[SkaredShtles]

Long-Term Review: The Best Skis, Period

We’ve been testing skis for decades. These are our all-time favorites for groomers, backcountry bowls, and everything in between.

www.outsideonline.com

Ski reviews are so full of smoke blown up their patrons' asses. Everything is great at everything now!

/me needs to actually demo skis

Yeah - online publishers gotta lick the taint of the manufacturers for advertising revenue, just like in the bike industry.

While demo'ing skis is nice, I've *not* demo'd any of the last 4 pair of skis I've bought. And they've all worked out well. It helps when you only buy every 6-10 years, 'cause whatever new ski I get is LOADS better than the previous, due to incremental improvements...

 

[Toshi]

I would like an angular 5th wheel trailer for my angular Cybertruck, yes




I would have to pay to park it somewhere, I think.

 

[SkaredShtles]

 

[Nick]

Long-Term Review: The Best Skis, Period

We’ve been testing skis for decades. These are our all-time favorites for groomers, backcountry bowls, and everything in between.

www.outsideonline.com

Ski reviews are so full of smoke blown up their patrons' asses. Everything is great at everything now!

/me needs to actually demo skis

I found myself with a brand new pair if Mantra M5 in 184cm. 1 beer commission paid if you know anyone shopping.

 

[SkaredShtles]

I found myself with a brand new pair if Mantra M5 in 184cm. 1 beer commission paid if you know anyone shopping.

Hmmm...

Hmmm...

Whatchoo want for 'em? I got two tall-ish teenagers needing skis.

 

[Nick]

Hmmm...

Hmmm...

Whatchoo want for 'em? I got two tall-ish teenagers needing skis.

I have them on craigslist for $500 but for you I'd deal a bit.

 

[SkaredShtles]

I have them on craigslist for $500 but for you I'd deal a bit.

Too rich for kid skis.

I'd wager you'll get that pretty easily...

 

[Nick]

I've got a 180cm blizzard brahma too. 88mm aaaaand ripping fun on low tide days.

 

[Toshi]

Mikaela Shiffrin just killing it. Such balance and a calm upper body.

 

[Toshi]

On the internet there are posts that say no aftermarket wiper blades work with the Tesla Model 3. This is incorrect. Rain-X Latitude Water Repellancy blades are confirmed to work. You'll need a 26" and a 19".

1) Go to the Service menu on your 3 from within the car (not the phone app). Enable the top option, wiper service mode.
2) Lift each wiper arm up off the windshield an inch or two and push the button facing away from the windshield about 2" from where the wiper blade attaches and pivots. Slide the OEM wiper blade towards the wiper arm's pivot point (to the left side of the car) and remove.
3) For these Rain-X blades follow the instructions in the package for "narrow PTB" (pinch tab button). You'll remove two plastic pieces from it to get it set up.
4) Slide it on per the instructions. Note that part of the mounting piece slides on top of the car's wiper arm (away from the windshield), so it won't look exactly like how the OEM one went on! I've highlighted this piece with arrows in the attached screenshot from Rain-X's own video. As the instructions say the tab on the mount will click into place where the OEM button popped through.
5) ...
6) Profit.

It also mounts fine on older J bend designs, of course, which don't require pieces to be removed from the mount. For those make sure that you pull the blade all the way to the right of the car, towards the J bend. You'll know you pulled it far enough when it clicks a little, then you'll be able to secure the flap door at the end that locks it on. If not pulled far enough out then that door won't close positively and the wiper blade will not be safely mounted.

 

[Toshi]

Related gripes:

a) One needs to use wiper service mode on the 3 because at rest the blades are tucked under the trailing edge of the hood for aero reasons, such that one cannot lift them off the windshield at all.

b. Rain-X changed the mounting hardware between the last time I replaced blades and this one. I get that they need to adapt to a variety of mounting methods and it's remarkable that it works, all puzzle-like, but still makes me feel dumb.

iii] There are apparently at least 6 distinct mounting styles for wiper blades!

 

[Pesqueeb]

I knew that was coming. You of all people should love it! The practicality of a Wrangler with no Dana axle business to deal with!

