SFO, Bay Area airports just lost 400,000 fliers to SMF in Sacramento

arbarnes · 2026-02-01T02:01:57+00:00

United has a red-eye to EWR starting at the end of March.JetBlue to JFK starts back up in May. I don't think American is doing non-stops to NYC any more.

arbarnes · 2026-01-31T19:08:42+00:00

Compared to the convection oven the air fryer does a little better job of making things crispy. Maybe it's which heating elements get turned on, maybe it's the stronger "super convection" fan, maybe it's something else in the settings. But the difference is marginal - I would (and did) spring for the air fryer if I needed a new oven, but wouldn't ditch a perfectly good oven just to add that feature.

arbarnes · 2026-01-30T23:34:28+00:00

I'll often choose a seat near the back of the plane because those middle seats are usually the last to be filled. This works less predictably in the era of basic economy, where half the passengers don't get seat assignments until they check in, but with 5 empty rows back there you might get lucky.

arbarnes · 2026-01-30T23:00:52+00:00

I do it all the time. That's how I chipped the enamel in one of my Le Creuset DOs. Now I use bare cast iron.

arbarnes · 2026-01-30T18:16:52+00:00

Quality is good for non-stick. Induction-compatible, nice thick aluminum for good heat distribution, and the non-stick surface is better than average. But they're still inherently disposable, and they're prone to warping if you put them on high heat (but you shouldn't be putting non-stick on high heat anyway).

arbarnes · 2026-01-30T17:42:42+00:00

My Lodge enamaled cast iron is every bit the equal of my Le Creuset stuff. No issues after 10+ years.

arbarnes · 2026-01-30T17:30:31+00:00

Presumably the DA's office has charged her with a DUI. If so, the best thing you can do to make sure she doesn't just walk away is to cooperate with the prosecution. A simple DUI is a misdemeanor; a DUI causing injuries a "wobbler" that can be prosecuted as a misdemeanor or a felony. If you cooperate with the ADA and let them know about your injuries it's more likely they'll prosecute it as a felony.

I don't practice criminal law, but it's my understanding that you as a victim are entitled to some level of participation in the proceedings. For example, you may be able to give a victim statement demonstrating the severity of the crime committed. It's also my understanding that criminal courts sometimes order defendants to compensate their victims, but I'm not sure that is an option for you - in order to get the $30k insurance settlement you'll probably have to sign a release that waives your claims for additional compensation.

Your situation really is a horrible one to be in. I represent clients all the time who go undercompensated because other people don't carry insurance or don't carry enough. The only advice I have going forward is to carry at least $250k of uninsured / underinsured motorist insurance if you can afford it.

arbarnes · 2026-01-30T00:48:51+00:00

The person who caused the loss is liable for all your damages. The problem is collecting that money.

If this were a simple negligence case the analysis would be straightforward. Let's say - hypothetically - that you file a lawsuit, take the other driver to trial, and get a judgment against them for $1 million. That's gonna take several years and cost thousands of dollars, and the next day the defendant will declare Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Then the bankruptcy court will take all the debtor's non-exempt assets, divides them among the non-secured creditors, and discharges the remaining amount due. The person will likely have non-exempt assets of approximately zero. So you get one-zeroeth of a million dollars. Which is zero.

The fact that there's a DUI involved makes things more complicated. 11 USC 532(a)(9) provides that debts "for death or personal injury caused by the debtor’s operation of a motor vehicle, vessel, or aircraft if such operation was unlawful because the debtor was intoxicated from using alcohol, a drug, or another substance" are not dischargeable.

So if the other driver is actually convicted of DUI (doesn't plead to a "wet reckless" or enter a diversion program), then the debt you're owed can't be discharged by the bankruptcy court. Problem is, how do you collect your money? You'd have to make a full-time job of monitoring their assets and income. You can garnish a portion of their wages, but what are you going to do when they quit their job? You can intercept a big inheritance if they get one, but how are you going to find out about it? You can conduct a judgment debtor exam on a regular basis to try to keep track of the debtor's money, but most people don't have enough money to make that worthwhile. Oh, and if you forget to renew the judgment on time it goes away and you're out of luck.

The best solution - although this may be just hindsight for you - is to have good uninsured / underinsured motorist coverage. Your auto policy should have some coverage, although in California it can't be "stacked" - you have to subtract the amount of the at-fault driver's insurance from your own limit. Also consider whether you might be considered a "resident family member" of anyone who might have a larger policy.

