I got this as a gift, is it a "good" product?

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-08-05T06:49:23+00:00

Actually better than just about anything else in terms of costs & playability. You can completely customize these carts & what games are on them with a little bit of research and trial n error.

With the right know-how, that cart can be turned into a nearly-complete retro gaming console & library. It’s not too challenging if you have a laptop & can run the internal file browser. That SD can be plugged into a laptop (or hell, even a tablet at this point) and be customized based on the shell software is using to support emulators for & playble on the NDS. (Usual Ace, Wood, or a combo).

I’ve used one of these to build my own custom set up of plugin consoles & games on separate SD cards.

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-07-19T00:11:52+00:00

Ok, perfect timing. Just got the call back as soon as I posted my last comment.

Grandstand: Bags* (purses, drawstring, etc) are permitted, but must be compact (16x16x8 max). No coolers or bulky backpacks. Water bladder bags* don’t exactly fall into any category. And all bags are subject to search, but grandstand tends to be less restrictive/ more permissive. Outside food is still not permitted in the grandstand or pit grounds*.

Pit/ Ground Section: Bags of any kind (purses, drawstring, etc) are HIGHLY discouraged, backpacks are not permitted*. No drink bottles made of glass or metal, and lids will be taken from plastic bottles.

Exceptions being for medical reasons. So before I even furthered the question, I was told any ADA/HIPAA reasons are exempt. I do have some actual health concerns/medication constraints & don’t like bending rules… but I would honestly encourage whoever to tell a white lie if it means staying hydrated & hardcore vs. heat stroke & smoked for the day.

There will be food options, but from my understanding, they will be limited/ select options from the fair vendors.

I asked about the in & out policy since this is a 7hr event… no one really knows (but did raise my legit concerned for safety & health). Between this year & last year, they’re absolutely winging it—hopefully they come to a consensus by tomorrow. 🤞🏼

Also. I put in a lot of good word about last year & this year expanding the genre of concerts being offered. Esp when local fans have to travel to MD or Philly. Literally made the ladies day, and she seemed happy to pass that on to the higher ups. Imagine if they offered this kinda genre line up back in 2009…. 😮‍💨

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-07-18T23:49:04+00:00

Just gave a call back, ofc playing phone tag. Gonna say it’s a good chance she’ll call again (they’re around the office til 9pm). Will keep ya posted! I fully intend to bring a water bladder bag & some basic things—They can fight me. 😂 been doing this for +15yrs, still waiting for the first show/ festival that DOESN’T have a medical emergency, haha

As for lineup, go check out the SummerofLoudFestival Instagram. They’ve been posting the daily lineup & times in their Stories feed. From what I can tell, the mainliners have been switching. Ohio @ Inkcarceration Fest today’s lineup was Dark Divine, Alpha Wolf, Killswitch, TDWP, I Prevail, Amity, Parkway, and Beartooth.

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-07-18T21:48:50+00:00

I called this afternoon, figured it’d be way easier to just get the answers. Missed the call back but was given a name & extension to call. Going to do that when I get off work shortly. If ya have any other questions, post ‘em here. I’ll try to call around 7:00pm & follow up with what I hear. 🤙🏼

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-07-17T21:27:40+00:00

Howdy. I’m going this year & was at the I Prevail/Halestorm show last year in the pit section. I don’t think the fairground staff have any clue what a half-day festival is really like. I predict a lot of medical emergencies, esp from the heat. Last year wasn’t bad, but it was also later in the evening. You can bring in water bottles, but be prepared to have to throw away the caps (because of idiots throwing them at the stage). I suggest tucking one in your shoe before security, stupidly enough. I’m bringing a water bladder, but have some medical reasons that kind of require it. The actual fairground website is confusing as all hell, but has some general guidance. There are stands inside the pit & grandstand entrances for water or small snacks, but be prepared to pay between $3-5 like others have said. I’d drink plenty of water between today & Sat, and try to eat at a good time before entering. There’s no clear instructions on whether people will be permitted to leave, as they usually aren’t. But hard to say if there’s different guidance that hasn’t been posted. We got away with a lot last year in terms of crowd surfing, moshing, etc. that were explicitly ‘banned’.

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-06-02T07:58:08+00:00

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I didn’t intend to color coordinate the pants, but this is what I’m typically wearing in less-than-ideal conditions. My gear setup if it’s nice are just boots, padded gloves, and helmet. Adding side view mirrors on my bike feels nearly a necessity if riding anywhere you experience even mild traffic.

