Merry's recent activity
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Comment on What can be done about the Supreme Court of the United States? in ~misc
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Comment on Questions about DEI standards in ~humanities
Merry Link ParentBecause people make mistakes and say things that come off the wrong way to the wrong audience. I went to the website for this actual program and I found nothing that would give me pause to think...Because people make mistakes and say things that come off the wrong way to the wrong audience. I went to the website for this actual program and I found nothing that would give me pause to think this was some secretly masked racist initiative.
If a white person did it, yes there would be outrage from a group of people that only read headlines and only look so far into things that validates their narratives. There would also be people out there that do more than a few seconds of research into who said said what and why, and make their conclusion on a more nuanced basis. You get to choose as an individual what you want to do and how you want to react to things.
I think we should give people the benefit of the doubt and let well-meaning people have a little grace when trying to do good in the world. This is a program trying to undo some systemic problems that they identified with their school system. I don't take this random teacher's comments, in a likely amateur-written and amateur-edited article as coming off as the gateway for black or Latino male supremacy.
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Comment on Questions about DEI standards in ~humanities
Merry Link ParentThe person that said that quote in the link was a teacher, not an administrator of the DEI initiative. People say dumb stuff all the time without realizing how it could come off. In their mind,...The person that said that quote in the link was a teacher, not an administrator of the DEI initiative. People say dumb stuff all the time without realizing how it could come off. In their mind, they could have been referring to something like shared experiences and relatability in the classroom with students in their classroom.
The point of the initiative is to push for a more representative population of educators, not do a 1:1 replacement, segregation style. It seems to me that the school system has an overrepresenation of non-black and non-latino teachers that they are trying to address so they can produce better learning outcomes due to the research they quoted. They are also focusing on males in that 1000 person hiring, but I wouldn't come away with the assumption that they are misogynistic if teaching is dominated by women, right?
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Comment on Should I go heat pump only? in ~life.home_improvement
Merry Link ParentYeah, that's in line with what I have been told. I currently have a 2 ton AC unit and the heat pumps being suggested are at 2.5 ton or 3 ton. I am 90% sure I will be going with Carrier/Midea...Yeah, that's in line with what I have been told. I currently have a 2 ton AC unit and the heat pumps being suggested are at 2.5 ton or 3 ton. I am 90% sure I will be going with Carrier/Midea 38MURA with the associated air handler. The performance seems good enough to fit my needs and I at least have until January/February next year when a potential cold snap comes in that I can get my fireplace up and running, unless I see some estate sales this summer offloading some other heating sources that I can purchase on the cheap.
I have one more consult this morning but should be able to make a decision by Monday.
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Comment on Your favorite deeply unpopular music in ~music
Merry LinkWhen I share Daniel Johnston's music with people, they either really get it, or they don't. Fun fact, the "Hi, How Are You" mental health threads here on tildes actually came from the charity in...When I share Daniel Johnston's music with people, they either really get it, or they don't.
Fun fact, the "Hi, How Are You" mental health threads here on tildes actually came from the charity in inspired by Daniel:
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Comment on Should I go heat pump only? in ~life.home_improvement
Merry Link ParentHi neighbor! I am just over a mile from the coast so no beautiful views, but I do get a nice cooling during the summer/warming during the winter effect that is readily apparent when going to Grand...Hi neighbor!
I am just over a mile from the coast so no beautiful views, but I do get a nice cooling during the summer/warming during the winter effect that is readily apparent when going to Grand Rapids for the day.
I was pretty skeptical of the comment about repairability for current furnace, but my understanding was their concern is not really about not repairable, but more will it be worth it to fix when it does break. If I recall the concern correctly, they were concerned about my heat exchanger. They mentioned particulate matter falling onto the heat exchanger due to its age and the specific model I have. Fixing that particular piece of the furnace could run me ~25% of the cost of a new furnace, while not having nearly the same amount of efficiency.
Thank you or the information about the tax breaks! I don't know if I would qualify for any more than the federal ones I found. Generally, I don't fall in the income tax bracket where I would receive the highest amounts available. Regarding solar, it is definitely not happening this year. Maybe next year, but more likely two years from now. It is unfortunate because solar panels might be more expensive in the coming years due to the tariffs on Chinese solar, but maybe if Biden gets re-elected we will have more tax incentives for the US-produced stuff.
