Jon A thon

quote:

---

where they think it's "fair" to merge

---

It's not about where it's fair to merge. It's about where you have the opportunity to merge without a massive disruption to the flow of traffic. Yes, if everyone left huge spacing, you will end up with an opportunity further down. But you know that rarely ever happens. So when you pass up a clear spot to merge when you know the lane you are in closes in a quarter mile just because you think you know better, then you are the problem as you now cause everyone to slow down to let you in. But good on you for making it 5 spots further up.

And this whole using more of the available lane for longer thing is BS. As with any flow dynamics, you are restricted by the smallest choke point. If the speed limit is 70 (and assumed to be followed) and the min lane is a single lane, only so many cars per hour can pass. Whatever is happening upstream of that cannot go faster past that point with either option. So the name of the game is do whatever it takes to reduce the friction (slow down) getting into that single lane. And reducing that friction in real world application is getting over as soon as you know it's coming and have a smooth chance to merge. Obviously in very heavy traffic that this may happen with little to no options for the smooth merge. But many, many times the traffic is created by those waiting until the last minute because they feel they have the right to merge at the very end, but no smooth merge opportunities exist and someone must brake, creating a chain reaction reducing space between cars behind them and further limiting opportunities for smooth merges for following cars. And it snowballs. Just get over at your earliest convenience and everyone will be better for it. Your need to go 5 mph faster for another .5 miles just caused everyone to slow down by 30 mph for 10 minutes.

quote:

---

With a 30k/year job in 2000 and never getting a raise it would be worth 600k today. I bet lots of gen x would be ecstatic with that number.

---

While true, employers are going to pay you less (takehome pay) if they are forced to offer more retirement benefits than they currently do. Let's use 100k salary for example since it's easy. My employer will currently match up to 5%. So, their total cost of employing me is 105k (plus all other benefits, but ignoring those). My take home before taxes is still 100k and I can save more if I please. If they are forced to put 12% away for retirement, and want to keep the same cost of employment, then ~12k of that goes into retirement and my take home before taxes is now 93k. I'm fine with that because I'd be saving that anyway. All those who aren't prepared for retirement and living paycheck to paycheck are going to be up in arms about that. They want the extra money to come out of thin air. This is basically forcing people to invest in retirement not forcing employers to provide more benefits. I'm all for it, but you know damned well that wouldn't fly with the average American who's got nothing prepared

quote:

---

You can feel it in your hands... although you hit a great shot according to the launch monitor.

---

A decent launch monitor should show much less spin and distance on a fat shot, even off of a mat. It won't be as bad as on turf because it doesn't slow your club head speed as much, but it's a noticeable difference.

quote:

---

Something tells me this wasn't his first run in at that address

---

While a agree this is probably the case. Instead of walking up ready to throw packages at a dog that is on someone's private property, then go straight into I'm ready to fight you mode...how about you just refuse to deliver there and when they inquire as to why they have to drive to UPS to pick up their package, you let them know they need to control their dog.

quote:

---

Condensation from seat ac?

---

It's possible, but no one is ever in that seat and it shouldn't be on ever. Also feels like there's a bit of a tackiness in the area. It's minimal, but doesn't feel like a typical water spot

I've had a JBL Flip for several years, and we were gifted a significantly more expensive Turtlebox Ranger. I've never really replaced the JBL Flip in the garage and the Turtlebox is still sitting on my office desk. Not that it isn't nice, but the JBL does everything it needs to do.

quote:

---

one of my ears is still lopsided from all of the silent pinches my mom would give me in church

---

I still remember my mom keeping a count of how many spankings I was gonna get when we got home if I acted up in church.

I grew up on a bayou in South Louisiana. They were always there, but don't think I ever saw one get out and come on our property like that. A few times they'd follow my neighbors little dog up and down the bank, but always kept the dog far away from water's edge. Would have freaked out as a kid if someone would have showed me a video like that and likely never played in the backyard again :lol:

quote:

---

70 month loan at 7%APR? on a depreciating asset?

---

Look, I've never had a interest rate that high, and people certainly over extend themselves on vehicles because they can take out long loans. But the depreciating assets thing is just stupid. Money is money. If I have a 60k vehicle I want at 4% interest, why would I touch the money I have making 7%+ in my investments? If I pay cash for it or finance it, it's still depreciating. Except paying cash, I don't give my money the opportunity to grow because I sunk it all into a depreciating asset. If you care about depreciation, don't buy a new vehicle. Has no connection to financing or not.

quote:

---

Just to make it simple let’s say a well struck drive for him goes 300yds with “the right golf ball”. Let’s say he’s playing a course that is 6300yds (avg 350/hole). If he plays “the wrong ball” maybe he loses 10yds on a pure shot, so it’s going 290 instead of 300, that’s not making much difference on the majority of the holes he’s going to play.

---

Sure, but there are a few long par 4's at my club. I'm normally a 265ish drive and now in the 285ish range. It's the difference between a 6/7 iron into the green compared to a 8/9 iron and it's a decent improvement in chance for GIR for me.

3 of the par 5's are on the shorter end and now a hybrid get's me around the green compared to a 3-wood or laying up.

quote:

---

Now let’s look at short game and spin, a perfectly hit wedge with “the right ball” might hit and stick or come back some while “the wrong ball” might roll out 5-10ft, assuming he’s not an idiot he knows this and simply attempts to hit his shot 10ft shorter, very rarely are municipal courses forcing you to rip back a wedge to hold a green. Same basic idea applies chipping.

---

I don't have the wedge or scoring iron control to care about 5-10' in my approach shot. But I do see a benefit on short-sided chips or 20 yd pitch shots over a bunker or something. Greens complexes at my club can get a bit challenging, at least for where I find myself normally missing.

I fully recognize I'm not consistent enough just yet to say this will make me a better golfer every round. However, I do possibly see benefit on those good days where I can save par or get that occasional birdie here or there because everything lined up and my cheap ball probably would have left me with a 20 yard longer approach or rolled out for a 5-7' longer putt.

I was playing 3 times a week and made a lot of progress fast and thought I'd have broken into the 10 or under handicap range by now. Then work and life hit, I didn't play for a month and only get out once a week and have stalled. I bought these months ago when I was on a good trajectory, so it's not like I'm trying to justify going make a purchase. They've just been sitting on the shelf. Decided to just use them and I would say for that particular day, it made a big difference. I think for the most part, it'll be a decision made with how I'm feeling on the range before the round. If things are feeling right, I might pull them out. Not because I expect them to make everything better, but to possibly give me a better chance on those 5 or 6 shots per round where I could use that bit of difference.