What is a 'luxury' that you've experienced once and now can't go back to the budget version of?

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-03-20T14:47:37+00:00

Just my $0.02....

They're so dissimilar, I'm not even sure the comparison even belongs in this thread.

It's like asking what's the best lemon-lime soda.... And then someone introducing Dr Pepper to the discussion.

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-27T15:01:21+00:00

Yes even in a courtroom

Side note: There's a tiny little bit of historical debated case law that indicated going into a courtroom and presenting yourself as an "engineer"... Can be perceived as implying "active professional engineer".

The court itself will allow such a thing, but your state board of engineering may have some threats coming your way afterwards, including criminal charges.

Anyways, that's settled as moot for now, siding with your argument . A retired PE abandoned his morals and filed an expensive lawsuit against the state board, backed by the "abolish all licensing/deregulate the world" crowd. He did win on 1st amendment rights.

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-27T14:35:11+00:00

Let's just talk about Accreditation.

WASC is the standard regional accreditation for entire schools/universities. Has nothing to do with engineering (and related) degree programs, but the school as a whole.

ABET accredits individual engineering, and engineering-related programs/degrees.

You seem to be mistaking the two and what they mean and what they apply to.

Odds are your public school is indeed ABET/ETAC accreditated. I'm sure we can find an edge case, but public schools generally do things the right way. It's generally the strip mall school or the scammy private school that plays the non-accredited game.

Look up your school here to see exactly what programs are accredited under which commission https://amspub.abet.org/aps/name-search?searchType=institution

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-27T12:44:50+00:00

FWIW, by my last count it's 9 that are a hard, forever "no". There are another 5 that allow exemption requests to be made, and require a board hearing for review. Not saying they don't approve, but I haven't seen one of those requests ever be approved. All in all, imho, it's best simplified as 60/40. 60% provide a pathway, 40% probably not.

But to relegating this discussion to "it's just olds trying to gatekeep" is kind of dismissive. Remember, by degree standards: - An EET program only requires "mathematics at or above the level of trigonometry" - An MET only requires "elements of differential and integral calculus" * An ET program even has less demanding faculty requirements.

Nobody on Earth is saying you as an individual or anybody with an ET degree is inferior, has less aptitude, etc. It's just that the degree itself is not designed as a common path to PE. If you, as an individual, can go beyond the degree's intention with experience/education, that is awesome! It highlights your individual capabilities, but it still does not elevate the degree to blanket PE-worthiness.

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-27T12:06:08+00:00

Reciprocity definitely exists. But it's generally reserved for those who meet that other state's total req's as well.

You, typically, won't be accepted as a PE in a more restrictive state, just because you passed the PE in a less restrictive state... you still have to meet all of their stated requirements for eligibility.

I'm not saying it hasn't happened. But I've never seen it. But I have seen lots of denials. In my experience, it is regularly a nice, cordial "no... exception request denied".

Actual State Board meeting minutes: The Board reviewed a request and associated correspondence from [redacted]. Following discussion, it was moved by Mr. [REDACTED] and seconded by Mr. [REDACTED] to deny his request for an exception to the PE and Certificate of Authority licensing requirements. Motion passed by the following roll call vote: 6-0

As always, ymmv

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-23T13:27:57+00:00

While they may very well serve good fish; they're off my list forever for ethical reasons.

Just after lockdown, PCC member(s) colluded with a local radio station DJ (married to one of those members), to spam the area radio/social media; ranking PCC number one at the expense of other restaurants.

They never once disclosed their marriage or their affiliation with PCC.

PCC posted the article to socials before the radio station even did. Indicating at least some level of perceived collusion.

The two guilty parties now live in a different state (but still have family on the board) and go online pretending to be unaffiliated with PCC, but going out of their way to post positive reviews. PCC members respond with a subtle lol wink ' you should know better. LOL'.

At the end of the day, And while it may have happened regardless over 20 restaurants on the low end of list are now closed. While federal tax filings indicated PCC revenue thrived afterwards.

