Random Thoughts That Don't Deserve Their Own Thread Go Here

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Butter

Hate to be the "actually" guy, but Kroger only owns Food4Less in Southern California and Chicago areas. Others have the same name but are owned by various different companies, mainly wholesalers operating them basically as a retail arm.

and who are you? Some sort of Kroger aficionado?

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

Yeah, I know Publix is insane down there, but there have to be some people who are like "ooh, new!" or who are dissatisfied with Publix, right? (Or who are familiar with Kroger from being transplants?) I'd think it would be tougher for a startup, but if you're a huge, established company that can absorb losses for a bit (like, well, Walmart).

I mean, I'd figure supermarket chains are primed to fall (of course I guess that could mean Kroger, too). Growing up I remember going to A&P, Acme, Pathmark, Genuardi's...

To be honest, the only reason most people would be dissatisfied with Publix would be cost. I have one with 2-3 miles of my house. I will go there to pick up one or two items that were needed that day or take advantage of BOGO deals. It would never be my exclusive store but that is me. I am one of those people who has the time and patience to go to different stores for different types of groceries to maximize costs. Other than that, most people are not complaining about Publix because there really is not that much to complain about. I would say that Publix is a secondary store for most because they are EVERYWHERE.

As far as transplants who are familiar with Kroger, the only business I can remember making that sort of impact locally is Wawa. I mean gas stations were closing down when Wawa showed up across the street. I don't know how popular Kroger's is for transplants. The fact that Walmart has not made a dent in the popularity of Publix is telling.

[Ksyrup]

Yes, when I lived in Florida Publix was definitely the upscale grocery store. It's basically Target on steroids. Or at least, it was. I haven't shopped at Publix in 15 years. I do most of my shopping at the local Kroger supplemented by Meijer in Lexington. I wish we had a Menards. They haven't made it to Lexington area yet.

[Edward64]

Kroger & Publix are basically the same to me. Kroger is nearer so we go there by default. Publix seems to be better spaced out but prices are pretty comparable for like items.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Kroger & Publix are basically the same to me. Kroger is nearer so we go there by default. Publix seems to be better spaced out but prices are pretty comparable for like items.

Pretty sharp difference here. Often 50% on a lot of items, if not more.

[Edward64]

re: Coke Zero

https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/13/busin...new/index.html

If you're a big fan of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, you may want to brace yourself: The recipe for your beloved drink is changing.

Coca-Cola said Tuesday that it is tweaking the beverage in an effort to make the drink taste more like regular Coke. The product's can will also look different — all red, rather than red and black.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Edward64

re: Coke Zero

https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/13/busin...new/index.html

Crap on a cracker, why?!

[Ksyrup]

Huh. I think it tastes pretty close to real Coke minus the heavy syrupy taste, so I guess we'll see what "improvements" they make.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

To be honest, the only reason most people would be dissatisfied with Publix would be cost. I have one with 2-3 miles of my house. I will go there to pick up one or two items that were needed that day or take advantage of BOGO deals. It would never be my exclusive store but that is me. I am one of those people who has the time and patience to go to different stores for different types of groceries to maximize costs. Other than that, most people are not complaining about Publix because there really is not that much to complain about. I would say that Publix is a secondary store for most because they are EVERYWHERE.

As far as transplants who are familiar with Kroger, the only business I can remember making that sort of impact locally is Wawa. I mean gas stations were closing down when Wawa showed up across the street. I don't know how popular Kroger's is for transplants. The fact that Walmart has not made a dent in the popularity of Publix is telling.

Walmart is the closest store, with Publix across the the street, then Kroger about a mile farther. The wife gets groceries from Kroger Click-list, and I go to Publix for prescriptions and other items. We only go to Walmart when we are forced to by the other two stores not having something we want.

[Ghost Econ]

Anyone else start singing "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" when The Hustle plays on a throwback R&B playlist?

[CrimsonFox]

Stand by for the renaming of it to Coke Zero Classic

[Ghost Econ]

I came across this unfortunately named fellow while researching doctors at work:

Dr Harry Lee Faggett Sr. (1911-2000) - Find A Grave Memorial

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Ghost Econ

I came across this unfortunately named fellow while researching doctors at work:

Dr Harry Lee Faggett Sr. (1911-2000) - Find A Grave Memorial

Given that he has Senior in his name, that means his son is also a Harry Faggett right?

