Re: Check Ins, Reassurances, and Concerns, 6/15

1

This recall of most Philips CPAP devices is looking to be quite painful for all involved, including the 3-4 million people who were told to quit using their device. "You don't get decent sleep until we figure out how to get you new hardware". What were we saying about fun with supply chains?


Posted by: Nathan Williams | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 9:21 AM
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It sounds like it's only a problem if you clean it and don't want to choke.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 9:26 AM
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First day of California's grand reopening. People on the street in my neighborhood are still wearing masks. I'm weirdly proud of us.

Last night I ran into some acquaintances whom I hadn't seen in a while, and submitted to a hug. Which was fine, but honestly I had kind of hoped that (along with handshakes and office-wide in-person meetings) friendly-acquaintance-hugs were something we had dispensed with forever.

M's parents are still not vaccinated. (Why not? I don't fucking know. They're not anti-vaxxers, and they're not COVID denialists, at least as far as I am aware. Their belief systems are mostly an undefinable mixture of Catholicism and hippie-dippie woo-woo, but they've spent the past year in isolation and reading Facebook, and some truly weird fringe conspiracy lunacy has crept in.) This is a significant source of stress for me, and I can only imagine how much anxiety M is suppressing. Yesterday his mom posted a picture of them dining indoors. I wonder if I could pay, like, a ninja or something to get some rudimentary medical training and then break into their house and vaccinate them in their sleep.


Posted by: jms | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 12:47 PM
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Well, not a ninja with training in medical ethics.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 12:50 PM
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I guess maybe medical ethics was a samurai thing.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 12:56 PM
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Anyway samurais are too noisy for the job I need done.


Posted by: jms | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 12:58 PM
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Ronin?


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 1:15 PM
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Speaking of masterless warriors, did airline magazines die from covid or did they just go away from Southwest?


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 1:21 PM
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Now how will people find the nearest Tilted Kilt or Ruth's Chris in their destination city?


Posted by: jms | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 1:23 PM
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3. I still find it impossible to fathom people who won't get vaccinated. On the other hand, I find vaccinated people who are adamant about continuing to wear masks unfathomable, too.


Posted by: DaveLMA | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 1:38 PM
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For years I thought the Tilted Kilt was a drag strip club, since it was clearly the case that the tilting was caused by erections and the people wearing the kilts in the ads were female in appearance.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 1:40 PM
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10: I find unfathomable the people who find mask-wearers unfathomable. It's a courtesy. Other people have no way of knowing that I have been vaccinated.

(Outdoor, distanced mask-wearers are the ones I don't understand.)


Posted by: politicalfootball | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 1:53 PM
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12 is my view.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 1:53 PM
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What does it say about me that until now I had never heard of the Tilted Kilt? Is it a classier version of Hooters?


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 2:02 PM
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Less classier.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 2:07 PM
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I seem to be mostly not wearing a mask when I go to the store these day. I still avoid getting close to people.


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 2:07 PM
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14: You've never opened the inflight magazine on Southwest Airlines.


Posted by: jms | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 2:09 PM
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If nobody else is wearing one, I don't. But I do if others do still, especially if the others are staff or employees.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 2:09 PM
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17: I've not heard it mentioned elsewhere. They didn't just advertise it, they advertised for franchise opportunities.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 2:16 PM
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Early vaccination is the key though. If you go to get vaccinated now, there is a danger you will get free tickets to a Pirates game.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 2:33 PM
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I was at an Orioles game a little more than a week ago. Even though they ended social distancing at the beginning of June, there was no problem keeping separate from other attendees.


Posted by: politicalfootball | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 3:16 PM
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There is a prayer at the beginning of every city council meeting in Heebieville. Then thwy pledge allegiance to the US flag, and then the Texas flag. So much allegiance is pledged.


Posted by: heebie | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 4:51 PM
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Kinda surprised that Texas comes after God and America.


