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boilerhorn

Certifiably Surly
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Everything posted by boilerhorn

  1. Typo. They were calculated from the 25, but I typed "1". From the 1, the win %-ages are 99.9% and 100.0%, respectively.
  2. I'd avoid the popup in-floor cleaners. They break and are inferior to a robot or a Polaris. We had a salt system in our previous house. The "problem" with the salt systems is that the cells did not last very long; I have read they are better now. The salt does tend to erode limestone faster and that's well known. I have never heard of a pool builder cautioning about ruining metal and other stuff around the yard. That was never my experience and almost zero of what your pool water will contact should include metal. Perhaps he's worried about spillover or splashing ultimately challenging the integrity of the rebar used under the concrete decking, but I think we'll all be long gone before that becomes a problem. OR, he's worried about premature aging of the heating elements, should you choose to add a heater. I've only had DE filters and recommend. They do a really good job at filtration. I have never used a cartridge filter, but the cartridges require frequent cleaning and flow/pressure needs to be lower than in a DE filter. This means full turnover of your pool water may take longer. Faster full turnover will keep your pool cleaner, in general. Backwash/clean/replace DE in your DE filter is a little more involved and dealing w/ DE is not that great, but you get used to it. Just do not inhale it. Recommendations: Get as big a pool as you can tolerate consider adding an integrated spillover spa/hot-tub. You will use it. Plus, the heater option allows you to consider heating your pool a couple of degrees to give you a few more weeks of swimming early and late in the season. Consider a design that incorporates forms of water features. Shears add visual appeal and additional audible ambiance. Make sure the design includes an option to separately turn on/off shears. In other words, if your main pump is running, shears could be on a secondary pump or on a controllable valve. Don't allow them to cheap out on the above ground plumbing in the equipment area. Use Jandy valves (not cheaper ball valves). Make sure the filter, pumps, chlorinator, or anything you might have to work with is easily accessible. In fact, you should ask for a plumbing schematic early in the process so you can evaluate. Feel free to ask more questions here...
  3. This. Around this time last year, Texas had just survived a precarious OT win over TTU, and a turtled loss to TCU. I prefer where we are now. Pro Football reference website has a win probability calculator. While it largely uses NFL info for its metrics, it cannot be that far off. Up 12, 4th-1 at 1, 9:32 left ->99.7% Up 12, TCU 1-10 at 1, 9:32 left -> 98.5% Up 15, TCU 1-10 at 1, 9:32 left -> 99.7% Up 19, TCU 1-10 at 1, 9:32 left -> 100% (hard to believe) The ESPN tracker showed 98% on 4-1 and 97.1% when TCU got the ball. Subtle differences in %-ages are likely due to the fact that college football stops the clock at first downs. That all said, going for the TD is the right call.
  4. Geez. I wish you would have actually read it before you posted. Nice pic, though. The article is quite lazy and banal. I'll save everyone the effort and put the 7 bullets here: Greener - no CO2 emissions Plus no gas money You get tons of exercise Parking's rarely a problem More social (stop riding and talk to people you pass - HUH?) They are cheaper (citing the $100 mech-shit variant you buy from Target) Yes to helmets, no to insurance. I was an avid cyclist in the Austin area for years. Backed off when kids and other parts of life started taking more time. When I have returned to cycling, I find it is more dangerous than ever before. Too many cars on the road; too many people in a hurry; too man people distracted. As a result, it's really not a great means of transportation beyond a couple of miles. For exercise, you need to go really early on weekdays and fairly early on weekends. That all said, I have SEVERAL pet peeves about cycling: If you are riding on Old Spicewood Springs road between Spicewood Springs and 360, you are both a moron and an asshole. Moreso if you are doing it around rush hour. Do not roll through a stop-sign - at near full speed - if there are ANY other vehicles around. I do not care how it impacts your exercise to release and reinsert your shoes. Learn the freaking hand signals for left and right turn. Use them. Do not filter to the front of the line at an intersection. Cars just spent and exhausting amount of energy to get around you. Don't make them do it again. Riding 2+ abreast on busy a 2-lane road. Rant over. Enjoy the road.
  5. Agree w/ @Chewbacca - do what is best for you and your family, especially given you are dealing with 2 large corporations. Heck, even if you were dealing with a smaller corporation, you should do what is best for you and your family. The conversation might be a little more painful and personal, but so be it. Another thing to consider: big companies seldom consider employees' personal situations when making deleterious decisions. It's "all business" to them and should be for you.
  6. Highlighting what stood out to me: winter and City of Austin. Years ago CoA would allow you to self-report pool fills and not consider that amount for wastewater averaging. I believe they no longer do that. Regardless, you should check, as you DO NOT want to be paying monthly wastewater fees for any of that.
