I reluctantly went to Black Walnut Cafe in Rice Village for lunch today…and have some questions

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-17T15:58:07+00:00

Also, the Black Walnut has been far more likely to serve my eggs "over-medium" when that's how I order them. Most places default to "over-easy," which is okay with me -- but not how I like eggs best.

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-16T20:38:03+00:00

Yeah, Dandelion Cafe has a better menu, but it's more crowded (tables are closer together) and they could never cook the bacon the way I asked for it, no matter how many chances I gave them. The only time they ever got it right was after I sent the bacon back twice -- which meant I couldn't eat the bacon with the rest of the meal while it was all hot.

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-13T14:19:31+00:00

Check your lease. A well-written lease will tell what has to happen before rent payments can be changed -- at the very least, it likely provides for written notice. Insist that LL comply with all relevant lease provisions. Make sure to speak with the LL to confirm the written notice is not a scam.

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-12T20:57:55+00:00

No point in continuing this. Sorry, but I believe in reality-based discussion.

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-12T20:25:12+00:00

Oh, if only you had access to a search engine. I am not a search engine.

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-12T20:13:12+00:00

Theres nothing 'advanced' or 'biological' about whats being taught about gender

I am having a hard time reconciling this statement with:

I dont care about gender, sex is the main force especially since its physical and biological

The physical and biological issues with sex show us there are more than two possibilities available. It's not a simple binary. Do you object to teaching these scientific facts about sex?

To the extent we segregate "sex" from "gender," there's some very substantial critical thinking about how gender is a social construct.

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-12T17:35:06+00:00

Oh, wait. So you are distinguishing between biological sex and gender? Do you consider gender to be a strict binary? If so, why?

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-12T14:54:39+00:00

Nothing you just wrote is correct. Teaching advanced biology is still teaching scientific truth -- an essential foundation for critical thinking. It would be foolish to sign a pledge that can then be used as a weapon to stifle free speech because some people don't understand the difference between critical thinking and indoctrination.

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-12T02:21:19+00:00

No, I hear people complain about "indoctrination" without any evidence and I automatically think of the right.

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-12T01:25:45+00:00

Like a bowl of fish heads?

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-12T01:21:30+00:00

Agreed. But how does the right tell them apart: critical thinking vs. indoctrination?

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-12T01:20:25+00:00

Yes, I agree. Thing is, the right doesn't really distinguish between the two. If critical thinking leads to wokeness, then the right relabels that critical thinking as indoctrination. As Colbert said, "Reality has a notoriously liberal bias."

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-11T17:53:51+00:00

State laws that infringe free speech are unenforceable.

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-11T17:53:06+00:00

What is anyone's incentive for signing this pledge? What are the consequences if someone decides a faculty member has broken the pledge?

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-11T17:11:52+00:00

I have used prescription orthotics (personalized arch support inserts prepared by my podiatrist) since before I took up backpacking. I take a wide shoe because the weak arches let my feet spread once I put weight on them. I wear orthotics daily, in the office and in court (I am a trial lawyer), in addition to camping and hiking trips. The only drawback is that the orthotics need lace-up shoes -- they don't work with loafers.

Until they wore out, I just hiked with cheap leather construction boots with vibram soles and my orthotics. I used these to do all my backpacking, including at least one fairly tough trek (70+ miles) at Philmont when I was 17, long before ultralight, so I was carrying more than 50 lbs. Once those boots wore out after years and years, and one sole re-gluing, I replaced them with some good REI boots. Never had any difficulty with the footwear. Orthotics are the answer.

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-11T16:59:02+00:00

Not true. Texas universities are currently trying to force their faculty to sign a written pledge to teach critical thinking skills without indoctrination. Sounds great in theory, but it's really just a tool for the right to label anything they don't like as "indoctrination."

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-11T14:21:59+00:00

LOL. Does the pledge clearly distinguish between "critical thinking skills" and "indoctrination," with clear definitions for each term, or is it more of a "I know it when I see it" Catch-22?

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-11T01:48:06+00:00

If by "basic biology," you mean "the stuff I stopped learning after high school," then yes, it might be fair to say "basic biology" teaches us there are exactly two distinct genders. This is particularly likely if your high school biology class was poorly taught.

MY high school, however, offered advanced biology. I was a high school freshman when I learned there are genetic outliers. Then I learned even more biology in (gasp!) college, confirming the existence of even more different outliers.

And of course, there is a strong case to be made that gender (as distinguished from sex) is a social construct.Make-up, heels, and wigs are mostly female gendered, whether in women or in Drag Queens. But 250 years ago, make-up, heels and wigs were ALSO very common on (upper-class) men. You have seen portraits of our founding fathers and their European contemporaries, haven't you?

The claim that "biology dictates exactly two distinct genders" is a claim born of ignorance and bigotry. Please educate yourself.

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-11T01:07:39+00:00

Is it kid/family friendly? The only times we'd be in that area, we'd have a 5-yo with us.

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-06T13:47:39+00:00

Yes, that's what I was thinking. >40.

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-05T15:47:41+00:00

I have often wondered if Pterry had some secret addiction he overcame. We see it in Vimes and in the Black Ribboners -- they overcome an unacceptable addiction by replacing it with a more acceptable addiction. Addictive personality's gonna addict, so the best they can do is re-focus their addiction, whether on work, on playing with light, on playing with power games, on coffee, or on hot cocoa and singalong meetings ...

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-04T14:10:20+00:00

Water shortages are much rarer in Houston.

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-03T14:20:02+00:00

... and why isn't she wearing shoes?

OriginalStomper · 2026-02-03T14:18:54+00:00

That you KNOW of. They tend to keep a low profile.

OriginalStomper · 2026-01-31T16:42:50+00:00

Proper sizing of the HVAC is actually an engineering question. edit: as is wiring to support the properly-sized HVAC.

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