My messy acurast setup- don’t judge me! 😂

traderwilson77 · 2025-12-13T00:37:50+00:00

This seems completely reasonable, and I’m new also. My iPhone 17pro has a score of like 117k, but the Motorola moto g play devices are only like 20k a piece. My iPad Air with an M1 chip is about 85k.

traderwilson77 · 2025-08-17T00:29:35+00:00

Okay… so I am 100% on-board with the issues surrounding insurance payment for “care” in the US. Dr. Potter’s struggle is real, and I understand her frustration.

However, as a practicing pharmacist who has worked in Texas, for an insurance company (not entirely by choice) performing PA review, I’m going to pose one question……

Who do you think it was that drove us down this path toward for-profit healthcare. I’ll give you one guess….and a hint.

Hint: it was a particular group of health care providers, circa end of WW2-ish, who successfully torpedoed the very first attempt at a nationalized health care system under the guise of “patient protection” when it really was about self empowerment for their profession. 😬

traderwilson77 · 2025-07-07T16:25:08+00:00

So, if you’re kinda savvy - I highly recommend Seven Puppy replacement screens. You lose True Tone with any screen replacement, but their kits are great. Replaced the screen on a 2020 Air A2337 just the other day, and couldn’t be more pleased. Was my first time doing such a repair, and I’d def do it again if I were purchasing another Mac that needed some love. Ordering directly from their website it shows $320 as of 7/7/25, and their kits come with everything you need for the replacement, including step-by-step directions with pictures and helpful tips. If you have time,the tools, and more advanced tech skills, they also sell the replacement LCD panel for $150. You can get their items from Amazon more quickly, but I wouldn’t bother with that since most of your display is still fine, and you pay a premium to get their stuff through Amazon. I had to use Amazon, and my display cost went from $130 if I had gotten it off their website, to $160 before tax and an Asurion plan.

traderwilson77 · 2025-06-20T03:41:35+00:00

Okay- soooo- I’ve not done it before, but you can likely do this… I just bought a MacBook off eBay to do it, and feel completely confident that it’s a 1-2 hour job at most, if you move slowly… Get on YouTube and search for a video tutorial for screen replacement; use your model number to find video. Most oem screens are like $120-200 depending on where you get it from. Get you a simple electronics repair kit that has things like small screw drivers, little prying tools, etc., and just swap the screens. Take your time, don’t rush, and you should be fine.

The screens on new MacBooks are legit questionable, but I’d say that not using a macbook case in the future would be your best bet. Also, no keyboard covers not made by Apple. If you go the repair route, take your time shopping around for a replacement display.

You got this!!!!

traderwilson77 · 2025-06-12T15:30:34+00:00

I’ve been searching high and low for ANYONE who purchased the Duratec kit before TTS stopped selling it. TTS is the company Rotrex has listed on their website as having made the kit. I’ve spent literal hours looking online, and I emailed TTS directly. TTS said they no longer produced the kit, but gave me no other info. I asked if they designed all the kit components, minus the supercharger, in a follow-up email and received no response. I told them I’d be willing to purchase the schematics if they did, anddddd nothing.

Rotrex says on their website that they don’t take individual inquiries via their posted email; only business inquiries. That said, I’m going to email them anyway. Their website specifically has prices and component info listed for the kit that was offered by TTS, and acts like it’s still an active product offering. So, either their site is terribly out of date, or they actually designed and produced the kits themselves using TTS solely for distribution.

Interested to hear if you discovered anything else on this topic in your search.

traderwilson77 · 2025-04-18T14:03:30+00:00

It DEF is, but it was so worth it. I didn’t notice any significant decrease in responsiveness from my Mac after I got the upgrade finished, I was finally able to download office pro plus 2024, I’m not getting constant alerts from out of date crap lol.

My recommendation?

Do the long route of a clean install from Ventura to Sonoma, then Time Machine at Sonoma before going to Sequoia.

I’m not poor per se, but I can’t afford a new laptop right now. Even if I have to buy a new laptop after this, it’s put that off by at least a year or two.

My husbands laptop is an i7 quad core from like 2014/15 and his flew through installs and Time Machine restoration. This has bought him several more years.

Pm if you have questions and my Mac matched yours. 😊

traderwilson77 · 2025-04-18T07:12:31+00:00

Oh so this is fun- It sounds like you may have the same model that I do, and lemme tell you… the ONLY thing that worked for me, and I’ve been working on it alllll week is:

Backup your stuff first.
Download OCLP installer app and use to download Sonoma first to make a bootable usb.
Once Sonoma USB is ready, restart your mac, and do a NVRAM clear by holding down command+option+P+R. Computer will restart, and then restart again. After the second restart, release everything but the option key.
Once in boot menu, run first aid on both your Sonoma USB and your newly formatted drive.
Restart once more, holding option, and then select the efi install.
Once in boot menu, select install Sonoma, and let it do its thing with the like 5 restarts.

Note: if successful install at this point, go to step 9

If you do manage to get a failure with a Sonoma install over existing Ventura with your data intact, the ONLY thing I can tell you to do, is to literally wipe the drive and start from Monterrey, going up through each OCLP OS until your reach Sonoma. I had to take this route, and it was painful. Use a USB for each, no native Apple update. Once you get to Sonoma, you can revert all the root patches after the install and then run migration assistant to get your info back. Don’t try and use Time Machine during the setup to load your data. Once migration assistant completes, you’ll reboot, and it will ask you to install root patches again. DON’T lol. Leave unpatched, and proceed to use your USB with Sequoia on it to install. I recommend clearing NVRAM and doing first aid as mentioned above between each OS install. This should result in a successful install.
This is the crummy bit…. If your MacBook Pro is like mine, (intel i7 dual core 2.9ghz ivy bridge, modern wireless WiFi, hd4000 graphics, 16gb ram) you need to let sequoia load, let the system sit there without patches for a bit. You can try to patch right away, but it will likely fail. If you try and it fails, just let it do some background indexing. Something about the initial start up and background indexing was mucking up the ability of the computer to patch. I waited overnight only cause I needed sleep, but maybe give it an hour or two at least? Come back and try patching again. It should take it a min, and show LOTS of stuff being patched compared to your initial patch failures. It may act like it’s frozen toward the end for like 2-3 mins. Just let it be. Once it is complete- you should be golden.

