The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 19, 2015 9:34:16 GMT -5
For us it's the new kitchen. I'll post pictures in my thread when we get started and when it's done. Never in my life did I think I'd spend that much on remodeling one room.
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 19, 2015 8:36:03 GMT -5
Woof = right Meow = wrong Litter = Done!
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 17, 2015 16:45:15 GMT -5
No, vacuuming the carpet is kinda like swiping the crumbs off a sticky counter. Cleaning the carpet is shampooing it with a deep cleaner (like wiping down a counter with disinfectant).
Name one thing you're OCD about that really isn't normal.
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 17, 2015 16:41:51 GMT -5
Knee Deep in Water Chloe - have you done that? I've only done brisket two ways (which IMHO is the only two ways it should be done) 1. Smoked for hours in a tender bath of low heat, or 2. Corned, as in corned beef. With cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and onions. I know just enough about meat and muscle fibers to know that it's all too easy for brisket to get tough (tight) dry, and stringy. I'm willing to give the beef stew a try, though. If it will work for stew, then great! Expensive for stew meat, but great!
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 17, 2015 16:11:59 GMT -5
*Sob* I can't touch brisket for less than $5 a pound. Usually closer to $8. JEALOUS!!! For brisket!!! Holy crap!!!
Red meat prices have sky-rocketed around here. I've had to stop buying tri-tip because it's increased to >$10/pound from its usual $6-$7/pound.
We only buy red meat (and this normally applies to pork and poultry) at Costco or Cash & Carry. Do you have those close to you?No cash and carry but we do have a Costco. Meat and seafood are the only reasons I'm considering a membership there as I do better with almost everything at my local ethnic markets. I can't even get brisket at my "normal" grocery stores. I have to order it from a butcher or get a friend to take me to Costco. You obviously missed the great brisket debacle where DH had the butcher trim the fat cap off... . I still have that hunk of meat sitting in the feezer with really no idea what I'm going to do with it. No way am I spending all day smoking a brisket with no fat cap.
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 17, 2015 15:50:01 GMT -5
It's DD#2's night to make dinner. She's 13, and she loves chicken. 95% of the time, she makes chicken; otherwise, she makes hamburgers. She's looking at recipes now because she likes to try new chicken recipes.
Tomorrow, DH will start smoking a brisket in the wee hours of the morning. We bought a brisket at Cash & Carry today. It was $2.97/pound. The briskets were not marked for weight. DH picked up each brisket and selected the one he thought was the lightest. When we checked out, it rang up as 13 pounds. DH said to the cashier, "Wow, I thought it was a lot heavier than that!" When we got home, I wanted to cut it into three four pound sections. I cut off the first four pounds. There was 3/4 of the original brisket left! I split the remainder almost equally. One section was 6.5 pounds, and the other was 7.0 pounds. So, we got 17.5-18 pounds of brisket and paid for 13 pounds! *Sob* I can't touch brisket for less than $5 a pound. Usually closer to $8. JEALOUS!!!
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 17, 2015 15:17:12 GMT -5
On the face of it I agree it's government overstepping boundaries at it's best.
HOWEVER sometimes it takes legal action to drive changes in society. I do think a culture of requesting, as opposed to assuming, permission is healthier.
Once can only hope that our grandkids will be shaking their heads in disgust at the necessity of this 40 years from now. Similar to the Civil Rights Act.
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Post by The Captain on Oct 17, 2015 15:04:56 GMT -5
Ok, let's put it this way.
Guy 1 got govt aid that was supposed to cover living expenses. To the extent it doesn't, there's food banks to help. Decided he wants to leave some to his grandchildren so he hides the money and takes food from some people who don't have the same resources he does.
Guy 2 gets govt aid. Gets a windfall and reports it. Does as he is directed so he doesn't have assets at the end of the 30 day testing period. Doesn't take food from the mouths of people who need it more than he does and doesn't leave a wad to his grandchildren.
I get really disgusted especially when immigrants tell me they understand the mentality of "America is so rich it doesn't matter if I steal from it". We permitted you entry into the greatest nation on earth and you slap us in the face by stealing from us and Americans who may have greater needs than you.
