[Toshi]

Welp. An unknown British voice started asking "Can we talk?" over our Nest cams tonight during the kids' bedtime. That was unnerving. We pulled the cables on those cams after figuring out where the voice was coming from.

Password immediately changed and 2 factor authentication now turned on. I highly recommend doing both of these steps if you have Nest Cams/DropCams as well. Some password list must be out there on the dark web.

 

[Toshi]

Over the 12 month period from when Aya was born I'm planning on taking about 13.6 weeks of time off. 4 will be paid for by the hospital. 9.6 will be from my accrued sick time, which isn't good for much else since we can't use it for scheduled dentist appointments and the like. I may have to use 0.5 hour of vacation time to enable me to max out my sick time. (Not sure how sick time got off from being divisible by 4 or 8 but somehow it did.)

 

[Nick]

Welp. An unknown British voice started asking "Can we talk?" over our Nest cams tonight during the kids' bedtime. That was unnerving. We pulled the cables on those cams after figuring out where the voice was coming from.

Password immediately changed and 2 factor authentication now turned on. I highly recommend doing both of these steps if you have Nest Cams/DropCams as well. Some password list must be out there on the dark web.

 

[6thElement]

Welp. An unknown British voice started asking "Can we talk?" over our Nest cams tonight during the kids' bedtime. That was unnerving. We pulled the cables on those cams after figuring out where the voice was coming from.

Password immediately changed and 2 factor authentication now turned on. I highly recommend doing both of these steps if you have Nest Cams/DropCams as well. Some password list must be out there on the dark web.

It wasn't me.

 

[roflbox]

Welp. An unknown British voice started asking "Can we talk?" over our Nest cams tonight during the kids' bedtime. That was unnerving. We pulled the cables on those cams after figuring out where the voice was coming from.

Password immediately changed and 2 factor authentication now turned on. I highly recommend doing both of these steps if you have Nest Cams/DropCams as well. Some password list must be out there on the dark web.

f
t
s

 

[Toshi]

Doing some errands today in nasty, slushy snow. (I do have a front plate mount that I'll put on once I get plates, but for now there's no point.)

The radar must be somewhere in that Voldemort-esque blank front fascia, because much of the time on the road today I've been getting "Cruise not available: Reduced front radar visibility." Somewhat boneheadedly Tesla doesn't fall back to a non-adaptive cruise in this case as is possible on the PacHy in this situation. Instead there's just no cruise at all.

This illustrates that having a level 5 autonomous car that works in all conditions is still a ways off, as there's clearly no Autosteer, Navigate on Autopilot, etc. when the sensors are obscured--the little display that shows where other cars are goes completely blank when in this no-radar condition. That said, this is not insurmountable--see Volvo's solution of putting the radar by the front facing camera inside the windshield by the rearview mirror--but it's not going to happen with Tesla's current hardware configuration.

In other news I've adapted to the Standard (as opposed to Low, the other setting) regenerative braking setting. That first day I was just overwhelmed with too many things being weird with the car's interface. Now that I'm used to the rest of the car I'm down with the higher regen, especially since Tesla doesn't ramp up regen with Low with partial braking as do most other marques.

Finally, the astute observer will note that those are winter tires on the M3D. Hankook Winter i'cept Evo 2, I think, 245/45R18 since 235/45R18 wasn't in stock. They're quiet, feel good, but are a touch more slippery than Nokian Hakka R3s on a day like today.

Tomorrow off to Winter Park for the weekend with the kids (and skis + ski gear). Range estimates say I should use under 40 kWh for the round trip so a 90% charge should do the trick nicely.

 

[Toshi]

Hankooks were not impressive on Hwy 40. Likely will revert to Nokians assuming the next vehicle doesn’t share this size.

 

[Toshi]

Home after the round trip to Winter Park. Started at a touch under 90% SOC. Ended with a bit under 25% from the looks of it—nav system was estimating 25% at my destination before I turned it off a few miles from home. No charging at the destination or en route. Temperatures around 15 degrees on the drive both ways. Probably an hour of traffic delays between the trip out and back. Winter tires at 41 psi all around. Stuck to 5 over whenever there wasn’t traffic.

(90 - 25)% x 72 kWh is 47 kWh. The EV trip planner estimator said I should use 35 kWh. So now I know to take its results with a grain of salt at least in winter conditions, but also know that the car is just fine for trips to the mountains even without destination charging.

 

[Toshi]

Sunday on Cranmer at Winter Park. Trying to get some edge angle on with my Moment Bibbys.

 

[Toshi]

@Nick Can’t find my exact boot model listed but I’m pretty sure my BSL is 315 mm. The Moment Bibbys are 118 mm underfoot in the 190.

