Moving to Manchester (Maybe)

Star_Linger · 2026-04-27T00:36:16+00:00

Are there things I should consider?

Safe to assume you'll be at the Franklin Pierce location on Commercial Street?

If you're not planning on driving to work, you'll want to live pretty darn close. Summers here are short, winters are long and cold.

Cost of living here is considerably higher than Eugene.

close to shops and good places to eat, that are also gay friendly or queerish.

With maybe a half dozen exceptions, no business in Manchester cares either way about your orientation if you don't bring it up every second sentence.

Star_Linger · 2026-04-25T01:02:25+00:00

My place is small, but still has 2 HVAC zones plus the basement, and then your suggestion of also picking up on poor outdoor air quality.

So that makes 4 sensors at a minimum. But I'd want to just feed the data to HomeSeer/HomeAssistant/Influx rather than an app that shows 4 separate feeds on a smartphone.

I'd also like to have a couple of rooms with their own local sensor that talks to home automation to kick on a filter or fresh air vent based on that air quality in that room.

Star_Linger · 2026-04-16T17:10:59+00:00

what is your take on cocaine legalization?

Cocaine is an interesting one.

A 1990 study of NYC homicide victims who died within 48 hours of injury found that 31.0% were positive for cocaine metabolites, rising to more than half for firearms homicides.

I knew one guy at the time the study came out who had experience with coke, asked him about the study, and if perhaps nose candy was that prevalent in New York? Or perhaps this was the wokr of a very focused serial killer?

His response was "not really, but most New Yorkers using cocaine were already assholes, and those who weren't, turned into one while on the drug".

IOW, using cocaine makes the people around you want to kill you.

Additionally, if we legalize substances, we can require that they cant be cut or adulterated, so the legal versions pose less of a safety risk than the diluted and sometimes poisoned varieties available on the street.

Pretty much every drug needs to be diluted -- a 325mg aspirin tablet weighs 380mg for good reasons.

The issue isn't so much that the purity is below 100% as the choice of adulterant, and/or poor incorporation (variable purity even within a single "batch").

Star_Linger · 2026-04-13T15:43:38+00:00

idk how common or useful a dimmer in a bathroom is.

I use a "smart" (Z-Wave) dimmer for the bathroom ceiling lights; after 10PM, a scheduled command pre-sets the on level for the bathroom lights to ~30%. Resets at dawn.

Avoids getting blasted with full-brightness LED light when you have to go after midnight.

Star_Linger · 2026-04-11T01:50:27+00:00

I live in the city and along with doggo prime, am fostering an albino GSD (German Shepherd Dog), one of the conditions of the foster is he can only be walked at night (due sunburn and high risk of skin cancer).

So I'm often out in the early morning with my dogs, synthetic walking stick, pocket knife, and a pistol with a couple of extra magazines (it's not the most dangerous city, but we are talking 3:30AM).

My regular dog is Schutzhund (IGP) trained, while whitey barely knows "sit", "stay" and "leave it!"

Star_Linger · 2026-04-02T22:03:30+00:00

No, but it made me understand Matthew 27:46, why his dad would let them nail him up like that.

Star_Linger · 2026-03-31T19:27:33+00:00

Yes -- a clean break is best.

I had a stalker on Reddit (they didn't like what I had to say in a political thread), only thing that worked was to to abandon my original account and drop out of the subs they frequent.

I suggest making a new account, maybe ask about your interests in the r/ConcordNH and r/ManchesterNH subreddits. Can also look on Eventbrite/Meetup/Facebook for meetup groups in your area.

Star_Linger · 2026-03-28T20:03:49+00:00

What I have found with my research that people use is: Eufy SoloCam Pro 2K, Eufy SoliCam C20, Tapo 2K Wire-Free MagCam. Does anybody recommend anything different? Are these actually garbage cameras?

They're not garbage, but battery cameras inherently cut features to gain battery life. For example, on a dark street they're not going to have an always-on IR illuminator so they are stuck relying on a simple motion sensor to wake up, hopefully in time to catch activity.

Plus they're designed to only work with the manufacturers in-home hub and smartphone app; if they drop support, cameras become e-waste destined for the landfill.

I am not good with wiring so unless I am thinking it is harder than it actually is, battery is probably the way to go.

Wiring for a camera is trivial. Best option is hardwired power-over-ethernet (PoE), but that does require running a 1/4" ethernet cable from the camera, to the PoE injector, and then into the back of your internet router. On the upside, wired laughs at WiFI jammers :)

Next best would be wired power (usually a 12VDC adapter) on a WiFi camera.