Posted by: dalriata | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 4:52 PM
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The opening acts.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 4:58 PM
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Our city has reached the official definition of containment, 7 day average of <1 case per 100000 per day (current average 0.4 per day). With current trends the state will reach that in a week or two. I went to a stadium with 15000 people last weekend. Today we had a meeting in a conference room with 14 people, only one masked. Haven't eaten indoors at a restaurant yet but it's much nicer sitting outside anyway. So pretty much back to normal.


Posted by: SP | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 5:35 PM
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3: I'm really confused by what I've seen from some of the US Catholic Bishops on that. The pope was super clear that the moral duty to get vaccinated outweighed everything else. I guess within Catholic thinking there is a hierarchy of vaccines, because the mRNA ones are less tied to aborted fetal cells than the adenovirus vectored ones. So, basically if you have a choice you're supposed to get an mRNA one, but your first duty is just to make sure that you get vaccinated.


Posted by: Bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 5:41 PM
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Ontario Ministry of Health/Ministère de la Santé: You have received 2 valid dose(s)/Vous avez reçu 2 dose(s) valide(s).

I got my second jab today. I am feeling such a profound sense of relief, and also an overwhelming sense of gratitude for my unearned, and unmerited, good fortune.

Also: quite a bit of guilt over my unearned and unmerited good fortune, because, well, Catholic....


Posted by: Just Plain Jane | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 5:42 PM
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Wait, there is a Texas Pledge of Allegiance?


Posted by: Spike | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 6:00 PM
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27: Tim's Mom is moving to Ottawa, and she was able to get her August 2nd shot spot rescheduled for July, but not before. Tim will be very relieved once she is fully vaccinated.


Posted by: Bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 6:05 PM
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I see that Rhode Island is the only northeastern state that has a pledge. How embarrassing for them.


Posted by: Spike | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 6:07 PM
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Speaking of Texas, is there anything important or interesting about the current ERCOT situation that isn't covered by the readily available memes?


Posted by: chill | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 6:19 PM
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28: and there's a LAW that it must be recited every morning in school.

31: Probably not. It's been hot AF though these last few days. The article I read was cagey as to why plants are offline.


Posted by: heebie | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 8:16 PM
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The NH House just voted that nobody is allowed to stop a school from posting a "Live Free or Die" placard.


Posted by: Spike | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 8:56 PM
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Like anywhere?


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 10:06 PM
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An interesting, if somewhat embarrassing, story about dialect shift in British English.

Our most recent builder has an absolutely pure Estuary dialect' It's not just the -- originally cockney -- vowel sounds illustrated in a joke so old my granny taught it me: Lady visitor to wounded soldier in hospital "Did you come here to die"? Soldier "Nah: yesterday."

Now is it the way that no glottal goes unstopped and no terminal "t" pronounced. There is also the dark "L" -- something between "Ow" and "you" -- that appeared some time in the last forty years and that I still can't quite get used to.

So when he said his truck had had a puncture, I asked how it had happened. "I ran over an aye-ow" he said.

NW [horrified]: You ran over an owl??!!

Builder [as speaking to one retarded]: "No: a nile."


Posted by: NW | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 10:57 PM
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An interesting, if somewhat embarrassing, story about dialect shift in British English.

Our most recent builder has an absolutely pure Estuary dialect' It's not just the -- originally cockney -- vowel sounds illustrated in a joke so old my granny taught it me: Lady visitor to wounded soldier in hospital "Did you come here to die"? Soldier "Nah: yesterday."

Now is it the way that no glottal goes unstopped and no terminal "t" pronounced. There is also the dark "L" -- something between "Ow" and "you" -- that appeared some time in the last forty years and that I still can't quite get used to.

So when he said his truck had had a puncture, I asked how it had happened. "I ran over an aye-ow" he said.

NW [horrified]: You ran over an owl??!!

Builder [as speaking to one retarded]: "No: a nile."


Posted by: NW | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 10:57 PM
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Posted twice for the monolingual, I suppose.


Posted by: NW | Link to this comment | 06-15-21 10:57 PM
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The day when my cohort (30-40 yr olds) gets their first dose keeps getting pushed back. Mid-August is now an optimistic timeline. It is hard to see reports of friends and family elsewhere getting their second dose and opening up again.

