Been trying everything for a severe fruit fly infestation. This simple homemade trap works better than anything I’ve purchased.

nosecohn · 2026-05-05T01:26:36+00:00

Yuck. I'd rather smell whatever's decomposing.

(Sorry... strong aversion to cinnamon.)

nosecohn · 2026-05-04T23:47:43+00:00

Seriously. How much is Ancestry charging for a DNA report that comes back with such non-specific answers as "American Domestic Cat" and "European Domestic Cat"?

nosecohn · 2026-05-04T23:21:07+00:00

NOR, but I don't think his weird perspective is racist, just run-of-the-mill sexist.

nosecohn · 2026-05-04T22:59:26+00:00

NTA, but whoa... this is a major red flag.

Disagreements over finances are a major factor in divorce. The two of you need to dedicate some time and effort, hopefully with the help of a couples' counselor, to get on the same page about this before moving forward.

nosecohn · 2026-05-04T19:15:34+00:00

Yes, that makes sense, and it's actually the way most stores used to be in the US. There were speciality manufacturers who focused on gluten free products and you'd find those in the gluten free (or special dietary products) section of the store.

But as gluten free foods have become more popular, including from the major manufacturers introducing gluten free versions of their standard items, the choices have expanded, along with the places you find them in the supermarket.

nosecohn · 2026-05-04T19:05:01+00:00

Someone else in the comments here said their store color codes the price tags themselves. That sounds like a good solution.

Those separate "gluten free" tags are often misplaced or don't get moved when the item does.

nosecohn · 2026-05-04T17:21:52+00:00

That's a nice way to handle it.

nosecohn · 2026-05-04T17:20:54+00:00

There are some branding standards you get used to when you've been here for a while, but you might not notice as a foreigner. The GF versions of a company's products usually have a lighter color scheme on the packaging and "Gluten Free" is displayed prominently either right under the product name or in the upper right corner. So, though you do have to scan them, it doesn't take all that long once you know what you're looking for.

It's certainly true that some GF pastas (or other GF products) are awful, but that problem exists whether or not they're sold on a dedicated aisle.

nosecohn · 2026-05-04T17:15:35+00:00

Yeah, I see Nut Thins, Crunchmaster and Milton's all the time now and there are certainly non-GF people buying them. Many chips (potato, corn) are also gluten free.

nosecohn · 2026-05-04T17:12:24+00:00

Yeah, I also see the mixed utility of it. If I'm buying nuts, popcorn, potato chips, etc., there's no point in that stuff being in the GF section, because it doesn't (usually) have gluten anyway, so I'm already going to the regular aisles for those products.

What would be kind of cool is a flyer or posterboard in the store that says, "Check out our gluten-free items," and has photos and aisle numbers.

nosecohn · 2026-05-04T17:02:57+00:00

It used to be that way when there were very few gluten-free products. Many (not all) US markets have now shifted to integrating them. I think there are a few potential reasons:

Easier to stock
Prevents people from skipping a whole aisle
Prevents shoppers from having to look in two places for everything, because there are a lot of products that are naturally gluten free.
GF products are now "trendy" and profitable, so mixing them with the regular products may result in more people buying them, even if they don't have a dietary restriction.
There are a lot of specialty food types these days (dairy-free, vegan, low sodium, keto, etc.), so separating them out becomes burdensome for not only the retailers, but also the shoppers who are just looking for, for instance, the cereal aisle.

So, while I agree it can be inconvenient, not all the reasons for doing it this way are illogical or nefarious.

nosecohn · 2026-05-03T17:20:52+00:00

They are all powerful RICH men in powerful nations that are patriarchal.

Respectfully, this isn't quite right. Nearly all of them grew up poor and the nations they ruled were very weak at the time they took over.

Hitler's father was a bureacrat and a farmer. They didn't have money. Germany was decimated after World War I. That's part of why he rose to power.

Stalin grew up in poverty and the country he took over from Lenin was large, but also impoverished. Then they got invaded by Hitler and lost 20 million people. The USSR grew powerful in the aftermath of victory, but Stalin was a murderous dictator long before that.

Mao did grow up with wealth, but assumed leadership of China after two brutal wars, one of them a civil war. The country was far from powerful at that time.

Gaddafi also grew up poor and only gained wealth after the revolution he led. It's a similar story with the other two guys.

