__________ is/are overrated.

[JayhawkCO]

Project Hail Mary

I disagree with you often enough. I think this is the most I've ever disagreed with your take.

It was recommended to us, but we haven't yet watched it.

Probably in my Top 3 favorite books of all time, and just watched the movie the other night. It held up its end of the bargain very well.

Something I did appreciate was that while the sci-fi premise is serious it didn't overwhelm the entire movie.  The movie manages to be pretty damn warm hearted, funny and charming.  A lot of serious sci-fi movies aren't really approachable to a casual audience who just wants a good time.  You don't need to be a mega nerd to enjoy Project Hail Mary.

That's why I like Andy Weir in general. I dig the hardcore science stuff, but he mixes it with enough goofiness and "real-worldness" that it doesn't end up sounding like a textbook. I'm excited to read his new release coming out (which is apparently centered around AI). I've read (well, listened) to all of his other three works.

[Rothman]

Meh.  What was interesting was that both my wife and I found it boring because of its overall predictability.  I was also annoyed by how some significant circumstances were left to be just assumed rather than explained, I suppose.  Both of us thought it needed to be edited down.  Pretty rare for us to be in such sync over our reaction.

For those that just want to watch cutesy stuff, sure, be entertained, but if we're comparing this to E.T., E.T. was notches better.

[Max Rockatansky]

I didn't really care for Oppenheimer the first time I watched it.  That movie goes out of the way to beat you over the head with how physics works.  A lot of hobby members were raving about it when it came out.  I liked it a lot better on a second watch when the political intrigue was more the focus of my attention.  I also kind of missed how Nolan was deliberately trying to paint Oppenheimer as someone who gradually learned to regret his ego driven mistakes.

All the same, I don't think Oppenheimer is really going to please a casual audience (aside that one scene with Florence Pugh).  Project Hail Mary did do that.

[kphoger]

This is Rothman we're talking about here.  According to him, literally everything is overrated.

[Rothman]

This is Rothman we're talking about here.  According to him, literally everything is overrated.

I like chocolate covered cashews.

[bugo]

I mean, its not necessarily reasonable, until you go to a place like Japan where there isn't any graffiti anywhere. its definitely a societal thing.

Then there are places like the former Soviet countries, where graffiti is everywhere.

[JayhawkCO]

I mean, its not necessarily reasonable, until you go to a place like Japan where there isn't any graffiti anywhere. its definitely a societal thing.

Then there are places like the former Soviet countries, where graffiti is everywhere.

Having just visited five of them this summer,  and ten overall (Estonia, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan), I can assure you that that is not a thing in any of those countries. I guess maybe I might have seen some? But certainly not on the level of what I've seen in other places in the US, Europe, or South America.

[bugo]

Maybe not all of the former Eastern Bloc countries, but Russia for one does.

[Rothman]

Maybe not all of the former Eastern Bloc countries, but Russia for one does.

Been there, have you?

I don't know.  It's been a while since my time living in Russia, but my recollection is still less graffiti there than in the U.S.

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

Labor Day as a day off of work, weekends and other holidays exist, don't get me wrong Labor Day is a good holiday though.

[hotdogPi]

I feel like Presidents' Day and Columbus Day are less deserving of a day off than Labor Day. IMO one of them should have been kicked out when Juneteenth was added to keep the total number the same.

[Rothman]

I feel like Presidents' Day and Columbus Day are less deserving of a day off than Labor Day. IMO one of them should have been kicked out when Juneteenth was added to keep the total number the same.

If you are an employee rather than an employer, arguing for fewer paid days off is against your own interest.

[Max Rockatansky]

I feel like Presidents' Day and Columbus Day are less deserving of a day off than Labor Day. IMO one of them should have been kicked out when Juneteenth was added to keep the total number the same.

As a Federal employee I'll glad take all the extra paid days off I can have.  10 was good, 11 is better, if they want to make it 15 plus that's best. 

[thenetwork]

I feel like Presidents' Day and Columbus Day are less deserving of a day off than Labor Day.

That's why it's usually the government and bankers who get those days off.  The rest of us "commoners" go to work as if it is a normal day.

I think if the government gets those minor holidays off, then most businesses and schools should get those days off as well and those who still work should be paid holiday pay.  They are barely getting stuff done when they are clocked in as it is!!!

[Max Rockatansky]

I feel like Presidents' Day and Columbus Day are less deserving of a day off than Labor Day.

That's why it's usually the government and bankers who get those days off.  The rest of us "commoners" go to work as if it is a normal day.

I think if the government gets those minor holidays off, then most businesses and schools should get those days off as well and those who still work should be paid holiday pay.  They are barely getting stuff done when they are clocked in as it is!!!

I feel it is probably a good time to mention that I'm part of the Federal NF pay band.  I think a couple of you ought to look into what the "NF" pay band is before you start turning this into a "government workers don't do anything" tangent.

[Rothman]

I was with the guy about everyone getting holidays off until he took that dig.  Doesn't know jack.