I guess I should be comforted by the incredible levels of uptake among older people (more than 90% coverage above age 65 at this point), and the fact that we've had zero covid-related hospitalizations in my area for several days now... but really I'm just envious. So I wait, impatiently.


Posted by: parodie | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 1:59 AM
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30: Assuming that pledge predates last November, they weren't even brave enough to call the state by its full and proper name.

36: I'm (incompletely) reminded that there's one common word in English that used to start with a vowel, but ended up subsuming the "n" from "an" into the start of the word. Can't remember what word it is and I have no idea how to search for that.

38: I'm in the same age cohort and we're ahead of you by a bit--I'll be getting my second dose when you're getting your first. It has been very hard seeing others opening up and returning to normality, but I also have to remember I'm more fortunate than others. On the other hand, the delta variant has really changed things here, don't think it's hitting you yet. We've had much fretting over a dental appointment for my wife.


Posted by: dalriata | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 5:32 AM
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A Norange (narancia) may be the word you're thinking of.


Posted by: NW | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 5:35 AM
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"Apron" went the other way, from "a napron." More examples here.


Posted by: essear | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 5:38 AM
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"Nickname", "newt", and "nonce" all went in the direction of adding the 'n' to the start of the word.


Posted by: essear | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 5:39 AM
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Think I was thinking of "nickname," didn't realize it was quite so prevalent. Thanks for the link.


Posted by: dalriata | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 6:05 AM
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"An once" used to mean a child molester?


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 9:00 AM
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44: They used to call them ĭs.


Posted by: snarkout | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 9:34 AM
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Like anywhere?

In schools, I guess. Also applies to posting "In God We Trust."

The concerns over In God We Trust are understood, the concern over Live Free or Die is that, you know, maybe plastering that all over a high school isn't the best way to discourage school shootings and teen suicide.


Posted by: Spike | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 9:57 AM
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"Live free" really isn't an option for high school students.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 10:08 AM
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I'm getting a pedicure right now, and I am so happy about it.


Posted by: J, Robot | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 10:52 AM
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47: They can run away.


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 11:45 AM
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That's not one of the options given.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 11:48 AM
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50: "Live free" ?


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 11:54 AM
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That's not freedom, hiding like that.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 11:58 AM
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The truly free person is always on the run.


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 12:04 PM
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Alive and well here. My wife and her staff had a meeting two weeks ago about what they'd do with masks after the announcement; they'd planned on remaining strict. But the governor's announcement yesterday sucked the wind out of their sails -- the staff is very tired of repeatedly instructing adults on how to wear them-- so they checked in with each other and decided that they'd go the self-attestation route, basically ending mask requirements. But not ending the requirements for staff masks, because the state still requires them for workers through Thursday.


Posted by: Mooseking | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 12:15 PM
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We just had an 8th grade graduation party with the old time setup of shared pizza, hot dogs, serving bowls of chips or fruit, a giant shared sheet cake. A couple masked people was the only remnant of different behavior.


Posted by: SP | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 2:22 PM
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55: Inside or outside? Are all your kids 12 and up?


Posted by: Bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 4:34 PM
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It's weird how people expect you to know how old your kids are. It's easy enough when they are babies and you can go by the last time you had a quiet meal. But it gets hard pretty quickly after that.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 5:12 PM
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I just remember how old the first is and how far apart they were born.
The party was outdoors. The mayor was at the outdoor ceremony beforehand which was more limited attendance and more masking, but then she showed up at the party later. The two younger ones under 12 wore masks. Community rate is so low there are maybe 50 active infections in the whole city.


Posted by: SP | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 5:33 PM
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58: I figured a graduation party might have been outdoors pre pandemic too which is why I asked. My high school graduation was outside under a tent, because that's just how they did it. Curious about when it's safe for the under 12s to go unmasked indoors based on community containment even though they are not vaccinated. I think it would vary not just by community but by setting as well.