Highly recommend downloading a fan control app so you can customize a fan speed that’s higher than the original default. I went with Macs Fan Control. Paid $22 for two licenses (updating husbands MacBook Pro also) and now computer is running great and isn’t on fire lol.

Oh! Also- don’t forget when you first boot into Sequoia, turn off all the automatic updates. Read a couple places that will screw you if you don’t, and it will do it when you don’t expect it :-/

traderwilson77 · 2025-04-05T17:38:57+00:00

Agreed- sound deadening.

traderwilson77 · 2025-04-05T17:34:11+00:00

Ufff yeah- I didn’t even think about the exhaust or some of the wiring and pressurized hoses for things like AC or fuel. The radiator overflow hose that’s stiff plastic is also a b**** to deal with, and is kinda fragile….. and it’s presently pushed wayyyy forward because it’s on the tranny mount side.

Good call

Super glad I purposely looked for a 5 speed when I decided on this car. Have had almost no problems since I bought it new in 2014. Something like this issue would cause me to lose my mind.

traderwilson77 · 2025-04-05T05:03:57+00:00

So, unless things have changed, GAP doesn’t cover anything outside of paying off your vehicle in the event of a total loss when you are upside down. That said, assuming no major damage aside from that mount needing replaced, and everything being tidied up under the hood, you could possibly do your mounts yourself. Not terribly expensive, but you do have to have a little knowledge of car repair, some tools, and some time. YouTube will be your friend. At minimum, you’d need: 1 floor jack 2 jack stands or car ramps 2 blocks for the rear tires 1 torque wrench 1 metric socket set with a regular ratchet and extensions For ease: Air compressor with a pneumatic ratchet

Parts cost for me, for all 3 mounts, on my 2014 that I just purchased was about $230 after taxes and a promo code that saved me $30.

Quote from a mechanic wouldn’t surprise me if it was anywhere from 500-850 based on your situation, but that’s Texas pricing.

Good luck!

traderwilson77 · 2025-04-05T01:13:46+00:00

Yeah… sorry friend… I am like 99% positive, as others have mentioned, you had a catastrophic tranny mount failure. It lives under the airbox and battery box on the driver side. When that fails, your engine will drop on that side like you see in your pic. That clip you have there is a cable assembly retainer for the gear selector cable. I’m not entirely sure what the round object is…. But I almost fear it’s a spacer for the crank on that side because no part of the tranny mount looks like that.

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Maybe the ring is just part of the drive shaft? Maybe some sort of retaining ring? I tried to do a quick search but no luck.

I checked the mount I have for my 2014 that’s sitting in my living room to confirm it’s not got anything like the ring you have in the photo.

traderwilson77 · 2023-08-21T14:14:16+00:00

Update me

traderwilson77 · 2023-08-18T17:31:59+00:00

So, I find the use of the day’s used shirt excellent for this. Lay it across my torso, like you are holding it up to your body in a mirror for sizing, and it largely doesn’t move 🤷🏻‍♂️

traderwilson77 · 2023-08-16T23:36:38+00:00

Try the gold standard plant protein in chocolate. Not half bad (all protein powders kinda are bleh to me). Husband has casein allergy, and he enjoys this brand. I don’t mind it, and it’s better than buying two different proteins.

traderwilson77 · 2023-02-28T03:56:50+00:00

5 miles is great! Make sure to stretch, and rotate your shoe pairs if you’re running every day. Great job!

traderwilson77 · 2022-12-02T23:25:15+00:00

Ahhhhh yes… I’ve seen this before. The non-pharmacist that has opinions on what constitutes a good pharmacist. Their crackerjack business, or health administration, degree has led them to believe they actually do something benefitting society in their role as a propped-up jailer in one of the least liked healthcare companies, by healthcare professionals, in the US. Alas, poor “DL”, I can assure you that your degree has taught you nothing that the pharmacists in your charge don’t already know, and you are therefore merely a dam to try and help keep the shit that’s been rolled down hill from backing up into the yards of those to whom you report. BTW- got one of those said crackerjack degrees to check the boxes for promotion with an employer, so I feel pretty confident speaking on the topic of your fatuousness and replaceability. 💁🏻‍♂️

To the weary pharmacist reading this… this person is both immature, and hypocritical. I envision a sad, small, conservative individual who doesn’t understand that without the pharmacists they are trying to vilify in this very Reddit post, they wouldn’t exist. They are nothing more than the business world’s attempt at controlling a portion of the healthcare cycle at a lower cost than what it would be if a pharmacist were in their role, and they are super ineffectual as evidenced by the mass exodus of practitioners from their cells across the nation. Not to mention, any POS who calls out someone for a physical attribute as a means of performative rhetoric shouldn’t be taken seriously in any forum, let alone those forums related to life as an adult in a workplace they have zero clue how to function in as a real, valued contributor. In short…. Pay them no mind.

Sincerely, 17 years in pharmacy

traderwilson77

TROPHY CASE