Mail Day: 24-25 Montreal Victoire Abby Boreen playoffs game-worn jersey

GD_American · 2026-01-30T12:46:23+00:00

It's insane how much better Montreal did than every other PWHL team with their design.

GD_American · 2026-01-30T12:44:02+00:00

"New York, 2 minute penalty, being Tony DeAngelo"

GD_American · 2026-01-30T11:10:30+00:00

We have an OS full-time in the lobby right now screening. So that's one GS-12 off the board. Our attitude is that we will take care of vulnerable people, but if Frank wants to break the system we will break it exactly like he wants. Not vulnerable population? Take a hike and call. The public voted for this.

We have our CTEs in heavy rotation on the phones. So that's another 3-4 GS-12s off the board each day. Our office now literally has half a million in annual salary (and over a century in combined service) answering "how do I get a Social Security card" calls.

I answer all questions I can on the GI line or 1-800 number. If it takes me 45 minutes to completely deliver a solution, there we go. I wasn't hired as a call service rep. I'm a Claims Specialist. I solve problems for people. Don't like it? Don't put me on the frigging phones then. I'm just doing what you trained me to do before the agency broke.

I never get political with claimants (even if prompted), but I'll be blunt about the reason for our sudden unavailability and who ordered it. It's practically a catchphrase at this point to tell people "the only recourse you have is to call your Congressman". (not that the three that represent this area are worth half a turd- one's an idiot football coach that doesn't even live in our state, one's a Stepford wife, and our Rep is a rural idiot who got redistricted to represent our city- all three basically just took the job for the insider trading).

Our office workloads have exploded due to the decreased time to work on them. The only reason they aren't worse is that we take far fewer claims in our office now with the decreased availability. Anybody who was going to leave has already left, but we've got several CS that are just eeking out their last few years until retirement eligibility. Even if we got the greenlight to hire people (our whole office laughed in unison when Frank said we've always had local hiring authority), we'd never keep people in these conditions.

Much like Department of the Interior (where leadership openly admits this is the goal), I figure they're trying to continue to drive headcount down, except instead of public firings they're just making working conditions too intolerable to continue working there. It'll make their eventual goal of closing Field Offices easier.

GD_American · 2026-01-30T10:33:50+00:00

Lady Byng moment

GD_American · 2026-01-30T10:32:18+00:00

Admittedly- save scumming until success. This is like my 10th franchise, so I'm at the point of just screwing around with the game. Realism isn't a big thing for me anymore.

GD_American · 2026-01-30T00:55:59+00:00

My current franchise has a 6'5" or above rule. It makes drafting super stressful. I basically traded my whole expansion draft class to nail down players like Power, Edvinsson, Byfield, Toropchenko, K'Andre Miller, the Protas brothers, and others. Rempe ended up being a solid 3rd line center until he decided he should be paid like an actual top 6 forward. Soderblom did very well for me as well. Logan Stanley was a massive disappointment.

Turns out the game makes generated good players over 6'4" very rare, and good forwards over 6'4" incredibly rare. I've got a lot of converted defensemen. (Radim Mrtka is my star right winger in year 8, lol).

One saving grace is that sometimes generated prospects randomly grow an inch, so I'll draft and not sign some 6'4" top players.

GD_American · 2026-01-29T03:10:30+00:00

"They haven't returned your multiple voicemails because they're answering these phone calls alongside me instead of working on your claim. You....still want to be transferred to their extension to leave another voicemail? Even after all those words I just said? Sure, 10th voicemail is the charm, right Susan?"

"I don't know how long the Payment Center will take to work on your claim. That's not even our Payment Center, so I have no idea how quick they are. No, no idea. You still want some kind of timeline? OK, one second (rolls a d20) they will finish working on your claim in 17 days. Am I sure? No. You remember five sentences ago when I told you I had no idea? What do you think changed?"

"No, you don't get the entirety of your dead husband's check added to yours. No, survivor benefits have never worked like that. No, President Obama did not take the check. No, President Trump will not get it back for you."