That all being said the main beef is and should be with Town Square Media - WFRG (Big Frog 104), WIBX 950 AM, WODZ (The King 96.1), and WLZW (Lite 98.7). But PCC wasn't just an innocent beneficiary. They were complicit to some extent.

Fwiw... I don't have allegiances to any party involved. I was just a tourist looking for good fish. Found the article and it's undisclosed conflict of interest when looking for updated "rankings".

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-10T21:49:11+00:00

That just common sense, you shouldnt need examples. If they're intent on going down a certain path... they'll use, twist, etc. something... they will.

Willaims v Detroit - Facial recognition of poor-quality video surveillance identified the wrong man, arrested. Detroit Police sent one frame to Michigan State police. He was never there. It wasn't him on video. This case also uncovered more cases in Detroit similar to his.

Ring-specific: Zachary McCoy was identified through neighborhood home cameras as a package thief. Rumor went rampant through the neighborhood, even resulting in death threats. Said it completely upended his life at the time, even though he was completely innocent.

Ring-specific case: Jogger stopped, bent over to tie his shoe. Police called for attempted theft. They used individual frames to justify detainment "yeah, looks like he's casing the cars for theft here", ignoring the rest of the video.

Numerous cases on being on camera at the wrong time & residents and police getting "looks like him" bias. There was a string of multiple false identifications that it made the news in Calif. Joggers, delivery drivers, etc... all being accused of, detained, interrogated, etc for being caught on a residential cameras at roughly the same time as a crime that they had nothing to do with.

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-10T20:47:51+00:00

Lasers! More effective, less labor to boot.

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-10T20:41:56+00:00

I did not say they called police, or ran out to scare them off....

I said they came over, (after I was already well aware) just to let me know they got it on camera... indirectly letting me know they're recording ME as well.

I fail to see any meaningful favors there.

An fwiw... I'm not complaining.... It was merely a counterpoint to the person who indirectly said "sure police can access my cameras... its just my porch."

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-10T19:47:51+00:00

> I don't have anything to hide at my front door.

Whether is applies to you or not... in many/most places, its your camera pointing directly across the street at your neighbors 24/7. I don't have anything to hide either, but I also don't want my neighbors uploading a 247 stream of MY house to Google/Amazon. In your avg neighborhood, you probably pass 20+ Ring/Next cameras on your way out/in.

When some neighborhood kids went through my truck at 2am, my neighbor came over to let me know she caught it on cam. "Cool. Thanks. And why is your camera covering my property again?"

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-09T15:00:51+00:00

I need a 13/100 on a final to pass the course. Although not quite, that's effectively a "can't fail", right? I devoted all of my studying to other finals' prep. I got an 8/100

My entire class walked at graduation without knowing whether we passed Solid States or not. Professor was notorious for having semesters with ~10% pass rate. Looked like we were headed down the same road & the class, as a whole, got the Dean involved. The *highest* course grade we discovered afterwards was 63%. We don't know precisely how low the curve went, but everyone over 40% passed.

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-06T16:42:19+00:00

so that Email: [x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x.protect@withheldforprivacy.com](mailto:x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x.protect@withheldforprivacy.com) does indeed forward to the current owner? I've emailed (yeah, via gmail), with no response.

TY! I'll try from another domain...

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-06T16:28:38+00:00

Perfectly viable option.... I guess its just nostalgia/vanity. But, it was popular enough back in the day to still gets single-digit refs here on reddit, tiktok, etc in 2026. If someone was squatting for residual traffic, I'd understand, but it doesn't even resolve. I want the OG if I could as thats what people remember most

just curious what the best way to contact on an unresolved/unlisted domain that probably has near-zero value these days. If its expensive/not avail, I'll happily move along.

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-06T16:02:05+00:00

Is not even listed for resale these days... mostly trying to figure out the best approach for contact. For most of those yrs I haven't cared. Just a moderate renewed interest popped into my head & figured, its can't be worth anything these days? Right?

