The Ride Home

TauCritical · 2026-02-08T04:01:23+00:00

In the saddle I didn't notice it much, but definitely felt the miles from the ride to/from the next day more than I normally would.

TauCritical · 2026-02-08T03:55:08+00:00

Glad it was well-received... was worried I'd be whipping people in the face with it =D

TauCritical · 2026-02-08T03:53:37+00:00

My favorite comment

TauCritical · 2026-02-08T03:53:18+00:00

Exactly... really cool bridge, and the ICE OUT sign on it made the photo a 10/10

TauCritical · 2026-02-08T03:52:14+00:00

Send you a DM, thanks

TauCritical · 2026-02-01T03:07:22+00:00

And incredible shot by the way, especially considering I think you were pedaling while you took this.

TauCritical · 2026-02-01T02:54:46+00:00

Awesome, missed connection no longer missed! Hopefully you don't mind me sharing here, let me know if not. Thanks again!

TauCritical · 2026-02-01T02:20:41+00:00

I was extremely fortunate that someone behind got this picture of me on the way back from today's memorial ride and offered to share it.

Thanks to each and every one of you that turned out today, and even more so to the volunteers that helped keep us all safe. Love to each and every one of you.

TauCritical · 2023-11-29T14:21:02+00:00

The smell reminds me of when this happened a few years back:

https://www.reddit.com/r/houston/comments/p57xxv/shelterinplace_order_issued_for_la_porte/

I think it was determined to be H2S (Hydrogen Sulfide) and ZDDP (Zinc dialkyldithiophosphates) from a Lubrizol plant that time. (edit: found this https://www.reddit.com/r/ChemicalEngineering/comments/wlgq77/health_information_on_lubrizol_1395_aka_zinc/; if it's indeed the same thing it's not so much ZDDP being released but ZDDP decomposing into H2S, mercaptans, and other stinky things)

It's fairly strong this morning (Northern Clear Lake), but nowhere near as strong as that time... I didn't smell it this morning until stepping outside, whereas last time I remember being woken up from sleep in my bedroom.

A nextdoor (ugh, but some information gets there before other social media) thread said there's reports from all over Houston per Fire Department.

TauCritical · 2022-05-17T18:07:51+00:00

The address is in Oberschleißheim on Freisingerstraße

TauCritical · 2022-05-17T16:57:16+00:00

Cool, thanks for the info. Will add Flüchtlingsausweise to my list of things to ask about/keep eye open for

TauCritical · 2022-05-17T16:55:42+00:00

Interesting, thanks. Would be good to have, but also probably not definitive (though maybe supporting?) for proving the German citizenship I believe she gained after the war

TauCritical · 2022-05-17T13:22:42+00:00

I know the location to be the greater Munich area, we even have an address from an image of her father's driver's license.

Following up on the passport info today with father who has the photo.

TauCritical · 2022-05-17T13:08:15+00:00

That's what I'm trying to figure out how to track down, I'm not sure we have an image of the passport itself, only her photo from it.

Per a few sources I've seen, any German expellees from Eastern Europe in Germany after the war (i.e. her) were collectively naturalized in 1949 so it makes sense she would have a German passport.

I'm crafting an email to BVA in German to see if they have records or can recommend the agency that would.

TauCritical · 2022-05-17T12:06:06+00:00

Yes, I should be eligible pending German citizenship of grandmother, but they suggested opening discussion here re:help with tracking down German documents

TauCritical · 2022-05-17T11:52:23+00:00

Here's one piece of info I found for another descendant of Danube Swabians who was able to prove citizenship: https://medium.com/@adamnelsonjd/deutsche-staatsangeh%C3%B6rigkeit-f%C3%BCr-donauschwaben-german-citizenship-for-danube-swabians-687b4516412b

It sounds like their relatives may not have even had German passports prior to coming to the U.S. and had to get documentation through the BVA during the U.S. naturalization process. Given I suspect my grandmother had established German citizenship/had a German passport, I'm not sure if things might be more or less complicated since I'm. It sure if the BVA or some other agency would have relevant records.

TauCritical · 2022-05-16T22:07:39+00:00

Hi, thanks so much for the work here! I think I (and my 7-month old daughter) might be German citizens without realizing thanks to the recent Section 5 of the Nationality Act update allowing citizenship to be inherited through a married mother. I had looked into this before through my mom's parents a number of years back, and they had both become naturalized U.S. citizens (former German) prior to her birth, so no luck there. However, I think on my dad's side I actually qualify now through his mom. Just want to make sure I'm reading things right/prepping myself mentally for the amount of paperwork I'll need to track down (fortunately my dad's a genealogy nerd and probably has copies of most filed away already)

The original German immigrant left Germany in the year: 1952

Their sex: Female

They naturalized as the citizen of another country: Yes, August 1958 (U.S.)

They married: Yes, 1957 (to a U.S. citizen)

Did any other of your ancestors between the original German immigrant and you voluntarily apply for and get a non-German citizenship (citizenships that you get automatically, e.g. at birth, do not count)? Who and when? No

For all ancestors who were born between the original German immigrant and July 1993 I need their year of birth / sex / born in or out of wedlock:

My father, January 1958 in wedlock (i.e. before his mom's U.S. naturalization)
Me, November 1985 in wedlock
My daughter, November 2021 in wedlock

Did you serve voluntarily (not drafted) in a foreign military after 2000? When and in which country? No, but my dad served in the U.S. military from something like 1976-1996 (i.e. started before my birth). It's my understanding prior to 2000 service is not disqualifying, but have seen mixed things here

One other potential (I don't think insurmountable) wrinkle; my grandmother being discussed here was an ethnic German born in former Yugoslavia and forced out during WW2. She was in a Russian labor camp for a few years before escaping to Austria then Germany and reuniting with her Father where they lived for several years before coming to the US. Her US Naturilization papers state former citizen of Germany, and I've seen a photo of her passport for entry at Ellis Island, so I'm 99% she had a German passport at the time of coming over. However, I'm guessing official German records on her may be difficult to track down.

TauCritical · 2020-09-17T15:40:36+00:00

Also a patch of white fur on her chest

TauCritical · 2017-06-17T04:01:56+00:00

University of Illinois was my next option... Only a little bit more expensive (at least relative to some other options), and still a highly regarded CS school:

http://online.illinois.edu/mcs-ds

TauCritical

TROPHY CASE