  7. https://www.quora.com/How-do-prescription-discount-coupon-plans-like-GoodRx-work This explains it fairly well, too.
  8. I told the guy next to me at the game, "That was a great defensive play by Tech. 15 yds vs. 6 points." Foster should have taken note.
  9. The intra-squad practices can distort things a bit. QBs wear the red jersey, so they know they are not going to get hit. The DL knows they cannot hit the QB; there's a chance that they play a little "soft." With an extra split second and the confidence he is not going to get hit, a QB can be VERY successful. I think that happened to Card. When you remove the red jersey and add an opposing front seven with zero interest in the QB's physical well-being, you really get to see who the gamers are. Also, players learn the tendencies of their own team. That can often lead to players looking fantastic in practice and struggling in games. I've seen it other sports (basketball, lacrosse, etc.). An offensive player will exploit his teammate-defender because he has learned how he will respond to specific footwork, leans, etc. I wonder if that did not play a part here, too.
  10. Who are you, who are so wise in the ways of science?
  11. Shitty football is still better than damn near any other TV alternative.
  12. With MBAs, they should understand FMV quite well, even in the world of timber real estate. A relative novice can spend a couple of minutes on the interwebs and determine a rough price-per-acre for Arkansas forest land (Price per acre as a function of overall acreage, etc.). The 20% delta on 500 acres is material and I think the 1 year old appraisal is irrelevant. We Austin-based folks would definitely not sell our properties today based on a 12-month old appraisal. You are clearly trying to keep familial peace and that is to be lauded. However, the same should be expected from them and y'all should eventually agree to something that is darn close to FMV.
  13. If it is any consolation, Eddie Resse has led Texas men's swimming to 10 consecutive Big12 championships and 5 of the last 6 national championships. Hook 'Em
  14. I had something similar happen. I was #40-something and after the first 30 started giving stupid responses or claiming claimed they did not agree with drug laws, I was certain I would get selected. After all were queried, the judge emptied the room. About 30 minutes later, we were all excused, as a plea agreement was reached. The judge interrupted the 2nd (or so) guy who claimed he disagreed with drug laws. The judge reminded everyone that the role as juror was to determine the guilt of the accused using the parameters of the existing laws only. I think that encouraged even more folks to assert their anti-drug position.
  15. My wife did this by accident. I called ~1 month later (after I found the summons) and apologized. The person said, "No problem. Happens all the time." And she received another summons around 1 month later.
  16. It would definitely be great to have Studdard add some context and insights. His mean streak was both learned and innate, though, as his father and uncle were some of the meanest bastards ever to play at Texas (the Talberts are definitely high on the list). This OL group seems confused or overwhelmed at times. You want a competent and confident group playing with a mean streak, not a confused and overwhelmed group. A meaner version of Jones or Majors does not solved the botched plays everyone is referring to. It just makes Majors mess up the play faster or with more aplomb. No thanks. And, it seems mental more than physical/mean. Another key issue with Studdard: he was all about accountability. When he made a mistake he owned it; when others around him made mistakes, he made sure they understood the ramifications. Example: At the 2005 fall game, Young made a bad pass and the DB dropped an easy INT. Kasey walked 15 yards down the field yelling, "You need to make that play! You need to make that play!" Young was tapping his chest saying "my bad." He knew it. Kasey made sure the DB knew it, too.
  17. Maybe. First, QBs are considerably more protected in practices and scrimmages than any other position. Not only do they have the red jersey, no one wants to be the guy who knocks QB1 out for the season. Card may have relied on that and "balled out" against the D. Second, our DL ain't that great, so he probably saw little pressure. Sarkisian likely learned more about Card and Thompson in the previous 12 days than he learned in the previous 8 months.
  18. My observations, comments, fwiw (some has already been said) Coaching competency was night and day over what we've seen over the past 7 years. The first drive of 3rd quarter was a breath of fresh air. I only seem to recall disastrous 3-and-outs in similar situations in the recent past OL needs work ST was extremely well Brando is an idiot. In addition to all of the other other things mentioned above, he referred to Card as "Hudson Hudson" one time. With ULL down 20, he pointed out that ULL had more first downs than Texas. I guess he thought he needed to fill dead air. He did not. Whittington is a beast. Some have complained that he spends too much time lifting; his physical strength and overall athleticism will create mismatches Robinson, Johnson, and Robinson are really good (obvious comment) I thought I saw Sark said, "Wake the F*ck up" to the ginger (not shut). For as "smart" as everyone claims Napier is, the final ULL drive was foolish. It served zero purpose. Best case, you lose by 12. Worst case, you get someone injured. Lewis almost got injured on the final official play of the game. TCU scheduling Duquense is an embarrassment. Duquense is a D1 FCS team located in Pittsburgh. Their stadium has a capacity of 2200 (yes 2200). OU looked like dogshit. Historically, they improve significantly, but I hope they do not.
