Octopus Overlords

I dub thee Sir Stumpy of Stumpyton

Daehawk wrote: ↑Mon Mar 25, 2024 4:59 pm Well that big old dead Oak tree in my front yard finally broke and fell. Luckily it did just what I thought it would...the entire canopy limbs rotted, got soaked with water, and fell straight down. There was no falling 'over' It just broke and fell with gravity THUMP.

I was sitting here at my PC when I noticed movement and saw it fall. No sound or feeling. And it fell in the brush like I hoped it would. None in my yard and none in the road.

All and all I couldn't ask for better. Tonight is supposed to be big storms with big wind. Glad it decided to give it up right before that. I went out and checked it and the wood is soft enough to pull apart. Totally rotten.

Now I got one giant tree trunk stump left there.

I still cannot, for the life of me, figure out why your Imgur link click-throughs never work (they 404), while all of the others do. I can't actually find anything at all different about them.

Maybe it's just you? Image displays fine for me.

I was going to admonish Daehawk not to take down the dead trunk because they're habitat for various birds, varmints, etm., before I remembered that taking down a dead tree is #998,047 on Dae's to-do list.

Kraken wrote: ↑Mon Mar 25, 2024 11:37 pm Maybe it's just you? Image displays fine for me.

It displays fine here but if you click on it, it takes you to 404 page on imgur.

Speaking of bookstores, today was a good day. We went out to lunch and then continued to the west coast of Florida to visit my three favorite Goodwill Bookstores in Manatee and Sarasota county. Then back home, getting dinner out on the way.

I've never come across a dedicated Goodwill Bookstore anywhere else but these three in Florida. They rely entirely on donations. Those counties are a good location for the stores, retirees who need to move into a smaller place and folks whose relatives have passed and they want to get rid of their books. I pretty much haunt the US and World History sections as well as Military History, plus some others. Prices are very good, either $1.99 (not often, but sometimes), $2.99 (the usual), $3.99 (if it's a big book) or a bit more if it's something special.

They have fiction as well as non-fiction, lots of it in fact. I don't know if there are other Goodwill Bookstores in other parts of the country, if you are interested it might be worth checking.

gilraen wrote: ↑Mon Mar 25, 2024 11:41 pm

Kraken wrote: ↑Mon Mar 25, 2024 11:37 pm Maybe it's just you? Image displays fine for me.

It displays fine here but if you click on it, it takes you to 404 page on imgur.

...then don't do that. True for me, too.

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 25, 2024 11:58 pm I've never come across a dedicated Goodwill Bookstore anywhere else but these three in Florida.

Which three Goodwill Stores are you speaking of? On Sunday, I was in the Goodwill on the east side of I-75 at US 70, and then the one at 17th ST and Honore. I bought a matched pair of marble Foo Dogs. The Thai cashier told me I should put them beside my door for good luck so I did. I really want to sell this condo. LOL I have purchased a few books at the Honore store before, they have more books than the US 70 location. The Goodwill in Sebring has a decent number of books and then the Nu-Hope thrift(closed on Mondays) further down south behind Arby's has an entire room full of books.

I was in Sarasota to buy a huge what I believe is the Atocha. Not sure why I had to have it, but it's beautiful as staging. My decorating style seems to be "Pirates of the Caribbean"

em2nought wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 4:41 am

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 25, 2024 11:58 pm I've never come across a dedicated Goodwill Bookstore anywhere else but these three in Florida.

Which three Goodwill Stores are you speaking of?

https://www.experiencegoodwill.org/bookstores

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 12:16 pm

em2nought wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 4:41 am

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 25, 2024 11:58 pm I've never come across a dedicated Goodwill Bookstore anywhere else but these three in Florida.

Which three Goodwill Stores are you speaking of?

https://www.experiencegoodwill.org/bookstores

or
https://www.goodwillbooks.com/

speaking of ... yesterday i was biking through Sodo (Seattle industrial district) and i passed by the Goodwill Outlet. i was going to go in, but as i was locking my bike up a worker comes down to me and says i can not bring my backpack into the store - "too many problems with backpacks" (there are a ton of 'unhoused peoples' encampments in the immediate vicinity). i said is there a place to check my bag at the door? the worker says 'there used to be, but not anymore'. i said i was on my bike and i can't leave my backpack with my bicycle outside. they just kinda shrugged with a 'what can ya do? i just work here' look and so i left. _that's_ a first.

hitbyambulance wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 2:59 pm https://www.goodwillbooks.com/

I've seen that page before, but I don't know how accurate it is, certainly the Goodwill Bookstores in Bradenton, Sarasota and Venice Florida aren't listed. The list I posted does have the locations of the actual bookstores which since I've visited them regularly I can confirmed that they are just dedicated bookstores. They aren't as big as, say, a Barnes & Noble, but maybe the size of the old Waldenbooks that used to be in malls.

