OT: THE OT Thread: Grass mowing szn is here

[Old Navy Goat]

I have 2 filipinas shacked up with me as they've had a falling out with the guy that brought them on holiday. Seems they didn't appreciate him coming back to the hotel with 'mosquito' bites all over his neck and chest after a drinking session.

They contacted my friend in Nashville for help ie hotel money, who put them in contact with me as I'm a friendly face they remember. I will say being able to speak fairly conversant English is a nice change

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

https://www.wxii12.com/article/greensboro-watch-commander-officer-killed-officials-looking-2-suspects/46256577

So I'm out on vacation this week in the area I will retire to in a few years and find this out while I'm trying to have a good time. It's shit like this that makes me an ornery, distrustful, negative person. This was during a shoplifting of beer. A MFing misdemeanor that a brain dead a-hole thought was worth murdering someone over. That someone happened to be a really great guy that did his job with integrity for 20 years. This f'ing life we settle for...

https://myfox8.com/news/north-carolina/greensboro/greensboro-community-remembers-sergeant-philip-dale-nix/

His family will lose hundreds of thousands of dollars because of him being killed while off-duty. No pension, no death benefit.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

watch out for the xenomorphs that move through the ceiling spaces.

My first experience with Xenomorphs was The Great Movie Ride when I was 6 years old. Not me in the pic, obv, but this sticks with somebody lol

 

[Old Navy Goat]

https://myfox8.com/news/north-carolina/greensboro/greensboro-community-remembers-sergeant-philip-dale-nix/

His family will lose hundreds of thousands of dollars because of him being killed while off-duty. No pension, no death benefit.

That really sucks as you should be able to argue that it's a 24/7 job

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

That really sucks as you should be able to argue that it's a 24/7 job

Most states offer a pension option that allows a spouse to receive a reduced benefit after the officer dies while in retirement. I'd like to see a prorated version of that benefit for officers that die on-duty or off, if that happens before they reach retirement. For now, as far as I know most/all states just refund the officer's total contribution to the retirement system that was deducted from their paycheck over the years. It's not very much.

 

[DolanPlsGoSabres]

I don’t really read or watch the news, it’s all doom and gloom. What number on the Richter did you catch?

7.6. For reference, the 2011 earthquake was a 9.0.

Building structures should be able to, for the most part, hold up, but cracked roads and fallen trees are commonplace close to the epicenter (from what I see on social media).

 

[Chainshot]

https://www.wxii12.com/article/greensboro-watch-commander-officer-killed-officials-looking-2-suspects/46256577

So I'm out on vacation this week in the area I will retire to in a few years and find this out while I'm trying to have a good time. It's shit like this that makes me an ornery, distrustful, negative person. This was during a shoplifting of beer. A MFing misdemeanor that a brain dead a-hole thought was worth murdering someone over. That someone happened to be a really great guy that did his job with integrity for 20 years. This f'ing life we settle for...

That's terrible. GPD were one of the coolest groups of LEOs I've ever interacted with back when I was living in G'boro. Condolences to his friends and family.

 

[Chainshot]

Fortunately no risk of tsunami for me, I don't live along the Sea of Japan coast. Pretty close proximity to the epicenter though so still shook pretty big where I am (shook for a good 30+ seconds, thankfully nothing fell). Staying alert and ready to evacuate at any given time.



one can hope!

Kicking off 2024 with way too much. Hope you and yours are safe and well.

 

[KiwiGriff]

7.6. For reference, the 2011 earthquake was a 9.0.

That’s a decent shake. Our last reasonable one was a 7.8 in 2016 that happened just after midnight.
I agree, anything that starts with a 7 or lower should be mostly fine for countries that are used to earthquakes. Still, 7.6 would definitely have you had you concerned. They aren't just a little shudder at that level. Sorry to hear there have been some deaths and destruction.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

So I start renovating an apartment in my building today, and it’s gonna take awhile. The owner of the building originally just wanted cleaning and painting done to it, but after looking at it and determining that it’d only be putting lipstick on a pig, he decided to do a full reno.

The vinyl flooring has separated every third row, which means that A: it was cut short and shifted and B: that the cement floor isn’t level. So that has to come out and be fixed. The cabinets don’t close, which means new hinges, although they’re 50 years old and should be replaced. Half of the outlets are burned, which means they were overloaded and need to be replaced. Other than the fire door to get into the apartment, every other door is broken.

