Minor things that bother you

[kphoger]

When the pointer starts skittering down the monitor for no apparent reason.

I suspect that this is because I'm using an optical mouse, and that its own cord occasionally pushes it ever so slightly toward me.

[SSOWorld]

When the pointer starts skittering down the monitor for no apparent reason.

I suspect that this is because I'm using an optical mouse, and that its own cord occasionally pushes it ever so slightly toward me.

or it's because a cat is trying to move the mouse....

[Scott5114]

When the pointer starts skittering down the monitor for no apparent reason.

I suspect that this is because I'm using an optical mouse, and that its own cord occasionally pushes it ever so slightly toward me.

I read this interpreting "pointer" with its C meaning, and was quite alarmed. "Skittering" seems like something someone might describe that kind of pointer doing (we have documented "wild pointers", "stale pointers", as well as pointers "scribbling", "smashing", "mangling", and "doing a fandango", so imagining one "skittering" doesn't really seem too out of the ordinary), but it would probably lead to all of your data being ejected into outer space, and definitely not just a minor thing that bothered you.

[WIroadfan]

I've never personally had to deal with this, since my city doesn't plow residential streets, but I've read it is wise to shovel out an area just upstream of the driveway so snow moved by the plow doesn't block the apron.  I also typically try to shovel out an area around the mailbox, not just to ensure delivery but also to avoid having to stand in a puddle of icy water to pick up my mail.

I've been aware for some time that this is the case in much of the country, but it still hits me every time. Plows doing their work are just such a normal and integral part of winter in the Great Lakes that I just can't wrap my head around not plowing being acceptable in any place that gets snow more than once or twice a season.

Madison does not plow most of its streets. After a big snowfall it's an absolute zoo in the busier areas until it gets warm enough to melt the snow off the roads.

As a Madison resident, I notice (and am annoyed by) this as well. 

We had two major snowfalls two weeks ago, and then it was cold for a solid week so the roads were a mess the whole time.  As someone who walks a lot (including to commute), I'm similarly annoyed by homeowners who don't shovel their stretch of sidewalk.

[mgk920]

I've never personally had to deal with this, since my city doesn't plow residential streets, but I've read it is wise to shovel out an area just upstream of the driveway so snow moved by the plow doesn't block the apron.  I also typically try to shovel out an area around the mailbox, not just to ensure delivery but also to avoid having to stand in a puddle of icy water to pick up my mail.

I've been aware for some time that this is the case in much of the country, but it still hits me every time. Plows doing their work are just such a normal and integral part of winter in the Great Lakes that I just can't wrap my head around not plowing being acceptable in any place that gets snow more than once or twice a season.

Madison does not plow most of its streets. After a big snowfall it's an absolute zoo in the busier areas until it gets warm enough to melt the snow off the roads.

As a Madison resident, I notice (and am annoyed by) this as well. 

We had two major snowfalls two weeks ago, and then it was cold for a solid week so the roads were a mess the whole time.  As someone who walks a lot (including to commute), I'm similarly annoyed by homeowners who don't shovel their stretch of sidewalk.

You should see the surrounding suburban townships that have no sidewalks, few streetlights and minimal snowplowing, while PROUDLY boasting of their now uncheap tax rates.



Mike

[roadman65]

Sidewalks to be installed to make things easier when there is none.  I found that they create petty crimes as they did on Orange Blossom Trail.  Since 1997 when FDOT and Orange County both agreed on adding sidewalks on OBT to clean up the bad image that that particular road had at the time to make it more cleaner. However, since the sidewalks were installed, the road sees hookers strutting their bodies up and down the sidewalks they didn't once have to do it.

[tmoore952]

People who post incorrect factual things on Facebook, which I try to correct if I am sure it is wrong, and it is a correctable mistake.

Example which prompted my post:

Melanie Safka (the performer Melanie) died this week.
Someone posted "she was the first performer at Woodstock [1969]".

Well, no she wasn't. She was preceded by (in order) Richie Havens, Sweetwater, Bert Sommer, Tim Hardin, and Ravi Shankar. And also a speech by Sri Swami Satchidananda which occurred before Sweetwater's performance.