Posted by: Bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 5:56 PM
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My high school graduation party was in a neighbor's garage. We got their dog drunk, which I now feel was not a good thing to have done.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 5:59 PM
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Morally speaking.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 6:03 PM
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My sister's dog is spinning around like a drunk dog, but worse. He goes until he falls over or runs into the wall headfirst.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-16-21 6:10 PM
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Went to Costco yesterday and pretty much everybody was wearing a mask (as was I). That's fine with me. Was watching Bill Maher the other day (a mistake I don't make too often) and he and his guests were mocking people who wear masks post-vaccination. Also talking about how liberals need to get their act together and offered, as proof, the fact that a Seattle city councilman proposed an ordinance that got voted down.


Posted by: politicalfootball | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 6:06 AM
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The Giant Eagle down the street from me always has a mix of masked and unmasked people -- both customers and employees -- and I'm always wondering if the masked people are non-vaccinated people following the law or extra-cautious vaccinated people. Presumably the answer is some of one, and some of the other, but I wonder about the percentages. I suppose I should be more concerned about whether the unmasked people are vaccinated.


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 6:34 AM
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62: I just got back from a few days in Vt/ NH (north east). But hey Spike, I decided I need more day trips to Northernish New England. Would love to meet up if we did a day trip to your area.

They lifted their restrictions partway through our trip. The wait staff at meals were wearing masks one day but then they weren't. The inn said that they asked all guests (this place did not allow children) if they were vaccinated and only one couple post vaccine availability said they weren't. It was mostly an older crowd.

I otherwise ate at 2 outdoor restaurants (one cafe had no AC so outdoors more comfortable) and one indoor restaurant. We also had a picnic lunch at the Basin of Franconia Notch State park. Highly recommend going to the the Flume Gorge there. A museum did require them. One or two people ignored. A maple syrup/ice cream store with older workers did ask people to wear them, the coffee roaster did not as long as you were fully vaccinated. But it mostly felt quite normal and lovely.

I think I'll just keep wearing masks at the grocery store - especially if staff are - but will go to restaurants when I'm sure almost everybody is vaccinated or local rates of transmission are low. Wearing a mask for a brief trip to a store just doesn't feel like a burden to me. Maybe next summer. Tim's noticed his allergies are better with the masks.


Posted by: Bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 6:41 AM
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Would love to meet up if we did a day trip to your area.

That would be fun. We can meet in town or you are welcome to come sit on my dock and swim in my lake for a while.


Posted by: Spike | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 6:48 AM
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64: It's no doubt a function of my residence in the People's Republic of Maryland, but my working assumption is that anybody without a mask is an asshole. I admit that this is an unfair prejudice, but it is one that is widely shared here. People are still pretty much universally wearing masks indoors (and frequently on the street, which even I find a bit much).

I actually ate indoors at a fast food place under circumstances where takeout would have been very convenient. People voluntarily observed social distancing and mask-wearing when not eating.


Posted by: politicalfootball | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 7:14 AM
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67: The McDonalds restaurants I've stopped in have all been takeout only. I used the restroom and bought a soda at a McDonals in Nh on the way home yesterday and they were requiring masks of patrons and staff. They hadn't updated their sign, because it said government regulations required masking. Most of the employees looked like they were teenagers to very early 30's, so I suspect they weren't fully vaccinated, and the franchise owner wanted to protect their staff.


Posted by: Bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 7:29 AM
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||

Justice Alito simply cannot believe that Barrett and Kavanaugh won't join him in overturning Employment Division v. Smith. Congress should revisit the Alien Tort Statute, making it clear that companies with US operations can be sued here for child slavery abroad. Are we finally done with challenges to the ACA?

|>


Posted by: CharleyCarp | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 8:20 AM
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30:

I pledge allegiance to our State Flag, and to the Republic of which Rhode Island forms a part...

Sounds like they're wary of a recurrence of Luther v. Borden.


Posted by: Minivet | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 8:42 AM
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I just suggested to the appropriate authorities a California v. Texas thread.


Posted by: Minivet | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 8:45 AM
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|| Charlie and other legal types, any thoughts on Fulton v. Philadelphia? Seems bad, but it was unanimous and I haven't tried to wade through it yet. |>


Posted by: dalriata | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 9:29 AM
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Looks like it's pretty narrowly decided, and gives a path to let public bodies avoid this in the future: non-discrimination provisions mean no case-by-case exceptions.