I still don't understand why everyone doesn't get Election Day off...

[Max Rockatansky]

I was with the guy about everyone getting holidays off until he took that dig.  Doesn't know jack.

I still don't understand why everyone doesn't get Election Day off...

It makes me wonder if there is some sort of popular perception of government employees as being lazy or most are somehow embroiled in political fervor of the day.  Most of the workers are just regular folks who are just trying to get by and make a living.   

Speaking for myself, I used to work in the private sector.  I can go back to the private sector and "in theory" make more money there.  I prefer to make little bit less if I'm going to get stability and long-term benefits on the trade-off with government work. 

Also, some private employers are better with granting paid holidays than others.  My understanding is that Costco actually closed today, although I'm unclear if the employees get a paid day off.

[Rothman]

I was with the guy about everyone getting holidays off until he took that dig.  Doesn't know jack.

I still don't understand why everyone doesn't get Election Day off...

It makes me wonder if there is some sort of popular perception of government employees as being lazy or most are somehow embroiled in political fervor of the day.  Most of the workers are just regular folks who are just trying to get by and make a living.   

Speaking for myself, I used to work in the private sector.  I can go back to the private sector and "in theory" make more money there.  I prefer to make little bit less if I'm going to get stability and long-term benefits on the trade-off with government work. 

Also, some private employers are better with granting paid holidays than others.  My understanding is that Costco actually closed today, although I'm unclear if the employees get a paid day off.

Yeah, I used to work in the private sector and my law firms' pay structures were more generous in terms of a more linear relationship between hours worked and pay received.  You worked more, billed more and got paid more, including a bonus depending on hours billed.

Sure, I enjoy technically working fewer hours a week overall with the generous time off and my upward mobility isn't capped now by not having certain credentials (law degree/bar exam). 

But, there is an overall pay trade-off to stick with government.

Pension helps, too...

[Max Rockatansky]

I'm about six years from maximizing my pension (which is twenty year overall).   I keep my medical benefits with another year of tenure at work.  Keeping medical alone makes sticking with what I do worth it.

[cl94]

It was probably said before, but I'll say it again now that I've been to two of them: Buc-ee's.

[thenetwork]

I was with the guy about everyone getting holidays off until he took that dig.  Doesn't know jack.

I still don't understand why everyone doesn't get Election Day off...

I was referring more specifically to the Federal government which resides mostly within DC.

When I wanted to send something fast through the USPS recently, I was told that what was "Priority Mail" has been eliminated.  They had a watered down version of it (forget the name) and the counter clerk said to just take the lesser option of the new version, as it probably wouldn't get there any quicker if I paid for a higher-priority category.

Flash back to 10 years ago when I sent a Christmas package from Colorado to Ohio via regular Priority (NOT Express) Mail on a Saturday.  They received it that Monday.

And I don't know how many problems and delays my wife had with her ailing mom in the last 2 years of her life with Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.  Much of which because issues got hung up in their "system" and it took multiple calls to multiple levels of management to get things moving like they should have.

Your mileage may vary with the Fed.  And not all government workers -- especially outside of the Federal level -- are bad.

Politicians, regardless of affiliation, are absolutely the worst.

[Max Rockatansky]

Probably a good time to point out that my uncle has worked for the Patent Office in addition Securities and Exchange Commission for over thirty years.  He is about the nicest and apolitical person you'll ever meet.  His house is in Alexandria and he's a huge transit enthusiast. 

[kphoger]

If you are an employee rather than an employer, arguing for fewer paid days off is against your own interest.

I am an employee, I have a hard time using up all of my PTO, and I lose it if I don't use it.  Therefore, in order to not lose out on a benefit I'm entitled, I typically have to figure out how to use a whole bunch of PTO over the last two or three months of the year.  This makes it really tight to get all my work done on the other days, and I feel like I'm behind the eight-ball a lot.  So it might actually be in my own interest to argue for fewer paid days off.  (Although, technically, I suppose it would work out the same if I simply "lost" my unused ones at the end of the year.)

[Rothman]

If you are an employee rather than an employer, arguing for fewer paid days off is against your own interest.

I am an employee, I have a hard time using up all of my PTO, and I lose it if I don't use it.  Therefore, in order to not lose out on a benefit I'm entitled, I typically have to figure out how to use a whole bunch of PTO over the last two or three months of the year.  This makes it really tight to get all my work done on the other days, and I feel like I'm behind the eight-ball a lot.  So it might actually be in my own interest to argue for fewer paid days off.  (Although, technically, I suppose it would work out the same if I simply "lost" my unused ones at the end of the year.)

Wait, what prevents you from using PTO?

[kphoger]

Wait, what prevents you from using PTO?

I'm the only one who does my job.  So, by taking a day off, I effectively make more work for myself to do the other days of the week.

Also, my wife runs a home daycare, and we have a small house, and it's less than desirable to spend an off day with someone else's obnoxious kids.

Put those two things together, and it's generally better for me to just work.