  19. I am drinking a beer in a "sportsbar/brew-pub" and see the SEC halftime report (Tenn vs. Bowling Green) includes a confederacy of dunces led by Gene Chizik. I am too lazy to figure out the other 3 guys, but Chizik is doing most of the talking. And this does not reflect well on the other three. And, oh by the way, I cannot hear any of it. I just see Chizik talking the most. As such, it must suck.
  20. @NeverMarryAStripper - do you mind sharing the alleged violation? It's OK if you tell me it is none of my business Anecdote: a friend had several run-ins with his HOA about "architecture violations" etc. He hired an attorney who advised that his best approach was to walk the neighborhood, look for violations, and document them. After 1-2 months, he would share these violations and request the HOA provide proof that they had actually acted to enforce said violations. If they did not, the attorney claimed he could file suit against the HOA for selectively enforcing deed restrictions and that one possibility was the dissolution of the HOA. Seemed like a lot of time and a lot of expense for an unlikely outcome. In concept, HOAs are a good idea. You've got folks investing a huge chunk of cash on a house and you want to make sure that someone does not run a used car lot out of his driveway or build a shanty town in his back yard. In practice, they are pains in the ass. You have management companies driving neighborhoods looking for a trifling violation. They send a notice and fine the owner. I could go on... I agree w/ putting the system on trial. This year the state of Texas adopted new laws affecting HOAs. Association cannot prohibit homeowner from installing a fence around a pool. Also cannot prohibit transparent metal-mesh framed enclosure. Association cannot prevent owner from installing security measures, like cameras, motion sensors and perimeter fencing. Caps fees for resale certificates at $375 All professionally managed HOAs must have a website with current versions of declaratory instruments Person cannot be on architecture committee (ACC) if (1) on HOA board (2) spouse of a board member or (3) living in same house as board member Owner can appeal ACC decision to board Board meeting notice requirement changed from 72 hours to 144 hours Any budget adoption meeting must be open meeting Association must solicit bids for any jobs costing more than $50k Association cannot report to a credit bureau if charges are disputed Rules on HOA violation hearings - all evidence presented BEFORE not at meeting. Owners may sue association in JP court for violation of any new statutes (how do they determine damages?) HOAs can no longer limit religious displays to front door only. Golf carts no longer need to have golf cart license in master planned community There are more -- I got tired of typing. Let's put the system on trial
  21. Probably costing more because the guys in your pics seem to be standing around. That hole ain't going to dig itself. Reminds me of when we built a pool in our previous house in ~1999. Neighbor refused (his right) to allow us to use his property to access the back yard with a large backhoe (for efficient digging through rock). I agreed to rebuild his fence and compensate for any and all damage done to his property. Oh well, it's his right. Pool builder gives us 2 options: Hire a crane to lift a full-size backhoe over my house (twice, of course) use a bobcat w/ its mediocre jackhammer attachment Before he could even finish the sentence for option 1, I interrupted, "Uh, no. We are not going to do that." After an extended period of jackhammering from around 9a-4p, the pool builder starts getting calls about how loud it is and how long it is taking. After a few calls, he apologized and let the caller know that the job would have already been completed, but he was respecting the neighbor's wishes not to encroach on their property with a full-size backhoe. Once he gave details, the calls stopped. He was convinced it was the neighbor calling to complain. Regardless, pools are awesome and worth the money and hassle.
  22. RIP Charlie Watts. Here is a perfect example of that: Waiting on a Friend. Mick's waiting for Keith to show up and they walk together to a bar. They get there and meet Ronnie and you have to look quick to see Bill and Charlie "hiding" behind a pole. About 30 seconds after Mick and Keith arrive, Bill stands up and appears to imitate a Mick dancing (2:58). Mick engages them around 3:22, almost forcing Charlie and Bill to be a part of the video. It's wonderful. EDIT: @Topper13 beat me to the punch. I'll still leave the link
  23. Well, crap. Now that PASTE magazine has chimed in, I am going to have to stop watching. I was waiting... with... bated... breath... for their input. Now my mind is made up. My trite response: it is what it is. Citizen Kane? It is not. Comparing it to Full House is intellectual laziness. Hell, the Phoebe/breath scenes and Keeley chocolate scenes are better than any Full House scene. Yes, even ones with Aunt Becky.
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