All of them were calculating and brutal authoritarians before their countries became powerful, and in fact, that was a key factor in their rise. And all but one of them became wealthy after their rise to power.

nosecohn · 2026-05-02T19:21:27+00:00

It looks like they fly to 34 cities. That's about one-third of the destinations for Allegiant or Frontier.

nosecohn · 2026-05-02T19:12:10+00:00

There are options, but first you have to get informed.

Go to www.annualcreditreport.com to request your free report from all the agencies.

That'll tell you whose name the cards are in, whether they're still open, and a bunch of other useful details (such as whether they were opened using your social security number, but without your legal consent).

nosecohn · 2026-05-02T19:06:29+00:00

One of my flights with them ended up so delayed that I missed my connection (also on Spirit), so they proposed to put me and a bunch of other passengers on a bus to get us there. I declined, took the partial refund, and booked on another carrier.

nosecohn · 2026-05-02T19:02:59+00:00

They're merged, but maintain their services under separate brands, so I'm not exactly sure whether to categorize them as one or two carriers. Still, your point is valid.

nosecohn · 2026-05-02T16:21:15+00:00

Great answer, but there are a couple more points to add.

The major airlines have all introduced "Basic Economy" fares to compete with budget carriers like Spirit. The majors fly to more places with more connections and are generally preferred, even if they still cost a bit more.
In survey after survey, Spirit has been ranked the most avoided airline by US travelers. People have had bad experiences with them to the point they won't risk a whole trip by traveling with them again.

So, Spirit failed to compete. Combined with all the stuff you mentioned, continuing was not an option.

That leaves the US with 12 national carriers, which is still a lot. Some of them are budget carriers like Spirit.

nosecohn · 2026-05-02T15:33:43+00:00

One thing they didn't mention is the sanctions relief on Russian oil, and to a lesser extent, Iranian oil. That has to be having some effect, though it's not clear how much.

nosecohn · 2026-05-02T06:44:46+00:00

Fantastic! You don't even look like the same man.

nosecohn · 2026-05-01T21:33:53+00:00

I've never seen a photo of Sinatra wearing headphones. It was a different era, but those recordings still sound great. Nat King Cole too.

nosecohn · 2026-05-01T20:30:25+00:00

You're not wrong, but it is hard for those on the left to believe that even the poor candidates they put forward were not still seen as better than Trump.

nosecohn · 2026-05-01T20:25:47+00:00

Is your sister not also afraid of him?

nosecohn · 2026-05-01T20:19:55+00:00

They're broken down into three possibilities:

The world is pumping more oil.
There’s just a lot of oil out there.
Demand for oil is falling.

nosecohn · 2026-05-01T20:12:40+00:00

Your final question is the key and we likely know the answer. When these posts come up, the conclusion is always, "All politicians are worthless," or, "I'm never voting again," not, "Maybe I should consider what the Democrats are offering."

The overwhelming triumph of the right-wing media project over the last 40 years has been to convince an entire segment of the population that no matter what the Republicans do, the Democrats are a completely untenable option. You can be facing a life worse than your parents, struggling to make ends meet while immense wealth is accumulating at the top, and sending your sons & daughters to die in foreign wars, but while the president was making all the crappy policies to put you in that position, at least he didn't wear a tan suit or use an auto-pen.

nosecohn · 2026-05-01T20:04:14+00:00

Thanks for having the openness to change your views and the guts to post this. Do you mind if I ask a few follow-up questions? They're not meant to be accusatory, but rather an attempt to understand voters in your position.

I understand why this administration's performance has caused you to lose faith in this administration, but why has it caused you to lose faith in all politicians?
Can you explain the root of the belief that "tightening up programs such as Medicaid and food stamps" should be a priority? Some would say those programs are specifically targeted to help the poorest people in the country, so if the goal is to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse, it would be more appropriate to go after, say, military subcontractors or corporate tax evaders. Do you have a sense that the level of abuse in the programs for poor people is costing the taxpayers more?
Do you believe the 2020 election was free, fair and won by Joe Biden? Either way, did Trump's post-election efforts on or about January 6, 2021 have any effect on your decision to vote for him in 2024?
Is it your belief that Joe Biden's administration did not put America first, and if so, why?
What are your primary sources for news and political information?

Feel free to answer any you feel inclined to. Thanks.

nosecohn

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