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Thread: What's messing with your Groove?

  1. #4891
    Quote Originally Posted by Aimless View Post
    Sorry to hear that bro
    It had to happen, that much has been clear for a while. It's just that the fact that some things are necessary doesn't make them any more pleasant.
    Carthāgō dēlenda est

  2. #4892
    So I live in this super expensive deep blue bastion, and we have local elections coming up. I'm reading all of these candidate positions and it's infuriating. First, they're all competing to see who can 'out-progressive' the other without discussing matters of substance that actually affect their jobs in local government. Then, they all - every single damned candidate - spout the same platitudes and overarching policy goals without differentiation. What's worse is that they're clearly all opposed to any changes in town policy that would actually make life better for me or most of my friends - we labor under rapidly increasing costs of living that is directly tied to sharply limited supply of housing and increasing property taxes; meanwhile, every candidate is doing their best to argue against any further development (even affordable housing development programs mandated by the state) and are falling over themselves to promise more capital and operating spending on education, funded by further increases in property taxes. It's obvious that they're catering to a fairly wealthy and house-owning demographic while ignoring the (quite populous, albeit poorer) younger demographic that's actually living in the areas needing development and sending their kids to the schools in need of funding.

    You know what's best? Older people in the area always don't understand why young people keep on leaving the town for more affordable locales. The number of people I've had tell me that they're baffled why no one is sticking around past the age of 35 or so clearly haven't looked at housing prices recently.

    I am by no means a right wing demagogue, but listening to this drivel makes me feel like one sometimes.
    "When I meet God, I am going to ask him two questions: Why relativity? And why turbulence? I really believe he will have an answer for the first." - Werner Heisenberg (maybe)

  3. #4893
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    Quote Originally Posted by wiggin View Post
    So I live in this super expensive deep blue bastion, and we have local elections coming up. I'm reading all of these candidate positions and it's infuriating. First, they're all competing to see who can 'out-progressive' the other without discussing matters of substance that actually affect their jobs in local government. Then, they all - every single damned candidate - spout the same platitudes and overarching policy goals without differentiation. What's worse is that they're clearly all opposed to any changes in town policy that would actually make life better for me or most of my friends - we labor under rapidly increasing costs of living that is directly tied to sharply limited supply of housing and increasing property taxes; meanwhile, every candidate is doing their best to argue against any further development (even affordable housing development programs mandated by the state) and are falling over themselves to promise more capital and operating spending on education, funded by further increases in property taxes. It's obvious that they're catering to a fairly wealthy and house-owning demographic while ignoring the (quite populous, albeit poorer) younger demographic that's actually living in the areas needing development and sending their kids to the schools in need of funding.

    You know what's best? Older people in the area always don't understand why young people keep on leaving the town for more affordable locales. The number of people I've had tell me that they're baffled why no one is sticking around past the age of 35 or so clearly haven't looked at housing prices recently.

    I am by no means a right wing demagogue, but listening to this drivel makes me feel like one sometimes.
    Your post reminded me of what I thought about White Privilege; in theory it sounds sort of valid. Untill you start to think of those whites who don't even come even close to any privilege at all besides the supposed one of the color of their skins. Then it suddenly sounds like a silly theory conjured up by privileged non-whites.
    Congratulations America

  4. #4894
    Quote Originally Posted by Hazir View Post
    Your post reminded me of what I thought about White Privilege; in theory it sounds sort of valid. Untill you start to think of those whites who don't even come even close to any privilege at all besides the supposed one of the color of their skins. Then it suddenly sounds like a silly theory conjured up by privileged non-whites.
    I want to be clear here: my bellyaching is definitely a 'first world problem'. Even more so, it's the kind of complaint I can have precisely because I'm relatively high income and wealthy. I'm only poor and broke compared to the homeowners in my neighborhood (typically you'd need well over a million dollars for a starter home, and it goes up precipitously from there). The argument over housing is because homeowners want to preserve the 'urban suburban' feel they have and also don't mind keeping their home values skyrocketing since they're already owners; they generally call the shots, so supply of new housing is sharply limited and cloaked in a guise of concern over the environment or congestion or whatever. IMO it's shortsighted since it means that dynamic neighborhoods elsewhere will be the go-to place for young professionals.

