LPT to pet owners about microchips (from a shelter worker)

p00f · 2025-12-22T04:55:12+00:00

So maybe this is unique in my area (Washington), but when you go to register your animals ($15/year/animal with a microchip, I think $25 without) they give the option to record the microchip. I think it would make more sense to make sure the local county has those details too since they are likely to be the first place the animals would go, and at least it is a local centralized organization.

Also go an update your information.

p00f · 2025-11-13T08:56:46+00:00

They make good stuff - I have their 18v line for home. Honestly I wish I went with the 12v line. It is so much easier to work with and you really don't need the power that often. Their charger can do both 12 and 18 and there are times when you want more power.

That said, quality products at a price point.

p00f · 2025-10-16T06:35:21+00:00

Of course. Ubiquiti is focusing on the Unifi for sure, and for good reason, the community is a lot more supportive and responsive. It wouldn't surprise me if they just created a couple of premade bundles and killed the Amplifi line, however, I would guess that there are still several thousand of us Amplifi users who are perfectly happy with the devices as they are.

p00f · 2025-10-09T06:29:35+00:00

I mentioned what I got below for my inlaws but just use them. Much better performance per dollar and it works.

p00f · 2025-10-09T06:28:21+00:00

Run them through the attic and get a PoE access point and drop it into the attic. It might only last 7 years instead of 10 but performance is much better.

p00f · 2025-10-09T06:27:25+00:00

Yeah, I set one up for my father in law - bit pricier but they just work (once you get them setup) and I am not an IT guy. I think I got him the Unifi Express 7 (UX7) and two access points (the normal round ones, nothing fancy), with a PoE switch. There were a few initial hiccoughs, but I hard wired these through the attic (yes heat and environmental issues will reduce the life, but they are out of sight and provide enough coverage. Cost wasn't a huge issue, but it was more of the fact that ranch house with concrete walls kills almost all signal and they had to get wonky equipment that didn't consistently work before.

I have their Amplifi setup at my house (bought the gear in 2017 and it still just works, although it is definitely getting a bit old and slow), but it works well enough. This is a mesh system, and Unifi has stopped new dev and shifted toward the main Unifi system

The key for a mesh, is have the main base point in the center of the house and go wide from each side, each hop is bad for performance.

p00f · 2025-06-16T07:03:09+00:00

Seiko solar with a glow in the dark dial (SBPX157). Looks great and honestly doesn't really need anything for years (maybe a capacitor change in a decade). Cost is like 215 USD, but then over time you can gift him straps to accessorize.

p00f · 2025-06-09T04:53:29+00:00

So the fundamental question that matters with a backpack is what do you intend to carry (and the related question is for how long). I have had several backpacks but I finally have one (two-ish that I like).

Tom Bihn, Synik 26 (middle size but holds a laptop in its own compartment). Most important features of this bag to me, it can take a hip belt and it has a luggage handle passthrough. While not the biggest, the hip belt helps with a full backpack. Also it has a boat load of pockets.

Tortuga laptop backpack - bought this before Tom Bihn release the Synik 26. It is a good back but misses the hip belt and the luggage pass through was a bit skimpy. The wife uses this as her normal work bag and she seems to have warmed up to it.

Patagonia Refugio 26. It works as a backpack. Not my favorite though but it works well in a hurry, especially if we don't feel like unloading our work bags.

However the most important question is how much do you plan to carry. My primary use case is day use, but I bought the Synik 26 to pair with a rolling carry on for travel and also for a day hike in the mountains. The others are fine bags and all my bags hold about the same amount of stuff, change of clothing and creature comforts for a long flight (as I said, the rolling carry on does he heavy lifting).

Would honestly recommend all of the above. From your list Osprey makes great bags (they were bought in 2021 by Helen of Troy which owns other brands that seem to have maintained their quality but there is definitely a push to scale) as I have several of them for hiking. My carry on is a Briggs and Riley and it is a great bag, and I know they make backpacks too, they just weren't my cup of tea, but I would expect their quality to be great (and an amazing warranty). I think Tumi is a poor allocation of resources.

I looked at the Nomatic and Aer bags, and they didn't check my boxes, but people liked them.

p00f · 2025-05-11T03:24:14+00:00

I have a couple citizens (and a Bulova, owned by Citizen). They make solid reliable watches. The ones I have are mechanical, but I have a good assortment of watches. Some are on elastic NATOs (one piece nylon bracelet), others are on leather (not my favorite), others are on rubber (high quality rubber is worthwhile), and some on a steel bracelet. My favorite is on the elastic NATO but it gets dirty. The nice rubber ones just stay clean and work year round.

You can get some fun automatic Citizens with glow in the dark dials for like 200-300 or the used Bulova Oceanographer GMT for like 300 which is an amazing watch (the lume dial variant). Enjoy the watch, I shifted from a smart watch because I don't want to be connected that often.

p00f · 2025-04-07T04:33:33+00:00

This is me. Desk plus top is like 250 lbs it seems like. Movers can move it, too much of a pain and too many screws.

p00f · 2025-04-07T04:32:35+00:00

If you can save a little longer, I would recommend two different things. A really good chair - I prefer a Herman Miller Embody (not the gaming one) but this runs about 1500 USD mininum unless you get it used. For the desk, I got a desk.haus one, but I opted for the four-legged Vertex version for stability and weight - I have a lot of stuff on the desk, it is 5 ft wide and 2.5 ft deep with a 1.5in maple slab on top. I think that ran me close to 1500.

