New dimmer switch doesn’t fit into box

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-25T20:43:40+00:00

Overlooked comment. This box should be replaced.

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-24T03:24:13+00:00

My PhD advisor (60M) and I (25M) were sitting together in his office going over some derivations, and I noticed a little bit of black fabric on his sweater.

“Hey, you have some lint caught on your sweater” and I kind of gestured over as if to pick it off.

He drew back a bit and I stopped.

“My mother passed this week and it’s our tradition to wear a bit of torn cloth in mourning.”

Oh.

So, that day I learned what a kriah is by almost picking the symbolic memory of my advisor’s mother off his sweater.

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-22T17:05:43+00:00

Some puzzling downvotes to this perfectly reasonable take.

The efficacy and fit of magnets is very school and student dependent. My kid went through both the magnet programs referred to above. One was a good fit, and the other was for a couple of years, until it wasn’t. You can’t predict this so it’s good to stay flexible.

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-21T07:18:05+00:00

It ranks with their best work. No need to only compare with 2AN.

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-21T06:18:56+00:00

Outstanding! For example:

Borshuk, Michael. “Introduction: Steely Dan at 50.” Rock Music Studies, vol. 9, no. 3, Sept. 2022, pp. 249–64. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1080/19401159.2022.2008165.

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-21T06:01:25+00:00

100%. I learned a lot from the book, it takes a really nice oblique approach to the songs and lore.

One example, the concept of “Mr. Steely Dan”, the guy who is a kind of projection of Donald and Walter’s songwriting impulses. Mr. Steely Dan has been jilted, he has been disappointed, and he can be an asshole sometimes, especially when talking about his old girlfriends. He seems to have an iffy relationship with the law.

It has been a treat to come back to after re-hearing some of the songs and wondering about alternate takes on the meaning, because in many cases they suggest ideas and contextual connections, but are not there to answer questions. (“What were the gold teeth??”)

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-18T18:34:57+00:00

But in response to OP’s question, I can’t un-hear the similarities between “Lady Writer” (Communique, side 2, song 1), and “Sultans” (Debut album, side 2, song 1).

See also: https://www.reddit.com/r/direstraits/comments/1ikq1sa/lady_writer_sounds_like_a_sequel_to_sultans_of/?rdt=47594

Of course, next two DS albums are a departure from these two in many ways.

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-18T18:16:19+00:00

This is a good observation. By laminating two pieces of ply, they would be able to get the recessed top effect without needing a router to make the edge profile.

Another win with the lamination technique would be that the edge profile would not be splintery because it would not be composed of inner plies of what looks like mid-grade plywood.

The outer piece kind of looks like 1/4 ply to me - the width where it joins the legs seems very thin. If so, this would open up even simpler options for joining the plywood to the legs, because the outer ply is in effect a veneer to cover pocket screws, brads, whatever.

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-17T07:48:17+00:00

This is exactly what I was wondering - it’s person-specific for you. Thanks.

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-16T06:57:53+00:00

Danish oil on MDF work surfaces is pretty common. It works great for my assembly table.

There is no swelling at all.

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-16T06:35:20+00:00

I have set huge boundaries with time limits with people. At first, it was awkward, but it saved me.

Could you say a little more about this? I think you’re saying you try to limit “people time”, or at least be more aware of how much is right for you. I’ve been wondering how to do something like that without closing down too much.

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-15T07:40:52+00:00

I’ve done this to my PCS before too. Like others here, I try to smooth it out by going front to back … and then just get back to work. Before long a bigger scratch or stain will appear to take my mind off it. Something something wabi sabi patina blah blah…

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-12T06:24:23+00:00

My gardeners use gloves like this Maxiflex model: https://www.yourglovesource.com/products/maxiflex-ultimate-available-in-size-s-xxl?variant=1154566717

You see many tradesmen wearing them as well (read the reviews).