The prices at those three stores are also significantly better than the online Goodwill bookstore, but of course you are just limited to what books are actually in the store at the time.

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 12:16 pm

em2nought wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 4:41 am

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 25, 2024 11:58 pm I've never come across a dedicated Goodwill Bookstore anywhere else but these three in Florida.

Which three Goodwill Stores are you speaking of?

https://www.experiencegoodwill.org/bookstores

Thanks, really I should be donating instead of thinking about buying. Do those Goodwill bookstores have drop offs too?

em2nought wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 4:20 pm

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 12:16 pm

em2nought wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 4:41 am

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 25, 2024 11:58 pm I've never come across a dedicated Goodwill Bookstore anywhere else but these three in Florida.

Which three Goodwill Stores are you speaking of?

https://www.experiencegoodwill.org/bookstores

Thanks, really I should be donating instead of thinking about buying. Do those Goodwill bookstores have drop offs too?

Yes, I think they do. I'm sure the Clark one has a dropoff and I'm pretty sure the other two have an area as well.

I think Goodwill does a brisk book business as an Amazon vendor. I've several times bought used books on Amazon supplied by "Goodwill of Madison" or "Goodwill of Sacramento" or some such.

Holman wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 5:14 pm I think Goodwill does a brisk book business as an Amazon vendor. I've several times bought used books on Amazon supplied by "Goodwill of Madison" or "Goodwill of Sacramento" or some such.

Me too. But I like the brick and mortar bookstores because I find books there I didn't ever know I wanted

I don't have the eyes for print in books anymore but I do fondly remember hours at a time spent in book stores. The only time I ever spent more time at a pop in a store is Meijer and that is when I have a monstrously huge grocery shop and I'm shopping for other stuff like lawn and garden or clothes and shoes.

I don’t know why I usually seem to post when I’m sitting at Chili’s, but here I am.

Anyway, I have a free birthday dessert and ordered their skillet cookie. It’s ok, but it takes me back to a restaurant many years ago when I was on a business trip (I think in Minnesota), where I had the most awesome dessert called a pizookie. I may have the spelling wrong but as I eat this skillet cookie here at Chili’s I’m wanting another pizookie.

telcta wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 6:08 pm Anyway, I have a free birthday dessert and ordered their skillet cookie. It’s ok, but it takes me back to a restaurant many years ago when I was on a business trip (I think in Minnesota), where I had the most awesome dessert called a pizookie. I may have the spelling wrong but as I eat this skillet cookie here at Chili’s I’m wanting another pizookie.

Hiccy burpday! FWIW, I believe 'pizza cookies' AKA 'pizookies' were popularised by BJ's Restaurant and Bar. If you don't have one nearby though, you could always try making a homemade copycat version instead.

Did you know that in Switzerland, it's illegal to own just one guinea pig? This is because they are considered social animals and it's believed that they get lonely without companionship. So, if you're in Switzerland and want a guinea pig, you better be prepared to get at least two!

SpiderRelax wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 8:25 pm Did you know that in Switzerland, it's illegal to own just one guinea pig? This is because they are considered social animals and it's believed that they get lonely without companionship. So, if you're in Switzerland and want a guinea pig, you better be prepared to get at least two!

I'd just cook the one I already had.

Andean Cuisine: Gordon Eats Guinea Pig | Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSKL2kXIwAA

Spider, if you are a bot, you are now my favorite bot. Hepcat, you have been unseated.

If you are not a bot, welcome to OO.

I wonder what would happen if we trained an AI exclusively on the content of OO going back to the beginning...

By the end it would just be yelling at you to get off it's lawn while watching Golden Girls reruns and complaining of knee pain..

Holman wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 9:03 am I wonder what would happen if we trained an AI exclusively on the content of OO going back to the beginning...

100% Isg. I’ve met them in person, and I’m still convinced they’re not fully human.

Random...all peanut M&Ms are made in my town in one factory. In fact its the old factory where my late wife's father worked for Burlington way back when.

