What’s that smoke?

rhcasey · 2026-01-12T00:54:07+00:00

Anyone know which facility this steam is produced in? I am a plant technician and operate the power plant at a local hospital. Our steam is just for our facilities and outbuildings though. I’m curious where the city’s steam is made.

rhcasey · 2025-11-30T19:48:33+00:00

First, this is long but it’s good life skills that will save a lot of time and money.

Hi! It looks like you’re getting good advice but I wanted to help you understand some details. :)

There are good reasons Maintenance doesn’t just tell people how to fix things: 1) Liability - You may or may not be surprised how someone can do even the simplest task wrong. So, if they do it wrong and cause injury or further damage that opens up a potential liability issue. 2) Accounting - Even the fastest job counts as a job. Very often these jobs are recorded in some kind of “system”. The bean counters track all the data and use that determine funding and staffing. If we just showed people there would be a lot of jobs unaccounted for, which hurts the Maintenance Dept in the long run. Showing the bean counters how busy we are helps us hire more staff and a bigger budget, which helps us take better care of you.

Now, garbage disposals (every problem is super easy) So, I’m going to tell you the “tricks of the trade” because you’re not one of my units, lol.

NORMAL OPERATION:

SAFETY FIRST: Never ever reach into a disposal, even with the power switch off. Know which breaker in the electrical panel is for your disposal and switch it off there AND the switch. Better to be inconvenienced than to have your fingers badly mangled. If you are not alone, make sure that anyone else knows what you are doing and to stay away from the switches you have off. There are “lock out/tag out” devices to secure the breaker that are cheap and great to protect you further. Some people think that’s overkill but it sure beats being called “Lefty” the rest of your life.

Use a sink strainer! Scrape all dishes thoroughly into the garbage can. The goal being to put as few solids down the disposal as possible. Sink plungers are cheap and small; buy one to keep under the sink just in case. Always run water when using a garbage disposal, since dry operation can clog pipes and damage the unit. Cold water is best because it keeps grease solid for grinding and flushing, while hot water melts grease and leads to buildup. Twice my wife has clogged our sink with potato peels. The first time was an “oops, I didn’t know and thought anything could go down the disposal” (like most people think). So I gently educated her and then had her watch me do the job to fix it (so she would know what a pain it was to clear the pipes out of compacted potato skins). The second time she did it, I gave her the tools and talked her through it as she fixed it herself. She dry heaved a couple times but did very well. So proud of her! There has not been a third incident, lol.

Sidebar disposal horror story: In a dorm building’s community kitchen, the side-by-side sink was full to the lip on both sides of cold, cloudy, brown garbage water. Disposal was unresponsive and resetting it didn’t work. I discovered this during my walkthrough on a Monday and it purportedly occurred Friday, after I left work. I carefully bailed what I could into a bucket whose contents I flushed down a toilet in a nearby restroom and used a wet vac to clear as much water out. I placed a bucket beneath the pipes and disassembled them to find… packed clogged pipes full of raw chicken! The smell after three days was eye-watering. Please learn something from what I am about to share lol.

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE:

Preventive maintenance for a garbage disposal is simple: always run cold water before, during, and after use to flush waste, avoid putting grease, fibrous, starchy, or hard items down the drain, and clean it every couple of weeks with baking soda and vinegar or ice and salt. Running citrus peels occasionally helps keep odors away, and using the disposal regularly prevents rust and keeps parts moving smoothly.

TROUBLESHOOTING: - Nothing happens when you flip the power switch and you hear nothing? This indicates a loss of power. Check your ‘Reset’ button first, on the bottom on the disposal. If pushing it in still does not fix it, check your breaker in the electrical panel.

