rosco's recent activity
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Comment on Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to federal stalking charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO in ~news
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Comment on Autistic/Neurodivergent/"just stubborn" members: how did you [happily] learn to do something you couldn't just instantly do? in ~life
rosco LinkI think it depends on what the thing is. If it's a work thing, particularly something I'm not excited to do, that takes one form. If it's a fun thing, that's a pleasure all it's own. For work I...I think it depends on what the thing is. If it's a work thing, particularly something I'm not excited to do, that takes one form. If it's a fun thing, that's a pleasure all it's own.
For work I create mental buckets. Right now I have 3 "initiatives" under my care and any task I have goes into one of those buckets. I'm really clear with everyone that "I have not had this thing in my professional remit before and will defer to their expertise but continue to push things forward." Usually this, plus being nice and non-combative with them, gives me a ton of lee way to fuck things up. And as long as I own them, reiterate that this is all new territory for me, and mostly fix it on the next go it's gone pretty well. I get to learn with the freedom to mess things up along the way.
For fun things, I find it much easier. I think of things in iterations or versions. I started taking pottery classes about two years ago. My first stuff was pretty basic but fun. The things I made were basic but I really loved them. So the next time I'd take the concept and expand on it: the 2D head became a 2D whole body, and then the 2D body became a 3D body in a very rigid pose, then 3D body in rigid pose with more interesting glazing, then the 3D body is an interesting pose, then 3D body in a difficult to balance 3D pose, the a 3D body in a weird position to pose with other features like crabs pinching their nose and fingers, then all of that colored with underglazes/glazes/glass additions.
I was excited about all of it at the time because it was the best thing I'd ever made - and when the next version didn't turn out it was fine because I was just learning for the next version of it. I realize this is a pattern for me in any new thing I try: linocut, wine making, mountain biking, swimming. If you just view it as a learning oppotunity to make it better or as one step on a pathway to the thing you really want to make it feels so much better. I messed up version or a crash isn't a failure, it's just a learning moment. I never think of it as "doing the more basic thing to get to a more complex place", more like as far as I'm comfortable pushing the boat out for now.
I will also say I'm very comfortable being worse at things than people who learned them being a child. I think there is a level you get to if you did an activity or a sport as a kid that is unachievable starting an activity as an adult. I have a friend who swims 2-6 miles a day, every single day, who inevitably gets smoked by our other out of shape friend who swims like 10 times a year but was a D1 swimmer.
Last last last thing. Sometimes I think it has to do with expectations and inner voice. My partner is very type A and succeeded at all the things you were supposed to growing up: played varsity soccer and track, went to Berkeley, etc. I on the other hand was a pot head with wild undiagnosed ADHD and got kicked out of college after freshman year. Today I'm very happy to be bad at things and fail, I'm very adept at it :). And my expectations for myself a very middling. On the other hand, my partner has a hard time with anything she isn't immediately gifted at and expects all of her outputs to be perfect. It makes for frustrating situations when I'm more adept at something quickly, she'll quit and take her ball home. I also grew up with a dad who would repeat "Bs are good" when report cards were coming out, where as my partners were disappointed at anything other than an A. I think her parents are now her internal voice and anything that isn't perfect is a shameful thing. Whereas for me, the Bs are good mentality gives me a really kind internal voice that is just kind of happy with how things went as long as I enjoyed it.
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Comment on Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to federal stalking charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO in ~news
rosco Link ParentYeah, I don't know anyone who read this as an AI thing. Everyone was frothing for change to our insurance system.Yeah, I don't know anyone who read this as an AI thing. Everyone was frothing for change to our insurance system.
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Comment on Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to federal stalking charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO in ~news
rosco Link ParentIt's called regulatory capture and it's funding from insurance companies that keeps our system this way. The majority of Americans now support medicare for all.Until the government gets off their ass, which they seem uninterested in doing, insurers are unfortunately a solution rather than a problem.
It's called regulatory capture and it's funding from insurance companies that keeps our system this way. The majority of Americans now support medicare for all.
