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fuggled

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Posts posted by fuggled

  1. So, it's my "extended" family, sort-of.  The events occur last night.
    My GF has daughter that's married with two kids.   Nice family.  SIL ("John" for purposes of this post) is from Rancho Santa Fe...his folks have some dough. 
    So, John's Mom decides to take John, his wife, and his two kids to see a live production of "Grinch" at the Old Globe in San Diego.  For those that aren't familiar, The Old Globe is a pretty cool venue that does a ton of stuff that ends up on Broadway.
    Anyway, she springs for front-row seats.  Hires two limos.  One for John, wife, and kids, and another for herself and John's Dad.  John and family are about 35 miles N of the venue, so it's a fairly long limo ride.
    Each limo is stocked with nice champagne, shrimp cocktails, chocolates, etc. Everybody dressed in their Sunday best. 
    So they get there, arrange for the limo drivers to return at a set time, and go in.  But, they don't get in, because the $1600 worth of tickets that she bought are fakes, and it's a full house with no room anywhere.   
    John's mom is so upset...loses her shit, feels like an idiot, is crying, etc.  (She's a super-lovely woman, not crazy as far as I can tell).  Anyway, in her upset-ness, she slips on the wet sidewalk and faceplants.  911 is called, and she's taken away in an ambulance.  Ambulance won't let John's dad go because COVID, so they get an uber. Ambulance takes her to a ghetto ER full of homeless, stabbing victims, etc. 
    John's wife is calling the limo driver to get a ride back home and he's not answering. 
    Wife and kids have to get an expensive uber home, and John, once he sees that Mom is stable, catches another expensive uber home so he can get his car and come back to drive Mom and Dad home. 
    Mom has a concussion, and her face is bruised and bloodied.  Merry Christmas everyone!
     
    Just curious, but how did she buy the tickets?

    Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

  2. A few days ago we drove down to spend the week with my wife's family in Austin. Yesterday I'm doing some cooking when my phone rings and I see it's my dad (back in Dallas) calling. We have the following conversation:

    Dad: Have you been following our text thread with Mrs. Fuggled?
    Me: Nope, what's up?
    Dad: We're at your house, but can't find any kind of delivery notice for the package.
    Me: What package? Hang on. Hey, wife, what is my dad taking about?
    Wife: Well, I wanted Santa to leave a special tree for our daughter that she can put her own ornaments on, so I asked your parents to go over to our house to set it up. But I got a message that Amazon couldn't deliver the tree.
    Me: Is it a USPS delivery?
    Wife: Yes, why?
    Me: Because I put on a hold on our mail when we left like I told you 3 days ago. That thing isn't getting delivered.
    Wife: Well, maybe your dad can go to the post office and ask nicely if they'll give him our mail.
    Me (back on the phone): Dad, go home. Thanks for trying.


    Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

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  3. Sorry, it took me a while to eat and review this new fruitcake.  Fortunately, you're not missing too much if you don't get a chance to order one of these this year.

    Thanks to a gift from work, I was able to order a new variety of fruitcake from Goldbelly this year.  This one is a 3 pound cake from Eilenberger's Bakery in Palestine, TX.  I expected this East Texas offering to be about 20% more racist than other fruitcakes, but otherwise I had high hopes.

    Packaging & Storage
    The Eilenberger fruitcake came in a round, green tin with a turn of the century scene on the lid.  The design is nice, but the tin itself was thin and flimsy.  You can sort of see next to my beer can where the tin was dented in shipping.  So unfortunately, I'm not expecting to get much reuse out of the tin.  This fruitcake didn't come with much direction on storing it, but we learned as we ate it that it actually dried out fairly quickly once it was opened.  Finding a better way to store/seal it might have been helpful.

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    Appearance
    The top of this fruitcake is absolutely covered with nuts and fruit.  That's not surprising since the first 3 ingredients in the fruitcake are pineapple, pecans and cherries.  It definitely looks delicious inside the tin.

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    Taste Test
    As you'd expect based on the ingredient list, this cake is extremely heavy on the fruit.  So much fruit!  And lots of good sized chunks of nuts.  There's actually so much fruit that the cake can collapse a bit when slicing it, so chilling it might have been a good idea.  This cake has a really good flavor, definitely centered on the fruit.  It's not as dark and complex as Assumption Abbey, but it's not as super sweet as Collin Street.  It's somewhere in between those two.  There's definitely a cake texture to this one, which I prefer.  Because there is so much fruit, the cake tended to crumble a lot and the cake started drying out fairly quickly for some reason.  I was often left with a pile of cake-coated fruit that I was trying to scoop up with my fork (see the second photo below).  It didn't have the moisture to stick back together.  So, overall, the flavor was good but not very complex and there was more crumble than I'd prefer.  My wife really liked the flavor of this one.

