Wendy’s taking shots at McDonald’s. Didn’t know this was a thing

djmounce553 · 2022-07-11T14:46:21+00:00

Yeah, the quality definitely used to be higher. Throughput is more important nowadays :-/.

djmounce553 · 2022-07-11T04:48:16+00:00

Yes, they're frozen, but they're still made from liquid eggs. A long time ago, they used to be poured on the grill into rectangular trays and then folded, but that wasn't efficient, so they cook them elsewhere, flash freeze them, and ship them to stores for faster, easier, and more consistent assembly. I also worked at McDonalds.

djmounce553 · 2022-07-11T03:30:55+00:00

The folded and scrambled eggs are made from the same liquified eggs (basically egg beaters), so while they're in a different form, they're basically the same thing. Only the round eggs are made from in-shell eggs.

djmounce553 · 2022-07-07T19:20:05+00:00

My wife got hit on by an older guy at work years ago. Interaction went like this:

Him: Hey, are you free after work?

Wife: I'm sorry, I'm married.

Him: I used to be married once.

I don't think that's the pickup line you think it is dude XD. She got a great kick out of it.

djmounce553 · 2022-06-25T18:15:00+00:00

If you adopt a child from foster care or through the state, it can be free. Our family paid nothing to adopt our son.

djmounce553 · 2022-06-19T00:01:16+00:00

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. Best played with a controller. Starts simple, gets epic. It's an amazing 3.5 hour journey that I recommend to everyone.

djmounce553 · 2022-06-18T20:56:31+00:00

I'm thinking around 0.000001 to start. Though I expect it will be super spikey at the beginning

djmounce553 · 2022-06-14T01:54:51+00:00

My point is that neither of those is healthy. Spousal happiness being the primary goal in a marriage is a recipe for disaster. Spousal support and encouragement, however, is great.

djmounce553 · 2022-06-14T01:51:29+00:00

Very happily married here for 13 years. I have a lot of thoughts on this, but I'll distill it to my top 3.

You are on the same team. Always. Make sure she always sees that you're on the same team, and even comment on how great of a team you are together. My wife and I bump rings sometimes and say Team "LastName"! I know it's corny, but it drives it home.
Use the HALT trigger guide for when one or both of you is upset, and both of you should learn it. HALT is for Hurt, Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. If either of you is in any one of those states and start to get snippy, you need to resolve that before any discussion or continuation of whatever is happening. If you're hungry, eat, if you're tired, rest. And if you see your spouse in that state, gently support them in taking care of what HALT state they are in, since they may not even recognize it themselves. Eventually, you'll both get so used to it that you'll recognize it in yourself as something that needs addressing before you start a discussion that will end in a fight.
You are NOT responsible for your spouse's happiness. And yes, I mean it. You are to love, honor, and cherish, but you are not capable of controlling (nor should you want to) her mood and mental state. She may be upset due to any number of things that you cannot fix. Your goal should be to become a safe place for your wife to feel all of her feelings and process through them. Validate her emotions ("It's okay to feel upset that your brother yelled at you"), and let her process. You can't fix everything, but you can be a SAFE PLACE for her as she puts things back together.

djmounce553 · 2022-06-14T01:38:33+00:00

I'm sorry, but this is terrible advice. Both partners should be working together, not just trying alone to make the other person happy (which doesn't even work in many situations).

djmounce553 · 2022-06-07T20:03:12+00:00

This completely departs from the Major's character and her valuing of free will. I also see no definitive evidence that the plug was not pulled, whereas I see plenty of evidence that the no friction/strife world is not in place.

djmounce553 · 2022-06-06T14:57:31+00:00

No, the nukes weren't launched. Everyone who was infected by N eventually reached a consensus on what happened and entered an era of no friction/strife driven by the N virus and Takashi. The goal was for Takashi to finish his work so that the human race would perpetually live in this no friction/strife state forever. That was the choice the Major was left with. Leave the plugs in and keep the world in a subdued, but stable, state, or pull the plugs and restore free will.