 

[CBJ]

Related gripes:

a) One needs to use wiper service mode on the 3 because at rest the blades are tucked under the trailing edge of the hood for aero reasons, such that one cannot lift them off the windshield at all.

b. Rain-X changed the mounting hardware between the last time I replaced blades and this one. I get that they need to adapt to a variety of mounting methods and it's remarkable that it works, all puzzle-like, but still makes me feel dumb.

iii] There are apparently at least 6 distinct mounting styles for wiper blades!

Plus you just have to throw away the other mounting types its such a waste. At least we don't have to fluss 15 times anymore.

 

[Toshi]

So Blade Runner. Much Robocop. Many wow. (and no curves save for the wheels and tires!)

 

[Toshi]

 

[rideit]

So Blade Runner. Much Robocop. Many wow. (and no curves save for the wheels and tires!)

I’ll wait for something more...elegant.
(As if you can call any pickup truck these days ‘elegant!)
But this total knee replacement is going to burn up the $15k I already had squirreled away.
Boo hiss.

 

[CBJ]

44mm TI Apple watch ordered! First watch since the mid 90s

I had to order it in Sweden and have it shipped to a colleague as Apple Denmark does not sell it which is super strange as it looks like its not even in stock in Sweden.

 

[Toshi]

I would like some sick attachments(, brah,) for my upcoming Cybertruck, yes

 

[6thElement]

It's missing some wheels.

 

[Toshi]

Febrile baby snoozing on me now

 

[Westy]

So Blade Runner. Much Robocop. Many wow. (and no curves save for the wheels and tires!)

Flat sheet metal panels have little strength and are easily dented. Unless there is a honeycomb panel behind it or absurdly thick I don't think such a design is practical to manufacture or maintain.

 

[Toshi]

Flat sheet metal panels have little strength and are easily dented. Unless there is a honeycomb panel behind it or absurdly thick I don't think such a design is practical to manufacture or maintain.

3 mm thick stainless steel.

 

[Toshi]

Drivers Just Can't Help Themselves

There are so many driving laws. In fact, driving is one of the most regulated activities most people do on a regular basis. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, most people regularly break at least some of those laws. Speed limits, for example, are laws nearly everybody breaks all the time.

jalopnik.com

Why I do not ride a motorcycle on the street. People are selfish assholes who can’t restrain themselves from playing with their phones.

 

[Pesqueeb]

Drivers Just Can't Help Themselves

There are so many driving laws. In fact, driving is one of the most regulated activities most people do on a regular basis. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, most people regularly break at least some of those laws. Speed limits, for example, are laws nearly everybody breaks all the time.

jalopnik.com

Why I do not ride a motorcycle on the street. People are selfish assholes who can’t restrain themselves from playing with their phones.

This is why I sold the Beemer. Sitting in an intersection one day going home from work, I look around, and absolutely every single driver I could see was dicking around on their phones, and it was like a light switch for me. Motorcycles are amazing --> this is fucking stupid. Think I only rode in 2 or 3 times after that, just couldn't shake the bad vibe.

 

[Toshi]

I've posted about them before here, iirc, but they popped again via DaveW elsewhere:

'World's first' fully-electric commercial flight takes off

A fully electric seaplane flight has been hailed by operators as the start of a third "aviation era".

www.bbc.com

100 mile range. That'd actually be totally fine for what I'd do with a light sport aircraft anyway (not saying that the commercial 6 passenger one by Harbour Air is such a thing, but what I'd want).

 

[Toshi]

Through my employer I have a 401(a), a 403(b), a 457(b), and a HSA in which I invest.

New for this upcoming year is a Roth option for the 403(b).

My initial gut reaction is that this is dumb given my high marginal rate... but as I invest in taxable on top of these options maybe it's better to do Roth in the 403(b) and invest that-amount-of-taxes-much-less in taxable?

@stoney thoughts?

 

[6thElement]

If you get one of these can I have dibs if you need to sell it off cheaply?

Lotus Evija: The £2.2m electric hypercar

The Lotus Evija goes into production next year and Click gets a look at what drivers can expect.

www.bbc.com

 

[Pesqueeb]

If you get one of these can I have dibs if you need to sell it off cheaply?

Lotus Evija: The £2.2m electric hypercar

The Lotus Evija goes into production next year and Click gets a look at what drivers can expect.

www.bbc.com

I've always wanted a Lotus. It's high on my list if I somehow ever were to stumble into Fuck You money.

