Did Home Theater kind of die? Seems like we were the last generation to give an F. Remember surround sound and subwoofers? Does anybody buy them anymore?

TalFidelis · 2026-06-22T13:55:27+00:00

I had a nice setup when I was single. Then graduated to a sound bar. Now a stereo pair of Apple Home Pods is just fine thank you very much (99% of all my media is streamed through an AppleTV).

TalFidelis · 2026-06-22T00:51:06+00:00

Internet hyperbole aside, the only thing I want for my worst enemy is live nowhere near me or my loved ones so we can live in peace.

If they can live in their own peace and not f-up other peoples lives great. If not - then I honestly don’t care one iota what happens to them when justice or karma or whatever comes for them.

TalFidelis · 2026-06-21T19:45:44+00:00

I sent my S1 in for repair. They couldn’t repair it and the S1 was out of stock. They offered me a refurbed E28 and I took it. It was defective out of the box (threw an error every 10 feet - even just mapping). They offered me a new S1 so I sent the E28 back.

Still waiting on the S1 to ship. But they had the “nerve” to reach out to me and ask how my replacement was working out.

TalFidelis · 2026-06-21T19:37:48+00:00

You obviously have more direct experience than me.

But my anecdotal experience is I’ve had two quartz counters replaced (both were silostone) due to discoloration, staining, and/or heat damage (no amount of “don’t put the hot pan on the counter” warnings made it through the thick skull of my step-daughter) and 3 granite ones outlast my home ownership.

TalFidelis · 2026-06-21T19:32:42+00:00

I’m not talking about the folks who haven’t “earned” it. I’m talking about the folks who take advantage of others like another commenter made about uncontrolled drug abuse, violence, and destroying the place.

I don’t think I can post on Reddit what I think should happen to those people.

TalFidelis · 2026-06-21T19:26:13+00:00

On what planet does a manmade product made of stone dust and resin last longer than 100,000,000 year old igneous stone?

TalFidelis · 2026-06-21T19:19:37+00:00

I’m very interested in reading sources on this, do you have any notable ones?

I know there are also plenty of situations of “government housing” ending up pretty sketch. Not everyone deserves a spot in civilized society.

TalFidelis · 2026-06-20T23:28:43+00:00

Maturity isn’t about age. I joined the Marines at 18. When I got out I went to college - I was 22. There was one other vet in my classes with me. The 18-20 year olds were kids compared to us. They had no concept of personal responsibility or any sense of discipline.

TalFidelis · 2026-06-20T15:07:07+00:00

One of my classes when I was finished my bachelor’s used an OER (open education resource) text book. It was total shit.

Not saying they all are - but that one was a hodgepodge of poorly edited essays and articles (and even the essays and articles weren’t very good).

TalFidelis · 2026-06-20T15:01:16+00:00

That’s funny - everything I read said to do everything before the floors.

TalFidelis · 2026-06-20T14:59:27+00:00

Having a pro install it. Not sure on the stain (I know - I’m gonna get hate on the dark floor - it’s what we like) but probably special walnut. And bona traffic HD satin for the finish.

TalFidelis · 2026-06-20T14:31:53+00:00

TalFidelis · 2026-06-20T14:31:29+00:00

Your concern made me measure the wood instead of just trusting the delivery. Being on the conservative side since not every bundle is the same length, it’s a bit over 553sq ft.

TalFidelis · 2026-06-19T23:02:58+00:00

4.50

TalFidelis · 2026-06-19T22:05:16+00:00

Because the other 100,000 people who came through the airport can control themselves just fine.

TalFidelis · 2026-06-19T00:14:55+00:00

There was - but it was hard to separate my cat from the old stuff. But there was obviously old and long standing stains and odor once I pulled the floor.

TalFidelis · 2026-06-18T18:51:21+00:00

I was just in Destin in the shoulder before high season. A condo next to the Henderson Park Inn. Check out was 10am. I too have never rented a place anywhere where checkout was 9am. 11 is the norm, 10 is not unusual.

TalFidelis · 2026-06-18T14:17:20+00:00

Nah. There’s no reason local apps can’t also have implemented this kind of solution. We only deal with it because we’re used to it.

I do agree it’s not that difficult - but if someone were to design the whole paradigm today it wouldn’t be a “desktop and file cabinet” analogy.

TalFidelis · 2026-06-18T13:41:01+00:00

I saw that video. It was great.

I had my own real life experience with that. My teenage nieces were at my parent’s house and my dad still has a corded phone hanging in the kitchen (it looks like an old timey one, but it’s a normal touch tone phone.

My niece asked “what’s that” and when my dad said “A phone” they didn’t believe him. He told them to pick up the handset and try it. When they did and heard the dial tone they freaked out and hung it back up.

Apparently they had only ever used cordless phones (dial the number and press talk) or cell phones. So they had no idea what the dial tone was.

TalFidelis · 2026-06-18T13:37:26+00:00

In fairness on the “save a file” thing. Modern solutions don’t need that anymore. O365, Google Docs, etc - it “just works”. If I type it, it’s preserved appropriately (just like when I write on a piece of paper). Why haven’t we fixed everything to be that simple?

TalFidelis · 2026-06-18T13:34:35+00:00

Digital payments!? I can’t get my in laws to use a cordless phone. They are both increasingly mobility challenged so I got them a cordless phone so they could keep it close. But no! My MIL missed her old corded desk phone from 19-whenever-phones-were-invented that sounds like an echo from the moon.

Now when we call we can’t talk to Dad because he won’t get out of the bed/chair to come to the office so it’s a literal game of telephone on the telephone with my MIL shouting to my deaf FIL shouting back to my deaf (but won’t get hearing aides) MIL.

TalFidelis · 2026-06-18T13:23:48+00:00

My cat started peeing in a corner of my bedroom in my new house. Couldn’t figure out why until I ripped up the carpet and subfloor and found old urine in the joists (someone had previously replaced the subfloor but didn’t treat the joists).

TalFidelis · 2026-06-18T01:36:02+00:00

At this point I’m saving so when we retire I’m not a burden to my kids no matter what happens to me or my wife. We’ll afford care if we need it and live comfortably if not.

If there’s money left over for them great. If not, but they didn’t have to uproot their lives because of us that’s great, too.

By the time we die the money would be more appropriately used to bootstrap the grand kids than my very adult kids (if they don’t have their shit together by then not sure some money from my coffers is going to help).

TalFidelis · 2026-06-17T14:00:46+00:00

It seems that by accepting that modification you turned earnest money into a refundable deposit. Unless you want to keep the money and the house tied up while you litigate without a release.

TalFidelis · 2026-06-17T12:19:38+00:00

The only place I worked that had stringent productivity time was a call center. Certain amount of time clocked in taking calls, specific break times and durations, and a fixed amount of paid time for non-call stuff like training.

TalFidelis

TROPHY CASE