(am I banned yet?)

[Edward64]

Glad I'm not trying to raise my kids in Baltimore City schools.

Baltimore City Schools: 41% of high school students earn below 1.0 GPA | WBFF

Project Baltimore obtained a chart assembled by Baltimore City Schools. The chart shows the average GPA for every high school grade in the city – freshman through senior. In the first three quarters of this past school year, according to the chart, 41% of all Baltimore City high school students, earned below a 1.0 grade point average. In other words, nearly half of the 20,500 public high school students in Baltimore earned less than a D average.

“It's heartbreaking,” said Patterson. “If almost half of our kids are failing, what options do they have after high school? This is really disheartening. It's sad to see this.”

On the other end of the chart, 21 percent of city high school students earned a GPA of 3.0 or better; a B average. That’s about half as many who earned below a D. We can also see the district lost 706 high school students during the first three quarters of the year.

[Ksyrup]

That must be an internet access thing mainly, right? Everything I've seen and heard from my kids about online school is it was a joke and you could sleepwalk to an A. In college, my daughter and I would laugh at how many athletic departments were boasting about the highest combined GPA for X or Y teams.

The biggest issue my daughter who is still in high school has found is that once they went back to in-person, there was little instruction and it was as if they were still online. She preferred online because she could manage her time without the structure of being in the building for 7 hours and not getting any better instruction.

[molson]

I'm about 13 episodes into a full watch of The Office. I've never seen it before except for a random episode being on in the background here or there. I loved the BBC Office, I just never got around to the U.S. version.

I am having a great time knocking these out quickly. So funny. It's also kind of fun to recognize how much I had already absorbed about the show just living the world. It's also great to feel like I'm living in 2006 again. Not sure they could get away with a lot of this stuff today. I think there was an Office thread here, I'll have to dig that up and follow along as I go at some point.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

That must be an internet access thing mainly, right? Everything I've seen and heard from my kids about online school is it was a joke and you could sleepwalk to an A. In college, my daughter and I would laugh at how many athletic departments were boasting about the highest combined GPA for X or Y teams.

The biggest issue my daughter who is still in high school has found is that once they went back to in-person, there was little instruction and it was as if they were still online. She preferred online because she could manage her time without the structure of being in the building for 7 hours and not getting any better instruction.

I've read a couple other articles and they don't point to root cause as internet access.

Here's another frakked up example.

Calls to shut down Baltimore School where 0.13 GPA ranks near top half of class | WCTI

Calls are mounting for a Baltimore City school to be investigated and shut down immediately. This, after an alarming WBFF Project Baltimore investigation, found hundreds of students are failing at the west Baltimore high school.
:
On Monday, Project Baltimore reported on Tiffany France’s son. In his four years at Augusta Fells Savage Institute of Visual Design, he passed three classes and earned a grade point average of 0.13. Yet, his transcripts show his class rank is 62 of 120, meaning 58 students, just in his grade, have a 0.13 GPA or lower.

France, a single mother of three working three jobs, says the school never told her that her son was failing until last month, when the 17-year-old was put back in ninth grade.

[Ksyrup]

OK, well that's not Covid related which is what I assumed the underlying issue was since that's been a constant criticism where kids are failing while trying to attend school online. That's just a flat-out failure in every way imaginable..

[Ksyrup]

I feel like this is the absurdity, entertainment value, and best condensed example of the twitter experience all rolled into one.

This is the funniest thing I’ve seen on here I think pic.twitter.com/TNtrm06xGo

— beng (@kicknyrgios) July 16, 2021

[NobodyHere]

Wade Boggs, goes down smooth.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

OK, well that's not Covid related which is what I assumed the underlying issue was since that's been a constant criticism where kids are failing while trying to attend school online. That's just a flat-out failure in every way imaginable..

Baltimore always seems such a crap-show. Why are there certain places were no one can do anything to fix problems?

[henry296]

One interesting thing about Baltimore is a very high usage of private schools, so many of the more affluent families (which tend to be better in school) send their kids to private schools which will impact comparisons to public schools in other cities.

Doesn't excuse the performance but likely has some impact.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Dunno where to put this really but damn I hate this story.

