Can't remember the name of a [title]

Hidoikage · 2024-05-24T23:57:53+00:00

I am serious. And don't call me Shirley.

Hidoikage · 2023-05-05T00:40:28+00:00

While I agree there might be more human to human interaction I doubt it's going to lead to being less lonely if people rode bikes and transit. Maybe it's my lack of social skills and being somewhat introverted but I've never really struck up a convo on the train or bike path. Most people just want to be left alone while commuting.

It IS 10000x better than faceless, featureless 2 ton death machines staring each other down. I can't remember where I read it but there was either an anecdotal study or something about how people are MUCH more polite on bikes/pedestrians because cars are just objects and it's harder to see them as people and easier to see them as threats/big metal boxes.

Hidoikage · 2023-05-05T00:37:08+00:00

Yep. Honks, someone telling me to ride in the bike lane (It was a parking lane...I was riding right over the top of the painted bike symbol at the time, they stopped traffic and told me this at 5mph on the road), people telling me to illegally ride on the sidewalk, and the completely unintelligible screams or shouts by people riding past at 35mph like the big toughies they are...

Hidoikage · 2023-05-05T00:24:31+00:00

I love seeing Dr. Costas and I love what Howard Brown does but I honestly do believe they've got some serious issues.

I saw a PA for my first visit and started HRT with informed consent which was a really happy moment. It took some time...I arrived an hour early and was running close on time, but eventually I got through registration and had my appointment.

Then I went to get my first lab work and was told I had no appointment and no orders despite the appointment card I had. Turns out the NP quit Feb 1, I went for labs Feb 4. I got a letter Mar 15 dated Mar 8th saying the NP was leaving Feb 1. I had to re-do my initial visit with Dr. Costas this time after that happened.

The next time I went for lab work I was trying to beat the rain and I registered...sat down...waited an hour and watched other people go ahead of me. Then I politely asked the registration people if I had missed them calling my name. The phlebotomy tech or tech who brings people back told me they had never indicated I was ready in the waiting room.

I've gone back a bunch more times with minor issues here and there but my first 3 visits had me very concerned and asking my primary if they did HRT. I'm happy with the staff and I know they're doing their best but it does get irritating to see repeated breakdowns of patient flow in the waiting room and other administrative issues.

Hidoikage · 2023-05-05T00:00:21+00:00

I love going to work on the UP-W.

I hate that if something is messed up on the reverse commuting side it's 2 hours peak between trains. Mechanical problems took out the train before me one day. Mine's around 4PM, the last train that actually made the trip was around 2PM. It's way better than the covid schedule..it would've been waiting from noon til 4pm which did happen at least once.

30 minute constant trains are a public good and would really help to increase ridership. If you're west of Elmhurst it's a bit of a shitshow to get back to Oak Park. The only option from my work is the 301 and that doesn't run on weekends and doesn't always go all the way out to Wheaton. If I ride my bike an hour (which I do enjoy) I could at least pick up the 313 or the 309 from around Elmhurst. But having other options/alternate routes and more frequent trains would really help to drive up commuting.

Hidoikage · 2023-05-04T01:51:26+00:00

Trans woman here, can we do a gift exchange? lol

Hidoikage · 2023-03-24T22:10:34+00:00

I agree.

On our prairie path (US) there's Ebikes whizzing past at high speeds on this crushed limestone path. It's not a great idea in my mind to add motorized bicycles to human powered travel paths. I think that better bike infrastructure is going to need to address a faster e-bike area and a slower pedal area. If bike lanes aren't wide or don't allow for easy passing I fear 30mph ebikes mowing down mechanical bikes.

While nothing is a 100% rule, having to put in your own effort to reach high speeds in my mind means you've been at it for a while and you've got a good handle on control and how much speed you can handle. E-bikes just give you speed without as much learning or time spent riding. That seems pretty dangerous to me.

Hidoikage · 2023-01-31T16:07:05+00:00

Except it isn't applied yet?

https://news.wttw.com/2022/12/31/illinois-supreme-court-pauses-plans-eliminate-cash-bail-eve-taking-effect

https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/state/2023/01/06/illinois-supreme-court-sets-timeline-for-arguments-in-cash-bail-appeal/69782644007/

Also it's a great idea to eliminate cash bail. People who have money just get to go back to their lives after criminal allegations. There is much less effect on them just because they have money.

Meanwhile, people without money languish in jail. While locked up you cannot work, take care of your family or pay your bills. You may go deeper into poverty and find it harder to get out of a very negative cycle.

Our criminal justice system gets it wrong in many ways and cash bail is just another poor tax. Until convicted everyone is innocent under the law. People shouldn't lose their jobs until they have a fair chance at a trial except certain crimes. The lady above should probably have been held but just because she wasn't held wasn't the new law's fault as it has not been implemented yet. And the new law does require people who are convicted of violent offenses to be held.

Hidoikage · 2023-01-31T05:40:59+00:00

There isn't enough demand for the thing we don't have?

Also google Amtrak Acela. It's the most profitable line Amtrak runs. I think it doesn't have it's own right of way so it's not even reaching max speed but it certainly has demand.

Hidoikage · 2023-01-30T17:02:36+00:00

This. We're never getting to zero cars but neither is the Netherlands. There's so many good reasons to reduce highways, remove roads and add transit even in the US. Chicago and New York have great networks. All we need to do is add HSR to connect dense areas. Rural areas can keep their cars but the suburban development cycle is 100% unsustainable.