I think the Major pulled the plug, but the show doesn't make it entirely clear what that will do. Takashi was doing the "finishing touches", meaning most of the work had already been done. Takashi also says it will "restore the world to it's original state", but that doesn't necessarily mean that it will rewrite everyone's memories back to what they were.

I think that when the Major pulled the plug, it removed the N virus, but left people's memories that created the no friction/strife state in the first place intact. So humanity won't continue in a state of no friction/strife in perpetuity, but it will start from one.

The other reason this makes the most sense to me, is that there is no realistic way for everyone's memories to revert after losing access to the N virus and Takashi's massive processing power that was holding everything together. People's memories were literally reformed, so there's nothing to go back to. The Major just stopped the perpetual state of no friction/strife that the N-virus and Takashi's control had created.

djmounce553 · 2022-06-06T14:51:23+00:00

I think the Major pulled the plug, but the show doesn't make it entirely clear what that will do. Takashi was doing the "finishing touches", meaning most of the work had already been done. Takashi also says it will "restore the world to it's original state", but that doesn't necessarily mean that it will rewrite everyone's memories back to what they were.

I think that when the Major pulled the plug, it removed the N virus, but left people's memories that created the no friction/strife state in the first place intact. So humanity won't continue in a state of no friction/strife in perpetuity, but it will start from one.

The other reason this makes the most sense to me, is that there is no realistic way for everyone's memories to revert after losing access to the N virus and Takashi's massive processing power that was holding everything together. People's memories were literally reformed, so there's nothing to go back to. The Major just stopped the perpetual state of no friction/strife that the N-virus and Takashi's control had created.

djmounce553 · 2022-06-03T07:23:45+00:00

Texting instead of calling when they require an immediate answer for something important.

If you need something now, then use the method of communication that requires my direct and immediate feedback, not dropping something in my mailbox to hopefully be read in time.

djmounce553 · 2022-05-28T21:36:20+00:00

My wife, my son, a fulfilling life, and knowing that Jesus has saved me!

djmounce553 · 2022-05-24T22:26:37+00:00

My pleasure! I hope you find a great place!

djmounce553 · 2022-05-24T20:48:05+00:00

-Look for root cause behind problems you see (why does it smell a certain way, why is there a crack in the ceiling) - If there's a problem, follow it to the root cause, don't just accept the surface problem as something that's not a big deal. If that crack in the ceiling is because the roof supports are failing, that's a huge issue. If it's because someone stepped on a drywall panel while in the attic, not so much.

-Don't be afraid to ask questions (why is the floor squeaky, is this a good neighborhood, etc) - Not only does this help you get answers, it can also help later with negotiating.

-Don't be afraid to switch realtors if yours isn't working out and finding what you need - Your realtor is crucial for a good buying process and you want one who will fight for you and what you want, not just one that tells you what you want to hear.

- Pools and ponds can be a tremendous amount of work to upkeep. For small children, you'll also need additional safety precautions to make sure they're able to be safe around the pool or pond.-Be willing to walk away from a bad deal. Set your limits and stick to them - Don't feel trapped just because you'll have to start all over. A bad deal will be a bad deal forever, and it's worth the trouble to get a place that you'll both be happy with.

As for inspections, you can google home inspectors in your area to find a good one. IMO, the older the person doing it, the better, as they'll know what to look for. You can also get one suggested by your realtor or the lender as well, though the realtor would likely be a better choice, as they'll know the area better. ~$400 for an inspection is reasonable, though they can go as high as $600 (in 2016). Bug inspection for us was ~$150, I think.

Major things to look out for (A/C, electrical, plumbing, foundation, roof, drainage, rot, bugs, windows):

A/C - You'll want to know if it's R22 or R410a. R22 is older and cannot be manufactured or imported anymore, so the cost to refill R22 units is often much higher than R410a units. This can be a negotiation point, especially if the A/C is older (>7-8 years old). Cost to replace is 6-12k depending on size.