 

[Toshi]

Woke up to tuck Yuna back in bed and can’t sleep. Time for some camper-thread-esque musing:

https://jalopnik.com/the-2020-ram-heavy-duty-makes-a-ridiculous-1-000-lb-ft-1831723109

No, I will never get one. Still amusing. 1000 lb-ft torque now! I can’t find the official towing chart for the 2019 HD but the article states up to 35,500 lbs. That’s no doubt a fifth wheel rating with a regular cab 2wd 3500. Even as a Mega Cab 4x4 I bet it’ll be well above 30k.

So what can one actually legally tow, RV wise?

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/wcm/connect/28423ba0-bba6-4347-9e21-db274e970772/dl648.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=

CA’s regs above. Correct me if I’m wrong, @eric strt6 , but my reading is that without a CDL one is limited to a 15,500 lb 5th wheel, even if non-commercial (as with for RV use).

On the other hand, CO CDL regs would have one heeding a Class A CDL except that RVs are given a pass. So a regular licensed CO driver can drive whatever the hell they want, apparently!

 

[roflbox]

Woke up to tuck Yuna back in bed and can’t sleep. Time for some camper-thread-esque musing:

https://jalopnik.com/the-2020-ram-heavy-duty-makes-a-ridiculous-1-000-lb-ft-1831723109

No, I will never get one. Still amusing. 1000 lb-ft torque now! I can’t find the official towing chart for the 2019 HD but the article states up to 35,500 lbs. That’s no doubt a fifth wheel rating with a regular cab 2wd 3500. Even as a Mega Cab 4x4 I bet it’ll be well above 30k.

So what can one actually legally tow, RV wise?

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/wcm/connect/28423ba0-bba6-4347-9e21-db274e970772/dl648.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=

CA’s regs above. Correct me if I’m wrong, @eric strt6 , but my reading is that without a CDL one is limited to a 15,500 lb 5th wheel, even if non-commercial (as with for RV use).

On the other hand, CO CDL regs would have one heeding a Class A CDL except that RVs are given a pass. So a regular licensed CO driver can drive whatever the hell they want, apparently!

Pretty much every single monster RV you see on the road is driven by someone with just a regular drivers license

 

[eric strt6]

Woke up to tuck Yuna back in bed and can’t sleep. Time for some camper-thread-esque musing:

https://jalopnik.com/the-2020-ram-heavy-duty-makes-a-ridiculous-1-000-lb-ft-1831723109

No, I will never get one. Still amusing. 1000 lb-ft torque now! I can’t find the official towing chart for the 2019 HD but the article states up to 35,500 lbs. That’s no doubt a fifth wheel rating with a regular cab 2wd 3500. Even as a Mega Cab 4x4 I bet it’ll be well above 30k.

So what can one actually legally tow, RV wise?

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/wcm/connect/28423ba0-bba6-4347-9e21-db274e970772/dl648.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=

CA’s regs above. Correct me if I’m wrong, @eric strt6 , but my reading is that without a CDL one is limited to a 15,500 lb 5th wheel, even if non-commercial (as with for RV use).

On the other hand, CO CDL regs would have one heeding a Class A CDL except that RVs are given a pass. So a regular licensed CO driver can drive whatever the hell they want, apparently!

Above 15,001 with a gooseneck or a fifth wheel hitch you need a non commercial class A if not for hire. That means you took and passed the class A test without air brake or tank endorsement and you don't need a log book or medical certificate. Same apples to bumper pull trailers over 10,001 pounds

 

[Toshi]

Stop and go traffic on the way down to Empire. Autopilot worked great for this. Kids weren't bothered by my 190 cm ski bag--not as in their face as it seems.

Not so great on Hwy 40 over the pass. It has no idea about what to do with tight switchbacks if it's not following a human driver: races into them then slows way down and drives like an old man. I quickly learned to turn it off before any switchbacks after the initial experimental corners.

It also was great on I-70 in general, even in the shoulder express lane without a well marked left boundary due to plowed-up snow... except through Idaho Springs. There the left concrete divider is irregular and the car wanted to drive way too close to it for comfort.

 

[6thElement]

Stop and go traffic on the way down to Empire. Autopilot worked great for this. Kids weren't bothered by my 190 cm ski bag--not as in their face as it seems.

Not so great on Hwy 40 over the pass. It has no idea about what to do with tight switchbacks if it's not following a human driver: races into them then slows way down and drives like an old man. I quickly learned to turn it off before any switchbacks after the initial experimental corners.