Veteran Monster Jam driver Scott Hartsock and another man were killed where the (reportedly tow truck) vehicle he was a passenger in was struck by an Amtrak passenger train outside Jackson, MS. (the train, btw, was the famed City of New Orleans, bound for New Orleans from Memphis)

Owner/driver of both the Gunslinger and Slinger trucks, he was a fan favorite for at least a decade.

My son was really into this for a number of years, we saw quite a few shows and went through quite a few of the autograph sessions on the arena floor and I ended up knowing the sport pretty well for a while. Hartsock was one of the most likable drivers and was fantastic with fans, especially younger ones. The sort of guy that could beat your favorite driver but you really didn't mind all that much, him winning was okay.

Rest in peace.


‘Insane driver, team player, joyous friend’: Monster Truckz remembers driver killed in Amtrak crash

[Edward64]

So what's the deal with the Britney story? The stuff on MSM right now are pro Britney but deep down I suspect they aren't telling the full story or the proper context. Like many things, probably some truth in both sides.

It seems the solution is for the courts to assign conservatorship to a different, impartial 3rd party or maybe a joint-conservatorship to 2-3 parties just in case the dad/sister etc. are just money grubbing control freaks.

Not a favorite from the 90's but do feel sorry for the situation she and her family is in right now.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Edward64

So what's the deal with the Britney story? The stuff on MSM right now are pro Britney but deep down I suspect they aren't telling the full story or the proper context. Like many things, probably some truth in both sides.

It seems the solution is for the courts to assign conservatorship to a different, impartial 3rd party or maybe a joint-conservatorship to 2-3 parties just in case the dad/sister etc. are just money grubbing control freaks.

Not a favorite from the 90's but do feel sorry for the situation she and her family is in right now.

I have no clue, but the most bizarre part of an already bizarre story is Matt Gaetz getting involved. I suppose once you've gone full tabloid with your politics, the next stop is the actual tabloids. I'm expecting a press conference railing against the anti-patriots who don't believe bigfoot exists.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Edward64

So what's the deal with the Britney story? The stuff on MSM right now are pro Britney but deep down I suspect they aren't telling the full story or the proper context. Like many things, probably some truth in both sides.

It seems the solution is for the courts to assign conservatorship to a different, impartial 3rd party or maybe a joint-conservatorship to 2-3 parties just in case the dad/sister etc. are just money grubbing control freaks.

Not a favorite from the 90's but do feel sorry for the situation she and her family is in right now.

I think it is pretty obvious that she did have a break-down at some point that required her to get help. It is also pretty obvious that her father used to gain control of her as his cash cow, and his interest were over hers. Conservatorships in general are ripe for abuse, and there probably needs to be reforms.

[Ksyrup]

The other thing that is being said without explicitly saying it is that her former attorney seems to have been working a little too closely with dad to coordinate everything, and that she now wants a different attorney to represent her interests a little more directly. That's the gist I'm getting from what little I've seen in passing.

[miami_fan]

Has anyone else been surprised by an annual sporting event just happening? I am not talking about being surprised by the result of an event. I am talking about hearing about the result of an event and realizing you had no idea that it was even happening? I don't know if it is due to aging, the weird sports calendar or what but I have been surprised by multiple major events occurring over the last two or so years. All of the Triple Crown horse races and the Indy 500 surprised me the most this year. The results popped up as breaking news on my phone and I was like wait the Kentucky Derby was today? I feel like the Olympics would be the same way if not for all the Covid stuff. It is not that I was ever a big fan of any of these sports and I somehow drifted away from them. I wasn't. But I always knew that that they were happening. I knew that the first weekend in May was the Kentucky Derby and the Indy 500 was Memorial Day weekend. That hasn't been the case with sports like golf or tennis though, so I can't just chalk it up to those non Big Four sports in the U.S. either.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Has anyone else been surprised by an annual sporting event just happening? I am not talking about being surprised by the result of an event. I am talking about hearing about the result of an event and realizing you had no idea that it was even happening? I don't know if it is due to aging, the weird sports calendar or what but I have been surprised by multiple major events occurring over the last two or so years. All of the Triple Crown horse races and the Indy 500 surprised me the most this year. The results popped up as breaking news on my phone and I was like wait the Kentucky Derby was today? I feel like the Olympics would be the same way if not for all the Covid stuff. It is not that I was ever a big fan of any of these sports and I somehow drifted away from them. I wasn't. But I always knew that that they were happening. I knew that the first weekend in May was the Kentucky Derby and the Indy 500 was Memorial Day weekend. That hasn't been the case with sports like golf or tennis though, so I can't just chalk it up to those non Big Four sports in the U.S. either.