    Similarly, the argument over education funding is largely between whether they're going to spend a crapload of money to have very good schools or a crazy shitload of money to have incredibly good schools; it's not a privileged vs. non-privileged question since everyone involved is an outlier even by developed world standards. It's one of the highest educated towns in the world (based on metrics like percentage with a doctorate etc.) and the vast majority of its residents are either in training or relatively high earning professionals. Everyone is privileged, just some have more than others and it leads to messed up dynamics.

    There is a racial element here as well; the town has a lot of minorities technically, but most are highly educated and predominantly so-called 'model minorities'. Their real diversity comes from some existing semi-affordable housing (which is wildly unpopular with aforementioned wealthy homeowners) and a program that buses in some students from poorer communities (which has more to do with assuaging guilt than any real push for diversity). The town itself has been embroiled in some scandals over alleged racial discrimination against minority employees in the police and fire departments as well, which doesn't help things. For an ostensible progressive bastion, they don't do a very good job of adhering to progressive values.
    "When I meet God, I am going to ask him two questions: Why relativity? And why turbulence? I really believe he will have an answer for the first." - Werner Heisenberg (maybe)

  5. #4895
    On the other end of the spectrum, my neighbors are complaining about unchecked growth. To the point that we've met several in community that were unexpectedly hostile towards us for simply moving into an empty home. I'm not at the point yet that I see my home as an investment. Its simply a home that I keep in tip top shape because its the only home I have and its where I expect to raise my kids. What its worth doesn't matter to me as long I can afford the payments and insurance will cover me.

    This area has seen explosive growth from people fleeing Tampa and people trying to get as close to Tampa as they can afford. The developed communities here are around 30 years old and maturing out of deed restrictions and HOA requirements. The previously undeveloped land is being turned into huge apartment complexes.

    But none of the support infrastructure is here. The main road my community connects to is still 2 lanes and backs up from end to end during rush hour. The community events like fireworks and parades, both private and public funded, are being cancelled because to many people want to attend. WalMart shut down one store because of union fears and the other is so busy that lines stretch back into the clothing isles. The local Wendy's has 2 drive through lanes (first I've seen), and the chickfila opening next door to it was seen as a god send. The mall gets so insane that traffic patterns are changed during the holiday season.
    "In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."

  6. #4896
    In the past few months, I've been asked to see a number of former colleagues, often my seniors, as patients. For the most part this has been pleasant, even when it's been serious, because we've had good connections and we've been able to do something about their problems. Recently, however, I was asked for a consultation by a friend. Almost always a very bad idea but there was no good way to avoid getting involved and it was one of those things where I'm sort of duty-bound to expedite the investigation. I managed to get someone else to quickly take over but, nevertheless, I now find myself torn between the various "obligations" of friendship, professionalism and collegiality. Worse still, so does my friend, who also feels it much more keenly. There is no good support system for doctors who become severely ill and no good system for debriefing those other doctors who become involved. Everyone knows everything and all the boundaries become fuzzy. Fortunately, friendship can usually overcome these challenges. Unfortunately, friendship isn't always a cure for our most terrible afflictions. Just venting this here because it can't be discussed IRL even in the vaguest of terms. I sometimes feel like I should switch tracks and go into a field where you can actually cure people or at least help them lead long, happy lives.
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  7. #4897
    Senior Member Flixy's Avatar
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    After travelling by train in Germany again, and again every single train was delayed, I wonder where the stereotype of German punctuality came from Am I just unlucky that every single time I use the deutsche bahn so many trains are delayed or is that so common there? Though one time in the past the IC Bus was actually too early (which made me miss it..). And from what I can tell they don't do refunds like the Dutch railways - they give 50% back if you're delayed at least half an hour and 100% if it's an hour or more.

    On the bright side most of the times my connecting trains were delayed so much that I still made my connection.
    Keep on keepin' the beat alive!

  8. #4898
    The German stereotype is efficiency.

    If you want punctuality, look to the Swiss, whose trains run to the second.

    If you want non-punctuality, look to the UK, where every frickin train is delayed.
    Quote Originally Posted by Steely Glint View Post
    It's actually the original French billion, which is bi-million, which is a million to the power of 2. We adopted the word, and then they changed it, presumably as revenge for Crecy and Agincourt, and then the treasonous Americans adopted the new French usage and spread it all over the world. And now we have to use it.

    And that's Why I'm Voting Leave.

