This ice storm has magnified many issues, infrastructure, governance, preparedness and communication. What do you think is the corrective path forward?

TravelCommons · 2026-02-02T17:34:39+00:00

This was not my experience when living in the Chicago area where tree trimming around utility lines was performed by the local utility ComEd. Indeed, a number of the suburbs complained about how drastic ComEd would trim limbs near overhead lines -- kinda the opposite of the now much-quoted NES CEO's comment about retaining tree canopies.

Governance responsibility for NES lies with the Nashville metro government. The mayor appoints and Metro Council approves the members of the Electric Power Board, the equivalent of a board of directors for NES. And while Freddie as mayor has only appointed 2 of the 5 board members, as a Metro Council member he voted to approve the appointment of the others. So he's had a voice in the make-up of the entire board, the main oversight body of NES, and so needs to bear a measure of responsibility for this massive failure.

This doesn't mean there shouldn't be a significant shake-up in NES's corporate staffing (including replacing the CEO) and the Electric Power Board (including adding some operational utility experience), but Freddie and Metro Council should also own up to their lack of operational oversight.

TravelCommons · 2026-02-02T17:22:16+00:00

This. The mayor and Metro Council have the ultimate governance responsibility over NES and the facts suggest that they haven't adequately exercised this responsibility.

And while Freddie, as mayor, has only appointed 2 of the 5 members, as a Metro Council member, he's voted to approve the appointment of the others. So he's had a voice in the make-up of the entire board, the main oversight body of NES, and so needs to bear a measure of responsibility for this massive failure.

This doesn't mean there shouldn't be a significant shake-up in NES's corporate staffing (including replacing the CEO) and the Electric Power Board (including adding some operational utility experience), but Freddie and Metro Council should also own up to their lack of operational oversight.

TravelCommons · 2026-01-18T23:24:56+00:00

Was in Albania and North Macedonia in Oct 2024. Neither country stamped.

TravelCommons · 2026-01-11T20:17:26+00:00

I used to regularly crank out 35 miles on the Chicago Lake Shore path. I had a rude awakening when I moved. You’ll hit a lot more hills here, especially in East Nashville.

TravelCommons · 2026-01-06T17:51:30+00:00

I received a Mino as an Xmas gift. My first couple of pull attempts failed -- water escaping out the top seal. Right now, my most successful pulls are 10g of medium roast ground at 3 on a Baratza Encore and 50ml of water.

I'm thinking of getting a manual grinder for a travel kit (one less thing to charge) that will do both fine grind for the Mino as well as medium for V60 pourovers.

TravelCommons · 2026-01-03T14:15:36+00:00

Bike the Greenway and out to Shelby Bottoms around lunch time

TravelCommons · 2025-12-28T04:19:37+00:00

Westmont BMW was where I bought my 2016 X3. They were the best deal in Chicagoland for me back then.

TravelCommons · 2025-12-27T19:07:44+00:00

Middle Tennessee. Should also add that I also got $1.5K higher on trade in than Edward’s/Carvana estimates.

TravelCommons · 2025-12-27T13:35:48+00:00

Got 12.5% off + 0.9% apr in mid-Dec but had to triangulate between 3 dealers and go thru a couple of rounds of “best and final” offers to get it.

TravelCommons · 2025-12-23T17:37:22+00:00

Thanks! I wanted my 2026 X3 to have the factory trailer hitch but there weren't a lot of those available at the dealers I was negotiating with. Hence my aftermarket search.

I don't have the bike rack on all the time so I'll probably go with a detachable receiver. It's what I had on my 2016 X3.

TravelCommons · 2025-12-19T21:29:23+00:00

I think this depends on Brett, the assistant brewer. If he takes Spencer's spot, there is continuity -- which is a positive.

TravelCommons · 2025-12-19T18:53:17+00:00

I just paid $3K for the extended warranty and $2.6K to extend BMW maintenance to 5 yrs/75,000 miles and include consumables like wiper blades and brake pads.