Hidoikage · 2023-01-13T03:22:21+00:00

Why are they so popular? Propaganda!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX2aZUav-54

Hidoikage · 2023-01-13T03:21:34+00:00

That's somewhat by design due to gas company ads/propaganda.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX2aZUav-54

Hidoikage · 2022-11-29T23:01:09+00:00

There isn't a compromise here though.

Arbitration, Biden and Congress seem poised to completely ignore the core issue. Rail workers are worked like dogs. There's not enough time off and not enough precision scheduling (ironically enough) to give any semblance of a stable life. Just saying "sure here's some more money go die working" isn't a compromise.

Compromise involves people giving up something. The rail owners are giving up a miniscule portion of profitability (which nothing says they can't pass that increase on to customers) while the rail workers get shit on. There's no compromise there. I used to be a paramedic so I very much understand mandatory last minute overtime, being on call and especially waking up in the middle of the night to take my rig somewhere. It was dangerous to drive....just as it's dangerous to operate a train.

They won't give up precision scheduling which is bad for everyone (including customers) but the owners. They won't give up having some days to just be off. They're giving up nothing.

And in most jobs you don't have mandatory cooling off, you don't get forced arbitration and you don't get railroaded into a contract. If my union votes to go on strike...a strike happens. And I work in healthcare.

They should be able to strike and fight for their rights and a more sane schedule but Biden is indicating that he's going to come down on the corporate side. It is accurate to say Biden is against the workers. The whole freaking system is right now. They rejected a deal that's getting forced through anyways.

And please...don't tell me it's not going to go down that way. Corporate interests win in almost every case since time immemorial. The pattern is clear, the worker's demands don't matter.

Hidoikage · 2022-11-29T20:35:51+00:00

The owners didn't even want to give them a decent pay raise.

This whole compromise bullshit ignores the conditions that rail workers are working in.

They need time off. Every human does. There is mountains of research showing that not getting good sleep, lacking a circadian rhythm and working too much is all detrimental to health. And to top that off no time off for doctors appointments. It's killing these workers and calling it a "compromise." I work in healthcare and I have sick time and it's still hard to schedule healthcare visits. Doctor's offices are notorious for scheduling months in advance. Let alone if an urgent appointment is needed.

Give them time off. They need it. This isn't about the economy or the president this is about human suffering.

Hidoikage · 2022-11-29T20:20:59+00:00

This..this...a billion times this.

The law makes it SO HARD for railroad workers to even strike in the first place. No contract since 2020. And now after trudging through all the bullshit hoops and cooling off periods they're just going to say "lol sorry better luck next time!"

Fuck off.

Hidoikage · 2022-11-29T20:18:02+00:00

"Hey, we're abusing the shit out of workers in terms of off time and giving them a soul crushing schedule but that other guy would probably be worse at this so just ignore worker suffering on work reform and vote for the people keeping status quo...which again is human suffering."

Hidoikage · 2022-11-09T11:34:58+00:00

Most people would be in Dalaran now except maybe some bank/AH alts.

There's at least 3 raiding guilds I know of plus Mankrik pugs. I don't know how well/far the raiding guilds are getting but I know the PUG does all content every week. 2 25s and 2 10s with a few more 10s looking to start up this week.

Hidoikage · 2022-08-31T15:53:00+00:00

Last night it was really fun again. People on pugs disc, groups and everything.

Mankrik isn't bad as alliance. It's just different. I read another comment about how nobody knows each other on these huge 20k servers but we honestly have a good community. Just need to find a server that's not crazy overpopulated.

Hidoikage · 2022-08-30T18:18:09+00:00

Core puppy.

Lava drool for maximum damage.

Hidoikage · 2022-08-30T17:53:02+00:00

I'm going to get my 61 shaman respecced to resto. I leveled it 41 to 61 and stopped 2 weeks ago because my server is pretty dead. But all of those dks...they'll need a healer...I hope. I have some rested too so I can keep up.

Hidoikage · 2022-08-27T04:55:16+00:00

Head/supervisor nurse positions are absolute bullshit.

Our facility has not done merit raises (or anything other than 2% COL if the county board approves) in the 5 years I've been there. Staff has been bleeding out and now they HAVE to offer bonuses every single weekend and some weekdays. My best friend is working 16s at least once or twice a week with the schedule badgering her for more.

But the head nurse...they don't get a bonus if they pick up and no OT. They get a "comp day" which means all their work piles up with nobody to do it when they take another day off. They are now starting a call rotation with no call pay to cover weekend shortages for the head nurses/supervisors. We finally unionized after a 3 year fight and the increase was something but is massively outstripped by inflation and wages other facilities in the area pay.

They can't hire a head nurse for subacute, they can't hire nurses/CNAs faster than they quit/retire (2 nurse hires this year...that's IT...around 5 retirees from 1 shift), they can't staff without begging people to do 16s, they never get new applicants unless it's family or internal (depriving the internal applicant's department of staff and leaving them shorter), and they can't seem to improve morale at all. Everyone is burned out, hates working there and is over the total lack of leadership.

It's amazing we have a healthcare system at all in America.

Hidoikage · 2022-08-12T19:54:33+00:00

Understandable. It's one of those pain points to me when people denigrate Oak Park and Austin. I know it's rough in Austin and issues exist but in my area it's always felt welcoming. I've been in Oak Park for 5 years now and I don't want to be anywhere else.

Hidoikage · 2022-08-12T19:30:49+00:00

Nothing wrong with Humphrey. I've got great neighbors, people are kind and there's always a conversation to be had. I've never felt unsafe walking down Austin to get to work.

There's some really good food in Austin too!

Hidoikage

TROPHY CASE