  9. #4899
    This is a bad year for my family. I just heard my uncle is in the ICU, not sure what happened but apparently not looking good.
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  10. #4900
    Turns out it was a heart-attack. Massive damage, arrhythmia. Managed to get the heart going again because he was fortunately with one or several of his students when it happened, but ultimately it proved to be too late. Distances and travel times are a huge problem in large cities in my home country and it's likely this contributed to the outcome, although the prognosis was very bleak right from the outset.

    He was a good man, well-liked by colleagues and students and loved by his family. Of his siblings, he was the friendliest, kindest and most gentle, perhaps a consequence of being a middle child. He once told me of how he always tried to be very tough on his students during exams, but by all accounts he was considered tough but fair. As a professor and teacher of pharmacology, he strove to instill in his students a deeper understanding and appreciation of that sometimes neglected subject. As a father, he offered firm guidance when necessary, but was otherwise permissive and supportive. Thanks to the climate of their household, his children have not only excelled academically but also managed to cultivate creative skills and pursue other more human interests, something that many children from my culture never get the opportunity to do.

    He was only 60 years old and had a great deal to look forward to. What happened to him can happen at any time to almost anyone in your vicinity, when you least expect it. If you can, take a refresher course in CPR and get yourself certified. You might just save a life someday, or at least give someone a fighting chance. peace
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  11. #4901
    Senior Member Flixy's Avatar
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    Sorry to hear

    And yes, I've only just learned CPR and hope I will never need it, but am happy to be prepared. Even though chances are still that the patient won't make it at least you increase the chances.
    Keep on keepin' the beat alive!

  12. #4902
    Damn
    "In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."

  13. #4903


    Quote Originally Posted by Steely Glint View Post
    It's actually the original French billion, which is bi-million, which is a million to the power of 2. We adopted the word, and then they changed it, presumably as revenge for Crecy and Agincourt, and then the treasonous Americans adopted the new French usage and spread it all over the world. And now we have to use it.

    And that's Why I'm Voting Leave.

  14. #4904
    Brandy tripped at home today and now we are at the hospital and she is about to be induced.

    I was expecting another week to prep the house. Shit.
    "In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."

  15. #4905
    Best of luck.
    Quote Originally Posted by Steely Glint View Post
    It's actually the original French billion, which is bi-million, which is a million to the power of 2. We adopted the word, and then they changed it, presumably as revenge for Crecy and Agincourt, and then the treasonous Americans adopted the new French usage and spread it all over the world. And now we have to use it.

    And that's Why I'm Voting Leave.

  16. #4906
    Abigail Rayne has been born.

    My wife has been rushed into surgery, and I'm currently sitting in here alone holding my new daughter.
    "In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."

  17. #4907
    Congratulations Om!

    I like the name.

    Really hope your wife's surgery goes well.
    Quote Originally Posted by Steely Glint View Post
    It's actually the original French billion, which is bi-million, which is a million to the power of 2. We adopted the word, and then they changed it, presumably as revenge for Crecy and Agincourt, and then the treasonous Americans adopted the new French usage and spread it all over the world. And now we have to use it.

    And that's Why I'm Voting Leave.

  18. #4908
    Congrats on the little one! Hope everything goes well with Brandy's surgery.

  19. #4909
    Let sleeping tigers lie Khendraja'aro's Avatar
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    Congratulations and best wishes!
    When the stars threw down their spears
    And watered heaven with their tears:
    Did he smile his work to see?
    Did he who made the lamb make thee?

  20. #4910
    A South African cousin's 12 year old son was mowed down on his bike by a pickup which was driving too fast and lost control, out in South Africa, while on a bike ride with my cousin's husband and daughter. Spent a week in ICU but didn't pull through. I just heard the news this morning.

    I'd never met the boy but I know the cousin fairly well from trips out to SA we've made. Worst fear for a parent.
    Quote Originally Posted by Steely Glint View Post
    It's actually the original French billion, which is bi-million, which is a million to the power of 2. We adopted the word, and then they changed it, presumably as revenge for Crecy and Agincourt, and then the treasonous Americans adopted the new French usage and spread it all over the world. And now we have to use it.

    And that's Why I'm Voting Leave.

  21. #4911
    Quote Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer View Post
    Abigail Rayne has been born.

    My wife has been rushed into surgery, and I'm currently sitting in here alone holding my new daughter.
    Best wishes to you and Brandy, really hope everything goes well for both the baby Gamer and Mama Gamer
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  22. #4912
    Quote Originally Posted by Timbuk2 View Post
    A South African cousin's 12 year old son was mowed down on his bike by a pickup which was driving too fast and lost control, out in South Africa, while on a bike ride with my cousin's husband and daughter. Spent a week in ICU but didn't pull through. I just heard the news this morning.