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Comment on Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to federal stalking charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO in ~news
rosco Link ParentYou're right, I think it's an important note to call out that large healthcare providers like Sutter or Stanford also benefit from this system. We're in a predatory cycle of insurance and health...You're right, I think it's an important note to call out that large healthcare providers like Sutter or Stanford also benefit from this system. We're in a predatory cycle of insurance and health providers squeezing us on both ends.
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Comment on Is there any interest in building a Tildes successor? in ~tildes
rosco Link ParentI think widespread LLMs have made it pretty unappealing. Even on our local subreddit there are accounts bombarding it with very offensive, conservative talking points and when you click on the...I think widespread LLMs have made it pretty unappealing. Even on our local subreddit there are accounts bombarding it with very offensive, conservative talking points and when you click on the user it's clear it's a bot that is deployed on local subreddits across the US. Anywhere with that large of a userbase is a target of campaigns like that.
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Comment on Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to federal stalking charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO in ~news
rosco Link ParentI'm curious if you live the US, as that will likely really flavor your impression of the entire event. Since I was 24 I've had a number of really impactful insurance claim denials: 2014 - MRI...I'm curious if you live the US, as that will likely really flavor your impression of the entire event.
Since I was 24 I've had a number of really impactful insurance claim denials:
2014 - MRI denied for a torn medial meniscus, my out of pocket cost $6,500 (I was told it would be covered and then had a denied when it was billed)
2018 - Denial to see a specialist with a referral from an urgent care doctor. My torn achilles went misdiagnosed for a month while I was able to get an appointment to see an "approved" doctor. The recovery was delayed by 6-8 months.
2024 - dropped coverage of our hospital/OBGYN 3 weeks before my wife's delivery. An insane amount of work by ourselves and with paid advocated to get a continuation waiver.All of those happened while I was young, healthy, well supported financially, and with relatives who work in the healthcare industry and could help me navigate it. The first two happened with a United Healthcare plan. I'm going in as the low risk, low payout patient from an insurance perspective and still end up managing poor health coverage and outcomes. Imagine being in a high risk category.
I think Luigi ends up representing "street justice" in a system that otherwise prevents everyday people from getting any justice at all. I have no recourse over United Healthcare, I have very little power to even fight the denied claims. And there are very few parts of society that I very with so much contempt and rage than private insurance. They are literally the bean counters of death. So while I agree that murder is bad, it was a glimmering moment for many of us that hoped something might change. That the social contract was broken enough that people we resorting to vigilante justice. It was a signal to the bean counters that there would need to be a re-evaluation of the profit/outcomes equation.
But then we didn't get that. We saw the system double down in a way many of us have never seen. The man hunt, the terrorism charges, the unbelievable expenditure on this case. A quick blip of changes to procedure, but otherwise it was additional security of the top brass and a return to business as usual. So many people, me included, rooted for Luigi.
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Comment on What is your Mandela effect moment? in ~movies
rosco LinkMine have to do with vegetation. Every few years I'll see a new plant and then it'll be everywhere and when I ask about it people will have said it's been here forever. The first was Valeriana...Mine have to do with vegetation. Every few years I'll see a new plant and then it'll be everywhere and when I ask about it people will have said it's been here forever. The first was Valeriana rubra, which I first noticed in 2018 and was informed by my mom that we had it in our back yard for my entire childhood. The second was in 2022 Amaryllis belladonna. It looks like something that would pop up from a grave and is suuuuper obvious. Again, very off that I never noticed them before. They are prolific.
Anyway, my wife and I call these "patch upgrades" now. Like we got a new set of plants uploaded into our head.
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Comment on Antisemitism on campus is 'systemic' and going unaddressed, says new report in ~society
rosco Link ParentI have a hard time believing they wouldn't be fired for saying it with so many witnesses. Professors and leadership were fired for being supportive of Israel but not quite supportive enough very...I have a hard time believing they wouldn't be fired for saying it with so many witnesses. Professors and leadership were fired for being supportive of Israel but not quite supportive enough very recently. So... yeah I have a hard time believing it.