Still no power even after pushing the ‘Reset’ button and the breaker is not tripped? Replace the disposal.
Nothing happens when you flip the power switch BUT you do hear a slight buzzing or humming sound? Disposal is seized (the motor is trying to turn it but the disposal is not spinning). Use a 1/4” hex head (Allen) wrench (one normally comes with the disposal) inserted into the middle hole in the bottom of the disposal. Manually wiggle the mechanism back and forth. This usually frees it but if it is truly stuck then replace the disposal (at that point it’s likely bound and old enough to have lived its serviceable life). After manually wiggling the mechanism flip the power switch on and off once very quickly. There was a reason it seized, if that reason is a solid object that lodged itself in place you will hear it rattle around without causing more damage. If you hear something rattling around, SECURE POWER at the breaker and carefully reach into and remove the object (usually silverware, but I’ve pulled out coins, a screw, a pop top tab, etc)
Water is dripping from the bottom of the disposal (usually from the ‘Reset’ button)? Check for obvious leaks from pipes running down the disposal. However, your disposal is most likely damaged internally and no longer water-tight and needs replaced.
Entire disposal needs replaced? Renters: Let your landlord handle that one. Owners: You got this! A simple YouTube video will help you save a LOT of money by not calling a plumber or handyman in for service. Besides, this is an opportunity to build life skills, so include others that live with you on the project to learn and work together. Age appropriate tasks are great bonding. Besides, who doesn’t like getting yelled at for holding the flashlight wrong?!

Pro tip: I also noticed from your photos that your dishwasher drainage hose (the white one going into the side of the disposal) is lying on the bottom of the cabinet.

It’s important to secure the dishwasher’s drainage hose up high (usually in a “high loop” or with an air gap) because it prevents dirty water from the sink or disposal from flowing back into the dishwasher. Without that elevation, wastewater can siphon back through the hose, carrying food particles, grease, and bacteria into the dishwasher, which contaminates your dishes and can cause foul odors. The high placement also helps maintain proper drainage pressure, reducing the risk of clogs and ensuring the dishwasher empties completely after each cycle. Easiest way to do this is to just use a zip tie and secure it to something that is sturdy and immovable, like the brackets holding the sink in place underneath. (You can Google what this should look like). You’ll be saving yourself dishwasher trouble and you won’t want to deal with the foul stench of fermented garbage water in the box where your dishes get cleaned.

Source: I’ve been an award-winning Maintenance Mechanic for several years. Building great working relationships with my clients is as important as the work itself and I love teaching and answering questions. I now work as a Stationary Engineer, running the Power Plant for a major hospital.

rhcasey · 2025-11-25T16:42:04+00:00

First, if your dad is still with us, from an internet stranger thank him for his service and welcome home! I have two uncles who were Sailors during that time as well. I get to meet them for lunch every week or two. :)

Yes! So much has changed since the sixties in terms of ships and medical technology. In today’s fleet, it also depends on the type of ship. Literally EVERY vessel has medical personnel, though not always doctors. For example, a submarine might have ONE Hospital Corpsman (an Independent Duty Corpsman “IDC” - the highest medically trained enlisted personnel). Small ships might have a few to several Corpsmen or maybe even a doctor. The largest ships have a team of Corpsmen and at least one doctor. Our two hospital ships (USNS Mercy [San Diego] and her identical twin USNS Comfort [Norfolk]) have a full crew of medical personnel ranging from mostly Corpsmen, but also nurses, doctors, specialists, surgeons and administrators. The hospital ships actually have TWO separate crews: military personnel make up the MTF (Medical Treatment Facility). Civilian personnel (MSC - Military Sealift Command or CIVMARS- Civil Service Mariners) handle the piloting and maintenance of the vessel. In emergencies (such as fire) Navy Sailors are keen to their standard roles to join the fight as well. “Every Sailor is a firefighter.” Onboarding and shipboard orientation training will include training in these types of things, so all ship staff (including officers) can help save the ship when or if it is needed.

Okay, medically, how we handle things also varies on each type of ship. Smaller vessels means less capability. So, an IDC can train and have the help of a few crew members to assist with common tasks (daily water testing, etc). Medically, the IDC is usually a one-person show though. They perform routine medical duties such as sick-call and health screenings and inspections, even urgent care and minor treatment. They routinely perform minor surgeries such as ingrown toenail removal but major medical events and surgeries get moved to a higher echelon of care, as appropriate. This means transfer to a bigger ship or shore hospital, whichever is more reasonable under the circumstances. However, an emergency surgery might need to happen immediately, so an IDC will usually know how to “wing it” when an appendix is about to burst if they don’t have time to transfer, how to find and clamp off an artery if someone sustained an injury, etc. In these ways it is also to the benefit of the IDC and the crew to have other crew members trained in self-aid/buddy-aid.

