TFP -- glad to hear the generator worked out so well for you. Personally I have no desire to live in a hurricane zone, but if I did, I would definitely get myself a generator.

I've been zoning in an out of awareness a lot recently, so I didn't even realize that I should be worried. I'm kind of thankful that I didn't as every day you didn't check in I would have freaked out more. Good to know that you and your family survived any harm.

Glad you're doing as well as can be expected, TFP.

The Flying Penguin wrote on Oct 13, 2024, 11:43:
Not sure if I checked in yesterday, but we got power and Internet back late Friday. Internet is the suck, though. Comcast is giving me some major packet loss. I have a couple of bad hops on my trace route.

It's good enough for browsing, but for gaming, remote desktop, or Zoom calls, I'm relying on my T-Mobile hot spot.

First time in the 7 years we've owned it, that the whole house generator was actually needed, and it was a blessing. Up until now the longest outage we've had was 3 hours while they replaced a transformer. I at least now know that I can run it continuously for at least 5 days, assuming our 500 gal propane tank is full.

I have learned a lesson though: I always tank up in late May right before hurricane season. Trouble is, most of our bad hurricanes are late in the season like this one, and my tank was down to 65% (we use propane for the stove, on demand hot water heaters, and dryer - the dryer uses a lot of fuel). Starting next year I'm going to top off the tank in late May and again in late September.

God Bless the propane company. They showed up to refill the tank yesterday. Pleasant surprise: The price of wholesale propane has come down a lot since May. I was expecting a whopper of a bill.

Some interesting observations: Unlike previous storms, almost everyone seemed to have a generator this year, and good for them. Our town setup small generators at all the major intersections to run the traffic lights. Very nice! Once again I am thankful to be on a well instead of city water. Couple of people I know are on small water utilities, and they stopped pumping when the power died. Even on the old house next door, without a whole house genny, I had long since setup a system to easily tie in a portable genny to the main panel so we didn't have to run extensions, and the well pump could get power. I still had to set that up this time for the tenant who lives in that house, and he was thankful.

Glad you're ok and mostly up and running. I can't imagine the stress of it all.

Not sure if I checked in yesterday, but we got power and Internet back late Friday. Internet is the suck, though. Comcast is giving me some major packet loss. I have a couple of bad hops on my trace route.

It's good enough for browsing, but for gaming, remote desktop, or Zoom calls, I'm relying on my T-Mobile hot spot.

First time in the 7 years we've owned it, that the whole house generator was actually needed, and it was a blessing. Up until now the longest outage we've had was 3 hours while they replaced a transformer. I at least now know that I can run it continuously for at least 5 days, assuming our 500 gal propane tank is full.

I have learned a lesson though: I always tank up in late May right before hurricane season. Trouble is, most of our bad hurricanes are late in the season like this one, and my tank was down to 65% (we use propane for the stove, on demand hot water heaters, and dryer - the dryer uses a lot of fuel). Starting next year I'm going to top off the tank in late May and again in late September.

God Bless the propane company. They showed up to refill the tank yesterday. Pleasant surprise: The price of wholesale propane has come down a lot since May. I was expecting a whopper of a bill.

Some interesting observations: Unlike previous storms, almost everyone seemed to have a generator this year, and good for them. Our town setup small generators at all the major intersections to run the traffic lights. Very nice! Once again I am thankful to be on a well instead of city water. Couple of people I know are on small water utilities, and they stopped pumping when the power died. Even on the old house next door, without a whole house genny, I had long since setup a system to easily tie in a portable genny to the main panel so we didn't have to run extensions, and the well pump could get power. I still had to set that up this time for the tenant who lives in that house, and he was thankful.

This comment was edited on Oct 13, 2024, 11:59.

Beamer wrote on Oct 13, 2024, 07:56:

NKD wrote on Oct 13, 2024, 00:26:
I don't know about service dogs, but I do know that violent psychopaths who publicly fantasize about beating others to death for the high crime of bringing their service dog into Home Depot or whatever should probably be jailed indefinitely.

But everyone else is the asshole, right?

What's that saying about how if everyone you run into is an asshole, again?