Did you come here to contribute or to take? If it's the latter, let me show you the door.
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Post by The Captain on Oct 17, 2015 14:11:56 GMT -5
Welp, I finally got/took control of my husband's student loan account, which they claim he missed 12 payments on so I just dropped $1800 on them to catch him up. Ugh. Last fall they thought he had finished school because he didn't register, and he didn't know what to do and ignored it until last month... there goes a grand out of savings. Oh well, at least I can pay it now and won't have to worry about him not doing it. Now my real question... can someone explain consolidation to me? Unfortunately when I graduated, my dad took care of that for me so I have no idea what the process is. DH has 4 loans listed in his account at two different interest rates. Should I look into consolidating them into one loan? Would the interest rate potentially be better? I'm just looking at this for simplicity's sake, not to lower the payments, I don't think the monthly payments will be more than $250 so that is manageable. In good news, my SL is down to $1500 and my goal is to have it paid off within 3 months! At least I have that.. Does your husband have any idea how lucky a man he is?
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 17, 2015 13:33:58 GMT -5
You are correct, we are not high income, but we are mid-50s!! And just finished raising 3 children who are now all in their 20s. And just spent about 5k going on a dream vacation. So we have lived fairly frugally, but still want to LIVE while we can! Hehe. Then you're doing awesome! I tell DH that if we sold DD I could retire in 5 years.
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 17, 2015 13:24:03 GMT -5
I also don't recall a discussion about Bonny's father stashing away cash while going to foodbanks and taking from people who may not have any resources at all.
Because we all know foodbanks have excess capacity.
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 17, 2015 11:43:56 GMT -5
I grew up on that stuff. There was always a tub of baklajhanaya ikra in the fridge. It's perfect for a quick nosh, on rye bread. Is it really as good as you say? I'm weird about texture and it looks a little bit like tomato pulp. But I love eggplant and would love to get more of it in our diet. DH loves baba ganoush and I make that for him all the time. They don't look the same, texture wise though. Eggplant's on sale though, won't hurt to give it a try.
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 17, 2015 11:39:51 GMT -5
We have always tried to contribute 10-15% to 401k, and still have never made the IRS limit/ with now possibility of 'catch-up'. You guys are amazing and just when I think that we are doing 'OK' I read this, that assumes we are all 'MAXING', haha. You are doing just fine. I can't speak for the other posters, but know a few of them, and including myself - we're not young. I'm in my upper 40's and wasn't able the hit the max until my early 40's. The fact that you're saving that percentage, and haven't hit, the max tells me you're not from a high income household, and to be honest - some of us are. Even if you're my age, or older, the fact that you've been saving that much shows you have discipline and know how to live below your means and should be fine in retirement.
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 17, 2015 10:09:33 GMT -5
Woof = nope. Meow = yup. Litter too!
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 17, 2015 10:01:02 GMT -5
In my case I guess it's because I have a thing about hypocrisy. Personally, I have a very hard time when people expect compassion or understanding when they fail to give it them selves.
Yes, in most cases I do hope they find redemption.
I don't think our ideas of punishment are the same, though. Being honest here, but in some cases I think the death penalty is needed to remove a monster from society that doesn't deserve to drain society further by being supported by society for life through incarceration. I don't feel "cheated" in punishment if that person gets life in prison, just think it's a waste of societies resources.
It's not about vengeance because that would lower us to the level of the criminal. Don't know how to describe it better than that.
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Post by The Captain on Oct 16, 2015 14:10:51 GMT -5
Yea, sorry Beth.
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Post by The Captain on Oct 16, 2015 13:46:03 GMT -5
Transfers. We allow what we call "house picking" every 4 years where about 2/3 of the entire dept. gets to pick what fire house/station they want to be at. so I get to deal with data entry for approximately 512 people. And I have to have it done by middle of next week so the 2016 Vacation day selection process can use it. I'm using the official vendor designed shortcut and it's still a long and tedious process, made worse by the fact that we get software failure at the 1.8G mark, even with the vendor approved adjustments. For what feels like the umpteenth time, we've reported the issue, uploaded a copy of the DB to them and they are 'testing it' to try to duplicate the error. MrSroo's dept does the big shuffle once a year. I told him all the Captains get together and play poker for crews Oh the directions I could take this...