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Comment on Reminder to myself that my employer does not give a shit about me in ~life
rosco LinkOther people might have posted here, but depending on where you are that is super illegal (I'm in California and believe it's the only place it's been litigated but look into your jurisdiction)....Other people might have posted here, but depending on where you are that is super illegal (I'm in California and believe it's the only place it's been litigated but look into your jurisdiction). The idea behind "unlimited" vacation is you don't accrue vacation days that get paid out when you quit. That's the benefit to the employer. If they cap you to 20 vacation days and you have that in writing (and if you don't and are in a jurisdiction where this applies, please get that asap even if just for when you eventually quit) that's a slam dunk civil case. Either you accrue vacation that get's paid out on termination or you get unlimited, there is no in between.
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Comment on Kavinsky, French DJ behind hit track ‘Nightcall,’ found dead at home in Paris in ~music
rosco LinkMan, I had a huge Kavinsky era. I had pandora playlists build around Nightcall. So sad to hear about this.Man, I had a huge Kavinsky era. I had pandora playlists build around Nightcall. So sad to hear about this.
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Comment on Strange creatures cast ashore: salps in ~enviro
rosco LinkI just ran into the first ones on the west coast this year a few weeks ago! It's always funny talking about them because locally everyone calls them something different so I told a friend to come...I just ran into the first ones on the west coast this year a few weeks ago! It's always funny talking about them because locally everyone calls them something different so I told a friend to come look at the "salps" on our swim, to which he replied "that's a tunicate", and when we got back ashore a few of the other dippers were excitedly talking about seeing the sea vaginas. In any case they always cause stir because they look so alien!!! I think only the wind sailors or the big gumboot chiton get the same level of excitement during their big die offs. Well, the jellies do too but for a very different reason ;)
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Comment on Cargobike recommendations and advice in ~hobbies
rosco Link ParentSounds like any way you can get them rolling is perfect! We might switch over to a backloader after the baby stage but TBD on how we like the front loader!Sounds like any way you can get them rolling is perfect! We might switch over to a backloader after the baby stage but TBD on how we like the front loader!
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Comment on Cargobike recommendations and advice in ~hobbies
rosco Link ParentI'd go for a back loader but we need the front end cargo bike for the carseat mounts. When they are older the world is our oyster!I'd go for a back loader but we need the front end cargo bike for the carseat mounts. When they are older the world is our oyster!
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Comment on Cargobike recommendations and advice in ~hobbies
rosco Link ParentGreat call outs all around. The main issue here we're trying to solve for it that this will be shared by me and my wife. She wants a step through so unless we have a major shift after trialing,...Great call outs all around. The main issue here we're trying to solve for it that this will be shared by me and my wife. She wants a step through so unless we have a major shift after trialing, that's likely what we'll get. We also need a bigger frontend specifically to mount the carseat, so not necessarily one of the land boats, but at least something with enough room for that.
I've heard the Bullit is the "bikers bike", sounds like the muli is similar, though it felt twitchy as hell when I rode it. The other ones do feel much more like seadoos, not in a bad way though.
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Comment on Cargobike recommendations and advice in ~hobbies
rosco Link ParentWhat an amazing write up!!! I really appreciate you pouring so much thought and detail into it! It's easy to imagine the fun we'll be having from the way you describe it! I'm definitely going to...What an amazing write up!!! I really appreciate you pouring so much thought and detail into it! It's easy to imagine the fun we'll be having from the way you describe it! I'm definitely going to be stealing all the little touches like the sting lights and the Wonderboom. i've got more to noodle on here but feeling very confident with our choice to invest! Thank you so much!
Also, I'd love to hear more about the Schleptastic Tow Monster once you have some miles using it. Sounds like the perfect option as the kiddos get older.
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Comment on Cargobike recommendations and advice in ~hobbies
rosco LinkCalling out @gpl and @DynamoSunshirt specifically based on the recent bike thread and Dynamo's wealth of knowledge with biking - I'm guessing there is cargo knowledge in there too ;). Cheers!Calling out @gpl and @DynamoSunshirt specifically based on the recent bike thread and Dynamo's wealth of knowledge with biking - I'm guessing there is cargo knowledge in there too ;). Cheers!