I actually can't tell if it's ironic, or perfectly appropriate, that Cutter thinks we have too much tolerance for assholes when tolerance for assholes is the only reason he's still here when the comment section was objectively better when he was banned. At least we had 0 people posting their violent public assault fantasies then. Whatever, I'm done worrying about it. Life's too short and already miserable enough without worrying about that kind of person.

People acting entitled by claiming their animals are support animals when they aren't? I am shocked. SHOCKED! Some people are jerks. It has always been that way, it will always be that way.

Though I have to say, if you tried calling the police in the US because someone was in your business claiming their animal was a support animal and you were doubting them, I'd be surprised if you could get them to show up.

Part of the reason 'emotional support' animals are so prevalent is simply because it's become so difficult to actually own a place, and that's one of the only ways to force landlords into allowing people to have one.
I'm in an area that has a supposedly 'below average' cost of living, but I've ran the numbers, and the median real estate listing would still take $200,000 in income to be 'affordable' with current prices and interest rates.
That would take a dual-income, even with a STEM degree.

Like, how does anyone afford this these days?

I just want a dog so that I'm not alone all the time, but I'm still subject to the whims of landlords that can uproot my life whenever they want and am nowhere near wealthy enough to afford a permanent place.

My two dogs are ridiculously cute and friendly. I do a ~4 mile walk with them every day. Some people ask to pet, some jdon't and just do it. Whenever a young kid asks first I make sure to thank them for asking and tell them how smart it is to ask, to try and reinforce proper behavior. I have had kids come running and screaming at my dogs in friendly excited ways and just run up to them to pet and play...and many times there are parents around and do not say anything...so I have to. It is not an issue with my dogs, but that would go very bad with many other dogs. Whenever another dog with an owner is approaching I say to them that my dogs are super friendly and ask if they want to meet, if they say yes, great, if they say no, no problem at all and just move by.

It all seems so straight forward and simple to me. While I love m dogs and spoil them in many ways, I treat them as dogs, which makes them much healthier mentally.

Prez wrote on Oct 12, 2024, 15:31:
Whew. Once again I am relieved that Cutter doesn't make the rules. Not living in Canada at least we don't have to worry about Cutter beating any of us to death. You ever been told that you have anger issues?

For once I agree with him, not the beating part, but the rest about blind or GTFO, F yes!

NKD wrote on Oct 13, 2024, 00:26:
I don't know about service dogs, but I do know that violent psychopaths who publicly fantasize about beating others to death for the high crime of bringing their service dog into Home Depot or whatever should probably be jailed indefinitely.

But everyone else is the asshole, right?

What's that saying about how if everyone you run into is an asshole, again?

Dogs rule, humans suck.

The refrain hasn't changed in 15,000 years.

In Memphis (all of West Tennessee really) Home Depot was always considered very dog friendly as it had wide aisles and nothing that would get "germs" on it. (I frankly don't understand that one). I brought many of my dogs to Home Depot to socialize them as many of my dogs had never seen a human that didn't want to abuse or exploit them. I never once had anyone tell me that their allergies were killing them because a dog walked by them. I had them double leashed with a harness with a 4 ft leash to control them and warned everyone who might think to approach to stay away as I had just gotten the dog and was not familiar with his or her behaviors, aggression, or fears. I never had a problem. It's kind of shocking to me that some of you guys have such strong opinions about this but I will be honest with you: the worst dog I ever had was better than the best human I have ever known, and while I am very careful to stay in my lane and not upset anyone, I don't really care if anyone might have had a problem with it. Stay clear of me I guess?

This comment was edited on Oct 13, 2024, 01:15.

I don't know about service dogs, but I do know that violent psychopaths who publicly fantasize about beating others to death for the high crime of bringing their service dog into Home Depot or whatever should probably be jailed indefinitely.

