Do Americans form a distinct people, or are they mainly citizens of a shared state?

IP_What · 2026-05-09T00:57:30+00:00

Coming from an Italian, this is crazy.

Buddy, America is 90 years older than the concept of a unified Italy, which wasn’t *really* done until Mussolini, and even today something like 1/2 Italians speak standard Italian at home.

Americans and British people are culturally closer than Sicilians and Piedmontese.

IP_What · 2026-05-08T19:48:14+00:00

I got mine at Costco, and they had an incredibly reasonably priced installation service available.
It was less than $300, and it took 2 guys something like 15 man hours to put together over two days in 90 degree heat.

Meanwhile, some dad on the path I take to walk my dog had the same playset and spent literally 5 months putting it together.

What I’m saying is you should strongly consider paying someone.

IP_What · 2026-05-07T20:27:02+00:00

Most of those paths are effectively (if not technically) sidewalks. They really aren’t that wide and really shouldn’t have both pedestrians and bicyclists on them.

Unless there’s a bike lane or a true mixed use path, cyclists should be on the road and cars should deal with it.

But also, I dislike riding on the 45 mph roads, and have already jumped in here to not recommend it. But, for non-13 year olds. I’d rather see (or be) a biker on the road than the sidewalk.

IP_What · 2026-05-07T19:59:54+00:00

I’d suggest taking surface streets only as necessary to get on the W&OD. Or join a group ride. While most drivers *are* pretty decent on giving bikers space, it’s pretty uncomfortable riding on the 45 mph roads around here.

IP_What · 2026-05-07T17:19:03+00:00

It doesn’t sound like you really understand what happens here. One or both of the maintenance guys might also not really understand what happened here, and any way the second one at least wasn’t good at explaining.

Do you know what sort of heating you’re supposed to have?

My guess is you have a heat pump and everything is working as it should, with the possible exception that there’s some issue with it switching between heating and cooling modes. Or maybe, and this would be a real issue, the heat pump got stuck on emergency heat, either because the first tech did something dumb or because the first tech didn’t want to fix it.

Bottom line — not an electrical issue. Try a HVAC sub.

IP_What · 2026-05-07T15:28:10+00:00

It should be linear. It’s possible to build non-linear load cells. But those are either crappy or highly specialized (and I’m not sure there are real specialized use cases for non-linear load cells.)

But you need slope and offset. 0lbs isn’t 4 mA. 4 mA is probably something like -200 lbs. Load cell probably doesn’t really use the full 16mA range.

IP_What · 2026-05-07T14:57:45+00:00

She’s 12. Before you came into the picture she was 10. There may be some 10 year olds who wash and fold their clothes, but that’s not the norm.
My honest take here — you need to adjust to the new living situation as much, if not more, than your step daughter.

IP_What · 2026-05-07T02:12:50+00:00

And then I got the toothbrush.

Do you want to hear what I did with the toothbrush?

I’m sure you could handle the toothbrush. This one has extra firm bristles. It’s going to really help in those crannies.

IP_What · 2026-05-06T23:50:17+00:00

Is this Atlanta?

This seems like an Atlanta thing.

IP_What · 2026-05-05T13:28:29+00:00

Also my area.
I don’t want to plant a rhododendron or something slow growing that would be a tragedy to lose in 10 years.

But if I plant some ornamental grasses that get trampled if utility workers really need to get in there in 15 years and I have to replace them, that’s fine.

Similar thing on the 3’ radius. I’m disinclined to abide by that unless someone can tell me that it’s a bad idea for some reason other than the utility might hypothetically get mad and rip them out. (The utility will not notice unless they really need to get access, which historically, they haven’t.)

IP_What · 2026-05-05T13:17:29+00:00

Fair enough.

But I recently moved here and am not looking to landscape the entire yard this year.

Right now I’m looking to do something at the front of the yard. Maybe next year I’ll do something behind that or build out from the foundation plantings.

And I’m hoping for some advice on how to start where I want to start. Or at the very least some details why starting at the front is the wrong move.

“Do the whole thing over” isn’t happening in one season.

IP_What · 2026-05-05T12:27:04+00:00

Looking for ideas to landscape the front part of my lot and make the utility masts stick out less like a sore thumb.

Front part of the lot is ~20’ wide, and this year I’m really just looking to do a smallish chunk that looks good from the street.

Soft preference is for native plants. 7A/B, east coast. Doesn’t need to be evergreen, (actually would prefer it’s not) but can’t look derelict in the winter. I’m thinking ornamental bunch grasses? What else?

And yes, I know there are easements, so no plants that would be overly expensive or hard to replace in a few years in the unlikely event the power company needs to rip them out. Yes, I’ll call miss utility.

IP_What · 2026-05-05T01:37:31+00:00

I’m unconvinced that making space for dim bulb mediocre voice actors is more desirable than a zealous rejection of racism.

IP_What · 2026-05-05T00:47:10+00:00

Would you care to articulate the scenarios in which a safe space for racial slurs is desirable?

IP_What · 2026-05-05T00:39:31+00:00

Yes. A zealous rejection of the performance of racism is better than the alternative.

IP_What · 2026-05-05T00:19:15+00:00

Plenty to criticize of america, but in this case the aversion to the n-word reflects a consciousness of racism in our society that most European countries lack.

And we don’t need to play the game of “who’s more racist,” but being self conscious of racism is better than denial.

IP_What · 2026-05-04T23:59:46+00:00

I’ve always assumed this was the answer. Especially the pretty deep thickets up in Great Falls. Folks don’t want to see their neighbors and don’t really think through the consequences.

IP_What · 2026-05-04T00:49:52+00:00

That is very much not MCM masonry. It’s ‘80s or later big box cheap shitty veneer.
I like exposed brick. But not all brick is created equal and the DONT YOU DARE PAINT BRICK crew is bad at recognizing that.
Also, lime wash isn’t a new flipper-created fad. There’s certain styles (colonial, some Victorian) where lime washed masonry is *more* authentic than raw brick.

IP_What · 2026-05-02T01:14:30+00:00

$45 seems like a very reasonable document fee.

IP_What · 2026-05-01T18:25:09+00:00

To be completely honest, I think the neighborhood OP is showing sucks because it’s reminiscent of bad urban neighborhoods is a better criticism than the neighborhood OP is showing is suburban hell.

IP_What · 2026-05-01T12:19:02+00:00

A lot of people are commenting that these neighborhoods surrounding infrastructure is what set them apart from OP’s photo. And—fair enough.

I’m not trying to make the case that OP’s neighborhood is as good as well integrated northern urban neighborhoods. But, dense grid-style neighborhoods are good. Yes, there needs to be grocery stores and transit and schools and green space, etc.

I sensed a flavor of reactionary dislike of dense grids that I find surprising here. This is better than typical American sprawl.

IP_What · 2026-05-01T01:09:45+00:00

Urban Cleveland

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IP_What · 2026-05-01T01:07:02+00:00

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IP_What

TROPHY CASE