Posted by: dalriata | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 9:40 AM
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Yeah, I read that the three non-rightists probably supported Roberts's ruling because it was the narrowest possible ruling that still let the plaintiffs succeed.


Posted by: Minivet | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 10:34 AM
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67: My working assumption is different -- but no doubt this is influenced by being in Utah. If I were an asshole, I'd be waving the little fascist blue stripe flag or hanging a flag outside my house that says 'fuck Biden.' The CDC says masking isn't necessary for fully vaccinated adults. Here it probably signals I'm antivaxx. Utah opened up vaccination to all adults in March so anyone who wants one has had ample opportunity. I'm vaccinated, and so the only time I wear a mask is when I'm out with the kids (as it doesn't seem to fair to ask a five-year-old to mask but not to do it oneself.) I think I'd feel differently if it weren't summer, or if my entire social network weren't vaccinated (minus the kids), or but at this point if the wingnuts in this state want to keep the 97% of new infections for themselves, I kinda feel like that's on them at this point.


Posted by: Cala | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 12:02 PM
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What is the etiquette an about getting drunk on Juneteenth for white people? Asking for a friend.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 12:50 PM
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HR just emailed us all and said we are getting tomorrow off. This is probably the only thing the Senate will accomplish this year. We certainly aren't going to get the voting rights reforms.


Posted by: Zedsville | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 1:35 PM
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71: That's easy. I'd go with California any day. I'm thinking that in a proper tournament bracket, the final four would be California vs. Colorado and New York vs. Massachusetts.


Posted by: politicalfootball | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 1:39 PM
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75 Yeah, I don't see many masks any more. I think maybe I should head up the street to the pie place, just to check on mask wearing there.

72-74 That's my assumption as well. Alito's opinion just goes on and on -- I flipped through it, and enjoyed Alito's distressful noting that Scalia's opinion in Employment Div didn't really comport with Scalia's "principles" as well as his diss of Barrett's authorities. His whiny riff about standing in the ACA case isn't in the same league, but is classic. Forget trying to get Breyer to leave, that Alito is a guy who doesn't seem to be having any fun at all.

The card-counters at scotusblog indicate that we'll get some Alito majority opinions next week. Hopefully, Roberts has assigned him to write the patent case, and the housing finance case. I'm sure he's as wrong about the appointments clause as he is about everything else, but the potential for harming actual humans is less.


Posted by: CharleyCarp | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 2:36 PM
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No masks at all. Cherry pie was pretty good.


Posted by: CharleyCarp | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 3:16 PM
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76, 77: is this thread a good place to complain about that? Obviously it's good news, but announcing it at like 10 AM on Thursday is fucking horrible timing. Cassandane gets the day off but was responsible for sending out announcements about it, so she had to work about an hour and a half later than planned, and we had plans tonight. I don't get tomorrow off, but people we report to do, so three big things due tomorrow are in limbo, and not in a good way. Atossa's school is closed, so it'll be fun trying to work with her around.


Posted by: Cyrus | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 3:38 PM
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81: Yeah, it seems insane to roll it out that way. I follow someone who works at the NSF who is big mad about having a big thing planned for tomorrow.


Posted by: Unfoggetarian: "Pause endlessly, then go in" (9) | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 5:04 PM
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My wife had an appointment for a haircut next week - the first since this all started - and just got word that the salon is ending their mask requirement (and masking of staff) the day before her appointment. She cancelled the appointment. I feel like this is an overreaction but she is generally very upset about how quickly things have gone from fully-masked to very lightly masked. I don't think I agree but it's super-touchy. I've realized that I have no actual metric myself for ending mask use, so it may just be masking up in public forever.


Posted by: Nathan Williams | Link to this comment | 06-17-21 6:16 PM
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I have a major gripe. So, baseball season runs from the end of February to the middle of May. It's already one of the more obnoxious commitments we have, due to being 3x/week. Fine.