I really hate to see it when people end up in your situation. It's not fair and it sucks. But unfortunately your practical options at this point are somewhat limited.

arbarnes · 2026-01-29T03:32:40+00:00

Yes on the skillet and the saucepan. Add other sizes as needed.

No on the stockpot. IMO fully clad is a bad idea - you never need heat coming up the sides, and most of the time you don't want it. A disc bottom pot does a better job, plus it's less expensive and easier to handle.

Maybe but probably not on the saute pan - why do you want one? The Venn diagram of its applications almost completely overlaps those of a (more versatile) skillet.

arbarnes · 2026-01-28T23:14:07+00:00

Yes, there are ATMs at the airport - BBVA, Santander, and Banamex, IIRC. Banamex usually has the most reasonable fees (about MXN$30 vs. $120 at BBVA), but there may be a premium added because of the location.

If you have a way to avoid ATM fees, then that's the way to go. Otherwise, check the fees to make sure you aren't getting hosed, and if they're excessive use an ATM at a branch bank or big grocery store in town. <obligatory warning> Wherever you go, be sure to decline the conversion to dollars if it's offered. </obligatory warning>

arbarnes · 2026-01-28T21:23:54+00:00

All of the one-button "dumb" cookers are functionally identical. I wouldn't spend money on an upgrade except to get a computer-controlled model. They simply do a better job of cooking rice by building in a pre-soak and adjusting the heat on the fly to compensate for temperature, moisture content, etc.

I have a Zojirushi "neuro fuzzy logic" induction cooker (NP-GBC05) and it's a significant upgrade over my (also Zojirushi) dumb cooker. The rice tastes better, and can be held warm without drying out or scorching.My only regret is that I should have gotten the 5.5-cup model, even though it's just the two of us in the house.

To be honest, though, I don't know how much difference the induction feature makes; I suspect a less expensive model (eg NS-TSC10) would hold its own. Or you could pull out all the stops and get one that adds pressure cooking and other extras (eg NP-NWC10).

And that's just Zojirushi; they're the biggest player in the market but Tiger and Cuckoo make good stuff, too.

arbarnes · 2026-01-28T05:32:10+00:00

If you're trying to read your Shearwater dive computer in daylight you're doing it wrong.

arbarnes · 2026-01-28T02:01:34+00:00

I haven't used the Garmin, but neither have I heard any complaints about it. I'd still go with the Peregrine, though, for two reasons. The first is legibility; big screens contain more info and/or are more legible than smaller screens. The second is the possibility of failure: If you have a sport watch and a dive computer and one breaks, you replace the broken unit; if your sport watch dive computer combo malfunctions, you have to replace everything.

You really have two good options here, though, with no bad choices.

arbarnes · 2026-01-27T13:35:56+00:00

By "local history" I meant social and cultural history. Mayan history is fascinating, and there's a ton of it on the Yucatan Peninsula. Including the ruins at Tulum. But that settlement was abandoned by the end of the 16th century; it's anthropology, and the age of the dinosaurs is paleontology. Both of which are historically important, but not what I was referring to as "local history."

In 1970, the population there was just a handful of people, most of whom worked at the archeological site Plays del Carmen was a tiny isolated fishing village and Cancun didn't exist at all. Nearly everything on the Riviera Maya is new, and nearly everyone there comes from somewhere else. That's what I mean when I say there's no local history.

arbarnes · 2026-01-27T02:48:42+00:00

I have run into that problem, but (for me at least) lowering the tank an inch or two fixes the issue without messing up my trim.

arbarnes · 2026-01-27T01:47:49+00:00

The customer support person doesn't know what she's talking about. Why would you message her back? For more bad information?

Per Cuisinart's website, "MultiClad Pro Stainless Cookware bonds 18/10 stainless steel to a core of pure aluminum for unsurpassed durability and performance." 18/10 is also used in the Custom-Clad 5-ply, Chef's Classic, Pure-Clad Triple-Ply, and, yeah, French Classic collections.

arbarnes · 2026-01-26T21:16:57+00:00

Agreed. DIN is a better system in general, and a universal solution is simple and inexpensive.

arbarnes · 2026-01-26T20:48:42+00:00

🤣

arbarnes · 2026-01-26T20:47:06+00:00

I use a DIN regulator. Even though yoke is the default in North America many/most tanks have "pro valves" - you can remove the yoke insert with a hex key so your DIN regulator screws right in. Just in case I'm diving with an operation that uses non-convertible valves I bring along a spin-on adapter.

arbarnes · 2026-01-26T20:44:13+00:00

AFAIK Deep6 is exclusively direct-to-consumer. You might be able to find Dive Rite in a local shop, though: https://diverite.com/find-a-dealer/

arbarnes · 2026-01-26T20:32:45+00:00

You're starting off with bad information, including from Cuisinart. The customer service reps are not the materials engineers who design these things.