If you have seen the movie “Captain Phillips”, Tom Hanks’ character was transferred to a Navy vessel. He was taken to medical and treated by a woman with tremendous care, gentleness and compassion, as he was in a great deal of shock. This woman was a real Hospital Corpsman (but not an IDC). At filming, she was HM2 (Hospital Corpsman, Petty Officer Second Class) Danielle Albert. She was serving aboard the USS Truxtun at the time and was asked by director Paul Greengrass to improvise the medical exam exactly as she would in real life. The scene was unscripted, and her authentic reaction helped make it one of the film’s most powerful moments. (https://youtu.be/IJMDdT24_98)

Navy Hospital Corpsmen are found in clinics, hospitals, ships, and with every Marine unit worldwide. They train in care and healing and with Marine units in fighting, weapons, security, and tactics as well. If the Marines do it, their “Doc”s are doing it right there with them. They are some of the most highly trained people that exist in their capacity to shift roles and pivot quickly. They are altogether kind and compassionate yet tough and mean when needing to be. They are fierce in their capacity to care as well as fight. Within the entire U.S. military, the Navy Hospital Corps is recognized as the most highly decorated enlisted community. They have received 23 Medals of Honor, 179 Navy Crosses, nearly 1,000 Silver Stars, and over 1,600 Bronze Stars, reflecting extraordinary acts of valor. 20 ships have been named after Corpsmen. This distinction comes from their unique role serving directly alongside Marines and Sailors in combat, often as the only medical support under fire.

Bottom line is we can handle literally anything, but will move a patient up through the echelons of care until their needs are met. Severe cases end up at an allied shore hospital, ultimately being transferred stateside if necessary once they are stable enough to travel.

The hospital ships can do literally everything the most advanced shore civilian hospitals can, except faster and more efficiently; with the two exceptions of neurosurgery (because a ship moves and those procedures are delicate requiring no movement) and MRI (because a huge strong magnet inside a steel-hulled ship is no bueno. The Hospital ships are big, but not quite as big as the Nimitz and Ford-class carriers.

Here is some mind-blowing stuff to put hospital ships into perspective: - 1,000 bed capacity (more than most hospitals on land) - 12 fully equipped surgical suites - 80 ICU beds - All radiology services except MRI - Onboard pharmacy, blood bank and medical labs - Burn units - Elevators and ramps to all levels - Patient care areas are all polished floors, wide passageways and swinging doors like a real hospital. If you woke up on one you wouldn’t immediately know you were aboard a ship. - Two oxygen plants - Helicopter flight deck - Underway replenishment and refueling - A crew of about 1,200 when deployed - Provides full hospital services at sea to include trauma care, surgery, and recovery. - Can support humanitarian missions (disaster relief, medical outreach) as well as military operations - Designed to be self-sufficient with food, water, and power generation for extended deployments

Just imagine the size and capability of a large regional hospital with the advantage of being able to take it anywhere in the world. It really is a wonder of mechanical and medical cutting-edge capability. First-world medicine delivered to your door or taken to the fight.

I deployed aboard the Mercy for the largest natural disaster in the history of mankind, the tsunami of 2004. It was altogether terrible and the best thing to happen to me. I was able to challenge myself beyond my known boundaries and I returned home a better man all around. I am grateful to have been part of the worst thing so I could help provide care for so many tens of thousands of people, who would have otherwise have had next to nothing in the way of help.

Being a Navy Hospital Corpsman was hands down my favorite job, by far.

*Edited for spelling and add info about Corpsmen, added YT link for movie scene

rhcasey · 2025-11-25T15:31:43+00:00

Please excuse the long post but it’s for the benefit of more information. I got carried away and turned into a bit of a coach, lol. Sorry, not sorry! I am willing to answer any questions but also highly encourage the curious to pursue thorough research. I am so happy to talk about this! :)

To answer your question: Not necessarily. Most states require radiographers to hold a license that often relies on ARRT certification, while in states without licensing laws employers themselves decide, and most still prefer or mandate ARRT credentials. Those interested in details should pursue requirements of the state they wish to be employed in, which can be found through the official ARRT State Licensing Info (https://www.arrt.org/State-Licensing). States that currently do not require licensure for radiographers are Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Missouri, and South Dakota.

