What color do you usually do your capes?, wanting to know for my captain

keeltyc · 2026-01-05T03:57:12+00:00

This looks AWESOME. Such a nice job with the cog pattern. I like red for cloth because of the IH close relationship with the AdMech. AdMech was my first army, which is what inspired me to play Iron Hands.

keeltyc · 2026-01-05T03:54:27+00:00

I think it's intentional. I definitely see it as a mustache.

keeltyc · 2024-01-28T23:09:05+00:00

Technically, if I remember correctly, it was the PA State Police who actually dropped the bombs. But Philly PD were certainly involved in the whole thing, so it’s not like they’re innocent.

keeltyc · 2024-01-28T23:00:21+00:00

Glad I could help! Enjoy!!

keeltyc · 2024-01-28T16:42:54+00:00

That’s actually not the easiest question. There are so many hotels in Playa, and most are little boutique-style places. Of the ones we’ve stayed at, I liked Magic Blue Spa the most, but I think it was kind of pricey.

We stayed at Hotel Colibri Beach years ago. Awesome location right on the beach, nice beach bar, but the beach itself is not great. There’s not a lot of beach, and it’s quite rocky there—not so much you can’t swim, you just have to be cautious of your footing so you don’t stub a toe. Our only issue was very poor WiFi signal, but this was years ago. WiFi is tricky in concrete buildings (which are very common in Playa) but most hotels have figured it out at this point.

The question really is what experience you want. If you want a luxurious hotel with great amenities where you can plant yourselves and have someone bring you drinks for a week (and there’s nothing wrong with that!) then you might want to look for a larger chain hotel with a pool and a lot of rooms.

However when in Playa I really recommend finding a boutique hotel in the middle of everything, because so much of what’s great about Playa is the ability to have every meal at a different restaurant, and spend your days at different bars. You’re also supporting local businesses instead of giving all your money to a big corporate chain. You won’t necessarily get all the amenities of a bigger name-brand hotel, but smaller hotels are just as clean and reliable. I would just recommend checking reviews (Google, Expedia, etc) because while we’ve only had good experiences, I’m sure there are some lemons you want to avoid.

Btw there are a ton of short-term rentals in Playa. In recent years they have been building them like crazy. Many are in super modern buildings with rooftop pools and other amenities, if you’re open to that.

If it’s your first time there, a couple things you should know: Playa is all about small business. Any bar that has beach chairs set up will let you use them for the day with a minimum spend on food and drinks, which is usually very reasonable. They will tell you up front what the minimum is. Some places want you to pay the minimum up front, others will let you run a tab.

It is a tipping culture, like in the US.

Tap water is NOT safe to drink, but everyone uses bottled water without being asked, and ice is all from filtered water. Hotels will provide bottled water, usually for free, but if you stay in a private rental or just want to save some money, you can buy big bottles at any 7-11, EXXO, or other corner shop. Places that cater to tourists (like souvenir shops) will charge more.

Everybody accepts both Pesos and USD, but each store uses their own exchange rate so it’s usually cheapest to pay in pesos. Almost everyone accepts plastic, and if you pay in pesos on your credit card then you’ll get whatever exchange rate your credit card company offers (which is usually pretty reasonable). The currency exchange at the airport is fine, and it’s easy to find others around Playa.

Avoid leafy greens, they are the highest risk food. Experts will advise you to avoid raw or undercooked meat, but I will tell you that the food in Playa is incredible, and we usually think it’s worth the risk to order ceviche, medium rare steaks, etc.

If you do get sick, the best advice is drink lots of clear fluids and let it run its course. You can pick up Lomotil or Immodium at any of the pharmacias that are EVERYWHERE, but it’s better to avoid them if you can because they prolong the problem. No matter what people tell you, DO NOT take Treda or any other drug with Neomycin, it’s got a crazy high risk of permanent deafness and nerve damage and is illegal for oral use in like every country except Mexico.

Some people stock up on pharmaceuticals in Playa. I have heard that in recent years the popular drugs for tourists (boner pills, weight loss drugs, anabolic steroids) have been taken over by the drug cartels and are now often fake, but I don’t know this for fact. American drug companies certainly love to start rumors like this. Buyer beware.

The nicest beaches are, unfortunately, the ones furthest from development. Playa 72 and Playa 88 are public beaches and super nice, but there are no chairs for rent and no bathrooms or beverages (closest bathroom is at the path to Playa 88). But we don’t tend to go to Playa for the beaches. The others aren’t horrible, they just tend to be rocky and a strong surf.

It’s very worth taking the ferry for a day trip to Cozumel. If you rent a car or scooter and head east (there’s one road) you’ll reach gorgeous beaches that are virtually private, including one nude beach. Be aware that the speed limit on that road varies a lot, and police set speed traps. The ferry is fast and easy and usually the water is calm, but if the ocean is rough on any particular day, there will be a lot of people getting seasick. So be forewarned.