She played on Friday night but was not on the original bill. It started raining heavily during Ravi Shankar's performance. The Incredible String Band was supposed to be next, but they decided they didn't want to play that night because of the rain and humidity messing with their acoustic instruments (they would play on Saturday afternoon instead). She volunteered/talked her way into playing, and was a big hit with the audience, which more or less made her career. I doubt she would have gotten anywhere near as famous without that performance.

One thing I like about this site is that there seems to be a concerted effort for accuracy, which I appreciate.

[Rothman]

I like "Brand New Key."  It's a fun song.

[algorerhythms]

I've never personally had to deal with this, since my city doesn't plow residential streets, but I've read it is wise to shovel out an area just upstream of the driveway so snow moved by the plow doesn't block the apron.  I also typically try to shovel out an area around the mailbox, not just to ensure delivery but also to avoid having to stand in a puddle of icy water to pick up my mail.

I've been aware for some time that this is the case in much of the country, but it still hits me every time. Plows doing their work are just such a normal and integral part of winter in the Great Lakes that I just can't wrap my head around not plowing being acceptable in any place that gets snow more than once or twice a season.

Madison does not plow most of its streets. After a big snowfall it's an absolute zoo in the busier areas until it gets warm enough to melt the snow off the roads.

As a Madison resident, I notice (and am annoyed by) this as well. 

We had two major snowfalls two weeks ago, and then it was cold for a solid week so the roads were a mess the whole time.  As someone who walks a lot (including to commute), I'm similarly annoyed by homeowners who don't shovel their stretch of sidewalk.

You should see the surrounding suburban townships that have no sidewalks, few streetlights and minimal snowplowing, while PROUDLY boasting of their now uncheap tax rates.



Mike

While I was living in Madison, I often walked to work. Cheaper than driving, because parking at the university was expensive, plus it got me some exercise I sorely needed. That walk would take me through Shorewood Hills. I found it disturbing how the instant I strayed from the multi-use trail (which happened several times as there were several major floods while I lived in Madison, and the trail got flooded every time), a Shorewood Hills cop would suddenly show up and follow me until I crossed the boundary out of Shorewood Hills. It didn't help that that shithole didn't have any sidewalks, so I had to walk in the road with the cop car slowly rolling behind me.

I'm not sure where I was going with this story, but fuck Shorewood Hills.

[roadman65]

That Haitian Rapper who co sings with Shakira on Her Hips Don't Move every time he starts the song " No Fighting, No Fighting."

It just seems to me that he's using the same lingo as a street person would use to start a fight that's he trying to stop one here.

[WIroadfan]

I've never personally had to deal with this, since my city doesn't plow residential streets, but I've read it is wise to shovel out an area just upstream of the driveway so snow moved by the plow doesn't block the apron.  I also typically try to shovel out an area around the mailbox, not just to ensure delivery but also to avoid having to stand in a puddle of icy water to pick up my mail.

I've been aware for some time that this is the case in much of the country, but it still hits me every time. Plows doing their work are just such a normal and integral part of winter in the Great Lakes that I just can't wrap my head around not plowing being acceptable in any place that gets snow more than once or twice a season.

Madison does not plow most of its streets. After a big snowfall it's an absolute zoo in the busier areas until it gets warm enough to melt the snow off the roads.

As a Madison resident, I notice (and am annoyed by) this as well. 

We had two major snowfalls two weeks ago, and then it was cold for a solid week so the roads were a mess the whole time.  As someone who walks a lot (including to commute), I'm similarly annoyed by homeowners who don't shovel their stretch of sidewalk.

You should see the surrounding suburban townships that have no sidewalks, few streetlights and minimal snowplowing, while PROUDLY boasting of their now uncheap tax rates.



Mike

While I was living in Madison, I often walked to work. Cheaper than driving, because parking at the university was expensive, plus it got me some exercise I sorely needed. That walk would take me through Shorewood Hills. I found it disturbing how the instant I strayed from the multi-use trail (which happened several times as there were several major floods while I lived in Madison, and the trail got flooded every time), a Shorewood Hills cop would suddenly show up and follow me until I crossed the boundary out of Shorewood Hills. It didn't help that that shithole didn't have any sidewalks, so I had to walk in the road with the cop car slowly rolling behind me.