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Cargobike recommendations and advice
My wife and I had a baby a few months ago and we learned that you can put a carseat in the front of a front load cargo bike starting at 3 months. I was already keen for a cargo bike, as was my...
My wife and I had a baby a few months ago and we learned that you can put a carseat in the front of a front load cargo bike starting at 3 months. I was already keen for a cargo bike, as was my wife, so we're taking the dive. There are a few common brands available in the USA, namely Urban Arrow, Omnium, and Harry vs Larry's Bullit Bike, and while those are still in contention we're currently in Munich and considering buying one and getting it home. Lots context on what we're thinking and doing and then to questions.
I was able to test drive the Muli Classic and the Carrie from Riese and Muller as representatives of shorter bikes, and we're considering the Load from Riese and Muller, the Loven's s75, the Urban Arrow Family, and the Bakfietz.nl Cruiser. We also rented the Lovens for the month we're here and pick it up today.
Ok, so we have a few questions on our plate. Do we go compact cargobike - like a Muli - or do we go for the full family van - like a Lovens or Urban Arrow? Within those categories are there any considerations we need to be mindful of like repairability? Our concern is that the Bafang engine is loved by all but seemingly hard to get parts for stateside. Whereas Bosch or Shimano would be easier. Could we rock a non-electric version like the Muli Muscle, or is that impractical?
I've been able to talk to a few owners and everyone loves the bike they have. The Muli guys love the Muli. The Lovens moms love the Lovens. It's great signal that cargobikes generally work well for the people interested in them, but not much as to which way we should go.
Last is context on what we hope to do and what we want to use it for. I'd love to go down to a 1 car family. We live within 6 blocks of all our core needs - grocery store, hardware store, pharmacy, repair places - and within .5 miles of our main recreation areas - the forest and the beach - so largely we're set walking. But there are so many great things that are just outside that area, within about 10 miles, that a cargobike would be great to have - parks, larger stores, everything really. And our Costco is about 500 feet off the main municipal bike trail so I would Looooooove to do my Costco runs on the bike. We also have one kiddo and there will likely be a second. I'm going to be getting a shotgun seat for my normal townie and mountain bikes for when the kids are old enough, but I'd also really love to be able to ferry them to school, have their friends join us, and make it the primary transport until for the family. Our friends in town have a street legal golf cart and I'd love to do something similar with the cargo bike. There is some possibility that we end up with 2, like a Muli and a Lovens, but with storage space that is currently very impractical. Also we live up a hill - about 150ft elevation gain over 5 blocks - from the main trail that connects us to the surrounding towns. We live a weird place where our pennisula is bisected by a military base and golf course so that is literally the only way to access any of the other surrounding towns. Also I'm currently a deep memeber of the Surly gang and am finding myself drawn to bikes like that - probably why the Muli keeps coming up on here - but realize that may be a foolish way to choose a family cargo bike. Also the price range is fairly steep $5-10k, so I'm trying to be level headed about it.
I'd love to hear about your experiences with cargobikes: what you rode, what you loved, what you'd skip. If you have friends or family who have indulged. Or just any thoughts really! I realize it's a small group that owns them so any info helps!
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Comment on Has anyone else seen a LOT of dead birds on the side of the road this year? in ~enviro
rosco Link ParentYeah, looks like a couple compounding issues. The one that showed up locally looks like it died from exposure from a toxic algae bloom, same for the one in Watsonville. Otherwise I think it's...Yeah, looks like a couple compounding issues. The one that showed up locally looks like it died from exposure from a toxic algae bloom, same for the one in Watsonville. Otherwise I think it's mostly been from starvation, particularly the ones in San Francisco Bay and Puget Sound.
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Comment on Has anyone else seen a LOT of dead birds on the side of the road this year? in ~enviro
rosco LinkLot's of dead whales by us. I think the count washing up on California beaches is 40+ this Spring. It's been a bloodbathLot's of dead whales by us. I think the count washing up on California beaches is 40+ this Spring. It's been a bloodbath
Agreed, theres just lots to be furious about.