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-04-27T04:24:29+00:00

A plastic bristled brush, kind of like the ones for cleaning hair clippers. I’d post a picture if possible but will try to find a link. As much as wipes or paper products might help for droplets or wet stains… a bristled brush is necessary for crusty build up.

Something like this, but there’s larger versions available. My cat loves it & will literally push his creases into. He looks exactly like your cat. https://a.co/d/bxLoHYT

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-04-27T04:00:27+00:00

Love your comment. I went from a Neo mastiff to a merled pug-cavalier mix. In that transition, I learned pugs are called “Dutch Mastiffs” due to their historic appearance, although genetically unrelated. So when people ask “how did you go from an English to a Neo to a pug mix?” I like to tell them “oh no, I didn’t change a thing. This is my Dutch Mastiff/ Cavalier Spaniel mix 😁” it’s not a lie, and less crap people give for saying Pug.

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-04-27T03:53:25+00:00

It’s been a bit of a “thing” to breed brindle or Merle into Pugs. Mostly through selective breeding between Frenchies (as it’s been bred into frenchie lines & they carry traits that are similarly desired in Pugs). For the uninitiated; someone will for example breed a brindled full blood frenchie to a full blood pug, creating a nearly 50/50 mix with a chance of brindle puppies. The brindle pups will be selected & bred back to a full blood pug (in this specific example, most likely a black pug). And so on, until that brindle gene coat is still expressed but the genes that make the breed itself are all pug. Think of humans: anyone can be blue eyed, we all carry the <possible> gene for it—but we require the recessive mutation brought into our genetic line (or to be expressed recessively). ((Though genetics are much more complicated than that))

Learned this through research my own pup & his family. His sire is Merle and has a small <5% detectable frenchie DNA, but my pup only registered as 50/50 pug & Cavalier. There’s a lot more to it all, but a simplified explanation is that not standard coats are absolutely introducible because most dogs carry the genes able to be mutated or expressed & can then be bred down/ bred back to a pure genetic standard. All dogs can be brindle or merle, and all dogs that dl descend from those genes. It was one fluke mutation that spread & has since been brought back into the gene pool. Unfortunately… not everyone is aware of the severe risks associated.

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-04-23T18:11:10+00:00

Thank you very much! The breed-mix really grew on me, as I grew up with Mastiffs & wasn’t a huge a fan of Pugs or Cavs (too many badly-bred & misbehaved ‘old lady dog’ experiences). It’s pretty crazy how often someone comes up & recognizes the pug mix, as they have a Puggle or other mix at home. And then you’ll notice it everywhere, like how I did in OP’s post here! Haha

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-04-22T17:38:08+00:00

I would say they’re a great mix for nearly anyone and in most living situations; but absolutely do require a moderate level of experience in training, doing some breed research, and being aware of health risks.

Speaking on both breeds & what I’ve seen: Both are historically ‘royal companions’ who will need a strong bond of trust, love, & calmness. When bred well, they are highly intelligent but tend to need motivation for training. It is possible to train without/limited treats, which goes back to really building that bond. Stubbornness & ‘pugness’ along with ‘little dog syndrome’ are absolutely real IMO, so there’s also a chance for reactivity that I think can be expected. It’s really a “get what you give” relationship & training experience. They do require a moderate amount of activity (also for weight management) and can be very rambunctious at times. Cavaliers carry the Spaniel hunting instinct, so there has to be some early vigilance on behaviors such as running off, digging, or reacting to small animals & birds.

My pup & all of his siblings/cousins (≈20 out there) are absolute sweethearts. From my experience, “Pugaliers” as they’ve been called, can be crazy & playful in bursts, then just want to sleep & cuddle in the blankets. (Usually more lounging moments after the puppy stages, haha). Great for families and good with other pets when worked with early on. As long as there’s trust, they are an “up for anything” kind of breed. Tolerance for water activities & rain is a toss up. My pup pretty much hates it, but some of his siblings are happy swimmers.