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 16, 2015 13:15:29 GMT -5
160 firefighters to go. Sigh. I have a bit over 2 hours. I can probably knock off another 60, if I stop getting distracted. Sigh. Ummm, I'm a little punch drunk from lack of sleep and am probably reading this the wrong way... Whatuzzit? Also, Can I admit I have a thing for guys in a firefighter's uniform?
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 16, 2015 12:48:55 GMT -5
Dear Universe,<br><br>Sleep. More of it please.<br><br>Thanks!<br><br>The Captain.
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Post by The Captain on Oct 16, 2015 12:48:02 GMT -5
I'm going to defend him a little bit. Please don't hurt me! If he really believes in the quality of education at the school where he is teaching I can see why it would be difficult to give up that opportunity for his kids, even though it's really expensive. From his comments he said that the local school was very good for his disabled child - it may not be the best for his other children. OTOH - between fuel, housing, tuition, kids activities, medical costs, a lot of his expenses were determined when he decided to provide a certain lifestyle for four kids. When I look at the middle class families I know there is a definite difference in what only kids gets vs, two or three. When you have four and try to give them everything it's not a big surprise to feel broke. (Captain leaps and pounces on Anne81, crying out "ATTACK") Carry on.
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 16, 2015 12:44:26 GMT -5
No worries, Wisconsin Beth - I get what you're saying and agree with it for the most part.
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Post by The Captain on Oct 16, 2015 12:10:21 GMT -5
And Bingo: The founder and longtime pastor at Word of Life Christian Church shamed congregants from the pulpit, dredging up old sins and recounting them at Sunday services in humiliating detail, a former member said.
Sometimes the Devil tries hard to look like a man of God. But it also said he was dead and his wife was now leading. Doesn't exactly jibe with a church where the women are taught to be submissive little followers, does it?
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Post by The Captain on Oct 16, 2015 12:01:04 GMT -5
There was a period of time for about three months where I was flying out regularly to a site in Beaumont. There is no direct flight so you have to go to Houston first.
Same flight out on Sunday, same flight back on Friday night. Same gate crew, who got to recognize me after about two months. The Houston crew were awesome and I chatted with them while waiting for the gate to open. They upgraded me to 1st class for free my last three flights. No real reason I guess other than to be nice.
Sigh. First class.
What is a current guilty pleasure (I'm indulging in bath bombs again).
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 16, 2015 10:58:35 GMT -5
No, he knows he is not supposed to have money in the bank because he can lose his poor people privileges. He does know. So one of his friends spending his foodstamps on caviar and has nothing left and pops eats free food and saving money. So why pops should open bank account and lose his SS money just because he is trying to save for kids? It is dumb law. NO IT ISN'T (YES I'M SHOUTING)!! He can have up to $2000 in the bank and that's it! It's other poor people's money and eventually MY TAX DOLLARS that he's ripping off! This thinking is why SSI is going broke. If his kids want more they can become gainfully employed. We are not a socialist country where some get to rip off hard working citizens who only want to put food / shelter / medical for allAre you sure we're talking about the same country?
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Post by The Captain on Oct 16, 2015 10:41:09 GMT -5
If I go to another country whether to visit or live I'm supposed to follow the laws of that country. Claiming ignorance of the law isn't an excuse. Also I believe you said that 85 year old man has been here for 20+ years. This isn't jury duty where he can get out of it by saying he doesn't understand English well enough to be there. It has nothing to do with knowing English. I do not think anyone who is trying to save money for their kids thinking 'is it legal'? Wrong. I'm thinking - is this the example I want to set for my child. I have rentals. The bulk of my tenants pay cash. I'm an accountant. Believe me when I say that it would be very easy for me to hide income because I know how both accounting and income taxes work. I don't, because it's not the right thing to do.
