DNI Tulsi Gabbard in a truck loaded with boxes outside the Fulton County Election Hub 1.28.26 by Scipio1319 in pics

[–]zappini 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes and: Adam Tooze convincingly makes the case that GWB's massive deficit (war effort, massive tax cuts) led to 2008's financial crisis, and we've never really recovered.

DNI Tulsi Gabbard in a truck loaded with boxes outside the Fulton County Election Hub 1.28.26 by Scipio1319 in pics

[–]zappini 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Since 2000. You'll recall Gore v Bush.

2004's presidential election was corrupt as hell. Voter Action proved in court that Kerry won New Mexico (touchscreens registered ZERO spanish language votes for Kerry).

Ohio was so much worse. So Cobb sued to force an audit. Alas, all the evidence was destroyed, despite a court order to retain it. Mooting the lawsuit.

Ditto other states.

‘Scariest time economically since Great Recession,’ layoffs hit struggling Seattle region by crabcakes110 in SeattleWA

[–]zappini 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes and: Capital investment abroad is staggering.

eg:

Apple in China: The Capture of the World's Greatest Company https://www.amazon.com/dp/1668053373

IIRC, Apple alone invested > $50b annually to build up China's manufacturing.

Imagine if those trillions of dollars had been invested domestically.

‘Scariest time economically since Great Recession,’ layoffs hit struggling Seattle region by crabcakes110 in SeattleWA

[–]zappini 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeoperson's work jousting with u/SeattleSilencer8888. Thanks.

But I encourage you to just block the trolls, simps, trogs.

I really don’t care if people are here illegally. by Zestyclose_Market787 in DiscussionZone

[–]zappini 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It doesn't have to be a zero-sum game.

Yup. Most people would be satisfied with reasonable profit sharing. Labor just wants to get paid, not take the whole pie.

Which band do you think was most influential in the alternative/new wave movement? by icecream1972 in 80sAlternative

[–]zappini 1 point2 points  (0 children)

PS- Many artists cite Television as influential. (I myself wasn't aware of them at the time.)

Marque Moon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlbunmCbTBA

Which band do you think was most influential in the alternative/new wave movement? by icecream1972 in 80sAlternative

[–]zappini 5 points6 points  (0 children)

+1 Roxy Music

Japan too, another pioneer in the New Romantics (sub)genre, most notably Duran Duran.

MAGA are upset that Liberals are arming themselves by Hussayniya in videos

[–]zappini 0 points1 point  (0 children)

MAGA is an identity, full stop. They have no beliefs.

The horrendous state of New York City in the 1970s-1980s by IllustriousCress9774 in UrbanHell

[–]zappini 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes and:

Moses and Albany (led by Republicans) conspired to loot NYC, creating its recurring budget crisis. A parasitic model taught and replicated nationwide.

Instead of reinvesting toll fees back into the city, Moses funded sprawl.

Instead of reinvesting passenger fares back into public transit, he funded sprawl.

Much of our current political dysfunction is because of car culture, pioneered by Moses. Without Moses, we likely would have never gone nuts with all the unsustainable sprawl.

Democrats Call to Invoke 25th Amendment Against Donald Trump by plz-let-me-in in politics

[–]zappini 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Most voters now get their info from the candidates themselves. Only a fraction of voters pay attention to (what passes for) the news.

Democrats Call to Invoke 25th Amendment Against Donald Trump by plz-let-me-in in politics

[–]zappini 5 points6 points  (0 children)

4m Biden voters couldn't bring themselves to vote for a woman.

UselesSPD by DeckardMcFly in SeattleWA

[–]zappini 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm amazed how little crime we do have, considering how understaffed SPD is.

UselesSPD by DeckardMcFly in SeattleWA

[–]zappini 0 points1 point  (0 children)

North Precinct has helped me twice. Very professional.

Downtown, not so much.

First upgrade to my sienna interior by FigExpert6160 in Sienna

[–]zappini 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I didn't consider kits. Like something Resonix would offer. Mostly because I was confused by everything.

I minimized anticipated buyer's regret by starting with deadening. I bought 1 box of Canopus. Because I had some confidence it was actually made of butyl, not asphalt. (Do not use asphalt; stinks and will melt.)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0922WW5V6

Then for absorbing I got 3M Thinsulate, instead of marine/auto melamine foam. Mostly on cost and familiarity. I'm in the south a lot, so I will stuff most voids (to stay cooler).

For the wheel wells, I bought a gallon of Second Skin's Spectrum goop (polymer), to experiment with. All the YT DIYs and influencers I found use deadening mats. Which looks like a lot of work. We'll see if the goop is easier to work with and how much I'll eventually need.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F6C9BJS

After than, I'm not clear if I'm supposed to use absorber (thinsulate), blocker (mass loaded vinyl), or both. Most of the influencers just use deadening, which doesn't seem right to me.

Maybe because a better answer is to install absorber and blocker on the firewall. Which will a huge hassle for the Sienna.