He wants the apartment available for Feb. 1st, but that isn’t gonna happen. The amount of work that needs to be done is like trying to build a 3 bedroom house from beginning to end in less than a month.

 

[Chainshot]

So I start renovating an apartment in my building today, and it’s gonna take awhile. The owner of the building originally just wanted cleaning and painting done to it, but after looking at it and determining that it’d only be putting lipstick on a pig, he decided to do a full reno.

The vinyl flooring has separated every third row, which means that A: it was cut short and shifted and B: that the cement floor isn’t level. So that has to come out and be fixed. The cabinets don’t close, which means new hinges, although they’re 50 years old and should be replaced. Half of the outlets are burned, which means they were overloaded and need to be replaced. Other than the fire door to get into the apartment, every other door is broken.

He wants the apartment available for Feb. 1st, but that isn’t gonna happen. The amount of work that needs to be done is like trying to build a 3 bedroom house from beginning to end in less than a month.

How is the breaker box if the outlets are all fried?

 

[MarkusKetterer]

How is the breaker box if the outlets are all fried?

Breaker box is fine. It’s just the top part of the outlets that aren’t working in the living area. But I also get it. It’s an older building so there’s not as many outlets as there is in a new build, so you either need to not have so much stuff or you overload an outlet.

Also I’m fairly sure they had things in there that they weren’t supposed to have in the building, seeing the apartment smells like mold (aka they were growing their own weed).

 

[Chainshot]

Breaker box is fine. It’s just the top part of the outlets that aren’t working in the living area. But I also get it. It’s an older building so there’s not as many outlets as there is in a new build, so you either need to not have so much stuff or you overload an outlet.

Also I’m fairly sure they had things in there that they weren’t supposed to have in the building, seeing the apartment smells like mold (aka they were growing their own weed).

Eh, smelling like mold down here means you are in Florida and the apartment is about to be occupied.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

That's terrible. GPD were one of the coolest groups of LEOs I've ever interacted with back when I was living in G'boro. Condolences to his friends and family.

'Preciate that.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Eh, smelling like mold down here means you are in Florida and the apartment is about to be occupied.

Oh I’ve lived in apartments where there was mold, which is a downside to a full or half basement apartment. There’s a smell to it. I’ve also renovated apartments and houses where there was a grow op. This has that smell. It’s a different mold smell.

I did not tell the building owner that though. No need to make him even angrier, seeing he really only wanted the drywall patched and it repainted and wasn’t happy about a full reno.

 

[KiwiGriff]

Oh I’ve lived in apartments where there was mold, which is a downside to a full or half basement apartment. There’s a smell to it. I’ve also renovated apartments and houses where there was a grow op. This has that smell. It’s a different mold smell.

One of my staff went through a years long legal battle over buying a house that turned out to be filled with black mould. She ended up winning with settlements from (I think) a combination of the seller, real estate agent and building inspectors.

Back to your reno job - Is the weed mould due to having to keep a high humidity in the place? Can’t say I’ve ever been in a place that’s been growing before.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

One of my staff went through a years long legal battle over buying a house that turned out to be filled with black mould. She ended up winning with settlements from (I think) a combination of the seller, real estate agent and building inspectors.

Back to your reno job - Is the weed mould due to having to keep a high humidity in the place? Can’t say I’ve ever been in a place that’s been growing before.

Bingo. High humidity and high heat. You basically make an indoor greenhouse. Which is fine to do because you can grow anything you want to in it. The problem is a lack of ventilation to get rid of some of the humidity.

 

[Chainshot]

One of my staff went through a years long legal battle over buying a house that turned out to be filled with black mould. She ended up winning with settlements from (I think) a combination of the seller, real estate agent and building inspectors.

Back to your reno job - Is the weed mould due to having to keep a high humidity in the place? Can’t say I’ve ever been in a place that’s been growing before.

I have a cousin who wound up on disability due to lung damage from black mold exposure at work. It drives her nuts - can't work. She was on oxygen for a while since it's f***ed with her lungs.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Trying to figure out what I like looking at more. I have the 21yo friend's wife's cousin plus her coworker laying in bed. The one's snoring I could do without. Or looking over my financial statements. The bars turned over 6k profit NYE which meant that my total 74k investment has been returned with a 23k profit, not bad for my 2 main ones in 9 months. The others didn't make a huge positive return on investment as #3 was 10k and it's returns were a total of 14k but it paid itself off. #4 and 5 were about 13k total in refurbishment and they're at 8k for the year.

