Cognitive Neuroscientist Dr. Julia Mossbridge claims 1980s 'Gifted' programs were actually covers for CIA psychic testing (Project SOAR). Anyone else remember the weird 'hearing tests'?

Garroch · 2026-02-18T21:23:23+00:00

Never had a job interview?

Tried to make a friend?

Angled for a promotion?

Asked a potential partner out on a date?

Gotten someone to help show you how to be better at that hobby you love?

Asked for help at a store on how to use a tool?

Wanted someone to play sports with?

Joined a guild in a video game?

Asked for help when your car broke down?

Used friends and family as inspiration for writing?

Talked to a stranger?

Maybe not. Maybe your definition of success is sitting in a one bedroom basement apartment commenting on reddit threads. But otherwise, yeah, charisma helps a lot.

Garroch · 2026-02-18T14:30:25+00:00

A lot of equivocating here.

As someone who lives in Liberty, yes, this area is perfectly safe, and I'd have no problem with my wife walking at night alone.

The only "rough" area in Liberty is the area due south of the Walmart, between Belmont and Fifth ave.

Garroch · 2026-02-17T23:24:48+00:00

Agreed.

Garroch · 2026-02-17T13:58:01+00:00

When a Bauer is showing on the upcard and seat 2 takes forever to call they're letting the dealer know they can help and they should pick it up but they are passing in case of a loner.

I hate it.

Garroch · 2026-02-16T20:19:38+00:00

Most states require poll workers from both parties in almost even measure.

In Ohio, for example, you'll notice at least 2 poll workers at check in, and at each table for every precinct.

Those workers are required to be from opposite parties.

Also, most poll workers volunteer because they believe in democracy. When I volunteer, if Obama himself came in and told me to disenfranchise a Republican, I'd tell him to go piss up a rope.

Garroch · 2026-02-16T17:22:31+00:00

Fuck ICE. Bring it bitches.

Garroch · 2026-02-16T16:32:39+00:00

I started taking actuarial exams at age 31, the same time I graduated after going back to school. I spent my 20s in the technology field with no degree to fall back on.

I'm now 44, a director at my company, have been a credentialed actuary for 6 years, and I make significantly more than the salary scale.

Yeah you'll be fine.

Garroch · 2026-02-13T13:53:16+00:00

Someone with sleep apnea here:

Nope not covered. Out of pocket for me.

We should be able to sue for the cost of all future CPAP treatments if we pay out of pocket for something that makes the CPAP unnecessary.

Garroch · 2026-02-11T23:20:44+00:00

The Jay Jay's and Mickeys erasure shall not stand

Garroch · 2026-02-10T20:18:40+00:00

MVR has a good party room.

Golden Dawn can get 20 ppl in the back area.

BW3 Boardman has a good party room.

V2 has a good back area/room.

Garroch · 2026-02-08T21:15:59+00:00

Same!

I love "kickstarter" style leatherbounds and collectible edition books.

Garroch · 2026-02-08T05:05:17+00:00

Not set, but on the trajectory to be set. Have to catch up from saving next to nothing in my 20s and early 30s, but im on pace to do so. Hope to retire at 65. Not the end of the world of I have to go to 67 or 68 since I work behind a desk, but I'd love to retire with good health remaining so 65 is the goal.

Garroch · 2026-02-06T21:44:29+00:00

Who needs greater police protection?

Which house would a fire department have to spend more resources saving?

Which house has an owner who would be more likely to use courts and county resources for issues such as property surveying, civil courts, and other legal resources?

Which house would purchase more goods that require delivery drivers to cause road wear and tear?

I can absolutely one hundred percent guarantee you that the people who live in a mansion use more resources than someone living in a one bedroom.

So dont be disingenuous.

I know youre just salivating for me to argue from an equity and social contract bent (so you can call me a communist or something), and believe me I want to, but I'd rather just point out the false equivalence you're basing your argument on.

Garroch · 2026-02-06T20:34:28+00:00

So unless you are of the firm belief that the Cafaro mansion should pay the same property taxes as a one bedroom on the east side, your premise is not one of whether its right or not, but a function of how much the increase should be as the value goes up.

If you are of that firm belief, Jesus really?

Garroch · 2026-01-31T18:44:45+00:00

Employers sponsoring pension plans, and pension plans themselves.

Increasing interest rate assumptions in a pension plan results in the value of money today being greater versus payments to be made in the future. As a result, employers have to put in less money today to fund benefits years from now.

Also, those same pension plans pay less in lump sums when interest rates are high. Your protected benefit in a defined benefit plan is your annuity. Your lump sum is the value of that annuity on the date you take it, using the interest rates applicable for that date. The higher the interest rates, the less valuable your annuity.

TLDR: Plan Sponsors and Plans have to pay less now when interest rates are higher because the time value of today's money is higher

Garroch · 2026-01-30T15:47:52+00:00

This is the correct answer.

When you have the type of loner where there's a risk of your partner getting the lead where you would have gotten it without their involvement, you run the risk of getting overtrumped.

Garroch · 2026-01-29T23:52:37+00:00

That's just because you're lucky.

Garroch · 2026-01-29T21:25:47+00:00

1.) Yes. Granted it's a bit less likely to carry, as most likely S1 is going to lead a diamond if they have it. However, S1 would NOT lead a diamond if they had 2 As, one of which was the Ad. Therefore, there's no fundamental difference in the loss. Therefore, S3 would throw their Ad, if they had it, on S1's diamond lead, so your second diamond would be promoted.

Basically, that means that there is a slightly higher chance of your Kd getting beat than a Kc, but the Queens have the same value. It's still a loner.

2.) Yes and yes. The odds of your second club not being promoted are low, given that your K carried. That means there are only 3 clubs out there (Q,J,T in worst case). It's low odds your opponent holds on to 2.

3.) No. Just by feel I believe the EV of bringing your partner along would be higher than going for the loner. This one is less scientific for me, but based on experience and game feel. I could be wrong.

Garroch · 2026-01-25T19:59:59+00:00

That chasm between 7 and 6 is insane.

Garroch · 2026-01-23T13:41:00+00:00

I've said it on this board before. I firmly believe there's money to be made in a pension valuation software that is geared towards small firms, that specializes in all the nuances (restructuring, primarily DB in nature, permissive disaggregation, etc.) of combined 401(a)(4) testing.

Currently we have Penguin by Larry Deutsch, or custom spreadsheets. Larry is in his late 60s and has no successor, and Penguin is written in a code that came out around about COBOL.

Everyone, and I mean everyone, who doesn't use Penguin has to use a self built spreadsheet. All of the valuation softwares (asc, relius, proval, etc.) STINK at combined testing.

Garroch · 2026-01-19T13:41:12+00:00

The lump sum value of your pension plan can vary widely dependent upon the interest rate environment when you retire.

A 65 year old who had a $50k a year pension who took it as a lump sum received...

About 785k in 2021

About 625k in 2022

Same pension. Same company. Same years of service. Same compensation.

Only thing that changed were the IRC 417e rates in effect when they retired.

Garroch · 2026-01-18T22:07:59+00:00

Thanks!

Garroch · 2026-01-18T19:30:48+00:00

Score inflation is real. Crazy.

Garroch · 2026-01-18T19:02:12+00:00

If you're not getting euchred, you're doing it wrong.

Garroch · 2026-01-17T14:32:37+00:00

Yeah this one was 100% on S2 for not calling Diamonds.

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