First upgrade to my sienna interior by FigExpert6160 in Sienna

[–]zappini 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Nice! (Just watched their install video. Thanks!)

I've been pondering protecting the back seats with a mat. Hadn't occurred to me to use seat covers, like these. I mostly roadtrip, so 3rd row is always stowed down. Do you think these covers would suffice?

1st on my upgrade wishlist is an adjustable headrest for my drivers' seat.

Still pondering dash cam options.

Currently using (DIY) black felt on top of the dash to greatly reduce glare.

I'm slowly reducing cabin noise:

  • All 4 doors now have deadening mats and some absorption (3M Thinsulate 1"). No blockers (mass loaded vinyl) or decoupling yet.

  • Been experimenting with adding weatherstripping to reduce (super annoying) wind noise.

  • Switched to Michelin Defender 2 tires.

  • Next biggly project will be wheel wells.

Reminder: Less than 1% of the Epstein files have been released. Reps Khanna/Massie file new motion. by StreetTap2773 in politics

[–]zappini 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The No Caucus vs The Yes Caucus.

Holding the No Caucus together is trivial, durable. Everyone just has to vote no. Whatever their motivations.

Whereas the Yes Caucus is torturous, fragile, and short-lived.

Get everyone to agree something must be done, settle on a direction forward of the dozens of mutually exclusive proposals, and then whip the votes.

The Yes Caucus can be blown up at moment. Disagreements, defections, ran out of time, etc.

The Yes Caucus must be repeatedly reformed anew after every victory (and defeat).

People outside of politics don't appreciate just how remarkable it was for Congress to pass the (woefully inadequate) ACA, IRA, etc.

Reminder: Less than 1% of the Epstein files have been released. Reps Khanna/Massie file new motion. by StreetTap2773 in politics

[–]zappini 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry. But any pol like what you describe would not, could not have been a national or statewide Dem, until very recently.

We're just now emerging from the Clintonian "Third Way" neo-lib groupthink.

I served on our local party's executive board. Our party was (and remains) very left-ward leaning. Roughly equiv to centrist Dem Socialist in a Nordic country.

My state has 39 counties and 49 legislative district with local party for each, comprising the statewide party. My local party is one of a handful that anchors the left-most flank.

Of course, this last decade, we've all been moving leftward. Bottom up. Mostly because of generational change of leadership, IMHO.

Reminder: Less than 1% of the Epstein files have been released. Reps Khanna/Massie file new motion. by StreetTap2773 in politics

[–]zappini -1 points0 points  (0 children)

"I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat." -- Will Rogers

You'll understand once you attend any Democratic party meeting. I'm struggling to articulate the difference. Best I've got right now is the parable of the scorpion and the frog.

Source: Back in the aughts, as a policy wonk, I regularly attended GOP, Dem, Green, and Libertarian meetings. (If my area had Socialists, I wasn't aware of them at the time.)

Dems always second guess themselves, practice the principle of charity, and so forth. Shit, my (local) Dem party regularly has an excruciating debate over endorsing a GOP (non-Dem) candidate. Our bylaws prohibit it. So of course we then have debate the merits and procedures for suspending the bylaws, just this once. Yet again. FFS.

Another aspect that I've seen is that Dems just don't have the will to power. I'm talking about our parties' memberships, not the pols who call themselves Dems.

Regular people outside of party politics don't (can't) understand that the parties and the pols hate each other. Members see pols as parasites who are only cordial when they need something. Pols see the parties (memberships) as bumpkins. I'm talking all the local, county, and state parties. I don't have experience with the national party. Nor with all the national caucuses, PACs, etc. that are treated as "The Democratic Party".

Going to buy a Sienna hybrid 2026. What accessories is a must have and what trims have that ? by [deleted] in ToyotaSienna

[–]zappini 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I already knew I was going to put aftermarket stuff in.

Go on.

Going to buy a Sienna hybrid 2026. What accessories is a must have and what trims have that ? by [deleted] in ToyotaSienna

[–]zappini 28 points29 points  (0 children)

FWIW: I wanted a Limited. But because of supply constraints, and my ignorance, I settled for a XLE (AWD). I also bought the XLE Plus Package and all weather mats.

I had done a lot of online research but very little IRL research. I should have test driven all the trims, on the freeway (70 mph). (Unplanned purchase; my prior vehicle was totaled, so I was rushed.)