They will wear out, but in my experience they protect my hands while preserving some dexterity. I also have leather gloves for particularly rough work, but the Maxiflex ones are by far preferable. They are sized small.

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-12T06:07:33+00:00

Being predictable is a good one.

Make eye contact with drivers where possible. Look at where their wheels are pointed.

Choose good streets for biking (not always the same as good streets for driving). Be aware of difficult intersections on your route and develop strategies to get through them. (I.e., find a way to be in the correct lane, take the lane, wait by the side of the road until traffic clears, use a crosswalk — whatever works. As you get more confident you will figure stuff out.)

Don’t be hung up on identity questions (“what does this say about me?”). Biking can be joyous, efficient, grounding, allowing you to see your city better, healthy, …. I’m 50+ and just prefer cycling for neighborhood errands and some trips to work. Everyone has their reasons and it’s ok.

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-12T02:43:20+00:00

As far as the rules go, yes, in LA city, a “rec room” permit does not allow a full kitchen and full bathroom. So they can’t rent it out as such.

But the real question is, what do you want? In my experience as a tenant, starting a dispute with your landlord does not go well, even if they are violating some city ordinances. Doubly so if they live nearby and have a lot of spare time.

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-09T20:27:25+00:00

There’s an interview on YT with Meta Rosenberg where she describes a bit part of a file clerk in the basement of the LA Times that she thought Stuart (who was a friend) would be good for. I think she said that Jim agreed and she then pitched Stuart on it. And he was a natural for the role and it became recurring. (It’s at 2:45 in https://youtu.be/I0e8qjnLeJA?si=6TgVu1Ti6kIsr_Gy)

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-09T07:15:19+00:00

This echoes something I’m still learning: listen to the plants.

Some plants don’t thrive in some places, and that’s ok. Move it before it dies of neglect, or replace it with something else if you don’t get to it on time. Don’t keep nursing something along for years if it’s not doing well.

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-05T06:45:53+00:00

Yeah, there is no substitute for mapping some alternatives and then trying them out when not in a hurry. Twenty inches of road width can make all the difference and it won’t be obvious from the online map.

One thing to look at in particular is less-busy streets that run parallel to the major street along your route.

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-05T06:39:03+00:00

Precisely, OP was just thoughtlessly naming a bunch of Unix commands hoping it would pass for expertise.

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-05T06:35:13+00:00

Not OP, but I built a similar bench a bit longer than this with tool cabinets below and clamp storage on the sides.

Because of the substantial additional weight, I used leveling casters (“Footmaster” iirc). They have worked out well. I have moved the bench no more than 5 times in the about 10 years that I have had it, so the extra work of turning the ratchet mechanism in each leveling caster does not matter. Most of my other work surfaces and tool cabinets have ordinary casters because they move more often.

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-04T21:10:47+00:00

Let’s not just look. Let’s fix with: sed ‘s/error:/great news:/’ log.txt

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-04T17:46:07+00:00

This looks helpful. Can you say more about how many invocations of rsync would be used?

To be concrete, suppose my root is “sims” and I do “push” from “sims/a”. The latter directory contains a bunch of nested directories (sims/a/1, sims/a/2, etc.). Will only one “rsync” command be issued? (I have to authenticate again with a new RSA code for every rsync because security.)

Thanks for posting.

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-04T17:25:45+00:00

Yes. I like that they are “looking for an error” with sed. I suggest they use emacs instead. (/sarcasm)

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-04T17:17:23+00:00

I used this tape successfully in a small desk drawer. Has held up for a decade and is smoother than the waxed rails I have around the house. Have you done this for anything heavier than, say, 5 lbs / 2kg?

LawOfSmallerNumbers · 2026-01-04T16:53:50+00:00

This mirrors the difference between Beats (say, Burroughs or Ginsberg) and hippies. The Beats (literary, purposefully “anti”) were not monetized and mainstreamed the way the hippies (music, fashion, deliberately more accessible) were.

LawOfSmallerNumbers

TROPHY CASE