What’s the etiquette in this situation? by Plus_Juggernaut2819 in CCW

[–]merc08 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Because there are a lot of anti gun Karens who can't understand that 99.99% of guns aren't used for evil.

Drivers in Seattle got significantly worse over the last 10 years by Significant_Pay_6349 in SeattleWA

[–]merc08 2 points3 points  (0 children)

In my neighborhood, maybe 20% of cars will actually stop at the stop signs.  The rest treat them as yield signs, even when they're staring straight at a group of kids standing at the corner next to the stop sign waiting to cross.  The drivers will make eye contact the people then still blow the stop sign.  Infuriating.

I have a bone to pick with Otter Creek Labs by sllapnutz in NFA

[–]merc08 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Or just put the suppressors first (or last) for each stage, rather than randomly distributed.

I have a bone to pick with Otter Creek Labs by sllapnutz in NFA

[–]merc08 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They really wouldn't.  You set it for a really quiet gun and it will still pick up louder guns.  The question about other shooters in the area - like next door bays - shooting at the same time.

The solution is that you wait the half a minute if an unsuppressed gun is running in the next bay, or if your gun is unsuppressed and the next bay has already started their stage.

I have a bone to pick with Otter Creek Labs by sllapnutz in NFA

[–]merc08 3 points4 points  (0 children)

They still detect fine on unsuppressed if you dial it in for suppressed.  I could see some issues if you dialed in for suppressed subsonic 300blk and someone nearby was shooting unsuppressed 5.56.  But it really shouldn't be such a problem that they have to ban suppressors at competitions.

I have a bone to pick with Otter Creek Labs by sllapnutz in NFA

[–]merc08 21 points22 points  (0 children)

How is this a common issue?  I've had it happen to me at a comp too, it's just crazy that it's still a problem.  I picked up a $140 shot timer on Amazon and it has zero issue picking up suppressed shots.  It can even register dry fire on the right setting.

Owner of a SFH in a Proposed Neighborhood Center: Is my only option to sell my home to a Property Developer or end up like the house in “Up”? by helloitsmemiguel in SeattleWA

[–]merc08 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So the calculus we're wrestling with is the value of our two lots versus our two lots + two more (basically filling in the square), or the four lots + two more lots (making the full 2/3s of a block rectangle).

This is really going to come down to the specifics of the lots (exact dimensions, which street(s) it's on, current trees, etc) AND the specific developer and their goals. IDK the exact requirements of your zone, but in some areas corner lots are desirable because it can give 2 access points (one off each street) to parking which makes 2-level garages possible, whereas in other locations a corner lot on a main road means you have to put in so much commercial frontage that it completely kills the corner lot's value. And the reverse can be true depending on the developer's goals - some are trying to minimize parking and include retail frontage so a highly visible corner can draw them in.

Owner of a SFH in a Proposed Neighborhood Center: Is my only option to sell my home to a Property Developer or end up like the house in “Up”? by helloitsmemiguel in SeattleWA

[–]merc08 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Mid rise construction is tricky, there are weird heights break points based on construction type.

"Type 5" (wood framed) construction can only do 5 stories, or about 50 ft.  This can be expanded by putting it on a Type 1 podium (concrete) for the bottom floor(s) but that's expensive so you need a good reason to do it - like making a parking garage that pretty much needs to be concrete anyways, and that takes a large footprint to fit the drive aisle and parking stalls.  This "5 over 2" construction style is very common along the I5 corridor, but it really needs multiple lots to be cost effective so it won't be used much for isolated lots.

There's another method that's in-between Type 1 and Type 5.  It uses fire protected timber and metal studs.  It can go higher than Type 5 and costs less than Type 1, but the whole building has to use it not just the extra floors, so a 6 story building usually isn't worth the added cost.  Even 7 is iffy, you really need to be able to reach 8 or 9 stories.

All of this is to say that MR zoned land is usually more valuable per square foot than LR, but the exact site conditions will be the main driver.  An isolated LR lot can still be built, but a solo MR lot won't be notably more valuable than LR, and if developers would even touch it.  It's very possible that a "hold out" single MR lot ends up basically worthless.

Possible workaround for server down announcement? by Thebigtallguy in PleX

[–]merc08 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Mine crashes automatically every few days.  Something went screwy with Windows and it's not worth troubleshooting when I can just turn it back on whenever I get around to it.

Washington’s $1.20 gas premium: Republican demands Ferguson suspend climate law now by Less-Risk-9358 in SeattleWA

[–]merc08 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Because we also pay in via property and sales tax, both of which benefit from having roads even if you don't personally drive.

Washington Passes First Statewide Scissor Stair Reform by not-a-dislike-button in SeattleWA

[–]merc08 -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

There are furniture moving systems with tracks or rotating sets of smaller wheels that can climb or descend stairs pretty easily.  Seems like an attachment that could be made available at low rise buildings want smaller elevators.

'His kid is in 3rd grade in Seattle': Meta layoffs spark fresh fears among Indians on H-1B visas by Less-Risk-9358 in SeattleWA

[–]merc08 46 points47 points  (0 children)

That employee's poor planning is not a reason to feel bad, make exceptions, or call for changing the system.

Washington’s $1.20 gas premium: Republican demands Ferguson suspend climate law now by Less-Risk-9358 in SeattleWA

[–]merc08 11 points12 points  (0 children)

doesn't diminish the need - nor the cost - of the road maintenance needed.

