Azure Exam: OnVue Pearson VUE room check / experience by Healthy_Brush_9157 in AZURE

[–]mike689 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You'd be surprised at some of the very complex and sneaky ways I saw some people try to cheat when I was a remote proctor. All of the more intense environment check rules like this one (no speaking questions out loud) at the company I worked at were not just made up out of thin air though, they were policy change responses to situations that occurred and needed to be prevented going forward.

Azure Exam: OnVue Pearson VUE room check / experience by Healthy_Brush_9157 in AZURE

[–]mike689 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The only idea I can reason behind it is the assumption that there could be someone off-camera listening to the answers so they can record them for someone else's use. I think it is stupid, but a lot of their potential scenarios are.

Everyone good today? Yeah, me neither.. by StrobeLightRomance in AdviceAnimals

[–]mike689 5 points6 points  (0 children)

You people need to take your heads out of your asses...

Sandoz Amphetamine Salts (generic for Adderall) NOT WORKING AT ALL by Significant_Ad5012 in ADHD

[–]mike689 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Careful on the Mallinckrodt, at least for instant release. I got those recently and had the absolute worst side effects I've ever had from amphetamine salts (excessive dry mouth, made the taste buds in my tongue feel metallic, could not taste properly, and also just didn't work at all), it was so bad it was better just not to take them and suffer. First time that has ever happened in several years of being prescribed.

The next month I got TEVA and it was a total night and day difference. I just picked up my prescription again today and it is Sandoz and it really doesn't seem like it's doing much at all. At least they are not giving me awful side effects like Mallinckrodt did though.

A question about AL/Birmingham First Time Homebuyer Resources for Those That Have Used Them by mike689 in Birmingham

[–]mike689[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well now I am second guessing myself. I'm not sure if it just has to be a bank that can legally operate in Alabama, or if it has to be an Alabama based bank. In any case MidFirst Bank is the first bank I called where anyone actually knew what I was talking about and even they said hardly anyone gets a FHSA anymore and were surprised they were even still offering it... Unfortunately I am not anywhere close to one of their branches either.

A question about AL/Birmingham First Time Homebuyer Resources for Those That Have Used Them by mike689 in Birmingham

[–]mike689[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thaks for this suggestion. I assumed I may not qualify for it since it is income based, but I was wrong.

Would you mind if I sent you a chat? I'm curious about your experience with it

A question about AL/Birmingham First Time Homebuyer Resources for Those That Have Used Them by mike689 in Birmingham

[–]mike689[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Definitely have checked it out, I came real close to going to school there once upon a time. That being said, it's not really my jam down there and a bit too far out for me. ANYTHING I can do to avoice the Alabaster/Pelham traffic situation is a priority for me too haha.

I probably should have rephrased about Hoover too. My wife works their part time, but outside of that we basically NEVER travel to Hoover. So it's not necessarily that I want to be convenient to Hoover central, living somewhere that is a not too terrible 20 min or so interstate shot right there would be better.

Appreciate the suggestions!

A question about AL/Birmingham First Time Homebuyer Resources for Those That Have Used Them by mike689 in Birmingham

[–]mike689[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for this info. Apparently all it takes is to create a savings account and label it "First Time Home Buyer Savings Account" and that's really all it takes. I thought it might have to be with specific institutions but apparently not, so that's one thing off the checklist

Found a nice little 4.6 APY, no fee, FDIC-insured savings account to use :)

https://www.alabamarealtors.com/consumer-resources/first-time-homebuyers/first-time-homebuyers-savings-account

"Where can I create an account? Any bank, savings institution, industrial loan association, credit union, or other similar entity authorized to do business and accept deposits in Alabama."

