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Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: June 17th, 2023

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  • In the early days of the pandemic…and the early days of my Ansible learning…I set up a playbook to scrape several websites for hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes.

    If it found one in stock, it would email my cell phone carriers SMS gateway. Tasker would then make a loud audible alert.

    Ran for weeks before it found some in stock. And then it did. At 2am. And again at 2:05, and 2:10, and 2:15…

    And it was an error on the shops webpage. It wasn’t actually orderable…once it got in your cart, it wouldn’t let you check out.




  • This is one reason why I’d rather get delivery from DD/GH/UE instead of calling for delivery (if it’s even offered)…I don’t want to give my credit card over the phone.

    I’d much rather do it through an established app/storefront (I.e. Square or Toast).

    That, and anxiety. I really don’t want to talk about my pizza. Much rather press a button.


  • They have their place but I totally get you.

    For example, when I’m planning a big home project, I want to watch a lot of DIY channels (plug for Home Renovision here) on the basic procedure.

    But, if I’m repairing my dryer, I don’t want to be unlocking my screen, rotating, hitting play, watch a few seconds, pause, put it down, work, repeat. Just give me something I can print out ffs.


  • People go with the default “name brand” unless they have reason to think otherwise.

    You search “Reddit” on the App Store, naturally most people are going to pick “Reddit” by “Reddit”. Not Apollo, or boost, or BaconReader, or RIF, or any other (absolutely amazing) third party app, unless they have some reason to think that it’s better than the official app. Which they don’t, unless someone told them otherwise, because they are conditioned to the cluttered ad-ridden garbage interface of new Reddit, and most people don’t need mod tools or accessibility features.


  • Agreed. American history is terribly white-washed.

    Basically some dudes came over from England, Indians cooked them corn and turkey and everyone was happy. A few years later their descendants got mad at England, dressed up as the Indians and threw tea off a boat. Some shots were fired but we settled down over a piece of paper that guarantees freedom and guns for all.

    Later you might learn that “all” means white land-owning males but eventually that got expanded and now we are al happy in the greatest country in the world (yes, that part is also taught), and every morning for 180 days of the year for 13 straight years we stand up and recite a poem about how much we love our country.

    Maybe it’s changing, idk. I graduated the public school system 20 years ago. My kindergartener came home a few months ago saying he watched a video on MLK Jr in his class where they talked about his assassination. I thought that was a bit dark to go to in kindergarten but at least it’s talked about, even somewhat.











  • Yes (mortgage) but even that was a bit of luck/circumstance. I’m the only child of an only child…when my grandmother died I bought out her house from the estate at a really good price.

    Stayed there for five years and poured in a bit of sweat equity.

    When we sold it went for over double what we paid. Our new house isn’t anything special (4bed/1.5 bath, 1100sqft 1970s cape-style), but it’s already risen in value nearly 50% since we bought it.

    We also refi’d last year. My wife wants to move back to RI and closer to family, but even a lateral move (similar home, similar neighborhood, similar value) would still cost much more than I’d want to pay due to the higher interest rates.

    Honestly if it weren’t for my grandmother dying I’d probably still be renting. I have no idea how people afford down payments while also renting and living a life.

    Especially in a HCOL area. We aren’t “truly” a Boston Suburb. We are outside the 495 belt and closer to Providence. Still doesn’t keep my modest house from being worth close to half a million now.