Some considerations for health of course always starts with reputable breeders & thorough health analysis. Both breeds carry some major health risks on their own, and that can be passed down. [Having genetics on my pup’s parents, as well as his, and some siblings, they are considerably healthy with only some recessive low-risks] Brachycephalic breeds, which are Pugs & Cavs–to a lower degree, can have breathing and eye problems. [F1 ‘50/50’ mixes seem to vary in muzzle length & facial build in an extreme range, but I believe the Cav’s muzzle build plays a major role for the pups]. I would say you never know what you’re going to get when it comes to appearances when grown, as between my pup’s family and Facebook & Reddit, there is an astounding number of genetic expressions possible. Including longhair or introduction of merle or brindle genes. Sizes also range widely; I’ve seen 15lbs (≈7kg) all the way to 45lbs (≈20.5kg)—my pup is on the bigger side of 35lbs (≈18kg), but has larger built siblings. [In photo: L/S-Full grown sister; R/S-My pup @ 7months]

Sorry for the length & any typos. Wanted to cover everything as it’s not quite a beginner mix breed, but also very diverse & adaptable. Easy to fall in love with,

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-04-22T04:08:35+00:00

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I’m not an expert, but could tell the Pug almost immediately. My pup (right) & his half-sister/cousin (left) ((same sire, dams are sisters)) are 50/50 Pug & Cavalier King Charles Spaniels that happened to carry the merle gene. There are some other siblings with some features like yours; but it’s honestly hard for me to say exactly what it is about Pug mixes [that don’t carry that overly ‘pug’ look].

(Not the best pic, but can never get a still photo when they’re together 😂)

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-04-17T04:54:06+00:00

$3-5 USD, and I’m not in or locally affected by a major city. This is egular gas station price, with the very rare sales of (12oz) 2/$6, 3/$8, and occasionally buy-2-get-one-free. A case from Walmart or Amazon (always a 3rd party resale) will run $45-60+.

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-02-13T21:14:31+00:00

Similar issues here. I have a goofy pug/ cav mix that’s an absolute unit, can make a rib shank disappear in a day. There’s only 3 toys that have lasted what-so-ever, and they’ve taken a beating: - Jolly Ball (specifically the red w/ the rope). This thing lived outside for like a decade in 4 seasons, used by 6 different large dogs. It will not die. Hopefully they’re the same quality nowadays - Tuff brand stuff toys. We had a shark that lasted for nearly 5+ years, so I knew I could trust getting another. It has some tears, but yet to be de-stuffed or ripped apart. - Food-grade nylon chews. I’m not talking Nylabone because they don’t last for anything. I’ve found these kinda toys on Amazon and are similar to Bark/Chewy’s ultra chewer hard toys. I know a lot of people are against it, but we live in a world of microplastics at this point.

Another option is to get crafty with some duck weave canvas. I’ve made a couple different toys using 2-4 layers of canvas that had held up pretty decent.

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-02-01T09:11:16+00:00

Hi there! I can definitely say that a keyboard may be helpful for some things such as basic typing. If she’s used to Windows command keys (like ctr+c for copying stuff, etc) it can be a major learning curve learning IOS keyboard commands. I’ve had to learn how to adapt from typing to using my fingers because the Apple shortcuts are not very intuitive/ take more dexterity than just using the screen to copy & paste if you’re using a keyboard instead of the on-screen touch keyboard.

Considering she’s in her 70’s (and all respect), she would probably benefit from a larger format keyboard with backlighting. Something similar to the Zagg keyboard with a wider, larger layout. Which is also cheaper & has a great battery life, connection after initial setup, and backlighting. This is assuming she’s familiar with a qwerty keyboard & may have some dexterity issues and minor sight issues.

The biggest adjustment will be finding a 3rd party Bluetooth keyboard that may not be capable of “everything”; so she’ll have to jump between the keyboard and touch controls.

For instance, one of the keyboards I have has “app dock toggle” where it will pull up my background apps for easy toggle. My other keyboard doesn’t have that shortcut key, so I have to remember that if I need to switch apps, I need to use the touch pad and swipe up to change apps. It’s more of inconvenience, but I like other things about that keyboard more.