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    This was a decent cake, but not my favorite so far.  This one was also quite a bit pricier at $72 (including $15 for shipping), as opposed to ~$37 for Assumption (including shipping).  Collin Street was about $37 last year.  As far as I can tell, Eilenberger only ships through Goldbelly, so there's probably a considerable markup in there.  It's definitely not good enough to justify being twice as expensive as these other fruitcakes.

  4. When we went a few years ago, we drove from Seattle to Vancouver then took a ferry to Galiano Island for a few days and another ferry from there to Victoria.  I think the ferry actually got into Swartz Bay and then we drove down to Victoria.  We had 2 kids (5 and 2) when we went, so factor that into any recommendations.

    On the drive down to Victoria, we stopped at Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse.  We really enjoyed that stop.  A little rough with the kids in tow, but great cider.  I think they hard a dozen varieties in a flight for us.  This might have been the only alcohol we brought home from the trip.

    I echo what everyone said about Butchart Gardens, it really was amazing.  There was also plenty to hold the kids attention.

    We stayed near the inner harbor, just across the street from the Empress hotel.  That whole area is easily walkable and there's lots to see.  The water taxis in the harbor put on a choreographed "ballet" with music that is worth watching.  The area around Thunderbird Park and the Royal BC Museum was nice.  There was a fish & chips stand a bit north of there on the water called Red Fish Blue Fish that was great.  We just liked exploring the area and somewhat accidentally strolled about a mile to a farmers market nearby called Moss Street Market.  We were pleasantly surprised that farmers markets in Canada can sell beer.  There was also a park and playground adjacent to the market for the kids. 

    Funny story, we were walking through Victoria Chinatown and randomly stumbled upon the Mexican heritage festival.  There were a dozen Mexicans in Victoria.  My Mexican wife whose family is mostly in Laredo and San Antonio thought this was hilarious.  We did score some tamales though.

    A bit out of the way is Fort Rodd Hill and the Fisgard Lighthouse.  I can't remember how we ended up here.  Must have just been out for a drive and killing some time (maybe trying to get the 2 year old to sleep).  Anyway, it's a nice park with a lot of exhibits of the fort and artillery that was active through WWII.

  5. On 11/29/2021 at 4:30 PM, Mo Horn said:

    I love fruitcake. I make my mother's recipe, and can't wait.

     

    On 11/29/2021 at 7:59 PM, Chewbacca said:

    My MIL makes a fantastic fruitcake. She sends us 2 every year. One is mine and one is for everyone else.

     

    On 12/2/2021 at 9:41 AM, CHIEF said:

    I have my maternal great grandmother's recipe. After she passed, it was always my father that made them. Now that he has passed, I guess I'm gonna have to take up that mantel. I absolutely love them. My Dad would alter the recipe to have a little more of the candied red cherries than other candied fruits. He would make about $2500 or so around Christmas time baking a bunch and selling them.

    CHIEF

     

    Would any of you be willing to share your recipes?  I've never tried making my own, but think I might want to give it a show someday.

  6. We were camping at Old Settlers this past weekend and found this guy in the middle of our campsite.  We had already been there 3 days when an 8 year old almost stepped on him, so no idea where he was hiding before that.  My 10 year old is a snake fan, so we managed to relocate him to the edge of the property.  Looks like he might have been injured before we found him, so don't know if he made it.  We heard there were a number of copperheads found throughout the campgrounds, most weren't lucky enough to be relocated.

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  7. 2 hours ago, DonkeyCigars said:

    I’ve kept CNN on in the hotel room; I never watch any cable at home outside of market news. I thought I’d be fair and balanced and listen to cnn during all this because I’ve been told on here that CNN is not propaganda and is fair and real journalism. You are seeming to imply otherwise…

    "Not propaganda" doesn't mean "not sensationalized."  

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  8. 14 hours ago, Lobo said:

    I can already tell I'm regret asking this but what are "Puberty Blockers"?  Is like when you don't let a 9 year old have an AR-15?  

    Not sure if you already got an answer to this, but this is related to transgender kids.  One of the treatments helps delay puberty.  The intent is that it gives transgender kids and families time to figure out what the right path is before the kid goes through all the changes of puberty, which may be confusing and difficult to reverse.  This came up when Arkansas tried to block all the trans treatments for kids.

    This article covers some of it: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-arkansas-law-and-similar-bills-endanger-transgender-youth-research-shows/

    Quote

    Experts say claims that gender-affirming medical treatments are experimental or risky are flawed on several levels. Puberty blockers—a class of drugs called GnRH agonists that dampen the effects of sex hormones—have been used safely for decades to delay puberty in children who start it too early. In transgender youth, the drugs are used to prevent the development of permanent sex characteristics such as breasts and voice changes at the onset of puberty—generally age nine or older. Gender-affirming hormones—testosterone or estrogen—are not usually given until a person is in their teens. These hormones promote the development of sex characteristics that are different from those of the sex that an individual was assigned at birth.

