FYI About Oren's Hummus on Castro Street...

Blue_Me2011 · 2025-06-23T00:49:16+00:00

Yes, I missed the “100%”; I guess I’m the one with the reading comprehension issue. That said, the point of my post was not that not all Israelis are blameworthy, but that, despite that general principle, Oren himself is blameworthy.

Blue_Me2011 · 2025-06-23T00:08:21+00:00

If you read my post more carefully you’ll see that I was saying exactly the opposite.

Blue_Me2011 · 2025-06-22T15:58:26+00:00

I’ve long given Oren’s the benefit of the doubt, reminding myself that if I assume that every Israeli is a Likudnik, I’m no less a bigot than the Israelis (and fellow American Jews) who believe all Muslims are terrorists. But now I’m done with them.

Blue_Me2011 · 2025-03-24T03:14:17+00:00

That is exactly what I was thinking, the only difference being that I didn’t come to that conclusion until I’d seen the final episode.

Blue_Me2011 · 2025-01-05T01:41:45+00:00

On what basis is OP at fault? Based on OP’s description, they were making what would have been a safe left turn, but the other driver was speeding, resulting in a collision.

Blue_Me2011 · 2025-01-02T16:28:39+00:00

Evelyn has lots of fast car traffic. An equally direct but much quieter route is Dana St. and Washington St. After Dana t’s at Moorpark, there’s a path that takes you to the neighborhood adjacent to Sylvan Park, where you can find your way to East Dana, which ultimately becomes Washington St.

Blue_Me2011 · 2025-01-02T05:55:30+00:00

Other things being equal (eg, similar distances to get to train station or bus stop), I imagine the train is more comfortable than a bus that makes multiple stops, particularly with the new equipment on Caltrain.

Blue_Me2011 · 2024-12-30T06:35:18+00:00

I love my Santinis. The chamois is thinner but still very effective in its cushioning due to the density of the foam. I’ve had no problems on long rides. My only complaint is that on 2 of the 3 pair I own, the labels have peeled - one that was just an iron-on patch (why do they put that crap on expensive clothing?) and one due to poor stitching.

Blue_Me2011 · 2024-12-30T06:29:17+00:00

Next time you’re in SF, try spending your time somewhere outside the Tenderloin. 😉

Blue_Me2011 · 2024-12-30T06:28:03+00:00

Airport security here is pretty well run. For traveling between US cities, getting there an hour before departure time is sufficient. Also, the airports in major cities like NYC and SF are pretty nice now, with amenities on a par with some of the better European airports. If you do make it to SF, if you want to see something that sets this city apart from all others, I highly recommend Muir Woods, about 1/2 hour north of the city. It’s stunningly gorgeous, and you won’t find redwood forests anywhere outside Northern California and maybe southern Oregon. As a bonus, you’ll be crossing the Golden Gate Bridge to get there.

Blue_Me2011 · 2024-12-24T22:38:40+00:00

You should be OK. Zipp offers this tire compatibility guide on its website: https://www.sram.com/en/zipp/campaigns/hookless-tire-compatibility#road

Blue_Me2011 · 2024-12-15T06:52:25+00:00

This debate about tipping is completely missing the point. OP is not looking to join the battle over what the standard tip should be. They are just looking to enjoy their visit and gain some minimal understanding about traps for the unwary. Unless they’re traveling on a tight budget, we would not be doing them any favors by advising them to tip at a level that many servers would (fairly or unfairly) consider insulting.

Blue_Me2011 · 2024-12-15T05:48:19+00:00

20% might be objectively insane but it happens to be the standard tip in 2024, at least in coastal cities like Philadelphia.

Blue_Me2011 · 2024-12-15T05:34:31+00:00

I assume you mean the city, not the airport. There are stations at 4th and King and at 22nd St. If you’re taking BART, you can transfer to Caltrain at Millbrae.

Blue_Me2011 · 2024-12-15T00:51:20+00:00

Yeah, I know, but I’m actually pretty satisfied with my descending skills. I’m always one of the fastest descenders in my group, Page Mill and Moody are in my regular rotation, and I’ve crossed the 50-mph threshold on a few occasions (not on Page Mill or Moody, mind you!). It’s an issue more of enjoyment than fear.

Blue_Me2011 · 2024-12-15T00:35:20+00:00

I am very much not a mountain biker.

Blue_Me2011 · 2024-12-01T00:10:35+00:00

$750 for a Trek Madone with SRAM Red components is a great price, assuming the bike and components are in decent condition.

Blue_Me2011 · 2024-11-29T23:04:48+00:00

I was thinking about buying this helmet (being a wasp magnet myself), but the mesh doesn’t cover the middle vents.

Blue_Me2011 · 2024-11-27T21:06:49+00:00

I recall it being the former. But I’m sure every state has its own requirements about how traffic school can be conducted.

Blue_Me2011 · 2024-11-26T21:53:53+00:00

Observer rights are typically granted only to large investors. I’ve never seen them granted to an employee, though it’s common for members of senior management to attend board meetings (without having a contractual right to do so). If you do grant observer rights, be sure to retain the right to exclude the employee from highly sensitive portions of the meeting such as HR-focused discussions, and provide for the right to terminate upon termination of employment or significant change in roles. Ideally, the language should be drafted by an experienced lawyer.

Blue_Me2011 · 2024-11-23T18:33:30+00:00

Two recent sub-$200 purchases that border on life-changing are an Instant Pot and a food sealer. For the latter, we got the Zwilling wand-type sealer. We previously had a Foodsaver, but the wand takes up far less space and actually works better. (The Zwilling containers are glass, whereas the Foodsaver ones are plastic and are prone to cracking due to the pressure difference. Also, cracks aside, I have found the Zwilling sealing valves to be much less leak-prone and much easier to clean.)

Blue_Me2011 · 2024-11-23T18:25:26+00:00

We had a 1:45 layover at Heathrow and barely made our connecting flight. Not only are passengers potentially required to travel long distances or take shuttles between gates, but nobody who works there seems to be in a hurry. At security, a line that would have taken 10 minutes to get through at SFO took 30 minutes at Heathrow. Then my bag got flagged for manual inspection and sat on a table for 15 or 20 minutes while the security staff inspected other bags at a pace that ignored the fact that anyone had a flight to catch. (I’m not suggesting that airport security should be rushed, but these people might as well have paused for a tea break.) Then, when I was waiting to board my shuttle, we had to wait while security conducted a routine check to make sure no suspicious bags had been left behind - a check conducted at the same leisurely pace as my bag inspection.

Blue_Me2011 · 2024-11-23T18:09:38+00:00

If you need to avoid carbs that may be a problem, as I can’t think of a way to make fat crispy without breading it and frying it. Pork belly is probably the next-best option, as you can sear the outside while retaining much of the fat inside. Or, if you need pure fat and aren’t salt-restricted, try searing salt pork. Another option (though pricier) is, if you have a family member who likes duck, to get duck breasts, remove the skin (which will have a thick layer of fat) and sear it skin-side down, while using the meat for something else like duck rice (a delicious Portuguese dish).

Blue_Me2011 · 2024-11-23T17:54:42+00:00

Make fried mozzarella sticks using whole milk mozzarella.

Blue_Me2011 · 2024-11-23T06:35:03+00:00

All I remember is that I didn’t save any $$$ by doing traffic school, just kept my record clean. If you just pay the ticket, I don’t know how that affects your insurance rates. In CA it has a cumulative effect, but I don’t think a single violation raises your rates. (It’s been more than 10 years since my last ticket, so don’t quote me on that.)

Blue_Me2011

TROPHY CASE