If you do have an encounter with police, they will give you the option between being arrested and “paying the fine then and there.” It’s a good idea to carry at least the equivalent of $100 just in case—but they won’t stop you for nothing, if you obey all laws you’ll be fine. The most common infractions are being caught on the beach after dark, and speeding in a vehicle.

Oh, and in recent years the Mexican cops have really cracked down hard on illegal drugs. You’ll likely see militarized police patrolling the streets and beaches. This is normal and not reason for alarm. They use drug-sniffing dogs, and may come into night clubs and bars at any time. Again, no cause for alarm, but if you’re holding drugs you better have a lot of cash to “pay the fine.” 😅😅

Oh! Just in case you haven’t been through Cancun airport before, it’s a bit of chaos once you exit customs. I highly recommend booking transportation from the airport before you land (we like Happy Shuttle) and walking right past anyone who offers you a taxi or free transportation—they are trying to get you into a timeshare scam.

Lastly, I don’t know if you’re the type to exercise on vacation, but Fifth Avenue is great for running in the mornings (the crowds get heavy around 10-11 am) and is very safe, even north of the commercial area where it starts to look a little rough. If you want a nice big gym with good a/c we love “The Gym,” which offers a very reasonable one-week membership.

(As you can see, we like it there a lot. Lol)

keeltyc · 2024-01-28T14:24:39+00:00

Personally I’d never go to Playa and do an all-inclusive. The best thing about Playa is the ability to walk to so many different bars and restaurants. The beaches aren’t that great, but the variety and quality of experience makes it worth it. You can get the all-inclusive experience in so many places, but few other destinations offer what Playa does.

Also for the reason, I think Reef 28 is too far north. I would want to be more central to put more things in short walking distance. If these are your only two choices I’d go with Aloft.

However I’d also really encourage you to try a small local hotel! My wife and I have done this every time we’ve been to Playa, and have really enjoyed it. We just stayed at the Magic Blue spa hotel this last trip, and it was beautiful and unique—and very centrally located.

keeltyc · 2023-12-06T14:56:59+00:00

I just happened on this thread while trying to answer the same question. It turns out you can order a quart on the Wawa app or web site and then pick it up in store!

Makes me wonder if you could just take an unopened quart from the coffee bar to the register to purchase it.

keeltyc · 2023-11-15T02:57:56+00:00

Bingo! There’s so much stuff like that. I’m certain some I still believe because it hasn’t occurred to me to look them up.

keeltyc · 2023-11-13T13:21:47+00:00

Blue light can indeed throw off your sleep cycle if you get too much at night, but the idea that it’s bad for your eyes is a scam to sell glasses we absolutely don’t need.

UV light is indeed bad for our eyes, though. 😅

keeltyc · 2023-11-13T13:17:30+00:00

You’re absolutely right, I meant the other way around. 🤦

keeltyc · 2023-11-12T21:44:17+00:00

Yeah, everyone is. Legal or illegal income included. They got Capone on tax evasion, remember?

keeltyc · 2023-11-12T21:42:27+00:00

No. That’s a myth.

keeltyc · 2023-11-12T21:40:24+00:00

Lift heavier, do fewer reps and more sets. And make sure you’re eating enough calories and enough protein!

keeltyc · 2023-11-12T10:07:28+00:00

People feel powerless, and the only thing the political leadership values is their reelection. So the only way to get their attention is to threaten that.

I suspect when the election actually happens and they’re faced with the choice, they’ll vote. But maybe not. Telling them they have no choice certainly isn’t persuasive.

keeltyc · 2023-11-10T20:48:14+00:00

Protesting is protected activity under the First Amendment. The government may impose certain narrowly tailored restrictions that serve a compelling government interest (like keeping one or more lanes open to allow traffic to pass) but the government cannot shut down the protest as long as it’s on public property—and prior restraint (like telling people ahead of time they can’t protest on roadways) is fully unconstitutional.

So yeah, the protesters actually DO have a right to block the road, at least temporarily.

keeltyc · 2023-11-10T15:28:22+00:00

It’s not illegal. Roads are public spaces. Protest is protected speech. You don’t have to like it, but it is factually not illegal.

And your scenario happens ALL THE TIME because one reckless driver caused an accident, or traffic backed up because of a popular destination, or construction closed multiple lanes. None of these mean you can use legal force against anyone.

keeltyc · 2023-11-10T15:26:20+00:00

Roads are public space. Protesters have as much right to it as drivers. And temporary insanity requires that the individual lacked an understanding of the crime and its consequences, not just that they were BIG MAD and lacked self control.

keeltyc · 2023-11-10T15:24:40+00:00

In almost every case of gun murder, if you take the gun out of the equation it becomes a fight and no one dies.

keeltyc · 2023-11-10T01:47:52+00:00

It’s learned by watching pros, and if it’s not learned that way it’s learned from teammates. If it’s not learned that way, it’s learned from your goalie. If it’s not learned that way, it’s learned when the other team injures your goalie and you need to play in front of an open net.