     

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  9. 32 minutes ago, wild_turkey said:

    I’m having a hard time processing SB 8. Can someone explain all of this to me like I’m 5?

    Just to recap my very limited understanding, which is probably flawed:

    pre-1973 - Abortion illegal in Texas

    1973 Roe v. Wade - It is unconstitutional to have a total ban on abortion. Women have the right to choose in the first trimester but restrictions can be made for the second trimester.

    1973-present - Conservative states implement measures to make abortion more difficult, i.e. needing an ultrasound first, but never anything that directly violates Roe v. Wade.

    2021 SB 8 - Private citizens deputized to sue any person who has an abortion or anyone who aids and abets an abortion after 6 weeks. This can happen an unlimited number of times to the tune of $10k a pop. Time will tell if these lawsuits will be successful, but the threat of extreme legal repercussions will likely be a deterrent to anyone performing an abortion moving forward.


    What I don’t understand is this…

    1. How can the State of Texas allow (encourage?) anyone to sue someone else for an action that is already protected by a U.S. Supreme Court decision? It’s like saying “Alright, we agree that Brown vs. Board of Education ruled that racial segregation in schools is unconstitutional, so we’re not going to pass a law to authorize segregation per se, but we’re going to pass a law to allow random people to sue anyone involved with black people attending a white school.” I don’t understand the basis for being able to sue someone for something that isn’t illegal in the first place.

    2. If this can be done to effectively eliminate Roe v. Wade, then can’t it be used for any state to invalidate almost any SCOTUS decision the state disagrees with? What’s the power of the SCOTUS then?

    3. What stops states from using this tactic to pass other absurd laws to target groups of people or prohibit activities they don’t agree with? Conservative states could do the same thing to prohibit gay marriage or eliminate healthcare for transgender people. Liberal states could allow citizens to sue each other for having a handgun. Chaos ensues?

    4. Is there any legal precedent to deputizing private citizens to sue each other for the sake of enforcing a “law”, however sensible or irrational that law may be?

    5. Is there any legal precedent to allowing one person to sue another person for an action that did not directly harm the plaintiff?


    Sorry for the long post and for asking questions that have likely been hashed out somewhere in this thread. I’ve been trying to read and understand this but my pea brain is failing me on this topic and I need help.

    You're raising a lot of the same points that the DOJ included in their lawsuit.  It's a good read to back up your logic.

    https://apps.npr.org/documents/document.html?id=21060104-us-v-state-of-

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  10. So help me understand surley legal eagles, reading this federal suit and the comments from gov hotwheels and his pit crew. They keep referencing the heart beat,
    "Renae Eze, spokeswoman for Gov. Greg Abbott. “Texas passed a law that ensures that the life of every child with a heartbeat will be spared from the ravages of abortion."
    Now there was another article posted a page or two back stating that at 6 weeks the fetus hasn't developed it cardiovascular system yet so the pulsating we see on the sonogram isn't really a heart beat.
    Is that meaningless in all of this ?
    They provide their own definition of fetal heartbeat in the law. Basically says something about cardiac noise. It's just a label they've put on something that clearly isn't a heartbeat.

    Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

  11. Hoping someone can help me out here.  My van got rear-ended a week before I was supposed to take the family on a 2-week camping road trip, leaving the rear liftgate unable to open.  Not really having another option, I rented another van for the trip.  The accident was 4 weeks ago and the other guy's insurance finally today accepted liability.  The question is, should I be compensated for the 2 week van rental under a loss of use claim?  The insurance company is only offering to cover a rental while repairs are being made and pushing back because my van was technically still drivable when I had the rental.  

  12. This is so random, I'm not even sure where to post it.  

    We're heading out on a camping trip this weekend and I ordered a pack of 2 bite valves from Walmart to replace one the kids had chewed through.

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    They finally showed up yesterday, yeah!  Only thing is, instead of sending me a pack of bite valves, they sent me a case.  I double checked and they only charged me the couple bucks for a pack, but now I'm flush with 48 bite valves.  An embarrassment of riches is what it is.  After 18 months of lockdown, multiple deaths in the family and social/political chaos, things are finally looking up!

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    So the question is, does anybody need some bite valves?  What would you do with them?

    Step 1: Magically procure bite valves

    Step 2: ???

    Step 3: Profit

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  13. Anyone have a recommendation for a reliable handyman in DFW (Richardson specifically)?

    Here's the deal...I have an L-shaped maple butcher block countertop (~35 sq. ft.) that I need sanded down and refinished.  Finish is a straight forward one-step product (wipe on, buff off after 5 minutes).  I would do it myself, but I want someone to handle it while our family is out on vacation so the finish has time to cure and I don't have to deal with complaints from the family about the kitchen being unusable.

    So far, I've had one handyman ghost me and 2 others tell me they don't do that kind of work.  Any recommendations?  I'm also thinking about reaching out to flooring contractors to see if they'd take the job.

     

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