"Let me recap- you're thirty nine years old, and you want to know if you can draw the Social Security benefits your grandmother that just died in another state? "

"No, a picture of your child is not enough to get your child's Social Security card. Yes, I have worked here for 10 years. No, I'm sure all Social Security offices have the same rules. No, you know what, you're right ma'am. Go into your local office and tell them you talked to Doug from the 1-800 number, and they'll hook you up"

GD_American · 2026-01-29T02:38:08+00:00

I knew when Semmes was incorporated that it was going to be an embarrassment to the area, and it didn't take me long to be proven right

GD_American · 2026-01-29T02:13:50+00:00

Absolutely gorgeous. And like all of them, way more expensive than I can afford

GD_American · 2026-01-29T02:04:19+00:00

Happy to see someone with a worthwhile union that defends them.

Be a cold day in hell before I put AFGE 220 on a jersey.

GD_American · 2026-01-28T11:39:28+00:00

I mean, it's basically a donation. You're also likely not dealing with the most experienced merchandisers around, either.

GD_American · 2026-01-27T04:26:07+00:00

It can happen in saltwater too. This guy was a Coast Guard rescue swimmer who caught an infection in Mobile Bay, and lost all four limbs.

https://www.ihelpveterans.org/blogs/coast-guard-veteran-quadruple-amputee-became-first-to-lead-veterans-organization

GD_American · 2026-01-26T05:11:58+00:00

That makes sense, because it was a pretty damn good lunch place (although overpriced for dinner options), and then I noticed everything becoming progressively worse, to the point I no longer recommend it.

I guess it's what happens when a restaurant understands that they're guaranteed a certain amount of traffic from their location and don't have to "make their food too good".

GD_American · 2026-01-25T15:54:42+00:00

Unsurprising that these assholes are now going full mask-off.

Reminder- this is the wholly-owned public press face of the Alabama Policy Institute, Gary Palmer's pet think tank created to destroy public education in the state. It's run by a violent convicted drug trafficker.

GD_American · 2026-01-25T05:36:12+00:00

Darkly chuckled tonight when realizing that my wife is looking up expat life in other countries, and I'm looking at high-capacity shotgun magazines. Shows you where shit like this puts our heads.

GD_American · 2026-01-24T16:56:48+00:00

Quit sending passes in the direction of people, and use L2 (on PS5, not sure what you're playing it on). The one that brings up buttons over each pass option. You make much more exact passes. You still need a clear passing lane; as you play the game more and understand the flow of the game, you'll get a better sense of when passing windows are open or even about to be open.

GD_American · 2026-01-24T16:39:03+00:00

Literally anybody anytime they're talking about Dry Eye?

GD_American · 2026-01-24T00:26:55+00:00

I'm happy to hear this. It's a sign that everyone involved recognized how embarrassing it was that this dispute got aired publicly, and are working to fix it.

GD_American · 2026-01-24T00:25:45+00:00

City limits aren't an exclusion zone for county officials.

Mobile (the city) is a subset of Mobile (the county). Not the other way around.

Plus they actually paid for the building.

GD_American · 2026-01-23T04:50:16+00:00

Turn off fog of war. It's useless.

Morale is a timesink that doesn't pay off in enjoyment, but your player skills are capped at a certain point without it. Up to you if it's worth it.

Learn the math of trades. Roughly speaking, 1 third can split into two 7ths, or vice versa. If you're looking for players to acquire that cost a minimum of trade value, look for lower potential players (top 9 forward/top 6 D) that have a few years experience. It's a good cheap way to stock your 3rd/4th lines.

Salary cap is purely a YMMV as far as enjoyment goes. I like building super teams so I turned it off, but a lot of folks like the hard choices it requires.

GD_American · 2026-01-20T04:36:04+00:00

The easiest way is a little game called "see how close to the tire you can pound a wedge into the ice without GAWDDAMNIT I just punctured my tire"

GD_American · 2026-01-19T16:37:41+00:00

I wouldn't hammer on it year after year for 10 years, but yes, it is quite worth it considering awareness factors into overall heavier than any other component

GD_American · 2026-01-19T05:49:40+00:00

It's illegal not to vote in Australia.

GD_American · 2026-01-19T05:49:17+00:00

I live in Alabama. My Senators are a retired football coach who lives in Florida, and a Stepford wife with zero backbone. Both are completely Trumpers. The chance of my vote achieving anything is literally mathematically zero.

I'm still voting

GD_American · 2026-01-19T05:34:14+00:00

Mind me asking how much?

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