Daehawk wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 1:26 pm Random...all peanut M&Ms are made in my town in one factory. In fact its the old factory where my late wife's father worked for Burlington way back when.

It's actually about 1/3 of all peanut M&Ms are made in your town. The other ~66% are made in a town next door to mine and Topeka, KS.

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 1:37 pm

Daehawk wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 1:26 pm Random...all peanut M&Ms are made in my town in one factory. In fact its the old factory where my late wife's father worked for Burlington way back when.

It's actually about 1/3 of all peanut M&Ms are made in your town. The other ~66% are made in a town next door to mine and Topeka, KS.

Weird. I was citing my random post off this local news segment.

How the Mars Wrigley factory in Cleveland became the exclusive home for peanut butter M&M's

Daehawk wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 2:09 pm

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 1:37 pm

Daehawk wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 1:26 pm Random...all peanut M&Ms are made in my town in one factory. In fact its the old factory where my late wife's father worked for Burlington way back when.

It's actually about 1/3 of all peanut M&Ms are made in your town. The other ~66% are made in a town next door to mine and Topeka, KS.

Weird. I was citing my random post off this local news segment.

How the Mars Wrigley factory in Cleveland became the exclusive home for peanut butter M&M's

I would note that Peanut M&Ms and Peanut Butter M&Ms are two different products.

My neighbor is out there mowing for the 3rd time in 3 weeks and the yard hasn't grown a bit. Ive mowed 1 time and it looks the same as where she is riding around on her mower. Well she aint getting me out there to mow something that dont need mowing. Let her ride around on her fancy mower all she likes. I guess she has nothing else to do.

Zarathud wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 10:48 am 100% Isg. I’ve met them in person, and I’m still convinced they’re not fully human.

I, too, have had the privilege of meeting Isg in person.
That said, my brain interpreted your sentence as having met Isg in prison which caused me to do a double take.

Ugh. Don't want to think about mowing the lawn yet. But I know it's coming soon.

Daehawk wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 2:31 pm My neighbor is out there mowing for the 3rd time in 3 weeks and the yard hasn't grown a bit. Ive mowed 1 time and it looks the same as where she is riding around on her mower. Well she aint getting me out there to mow something that dont need mowing. Let her ride around on her fancy mower all she likes. I guess she has nothing else to do.

I have a neighbor who's obsessed with his leaf blower. It's one of those big loud gas-powered backpack types that the pros use, and he's out there once a week, sometimes twice, blowing leaves nobody else can see. Last week I saw him blowing dust off the street -- in front of his neighbor's house on the other side. IDK if he's compelled to keep his yard spotless, or if he just enjoys using his big boy toy, or if he does it to escape his wife for a couple of hours, or what.

Maybe our neighbors are just losing their damn minds.

Kraken wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 3:26 pm IDK if he's compelled to keep his yard spotless, or if he just enjoys using his big boy toy, or if he does it to escape his wife for a couple of hours, or what.

I have a neighbor that's exactly the same. I'm actually surprised I haven't heard him fire it up. Then again, he was running it a few weeks ago when temps went into the 60s, which was bonkers. He's on a 1/3 acre lot, sandwiched in between two other houses and I hear him running that thing 5+ days a week for an hour or longer. During peak leaf season, he's blowing leaves until the sun disappears over the horizon; it's beyond annoying.

We moved back into "civilization" ~5 years ago and I'm still not used to being around people; I don't like it.

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 4:16 pm

Kraken wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 3:26 pm IDK if he's compelled to keep his yard spotless, or if he just enjoys using his big boy toy, or if he does it to escape his wife for a couple of hours, or what.

I have a neighbor that's exactly the same. I'm actually surprised I haven't heard him fire it up. Then again, he was running it a few weeks ago when temps went into the 60s, which was bonkers. He's on a 1/3 acre lot, sandwiched in between two other houses and I hear him running that thing 5+ days a week for an hour or longer. During peak leaf season, he's blowing leaves until the sun disappears over the horizon; it's beyond annoying.

We moved back into "civilization" ~5 years ago and I'm still not used to being around people; I don't like it.

