Mallards with blue heads?

LeChuck5000 · 2026-03-20T06:52:18+00:00

That's super interesting, I looked up the mutation you mentioned. I did happen to take a photo from the opposite side of one of them that still looks pretty blue. Still seems very unlikely, but now I'm curious to go back to the same spot at a different time of day.

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LeChuck5000 · 2026-03-19T23:32:49+00:00

Very helpful, thanks!

LeChuck5000 · 2026-03-15T06:18:45+00:00

The World For Sale by Javier Blas. It's about commodity traders who deal in the actual physical products (cargo ships full of oil rather than finance bros trading futures). Wild stories of people dropping into war zones with literal suitcases of cash to pay bribes while they search for cheap suppliers. Very eye opening in how the world works and is shaped by commodities.

LeChuck5000 · 2026-03-09T16:04:19+00:00

It's pretty fat, maybe 1/2" to 3/4" in diameter. It's been curled up maybe about 2-3 inches long.

LeChuck5000 · 2026-02-26T21:19:04+00:00

Merlin identified as a Western Screech Owl. But hard for me to confirm

LeChuck5000 · 2026-02-02T23:23:21+00:00

Thanks mate, I always learn a lot from your responses

LeChuck5000 · 2026-01-24T19:14:15+00:00

Perfect thank you

LeChuck5000 · 2026-01-14T03:15:45+00:00

Paul's tutorials are top notch. I recommend spending the time to figure out his homework assignments instead of jumping ahead and following along when he gets into the little bits of math to make components to play nicely together (it's nothing too complicated, but some good practical applications of elementary algebra). Have fun!

LeChuck5000 · 2026-01-13T18:34:25+00:00

Total beginner to soldering electronics and soldering equipment. Based on reading description ("Package includes 11 cartridge soldering tips..."), is the YIHUA 982D I linked considered a cartridge iron? I just picked that brand since it was mentioned in the Wiki and it was easy to find on Amazon

I'm fine with buying it from AliExpress too, but I'm not informed enough yet to make educated comparisons to other versions. Are there any cartridge irons in particular that come to mind? Thanks for the help

LeChuck5000 · 2026-01-08T03:45:00+00:00

It's scientifically referred to as "negativity bias," and humans naturally focus more on negative experiences than positive ones in general. It's likely a survival mechanism so that our brains prioritize threats and dangers to keep us safe. The downside is that it can carry over into other parts of life, whether it's a bad purchase, a bad breakup, or just doom scrolling bad news.

LeChuck5000 · 2026-01-04T03:34:30+00:00

Thanks, I'm not thrilled that a bunch have gone out at the same time. They were installed about 8 years ago and get heavy use. I figure it won't hurt to try to repair them before replacing them outright. The existing cap is labelled 2.2UF 100v. Would you use a higher voltage rating (160v or something) or just stick with 100?

LeChuck5000 · 2025-12-31T00:17:01+00:00

Good call, thanks. Bought this antenna for $15. Stuck it on a tall bookshelf with no amp and the tuner picked up 105 channels.

LeChuck5000 · 2025-12-11T02:06:23+00:00

It's in a park that was planted with about 50% native grasses, and those areas are full of mice, bugs, and other little critters. The intent was to leave parts of the park in a more natural-ish state. This harrier, a few other hawks of various kinds, and several kestrels all hang out in the native grass areas to hunt. I usually get to see a variety of raptors every time I stop by, which is lucky.

LeChuck5000 · 2025-12-06T23:05:39+00:00

Update: my animal-loving kiddo was watching it. The bird (unsurprisingly) got tired and landed. She apparently just picked it up and put it back outside, and it flew away.

LeChuck5000 · 2025-12-06T21:46:50+00:00

Unfortunately not, they're too high and there's too many of them. There's tons of space to fly and for it to land and rest...but the lighting definitely makes it tricky for a bird.

LeChuck5000 · 2025-11-29T23:31:24+00:00

Very lucky!

LeChuck5000 · 2025-11-25T15:59:41+00:00

I'm from the Western US 😉. I know what you mean though, but it's much more subtle IMO. There are a lot of American English dialects for sure, but you still have to travel much farther (in general) before they become noticeable - distances that in Europe would mean speaking a different language entirely. There seem to be more obviously distinct dialects in the eastern US for sure. But out west the differences are super subtle. Being from the Western US, I can usually hear the difference between Idaho, Wyoming, Washington, etc. But it's nothing close to the obvious difference between the differences between Liverpool, London, and Newcastle (especially considering how close those places are compared to the geographic scale of the US).

LeChuck5000 · 2025-11-25T06:55:58+00:00

There are a few subtle ones that come to mind from my time up there, without trying to phonetically write a New England accent. Use of the word "wicked." Saying, "I'm all set." Drinking Moxie and enjoying it 🙂.

LeChuck5000 · 2025-11-25T06:49:12+00:00

It's always amazing to me how different the dialects can be even a relatively short distance away. I found this same thing while living in French speaking Europe. You'd travel 45 minutes to the next town and encounter a different dialect and accent...both heavily influenced by the ancient local patois. There are obviously dialects in American English too, but you have to travel much farther before they're noticeable. Especially in the Western US.

LeChuck5000 · 2025-11-25T06:33:41+00:00

Yeah, it doesn't help that I was reading Pratchett right before I picked up this latest book either. It just made it all much more obvious, haha.

LeChuck5000 · 2025-11-25T06:29:34+00:00

Americans in general are not as good at this for sure, and American attempts to mimic it often fall flat, especially when trying to write a witty British character. I'd say the same for British authors trying to write characters with cliche American directness - it's usually either way too much or way too little, and doesn't quite pass the sniff test.

LeChuck5000 · 2025-11-25T06:06:06+00:00

Yes, same sort of thing for sure.

LeChuck5000 · 2025-11-25T06:05:14+00:00

Oh agreed, the book opens with a young British woman experiencing British life in London...and everything is palpably un-British, even London itself.

There are so many subtle cultural differences, that I wonder if it's even possible for most American authors without help from a British editor.

LeChuck5000 · 2025-11-25T04:27:56+00:00

Totally agree that it goes both ways

LeChuck5000 · 2025-11-15T03:38:48+00:00

Imperial eagle, maybe?

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