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Comment on Should I go heat pump only? in ~life.home_improvement
Merry Link ParentThere is a decent breeze on-and-off throughout the day, but most noticeably there seems to be a lack of wind overnight unless we have some weather fronts smashing into each other. On top of that,...There is a decent breeze on-and-off throughout the day, but most noticeably there seems to be a lack of wind overnight unless we have some weather fronts smashing into each other. On top of that, I am in a fairly suburban area. I have doubts that ground mounted solar would be approved on my home, let alone my own
personal wind turbine. -
Comment on Should I go heat pump only? in ~life.home_improvement
Merry Link ParentMy hesitation and reservation is the price I was quoted for 17.2 SEER heat pump and 98% efficiency furnace was nearly $19,000. Granted, I can just ride the existing furnace until it goes out and...My hesitation and reservation is the price I was quoted for 17.2 SEER heat pump and 98% efficiency furnace was nearly $19,000. Granted, I can just ride the existing furnace until it goes out and be out of pocked ~8k-$9k just for the heat pump install, going for a lower efficiency unit and forgetting about any tax incentives from IRA.
Are there any downsides that you can think of to just going with a heat pump only, and then fixing/getting a gas fireplace that I could use to supplement during extremely cold weather?
Also, any specific brands to avoid?
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Comment on Should I go heat pump only? in ~life.home_improvement
Merry Link ParentSo far, out of the two HVAC people that I have talked to, they have been pushing Goodman units and haven't mentioned cold climate as a selling point for them. I will do some research on my side to...So far, out of the two HVAC people that I have talked to, they have been pushing Goodman units and haven't mentioned cold climate as a selling point for them. I will do some research on my side to find a contractor who specializes in these units.
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Comment on Should I go heat pump only? in ~life.home_improvement
Merry Link ParentI'm a bit resistant to having electric only options for now when I don't have solar, and solar may end up being unviable where I am. The rough calculations that I have show that I would barely...I'm a bit resistant to having electric only options for now when I don't have solar, and solar may end up being unviable where I am. The rough calculations that I have show that I would barely meet my electric needs in winter if I were still using natural gas as my heating option, so I don't have high hopes that it will work out.
I also have very limited outlet options in my home unfortunately. I was going to push for a whole home rewire at some point in the next 12 months and maybe then I would feel more comfortable.
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Comment on Should I go heat pump only? in ~life.home_improvement
Merry Link ParentHmmm, yeah that's a good idea. I do actually have a random wood burning stove in my garage that came with the house. It isn't hooked up but I could look closer at it tomorrow to check it out. Home...Hmmm, yeah that's a good idea.
I do actually have a random wood burning stove in my garage that came with the house. It isn't hooked up but I could look closer at it tomorrow to check it out. Home insurance probably wouldn't like a wood burning stove though...
I also coincidentally do have an inoperable gas fireplace. I didn't bother doing anything with it because I didn't care when I moved in but I will do more research into one that can operate as a mini furnace with a blower, if those exist.
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Should I go heat pump only?
Hi all, I am in the middle of taking bids with my local HVAC companies and am looking for someone to nudge me in one direction or the other. For background, I bought my house in western Michigan,...
Hi all,
I am in the middle of taking bids with my local HVAC companies and am looking for someone to nudge me in one direction or the other. For background, I bought my house in western Michigan, right off the lake Michigan coast near Grand Rapids, last Fall. My home inspection made it clear the AC would need work and I haven't started to feel the need for it until recently. I called an HVAC company out and when they said the unit was 25+ years old, I just told them to forget about even fixing it because it would be at least 10% of the cost of a new unit and still way less efficient.
So.
My natural gas furnace is also ~20 years old and the first HVAC guy said that if it broke down, it likely wouldn't pass a safety inspection. They said something about how the coils being dirty or positioned someway or something, I can't really recall 100% what the issue would be but the gist that I got was that when it breaks down, whether it be 1 year, 2 years, or 5 years, it won't be worth fixing or it will be unfixable. A new AC would be ~$6500 and a new furnace would be ~$7000.
So I started up the conversation towards installing a heat pump unit in instead of a standard AC unit. My initial thinking is that when the furnace goes, I have the back up ready to go instead. Now a heat pump unit is going to cost me around $2000 more. I don't think my plan will be to ever install a replacement furnace. Depending on what the solar assessment says, evaluating both ground mounted and roof mounted solar, will tell me how worth it is to go that route and have discounted or free heating and cooling.
Where the calculus gets tricky for me is there is the Inflation Reduction Act which will give me a $2000 tax credit for a heat pump. But that will come with buying a more expensive, and efficient unit, and I believe I will also have to completely get rid of the furnace I currently have since the total home system has to meet the efficiency standard. In addition, last month I replaced my fuse box with a 200 amp panel and if I meet the requirements to get the $2000 tax credit, I would also get $600 tax credit for the panel since I can tie them together.
All in all, I am looking at getting a more efficient unit for roughly the same price as the less efficient unit but without the natural gas furnace as either main heating, or back up heating. My hesitation is that natural gas is so cheap that it doesn't make sense financially to go heat pump only unless I have renewable energy to pair with it. But maybe I am just overthinking it? And maybe I have gotten something wrong in my calculations?