I'll trade you!!!! How would you like a neighbor who piles up his trash on the fence line and lets it is sit and blow off his property for a month at a time, leave oil stains all up and down the street, aka in front of your house, raises three attack dogs, works on loud and smelly cars and motorcycles out of his house for his living, has kids who can't play in the back or front yard because he's got all his work piled everywhere, so they spill in to your yard and scream at the top of their lungs outside your window, burns garbage in his backyard, lays his crap on the fence, has trees overgrowing in to your driveway, has customers who empty their garbage and throw their butts out on your lawn, etc... etc... etc... As he rents from a slum lord, I keep hoping he'll move out but he has it made. I'm sure his housing is subsidized and his business is off the books, so he's not going nowhere. And even if he did, I bet he'd keep this place as his place of business and leave his dogs here to protect his property. Not that there was crime around here until people like him started moving in.

If one thing will ever drive me back to work, it will be to earn enough money to get out of here. Only it seems this is increasingly the world we live in. Like a shit damn broke in 2008 and it just keeps getting deeper and spreading.

I don't have it that bad, but the neighbors directly across from me (leaf blower guy is a few houses up the block) are...not great. One has a yard that's filled with *stuff*. Nothing rotting, just junk. Next to him is the neighbor that puts out garbage too early and then the community bear comes around a few times a month and drags the garbage bags across my lawn and through my property, spilling the contents for me to deal with. It happened so much last year that when it starts happening again this year,m I'm just throwing the garbage in their pickup truck bed. Maybe when the bear destroys their truck bed, they'll finally realize putting it out the night before is a bad idea. They're also the ones that shoot fireworks off in front of my house all summer, sending my dog into an absolute freak-out where she crawls under a bed (she's 65lbs) and hides. We've asked them to please stop, but they don't seem to care. Really looking forward to it coming to a head again in ~3 more months. I'll go to jail for it. Let a jury convict me.

But yeah, you do sound like you have it worse and I'd probably be trying to move as well. Me? I'm fueled by spite; I want to be the last man standing and I'll wave from my driveway when they move away.

LordMortis wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 4:35 pm

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 4:16 pm

Kraken wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 3:26 pm IDK if he's compelled to keep his yard spotless, or if he just enjoys using his big boy toy, or if he does it to escape his wife for a couple of hours, or what.

I have a neighbor that's exactly the same. I'm actually surprised I haven't heard him fire it up. Then again, he was running it a few weeks ago when temps went into the 60s, which was bonkers. He's on a 1/3 acre lot, sandwiched in between two other houses and I hear him running that thing 5+ days a week for an hour or longer. During peak leaf season, he's blowing leaves until the sun disappears over the horizon; it's beyond annoying.

We moved back into "civilization" ~5 years ago and I'm still not used to being around people; I don't like it.

I'll trade you!!!! How would you like a neighbor who piles up his trash on the fence line and lets it is sit and blow off his property for a month at a time,

Hah, that's our neighbor on the other side. We call them the trash people. At the moment there are 19 plastic lawn chairs in various states of decay scattered around the yard, a gas grill laying on its side, two tires, three separate mounds of lord knows what miscellaneous trash, and myriad plastic toys from children that don't live there anymore. A few weeks ago they put a dishwasher out by the curb. To have a large item picked up, one must call the trash company a few days in advance. Of course they didn't do that. Finally, Wife put a curb alert on Craigslist and somebody came and hauled it away, presumably for either repair or scrap metal.

Between the trash people on one side and the lawn nazi on the other -- both of whom display campaign signs for the bad guys -- I am more than ready to move away.

Easy fix - move to a neighborhood with an HOA. I guarantee you'll hate that more though.

I'm lucky in that my neighbors are all tidy folks who don't over-mow or over-blow their yards. The only exception is the house across the street whose occupant died a couple of years ago. He had no will and his only living relative refuses to do anything about it. So the lawn is overgrown and trashy. The neighbors next to the house called the county and there are now signs posted noting that if the situation is not corrected the county will fine the homeowners... whoever they might be

And just to make the situation even more odd, the neighbor died with a nice car in the garage, leased from a dealer. The car can't be retrieved because of the garage door. Eventually if the will situation isn't fixed, the county will sell the property for taxes and fines. I dread the idea that some motorcycle loving clown will move in (as was in the house next to it for awhile) but the house probably won't be livable until a lot of work is done on it.

stessier wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 6:11 pm Easy fix - move to a neighborhood with an HOA. I guarantee you'll hate that more though.

They say this. I'm not sure I wouldn't want to test those waters, even if I hate the idea of paying to belong to an HOA. I feel like I live I'm in the wild west now... in a 70 year old cluster subdivision...