I'm not sure where I was going with this story, but fuck Shorewood Hills.

Why were the cops so seemingly obsessed with you - is Shorewood Hills seriously that insular of richpeopleville that anybody they don't recognize walking down the street is automatically suspicious?

I don't see why they don't just merge with the city of Madison anyway, other than "la ti da, we want to stay separate from those common Madison city folk".  So I agree, fuck Shorewood Hills!

[ZLoth]

Lets see here... going on a two-week vacation and having the following occur:

• After passing through TSA, getting a panic call from my mother because she visited a scareware support site, and now her 10yo laptop "isn't working", and how the technology in my home misbehaves because it knows I'm not there. Attempts to fix the computer via video call results in the laptop not powering up at all. A new computer was ordered, but my mother was unable to use her old computer until my brother-in-law arrived and resurrected it. I'm now porting everything over.
• Another panic call because one of the window sensors in my home "died"... at 3:55 AM. I fixed the problem window when I got back, and replaced all of the batteries in the window sensors. I also flagged a date in my calendar four and a half years into the future to replace again.
• A road hazard flat with damage to the sidewall making a tire non-repairable. It was discovered flat in my garage. Both front tires were eventually replaced.
• A leak was discovered during the Texas freeze two weeks ago on the pool equipment. It didn't help that the freeze guard kicked in on my pool equipment to keep the water circulating. Some seals just aged out.

[mgk920]

I've never personally had to deal with this, since my city doesn't plow residential streets, but I've read it is wise to shovel out an area just upstream of the driveway so snow moved by the plow doesn't block the apron.  I also typically try to shovel out an area around the mailbox, not just to ensure delivery but also to avoid having to stand in a puddle of icy water to pick up my mail.

I've been aware for some time that this is the case in much of the country, but it still hits me every time. Plows doing their work are just such a normal and integral part of winter in the Great Lakes that I just can't wrap my head around not plowing being acceptable in any place that gets snow more than once or twice a season.

Madison does not plow most of its streets. After a big snowfall it's an absolute zoo in the busier areas until it gets warm enough to melt the snow off the roads.

As a Madison resident, I notice (and am annoyed by) this as well. 

We had two major snowfalls two weeks ago, and then it was cold for a solid week so the roads were a mess the whole time.  As someone who walks a lot (including to commute), I'm similarly annoyed by homeowners who don't shovel their stretch of sidewalk.

You should see the surrounding suburban townships that have no sidewalks, few streetlights and minimal snowplowing, while PROUDLY boasting of their now uncheap tax rates.



Mike

While I was living in Madison, I often walked to work. Cheaper than driving, because parking at the university was expensive, plus it got me some exercise I sorely needed. That walk would take me through Shorewood Hills. I found it disturbing how the instant I strayed from the multi-use trail (which happened several times as there were several major floods while I lived in Madison, and the trail got flooded every time), a Shorewood Hills cop would suddenly show up and follow me until I crossed the boundary out of Shorewood Hills. It didn't help that that shithole didn't have any sidewalks, so I had to walk in the road with the cop car slowly rolling behind me.

I'm not sure where I was going with this story, but fuck Shorewood Hills.

Why were the cops so seemingly obsessed with you - is Shorewood Hills seriously that insular of richpeopleville that anybody they don't recognize walking down the street is automatically suspicious?

I don't see why they don't just merge with the city of Madison anyway, other than "la ti da, we want to stay separate from those common Madison city folk".  So I agree, fuck Shorewood Hills!

I seriously doubt that my hometown City of Appleton would WANT that entire surrounding township (Grand Chute Township, Outagamie County) anymore.  waaaay to much public works work due and so little tax base to show for it.

Mike

[ZLoth]

Also, and I'm looking at several people on this forum.... nested quotes. Can you exercise some editing discretion and cut out all but the most relevant pieces of the comment you are quoting?

