“Oh, well, if the income tax withholding goes up a little bit, I don’t really care. But I don’t want an extra kind of withholding!”
I was confused. “Huh? Paralegal, doesn’t the amount withheld matter to you more than the number of items they use to withhold it?”
“I just hate seeing all those line items! I’d rather they just withheld everything in one item.”
It other people were not around, I think I would be screaming at the computer right now. I cannot comprehend that line of thought.
"
b) the government–often it’s a case of sticker price going up but subsidies and tax credits more than covering the difference.
Except the government does not have its own money, so ultimately the citizens pay, one way or another.
Healthy people whose premiums could increase because of community ratings could pay more.
Also, people who got moved to part time because their employers could/would not pay for the increased insurance costs.
Employers who pay increased premiums because they are unwilling/unable to shift their employees to part time.
People who were relying on HSAa and high deductible insurance, but can longer purchase those plans because of the mandate.
On “Sugar and the Real Reason for Cruz’s Opposition”
Particular thing I’ve never gotten about conservative rhetoric on it is it seems to shade from “This health reform law is bad” into “anything resembling collective responsibility with regard to health care is bad”. The latter seems to oppose the very concept of insurance (a pool of resources in a group set aside for when crappy situations come up among particular members), no?
There is a difference between people choosing to pool their money in the way that works makes the most sense for them, and being forced to do it with no consideration of individual circumstances. Forcing insurance companies to disregard the expected cost of an individual when determining premiums results in healthy people paying more to cover unhealthy people. If someone chooses to live an unhealthy lifestyle, and that increases their healthcare costs, it costs everyone. If gives people a vested interest in the health of other people. The argument for intrusive laws, such as limiting soft drink sizes or controlling the amount of sugar, becomes stronger.
If I am covering the cost of my own healthcare, and I choose to keep myself fit. If I sacrifice the time required to exercise and sacrifice the hedonistic pleasures of junk food, along with the physical benefits, there can be financial benefits. I can choose a high deductible insurance plan, to cover emergencies, without too much worry. Unless the mandate has changed from earlier versions, that is no longer an option.
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.