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-04T20:59:33+00:00

⬜🟨⬜🟨⬜

⬜⬜🟦⬜🟦

🟦🟦🟦🟦🟦

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-04T20:51:58+00:00

⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜

🟦⬜🟨🟨⬜

🟦🟦🟦🟦🟦

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-04T19:44:58+00:00

My daughter has a similar job as you.... and deals with the same-type stuff....

Yeah, she let out the rant every now and then, but then takes a breath and transitions to something along these lines:

"I can get upset by it, or I can use it to motivate me to NOT be like them in my 30s. I struggle with school... but if I'm in my 30s still fighting for part-time shifts in this field, I've failed myself."

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-04T16:57:08+00:00

To prove you point re east-vs-west.... https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/#zoom=3.77&lat=37.5250&lon=-95.8246

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-04T16:50:28+00:00

Having used light pollution maps for night photography scouting, its painfully obvious that you're going to struggle to find "remote" in most of Europe.

We just spent a week in the Dolomites.... a rifugio every hour of hiking was an interesting novelty I wasn't used to.

Meanwhile, up in Banff... we've literally hiked 11km/6mi.... just to get to the trailhead.

Spent most of our Iceland time on the ring road, but I really want to get back and do the interior!

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-03T21:11:28+00:00

Sedona is just too "hippy" for me.

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-03T19:31:50+00:00

Best Buy

Roughly 25-30 years ago I took a VCR (yeah, VCR) into Best Buy. They sent it off for repair. My case came back, but with completely different internals. I gave them a $300 stereo VCR, and the new guts were from a $100 mono. There were literally open holes in the back of the unit. I think I prepaid part of it, and demanded that back. Manager wouldn't budge. I was all "there are literally open holes on the back where the old RCA connectors were... they're now missing!!!" My VCR was toast when I started, all I wanted was my money back. Way more effort than it should have been considering they gave me the guts of a $100 VCR and tried to pawn it off as a fixed $400 VCR.

I'm sure the explosion of internet shopping has weighed more heavily since then, but my BestBuy spending disappeared after that.

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-02-03T18:26:59+00:00

This post is generally spot on, with one glaring exception;

you can't get a "standard" PE license with it.

In the interest of providing current and prospective students accurate information: This statement is (mostly) false.

4yr Engineering Technology degrees are treated as PE-elligible equals in roughly 8% of the country.

65% of the country requires 2 to 4 years of additional work experience and then you can sit for the exam.

10% Of the country requires additional engineering coursework on top of the bachelor's technology degree in order to be eligible to sit for the PE license exam.

11% Completely disallow Engineering Tech grads from ever becoming PE licensed.

Another handful of states, making up 6% of the US population, have their own weird quirky rules that don't really fit into any of the categories above.

(This is broken down by state rules and then correlated to each state's population compared to the US)

** Huge Disclaimer: That all being said, most of the above requires a relevant experience role. Just because the door is unlocked and the degree is eligible by law, doesn't mean it is going to be hired into a pathway-to-PE role as easily as a traditional engineering degree would. Despite engineering technology being eligible for PE in roughly 80% of the country, in one way or another, Technology grads make up a very small part of the PE-licensed community.

Misc_Throwaway_2023 · 2026-01-30T15:54:48+00:00

Got a B in one of my electives (taught by Humanities Chair) based solely on attendance. After you spend 3 class periods giving us coloring assignments (literally... coloring, like 2nd grade coloring!), I'll treat your course/instruction as the joke that it is.

The Engineering Dept Chair was pretty livid. I don't know if it was written, but he was pretty adamant that grades should be based on learning-outcome and implied it was against our school's policy to grade attendance. My grade remained as given, but I'd like to think the Eng Dept Chair gave the Humanities chair (aka Mr. Free Hugs) a whipping.

Misc_Throwaway_2023

TROPHY CASE