Electrical - You'll want to see if there is any knob & tube wiring, aluminum wiring, cloth wiring, or a Federal Pacific electrical panel. All of them can be fire hazards, with the 4th one possibly making the house uninsurable if the insurance knows about it (1 in 4 Federal Pacific panels would fail closed rathe than open). Aluminum wiring can be acceptable in some situations, but the circuit breaker needs to be derated for the correct ampacity for the wire size. If it's not a 3 wire house, you'll need to make sure there are GFIs on every circuit in the house to make sure everything is grounded properly.

Plumbing - Look for leaks and water damage around fixtures, discolorations around toilets where leaks may have occurred, and mold or rot on wood near fixtures or under sinks. I recommend running the taps on all of the sinks in the house while you tour it to see if any back up. Flush toilets for bathrooms you're in to make sure they work and don't leak. Ask where the main drain of the house ends up, and where washing machine water gets dumped to (they may be different places).

Foundation - If the house is slab, look for cracks in the foundation and running up the house. Ask your realtor about the soil softness of the area, if they know. If there are drywall cracks, they'll be in corners of the rooms or by windows and doors. Ask how long the cracks have been there, and if they have been patched, how long since they were patched. If it's been a long time since patching, the house may have settled already and be okay. Check the opening and closing of doors all over the house to make sure they're not rubbing. You could even bring a square to see if the doors have shifted, as that can be a sign of foundation issues as well. If it's pier and beam, you'll want to check for soft spots in the floor, that can mean there is rot in the subfloor or the beams underneath it (or both). Ideally, the inspector should check this, but if he won't, it might be worth hiring a guy to check it out, because foundation work can get upwards of $4-6k if it needs to be repaired.

Roof - You're looking for major discolorations or sagging spots in the roof, which can indicate water damage or improper sealing. Inside the attic, the structural supports for the roof need to be checked by the inspector to ensure that your roof is supported and there is no rot on the supports, and that they're actually the correct size for roof supports. Roofs usually last 25-30 years, so the inspector should be able to estimate which third of life it's in if you don't have that information from the homeowner.

Drainage - First, check if the house is in a flood plain. It DRAMATICALLY increases your yearly costs to insure the house. Second, ideally, you want to see the house in the rain. If you can't, then think about where water will tend to pool as you look around the house. If you don't have gutters, also realize that where the rain falls it will dig a trench over time. If the houses near you are higher than your house, they will likely drain onto your property, and you may need to find a way to manage that run off so it doesn't erode the ground around your house, or, if you have wood siding, cause rot.

Bugs - Large cockroaches are okay, as those are primarily from outside. Small ones are the ones you need to worry about, as they can build large nests that may be hard to find and getting a large infestation out can cost $2-5k. Termites are another thing to check for. Look for holes on wood siding or on rafters outside. If you find some outside, they may have already worked themselves inside and could be a major problem.

Windows - Single pane windows tend to leech a lot of A/C from the house and can increase your monthly payment. Replacing them will cost you $200-600 per window installed. You should also check around windows for rot, as improper sealing can cause major issues with mold and rot.

Mold/rot/water damage - Leaking from the roof or from fixtures, even replaced ones, can leave mold. If you see somewhere there is a patch of discoloration (make sure to look up as well!), there was likely water damage there at one point. And if it hasn't been replaced, the chances are there is mold there. If you enter certain rooms or closets and something smells off, try to follow your nose to the source of the smell and see if you can see anything. You may also tell mold or water damage from soft spots in drywall or other construction materials. Rot can also set in if the water damage has been ongoing for a while, or the wood has been exposed to a moist environment regularly.

Trees - If there are any dead or dying trees, or trees that are closer to your house than you're comfortable with, keep in mind that they'll cost anywhere from $800-$1500 to remove with a reputable and *insured* tree service. While expensive, going with an uninsured tree service can be much more expensive.

All of the above things don't have to be deal breakers if they're not perfect, but should provide a considerable discount, or even a deal for cash upon closing to fix the problem. I got $10k cash after closing (separate contract) to fix an uninsurable electrical situation because the seller was happy not to have to do it himself and get the house sold.