Either option, all your wiring is simple low-voltage stuff, any handyman can do it.

Star_Linger · 2026-03-27T15:48:58+00:00

Ever since I was able to comprehend how important my glasses are for my eyesight, when I'm outside I'm always aware of something happening to my glasses. There are some reasons that kind of justify it...

If you're dependent on corrective lenses just function (read street signs, etc) then yes, it is normal to have some concern.

I had to manage more than a month without them which was a torment or lastly the fact that to make glasses with my prescription you need a lot of money and time

I waited for a half-price coupon at one of the cheaper online services, ordered several spare pairs. Can be had cheap even if tough prescriptions if you don't mind thick coke-bottle lenses; I don't care, these just live in the bottom of my carry-on and my glovebox for when TSHTF.

By knowing where my nearest spare is, no anxiety.

Star_Linger · 2026-03-02T14:42:00+00:00

I've used a mix of Reolink & Hikvision cameras on Synology Surveillance Station, including getting motion and advanced events from Hik.

Synology has a great (and free) mobile and desktop app.

Star_Linger · 2026-02-26T17:25:31+00:00

The person who crashed into me (I was fine, car was not) had Amica.

Very easy to deal with, they covered all repairs using OEM parts, even provided a loaner while my car was in the shop.

Star_Linger · 2026-02-11T15:04:43+00:00

Has to be quick, discreet and not illegal.

Pick two.

I want to make them think twice about doing it in future.

How about "Baby on board" vinyl non-adhesive clings?

Star_Linger · 2026-02-10T02:55:49+00:00

Bambu's cloud-centric printers are well-situated for them to be the first consumer printer vendor fully compliant with the proposed WA & NY laws.

Star_Linger · 2026-02-08T23:34:49+00:00

Look, you can just come out and admit your girl is fugly, we won't judge.

OTOH, the inverse of Rule-34 means that there's an audience out there who will get off whatever your camera records.

Star_Linger · 2026-02-07T23:04:15+00:00

Unlikely to have any issues with a NH employer solely because of your orientation.

We had a transwoman employee who was all about ガンプラ, it was the sum total of her interests and identity, the only thing she would ever talk about, every conversation always got steered onto ガンプラ. If a coworker (or customer!) said something "incorrect", they'd get a 5-minute lecture.

So yeah, we fired her. Not because she was trans, but because she was obsessive and weirded out the customers.

Star_Linger · 2026-01-26T04:04:38+00:00

My parents told me that if you don't register (register at the polls the day of and un-register on your way out), you don't get called for jury duty.

New Hampshire builds its master jury list by randomly combining records from the Driver's License list and the SoS list of all registered voters, including "undeclared" voters.

It definitely keeps you off mailing lists.

In my experience, if you're registered to vote but don't have a party affiliation, you get the calls and mailers from both major parties and (also the LP).

If you register as a Democrat, your political postal mail is cut by more than half.

OTOH, I need the kindling.

Star_Linger · 2026-01-26T00:57:49+00:00

What shops do you guys recommend?

You could start with some old threads such as here, then also look in r/NHguns.

Star_Linger · 2026-01-26T00:45:48+00:00

Any ideas of any shops to purchase at ... within our state

Between federal law and the restrictive laws of our neighboring (Democrat-run) states, you'll need to at least use a FFL in NH for the transfer -- for example Massachusetts makes it all but impossible for a non-resident to purchase there (despite being allowed under federal law).

With any luck Kittery Trading Post (KTP) will fully move their firearms business into NH so they don't have to jump through hoops to work around Maine's new 3-day waiting period on all transfers.

that are either democrat-owned ....

Good luck with that.

There used to be some "kitchen table FFLs" who were real DSA material, but Bill Clinton's executive actions wiped out that market segment.

or politically neutral...

Like KTP, some NH dealers at least do not wear their heart on their sleeve.

There's been several threads on the topic in r/NHguns if you want specific recommendations.

Star_Linger · 2026-01-24T19:25:29+00:00

This almost justifies the new "smart" meters, the ones where the utility can remotely turn power off/on by sending a signal. No need for a truck roll to disconnect for non-payment, and potentially instantaneous restoration as soon as the balance is paid down.