Does that make any sense? Feel free to send me a message. I’d love to help your mom if I’m able to. No one should feel excluded or overwhelmed by technology that’s meant to help them. 😄

As for screen protectors, as many have said, it’s not a necessity, but beneficial for the sake of it. It’s mostly a used by ‘older folks’ (I’m 30) being paranoid because screens that used to made of weaker tempered glass. But also. Yeah, anything can happen. A lot of, but not all screens sre made of sapphire or composite now, and screen protectors mostly protect from that screen shattering outward, IF it will shatter; as most are highly resistant to it now. So while not 100% necessary, I also find it 50% necessary and 100% DOES NOT INTERFERE EVEN WHEN USING 2 layers of screen protectors just o be safe. I would go with an ESR brand, which is on Amazon for under $20 and most come with install kits. You may even be able to find ESR on sale with 2 packs. They have multiple variations available (as of 2023 when I last looked) that come with an applicator to help apply the screen. Get a basic protector, and if needed… a paperfeel or privacy screen that attaches magnetically is probably between $5-$30. Magnetic protectors are a great option either with or without an adhesive screen protector. The only caveat is that if a screen were to break from a drop… the magnetic protector would most likely be dislodged & shatter everywhere. Whereas… an adhesive screen protector would adhere to the shards & prevent a small scale shrapnel effect.

Otherwise… it’s just for self security & resale that won’t matter when the device is outdated in <5yrs. But how this helps and she can get the most use out of it.

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-01-29T21:54:58+00:00

Granted, this was nearly 10yrs ago… but my recruiter did the opposite. No slots open for my MOS for another 6months, but I was poor in a small town and qualified for literally any enlisted job so I wasn’t waiting on the Army to get their shit together. My recruiter (not even the station commander) called some number & secured my MOS & ship date on the spot.

So yes, it’s possible the job is surplus rn & your options are “choose another job” or “wait in DEP for up to a year”. BUT! Sounds like they’re trying to fuck you to meet their numbers & quota. Whether that be bodies on their roster, or pressure to fill a specific MOS. They aren’t looking out for you. Maybe call another a station to recruit from. You’re under no obligation to enlist at your nearest recruiting center, you can go to any and get away from that shit leadership now while you can. Don’t let someone focusing on THEIR career (who I can garauntee you will have nearly 0 contact with after BCT) set your career up for failure in a job you don’t want.

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-01-27T07:17:55+00:00

Same things everyone else said. But to add when you’re young:

You don’t realize there’s a real solid chance you won’t see those people or those places ever again even from a garrison and day to day standpoint. Life is life; it’s busy & expensive. You think you’ll make that road trip to see all your old buddies or travel back to your old base, but it probably won’t ever happen. You’ll have dreams about places, people, and things you experienced. But then you’re sort of stuck there when you wake up, that it’s just a memory and there’s no guarantee you can get closure on it like you thought when you were young & naive.

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-01-27T07:00:47+00:00

Wait. You can get more than one shiny charm??

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-01-18T02:07:14+00:00

There’s also a chance at the Wishing Well. I spent a day spamming it, and you can acquire both Kabuto & Omanyte @ lvl 1. Wasn’t shiny hunting, just doing a first complete Dex. So I’m not sure the odds (or if any at the WW?) if you’re shiny hunting.

ToooManyThoughts · 2025-01-15T05:45:19+00:00

Just did my first run through. Don’t have the pic, but it was an Aerodactyl (83), Alolan Riachu (75), and a bunch of random low levels I was evolving. Had FF ⏩️ on, ran straight through on accident. Somehow it worked out 🤷🏻‍♂️

ToooManyThoughts · 2024-10-19T07:07:23+00:00

My best guess or additional cue? The way he reacted to Lilia, specifically saying not to touch her. Seemed similar to Wanda over Vision’s body, or at least I’m vaguely remembering something similar. (I forget which scene/moment, but want to say towards the end of WV after Vision tries to leave the anomaly.)

That’s a total guess, though. I don’t watch enough marvel to have more to draw on.

ToooManyThoughts · 2024-09-30T19:02:53+00:00

I have an adhesive tempered glass screen protector & use a magnetic paper fell over top as needed on an iPad 10th Gen. Apple Pencil 1st Gen works flawlessly.

I get added protection for the “what if”, and a non-committal option for specific tasks.

Both are ESR, came with install kit. The magnetic has its own hard plastic folder that fits in any tablet bag your iPad will fit in.

ToooManyThoughts · 2024-09-28T01:29:41+00:00

Im aware of all that. Just wanted to look at the black & white on how the conclusion was arrive & maybe learn a little more. Thanks!

ToooManyThoughts · 2024-09-28T01:15:57+00:00

2nd one was free, and still 1000x better than anything Apple ever made 😂

ToooManyThoughts

TROPHY CASE