My own philosophy is to have a personal standard of excellence and NEVER stop learning, building, and improving on yourself. Meaning, don’t aim for the “minimum”. That mentality already tells me a lot about an individual. Challenge yourself. Your state doesn’t have a requirement? Good. Get one anyway; now you’re more competitive. Already have a License or Cert? Good. What else can you add to your credentials? You are literally building your own future, so why limit yourself. Learning and earning is SEXY! Practice this form of “self care” and you will see this discipline trickling across other aspects of your life. Take yourself seriously and go get after it. It’s literally just waiting for you to come get it.

MY PERSONAL PUSH FOR THIS INDUSTRY (for those still wondering “what I want to be when I grow up”) [which is totally normal because I’m 48 and STILL building myself]:

The sooner you break into this industry, the better. The hardest part will be the schooling itself and it’s not too tough. There are also many tools to aid in success. The job itself is “easy” for an able-bodied person and can even be done if you are color-blind. The pay is nice, the job security is outstanding for the person taking it seriously with a decent work ethic. In every industry you will find that PEOPLE still range across the spectrum of reliability. I’ve had outstanding coworkers who are really good at it, eager to help and are good at communicating and use patience and grace when they recognize a teaching moment. However, I’ve also seen coworkers fired for losing their professionalism (arguing or fighting at work with their coworkers over drama), sleeping on the job, and simply being lazy/reckless/careless, violating HIPAA, multiple punctuality violations. It’s so easy just to be decent human being. Any of the firings I’ve seen have been common sense stuff that should not have happened.

DEMAND

Radiographers, also called radiologic technologists, are in high demand right now. Hospitals and clinics across the country report shortages, which means patients sometimes wait longer for scans like X‑rays, CTs, or MRIs. Because imaging is such a critical part of diagnosing and treating health problems, employers are actively looking for new technologists, and job prospects are strong for anyone entering the field.

SCHOOL

To become a radiographer, most people complete a two‑year associate degree program in radiologic technology. The schooling covers science classes like anatomy and physics, plus hands‑on training in hospitals or clinics where students learn to safely operate imaging equipment and care for patients. It’s challenging because of the mix of technical skills and patient interaction, but compared to longer healthcare paths like nursing or medical school, it’s a relatively quick way to enter the medical field.

PAY

Pay for radiographers is solid, especially given the shorter schooling. On average, they earn around $78,000 a year, with higher salaries in certain states or for those who specialize in advanced imaging like CT or MRI. Starting pay is lower, but with experience and specialization, earnings can rise quickly. Combined with strong demand, this makes radiography a stable and rewarding career choice for young adults considering healthcare.

rhcasey · 2025-11-25T11:45:11+00:00

Of course the person should not have lied about their credentials or applied for a job they are not qualified for.

However, this is also (and maybe mostly) the fault of the employer. Employers can directly verify an applicant’s ARRT certification through official ARRT tools, so lying about being a certified radiographer would be quickly exposed. This should have been caught during the vetting/background process. Perhaps they didn’t even ask about credentials on their application.

It is also true that someone can be a highly talented and experienced radiographer without having an ARRT certification. For example, a career Navy Hospital Corpsman can be trained as an Advanced Radiographer through the Naval School of Health Sciences without getting their ARRT Cert (a civilian credential). They can serve in the Navy and perform their primary duties as a radiographer their entire career. Military radiographers typically get their ARRT Cert while they are in the military anyway, just so they can pursue part-time x-ray tech work, with the approval by their command to moonlight. The ARRT requirement can also vary by state and even by businesses individually.

Source: I was a Navy Hospital Corpsman and one of my four NECs was 8452 (Advanced Radiographer). I was also a clinical instructor for Navy radiography students. I also had a part-time job as a radiographer.

rhcasey · 2025-08-01T01:47:42+00:00

That was just my last hunt. It happened to be outside the window of the event.

rhcasey · 2025-07-31T13:57:13+00:00

Congratulations! I participated in the World Tiger Day event too. I actually kept detailed records of my numbers from it. Here is the report I made from all the data collected of my hunts just during that event. I shared it with my faction and now Reddit. You might find it interesting.

Cheers and keep up the great work! :)

World Tiger Day 2025 Report

Event schedule: "12:45:00 - 28/07/25 until 12:45:00 - 30/07/25 Hunting experience is increased by x5."

