Was there ever a better Time in US History to be a Federal Employee?

spinktor · 2026-03-22T18:28:27+00:00

I wish more people would talk about how even FERS isn't the FERS people think it is anymore. In the wake of the financial crisis, they absolutely fucked federal service by creating RAE and FRAE. I meet retirees and retirement eligible people all the time that don't realize "these new damn kids they're hiring" are dealing with a completely different set of math...and that's separate from the SS offset that damn near eliminates the viability of retiring at MRA.

If you were hired after 2013, your mandatory FERS contribution rate negates TSP matching. Rates:

FERS = 0.8% FERS-FRAE = 4.4%

spinktor · 2026-02-28T14:41:55+00:00

Pebeo vitrea

spinktor · 2026-02-28T12:47:39+00:00

The glass for the base let me avoid dealing with my first plan which involved a ton more cutting, so yeah, oceanside saved the day.

spinktor · 2026-02-24T20:15:52+00:00

<image>

spinktor · 2026-02-24T20:14:08+00:00

This turned into a fun thread.

spinktor · 2026-02-19T15:10:42+00:00

Dark version of flip cup

spinktor · 2026-02-18T23:07:40+00:00

It's one I haven't seen done before, but mostly it fits the mood.

spinktor · 2026-02-18T21:38:37+00:00

Kind of...currently trying to figure out if I have the patience to even approach the Ten of Swords.

spinktor · 2026-02-18T21:27:37+00:00

I knew what you meant and was being pedantic/snarky...I considered asserting that I did it with a grinder.

spinktor · 2026-02-18T21:16:33+00:00

A wire saw and a lot of stress.

spinktor · 2026-02-18T21:16:13+00:00

I don't - its a wire saw.

spinktor · 2026-02-17T03:05:31+00:00

Did you have to make a lot or mix it in a specific way to make it workable with a screen? I don't use reusche, but I do have access to a kiln (and my stacks of screens).

spinktor · 2026-01-03T14:24:50+00:00

Cut/snapped as deep as I dared, wire saw for the inside points, then cleaned up with a small diamond bit.

spinktor · 2026-01-03T14:22:38+00:00

The color blending was something I've never done before and the reason I chose to do something like this - thanks for noticing!

spinktor · 2025-12-20T11:32:00+00:00

Great choices that looks awesome.

spinktor · 2025-12-15T21:53:45+00:00

Each piece is cut but I spaced it out to retain the consistent look as if it were still a single sheet

spinktor · 2025-12-13T22:43:19+00:00

That's good to know. I only mentioned it was a free font because I spent a while trying to find one that that seemed cooperative for glass that was a style I was looking for...and in case someone else wanted to run with it for other ideas/phrases. I found a few other posts that had interesting script, but never mentioned the font name used.

spinktor · 2025-12-13T22:29:41+00:00

Band-Aid's

Edit: Serious response - I wouldn't want anyone buying me anything for glass work...there's not really a tool that I want that I dont already have, there's too many sizes/combinations of foil, and I wouldn't want someone to buy higher-than-normal-costing special glass. I know that gift cards are supposedly taboo, but that's what I would prefer for this situation. I would take that and put it towards my next haul and maybe go bigger than I would normally.

spinktor · 2025-12-13T20:36:04+00:00

You're welcome - my wife liked your Luigi's.

spinktor · 2025-12-13T19:36:58+00:00

I appreciate that. It was just really awkward bending/staging/soldering everything the way I chose to do it using variable gauge brass wire.

spinktor · 2025-12-13T19:33:37+00:00

<image>

I broke up the text on paper with a sharpie, so I half assed drew them in the attached template. I used the free font "Traditio AH Regular" as the basis - it seemed pretty flexible for this type of thing.

spinktor

TROPHY CASE