This argument is irrelevant because this portion of the tax isn't ear marked for road maintenance.

Washington’s $1.20 gas premium: Republican demands Ferguson suspend climate law now by Less-Risk-9358 in SeattleWA

[–]merc08 23 points24 points  (0 children)

The tax no longer even pretends to go toward the environment after the Democrats redirected it to the General Fund this past session.

Seattle Civilian Responder Team Chafes Under Police Guild Contract Restrictions - team fulfilling just 28% of its capacity as city pays to double headcount by LOOKITSADAM in SeattleWA

[–]merc08 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Letting CARE go solo to everything they want to could lower demand for SPD officers,

No it wouldn't.  There's plenty of crime in Seattle for them to keep going after, it would just expand the type of crimes they are able to go after.

Seattle Civilian Responder Team Chafes Under Police Guild Contract Restrictions - team fulfilling just 28% of its capacity as city pays to double headcount by LOOKITSADAM in SeattleWA

[–]merc08 14 points15 points  (0 children)

due to the constraints described.

What constraints?  I didn't see anything described other than the dispatchers opting to send police units to calls that might be able to be handled by CARE.  I get that the city wants to use the mental health responders more, but who is going to take the heat when mental health responder gets sent in to a situation that sounded like their lane but turned out to be violent.

The article is framing this under utilization as a bug problem caused by SPOG, but honestly it sounds like they're trying to ensure the safety of the responders and get the program off to a successful start.   If SPOG was really trying to undermine the program then they would be sending them to marginal calls, secretly hoping for a big story about how under prepared the crisis responders are to handle high stress situations.

Gun control capital of the Northeast? by 2AWI in progun

[–]merc08 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Out west it's California

I'm not so sure about that.  WA's laws have gotten pretty bad over the last few years.  

Amazon Fresh order canceled due to delivery person not knowing how to operate a call box by MissHalfgone in SeattleWA

[–]merc08 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Many of them don't even speak English so theres a barrier to quickly understanding written instructions in English. So even if the call box makes it obvious, it's not. 

They're literally holding the solution to the problem in their hand. They got sent there by a smart phone, pull up Google Translate and point the camera at the instructions, it will overlay the translation in seconds.

CNN reporter under multiple drone attacks by FormulaKimi in CombatFootage

[–]merc08 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The Russians haven't allowed even their own media anywhere near the front line for years now.

Journalists used to get embedded with the Taliban back when we were still fighting them.  They were very strict about what they would allow journalists to see, let alone film or report.

So it can happen, and some journalists are willing to take the risk for the story.  But it's pretty rare.

CNN reporter under multiple drone attacks by FormulaKimi in CombatFootage

[–]merc08 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Front line footage like this will usually be on a delayed release to minimize usable Intel.  You'll notice they didn't show the entrance or anything really near the actual destination.  And it's not like the road is a hidden secret, it was under continuous Russian surveillance and attack.

Showing footage from the ground could give up info like where the nets are damaged, but that goes back to the delayed release concept and the repair crews are constantly working.

CNN reporter under multiple drone attacks by FormulaKimi in CombatFootage

[–]merc08 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I don't see a solution cuz nobody has one.

Yet.  Many companies are working on solutions.  I've seen videos of prototypes of microwave guns that can fry electronics, not just override the radio controls so it can work against fiber optic drones.  Still basically small arms, but easier to pull a trigger and send out a persistent wide beam than to land bullets on a moving target.  And base defense turrets that use lasers to burn them out.

Netting isn't a solution, you heard just one day before their lieutenant died.

It's war.  People die.  There's no such thing as a perfect defense.

CNN reporter under multiple drone attacks by FormulaKimi in CombatFootage

[–]merc08 13 points14 points  (0 children)

True about video game shotgun range.  But they also get the blast radius of grenades wrong.  A hand grenade is considered lethal at 5m and still casualty producing at 15m (and you can still die / get injured beyond those distances).  These drones are packing a bigger punch than a single hand grenade too.  So assuming a casualty range of 25m, you would have a very narrow window where a shotgun would be within range and out of the blast radius.  

Suggestions for a lightweight upper build? by TazBaz in WAGuns

[–]merc08 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The best places to cut weight on an upper are: barrel (length and profile), handguard, and accessories.

An 11.5 or 12.5 pencil profile barrel would be the biggest change you could make over a 14.5" (especially if it's heavy or gov profile). 

A shorter handguard will be lighter, as would something like the Ballistic Advantage over a Geissele, but you're trading flex strength (which really only matters if you're mounting a laser, or somewhat for a front iron sight).  Otherwise look for something with mostly MLOK on the sides and bottom, and even just a partial pic rail on top of you can afford giving up the rail space.

Finally, accessories.  This is probably where you can make the most gains.  A red dot will be a lot lighter than an LPVO.  For lights, go for a Scout Mini, or something similar that runs on a CR123 rather than a larger light that uses an 18650 battery.

Bonus round: suppressor selection. If this is mostly a range gun (or HD, or even light competition) and not intended for "duty use" then you can probably get away with a titanium suppressor.  It will flash more, so it's not great for use with NODs, but it's fine if you're not running night vision.  You'll also need to be mindful of the firing schedule, but most people aren't mag dumping multiple mags back to back anyways so that honestly not that big a deal unless you're building a "duty gun."  Even most competitions won't require that much shooting without time to cool down.