It also was great on I-70 in general, even in the shoulder express lane without a well marked left boundary due to plowed-up snow... except through Idaho Springs. There the left concrete divider is irregular and the car wanted to drive way too close to it for comfort.

I'm fairly sure I wouldn't be trusting our robot overlords with any mountain passes just yet.

 

[Toshi]

Sunday on Cranmer at Winter Park. Trying to get some edge angle on with my Moment Bibbys.

Non-thumbnail versions:

 

[Toshi]

18” all seasons from the XC40 extra wheels sold. $400 is $400. Two kids lessons with tip!



Now to sell the 20”s. Time to go to a low starting bid auction format.

 

[Toshi]

Who says sedans aren’t practical?






Ok, they aren’t really. (That’s extra recycling beyond what our two 95 gallon bins picked up every two weeks will take.)

 

[Toshi]

Volvo has ridden off into the sunset. After selling off extra wheels and tires ditching the Volvo will end up costing me circa $3k.

I'm ok with that. Out of that lease, out of the Volvo world, and into something that I hope to like much better.

As of tonight I'll have the last vestiges of the Volvo gone: selling the accursed noisy 20" wheel/tire setup. (I traded it in with 18"s + Nokians on it.)

All said and done it'll have cost me $3,248.97 to have ditched the Volvo in the first year of its 0-down lease. Again, as opposed to continuing to pay $605/mo to lease a vehicle that I had issues with I'm totally ok with how this turned out. This net cost includes buying/selling extra wheels and tires and installing that expensive hitch.

(The issues being the registration fiasco, of course, but also road noise, Pilot Assist being of little use, turbo lag, Sensus lag/bad interface.)

Edit: add $37k * 1.082 to that figure since I didn't get a sales tax credit after all. Still worth it.

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

Stop and go traffic on the way down to Empire. Autopilot worked great for this. Kids weren't bothered by my 190 cm ski bag--not as in their face as it seems.

Not so great on Hwy 40 over the pass. It has no idea about what to do with tight switchbacks if it's not following a human driver: races into them then slows way down and drives like an old man. I quickly learned to turn it off before any switchbacks after the initial experimental corners.

It also was great on I-70 in general, even in the shoulder express lane without a well marked left boundary due to plowed-up snow... except through Idaho Springs. There the left concrete divider is irregular and the car wanted to drive way too close to it for comfort.

I´ve got 2 of the very same child seats. Down to the color.

Best seats ever... after a european bebe-confort with a swiveling base for my 1 year old (though is has a 15-18kg? weight limit).

 

[Toshi]

So the elder kid “only” tested at 90th percentile. That’s not high enough for GT let alone HGT. Hmph.

So we had Mariko tested out of our own pocket:

She had that one 58th percentile subtest: apparently on that one she was using the inkblot pen to draw letters and color in animals instead of just hitting each matching animal with one inkblot and moving on quickly. Overall 99.9th percentile.

The psychologist who administered the test suggested maybe a year of private school for her, because this test is inadmissible for Denver Public Schools' purposes due to their recent rule change. Hmph. I would really rather not... but I'm willing to go on a school tour and could always pause 529 contributions for a year (which would be 60% of the year's cost right there).

 

[SkaredShtles]

Dude. FTS. your kids are gonna be fine.

 

[Toshi]

Dude. FTS. your kids are gonna be fine.

I don't want her to be bored at school.

 

[Toshi]

So I have tomorrow off as well. I'd go riding but for snow and because I haven't gotten around to putting a hitch on the Tesla yet. I'd go skiing but for lack of new snow and because I have kid dropoff until about 8:30 then have to be back for a meeting at 1:15. Not happening.

Maybe I'll go on a drive for nothing but the pleasure of driving. Been a while since I've done such a thing.

I'm thinking of heading to Estes Park and driving around RMNP. Per recent articles the roads are now open (and no entrance fees during the shutdown, offset by overflowing trash and human waste...). There's a Supercharger up in Estes Park, too.

 

[SkaredShtles]

I don't want her to be bored at school.

U let school handle that.

 

[Pesqueeb]

Man, this thread has been busy!

"Cruise not available: Reduced front radar visibility." Somewhat boneheadedly Tesla doesn't fall back to a non-adaptive cruise in this case as is possible on the PacHy in this situation. Instead there's just no cruise at all.

The Mazda is like this. It is disappointing.

 

[Westy]

Man, this thread has been busy!





The Mazda is like this. It is disappointing.

So when you implement a bit of automation you go through a failure mode analysis. Gonna guess for this situation it goes like this.

Failure: Radar doesn't work->Revert to Regular Cruise Control->Dipshit operator forgets the difference and doesn't think they have to hit the brakes before plowing into stalled truck on the highway.

