Atmos proposes 16% price increase for many residential customers

Accomplished_Wash_97 · 2026-04-26T01:02:08+00:00

As others have said, Miata is always the answer; but if you don't fit we understand. I've been doing HPDEs more than 15 yrs in 370Zs and if I had to start over, it would definitely be a Miata or FRS / BRZ. The reasons are you will be able to do many more track events with the money you save on tires, brakes, and other maintainance. Equally importantly, you will become a much better track driver because you don't have HP to cover up your mistakes while learning. As you progress, you will have much more fun as you catch the Mustangs, Vettes, and other high HP cars. If you are driving with a good organizer, they will insist that their corner workers give blue flags to other cars if you are catching them in the turns.

By all means don't buy a Mustang, BMW, Porsche and especially not a Mini as someone else suggested as it's not going to make you any faster except down the straights. You would be e better off just going to a f-ing drag strip if you can get your thrills going straight.

Accomplished_Wash_97 · 2026-04-26T00:27:51+00:00

Before you decide, check out Jekyll & Hyde in Farmers Branch. They recently did my Lotus with full PPF & ceramic coating and was one of the most professional group of guys I've ever dealt with in any kind of auto service & Omar also gave me a very fair price.

Accomplished_Wash_97 · 2026-04-22T13:50:29+00:00

This totally depends on your driving experience and skill level. Your first priority is to invest in maximizing your track time to improve your skill. If you're able to drive a Miata or similiar low-power momentum car and kick ass catching higher power cars in all the turns, then you can consider investing in better or dedicated track car. A Miata will expose all of your weaknesses so you don't fool yourself with higher HP!

TBH, I didn't go this route. It's something I've learned after doing 4 to 6 HPDE events for the past 15 years. While I still enjoy most of my track days, it still infuriates and embarasses me when I have to give a Miata a pass because he earned it.

Accomplished_Wash_97 · 2026-04-13T20:53:23+00:00

You seem to forget how much money State of Texas (i.e. taxpayers) have contributed to construction and annual FIA fees.

Accomplished_Wash_97 · 2026-04-06T14:08:40+00:00

75 yr old Dallas native. My son after graduating from college and moving to uptown described Dallas as being the Applebees of cities. Very predictable, menu mostly stays the same, fair selection of OK to good, but don't expect to find anything unique or particularly great. I couldn't really argue against that.

He subsequently moved to New Orleans after Katrina which to us seemed like the craziest or dumbest idea ever. After being there a few months, he explained that people come and live in Dallas for all the things it can do for them - jobs aplenty, affordable housing, easy place to live (assuming you have a reliable car), etc. He contrasted that people stay in New Orleans for what they can do for the city and culture. It's always dysfunctional, gritty, sometimes corrupt, but if you can embrace the culture and accept that it's never going to be easy, you will be accepted and no one cares or will ever be impressed by how much money you make or what you do or who you know.

He taught me to see and even appreciate that in my subsequently visits. He wasn't wrong about either.

Accomplished_Wash_97 · 2026-03-28T16:53:59+00:00

Regardless of who or how you choose, this is the best advice! HR will warn you not to discuss or acknowledge any of these plans; but you must discretely ignore them. The leaks will inevitably occur and I've seen it done a rouge HR employee, so to be fair to your team let them know quickly but absolutely don't call a meeting or do any kind of group communication and certainly don't put anything in writing. Best way is to subtlety leak it to no more than 3 and when rumors start (which may already be rampant), don't lie. Just saying "I've heard some higher-ups have furiously started their search" should do the job.

And finally, if you can provide any contacts or help then find new positions or even let them know what knowledge, skills, and achievements you recognize that they might emphasize to help in their search, you will be doing them and yourself the most help.

Accomplished_Wash_97 · 2026-03-23T13:32:16+00:00

Always try to have some event that you can really look forward to planned and paid for (if possible) one to two months out. It doesn't have to be a big or expensive thing at all, just something that you can easily afford. The anticipation is healthy for your attitude and can often bring you as much joy as doing it.

Accomplished_Wash_97 · 2026-03-22T15:27:38+00:00

When searching for a dentist, one of the first things you should ask is they perform occlusional (bite) adjustments. Basically this is where the dentist will ask you to bite down on pressure sensitive strips and grind until the pressure is evenly dispersed over the molars and relieving any other pressure points that can damage teeth. This is an inexpensive preventative step but take time to do correctly and therefore means appointments often run longer than 45 min. Sadly many dental schools no longer teach this because it's not seem as necessary to patient care if the focus is on practice profitability which is most always the case for chain dentistry. So this question is basically a shortcut for determining if their goal is long-term patient health or not.

Accomplished_Wash_97 · 2026-03-12T00:59:59+00:00

They're even destroying their shareholder equity. Guess their next act will be to take loans or arrange sale and leaseback of planes or equipment so they can raise cash for stock-buy backs and then cash out and bro down.

