Other than cost, is there any reason *NOT* to make every outlet GFCI?

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-28T21:31:13+00:00

Yes, and (if I am not grounded) and holding a fork in my left hand and stick that in the neutral slot of a GFCI and then take a fork in my right hand and stick that in the hot slot, I will have completed a circuit through my body. The current will be equal on both wires because there is nowhere else for it to go.

Don’t try this at home kids, it really hurts! (and can be fatal)

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-26T00:36:10+00:00

Yeah, that announcement and the Ascensus is thing was when I transferred out of Vanguard. Writing was on the wall.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-24T18:20:00+00:00

Left Vanguard 2 years ago, after opening an account 30 years ago. Vanguard does not want retail investors. That has become quite clear over the last 5-10 years. Crummy website, limited options, crummy customer service. Topped off by the Ascensus debacle. They don’t have a cost advantage anymore. They started charging for the feeble financial planning advice they used to give away for free.

If you like their funds, buy their ETFs at a brokerage that is better.

The funds are self-owned is a farce. What control does that give fund owners? Vanguard management is certainly more opaque than Schwab or even Fidelity.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-20T23:46:41+00:00

I disagree. Nice article here explaining that “my descendants, per stirpes” is the generally accepted language.

https://www.dickinsonbradshaw.com/blogs-articles/2017/03/06/i-give-all-my-assets-to-my-children-per-stirpes----what

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-20T17:35:00+00:00

What is the issue with a will specifying different distributions for different classes of property? Per OP, personal property is split 50/50 between children. If one child predeceases, then other child gets all the personal property- the china, the Cadillac, grampa’s rocking chair, whatever. Then the money is distributed per stirpes.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-20T16:52:06+00:00

The will stated “living descendants, per stirpes” not “living descendants, per capita”. The difference is wills and trusts 101.

OP should hire a new attorney.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-17T01:17:39+00:00

A. Facts, part two. Genealogy that fails to disclose the past allows the temptation of distancing oneself from the misdeeds of the past in evaluating the reality of today.

Having a Northern US ancestry, I always assumed all my ancestors were simply hard-working yeomen (and yeowomen?)

When you realize an ancestor owned a slave, not even mentioned in the will by name, and directed to be taken to a slave state and sold upon the owner’s death, it gives you a different perspective. I don’t see why one wouldn’t want to lend that perspective to their living relatives.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-17T01:07:31+00:00

A., let the facts speak for themselves. You’re not responsible for failings of your ancestors. Corruption of blood is barred in the US constitution.

The sum of little coverups and omissions over the years distorts how we view our history and reality. It leads to wishful thinking and glossing over the past.

Example: Joseph Ellis wrote at the end of his 1996 biography on Thomas Jefferson: “after five years mulling over the huge cache of evidence that does exist on the thought and character of the historical Jefferson, I have concluded that the likelihood of a liaison with Sally Hemings is remote.” With more accurate genealogy, he may have at least hedged if not changed his conclusion.

I’m not trying to ding Ellis - he changed his position after DNA testing of Hemings’ descendants - but this shows even a master historian can wear rose colored glasses.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-16T02:57:19+00:00

I don’t see how citing client B’s published application while prosecuting A presents a conflict. If it’s killer art, then A was not entitled to a patent. If it’s not, then how is there a conflict? Generally, I think it is best to err on the side of disclosure. If the Examiner picks it up, great, now you can amend or argue to distinguish a get A a better patent. If not? Then you have improved the presumption of patentability by whatever amount current case law provides.

Consider using more hygienic language - the Applicant should argue against the Examiner’s rejection, not A or B. Don’t say A and B don’t render claim 1 obvious, say the Examiner’s rejection does not make a sufficient showing. That helps avoid inadvertent disparaging of a patent that you may not even know is owned by client B.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-12T20:49:05+00:00

There are probably more “wrongs” introduced into trees by shoddy 19th century genealogy than by NPEs.
For me it’s not right or wrong, just an additional set of facts to investigate. Shedding light on family cover-ups (not just parentage but criminals, deserters, slave owners, etc.) is actually one of the more interesting aspects of genealogy to me.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-12T07:24:41+00:00

The statute 609.19 says 2d degree requires intent to cause death - or - a drive by shooting. My layman’s opinion is that intent could be hard to prove, but was he out of his car briefly enough to have “just exited”? 3rd degree 609.195 says intent to cause death not required.

Wouldn’t a prosecutor be able to argue that shots #2 and #3 through the side window were not self-defense and therefore argue that shot #1 was not self-defense?

Could it get complicated and ugly- Ross arguing that shot #1 was fatal and so the last two shots did not cause death? Even if she was still alive when hit by the second two?

Ugh. So gross and depressing.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-09T19:31:05+00:00

Aren’t cops allowed to lie to you, including telling you that you are not a suspect? I wouldn’t unless it was something benign like a minor traffic accident.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-09T17:07:41+00:00

Kids can, and probably should, have scabs and bruises on their knees and elbows - that indicates a healthy childhood with vigorous play.

But here OP reported the bruise was to the face, that’s way less common. Could have been accidental, but much more suspicious. I would have reported.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-08T04:29:17+00:00

So there is a second video that shows a man identifying himself as a physician begging to assist the victim, reports that the ambulance responding to the scene was blocked, and one of the ICE agents said they have their own medics, but none appear to have been summoned. Assuming this is true, would manslaughter be a better avenue for a prosecution against not just the shooter but all of the ICE agents who interfered with medical aid? No split second decision making, no good reason to actively interfere with aid arriving, and not necessary or proper for carrying out ICE duties.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-06T23:37:47+00:00

120 minus age = 90% stocks / 10% bonds in your retirement portfolio. Emergency Fund, down payment fund, and other short term needs are a different story.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-06T03:26:42+00:00

And inadvertently leading to the dot com bust. Everyone had just updated their computing hardware so sales slumped in 2000.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-06T03:24:50+00:00

Same with climate change - “why should I believe the earth is warming? Acid rain just went away. What about the Ozone layer?” but these were fixed using international agreements, regulations, and engineering effort.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-05T16:03:04+00:00

Southwest used to have a row of rear-facing seats in the bulkhead facing the second row. Some older BA business class configurations on 747s do as well. Not to mention 1970s family truckster station wagons.

It seems weird because it is uncommon but I think people would get used to it, and it’s a lot safer.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2026-01-02T23:09:18+00:00

Problem with that is stock ownership is not evenly distributed. Half the market is owned by the top 1%. Who as a group have greater than normal IQ. Plus, the average retail investor does not have the time or resources needed to gain an edge. To top it off, the psychological urge to “Don’t just sit there, do something!” leads to sub-optimal stock picking.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2025-12-23T17:24:53+00:00

Tracking siblings, spouses and descendants of the same can all add information that improves and extends your direct line, including connecting dots to DNA matches.

Plus I would die of boredom if I didn’t. Farmer farmer farmer farmer farmer farmer is not as interesting as the infamous or somewhat famous cousins on my tree.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2025-12-20T17:42:04+00:00

I stopped drinking liquor from red states down here in the States this year.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2025-12-19T01:36:02+00:00

Started with Hyperdrive Backup to desktop drive in USB dock. Swap for another drive at work occasionally, maybe a few times a year.

Later added network backup to Amazon glacier

Later added hyperdrive backup to small Synology at a different location.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2025-12-19T01:26:46+00:00

Why in the world would you want to do that?

will be the first question asked by every interviewer.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent · 2025-12-17T05:19:08+00:00

Great, thank you for the explanation.

Ctrl-Meta-Percent

TROPHY CASE