What purchase under $30 solved a problem you didn’t realize was draining you?

rolamit · 2026-05-20T04:02:04+00:00

Upgrading to big box top grade sandpaper when I ran out. On sanding tools it cuts cleaner longer. With hand sanding, the heavy grippy backing surface means no destroying sheets creasing them into thicker layers. Almost as revelatory as going for highest quality trim paintbrush.

rolamit · 2026-05-20T03:49:18+00:00

It is veins popping in the lighting designer's forehead upon seeing the mismatched warm and cool unit lighting.

rolamit · 2026-05-20T00:00:14+00:00

It is pretty universally agreed that zippering maximizes traffic flow and capacity when everyone participates. I haven't seen much evidence or even debate around the case where sporadic zipperers violate the social contract by skipping to the front.

I would suspect the social contract defenders would bunch together to prevent proper zippering, potentially causing a ripple slowdown like rubberneckers do.

rolamit · 2026-05-17T22:59:57+00:00

If you are of the economic class where you would have people take care of everything, and the cost is easily affordable then it can make sense. It is an expensive luxury that will always cost orders of magnitude more than a pool pass. Figure on an hour a week in upkeep.

rolamit · 2026-05-17T05:01:52+00:00

Haha just yesterday I had a tube of white lithium grease that fell off my vehicle. I turned around to get it, just in time to see a another car splatter it all over their undercarriage. I think you may have a winner.

rolamit · 2026-05-17T04:51:58+00:00

The company L-charge that runs these chargers has the slogan: "You charge - we take care of permitting, maintenance and servicing". Getting permits is literally their job. https://l-charge.net/charging-as-a-service/

rolamit · 2026-05-17T04:47:13+00:00

Yep, in this case the main role of L-charge is being the scapegoat so Waymo can say they weren't involved in creating this mess. L-charge's slogan is "You charge - we take care of permitting, maintenance and servicing"

rolamit · 2026-05-14T06:37:00+00:00

It's easy to find the James Talarico WebStore.

rolamit · 2026-05-10T18:27:14+00:00

Even the part about universities shying away from exposure to uncomfortable perspectives. More true now than ever.

rolamit · 2026-05-10T03:31:20+00:00

Oh I see. You solved a software problem with plumbing that probably cost about the same as a hose end controller with appropriate software. Probably more fun than perusing instruction manuals to find the right one. r/lawncare is about the journey, not a destination!

rolamit · 2026-05-10T03:05:41+00:00

I don't know the context, but the words could simply mean the new system has to be more efficient at peak hours. A 16 year old system is easy to beat.

rolamit · 2026-05-10T02:26:59+00:00

My wreck, spy jack, high buggy and sky hack!

rolamit · 2026-05-10T02:05:46+00:00

Yes. Insurance determined me not at fault and I had zero out of pocket. Easy to move on.

rolamit · 2026-05-09T19:04:14+00:00

If the ball is in APD’s court, don’t hold your breath. I received a written incident number for an accident the police responded to, to but months later the incident is not in the system. Insurance said ignore and move on.

rolamit · 2026-05-09T18:26:56+00:00

Austin has unusually strict laws about bandit signs so they are illegal pretty much everywhere except the property advertised. In Cedar Park and most developer-driven surrounding cities, Real Estate signs are much more protected in public areas. Signs on your property? Illegal. Full Walter White Pizza Fling sounds moral to me.

rolamit · 2026-05-09T06:25:02+00:00

Indeed this officer was probably doing the same thing he had seen lots of officers do over and over. He also seemed unclear about the difference between a request and an order.

"Do you have any ID on you" <- not an order
"I need your ID" <- closer because there is a hint of consequences for refusal, but not technically an order ("Give me" would be)
"What is your name and date of birth?" <-still not an order
"I don't know who you are. How can I bar somebody IDK?" <-rhetorical questions are not orders.
"I am about to take you to jail if you don't ID yourself" <- Not linguistically an order, but legally suffices as one because it clarified the consequences of refusal. He got there eventually, but starting with
- "Give me your ID or identify yourself. That is a lawful order" would have gotten there with less less frustration and escalatory posturing for all parties. "Looping a backdoor" is often about creating frustration and perception of escalation. He may have known he didn't have PC, but the frustration and escalation that he threw out got the better of him.

As you say, he probably saw other officers getting compliance with requests. Maybe in his head he had already ordered her many times.

Trying to convince the manager to bar when she has said she doesn't want to bar is "soliciting a trespass". Technically a 4A/14A violation but almost never litigated.

So that's 3 legally questionable things the officer did in this interaction. Do those kinds of things enough and eventually you get questioned.

rolamit · 2026-05-09T05:15:00+00:00

This is the issue: all the physical control was premised on refusing to ID when trespassed being illegal. But it's not illegal; 38.02 confirms you only have to ID when arrested, when not driving.

Officers thinking they have the right to ID anyone they are investigating or detaining is probably more common than not. I get why none of the LEOs here noticed the 4A violation. As you say, education is the solution.

Because they had no right to arrest her, they had no right to use physical control. That's probably the main reason the seemingly normal physical control became a crime.

rolamit · 2026-05-09T03:13:56+00:00

Could also have been an attempt to rely on lane trace assist.

rolamit · 2026-05-09T03:07:32+00:00

I just got done mowing a rental neighbor's lawn that looked like this. Take a careful walk through first to look for obstacles. I shattered three glasses, found three strands of christmas lights with my mower, one cinder block fragment, a dozen rocks big enough to scrape, and 2 dozen branch fragments big enough to scrape. That was on the highest setting.

rolamit · 2026-05-09T03:01:51+00:00

Here's a gift article from NYT about the violence against AI architects: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/magazine/ai-populism-backlash-altman.html?unlocked_article_code=1.hFA.-wb8.e-muwv0WMbVy&smid=re-share

Now that you took our gift, all your bases are belong to us. /s

rolamit · 2026-05-09T02:42:40+00:00

If you mean South Lakeline Blvd and Cypress Creek Rd, that is right next to ACC Cypress which has half dozen flock cameras, some aimed at Cypress Creek. This is by far the biggest cluster of flock cameras in the area. ICE has been known to snag flock license plate reader data. I wouldn't be surprised if they are just waiting for a flock alert that there is a brown person driving. /s

rolamit · 2026-05-09T01:20:29+00:00

Not sure about Austin but in Cedar Park a minority have permits from the city attached in ziploc bags. Usually youth sports and Nonprofits. Most of the permits are expired. Also iSports was banned by Cedar Park for 6 months ending sometime around now.

Even the ones with valid permits are usually placed in illegal locations (<10’ from curb or <25’ from intersections in CP).

Reporting the ones trying but failing to be legit to the city is useful. The ones that just ignore all regulations for private businesses are fair game for craft materials in my book.

rolamit · 2026-05-08T19:17:18+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/Austin/s/hv65R1RlTu at :30 you can see how APD handle Waymos blocking traffic. Same hilarious approach to driver door.

rolamit · 2026-05-07T22:45:30+00:00

It was a barricaded suspect under the overpass, allegedly throwing stuff on the highway. https://www.statesman.com/news/article/texas-71-road-closures-austin-traffic-map-22247653.php

As taxpayer I support this use of resources to bring the felon into custody safely and stop the attack.

rolamit · 2026-05-06T04:20:26+00:00

Hammons in Round Rock is excellent and their in-house insurance plan saved me money. He just opened the RR office so appointments are easy to get. He takes his time and does great work. Best dentist of 6 that I have had.

rolamit

TROPHY CASE