To answer your question as I understand it, no I don't wish death upon people for ignorant behavior. I accept that anyone can behave badly, and I recognize that some people make a habit of it. Do you really think that I would want them dead because my life would be easier?I'm not that self-centered. I didn't think that was a radical concept. I am not a doctor or a therapist, but you definitely seem to have serious anger issues to me my friend. Do I get angry at ignorant behavior? Not really. I shake my head and sullenly think, "yeah that's normal for most people now unfortunately", but I don't get angry. What's the point? Me getting angry just raises my blood pressure and puts me at a higher risk of another stroke, while it has a zero percent chance of fixing anything. If that makes me part of or even the majority of the problem, I don't know what to tell you. That's not my style.

This comment was edited on Oct 12, 2024, 23:15.

The behaviorists that I worked with always said that service dogs (that are working that is) shall not be petted under any circumstance. If you have to make a sign and post it on your service animal do it. I've seen a few actually.

My dog Lady was a rescue, and was an emotional support/service animal of some sort with some basic training according to the shelter. Her previous owners moved to Texas during the pandemic and left her at the shelter on the way. Same shelter they got her from when she was a puppy. That is wild to me, abandoning a dog that has been with you for 8/9 years, but I try to remember that I don't know people's situations and that was a very traumatic time for a lot of families. Lady had been at the particular site I visited for 6 months straight when I saw her for the first time. I like older and sizeable dogs, and I prefer rescues. She was the first dog they let me visit with when I got to the shelter. I didn't ask to see another.

Lady is my companion, not my service animal. I need the emotional support and I have a lovely therapist for that reason who would be glad to sign off on it, but now that I am not renting I really don't have a need to keep a certificate up on her "emotional support status". She is huge for her breed mix, 50% American Staffordshire Terrier/ 50% German Shephard. 120 pounds instead of somewhere between 50-80lbs as her DNA says she should be. (recent DNA test ftw!) Its mostly muscle, even now at 11 years old, so she is visibly intimidating to people not familiar with canine body language. She is not a barker, and for that I am grateful. When she barks, I know its an actual problem, not a fucking leaf in the wind, a cat on a fence, or some toy poodle being walked by the front of my house.

She loves people, she does not trust other dogs, and the people that always want to walk up and pet her are often people walking non-service animals. So neither that owner or that other pet are educated and my dog doesn't trust other dogs. To avoid issues, since it is my dog that would most likely be overly defensive, I have put a vest on her that clearly says "ask to pet" and "not animal friendly". So far, still no tragedies, but you would be amazed how many people......and usually grown fucking adults and not kids...that I have to check with "not friendly to other dogs" in an overly baritone voice so they don't just ignore me and pet her anyway. People are dumb, news at 11 I guess.

Jivaro wrote on Oct 12, 2024, 20:21:
Equally dipshit nonowners that run up to a strange animal and person and just reach out and attempt to pet....and then cry when the situation goes as badly as you expect it to. Its not a Canada problem, it's a human species problem.

Maybe this is a Southern thing but I've always had people ask if they may pet my dog before attempting to do so. Perhaps it is the way my dog carries herself that causes that situation. I always answer "You can present her with the opportunity to be petted but if she backs up a pace or two that's a hard no from her." Everyone has, thus far, respected that and not tried to press it.

What I don't tell them is that she wants exactly three and a half people in the entire universe to pet her and no more. Myself, my dad, my sister, and sometimes my mom (thus the half).

Prez wrote on Oct 12, 2024, 15:31:
Whew. Once again I am relieved that Cutter doesn't make the rules. Not living in Canada at least we don't have to worry about Cutter beating any of us to death. You ever been told that you have anger issues?

Yet, 99% of the people out there manage not to bring their pets - not service dogs - into stores. It's the same with shitheels who take up 2 to 4 parking spaces, don't even make the attempt at parking properly. Leaving their grocery cart in the middle of the aisle. Saunter along with their fucking faces buried in their phones inconveniencing others. Etc. etc. etc. Yeah the world would be a MUCH better place without selfish assholes in it. I find it perplexing why you feel it's a better world with them in it. Yeah, I get angry at assholes, same as everyone else should. If they didn't we wouldn't have an asshole problem. It's the people who don't say or do anything about them that are the real problem.

Prez wrote on Oct 12, 2024, 18:04:
Regardless, "beat them to death"? You don't consider that just a wee bit over the top?

Of course it is. Thus my "Still, he's not wrong about the overall point."