 

[6thElement]

I've always wanted a Lotus. It's high on my list if I somehow ever were to stumble into Fuck You money.

Not sure I'd even fit in that ^ anyway.

20+ years ago I tried sitting in an Elise and that didn't really work. As much as I used to love the look of the Exige I knew I could never have one.

 

[Toshi]

YouTube crew built a 1/2 scale Cybertruck looking thing. Stainless steel bent on a metal brake so at least that part is legit.

 

[Toshi]

Tesla Cybertruck is a 'medium-duty truck' due to payload capacity, says Tesla in CARB filing

Tesla has been describing the Cybertruck as a pickup truck to compete with the Ford F-150 and other light-duty trucks,...

electrek.co

I didn’t make this connection, but the curb weight of the Cybertruck plus its 3,500 lb payload will mean its GVWR will be above 8,500. For the 500 mile if battery trimotor one it may even crest 10,000!

This is significant due to weight classes, and, here in Colorado, the amount of tax credit I could claim for it...

That’s a net $2,500 if somehow it ships in 2021 and is 10,001+, $1,500 if it ships in 2022, and $1,200 otherwise. Not a game changer but not chump change, either.

 

[Toshi]

Maui VRBO, flights, minivan booked. Ultimately we decided that all 5 of us would head out. (Plus MIL and MIL's sister, at their expense for their portion.) Wallet quite a bit lighter now.



Edit: Just realized due to my employer's odd reimbursement rules I have to get a quote through them beforehand to match the times, and then book on my own. So I'll cancel these flights for now.

 

[Toshi]

I created my own deepfake—it took two weeks and cost $552

I learned a lot from creating my own deepfake video.

arstechnica.com

A technical look at how to create a deepfake video. Bonus points for including footage of Zuckerberg testifying with Data’s face.

 

[CBJ]

Getting my watch tomorrow!

 

[Toshi]

On the internet there are posts that say no aftermarket wiper blades work with the Tesla Model 3. This is incorrect. Rain-X Latitude Water Repellancy blades are confirmed to work. You'll need a 26" and a 19".

19”, although nominally correct per my searches, was a bit too long on the passenger side. It’d catch on the trim at the side of the windshield and skip while going up every time.

I solved this by cutting up the plastic end cap such that I could pry it off and throw it away, using tin snips to cut through the metal body of the blade’s structure and axe about 1 cm. The cap secured the rubber wiper part in its groove so I applied a dab of super glue to immediate effect.

Voila, no more skipping.

 

[SkaredShtles]

What kind of redneck horseshit is that?!?

 

[Toshi]

Tesla leaks 'Acceleration Boost' upgrade

Tesla accidentally leaked a new ‘Acceleration Boost’ upgrade planned for existing vehicles in its customer fleet. Over the last year, Tesla has been making several over-the-air software upgrade to the performance of the Model 3 – its best-selling electric sedan. We have seen a range increase, a...

electrek.co

$2k Acceleration Boost option coming for dual motor Model 3s as an off the bat or post purchase option? Hmmmm

 

[CBJ]

I think they are pushing the limits on stuff like this but I guess there is a lot of pressure to make more money.

 

[Toshi]

Results that are back so far:

41 or so lbs down since July, scale at PCP vs scale at PCP. 30.5 lbs down since August, DEXA derived weight vs the same (as in measuring fat and non-fat mass and summing). Body fat % was essentially unchanged, though, as I proportionally lost as much lean as fat mass.

LFTs nearly normal now. ALT still slightly high. Ferritin normal now.

CRP 1.11.

Normal CBC, with 48.8 hematocrit, which is where I usually run.

Normal chem panel.

At time of labs 100 mg/dL glucose, 13 uIU/mL insulin. That’s a HOMA-IR of 3.2, so I’m still insulin resistant.

52 HDL-C, 251 TC, 63 TG (yes!), 186 calculated LDL-C via the Friedewald equation.




Edit: Re HOMA-IR turns out there is a HOMA1 and a HOMA2, a more accurate (in theory) later revision. My HOMA2-IR is 1.72. 1.4 and below is "normal" and < 1.0 is optimal. So still a ways to go on that metric but less insulin resistant than HOMA(1)-IR would indicate with that 3.2.

 

[Toshi]