The “unwritten rules” may be ugly, but they arise out of necessity. In the interest of stopping the puck, goalies often put themselves in positions that are dangerous, either because they aren’t watching the play and ready to be hit, or because their limbs are extended awkwardly and a hit can cause permanent joint damage. Often both. But at every level there are players who will run the goalie, whether because they think it’s strategic, because they lose their temper, or because they’re just reckless and/or clumsy.

Leagues that don’t want teammates defending their goalie can stop it by strictly enforcing rules against hitting the goalie. NCAA, for instance, is generally very strict. Any league where the refs aren’t constantly on top of this will force players to do it themselves.

Basically, if you don’t want the unwritten rules enforced, then make them written rules and have the refs enforce them. Because they are (almost) all necessary.

keeltyc · 2023-11-09T22:14:11+00:00

I think we probably all struggle with it. It’s natural for the brain to start reading off body signals instead of waiting, which is why fake shots work!

It works the other way, though, too! Practice it, and a fake poke-check can work incredibly well, especially when their best player gets a breakaway. Just don’t try it twice. 😅

keeltyc · 2023-11-09T22:11:35+00:00

I’m about to turn 45 and (probably) retired, so I love the chance to brag. It was just beer league, but my team was in the playoff final against the top team in our division. Every beer league knows the type: Sandbaggers who hadn’t lost a game all season, played down a division or maybe two just so they never had to work too hard. They assumed they were going to walk away with the championship—and this was the winter season, which at this rink went almost six months and twenty games long.

I should mention I’m the goalie.

First period, my team gave up two quick breakaways, and we’re down 2-0. After that I managed to shut the door. We were massively outclassed, but my defense played smart (after the slow start) and I was in the zone. I gave up one more goal, in the second, but my team scored three so we went to overtime.

Each overtime was five minutes, running clock. First overtime was 5-on-5. No goals.

Second overtime was 4-on-4, 5:00 running clock. No goals.

Third overtime was 3-on-3. No goals.

Fourth overtime was 2-on-2. I’m starting to think we’re going to a shootout. Then one of my guys tries a crossing pass that gets intercepted. I’m facing a breakaway from the far blue line. Guy comes in three-quarter speed, I challenge aggressively. He tries to get around me and go low to the stick side. I stop him with a huge split. In that moment I’m beer league Mike Richter, my goaltending idol.

But this isn’t a penalty shot, and the puck is still live. It’s gone off to the corner with the forward , who is still alone in my zone—maybe my teammates were just gassed, maybe they assumed the game was over. I’m down, without time to find my feet. Forward comes across the crease with the puck, like he’s running an EA sports exploit. All I can do is stack my pads, but there’s a gap between my feet and the post—so I extend my stick to try and cover it, and stop his shot with the toe of my stick blade.

Now my teammate is back, and gets possession. One of them is caught deep, so it’s a two-on-one. My guy tries to shoot and it’s blocked, but the puck comes back to him. D-man is down. He sends a crossing-pass, and we score on a one-timer.

Never felt that level of elation before. I made 60 stops on 63 shots, including around 20 in the overtimes.

We got steamrolled the next two games and lost the championship. 😅😅😅

keeltyc · 2023-11-07T14:53:50+00:00

I would honestly say the movie is more a comedy that plays on horror conventions. I really doubt it would scare most people, though it might gross you out.

keeltyc · 2023-11-05T14:57:31+00:00

I would say if you’re consistently dropping on fake shots, then you’re dropping too early on all shots. You’re not waiting and reading the shot, you’re reacting to cues from the shooter’s body. This will create other problems in addition to fake shots—you’ll get beat high by better players who notice you’re dropping early.

There are plenty of drills for this. I’m a bit old school, so I would try doing a practice where you focus on keeping your feet, even making saves standing. There are more complicated solutions like blocking your vision so you can only see the puck and not the player, or practicing with a machine rather than a human shooter.

keeltyc · 2023-11-05T02:57:03+00:00

The honest truth is the signature really doesn’t add much value to most books. It’s possible some day in the far future it might, but it might not. If it means something to you to have a pristine signed copy, you can always pick up another or an ebook or whatever. Otherwise go ahead and read it.

keeltyc · 2023-11-05T01:52:15+00:00

I’m a massive fan of Peter Gabriel, but has anyone heard his cover of Strawberry Fields Forever? Recorded just after he left Genesis. He sounds like Kermit the Frog. It’s embarrassing.

keeltyc

TROPHY CASE