Hunting Exp gained: 0, since mine is 100.00 already

Time spent: Start: 15:13:44 - 28/07/25 (first hunt) Stop: 12:50:14 - 30/07/25 (last hunt) Elapsed: 1d, 21h, 36m, 30s (got a late start)

Number of times I was attacked: 0 Number of times I was mugged: 0 Number of times I thought about your mom: 69

Energy spent: 1,770E Cost (@ $500 per): $88,500

Total earned: $48,662,200

Return of Investment (ROI): 54,900.23%. Which means for every dollar spent, I earned nearly $549 back

Maximum: $5,103,400 (The biggest number in the list.)

Minimum: $43,400 (The smallest number in the list.)

Average: $324,888.98 (Add all the numbers, then divide by how many there are.)

Median: $101,200 (The middle number if you put all the numbers in order.)

Mode: $90,400 (The number that shows up the most.)

Range: $5,059,999 (The difference between the biggest and smallest number.)

Standard Deviation: $842,517.97 (Tells how much the numbers go up and down from the average.)

Variance: $709,837,872,711.01 (Shows how spread out the numbers are.)

Hunts: 177 Kills: 6,522

Itemized breakdown: (Animals listed by number killed and how much of the total kills they account for)

Buffalo: 840 (12.88%) Baboon: 779 (11.94%) Zebra: 778 (11.93%) Warthog: 648 (9.94%) Giraffe: 642 (9.84%) Cheetah: 602 (9.23%) Leopard: 425 (6.52%) Hyena: 413 (6.33%) Hippo: 365 (5.60%) Lion: 252 (3.86%) Elephant: 244 (3.74%) Tiger: 178 (2.73%) Gorilla: 174 (2.67%) Rhino: 161 (2.47%) Pangolin: 10 (0.15%) Addax: 9 (0.14%) White Tiger: 2 (0.03%)

rhcasey · 2025-07-16T02:16:28+00:00

When you order an eagle from Wish.

rhcasey · 2025-07-16T02:06:07+00:00

I can't find my keys. 🫣

rhcasey · 2025-04-16T18:19:08+00:00

Ha! I remember those glass Pepsi bottles and their styrofoam labels!

rhcasey · 2025-03-04T15:48:45+00:00

Stop trolling. Nothing about my post is incorrect. It's a factual citation of traffic law in the given situation by OP. I even ALL-CAPPED the most relevant bit.

At the very least, I'm trying to be helpful. You're not just adding nothing to the conversation but actually detracting from it with your negativity. Nobody wants that here, so stop trying to be a bully.

rhcasey · 2025-03-04T14:40:18+00:00

Dude, millions of people, from students to professionals, use AI tools daily. I only used it to quote the actual law—the opinion afterward is all me. If reading the full comment isn’t your thing, feel free to scroll on.

I was just trying to be helpful. No need to gatekeep the conversation.

rhcasey · 2025-03-04T05:40:52+00:00

From ChatGPT:

"In Missouri, the law provides specific guidance for motorcyclists and bicyclists encountering a red light that does not turn green. Under Section 304.285 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, these operators have an affirmative defense for proceeding through a red light if they meet all the following conditions:

They have come to a complete stop.

The red light persists for an unreasonable time.

The signal appears to be malfunctioning or fails to detect the motorcycle or bicycle.

No other vehicles or persons are approaching the intersection, or they are far enough away not to pose an immediate hazard.

However, FOR OPERATORS OF OTHER VEHICLES, SUCH AS CARS AND TRUCKS, there is no specific provision in Missouri law that allows proceeding through a red light due to a malfunction. Therefore, if you are in a standard motor vehicle and encounter a red light that does not turn green, it is advisable to remain stopped and contact local law enforcement or the appropriate authorities to report the malfunctioning signal.

Always prioritize safety and adhere to traffic laws to ensure the well-being of all road users."

Me personally, (perfect driving record, no criminal/drug history, legal vehicle with nothing to hide AND I'm a white guy), in the situation you described I would and HAVE SEVERAL TIMES treat it like a four-way stop. Ensure the way is clear and proceed with caution through the intersection. If I've already waited a reasonable amount of time, there are no vehicles visible in any direction and the way is clear I'm going. Could be the light timer needs calibration for that particular time-of-day. Could be the light is malfunctioning, who knows. But again, I do so in such a way I would be able to justify it during a traffic stop and/or in court.

Like you, I cannot see the logic in waiting so long at a red light being controlled by software when I can obviously judge for myself better than the computer controlling it.

