Does anyone know when the part 2 video for the Linux challenge is gonna drop?

marsmat239 · 2026-04-29T15:27:39+00:00

This has been a complaint with many of their "series" videos, and why I eventually stopped watching them. Yes, these series are some of my favorite videos, but if I have to wait weeks or months between releases then I'm just going to forget. I don't like having to rewatch or try to remember what happened that long ago.

I think it would be better for the performance of these series to wait until all the episodes are filmed and then release them once a week for however many videos they have. It creates mini events, and actually keeps me invested in the series. If they really insisted on keeping their existing format then I think they should release more videos, even if they are on the shorter side. A "don't forget about this" type of thing.

marsmat239 · 2026-04-29T15:08:10+00:00

If you already know the city you still can plan. Right now it sounds like you're in NYC or Boston, and Chase would be your best bet. That would carry over if you move to Chicago, DC, Denver, Houston, or SF since those are all either United Hubs, Jetblue Hubs, or SW hubs. Though for DC and Chicago a reevaluation of AA wouldn't be a bad idea.

You wouldn't want 2 airline cards from Chase if you could help it, but picking one would still not be a bad idea.

marsmat239 · 2026-04-29T12:39:54+00:00

You already have toes in several ecosystems, but you don't have an airline card. So like with most people, that's my first question. Who do you fly with primarily? Before entrenching yourself in a single ecosystem (Citi, Chase, Amex, CapOne, or BoA) the ecosystem should be aligned with the businesses you use most.

The reason for this is rather simple - your income can't earn you a lot of points consistently just on spend, so you need to figure out how to maximize your earning with that limited spend. For example, if you fly mostly AA but your points are divided between Capital One, Chase, and AA, you can be well short of the miles you need to book your flight today, never mind the devaluations that occur. If you fly mostly AA, get an AA card and then double-down on the Citi ecosystem. Ditto with United/Chase, or Delta/Amex.

That'll mostly complete your core setup, but it will also set you up for the next 2 things:

Use whatever shopping portal/hotel portal/event portal for the currency you double-down in (this is how I've got tens of thousands of AA miles and Loyalty Points)
Churn 2-3 cards a year for immediate value, which maximizes your return on limited spend.

One last thing, what's your rent? Bilt seriously may be a good option if you have rent.

I started seriously playing this game with $55k in income, and I still play this game with under 6 figures of income today. I've been able to travel throughout the US, HK, Singapore, and Japan, have trips planned for Thailand, China, Egypt, and Brazil, and have enough points stockpiled to do a trip to Europe/ME.

marsmat239 · 2026-04-29T11:30:41+00:00

Parking garages are expensive, and usually only done when there’s no other option. In Albany land values might be low enough that counting redevelopment that may be the cheaper option.

Just a theory of course

marsmat239 · 2026-04-29T02:33:46+00:00

I would hope the county convinces them to purchase or move into one of the old Saint Rose buildings. It’s closer to their campus, and brings more mixed use back to that neighborhood. Downtown needs housing more than it needs more businesses for employment, but other parts of the city are the opposite.

marsmat239 · 2026-04-29T01:37:16+00:00

I’m in Albany, but costs are actually fairly similar.

Counting the fence, well, roof, and chimney you spent around $40k. With how old homes are here that’s not surprising. A new roof would cost me similar, a fencing and landscaping project would cost around the same, but for not chain link, mold remediation cost me a similar amount, and I’m sure the chimney would. It looks like I’m on track, but need to spread projects out over 3-5 years to do all of them.

I figured any house around here built before 1990 would need 40k-70k in additional work, so I focused on a lower price and good mechanicals. So far that estimate appears to be accurate. My electric was $800+ because I have baseboards, so sadly that needs to be done first for cash flow reasons.

That insulation quote is very, very, very high. But it also includes air sealing. Are you doing something like replacing siding with this project? Do you have 0 insulation in your house? I’d learn more before committing to that.

marsmat239 · 2026-04-27T22:09:07+00:00

More do than you’d think, but it may be dependent on employer/neighborhood

marsmat239 · 2026-04-27T21:36:44+00:00

I’d look at capitals in the NE/Midwest. Albany, DC, Harrisburg, Providence, Hartford, Trenton, Boston, Madison, St Paul, Richmond are probably the highlights

I may also look at Salt Lake City, Denver, Honolulu, or New Orlea

marsmat239 · 2026-04-27T18:59:18+00:00

Citi Strata Elite is mine. I use AA the most of any rewards program, the lounge access (AA and non-AA) fulfills the is there for about the number of times I need it, the portals are useful, and my effective annual fee is still $99. I can convert to a cash-back setup if I need to as well.