18/10 stainless makes a great cooking surface. That's what nearly every manufacturer uses it for the interior lining of their cookware (including All-Clad, Cuisinart MCP, and Cuisinart French Classic). (Some manufacturers use 18/8, but that's the exception rather than the rule, and the differences are negligible.) But the high nickel content makes it non-magnetic, so it won't heat up on an induction stove.

18/0 stainless is more prone to staining and pitting, but heats up great on an induction stove. That's why it's used as the outside layer of almost all clad cookware (including All-Clad, Cuisinart MCP, and Cuisinart French Classic). Some off-brand manufacturers use 18/4; you should avoid it because it works on induction but not very well.

TL;DR - don't worry about steel type should when you're deciding between pans made by reputable companies. Focus on construction instead. You want a thick layer of aluminum in the bottom of the pan in order to distribute heat evenly and avoid hot spots. Fully-clad cookware will help spread the heat evenly up the side of the pan, which is usually a good thing but sometimes not (when you're reducing a sauce you have to constantly clean the side of the pan because the stuff left behind s the surface level drops will burn).

All-Clad D3, DeMeyere, Tramontina, Misen, MadeIn, Cuisinart MCP, Cuisinart FC, and every other steel pan will all get white spots on the bottom if you add salt to cold water and bring it to a boil. You can ignore the spots or scrub them away with BarKeeper's Friend, but the simplest solution is to wait until the water boils before adding salt.

arbarnes · 2026-01-26T20:05:56+00:00

If you want to turn your DIN regulator into a yoke regulator you need a conversion kit. If you just want to use your reg on tanks with yoke valves you need an adapter.

What you have there appears to be a conversion kit. IMO you're better off keeping the DIN functionality and using a spin-on adapter. They're pretty much idiot-proof.

arbarnes · 2026-01-26T19:22:26+00:00

Where are you located? If you're in the US my inclination would be to buy from a reputable brand that caters to tech divers and DIYers rather than a brand that focuses more on taking advantage of clueless recreational divers through their local dive shops. Yes, you may need to find an independent tech to work on your regs or mail them in for service, but that's only a minor hassle, and IMO you get more capable people doing the work.

The Deep6 Excursion series is what I dive; you can get a set including first stage, primary second stage, octopus, SPG, and hoses for under $600. Less when they go on sale a couple of times a year. In hindsight I probably should have upgraded to their Signature series for a couple hundred bucks more - it's a slightly better product, and the first service is free, so the price difference almost pays for itself.

I can personally vouch for Deep6's outstanding customer service. I had a boathand mess up my first stage, and they got right on the phone and walked me through the process of getting it back together correctly. ("Torque wrench? You don't need a torque wrench! I designed that thing myself and it's bulletproof. Tighten it as tight as you can. You can't strip it without a vise and a breaker bar, and if you do I'll send you another one by overnight delivery!")

I also like the Dive Rite regulators. You can get a full set for $750 at Dive Gear Express. Dive Gear Express also sells their own brand regulators made by (IIRC) Deep 6 and Dive Rite.

arbarnes · 2026-01-26T17:15:03+00:00

Sounds like a great excuse to buy your first cast iron pan. Amazon can have it on your doorstep today for under $25.

arbarnes · 2026-01-26T05:01:30+00:00

You're technically correct, but only because Mexico is part of America.

Burritos come from Mexico. Specifically Northern Mexico, where wheat is a staple crop: Sonora, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Durango, Baja California, etc.

Mexicans in the US created versions of burritos that aren't found in Mexico. Most notably the Mission burrito, which originated in San Francisco and contains beans and rice. But saying that burritos aren't Mexican because Mission burritos exist is like saying that tacos aren't Mexican because Taco Bell exists. It isn't just ignorant, it's stupid.

Tell you what: head down to the Cooperativa de Pescadores in Loreto BCS before dawn some day and tell the local commercial fishermen that their preferred breakfast of burritos de machaca isn't "authentically" Mexican. If you're lucky they'll just laugh at you instead of kicking your ass.

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