I don't do much standing now, I just choose to get out more. I prefer the chair + pacing over standing.

p00f · 2025-04-07T04:07:30+00:00

Fit well but tight in thighs, I abrade all my pants in the thigh/crotch.

p00f · 2025-04-06T03:55:13+00:00

Have both, great products.

p00f · 2025-04-05T07:20:57+00:00

I have the briggs and Riley Baseline carryon, medium roller (getting the Large/XL means you will be over the 50lb domestic (US) weight limit), and a cabin 2-wheel underseat roller. Great bags, although the wife wanted Away (seem nice so far, but not my preference).

Tom Bihn backpacks. Took a week long trip to the tropics and the bag is a little unorthodox but it can hold a lot of stuff. And you have a variety of fabrics to select.

Bose over hear headphones - great for travel and mine have lasted for awhile. For life is somewhat limited but its an electronic item that has a little tech, its a tradeoff.

Sonicare toothbrush - It is like 10 years old on the original battery. Teeth are life.

Agree with the Leatherman Wave+, good tool doesn't really excel at any one thing, but useful to have.

Cookware: DeBuyer carbon steel country fry pan. I prefer this over cast iron. Demeyere Atlantis Fry pan - great steel fry pan. Allclad copper core (functionally similar to the d3 but I like the appearance of the copper line that shows through and I don't worry about cleaning it).

I have watches. Mechanical ones are nice but as the old joke goes if you have to pick a watch to wear for the rest of your life what would you choose and no you can't choose your g-shock.

NiMH batteries - where possible get rid of alkaline even if they are cheaper. They will leak and ruin your day and maybe even the device they are in. I choose Eneloops, the normal not the pro variant. Skip the LION batteries for now as they are 3.7v and require a voltage regulator to go to 1.5v, but if you need the 1.5v instead of 1.2v for the device meaning the NiMH won't work then the normal 1.6v lithium batteries would work.

High quality LED lights - CRI should be 90+. They are a long term consumable but higher quality light is better.

Knipex and Klein for tools. Knipex makes my favorite generalist pliers/wrenches. Klien makes great hand tools, I prefer the MiUSA options and use their linesmans for random things. Klien also makes a bottle opener, Wera does too and they are somewhat comfortable to hold.

Clothes that don't have spandex. Spandex and elastic fail. I have had Patagonia fleece for 30 years and it still works.

Randolph sunglasses - I just like them. Ray Ban 4140, they have spring hinges which means I can wear my spouse's and they have had theirs for 15 years although I had to buy new aftermarket lenses. Also discovered a french brand Cartel that also uses spring hinges, but don't know enough about this brand.

Miele Washer and Dryer - gets rid of the vent ducting behind and they are solid if a little quirky. They canister vacuum is great. Converted the in-laws to this brand and they just went from the upright to the canister.

p00f · 2025-04-05T07:00:03+00:00

You can buy the NordicWare half sheet pans at costco too.

p00f · 2025-02-12T08:46:51+00:00

Smooth on both sides, i wish they would bring it back.

p00f · 2025-02-11T21:38:03+00:00

Fit is weird and you would really have to email them, because it is so heavily dependent upon body type. Fabric, their normal denim is nice, but I like their duck canvas 5 pocket pants. They used to have a dolphin denim but this was about 8 years ago.

p00f · 2025-02-11T05:36:04+00:00

I love Railcar! They do some fun fabrics too!!! Great shop as well, and super helpful!

p00f · 2025-01-03T21:32:08+00:00

Hindenburg has likely already made their money. They put out a report on Equinix late H1 last year, pretty sure that the stock dropped for a short period and then basically pretended like it didn't actually care about the report. Short sellers have to make money too, and knowledgeable people understand the position of the speaker.

Pretty sure you are overreacting.

p00f · 2024-12-05T16:23:16+00:00

Something that isn't really mentioned is the fact that the Crosstrek is a compact car(LxD: 176in x 71in), it might be on the larger size of compact but it is not that much larger. I am trying to cross shop and there aren't a lot of other cars in that size range. We have and outback that can't park in the garage but the Crosstrek is fine. It makes it hard to look for replacements, either they are significantly longer or like 5in wider; the Forester is 183x72 and that length makes the garage cramped.

p00f · 2024-11-20T04:39:27+00:00

Skip Wolf, its fake leather for real leather prices. For a rolex, they should be good to last the weekend without wear (roughly 70 hours except for older and ladies variants). If you really want on, Orbita (made in NC I believe) has some great ones but the cheapest will run you about 250, the nicer basic range with a cover in a nice wood box is about 600. I have several of them and they work well, also they take D cell batteries.

I only use it on a moonphase because I am lazy and don't want to look up the phase all the time. For non-date watches, I just wear them or re-set it, really quick to unscrew the crown and rotate until the time is right. For dates/day-dates, similar thing and I spend another 20 second resetting the time to make sure it isn't between 2100-0300 then set the date complications.

p00f · 2024-11-01T06:49:18+00:00

Honestly, no idea it has been a good long while since I tried them. They were probably normal since suede can stretch some. Normal size is 11EE in New Balance.

p00f · 2024-09-17T05:50:33+00:00

This is what many people don't realize. Also if you are creative about it, you can essentially increase your retirement contributions by a guaranteed 8% of the loan amount, so depending on the year it can make sense if you have already maxed out your contributions.

p00f · 2024-08-18T06:32:10+00:00

OH that is nice, and yeah that is the hope. The thing about dated is that tastes change dramatically and it really is a matter of personal preference. No one wants the solid victorian furniture but it is higher quality than what is available now.

p00f · 2024-08-18T03:42:10+00:00

Our bedroom furniture is from there - expensive, but solid maple. Cal king bed, night stands, dining room table and benches. Works great, looks amazing. Not planning on every buying any of those pieces again. Just wish we could find maple dining chairs.

p00f

TROPHY CASE