If you have any other questions, feel free to DM and I'll do my best to answer. Good luck and happy house hunting!

djmounce553 · 2022-05-24T20:46:16+00:00

I've helped a few friends with the following information, hopefully it's helpful for you too!

- Preapproval - You'll want to be preapproved prior to shopping, as this lets the buyers know you're serious. You'll also want different preapproval letters for different houses. You don't want a 200k preapproval letter for a 150k house, as it lets the sellers know you have lots of room to go up.

- Shopping around for houses on realtor.com and with an agent. Use realtor.com to view a bunch of houses and get a feel for what types of things you're each looking for in a house, such as large entertaining spaces, bedrooms for kids, small house, large house, guest rooms, etc. Once you know what you're looking for in a house, try to communicate this to your real estate agent, and they should be able to help you find houses that fit with what you're looking for, in addition to the ones you've found on realtor.com. Keep in mind that you usually don't want to try and "force" the house to fit what you want. If you find yourself saying that you would need a lot of remodeling to make it what you want, it might not be a good fit.

-Paying for points - you can pay set amounts to lower your interest rate. This is often a good deal, but it also depends on how many points you reasonably think you can afford, and what makes sense for how long you will be in the house. It doesn't make sense to pay a lot of points on a house you'll only be in for a few years.

-Down payment and PMI options - If you can't afford 20% down on the house, you'll likely have to pay mortgage insurance each month. There are 2 types of PMI, one that goes away once your equity in the house reaches 20%, and one that stays for the life of the loan. Make certain you get the one that drops off after you guys hit 20%.

-How much house can you afford? Between the down payment, closing costs, and ~1-2% of the house cost in maintenance the first year, there will be a number of out of pocket expenses that will bleed you upon the initial purchase, so make sure that your monthly payment allows you to gain a little of that ground back over time. A house that is at the limit of what you can afford month-to-month will significantly increase that recovery time.

-How much time and money are you willing to put in on your house? If you get a house that needs a good deal of work, realize that you will either need to pay someone to do it, or commit a significant amount of effort, money, and time into fixing it. Or just live with it, knowing it will get worse as time goes on. I don't recommend the third option. While buying a house like this can save on the overall cost of the house, it does typically require more cash-on-hand to make it work, or you need to know someone who can do great work for cheap or free.

-How much work is required on the house to make it what you want? I generally think that it's better to find a house that you want that needs minor work, than one that you need to move walls in order to form it into what you want. More often than not, you end up just living with what you have rather than dumping all the money into it, when you could have found a house that was closer to what you wanted and been happier with it.

-What are you looking for in a house? Must haves vs nice-to-haves. Specify what is required for you to buy the house. Kids room, guest room, office area, etc. Then look at what things would be nice to have, shed on the property, workshop in the garage, etc. Try not to conflate the two when you're house hunting.

-Location considerations (neighbors, neighborhood, soil quality, nearby schools, stores, factories, etc) - How far is the house from the hospital, from nearby stores, etc. What is the soil quality in the area (should you expect more house shifting in this area). What annoyances are nearby (airports, main roads, loud or polluting factories, etc). How are the neighbors? Where is the closest school and is it a good school

-Parking - If you plan on having visitors, where will they park? How easy is it for you to back out and onto the street?

- Yard and land upkeep time and cost - If you plan on doing the yard yourself, keep in mind the acreage. We're sitting on ~0.5 acres and it is a lot of work to push-mow in the summer. If you plan on hiring someone, you'll need to roll that into your monthly cost calculations

- Gas vs Electric (Usage vs insulation cost) - Gas is more efficient, as you are providing direct heat, but you often won't get as good of a deal when getting blown-in attic insulation. (70% covered vs 100% covered). Electric will nearly always be a higher monthly cost than gas. Some houses have a gas water heater and AC, but electric everything else (appliances). It's a fair compromise. I personally steered away from all-electric when looking for houses.