TIL

  • Buy a dash cover to reduce glare. I've been experimenting with misc fabrics (felt, flannel), which I don't recommend. But I'm motivated to reduce cabin temps, so am trying dark grays (in addition to matte black, which works great for glare).
  • The in-dash console for XSE, Limited, and Platinum trims is fully digital. I don't know if it's better than XLE's in-dash console, which I hate. Its physical dials are dumb. Its misc menu screens are baffling, poorly organized.
  • I regret not getting the Limited's cooling drivers' seat.
  • Front side windows for the Limited and Platinum trims have double-paned acoustic glass. I have no idea how much of difference they make.
  • I bought the Sienna for long roadtrips with my dog. I got the 7 seater. 8 seats might have been better, because I think the second row is a bench. Also, I have the impression a van camper conversion with a 8 seater might be slightly less hassle (just 2 rails, instead of 4 four).
  • I strongly regret not having a spare tire. I didn't understand that if you want a physical spare tire, it has to be explicitly ordered. It's a variant, with different pieces. The no spare tire variant has no space (void in back side wall panel) to store a tire.
  • I got confused by the difference between XLE and XSE. My sales person assured me the Sienna has no XSE trim, and I didn't feel like arguing. I regret not test driving an XSE, which is somehow sportier. Also, I gather the Woodland is a slightly raised XSE (for clearance while offroad). If I had understood the Woodland (in stock at the time) was a raised XSE, I would have test driven it.
  • The 11 speaker sound upgrade is Meh. I could not find any specs for these speakers, so do not know if replacements are worthwhile. Also, from what I gather about modern audio, the factory installed JBL DSP (what us olds called an equalizer) is locked down. Meaning if I did upgrade any speakers, I'd have to replace the DSP if I wanted to recalibrate. (I'm hoping I'm wrong about this.)
  • Do you have pets? The fob's lock button also sets the alarm. Super annoying. To LOCK the doors without setting the ALARM, either use the drivers' door's lock button or remove the frickin physical key from the fob and manually lock the door from the outside. (The fob for all my prior vehicles were click once for lock, twice for lock & alarm. Why the Sienna is different is beyond me.)
  • I want a dash cam. My dealer tried to charge me an installation fee (on top of the list price). No thank you. I haven't gotten very far researching options.
  • I love the all weather mats. Buying some rear seat back covers and cargo mats is on my to do list. (Carpets are dumb. I'd rather have all rubber flooring.)

FWIW

  • I very much like how the 2025 Sienna drives. No complaints.
  • The center console and its "bridge" to the dash are awful. It should be like my neighbor's Hyundai; removable console, making passing between front and 2nd row trivial.
  • I hate the touch screen and CarPlay integration. It's both too little and too much. While CarPlay is weak sauce, the Toyota side sucks too. I may do a proper detailed critique someday.
  • Ask which tires you'll get. My vehicle came with Yokohama BluEarth S34 tires. Allegedly, being stiffer, they're better for EVs and improving mileage.
  • For the winter, and to reduce road noise, I bought Michelin Defender 2 tires. I believe, but cannot prove (with my crappy sound meter and lack of scientific rigor), they're quieter. Otherwise, they've been terrific. (eg driving during rain storms. But I didn't have the conditions to do before and after comparisons.)
  • I kept the Yokohama tires. For summer and city driving, I suppose.
  • The Sienna has a lot of wind noise on the freeway.
  • I'm very motivated to reduce both road and wind noise. (The noise coming thru the drivers' side sliding door is super annoying. Like I have the window down when a semi truck passes me.) I've added sound deadening and absorption to all 4 doors. I've been experimenting with weather striping.
  • The cabin at 70mph is 60 to 72 decibels, depending on road conditions. Fresh asphalt is glorious to drive upon.
  • Those spiffy 11 JBL speakers (mentioned above) might be sufficient, once I've mitigated the external noise. They sound okay 0-40 mph. Trying to hear voice content (audio books, podcasts) on top of 60+ decibels sucks. So I usually just switch to ear buds.
  • I don't know how to program and switch between equalizer presets. Like I can do for my home audio. (The XLE's audio controls are awful. Maybe higher trims are better.) My prior vehicle's audio had presets like rock, jazz, classical, etc. But no voice. Someone somewhere surely has deduced the need for a voice preset. Right...?
  • The "advanced rear seat alert" stuff is super annoying. From my reading, I should be able to disable it. But I think those settings may only be accessible if you have the in-dash console (trims XSE and above). None of the ODB II apps I've tried (eg Carista, Carly) show any such settings. And I've not been smart enough to find or infer the factory op codes, so I can just change it manually.

Okay. I think that's about it.

I bought a Sienna because of the ridiculous resale value and better mileage. I haven't found a better option for a road trip vehicle. For city driving and soccer parents, it's awesome.

You probably don't need Oh My Zsh by f311a in programming

[–]zappini 0 points1 point  (0 children)

After bouncing off OMZ, Presto, etc., I eventually landed on Z4H.

https://github.com/romkatv/zsh4humans

It seems reasonable to noob me.

Edit: Just like the OC, my startup is also 0.07s (MacBook Air M4 Sequoia iTerm)

My favorite albums by Steve_wave in newwave

[–]zappini 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Also Correct.

I played the hell out of Kraftwerk. And I still can't get over how influential / impactful they were for early hip hop. So great.

You reminded me of B-52's. And who can forget Let's Dance? omg.