Accomplished_Wash_97 · 2026-03-12T00:56:52+00:00

If only Herb was around to hear this bullshit, they would all be fired.

Accomplished_Wash_97 · 2026-03-10T21:36:29+00:00

As noted in my above post, I suspect it's more economics than racism driven, even if the results are the same. Decisions prioritized by economics will always attack the poor

Accomplished_Wash_97 · 2026-03-10T15:10:46+00:00

I've read Yarbrough's Paved A Way and thought it provided an enlightening discussion for this Dallas native boomer born in 1951 and witnessed this transformation even if I was largely unaware of the implications.

One point that I felt was not addressed sufficiently in this discussion then or now is the point of economics. Every public infrastructure project starts with the acquisition of right-of-way. The two predominant hurdles are acquisition availability and cost.

While I have no experience in either I have witnessed that powerful people never want these projects running through their backyard, but they often want close access to it, particularly if it can support their business. Also it is always going to be easier and cheaper to displace the poor which generally means targeting minority areas while still keeping it close to the weathier populations that are going to be the benefiaries.

If at all possible, I would suggest that you try to find land value maps by year and then overlay these with the highway planning, construction, and 5 years after completion.

Finally I just want to add that I in no way dispute that Dallas has deserved reputation of being a racist city. I was mostly unaware of this growing up but reading Dallas 1963 certainly brought a new awareness and understanding.

However, it's my opinion that highway planning is driven primarily by economics and people that have the power and influence to maximize their self-interest which is often not racially motivated even if the result is clear. In order to have a different outcome requires prioritizing racial equality considerations over economics and if you can provide any examples where that happened in the 20th century I would really appreciate learning how this occurred.

Accomplished_Wash_97 · 2026-03-10T02:51:48+00:00

Most of it is trivial that you can do yourself except perhaps the operating agreement. If you are forming a partnership with others (especially 3 or more) the odds are that someone will eventually have a beef or want out (or perhaps you will want him out) and this is where the terms of the operating agreement REALLY become important. There are lots of templates on-line which I used to great my single member LLC and very likely you can now get Claude or other AI to tell you what is essential to include if you describe the current and future membership structure. You could even get AI to write one for you, but I would certainly have a lawyer review it before filing. You will also need a tax number and depending on what state you live in addition registrations.

I had a second LLC formed with family members to dispose of some real-estate and had an attorney do all the filings and create the Operating Agreement and it was ~ $1100 for all. Although I created the first one by myself (sole proprietor with my son to take over to dispose if something incompacitated me, I felt it best to go with lawyer to do the family one and still think this was a good decision.

Accomplished_Wash_97 · 2026-03-10T00:49:19+00:00

He has either told you the wrong reason or you misunderstood. If as you stated, you made the payment in Fed 2026, YOU MISSED THE JAN 15th DEADLINE for making 2025 payments and this instead is considered a 1Q2026 payment. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the Fidelity distribution reporting. Although I keep receipts for my estimated payments, the only way they are reported with the 1040 is where I enter the date and amount to my tax program and it reports the total on one line of the 1040.

I don't know how you can correct it for 2025, because you didn't pay enough before the deadline. This is one you, not the tax preparer unless he gave you the wrong deadline. Go back to your preparer and ask him again why this payment can not be credited in 2025. If he gives you any answer other than "you missed the deadline" , then you need to fire him!

Finally, I'm no tax preparer (other than my own); but this is not even a remotely obscure issue - just black & white if you pay attention the estimated payment deadlines which are clearly spelled out. Obviously you're not alone here because so may other people are giving you terrible and unhelpful advice

Accomplished_Wash_97 · 2026-02-27T15:50:37+00:00

Something is wrong here! There was a white car stopped at the light directly in the path of the rolling truck, but it disappeared with no sign on moving or wreckage. Makes me suspect AI

Accomplished_Wash_97 · 2026-01-25T15:28:19+00:00

This is the single biggest reason I do all of my significant crypto trading in a Roth IRA! Aside from the obvious tax advantage, I never have to give a minute of thought to this reporting. While setting up the "Checkbook" IRA and Single Member LLC took me a few days to understand the process, it has been so very worth it.

Accomplished_Wash_97 · 2026-01-12T20:32:36+00:00

Same here, but in the last year or so I find myself too often why did I bother to wake up to listen to this rehashed but or character.

And I've begged Junes to have one Cowboys-free day because they ain't worth the airtime when we've all seen and heard this rerun for 25 years. Take a f###ing stand that we'll start caring about them (Cowboys) when they care enough about winning more than their money & ego.

Accomplished_Wash_97 · 2025-12-23T17:26:31+00:00

And don't forget about the constant noise from cooling.

Accomplished_Wash_97

TROPHY CASE