    I'd never met the boy but I know the cousin fairly well from trips out to SA we've made. Worst fear for a parent.
    My condolences
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  23. #4913
    Thanks guys. The bleeding has been stopped. A DNC was performed. Her 3rd one out of 4 kids. We are being kept an extra day, most mom's are released after 24 hours. Doctor originally was concerned about needing a hysterectomy and taking the uterus. Wasn't a big concern because this is going to be our last kid but Brandy didn't want to risk a surgery so soon. But her numbers are up and the doctor will decide tomorrow if one is still needed.
    "In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."

  24. #4914
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer View Post
    Abigail Rayne has been born.

    My wife has been rushed into surgery, and I'm currently sitting in here alone holding my new daughter.
    Congratulations and good luck.
    Congratulations America

  25. #4915
    Let sleeping tigers lie Khendraja'aro's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer View Post
    Thanks guys. The bleeding has been stopped. A DNC was performed. Her 3rd one out of 4 kids. We are being kept an extra day, most mom's are released after 24 hours. Doctor originally was concerned about needing a hysterectomy and taking the uterus. Wasn't a big concern because this is going to be our last kid but Brandy didn't want to risk a surgery so soon. But her numbers are up and the doctor will decide tomorrow if one is still needed.
    Good thing it worked out. My mother nearly died to this and had to spend two weeks in the ICU after the birth of my youngest brother.
    When the stars threw down their spears
    And watered heaven with their tears:
    Did he smile his work to see?
    Did he who made the lamb make thee?

  26. #4916
    Chrome quietly updating extensions has become an annoyance. I used to like that updates just happened without being told, but now I believe I'd prefer to get some kind of notification from now on in case another extension goes rogue.

    Last night, I started getting popups every so often that said "Your computer is infected. You have to check it with antivirus." and I was confused because the only known update I'd made the previous 24 hours was to mIRC. Well, I spent all night doing scans with Malwarebytes and my antivirus which found nothing. I upgraded to the beta believing it was an issue in stable which didn't fix it, nor did wiping my cache and cookies. When I reset my settings to default to no seeming success, I was getting pretty fed up, right until I re-enabled my Infinity New Tab extension. When I opened a new tab, I was greeted with a message sending me to http://infinitynewtab.com/notice.html that explained the situation how their dev account had been phished with instructions to remove the current version and install the old version before the bad code was inserted while they wait for a new version to get back into the Google Store.
    Last edited by Echovirus; 05-30-2017 at 02:32 PM.

  27. #4917
    It's been a while since I was here. Sad to learn the bad things on just the last page!

    Minx, I'm sorry about your uncle. Dying at such a 'young' age from something that's normally treatable/survivable in first world nations -- where rapid response, high tech ambulances, with decent roads/infrastructure, and emergency hospitals can close the Golden Hour gap -- surely makes the loss feel sharper, harder. You're a Swedish-educated physician with relatives in Bangladesh....no wonder you're feeling ambivalent and confused about your chosen profession!

    Congrats to OG on your new baby! Aren't you glad you live in a country where childbirth with complications doesn't mean maternal death?

  28. #4918
    Separate reply to wiggin's posts on the costs of "home ownership", and who's to blame for the rising prices: All real estate is local.

    Gentrification is a real problem, especially in land-squeezed places. I live in an area that's short on space but big on local control, with "provincial" policies that make matters even worse. This is not something old people created; indeed many older people (like me) are being forced out of their homes because the property taxes are unaffordable. I can't get special property tax "relief" until I'm 65 yrs old.

    The real problem is that we've attached public services to zip codes.

  29. #4919
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

  30. #4920
    For the first time in my life, I have reported a workplace to the Swedish Work Environment Authority for multiple obvious violations of the law. The relevant regulations were altered a couple of years ago in such a way that they have become more effective at either bringing about meaningful change or helping victims get compensation, so I'm hopeful. Keeping an eye out for serious work environment issues at our patients' places of work is part of our duties, and in many cases we are required by law to report such problems so that someone can initiate some sort of investigation and intervention... but we very rarely do, for a while variety of reasons. But this was exceptionally bad. On some level I guess I'm satisfied but whenever I think about the things that precipitated this report I just feel sad. Angry, too, but mostly sad. May those fuckers have itchy butts for the rest of their miserable lives.
    "One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."

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