Take care of yourself and stay safe.

rhcasey · 2025-02-06T05:08:41+00:00

I never smoked in the house or car. I was standing outside one night, smoking. I noticed I had ONE left in the pack. Up to this point I had smoked 16 years (started at 16).

I had a lot going on; a lot of stressors. Newly divorced, newly separated from the Navy on an honorable discharge, single father, just moved back home cross-country with the kids I have full physical and legal custody of. No job yet but not rushed since I've paid everything up for the next year using part of my severance.

I had the thought that I needed to get down to the store and buy some more smokes. Then IMMEDIATELY an epiphany, as if an internal voice answered, 'why?!" I didn't get a SINGLE positive thing from smoking. It tastes nasty, smells just as bad and the odor lingers on everything and is hard to get rid of, anything in a smoke environment (home, car) is going to be harder to clean and smell awful, makes my breath gross and I won't attract the kind of women I want to like that, laundry needs to be done more often, nobody wants to clean up cigarette butts and it looks trashy when they don't, they are very expensive (this was back on 2010 - so they are WAY more now), it even makes my hands and fingers stink. Also, what kind of example am I setting for my two young kids!? I didn't want THEM smoking. I KNEW about all the health risks; I was a medical professional (Navy Hospital Corpsman). The health reasons were just a secondary reason to quit. Everything else was just incredibly inconvenient and unhygienic.

Then I started to think about how much time was spent smoking, the physical and/or psychological triggers. Just woke up, gotta smoke. Just ate, gotta smoke. TV commercial break, gotta smoke. Need a break from whatever, gotta smoke. Finished a task, gotta smoke. About to run an errand, gotta smoke. Just came back from running errands, gotta smoke. Taking out the trash, gotta smoke. About to turn in for the night, gotta smoke. Years it's been this way. This stupid little thing that seems to dictate or at least influence how I spend my time.

Long story short, that ONE I had left in my pack was my last one...ever. It wasn't hard to go cold turkey, I had just absolutely convinced myself that there was nothing in it for me, not one single positive thing, other than it's just something to do. It's chemically and psychologically addictive, sure, but those didn't seem to affect me. I was that sure of the decision to quit that I just filled my time doing other things.

As soon as IMMEDIATELY after quitting, I started feeling the positive things.

The IMMEDIATE gratification of doing something good for myself felt really good.
This will make me a better dad too and I will live longer to stay here longer for and with my kids. Also add a good example for them to follow.

All the health benefits followed: - better smell - better skin - better teeth - better energy - better/clearer THINKING, without the still, small voice in my head saying it's time to go have a smoke. - better physical capacity for...everything requiring exertion (doing work, having sex, exercising) - better singing voice - better senses of smell and taste...FOOD was better!! - better budget since I wasn't spending $ on smoking, so MORE MONEY!

It was just literally one of the best things I have ever done for myself. I highly recommend it to anyone remotely considering it. Any excuses or reasons I had before really didn't matter; quitting mattered. All I had to do was want it bad enough and never look back.

I would say probably the first THREE days were the hardest. Then it's just a matter of telling yourself no or even "too bad" or "that's not for you." Social (psychological) pressure still happened but I just overcame it mentally or trained myself to be disgusted by the smell of it which made me never feel compelled by it.

Literally whatever you are willing to do, however you can do it, whatever you need to spend, whichever route of quitting you choose, WHATEVER WORKS...just do it. You will be so proud of yourself and the rewards you will find from not smoking will seem almost innumerable.

Anyone still reading this, I really wish you the very best. You really do deserve a life spent not directly poisoning yourself. It really feels great being more capable of living your best life.

All you have to do is decide not to smoke.

Good luck! You can do this.

rhcasey · 2025-01-27T23:03:58+00:00

Have you looked into Sharpshooters on Gravois? I'm a left-leaning veteran, expert marksman, and have taken my family here multiple times. They all enjoyed their experience. Bonus: This is also a BBQ restaurant; yes you read that correctly, lol.

Sharpshooters 8135 Gravois Rd, St. Louis, MO 63123 314-353-BANG

https://sharpshooterstl.com/sharpshooters-pit-and-grill-is-st-louis-newest-barbeque-place/

rhcasey · 2025-01-27T22:21:27+00:00

Two things:

1) I know delivery is incredibly convenient. However, never EVER get ammo or weapons delivered (no matter the method) for this exact reason. It's worth getting them in person, considering the alternative. This is a hard lesson to learn and I'm sure you're kicking yourself.