I get what you're talking about here.

I had that happen specifically - enough so that I remember commenting that I was caught unaware by the occurrence -- with the Indy 500 a couple times in recent years.

Things that used to be a fairly big deal just don't seem like they are anywhere near as much so anymore

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I get what you're talking about here.

I had that happen specifically - enough so that I remember commenting that I was caught unaware by the occurrence -- with the Indy 500 a couple times in recent years.

Things that used to be a fairly big deal just don't seem like they are anywhere near as much so anymore

Concur. No idea if it is me or what. But I agree with y'all.

[albionmoonlight]

I was just looking it up, and Belichick will have to coach another 3-ish seasons to pass Shula for all time wins (36 behind for all-time wins and 48 behind for regular season only).

As someone who caught basically only the second half of Shula's career but has been aware of the entirety of Belichick's, that seems crazy.

The guy has been putting up 13 win seasons since 2001, and he's still a few seasons away. It feels like he should be 50 wins ahead of everyone else by now.

[molson]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

I was just looking it up, and Belichick will have to coach another 3-ish seasons to pass Shula for all time wins (36 behind for all-time wins and 48 behind for regular season only).

As someone who caught basically only the second half of Shula's career but has been aware of the entirety of Belichick's, that seems crazy.

The guy has been putting up 13 win seasons since 2001, and he's still a few seasons away. It feels like he should be 50 wins ahead of everyone else by now.

It does - but I guess it's because Belichick had quite an established career as a coordinator/assistant Head Coach on both sides of the Cleveland stint. Shula thus had 33 seasons, Belichick only 26.

Edit: It's also interesting that Belichick is now 4 years older than Shula was when he retired. Shula seemed older. Though, like you, I've been around Belichick's entire career so his aging seems more gradual - its only when I see old clips I that realize how old he is now.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by molson

It does - but I guess it's because Belichick had quite an established career as a coordinator/assistant Head Coach on both sides of the Cleveland stint. Shula thus had 33 seasons, Belichick only 26.

Edit: It's also interesting that Belichick is now 4 years older than Shula was when he retired. Shula seemed older. Though, like you, I've been around Belichick's entire career so his aging seems more gradual - its only when I see old clips I that realize how old he is now.

Don't miss the age factor in this comparison too.

Shula was 33 yrs, 4 days old when he took over as HC in Baltimore.

Since his hiring, only five HCs have been younger (and they're a mixed bag for sure)

Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams January 24, 1986 30 years, 11 months 2017
Lane Kiffin, Oakland Raiders May 9, 1975 31 years, 8 months 2007-08
Raheem Morris, Tampa Bay Buccaneers September 3, 1976 32 years, 4 months 2009-2011
David Shula, Cincinnati Bengals May 28, 1959 32 years, 7 months 1992-96
Josh McDaniels, Denver Broncos April 22, 1976 32 years, 8 months 2009-2010

Link to the ages list

[Ksyrup]

RIP Mike Howe, Metal Church lead singer for my favorite of their albums, Blessing In Disguise. Second MC singer to pass away (the original singer David Wayne died about 15 years ago). Anyway, I met several of the band members a couple of times, including Mike, and they were always cool.

[thesloppy]

Jackwang, you complete me.

[21C]

I have a persistent problem with my laptop that the IT intern said that he had a fix for. I am usually reluctant to give up my computer at the best of times since I am a control freak and a germaphobe.

I watched as the guy fiddled around in settings unsuccessfully while also scratching his head. I then noticed that my keyboard started looking very shiny as I realized that his hair hadn't been watched in ages.

As soon as I left, I wiped down the keyboard with some disinfectant wipes. Ugh.