My Vanguard and REITs returned nicely, the Vanguard Info Tech was at 52% return for the year but it's too volatile for me to throw big money in. The S&P 500 is much more stable and gets the yearly 10%. The two REITs performed to their usual so 23 and 28% respectively. What that all means is not much as it's all rolled over for the grandkids.

Now the bar money means my Thai accountant will be busy as if my math is correct I crossed into the 15% bracket, so I owe a bit. I do wonder if my caretaker payroll is deductible.

The filipinas are flying out Friday as it's the first direct flight to Angeles. Their vacation boyfriend wouldn't change the tickets so I'm paying the $350 combined to fly them back as their Philippines GCash and Thai aren't synced. My Nashville buddy will be doing his yearly Asian excursion in February so his wife will pay me back when they come to Thailand to look at condos.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Trying to figure out what I like looking at more. I have the 21yo friend's wife's cousin plus her coworker laying in bed. The one's snoring I could do without. Or looking over my financial statements. The bars turned over 6k profit NYE which meant that my total 74k investment has been returned with a 23k profit, not bad for my 2 main ones in 9 months. The others didn't make a huge positive return on investment as #3 was 10k and it's returns were a total of 14k but it paid itself off. #4 and 5 were about 13k total in refurbishment and they're at 8k for the year.

My Vanguard and REITs returned nicely, the Vanguard Info Tech was at 52% return for the year but it's too volatile for me to throw big money in. The S&P 500 is much more stable and gets the yearly 10%. The two REITs performed to their usual so 23 and 28% respectively. What that all means is not much as it's all rolled over for the grandkids.

Now the bar money means my Thai accountant will be busy as if my math is correct I crossed into the 15% bracket, so I owe a bit. I do wonder if my caretaker payroll is deductible.

The filipinas are flying out Friday as it's the first direct flight to Angeles. Their vacation boyfriend wouldn't change the tickets so I'm paying the $350 combined to fly them back as their Philippines GCash and Thai aren't synced. My Nashville buddy will be doing his yearly Asian excursion in February so his wife will pay me back when they come to Thailand to look at condos.

Any preference for the starring role in your biopic?

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Any preference for the starring role in your biopic?

The 21yo has the problem that too many people told her too many times that she's beautiful so has an attitude. I remember her as a shy innocent 18yo that barely talked or made eye contact, so this version is quite different. She's now a professional hustler. Her friend is a bit older and doesn't seem to have the same baggage but this is strictly as a favor to my friend's wife.

I just don't understand why some guy would take 2 bar girls on vacation to the biggest red light district in the world. I could understand taking sand to a parking lot but not to a beach

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Here's an example of the craziness from NYE. He starts on Soi 7 so nothing too over the top as it's the far side away from Beach Road. Beach Road is a 4 lane main thoroughfare and then of course my favorite street Soi 6

 

[KiwiGriff]

I have a cousin who wound up on disability due to lung damage from black mold exposure at work. It drives her nuts - can't work. She was on oxygen for a while since it's f***ed with her lungs.

Guts! That sounds pretty shit. Does she get any sort of financial support for things like this? Accidents here are covered in all regards by the government. It’s impossible to sue someone for personal injury here. No precedent. Tourists don’t realise that this also covers them (or at least it did, don’t quote me in that without fact-checking, if someone is thinking of coming here). Not sure how it works with more insidious stuff like spore inhalation. Sounds nasty for your cousin.

 

[Ehran]

Guts! That sounds pretty shit. Does she get any sort of financial support for things like this? Accidents here are covered in all regards by the government. It’s impossible to sue someone for personal injury here. No precedent. Tourists don’t realise that this also covers them (or at least it did, don’t quote me in that without fact-checking, if someone is thinking of coming here). Not sure how it works with more insidious stuff like spore inhalation. Sounds nasty for your cousin.

If she was covered by Insurance through her work, that may (should) also cover it. Long term disability is also covered by our Social Security program under certain circumstances. (which is primarily known for retirement benefits.) No idea how much it pays or the limitations but it can be lifelong coverage.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

 

[Chainshot]

I don't know the details of the situation with how she is paid but I do know that her health insurance agency has repeatedly denied her meds that are necessary for her treatment. She's a doctor, she's investigated her own condition and has an idea what is required. Yet the health insurer keeps trying to cancel or delay things that her primary and specialists prescribe.