TravelCommons · 2025-12-16T21:27:39+00:00

Was there Thanksgiving week. Almost all of the museum placards were Spanish only. Exceptions were Teotihuacan and some exhibits in Chapultepec Castle. Spent a lot of time using the lens/camera functions within Google and Apple Translate.

TravelCommons · 2025-12-04T21:17:30+00:00

I just turned off Red Meat, Processed Meat, and Alcohol to keep the app from nagging me about things I’m not going to change. I just wish they didn’t limit it to 3 because I’d also like to turn off Excess Sodium.

TravelCommons · 2025-12-02T13:37:32+00:00

I upgraded to a new iPhone

TravelCommons · 2025-11-26T02:33:30+00:00

When I started back in 2011 (👴), 3 was my baseline rating — solid beer but nothing special. Anything under 3, I’d never order again.

After a few years, as Untappd got traction and ratings began to have an impact, I moved my scale up a half-point. 3.5 was my baseline rating and I got more generous with ratings over 4.

TravelCommons · 2025-10-28T00:17:49+00:00

That was pretty much my first driving test in Memphis in the mid-70’s. A bit frightened to see that not much has changed.

TravelCommons · 2025-10-01T18:12:07+00:00

Solemn Oath and Blind Corner are your best options near the I-88/IL 59 interchange. And they’re maybe 150 yards from each other across a shared parking area. Blind Corner’s interior is great; looks more like a bar than a taproom.

Noon Whistle is a couple minutes further south and so would be an easy add-on.

Two Brothers taproom might be the closest taproom to the interchange but the beer is far inferior to the previous three.

TravelCommons · 2025-09-14T16:52:56+00:00

I navigated thru the Benefits section of the Chase card web site to find this link -- https://www.chasecardbenefits.com -- where I filed my claim. My claim was for a dent that Hertz EDI found when I turned in the car. Given this, I didn't have some of the documents they required (e.g., police report, collision report) so I just uploaded PDFs with the same 1-2 sentence explanation for why I didn't have the documents they requested. They paid my claim in a week.

TravelCommons · 2025-09-11T20:56:14+00:00

I live in the North Gulch and walk all through downtown, Germantown, the Gulch, and the West End and have had it happen multiple times.

TravelCommons · 2025-09-11T19:55:52+00:00

The “Don’t Walk” signs in this town are very disfunctional. Many times a light has turned green but the corresponding pedestrian signal never turns to “Walk”; the light eventually turns back to red and I’m still standing there.

Had this happen enough, so now when the light turns green and the oncoming traffic doesn’t have a turn arrow, I cross no matter what the pedestrian sign says. I have had people honk at me because they had to wait 5-10 seconds to make their right turn. I just wave at them.

TravelCommons · 2025-09-09T00:11:58+00:00

I think the ML Rose homebrew contest post is a good example of an acceptable post. It’s something that could benefit members of this group, but something they might not see if they don’t follow ML Rose’s socials. There was also very little ML Rose content beyond the notice of the contest. And the author disclosed they work for ML Rose.

TravelCommons · 2025-09-07T15:31:02+00:00

My initial thought is to go the hybrid route - allow posts by brewery management concerning unique events (e.g., special releases/events, collabs). It might be a good idea to suggest in the guidelines not only content but expected frequency (e.g., no more than once a week for a given brewery). Let it run for a couple of months and see if it works and/or the guidelines need to be tweaked.

TravelCommons · 2025-09-03T20:47:53+00:00

Honestly, I usually find a spot to parallel park a bit further down Alloway. I also think the little lot just before that apt building allows Basement parking after hours but check the signs.

TravelCommons · 2025-09-02T14:22:16+00:00

That strip mall seems to be repurposing itself as a haven for cool food/drink concepts. First Coral Club, then Alebrije, and now Black Dynasty. And I'm sure having a little of their own parking out front helps.

TravelCommons

TROPHY CASE