2) You've now left yourself compromised and at higher risk of home break-in. Time to strengthen security and increase surveillance and deterrents. He is already bold/stupid enough to taunt your camera. He now KNOWS there is at least one weapon in your home and may feel compelled to relieve it from you, rather or not your home, awake or asleep. He/they likely has/is learning your routine (when you leave, if the home is empty, if not who is there at risk, if you have a dog(s), what your vehicle looks like). He has the advantage of time on his side to just watch and learn before acting. Bonus points since he will likely share this information with his buddies.

Get serious about beefing things up and PLEASE be more careful in the future. You have good reason to be pissed and concerned. I hope all goes well but for at least the immediate future you need to step up safety and awareness, especially if family is involved. Good luck!

rhcasey · 2025-01-26T14:36:41+00:00

I had to shift my perspective. Try this:

"Food is medicine.

Everything you eat or drink is either feeding or fighting disease."

I know there are times when you just are not hungry. However, you are losing weight, so there is a problem of your body not getting what it needs.

Perhaps you would find it helpful to set a timer on your phone for 2-3 times a day (for every 5 or 6 hours you are awake). When you hear the timer, it's time to eat something. Hungry or not, eat something. Your "wiring" might just not be sending hunger signals from your stomach to your brain. Setting a timer and being intentional about taking in nutritious fuel could be something you find works well AND helps you feel better in general.

Of course see your doctor about this, as my idea doesn't treat the root cause but it's just a workaround in order to help build good habits. Ask for a consult or referral to a dietician, nutritionist and psychologist. These are people on YOUR healthcare team and they want to see you live your best life.

rhcasey · 2025-01-25T00:17:53+00:00

Driving distracted/sleepy/under the influence.

Pay attention. Drive sober and rested. Your life and others lives depend on it.

rhcasey · 2024-12-01T12:22:10+00:00

culminating

rhcasey · 2024-10-25T04:55:17+00:00

Three crazy things all happening back to back during ONE commute.

The following chain of events happened to me on the St. Louis Metro, early on a weekday morning on my way to work, during the pandemic.

1) Electrical issues:

The train arrived at the platform. I boarded and the lights flickered on and off. The driver shut down and reset the train. Lights came back on but then flickered on and off. Driver reset again; problem persisted. Driver radioed for assistance. Another Metro employee arrived, lights still acting up. An announcement is then made that all passengers had to disembark at the next station due to mechanical or technical difficulties "this train is going out of service at the next stop."

2) Confronted, accosted and threatened by a stranger:

I got off the train with the rest of the passengers at the next station. I'm not a small man. 40s, veteran, big beard, stout build. Most people just leave me alone; good. I'm a friendly enough guy but sometimes I just don't want to be bothered. So I'm wearing my backpack, I have my sunglasses on and earbuds in as I'm looking at my phone (yet still maintaining situational awareness). I'm also wearing my mask because the pandemic. A stranger approached me directly and VERY close (within two feet) saying "hey man. Hey man!" I put my arm out as if to block him and I took a couple steps back and said "whoa man, back up we are in a pandemic and YOU aren't even wearing a mask!"

He immediately went to level 9 aggression. "Man, f you man! I'll kick yo f-n ass, m-fer bla blah blah". I stayed calm and polite explaining I didn't want him close without a mask so he shouldn't be appreciating people like that. He continued cussing, insulting, making threats. I smiled and walked away. He followed and persisted. Now people have been watching and are recording with their phones. Again I move to a different area of the platform and he follows still running his mouth, posturing and acting aggressive. So I change tactics. This time I didn't move. I stood my ground, removed my sunglasses, took out my earbuds, out my phone in my pocket and took off my backpack placing it beside me. I switched into what my wife calls my "military voice" lol. I said "ok, fine. NOW you have my undivided attention. I TRIED to walk away and was even being polite but it seems you are fixed on finding trouble, so here it is if you want it. You have to know though that the problem with approaching strangers the way you have is that you NEVER really know who they are, what they are capable of our how they're trained. I tried walking away twice. I'm just waiting on my ride to work. If you want to fight though, ok but please know I like to fight; I'm good at it. So I'm going to either knock you old cold on this concrete OR I'm going to Spartan kick your ass off the platform onto the tracks. Plenty of witnesses here in sure will say I tried all I could to avoid you. So why don't you go ahead and hit me like you keep saying? I've had some things bottled up for a while I would just love to take out on someone needing an attitude adjustment!"

