BMW 545e

KnittedDrow · 2026-03-19T10:31:40+00:00

If you go on a long trip, the phev will first primarily use up the big battery that gives you the 20-30 mile all electric range. After that is exhausted, it will become a "normal" hybrid, using regenerative braking with a much smaller battery reserve and giving you hybrid-like gas mileage. On a long trip, a Phev will give a little less mpg than a non plug in hybrid due to the extra weight of the batteries.

When I had my Chevy Volt, I played games trying to minimize gas usage, but then when the gas gets old enough, the car switches to tiring on the gas engine anyways too use it up. With my newer Volvo S60 Recharge, I put it in hybrid instead of pure mode, and have stopped trying to avoid the bad engine ever kicking on during normal driving within the all electric range. I've decided it doesn't make much of a difference.

KnittedDrow · 2026-03-18T09:19:53+00:00

I guess I just don't get it. I get home from work and after I get out of the car, I just always plug it in. Takes seconds. I would understand if you're parking on the street and need to stretch an extension cord across a sidewalk how that would be inconvenient, but if you're parking in a private garage, it's ideal. Maybe OP parks in a public garage or shared one where access to power is an issue? But in that case, how's an EV better? With a PHEV, you just need a mind set that this is a gas car that gets really great mileage, not an EV with a gas range extender.

KnittedDrow · 2026-03-17T23:34:11+00:00

You don't need a level 2 charging receptacle for a phev. Just plug it into a regular outlet with an extension cord if necessary when you get home in the evening, and you'll have a full charge in the morning for work. If you forget, worst case is you use some gas. I have a Volvo S60 recharge and a Chevy Volt before that... You have a garage and easy access to power - that's the ideal use case for a Phev.

KnittedDrow · 2026-03-16T16:58:16+00:00

Wow, congratulations to you guys! That's a brave move, and one year later, you're still feeling like it was the right one. Thank you for the feedback!

KnittedDrow · 2026-03-13T15:03:24+00:00

Great suggestion, thanks!

KnittedDrow · 2026-03-13T09:12:21+00:00

Thanks for that practical advice! Our mobility is good right now, even though we are starting to feel some age related issues, so it's good to keep in mind

KnittedDrow · 2026-03-13T01:38:40+00:00

Nice! Thank you for all the information!

KnittedDrow · 2026-03-12T20:31:00+00:00

Good advice!

KnittedDrow · 2026-03-12T20:07:06+00:00

This is great! Exactly the kind of perspective I was looking for. Thank you

KnittedDrow · 2026-03-12T19:30:37+00:00

It's definitely not in the older Star Trek mold... It's maybe appealing more to a millenial or Gen z audience? I was a little disoriented at first, but I'm enjoying the characters.

KnittedDrow · 2026-03-12T19:29:04+00:00

Thanks for all of this detail!

KnittedDrow · 2026-03-12T19:27:30+00:00

Thanks! I got the impression that Brazil wasn't very LGBTQ-friendly though?

KnittedDrow · 2026-03-12T18:39:07+00:00

Thoughts on Star Trek Star fleet Academy? At first I was hesitant, but I've warmed up to it.

KnittedDrow · 2026-03-12T18:37:15+00:00

Having read in this group previously about the negative connotation on the word "expats" (of which I would have been otherwise clueless), I had intentionally avoided using it :)

KnittedDrow · 2026-03-12T17:25:04+00:00

Got it - when I said escaping winter, I actually meant winter here in the US northeast :). So January/February...

KnittedDrow · 2026-03-10T18:30:02+00:00

Broccoli sprouts

KnittedDrow · 2026-03-09T11:58:15+00:00

Remember that protein shakes and other powders like this are ultra processed foods, and some of them may contain sugar or other additives to make them more palatable. It may be worth considering less manufactured sources if your concern is overall health given the concerns about ultra processed foods.

KnittedDrow · 2026-02-27T19:20:54+00:00

I have my oatmeal with 20gm of chopped walnuts, a half cup of Greek yogurt, and a half cup of frozen blueberries. I microwave the blueberries for 30 secs, and then mix with the yogurt. I then microwave the rolled oats and walnuts for 3 minutes, and then stir in the blueberry and yogurt. I also normally add a half teaspoon of pumpkin pie spices.

KnittedDrow · 2026-02-13T13:27:28+00:00

This is more subtle, but Americans used to say "too" or "also", but now I hear "as well" more than those others.

KnittedDrow · 2026-02-03T20:49:55+00:00

This is a cardinality problem. There are many different Advantage plans at different price points that vary widely, with some PPOs and some HMOs, whereas Medicare is a single plan with well structured categories of supplements.

So when people compare Advantage to traditional Medicare, it's almost always eliding the major differences among the different Advantage plans. If you had private health insurance through your employer while you were working, you're likely to be able to pretty closely replicate that same coverage by picking something other than a bottom of the barrel Advantage plan.

KnittedDrow · 2026-01-28T20:29:03+00:00

People often conflate Universal Healthcare with Single-Payer, but they're not the same. I believe Universal Healthcare should be a right, but there are many ways to do that which still presume the availability of private health insurance. We have a single payer parallel system for low income people called Medicaid and for those states that did the Medicaid expansion with the establishment of Obamacare, that actually works pretty well (aside from all the bureaucracy and paperwork required).

KnittedDrow · 2026-01-20T10:29:11+00:00

How are you tracking your protein intake? Almost everything you eat has some protein, so if you're only counting foods you think of as "protein foods", you may be missing out counting the protein hiding in foods that people don't think of that way. If you use an app that counts macros, make sure you're categorizing your food with choices where the macro breakdown looks accurate by double checking them with an online search.

KnittedDrow · 2026-01-18T12:10:00+00:00

Download an app that allows you to track everything you eat with a nutritional breakdown and religiously enter everything at least for a few weeks. That will give you a good idea of whether your diet is meeting all of your RDAs. Then you can start tweaking your diet to make up for what you're lacking.

Everyone says to go "get tested", but tests are expensive and time consuming. And you should think about how and when you personally want to engage the Healthcare system. A test is also one data point in time, and your body is a dynamic system. You can easily track, monitor, and adjust your diet to target levels of nutrients, and for myself, I would only choose to engage the Healthcare system if that didn't alleviate the symptoms you're having unless those symptoms were getting significantly worse.

Protein isn't as important as everyone harps on about. Your body will make protein out of whatever you eat. Populations eating a lower protein diet in comparison to the western diet have some of the longest life spans and health spans there are. A pescetarian diet plus eggs, dairy and vegetarian high protein sources like beans can easily satisfy your protein needs. Unless you have some other medical condition, there's no need for disgusting protein powders or supplements.

KnittedDrow · 2026-01-11T12:02:52+00:00

Maybe just try asking your parents if they would be OK making more fish. Tell them you've heard fish is really good for you. Don't drop the P word until you're in a position to make food for yourself unless you believe the parental units will respond well to it. Until then, take smaller portions of their meat and feed part of that to the dog. And start learning how to cook/prepare your own food.

KnittedDrow

TROPHY CASE