Any advice or clarifications would be greatly appreciated. I have one more quote coming this Thursday and I hope to make a decision by Friday to get the work started
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Comment on Housing market predictions in ~finance
Merry Link ParentYeah, I didn't expect my family to be as mad as they did that I just went and got married one day. Where I lived, notaries can marry people and the city library offered free notary services. Bonus...Yeah, I didn't expect my family to be as mad as they did that I just went and got married one day. Where I lived, notaries can marry people and the city library offered free notary services. Bonus points was the notary we got looked like Santa Claus. The only cost I had to pay was for the marriage license. All in, was like $200. Instead of spending all the usual money (and time), we ended up getting a mortgage for a house later that year.
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I Am Arrows - Green Grass (2010)
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Comment on Folks in those $100k+ jobs, corporate types, office workers... What would you say you actually do? in ~life
Merry LinkI'm an HRIS (HR Information Systems) manager for one of the largest retail companies in the US. This week: Met with my team and received project updates Followed up with other people in the...I'm an HRIS (HR Information Systems) manager for one of the largest retail companies in the US. This week:
- Met with my team and received project updates
- Followed up with other people in the business who need to provide my team with a deliverable so they can progress further in their projects
- Updated security rules for one of the systems I support
- Delivered performance reviews for my team
- Triaged an issue one of my team members had with their review given (they expected a top review after being with the company for 6 months).
- Worked on a project plan for new market entry business requirements for one of the systems I support
- Met with a team who utilizes one of my systems and touched base on things that are working well, and things that are pain points.
- Built a tool in Excel to address one of their pain points
- Updated another Excel tool that has not been working as intended.
- Worked through the project plan I mentioned earlier
- Planned a virtual team meeting activity for end of week (mainly a social call since we are all remote)
- Updated some scheduled python scripts
- Handled some one off requests received via Microsoft Teams
I make ~$150k a year if I receive my bonus. But to be honest, I hate being a manager. I would gladly step down to a Lead-level and make less money if it meant I didn't have to do as much meetings. My meetings take up roughly ~20-25 hours a week. My boss sucks (not as a person, just as a manager for a person like myself).
I actually told my boss at my recent performance review that I make too much money. I know it sounds absurd to say things like that but the point I was trying to make was that my goal isn't to make more and more money, and progress further and further in my career. I want to work on interesting projects that make me think and work towards a certain goal. If I don't have that, you couldn't pay me double what I make and expect me to be happy.
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Comment on Marathon runner, 12, sets her sights on 2028 Olympics in ~sports
Merry Link ParentAnecdotal experience, when I ran cross country in my youth and trained hard every day, I still got absolutely smoked by 12 and 13 year olds randomly. Part of it is a heavy training regime, but if...Anecdotal experience, when I ran cross country in my youth and trained hard every day, I still got absolutely smoked by 12 and 13 year olds randomly. Part of it is a heavy training regime, but if your body isn't built for it, you won't be able to match some people. Probably the most humbling experiences I had was running track for 6-7 years, only for some random kid to get on the track and just run laps around me.
Yes, there is a chunk of training for them (especially for someone trying for an Olympic level) but also if they are a multisport kid and have a really active lifestyle, with great nutrition options at home, then I'm not surprised by how good some kids can just be without much targeted effort.
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Miki Matsubara - Stay with Me (1979)
8 votes -
Comment on Merry Christmas in ~talk
Merry Link ParentI went hiking today in Muskegon! Going to the beach in Michigan on Christmas Day felt pretty much like Christmas in Monterey CAI went hiking today in Muskegon! Going to the beach in Michigan on Christmas Day felt pretty much like Christmas in Monterey CA
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Favorite smoothie recipes?
I just bought a Ninja nutribullet-equivalent blender and will be on a smoothie kick for quite awhile. I bought it because I really need to incorporate more fruits and vegetables in my diet and...
I just bought a Ninja nutribullet-equivalent blender and will be on a smoothie kick for quite awhile. I bought it because I really need to incorporate more fruits and vegetables in my diet and think it will be a good way to replace breakfast and sometimes dessert.
So far, I have bought two huge bags of frozen fruit, one with strawberries, mango, pineapple, and peaches, and the other is a mixed berry with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries. I also got a bag of frozen kale and frozen spinach. I know there are many, many sites out there filled with smoothie recipes but was curious on your favorite go-to recipe.
I'm open minded so share even your weird ones if you got them!
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Ginger Root - Loneliness (2022)
11 votes
The software running the United States government (the Constitution) needs patch updates. We have this metaphorical operating system that has been corrupted and is out of date. We have to start pushing for constitutional amendments on all the things that is wrong with the United States. We pretty much need a new 21st century Bill of Rights. It needs to cover
The thing is, I just don't think the USA is going to make it. The people who set out on building media empires to enrichen themselves won't be alive to see the consequences of the damage they have made by the time this country starts truly breaking at the seams.