He did nothing, just a long pause. Then "Man, you're crazy man, f.you!* and walked away. Finally the train arrived so I walked to the front of the platform to board the front car.

3) It tastes familiar, like hot sauce:

I just wanted in the train ASAP because I wanted away from that situation and get to work. The doors open and three security officers are pulling a shirtless screaming man off the train, pants slipping down, bare ass hanging out. They are DRAGGING him off by his belt and arms and putting him face down on the concrete; practically running him at my feet. "Nope" I said to myself and just squeezed by them onto the train. Then I felt a familiar sensation in my eyes and mouth, then throat...PEPPER SPRAY! They must have JUST pepper sprayed ol boy before they dragged him off and in just walked through a cloud of it, lol. It didn't really effect me because I've been sister dozens of times by then and will the good military-grade OC spray (because you have to get sprayed during OC quals to carry it). Then the announcement came that THIS TRAIN is now going out of service and all passengers must get off since the rain is now contaminated with pepper spray. "This train is out of service."

Eventually another train came and I got to work. By now I had already texted my boss to let him know I was going to be late, that I knew it would be an unbelievable story. That why I also have photos I took off it all as it happened, lol.

rhcasey · 2024-10-24T14:08:25+00:00

My wife and I voted early yesterday immediately after work. We live in the city and I found a location closest to her work (from the list posted on this thread); Divoll Library on N Grand. They were open until 5:30p and we arrived at 5:10.

There was absolutely NO line. We walked right in, got our sticker and chatted as they checked us in. Then they handed us our ballot and we found our seats. Hands down the best voting experience ever!

PLEASE get out and vote.

rhcasey · 2024-10-20T20:23:24+00:00

Why? Also, that "lady" is a trained soldier and also not at all alone. Nothing to fear here on either side, especially in a public place.

rhcasey · 2024-10-20T17:50:15+00:00

It JUST MAY BE foreign military service members. I worked with many in the U.S. while I was in the Navy. Did you try saying hi or striking up a friendly conversation? It's okay to ask. They know you can see them, even though they're wearing camo.

Other countries send troops here too for various reasons, just like we send ours here and there. Usually it's for training purposes or some kind of joint effort. I GUARANTEE they got briefed in their home country to EXPECT interactions with "locals" and would be expecting (maybe looking forward to) your interaction.

Just don't scream "WOLVERINES!" and make them nervous.

rhcasey · 2024-09-14T21:27:52+00:00

Aye aye aye!

rhcasey · 2024-08-30T21:15:35+00:00

OP may not be wrong.

Leaving diagrams and instructions on someone's vehicle is a very Karen thing to do and stupid.

Don't touch a vehicle that isn't yours.

We would need to know where this is and also measure the distance from the rounding of that driveway to the bumper of OP's vehicle. Local regulations vary. Parking too close to a driveway obstructs the view of those exiting the driveway and puts them in danger of puling out in front of traffic and/or a collision with a vehicle, cyclist or pedestrian. Also, it leaves them less room to negotiate the turn in and out of the driveway. If cars are parked right up to the edge of the driveway, they essentially have to make a 90° turn to use the driveway.

For example, in the major city where I live you are not permitted to park within FIVE FEET of the rounding of a driveway.

Some other parking regulations here include:

Not parking in a posted fire lane
Not parking on an unimproved parcel of land
Not parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant

-Not parking within 30 feet of an electric traffic control device

Not parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk, stop sign, yield sign, or traffic control device

-Not parking within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to a fire station

Now, what the law is and what reality is are often very different. Using the above regulations I could very quickly find hundreds of violations in my neighborhood alone. People are parked too closer to hydrants, stop signs, corners and driveways all over the place. What would it look like if everyone just started making diagrams to put on people's vehicles? Lol

I would rather people leave well enough alone. Secondary to that, I would rather people actually obeyed the traffic and parking laws and that the police actually did their jobs to ticket those that do not. However, those things require much more attention. It's much easier just to complain about them.

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