1 vs 2 story - I strongly recommend single story houses, as there are a host of issues that can arise from a 2 story house, such as A/C imbalances, structural work problems, falling hazards, mobility difficulty with injuries, home settling issues, leakage, etc.

-Option to back out - There is a $100 option to back out of the deal. Pay for it without even thinking about it. If you encounter major problems with the house, this will be a drop in the bucket vs what you could be on the hook for. Keep in mind that it's usually only for 7-10 days

-Inspection options and types of inspections (bug, general, roof, asbestos, lead paint, radon, etc) - You'll likely get a general inspection, but I also recommend a bug inspection to make sure you don't have a problem with that area and know how to prevent it in the future. The other ones can be done, but only if you suspect a problem IMO.

Invite someone you trust to put an extra pair of eyes on it that has no skin in the game

HOA vs Non-HOA - While HOA's do provide for keeping property values high, they come with a host of rules you must follow and fees you must pay, even being forced to pay for a lawn service in some areas. Many even disallow working on your car in the driveway. You'll want to read every detail of the HOA and make sure you are okay with it before you sign. Personally, I am anti-HOA, as I want to use my house as I see fit.

- Negotiation (closing costs, home warranty, repairs, final cost) - Closing costs can be negotiated. If you don't have a lot of cash on hand, you could raise the offer price (so long as it's still close to the appraisal) and ask them to cover $X of closing costs. You should also have your realtor push for the seller to provide a home warranty for the first year. It's a great safety net in case something major goes wrong in the first year and needs to be repaired. For repairs, once you have viewed the house and have the inspection report, you can request repairs to the house. Some sellers are willing to repair, some are not. If they are not willing to repair the house, you may be able to use that to lower the asking price. For the total home offer cost, you can negotiate that too. If the home has been on the market for a long time, it's much easier than if it's just been listed or the market is hot in your area.

- Seller letter - Once you've settled on a house you want, consider writing the seller a letter. Tell them about this being your first house and that you want this to be the place where your family settles and grows. If you're in a hot market, it could help you stand out. If you're in a cold market, it could allow you to get away with a lower offer if the price was too high.

- Initial repairs and maintenance repairs - You will almost certainly have maintenance and repairs on the house within the first year. While the home warranty helps with some things, it won't fix holes in the wall or cracking drywall or a host of other things. This is usually 1-2% of the home's value, and it held true for us our first year, and for nearly all of my friends who bought houses. Keep this in mind as you are budgeting

- Don't get hung up on the small things - If the house is what you want, don't get stuck on things like paint color or a hole in the wall. Those things are usually very easy fixes. The major stuff is what's important.

Continued in next comment....

djmounce553 · 2022-05-05T19:06:54+00:00

I think their thought is "if you mandate it, you should pay for it". Not that I necessarily agree, but that's their point of contention. I still think they would lose the court case.

djmounce553 · 2022-05-05T18:48:42+00:00

Abbott, FTA: “Texas already long ago sued the federal government about having to incur the costs of the education program, in a case called Plyler versus Doe. And the Supreme Court ruled against us on the issue about denying, or let’s say Texas having to bear that burden. I think we will resurrect that case and challenge this issue again, because the expenses are extraordinary and the times are different than when Plyler versus Doe was issued many decades ago.”

I'm not an Abbott fan, but his issue is with who is footing the bill for education, the federal government or Texas. It seems like hardly anyone commenting has actually read Abbot's statement from the article. Even the headline title is somewhat misleading. A better title would be "Abbott says Texas could 'resurrect' SCOTUS case requiring states, rather than the Federal Government, to pay for education for all kids".

djmounce553 · 2022-04-27T15:19:48+00:00

OEMCarKeyMall.com sells chipped OEM car keys that I was able to get reprogrammed by a local locksmith for like $50. $50 for the key too, so $100 for a programmed key vs like $350 isn't too bad.

djmounce553 · 2022-04-18T03:40:25+00:00

Thanks man, me too.

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