[Ksyrup]

Winding down work today and tomorrow as we prepare to leave for our first real vacation in 105 WEEKS. The last time I put an out of office message on my work email, it was mid-October 2019 (for a conference). We were packing yesterday and I pulled the rental car receipt from our trip to Moab in July 2019 out of a pocket. That's the last time we left home for a purely leisure trip (I'm not including a few 3-day weekends for softball - I was off for a day but probably more stressed than if I was sitting at my desk).

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

Jackwang, you complete me.

Yeah, I felt a little sorry that one had to be zapped.

[cuervo72]

I'd swear from the last few times I've been there that Wawa got a hold of my old iPod and is using it for its background music.

[cuervo72]

I don't know why someone keeps thinking members of this forum want to write term papers.

[henry296]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

I don't know why someone keeps thinking members of this forum want to write term papers.

For our kids?

[molson]

Contractors can be such evil fuckers.

We had water damage in the bathroom and had to replace everything. That stalled 2 months because there were no soaker tubs available. I told him at one point I'd drive as far as Salt Lake myself to just get one if he could locate it. Finally he gets one. Plumber shows up and says, "they ordered a tiny tub, this is way smaller than the one you had before." We asked him if he had access to any soaker subs at at least the depth we had before, and he said sure and could be back in 20 minutes.

I suspect the contractor's been pushing other jobs in front of ours (there's a massive housing and construction boom here, lots of millionaires buying up and renovating homes), and then he tried to screw us on the cheaper tub with hopes we wouldn't notice. He's never met my girlfriend.

[JonInMiddleGA]

You ever just know you're about to have to do something? Like, "this shouldn't have to be a thing ... but it's about to be a thing?"

That's the feeling I get nearly every time I use the word "median".

I have the strong sense of foreboding that I'm moments away from needing to explain the difference between "median" and "average".

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by molson

Contractors can be such evil fuckers.

We had water damage in the bathroom and had to replace everything. That stalled 2 months because there were no soaker tubs available. I told him at one point I'd drive as far as Salt Lake myself to just get one if he could locate it. Finally he gets one. Plumber shows up and says, "they ordered a tiny tub, this is way smaller than the one you had before." We asked him if he had access to any soaker subs at at least the depth we had before, and he said sure and could be back in 20 minutes.

I suspect the contractor's been pushing other jobs in front of ours (there's a massive housing and construction boom here, lots of millionaires buying up and renovating homes), and then he tried to screw us on the cheaper tub with hopes we wouldn't notice. He's never met my girlfriend.

They really can be brutal. One you trust can be gold. My cousin is one, and a good one, so whenever we have work done I always run it by him first.

We are in a similar situation. Having out landscaper do some work in our backyard, that includes 20X20 pavers. he was supposed to start beginning of June. Still can't get the pavers, which I believe. I am at the point where I just tell him plan to do in next March and have us first on the list. We have already given him a sizeable deposit, and I am 99% certain he wouldn't screw us, but it sucks being in limbo.

[JonInMiddleGA]

54 years old and counting, still hasn't been a single solitary day where I found myself thinking "oh if only I hadn't left {place where I grew up}"

I'd be dead, imprisoned, or both if I had stayed there longer.

The level of calculated stupidity is simply more than I could have handled without significant violent outbursts.

(Prompted by seeing someone simultaneously whining about plans for new home construction AND the lack of available housing in the area. FFS, just pick ONE, you can't do BOTH)

[GrantDawg]

So, I just got stung by two dozen hornets. I also bruised and scraped my knee and elbow really bad when I hit the ground and rolled down a hill to get away from them. How's your work day?

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

So, I just got stung by two dozen hornets. I also bruised and scraped my knee and elbow really bad when I hit the ground and rolled down a hill to get away from them. How's your work day?

Today at work I got grease on my fingers from a pizza party. I had to go wash them and everything.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

So, I just got stung by two dozen hornets. I also bruised and scraped my knee and elbow really bad when I hit the ground and rolled down a hill to get away from them. How's your work day?

Ouch. That sucks. You got stung a bunch of times?

[thesloppy]

Two dozen! That's a lot. I don't think I've been stung by an insect in the last 30 years.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Ouch. That sucks. You got stung a bunch of times?

Yes. The stings hurt, and I have a headache. My knee and elbow hurts worse, though. Hit the ground hard with a 60 pound pack on my back.