[Rothman]

Also, and I'm looking at several people on this forum.... nested quotes. Can you exercise some editing discretion and cut out all but the most relevant pieces of the comment you are quoting?

No.

[tmoore952]

Commercials for Optimum Tax Relief on my local news station.

"I didn't pay my income taxes for 8 years......they were coming after my house and car....... were going to seize my paycheck".

I don't have any sympathy ---- pay your ***** taxes , like the rest of us, and maybe you wouldn't be having these problems.

[Rothman]

Commercials for Optimum Tax Relief on my local news station.

"I didn't pay my income taxes for 8 years......they were coming after my house and car....... were going to seize my paycheck".

I don't have any sympathy ---- pay your ***** taxes , like the rest of us, and maybe you wouldn't be having these problems.

If they had taxes withheld and didn't file, that's all sorts of levels of stupidity, too.

[vdeane]

People who use self checkout but don't actually have a clue.  I was grocery shopping yesterday, and boy was it an experience at the checkout.  The store was mobbed with people (presumably panic buying for the winter non-event we're having today) and the line was long.  One person thought there were two lines, not knowing that people at the front of the line just use whichever becomes available first.  One person at the checkouts needed the attendant to scan every item for him, swipe his credit card, etc., leaving the attendant unavailable for real problems.  One lady attempted to buy an entire cart-full of groceries on the self-checkout (enough to feed a whole family for a week or two), even though it's really meant for people with smaller amounts of purchases, and she really should have been in a manned lane.  After she paid, she then spent an entire five minutes marking bags with a marker, photographing here receipts before crumpling them up and putting them in her coat pocket, and doing who knows what else before finally loading the bags back in her cart.  She was actually there so long that the computer got confused and wouldn't let me use the lane once she finally left.  Meanwhile the line was longer than I've ever seen it, and people shopping were trying to move their carts through the line instead of just going around through the gap between the line and the frozen food containers.  Just do your post-purchase processing out of the way, especially where there's a line!

[kkt]

You still HAVE staffed lanes?  Many stores here have gotten rid of them completely or only staff them on extraordinarily busy days (Thanksgiving week).  Everybody has to become their own checker, whether they are clue-full or wanted to or not.

[roadman65]

I had a man in Walmart walked passed the one line for the self checkout and get behind another woman checking herself out. We all thought that they're together, but as soon as she carted off, he began using the checkout for himself. I complained to the attendant, but it, of course, did no good.

Neither is people using the Express 10 item or less line for a full shopping cart. You say something and they shrug their shoulders at you.

[AABattery]

You still HAVE staffed lanes?  Many stores here have gotten rid of them completely or only staff them on extraordinarily busy days (Thanksgiving week).  Everybody has to become their own checker, whether they are clue-full or wanted to or not.

Food Lion here usually only has like 1 or 2 of them staffed, and then there's a person by the self checkouts. I remember as a kid though when basically all the lanes were staffed

[tmoore952]

Giant (of Landover) supermarkets in Maryland have instituted a 20 item maximum for self-checkout. More items you have to use the regular checkout lines. Problems with theft led to this.

[roadman65]

Giant (of Landover) supermarkets in Maryland have instituted a 20 item maximum for self-checkout. More items you have to use the regular checkout lines. Problems with theft led to this.

Walmart gives associates the ability to lock a register if they suspect a customer trying to not scan an item. The device they carry can lock, unlock, delete, ID check for alcoholic beverage, or to print a receipt.

[webny99]

You still HAVE staffed lanes?  Many stores here have gotten rid of them completely or only staff them on extraordinarily busy days (Thanksgiving week).  Everybody has to become their own checker, whether they are clue-full or wanted to or not.

That's not the case here in Upstate NY... at least not yet. Most grocery stores have 6-12 self-checkouts but plenty of old school lanes too. Wegmans often has long lines at the self checkouts AND 10+ regular lanes open with lines too. I can't imagine how many self-checkouts they would need to eliminate the regular lanes completely.

[kkt]

Target near me has checkouts on two floors, 8 self-check stations at each, and about 4 stations for staffed checkout.  However there's rarely more than one staffed checkout open in the whole store, and often not even that.