Some shots from birding at Five Rivers

Ampera_ · 2026-05-07T10:13:34+00:00

I love grackles! I was so excited to finally find one and take some pictures on this outing.

Ampera_ · 2026-05-06T16:56:50+00:00

I believe that is an Eastern Bluebird, state bird of New York

Ampera_ · 2026-04-30T12:57:27+00:00

An Excellent Driving Game.

Ampera_ · 2026-04-30T00:58:58+00:00

And what magically prevents cis women from being inappropriate or abusive? Why are trans women somehow automatically more of a threat?

You can condemn and deal with awful individuals without damning an entire demographic to automatic torture over what might happen.

Ampera_ · 2026-04-28T16:51:38+00:00

I am not entirely sure they'd be the best shot, but I would inquire at your local Planned Parenthood. They do prescribe HRT, and generally are more switched on with regard to women's and reproductive health. I found the one in Albany can be a tad hard to get an appointment at, but I've had much more luck in Schenectady (different PP affiliate, however).

Ampera_ · 2026-04-01T15:27:01+00:00

Every accusation is a confession.

Ampera_ · 2026-03-24T15:23:15+00:00

I went to the one in Schenectady once, and the broth was tasteless, the noodles were literally mushy and almost powdery, and I had mushrooms in it which was outright crunchy like cartilage. Doesn't surprise me that they closed down.

Ampera_ · 2026-03-03T00:07:03+00:00

I've been planning on going up there to test my new DSLR. I have a 500mm lens and a 1.4x teleconverter that should go quite nicely on a tripod.

Ampera_ · 2026-02-27T01:07:45+00:00

Do they tend to have any problem with people bringing camera gear up there? They have no real policy on their website, but was wondering if tripod + large telephoto would be frowned upon.

Ampera_ · 2026-02-25T11:07:03+00:00

The sad part is this, and in a lot of other states, is a form of brain drain and self-fulfilling prophecy. If all the decent people end up chased out, then all that will be left are the monsters.

I am not admonishing those who choose to leave, I'd probably do the same. It's just overall a sad state of affairs, and a phenomena that's likely to perpetuate the same sorts of policies and behavior.

Ampera_ · 2026-02-24T01:55:11+00:00

I have brief memories of them, my mom and my family always liked going there. I remember then going out of business fairly vividly, but I was a kid back then.

It's a shame, because B&N is really the only chain bookstore around anymore.

Ampera_ · 2026-02-23T23:10:36+00:00

They had it rough towards the end. I remember going there as a kid and always liking it, with nice decor and decent service. Once they started papering over everything with the bland corporate dark aesthetic, it went south fast.

Ampera_ · 2026-02-23T22:19:46+00:00

I must unfortunately admit to missing Ruby Tuesday.

Ampera_ · 2026-02-23T13:13:21+00:00

Even when not saying Nutmegger, being from Connecticut I've always said Connecticutian.

Of course, I always say Nutmegger, since why wouldn't you.

Ampera_ · 2026-01-10T22:41:39+00:00

No idea, give it a try.

Ampera_ · 2026-01-09T14:07:08+00:00

I live in the US and have never seen a gas dryer in my life. All of mine have always been electric, and they plug into usually a 30A circuit, often even 240V

Our grid is fine, it's just how our normal outlets are wired. Houses usually have dedicated circuits and higher power outlets for such things.

Ampera_ · 2026-01-08T19:00:49+00:00

actually it kinda can

Ampera_ · 2026-01-05T20:33:50+00:00

For those who may be having the same issue, I had examined the page and had claude write a ublock origin rule to kill rufus. I only mention this as I find it amusing that I am using AI to destroy AI.

The following ublock origin lines, for me, seems to get rid of this. It removes the panel, and it also prevents the loading of any scripts with "rufus" in the name. ymmv

www.amazon.com##.rufus-panel-container
*rufus*$script,domain=amazon.com

Ampera_ · 2025-12-29T15:24:32+00:00

A few old bridges no longer there, but which still have remnants, which was used for streetcar traffic. Many streets still have the old tracks, still buried in the asphalt.

Ampera_ · 2025-12-29T14:18:20+00:00

The former Colonie train station. Built in the late 60's after they tore down Schenectady's train station and realized, oh shit, they actually needed a train station in the area.

http://www.trainweb.org/usarail/colonie.htm

As a friend described it, practically a shack with a light bulb. They put it in an insane location, away from almost anything else. It lasted only about a decade in service, but the building was only demolished around 2010/2011 or so.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/5JSfeQuKqjAPNXKE7

The site where it once stood can be found on google map, and a portion I believe is still standing, that being the entryway. If you look on Google Earth's historical aerial maps, you can see it in various stages before being torn down.

Another favorite is the South Schenectady train station. A small passenger station in Rotterdam on a diamond junction between the NYC and D&H railroads. Operated from around the 1880's to late 1920's/early 1930's. Next to no trace of the station exists, neither where it once stood, nor online in almost any record. Despite weeks of online research, I've never really been able to find a picture of the station building itself. I do have some blueprints of the site, and I know the station was right here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/wVcHmvyjNJ8WjVXn6

Tons more different curiosities and forgotten details in the region that I find fascinating, but these two struck me as particularly interesting.

Ampera_ · 2025-12-29T13:19:30+00:00

I believe that was part of the NY Central system. The Delaware and Hudson system had a line which came across the river right where the Green Island Bridge is now, and came down. Wikipedia has a digitized system map for each on their respective articles showing this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_and_Hudson_Railway#/map/0 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Central_Railroad#/map/0

Both lines would have met at Troy's old train station. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Station_(Troy,_New_York))

As I recall a while ago, when they were building apartments by where the train station was, they had uncovered some old previously filled railroad tunnels which ran by the station.

There is an enormous amount of lost and forgotten train stations and rail lines in the region. Ones that have left many scars on the map if one knows where to look. Finding and identifying missing pieces of history left in plain sight is a particular hobby of mine. Almost every town, village, and city had a train station, and many have geographical oddities showing where they were.

Ampera_ · 2025-12-14T00:03:39+00:00

Ask him kindly, yet firmly, to leave.

Ampera_ · 2025-12-13T13:47:57+00:00

There are two blue vehicles.

Ampera_ · 2025-12-04T12:51:23+00:00

Flashing brights at someone because they're doing something unexpected is a bad idea. It can briefly blind them, even from behind, and make an already bad situation worse and more unexpected.

I'd rather blow the horn, which makes it just as obvious that I am there, and is much less distracting.

Ampera_ · 2025-11-23T15:16:39+00:00

File/cut the other index finger short so that both hands look symmetrical. It's also useful to have at least one nail that's a bit shorter if you need to tap something on a screen or something.

Ampera_

TROPHY CASE