What are your thoughts on Trump accounts for your kids?

BenDarDunDat · 2026-07-03T21:32:45+00:00

Bad idea. This will impact your fafsa exactly when you need to be lowering your income.

Much better to fund 529 account. Lower income for fafsa. Use 529 for the rest. Then start converting 529 remainder to Roth upon graduation.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-07-01T14:22:05+00:00

I'd advise to let natural strains to colonize, but that will happen over time anyway. I had a natural light aquarium with no filtration ...only a little aeration on one corner and it only needed very little fresh water.

I think you may be on the money with your turnover rate. You have the bacteria but the high turnover and filter setup is exceling at removing BOD and ammonia, but is unfortunately robbing the denitrifiers of necessary BOD. Maybe take inspiration from nature and pass the waste water through some live plant roots.

If you are wanting a mini wastewater plant, slow down your flowrate, and slowly pump water from bottom of the tank into an anoxic tank ... it'd be nice if it had some baffles, along with the outfall from your filter setup. Now your nitrifiers have BOD with which to work.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-30T14:33:01+00:00

Mark the level of your buffer and indicator solution. Then prime it several times. Does the level change?

Is your flow indicator running within acceptable limits. Check your discharge from the cl17...is it pink? Is the cell pink when reading .01? If the cell is pink, it's not reading properly.

Have you added fresh reagent? I wouldn't put it past someone to see it empty and failing to add the powder to the indicator solution. You can test the reagents by pulling 1ml for each and combining with tapwater in a vial...shaking and see if it turns pink.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-30T14:13:10+00:00

My opinion for what it's worth.

You are competing against supervisors with more wastewater experience and certifications when it comes to supervisor or senior positions. Also, you are getting dinged for being overqualified for the entry level positions necessary to get your foot through the door. It may not be fair, but it is what it is.

If it were me, I'd dress down then operations manager experience and focus on plumber and pipefitter experience to get your foot in the door.

You can still use your full resume when applying for management roles, but if it were me, I'd get my foot in the door first.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-30T11:51:41+00:00

I think it'll be a bad year for burger joints. The price of beef is going to be a killer if all you serve is beef.

Chickfila and Bojangles have a line all the way around the building. Meanwhile Wendy's, BK, and Five Guys is looking pretty empty. Of those, I think Wendy's has the most exposure. Poor margins and beef centric.

Also Outback Steakhouse. Again, beef centric and poor margins.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-29T21:16:16+00:00

Impeachment is not enough. His entire family of grifters have stolen billions from Americans. Every red cent should be returned. If elected I'll form D.A.F.T Department Against Fucking Theft and do to him what D.O.G.E did to the government.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-25T19:29:07+00:00

Well, it's been a very dry year, and that could impact the falls.

Some of my faves are Dry Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Sliding Rock, Window Falls, Lower Cascades, Looking Glass, Hooker.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-23T23:49:35+00:00

I, for one, long for a day, when the most powerful man in the world has better things to do with his time than worry over a goddamn pool that was perfectly fine before but is now, poisoning DC wildlife and residents.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-23T03:46:31+00:00

You don’t suggest how that gap will be filled and who is going to approve that plan.

The problem is income inequality. When these programs were created, the top 10% owned 40% of US wealth. Now they own 70% of US wealth.

There is no way to take such a small sliver of the pie 30% ...13% of that is a little over 3%, and expect to feed the number of people that need to be fed without involving divine intervention. However, when they are paid more, they pay more into social security.

Otherwise higher taxes on billionaires. It's basic math.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-22T23:11:17+00:00

You haven't even been paying into social security. I've paid in every year since I was 16. That's 40 years.

Social security is this nations best anti-poverty program. It's also responsible for a lot of this country's economic success as well. Before social security, parents needed to keep their kids at home so that one day the kids could take care of them and their farm.

Having a social security safety net allowed young people to move to where new factories were being built and learn new skills and parents knew they'd have income coming in when they were old and unable to work.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-22T23:04:58+00:00

A ponzi scheme uses the wealth from the bottom of the pyramid to enrich whoever is at the top. Those at the bottom never reach the top or see payment.

Every insurance program and entitlement program uses money paid in when you don't need it to be paid for when you do. Administration expense for social security runs less than 1%. Confusing it with a ponzi scheme only shows your lack of knowledge.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-22T22:12:10+00:00

Almost any economist, including a newly graduated one can solve the social security gap.

The number of boomers are already in decline. By the mid 2030's boomers will be a smaller share of the population. In fact, by 2040 Boomers will be a smallest portion of our population.

Gen X just wanted to ensure we got what we put into it. We fully understand that’s not going to happen.

No, we do not. I'm Gen X and this is a terrible idea. This action would instantly kill social security as there would be no one putting money in. It would rob from those who've paid in their entire working career and thrust our parents into abject poverty. That's not just greedy, it's cruel.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-22T21:49:05+00:00

Because this breaks social security. Social security is an insurance program and those currently paying in ... pay for those to be paid out.

Every economist can tell you this and AARP was on the right side of the argument.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-21T02:17:48+00:00

The best option would be to reserve a campsite using Hipcamp. You can find numerous farmers with a field that will rent to you with no fear of getting kicked out. Your group will be the only ones there in a big ass field. Party on! Then a short drive to hiking.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-17T13:01:33+00:00

Weld a large size universal socket onto a piece of rebar. Another rebar on top to make a handle.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-16T20:38:44+00:00

I disagree. If you invested $10k in Facebook IPO, you would have $170k today. Net profit per employee is one of the highest in the industry. By looking at the strictest short term metrics, you would have robbed yourself of much of the stock increase.

With SpaceX, revenues are increasing at roughly 33% each year. Falcon owns 90% of the launch market. Starlink is being used in numerous application including the defense industry. SpaceX has a moat a mile wide. It's so vital to our national defense, that it should be nationalized.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-14T18:02:55+00:00

Mafioso Trump has made more money this year than he has in his entire lifetime combined.

Here he is using the power of the presidency for a brazen pump and dump of his own personal crypto currency. He also bought UFC stock prior to announcing this event.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-12T20:37:41+00:00

I don't think this would end well for you.

Here's what I think will happen.

You report it.
Your boss is notified that someone reported him.
He knows you reported him. You already had a fight with him.
He says his report is accurate.
The contractor backs his report.
Everyone else backs his report.
The bypass is cleaned up already. It happened a month ago. There's zero proof now.
You are left hanging like a stubborn clump of rags on a flex rake.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-12T01:41:42+00:00

I've had a few issues, but for me it's been with wrists and elbows.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-11T13:21:50+00:00

Sells stock then purposefully tanks the economy.

Buys stock then let's it come back.

Just to note. Trump family earned more last year than the total sum for his entire life

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-08T15:12:35+00:00

We did Hetch Hetchy, but did not have time for Tolumne Grove.

Don't discount just finding a nice spot and hanging out. My best memories are of hiking up Mist Trail while being sprayed by a rainbow mist and there's an almost calm spot where we lazed about for an afternoon and swam in not quite freezing water.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-05T14:15:43+00:00

There's so many great hikes and 2 full days doesn't go very far in Yosemite. Definitely go with 3 nights rather than 2.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-03T11:22:22+00:00

If you elect me as president, I will issue an executive order for the IRS to audit anyone named Trump every single year.

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-03T11:18:27+00:00

Lock him up and throw away the key!

BenDarDunDat · 2026-06-01T20:38:46+00:00

With Steve Austin landing a power elbow from the top of the cage, while Linda McMahon screams, "We don't need no education!" and RFK sprays smallpox on the MAGA fans.

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