DalTxHornFan

It sounds like the destination is not the presenting issue. Good luck.

The Costco stores in Hawaii also have great local fish -- some fresh, some frozen. We've done the condo route on Big Island, Maui, and Kuai and have always hit the local Costco on arrival for most all of our provisions like that (read: wine) and then do the local farmer's markets daily for fresh produce -- we enjoy cooking, especially on vacation!

Pretty good synopsis about the Art story here: Austin Tells Public Safety Advocates To Hold Its Beer By Rehiring Former Police Chief Art Acevedo https://thehayride.com/2024/01/austin-tells-public-safety-advocates-to-hold-its-beer-by-rehiring-former-police-chief-art-acevedo/ The only thing that this piece overlooked was Art's TV camera appearances and dissembling after the Houston "drug house" police shootings that weren't actually at a "drug house."

Cool. I misspoke. We didn't go past the visitors center.

That's a pro move to hit Costco on the way out of the Kona airport!

I miss El Azteca!

I wouldn't think 4WD is needed unless you are really gonna get off of the beaten path. Saddle Road from the Hilo side across to the Kona side (State Route 200) has been much upgraded. Some rental agencies wouldn't let you drive on that road in the past. We also drove a regular rental car up to the top Mauna Kea -- gravel road, but in good shape. Have fun!

Cool story. Paging @Hornius Emeritus

He got a raise over the interim police chief job he just resigned from in Aurora, Colorado. Was making $250k a year there. Nothing better than failing upward.

I went ahead and installed this wrapped directly around the pipes and put on new foam pipe insulation. We only plug it in when the temps are forecast to be an issue.

747-8s use GE engines exclusively. The better news is that the same plane made it to its destination in Puerto Rico later that night. That seems to indicate no significant damage to the engine. Maybe ingested a big bird or a flock of them after takeoff?

I use a pipe heat cable on mine. Something like this.

And on a somewhat related note -- Matt's El Rancho's sale (I think that it was actually a Section 1031 exchange for the South Lamar property and another property, but I digress) of the original location on First Street to make way for the Four Seasons hotel. "Selling out to the Four Seasons, then keeping it real While Matt's is known as a steady-as-she-goes restaurant, it does have a far-off history of being altered and exported across town. When spouses Matt and Janie Martinez opened Matt’s El Rancho in 1952 in downtown Austin, the two served a rotation of homemade southern meals such as meatloaf, mashed potatoes, collard greens and more. Their life savings went into opening the 40-seat restaurant. On Thursdays, they offered a Tex-Mex plate and guests kept asking for more. In a nutshell, the Tex-Mex restaurant coveted by Austinites today was born from those requests — though Matt’s continues to offer some originals such as steak, seafood and chicken fried steak. The couple started by renting a space downtown and slowly purchased a few properties on the lake. The Martinezes sold that property to Southerland Financial Corp. to make way for The Four Seasons Hotel. Janie Martinez did not accept the first “lowball offer,” according to Cathy Kreitz, daughter to the Martinezes and co-owner of Matt’s. “Mom quadrupled it. And they accepted the offer. Both of my parents were quite intelligent and savvy,” Kreitz said. The Four Seasons offered the couple a restaurant space at the hotel, but they were too independent for that kind of business deal, Kreitz added. The Martinezes instead bought another property and opened the restaurant at 2613 S. Lamar Blvd. in 1986. It's pretty much Central Austin today, but at the time the street was considered far South Austin. The Broken Spoke dance hall was the end of the road, Kreitz said. “Mom and Dad’s banker friends, business friends and attorney, they said don’t do it, you’re not going to make it, you’re going to lose your shirt. And they just went on ahead and did it,” Kreitz laughed. The family certainly did not lose any cloth. Matt's current 5 acres are appraised at $20.5 million, according to the Travis Central Appraisal District. But, unlike most Austin restaurants nowadays, the business may be worth more than the prime land under it." https://news.yahoo.com/matt-el-rancho-one-america-150241728.html

It was reportedly way more than that. The 100 Congress tower is there now. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/06/22/A-60-year-old-tamale-stand-operator-struck-it-rich-not/8130456724800/ UPI Archives June 11, 1984 AUSTIN, Texas -- A 60-year-old tamale stand operator struck it rich, not by selling tamales but by selling the stand he sold them from for 23 years. Moses Vasquez said Thursday that Lincoln Property Co. paid him nearly $1.6 million, more than $200 a square foot, for his tiny restaurant and an adjoining building.

https://austin.towers.net/redevelopment-heads-for-six-acre-site-on-south-congress-avenue/?pro=jude@towers.net

Not sure if that is a hill to die on. It isn't uncommon for companies to have just a standard "name, rank, and serial number" reference letter for former employees. Maybe somebody like @troph could weigh in?

There is always one of those close by!

Maybe there is not enough money at stake to go crazy about, but make sure that the severance agreement uses the same language about the departing employee that is used about the company (Joe Blow and XYZ jointly agree....yada, yada) they shouldn't be able to talk shit about the former employee also. Future job references should be addressed, as well.

Yes. My first trip on a TO subway was probably 1985/86 or so. It was notable how many business-looking guys in suits and ties didn't have all their front teeth. Hockey is a real thing up there!

Very imaginative!

I knew that was coming! Thanks.

Mississauga is the airport town. SA is correct about that area. Depending on timing and traffic, it could be worth a quick trip downtown to TO if you had something specific that you wanted to do like the CN Tower or the rooftop bar at the Park Hyatt.

Toronto airport is out in the burbs. Probably a nice time to stay at an airport hotel, get smashed at the bar with all the flight attendants, and do room service before your flight.

Still love Office Space. Watched that commeratative DVD last night. [edit -- I know that watching a DVD vs. streaming ages me, but I still have VHS tapes and a VHS player! On the positive side, I held on to some turntables -- they seem to be making a comeback!)

But at least there is still Surly!