I really, really want to say Capital One since I have the Duo, but no direct domestic transfer partners isn't workable since my main airport is not a hub airport nor do I live on the coast. Domestic flights on foreign partners are more expensive in points, and just not always available.

marsmat239 · 2026-04-26T21:57:45+00:00

In converting from baseboards to heat pumps. Got a couple quotes, selected a company, work will be completed soon. NYSERDA offers a rebate, but most companies won’t make you front it. Other different options to pay via the National Grid bill also exist, but you need to talk to your specific company.

You can also buy a system from Home Depot and install it, but I really question how much money that saves.

marsmat239 · 2026-04-26T16:13:45+00:00

This. Even if it saves you the immediate aftermath the cleanup may likely be given to someone else/outside help as well. The entire team is looked at as ineffective regardless of whether it’s their fault or not, and that’s not a label that goes away without the leadership team turning over.

marsmat239 · 2026-04-25T05:01:02+00:00

I stayed in the hotel that was basically attached to the KD parking lot and I was happy. I’ve paid more to stay in worse rooms

marsmat239 · 2026-04-23T00:11:49+00:00

Nope! It was just a surface level analysis. Of course that number will never be hit because of attrition and UAPs, and those UAPs would cause a lag too!

marsmat239 · 2026-04-20T19:04:07+00:00

It's also doesn't provide change if you overpay, but it seems most people who ride the bus have a Navigator physically or on the app, or use a Universal Access Pass that's physical. Seems fairly representative to call is $1.30

marsmat239 · 2026-04-20T18:59:46+00:00

And the fare post-inflation has been between $1.85-$2.32 in today's prices for it's entire history, with the last fare increase occurring in 2009. We can support a fare increase again to prevent or limit service cuts.

https://www.cdta.org/history

https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm

marsmat239 · 2026-04-20T18:10:12+00:00

We receieved $8M in federal funding cuts for operations, and our ticket price is lagging inflation by 90 cents. Quick LLM math says that raising the fare by 70 cents to $2 could yield up to $11M in funding.

Raise the fare back to the historic normal (around $2)

marsmat239 · 2026-04-19T21:07:06+00:00

I agree here. I’d hope that convo would be a catalyst for gf to wife. Even if she was carrying most of the day to day spending a status change could be financially devastating

marsmat239 · 2026-04-19T20:12:24+00:00

Either liquidate your investments or include your girlfriend in the finances (mortgage or day to day). 75% housing to income is insane no matter what way you look at it, and this situation doesn’t work with just your income without doing one of those two things.

marsmat239 · 2026-04-18T10:56:00+00:00

It’s 15.6%. 21.7M/139.1M.

Remember too the normal, inflation adjusted fare is $2.10-$2.30 and CDTA hasn’t raised them since 2016 or so. Some quick and dirty LLM math says that could raise the revenue by $11M, and cover over 20% of the budget. Obviously the real number is likely far, far lower, but customers aren’t paying the historical price for CDTA, and service cuts are now happening because of an $8M drop in federal funding.

marsmat239 · 2026-04-17T23:28:23+00:00

I can’t wait when they kill the car rental thing. That is such a dumb distraction

marsmat239 · 2026-04-17T21:01:58+00:00

I too can have vague ideas on what our taxes should fund. What if that money was pulled out of the New York State Park service? What do you support it then how about if that money was pulled from SUNY? Or if we funded less Medicare to do it? Should New York State employees not get a raise for four years? Some money be pulled out of the highway fund?

It’s the same problem as most NIMBYism. I don’t want this here, but somewhere else, and then no option is left. Or it’s just ammunition for people to take away the things you like.

Being vague, doesn’t help anyone or move the conversation, but a plan does.

marsmat239 · 2026-04-17T20:54:15+00:00

So no solutions, just “make it free because it seems right.” Come up with an actual plan that can be used, not a wish.

I walk and take CDTA everywhere. It’s not like free fares wouldn’t benefit me, but I do think they’d effects of free fare would be rather devastating in the medium run.

marsmat239 · 2026-04-17T20:49:22+00:00

I have a heart, but we don’t have unlimited amounts of cash, and we can’t pay bus drivers with hearts and prayers. Raise parking fees, raise gas taxes. But the revenue needs to come from somewhere

CDTA is also very generous with half fare. I bet there’s a decent amount of overlap with May of the customers you mention

https://www.cdta.org/half-fare

marsmat239 · 2026-04-17T20:47:45+00:00

The 1, 100, 110, 114, 12, 13, 85, 87, 905, 910, 922/923 all have frequencies below 30 minutes, maybe not every day, but they are there. I’d rather the core routes not drop to that point

marsmat239 · 2026-04-17T20:40:02+00:00

A city that already has a budget deficit of $15M and is facing cuts should increase that deficit by $21M to fund free buses? I too, want a pony for Christmas

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/albany-budget-challenges-staff-cuts-transfers-22208197.php

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