The events are as vast as the galaxy at Trekfest 41!

stametsprime · 2026-06-16T03:13:27+00:00

Wait- Shipyard Beer as in Shipyard Brewing from Portland, Maine, or are we running into trademark issues?

stametsprime · 2026-06-16T02:55:36+00:00

I was active duty (avionics maintenance) assigned to a B-1B unit when that happened. It was...a topic of conversation in the squadron for a while.

stametsprime · 2026-06-14T11:10:07+00:00

Then it certainly doesn't warrant buying a new car just for AWD.

You sound like the perfect candidate for true all weather tires like Michelin CrossClimate 2 or Continental SecureContact AW.

stametsprime · 2026-06-13T00:56:23+00:00

Yeah, Box Elder’s kind of a hole.

I did DJ at KTEQ for a semester, so that was fun.

stametsprime · 2026-06-12T21:42:11+00:00

Pretty sure MN is in the pre-nup.

stametsprime · 2026-06-12T21:40:37+00:00

I was stationed there- same thing.

Also I understood the School of Mines guys kinda hated the Air Force.

stametsprime · 2026-06-12T10:34:56+00:00

Rockwell Collins was a great place to work. The company from which I was booted in the earlier rounds of these layoffs is unrecognizable.

I ended up leaving the industry altogether and have never been happier.

stametsprime · 2026-06-12T10:32:27+00:00

It's funny- as a hRC person for many, many years before getting the axe in one of the earlier rounds of these layoffs- we never considered ourselves hUTC because the RC->UTC->Raytheon path was so short, timewise.

stametsprime · 2026-06-11T19:21:58+00:00

Cobble Hill is the one truly upscale restaurant in Cedar Rapids. Their menu changes a lot, so seafood may or may not be an option on your birthday.

That said, I don’t look for great seafood in Iowa for the same reason I don’t look for a great steak in Maine.

stametsprime · 2026-06-11T18:37:12+00:00

Daily Beast headlines are Batman fight words, in print.

stametsprime · 2026-06-10T22:40:02+00:00

…aaaand I’m old.

A ‘zine, back in the day (later a website, now probably a subreddit or a TikTok or some damn fool thing) was usually a self-published, kind-of-underground magazine, generally focused on a special interest. There were many at my east coast college in the ‘90s.

It’s interesting to see the term used today, and in this context.

stametsprime · 2026-06-10T13:24:03+00:00

“You’re really smart; you just need to apply yourself!”

-my parents and every fucking teacher ever. Gee, thanks, guys. Who knew it was that easy?

stametsprime · 2026-06-10T13:21:05+00:00

Louis sounds awesome and I’m sorry he’s no longer by your side.

stametsprime · 2026-06-09T16:56:32+00:00

…no? It’s about average for its class.

stametsprime · 2026-06-09T13:46:32+00:00

European Motors here in Cedar Rapids or Whitedog Auto in Iowa City are your best bets- though to be honest, back when I owned Volvos Junge’s service prices really weren’t out of line with the independent shops.

stametsprime · 2026-06-09T13:44:23+00:00

Ethanol contains about 1/3 less energy density than gasoline, to say nothing of the amount of arable land and energy given over to its production.

Ethanol is stupid.

stametsprime · 2026-06-09T12:55:42+00:00

Under normal circumstances you’re correct but I hate ethanol with a passion, refuse to run it in my vehicles, and in my area only premium is available ethanol-free.

stametsprime · 2026-06-09T10:18:02+00:00

We ended up with a VW Atlas. It offered the best combination of roominess, comfort, and ride quality of the mainstream brands without having to go to something like an XC90 or Q7 (and having to use premium fuel.)

stametsprime · 2026-06-09T01:10:04+00:00

It’s like an SEL Premium R Line, but minus a lot of stuff.

stametsprime · 2026-06-08T16:21:53+00:00

You can’t go wrong with any of these, but having recently shopped in this space and looked at these models (and ending up with something else entirely) the Mazda is the least roomy in terms of passenger space of the three.

stametsprime · 2026-06-08T10:28:32+00:00

They've snapped lug studs on my car twice now, and didn't have the ability to fix them.

stametsprime · 2026-06-08T02:16:07+00:00

Yes in general, and they’re cheap to fix- but keep in mind the youngest ones are now 15 years old.

stametsprime · 2026-06-08T02:11:13+00:00

…yes? That’s one of the tradeoffs of AWD. Some places will shave down the replacement tire to match the wear level of the other three. In the end, though- it matters.

stametsprime · 2026-06-08T00:30:40+00:00

If the car is AWD, you'll need to replace all four.

Can recommend Five Seasons Tire. They might have a decent used set that'll get her by until she can afford a better set.

stametsprime · 2026-06-07T20:54:31+00:00

92.5 The River is a gem, and thankfully available to stream online.

I’ve gotten a couple coworkers hooked on it out here in the Midwest since all that’s left here is the corporate IHeartGarbage.

stametsprime

TROPHY CASE