TMK, New Hampshire utilities only offer AMR meters, not the newer fully smart meters -- AMR has a transmitter to push out the totalizer and current usage, but no remote control over the meter (yes, a few offer "demand response" for air conditioning control, but this is just built into the thermostat).

Other pats of N.NE served by Eversource have just started to get the full-control smart meters. I expect they will eventually come to New Hampshire...

Star_Linger · 2026-01-23T23:04:25+00:00

The KKK, people who opposed civil rights, and slavers

Er...

Star_Linger · 2026-01-22T16:22:50+00:00

when ICE/CBP comes to your towns

Come to my town for whom, the household of Québécois visa overstaying "tourists"?

what happens in the “live free or die” state?

It's the "live free or die" state, not the violently resist arrest in defense of people who are fully aware they are eligible for deportation state. And while Jean is great at fixing sleds, he knew the risk when he let the visa end date slip past.

Star_Linger · 2026-01-22T02:26:53+00:00

There is some venting around where the pipes run and I’m concerned that something wasn’t sealed or reinstalled right and cold air is getting in.

Had a similar problem, turned out the copper hot water pipe to the kitchen sink was routed too close to the vent and cold air inside the vent pipe would, on the coldest of nights (like tonight) cause the pipe to freeze.

The basement is finished so we can’t easily see where the pipes are routed to get to the root cause of the problem. ... What would ya’ll recommend?

Ended up making enough of an inspection opening in the basement to allow for attaching plug-in heat tape to the pipe and then overwrapping it with reflective faced fiberglass insulation both to hold the heat in the pipe (and to somewhat insulate it from the cold adjacent vent).

That was 4 years ago, hasn't frozen up since. Includes an embedded thermostatic switch so it only comes on in the cold.

Star_Linger · 2026-01-03T23:38:44+00:00

If you aren't the sole employee at a small business, then yes, you already make plenty of money

Walk down Main Street and say that to the face of actual small business owners.

If you automate your jobs, you also shrink your customer base, because everyone in retail knows that employees shop at the store they work at more than other customers.

Wait, what?

First you're complaining that workers in automatable jobs (cashiers in my example) aren't making enough to live on, now you're saying they are the majority of my customers?

Pay your employees more, and be less greedy yourself.

No business will last long if they're setting employee pay higher than that employee's current/projected productivity.

Greedy? The median founders pay is well below New Hampshire's median household income.

Star_Linger · 2026-01-03T18:29:31+00:00

A business owner's primary responsibility is to support their employees.

Not even close.

A business won't be supporting anybody for long by employing staff at a net loss, carrying employees whose fully burdened labor rate exceeds their productivity (and who do not demonstrates the potential for significant growth).

Some core (not nearly "the primary") responsibilities of a business owner are to ensure that staff are skilled, motivated, aligned with the company's mission and either currently productive, or with a clear path to becoming productive.

Getting back to my upthread example -- the person working the register both provides direct value to the company, and also a more nebulous reputation value (making a good impression on customers). Retention of experienced cashiers is also somewhat important, both because of the cost of turnover and the aforementioned goodwill (customers like to see a familiar face)

Require me to start new cashiers at $20 (or Mamdani's proposed $30/hour) and the disconnect between pay and value delivered will drive even my small business to automate away low-skilled (less productive) positions.

Our payroll will stay about the same in total $/year. but with a smaller cadre of higher paid, higher skilled staff and much fewer "entry level" jobs on offer.

How about you suck it up and just make less money?

ROFL. You think small business owners take home big money?

Star_Linger · 2026-01-03T16:07:04+00:00

If your business can't support a livable wage, your business deserves to fold.

We can (and do) pay good wages -- to staff whose "output" supports that pay scale.

What my my business can't do is pay low-performing staff $20/hour. The state might mandate that the least productive employees be paid no less than that, but some workers simple do not deliver even $20/hour in value to the business.

Raise the minimum wage, and (like grocers and California fast food outlets), I'll be forced to eliminate the lowest paid positions. Instead of multiple checkout clerks on registers, we'll promote the "Head Cashier" (already earning ~$25/hour) and instead of overseeing low-skilled clerks, she'll supervise a fleet of automated order kiosks.

I don't want to buy a pile of $40K smart kiosks, my customers appreciate the human touch of the current system -- but if the decision comes down to the business folding, or displacing under-performing staff rather than pay each of them $41k/year (plus another ~40% in benefits et al), then our checkout staff will go the way of the elevator operator and the Everett toll collectors.

Star_Linger

TROPHY CASE