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 16, 2015 9:31:24 GMT -5
No where did I write that only the mother had an obligation to protect her child so please don't try to twist what I wrote to imply such. Yes the father had an obligation to do so, and I'm holding him just as accountable for his actions as I'm holding her for hers. No twisting necessary. I was just curious as to why you struck out "parent" in your first post and replaced it with "mother," and also posted that "it is a fundamental truth that a mother is supposed to protect their children." Ok, I see where you're coming from. And yes, I will emphasize that I believe a mother should act much more protectively. We actually carry our child in our own bodies for 9+ months. We have a physical connection even before they're born. We nurse our children at our breast. All of these things a man will never be able to do so yes, I believe a mother should have more of a connection to their child than the father. (and no - that does not give the mother unilateral or superior rights to the child). And, not surprisingly -- we see this very clearly represented in society (I'm NOT excusing men's behavior by the way). How many fatherless children are there out there as opposed to ones where the mother walked out on them? So yea, in an equal situation where both parents did harm to a child, I personally would believe the mother to be more of a monster than the father. They're both monsters, though. Now a guy may come in and counter argue me and say it's the man's job to protect the family - and since that's not a perspective I have I can't respond to it. Maybe there's valid arguments on both sides but since I'm a chick I'll stick with mine.
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 16, 2015 9:18:17 GMT -5
Woof = yes Meow = yes Litter = done!
I rule!!!
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 16, 2015 9:08:32 GMT -5
Let me ask a question. If we had a woman in an abusive relationship where the man harmed the children and she stood by and let it happen, would we be as forgiving?
Let's take it a step further and say that she actually participated because she was afraid he's hit her if she didn't.
Now who here would support that monster...I'll wait for an affirmative.
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 16, 2015 9:05:17 GMT -5
Because the husband's programming likely didn't require him to always submit to the opposite gender and those in positions of authority? There is brainwashing going on for both genders, but what they're trained to do (and put up with) is very different. IMO the only double standard is against the mother for not stopping the beating despite being "hardwired" to do so. Is the father not also biologically driven to protect his child? If brainwashing didn't skew the natural order of things (including the biological drive to protect one's children), it wouldn't be nearly as effective... No where did I write that only the mother had an obligation to protect her child so please don't try to twist what I wrote to imply such. Yes the father had an obligation to do so, and I'm holding him just as accountable for his actions as I'm holding her for hers.
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Post by The Captain on Oct 16, 2015 8:35:57 GMT -5
I'm pretty familiar with churches like that. In fact people leave them all the time because they find the teachings to be fundamentally flawed. As a parent mother I would never stand by and let anyone beat my child to death while there was breath in my body. Protection of your children is something that's hardwired into both humans and animals to ensure the survival of the species. She's being charged with manslaughter, and by my read of the article she actually participated in the beating. She actively took part in beating her own child. Let me repeat that - she actively took part in beating her own child to death. No way in hell would I want the "I'm too meek to not beat my child" line of bull to ever become a valid defense. This is pathetic. Her son is dead because she did nothing to stop it and in fact participated in the act. I also note we're very willing to give the poor meek woman a buy because she's obviously incapable of taking care of her own weak woman mind. Her husband, subject to the same supposed brainwashing and mind control doesn't get a buy, however, because he should have been able to throw off the shackles of the church's teaching.No, there's no double standard around here. I don't think anyone here is giving the husband a pass. But I do want to point out that his brainwashing would have been entirely different from the mother's... because he's the man of the family... and religious brainwashing of this type usually involves portraying the women as meek and the men as strong at all costs. Richard - read what I wrote again. I'm not even hinting that anyone is giving the husband a pass. I'm calling out the hypocrisy of giving a woman a pass because she supposedly is held hostage by church conditioning but stating the husband is absolutely responsible despite being supposedly subject to the same horrific unable-to-overcome conditioning. I may not be clear here, in no way am I suggesting anyone should get a buy. Also, if IF the whole brainwashing thing does even hold water, I doubt highly that a teaching is you should beat your children to death. I will go even further to say that IF that was a teaching, then it goes against the laws of society and we all know that ignorance of the law is no excuse.
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