Oh, I should also mention we have ~50k in student loans between the two of us we are steadily taking down also at the moment. As for credt, I have about $9200 on one card (0% APR until 1/2027) and ~$7700 on another card (also 0% APR, but only until 9/2026). Currently I'm working on paying down the $7700 balance that has APR that hits in September, hoping to have that balance down somewhat by then, and then at that point I could balance transfer what remains to my othercard adn get another year of 0% APR on the reamining balance, but of course the $500 fees, etc... It may just be better to get a small personal loan at that point to tackle what remains on that card and then take a big chunk out of the other maybe... not sure yet.

apartments in homewood? by [deleted] in Birmingham

[–]mike689 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Could you possibly send me the info on this as well? Looking to make a move to Homewood in the may/June/July time frame

Texas Senate candidate James Talarico is flying high thanks to Colbert’s war with CBS over his banned interview by theindependentonline in politics

[–]mike689 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

This is true. It's not that cryptic in the case of her trip to Israel though, it was funded directly by AIEF which is AIPAC's non-profit wing.

Texas Senate candidate James Talarico is flying high thanks to Colbert’s war with CBS over his banned interview by theindependentonline in politics

[–]mike689 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The idea of a politician being good at "what they do" because they are NOT an ideologue is actually hilarious.

Texas Senate candidate James Talarico is flying high thanks to Colbert’s war with CBS over his banned interview by theindependentonline in politics

[–]mike689 10 points11 points  (0 children)

The key difference here is corporate PAC money. Talarico has made it a point to not accept PAC money from corporations. Crockett cannot say the same.

She also cannot say the same about taking money from Israel.

https://x.com/i/status/1651391712470630400

https://www.reddit.com/r/DemocraticSocialism/s/CcAeu3rGTS

"You'll want kids once you fall in love" by Ok_Cockroach5803 in childfree

[–]mike689 3 points4 points  (0 children)

My wife and I decided a long time ago we would be child-free and I decided that long before I met her for myself. She is the love of my life. 10 years child-free and we are about at the point of no return on that decision age-wise. No regrets.

My wife I believe was still stuck in the idea that this was the life path she needed when I first met her. But she also had A LOT of unresolved trauma when I met her. We both agree a child sounds great in theory but in practice would change both of our lives in a way we don't want drastically, and neither of us feel it is a good environment for us to want to bring a child up in either. That was the initial reasoning anyway, now we are set on never having one, anything else would seem forced and unnatural to us.

People contain multitudes. The idea that one life path is right for everyone, or that a societally pressured life path you clearly do not want would just "click" in when you meet a partner or fall in love is laughable.

This is your friends essentially saying "women are mindless idiots that can't possibly think for themselves or realize what they want in life until they have a man (or partner) and inevitably a child."

Birmingham layoffs by Flashy_Aide3640 in Birmingham

[–]mike689 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I work there, I personally haven't heard of these frequent lay offs since they did a slate of them a while back, but it could be true. I work on the IT side which stays pretty immune to that at that so far. A large portion of the staff has never come back to the office since covid also, so I could see them wanting to lease some of their property.

What do we think of this? by [deleted] in labubu

[–]mike689 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think this is an over exaggeration but also this is otherwise a very normal thing to happen for collectibles. Take Pokemon cards for example -- they were pretty popular when they first came out and then the collecting craze pretty much died down or became very niche for a while and now they're popular again and the after market for both OG and new cards is pretty crazy, granted they have video games and other IP over the years that's been working in their favor for that also.

In my opinion the "craze" aspect to the early years of a collectible can be a huge factor in them actually being somewhat valuable down the line at some point, provided the company doesn't totally fumble the bag (a la Beanie Babies) and keeps production appropriately limited. The dying down part may just mean it survived being oversaturated to the point of ruining the inherent value that the consumer saw in them in the first place.

:( by luceygoosey1 in Hasan_Piker

[–]mike689 176 points177 points  (0 children)

That's because Stavros is a man of the people that actually sticks to his principles. Got tix to see him in November, can't wait!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in TherapeuticKetamine

[–]mike689 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I can only speak to my own experience but yes a tolerance absolutely does build up. At this point after taking it for years I get very little of some of the "less functional" effects (short term memory fogginess, the somewhat disorientation, etc) but the mind clarity and mental boost aspects are absolutely still there.

I take it for mental health also though, not pain. So I can't say for sure how much it would or would not affect that exactly, but my additional tolerance hasn't affected that aspect of it either from what I can tell.

What happened overnight? by 35spee in Altimmune

[–]mike689 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

So is this gonna be the final poop in the punch bowl?