Likelyhood: High

Impact: Big fucking lawsuit

Mitigation: No fucking cruise for you

 

[Toshi]

So when you implement a bit of automation you go through a failure mode analysis. Gonna guess for this situation it goes like this.

Failure: Radar doesn't work->Revert to Regular Cruise Control->Dipshit operator forgets the difference and doesn't think they have to hit the brakes before plowing into stalled truck on the highway.

Likelyhood: High

Impact: Big fucking lawsuit

Mitigation: No fucking cruise for you

True. With the minivan it’s a matter of pushing another button to turn on non-adaptive cruise. One button to turn on adaptive. Another for regular.

In the Tesla there are no buttons for cruise at all, though. Everything sacrificed in the name of clean lines.

 

[jstuhlman]

re: kids: and testing. it's weird and, as you know, only one measure of school performance, etc. both our kids had the exact same iq score (same percentile as yours). but both were very different in their academic strengths, cognitive skills, and, I think, most importantly, their social/emotional qualities. older one could read full harry potter books when he was 5; younger one is now 9 and just reading at average grade level. but the former is a challenge socially/emotionally while the other is easy. i honestly don't think private school would have been better for either one than the charter school they're at. plenty of stupid rich kids get into/cruise by at private schools, even in elementary grades. trust me, i've literally been there . . .

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

re: kids: and testing. it's weird and, as you know, only one measure of school performance, etc. both our kids had the exact same iq score (same percentile as yours). but both were very different in their academic strengths, cognitive skills, and, I think, most importantly, their social/emotional qualities. older one could read full harry potter books when he was 5; younger one is now 9 and just reading at average grade level. but the former is a challenge socially/emotionally while the other is easy. i honestly don't think private school would have been better for either one than the charter school they're at. plenty of stupid rich kids get into/cruise by at private schools, even in elementary grades. trust me, i've literally been there . . .

The social/emotional part is the most important.

Way-above average cognitive intelligence will be mostly obsolete once the AI overlords rule the Earth.
Nobody cares if you can do long divisions in your head since they came up with calculators. Nobody will care about extraordinaire higher-order cognitive abilities once AI trivialize them.

Differences will be made on the ability to influence/manipulate/resist-manipulation/influence,

 

[Toshi]

Mariko is at her grade level for social/emotional factors. I don’t think skipping a grade would be good for her. What I’d like for her is level-appropriate teaching in the areas where she is strong.

 

[Toshi]

I drove the Tesla to Rocky Mountain National Park today. No entrance fee because of the shutdown, and didn't see visible trash piles or human waste flowing everywhere or the like. Icy roads in the park, but then again it is winter in the high country of Colorado. This is from the farthest viewpoint one can drive to on Trail Ridge Rd. It was super windy.

The car was very enjoyable. Autopilot for boring sections and fun on the twisty bits I drove myself. I found that Autopilot will slow down preemptively for a corner--must have some calculation about the turn's radius in there. It's still awkward: slows down too much and then does a "50 pence turn", a term from the motorcycle lingo that implies too many mid-turn course corrections. Humans will pick one radius and then run a bit in or out of the "ideal" line to compensate.

I charged briefly at the Estes Park Supercharger at the Stanley Hotel even though I didn't need to--had a phone call to make anyway. I used to work for that hotel's parent group so I have mixed feelings about the place.

 

[Toshi]

Per the forecast Winter Park could get 2” by Saturday. Or 8”. Gah.

Ideal would be 8”, as she said, along with the kids electing to hang out Saturday with their grandma, coming in as a surprise tomorrow.

 

[SkaredShtles]

You should watch the stream of energy whacking the Boat right now.

I wouldn't be surprised if they have 20" by the morning. Maybe more of that energy stays on track.

 

[Toshi]

You should watch the stream of energy whacking the Boat right now.

I wouldn't be surprised if they have 20" by the morning. Maybe more of that energy stays on track.

I have Ikon Base. Blacked out this weekend except for Eldora/WP/Copper.

 

[Nick]

You should watch the stream of energy whacking the Boat right now.

I wouldn't be surprised if they have 20" by the morning. Maybe more of that energy stays on track.

#wizard

 

[roflbox]

#wizard

View attachment 132423

JELLYBORK

 

[SkaredShtles]

#wizard

View attachment 132423

 

[Toshi]

Hmm. HMMMMMMM. Maybe. 3+ hours and effectively off pass but that does look good indeed.

 

[Toshi]

https://www.winterparkresort.com/the-mountain/mountain-cams/snow-stake

Winter Park is at a hair under 6" since 4 PM...