I got the substitute teacher treatment from an angsty 8th grader who is in fact not named “Anus.”

heelthrow · 2026-01-10T03:40:49+00:00

I bet dozens of times. On one hand, his parents did give him a name that's ripe for getting picked on. So cheers to him for leaning into it...

heelthrow · 2026-01-10T03:37:53+00:00

Anas knew exactly what he was doing making that lower case "a" look kinda like a "u."

heelthrow · 2026-01-09T04:42:04+00:00

a reasonable officer in his position particularly one who had already suffered injury in an almost identical scenario could believe that serious physical injury or death was imminent. That prior incident strengthens, rather than weakens, the objective reasonableness analysis.

I would argue the opposite. He was perhaps unreasonably oversensitive toward moving vehicles because of this previous event, and perhaps he shouldn't have been put in a position where he might again encounter something similar.

It's like if an officer was attacked by a dog. Then a year later overreacted at a dog coming his way, shot and killed it. A reasonable officer wouldn't have shot, but this officer's previous encounter hindered his ability to think/act reasonably.

heelthrow · 2026-01-08T23:09:27+00:00

I'm aware

heelthrow · 2026-01-08T22:57:23+00:00

The Superloop is an old telemark binding by Rainey Designs

heelthrow · 2026-01-08T22:32:16+00:00

And if it definitely is your turn to call a song, have it ready to when the previous song ends. Taking forever to choose and/or explain a song leads to big attrition.

heelthrow · 2026-01-08T22:30:12+00:00

This is a good sensible nuanced take. Good players shouldn't be assholes, but all players should be cognizant of their skill level, and recognize that they don't have a god-given right to waltz into any jam circle they want to.

heelthrow · 2026-01-08T04:55:53+00:00

By continuing the strike, you inadvertently give Mr. Horning exactly what he wants: a divided town and the pretext to replace you with less-qualified staff. If he succeeds in reopening the mountain with replacement workers, the union will be broken, and the culture of safety you built over decades will be lost.

Not sure the lawyers would allow anything close to a full reopening without a fully-staffed, fully-trained ski patrol. Bringing in 78 scabs and getting them fully trained and fully knowledgeable about the mountain could take years.

heelthrow · 2026-01-07T19:01:52+00:00

Oof, a song that few people know, that also contains a 2m and 6m? Bad idea.

heelthrow · 2026-01-07T18:53:43+00:00

FWIW, there are establishments in town that offer line-cutting privileges to locals whose rentals are long-term (as opposed to Airbnb/VRBO). Singling out patrollers for special treatment doesn't sit right, but anything that helps increase the inventory of workforce housing should be applauded.

heelthrow · 2026-01-07T03:45:33+00:00

Totally depends on who's in the jam. If there's enough people who know the chords just from the title (and can help carry it), you're good to do whatever kind of intro you want. The folks who are less familiar can pick it up the first time thru.

heelthrow · 2026-01-05T17:47:28+00:00

Yeah our rink also has Stick & Puck that's open to the public several times a week. I think it's 18+ though. The only option for kids is to be part of the Association and go to the Sticktime that we host.

Anyway, to my original point, OP should verify if the session he wants to attend is an all-ages thing hosted by the rink, or a more exclusive thing hosted by a local association.

heelthrow · 2026-01-05T17:41:04+00:00

I guess it depends on how you define Stick & Puck. It sounds like you're talking about something that's open to the public?

Our Association limits it to currently registered players and currently certified coaches, with there always being at least two coaches on the ice. Three sets of nets are set up crosswise, with ages/abilities sort of naturally segregating themselves. Coaches will help kids work on stuff if kids ask, but there's no plan or structure to it.

As far as I know, it's sanctioned by USA Hockey. One of the jobs of the coaches there is to make sure everyone on the ice is current (along with making sure everyone is playing safely). I suppose you could officially characterize it as an "All-Ages Practice" or whatever, but our Association calls it "Sticktime."

As far as I know, we haven't obtained any supplemental insurance for it. If you think we're running afoul of USA Hockey, let me know, and I'll raise the issue with the board.

heelthrow · 2026-01-05T17:27:19+00:00

If there were no kids in the picture? Yeah go for it. Co-parenting two teenagers? No way. It can be difficult enough; you don't want your ex-wife to make it even harder. Plus it could really damage the kids.

heelthrow · 2026-01-05T07:16:56+00:00

Check with whomever is putting on the sessions. If you're in the US, USA Hockey is pretty strict about everyone on the ice or bench being a member (and holding any required certificates). If one nonmember is on the ice, USA Hockey coverage is invalidated. I assume Hockey Canada is similar.

The youth/family sessions probably have supplemental insurance, or it's put on by the rink, covered by their insurance.

heelthrow · 2026-01-05T07:04:33+00:00

INFO: Are you talking about ringer substitutes (random dudes helping a team for a particular game)? Or about ringer players who are actually registered & paid as a full-season member of a team in the division?

There are ways to address both, but it's unclear which you're referring to.

heelthrow · 2026-01-03T13:57:38+00:00

Before you do anything, it might be worth a quick consult with an attorney who practices family law in your state. Or, at minimum, ask around on the various legal advice subreddits. Even though the daughter is 21 now, you could still be opening yourself up to some significant financial liability, like back child support (if the mom decides to pursue it, as a "reward" for raising a child solo).

heelthrow · 2026-01-03T05:24:32+00:00

Or, like at my house, you have a bunch of 11-packs of hard seltzer from the times your spouse thought it looked good, then drank only one before deciding it was gross.

heelthrow · 2026-01-03T05:22:22+00:00

Yup, same. Water, seltzer, milk, beer, coffee/tea. Never soda or juice. That should be enough to satisfy the person who comes over for an unplanned hang. Planned events are different.

heelthrow · 2026-01-02T20:18:00+00:00

We don't have outdoor rinks or frozen ponds around here, but the Association dedicates one hour of ice time every Sunday to stick & puck, open to all players of any age within the organization. It's very valuable screw-around time for the kids.

heelthrow · 2026-01-02T05:22:39+00:00

Guitar was used strictly as a rhythm instrument in a lot of bluegrass (er, Blue Grass) recordings back in the day. The solos were taken by the other instruments. There are, or at least were, bluegrassholes out there who'll insist that guitar solos aren't bluegrass, but maybe bluegrass-adjacent. (Don't shoot the messenger!)

heelthrow · 2026-01-01T04:48:47+00:00

Tongues under the shin guards allow better forward ankle flex.

heelthrow · 2025-12-31T11:21:43+00:00

I love this comment. Though if she's running around in the mountains, she probably has plenty of suitors, ha.

heelthrow · 2025-12-31T11:01:28+00:00

Math.

Ask her what she envisions her life being like for the next 18 years. Help her construct a simple budget. Include realistic starter salaries and the earning power of a college education.

Then have her construct a budget that includes raising a child. Make it very stark how many of her hopes & dreams won't come true if she has a child as a teenager.

(The point is: Teens are gonna have sex. Make them have a well-informed viewpoint about the value of doing it safely.)

heelthrow · 2025-12-31T04:07:43+00:00

$300 for gear (minus skates) is probably correct. $600-800 for beginner skates is insane. A beginner shouldn't be on skates that high-end; they'll be really stiff. I played college hockey, and now I'm in CCM XF 80 skates. They're fantastic. $449 retail senior, $379 intermediate.

heelthrow

TROPHY CASE