Due to a smaller league this year and being one of the older players, Pokey makes AllStars. Probably the only time he'll ever qualify. Jammies is extremely excited. Also fine. Allstars starts practicing before regular baseball ends. FINE. They practice MWF. FINE.

So all Allstars does is have a couple practice weekend tournaments and then a series of playoff tournaments culminating in nationals. So essentially, baseball is now 5x/week, including all day Saturday and Sunday. AND you don't find out your weekend schedule until the tournament is unfolding, obviously. FINE FINE FINE.

Finally, the first real tournament that counts is this weekend. The team is mediocre. I'm looking forward to showing up in 100° weather, cheering my heart out, consoling them for their loss, and being done with the whole damn thing. It's too much.

Guess what I found out. There are five teams in this weekend's tournament. FOUR OF THEM ADVANCE TO NEXT WEEKEND. What the fuck kind of bullshit is that?! Only ONE team gets packed up from an entire weekend of winnowing? I'm so annoyed and done with baseball.


Posted by: heebie-geebie | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 8:38 AM
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84: I, too, hate to contemplate the possibility that my kid might not be in the bottom 20 percent of something they care about. (Kidding. Sorry.)


Posted by: Cyrus | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 8:59 AM
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Baseball is so hard to watch.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 9:01 AM
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84:. I think one parent per sports event is sufficient.


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 9:03 AM
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87: I've been skipping most of the tournaments and all of the practices, definitely. I feel like we need to make a big deal out of this tournament, and if it can be his last, then that's really great timing.


Posted by: heebie-geebie | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 9:07 AM
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There is so much pomp and circumstance attached to this fucking AllStars thing, it's unbelievable. You have to raise a lot of money, because you need two new jerseys, multiple hats, fancy bags, etc etc. Parents are getting special shirts. Like, we're acting like they're seniors in high school and this might be their high-water mark.


Posted by: heebie-geebie | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 9:09 AM
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And this is the cheap local league! This is not a fancy travel team!


Posted by: heebie-geebie | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 9:09 AM
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I am happy that I can now meet up with friends, now that we are all vaxed. But there is now an element of dreading the get togethers before they happen, that I don't remember having before the pandemic and isn't related to fear of covid. I think I am just really acclimated to being alone after the last 15 months. It could also just be because I didn't clean my kitchen this week and people are due here in 30 minutes.


Posted by: Zedsville | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 5:14 PM
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I pretty much always had a moment of dreading a get together before it started, even if I really want to get together.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 5:38 PM
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83: My hair place cancelled masks, and I kind of wish that I had got a cut the day before the mask mandate went away. But I still have an appt tomorrow, and I feel better about that appt than I would have on May 29, because cases have dropped. They are telling the unvaccinated to mask up.


Posted by: Bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 5:44 PM
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94

Wikipedia is great.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 6:30 PM
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95

62: RIP, little Chihuahua dude.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 6:33 PM
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The 7 day state average is now below the threshold for "on track for containment" (1 case/100k residents)
We were walking to the bus today, and masks are still required on public transit, so we were wearing them on the way to the bus stop. A guy in a pickup truck stopped at a light yelled, "Why are you still wearing masks outside?" So I yelled "ok, Trumper" and he gave us the finger.


Posted by: SP | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 6:42 PM
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95: RIP, doggo.

My wife found a pop-up vaccine clinic that would potentially let us skip the line and get our second dose much earlier, but we decided it wasn't appropriate as it's in a poorer part of town and clearly targeted towards people there. Nice to finally be experiencing the same moral dilemmas people in the US were three or four months ago.

Tried some non-alcoholic beer for the first time since it's supposed to be less bad now. Fake real ale. I can get over the taste, but I felt like garbage afterwards. Unsure if this is because of a particularly strong placebo effect or congeners are doing nasty stuff to me. If it's the latter, I apologize to alcohol for all the hangover effects I've unfairly blamed on it.


Posted by: dalriata | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 6:43 PM
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98

"Why are you still wearing masks outside?"

"It helps me to mind my own fucking business. You should try it some time."


Posted by: apostropher | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 6:46 PM
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99

94 feels weirdly incomplete


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 6:47 PM
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100

You can add to it by becoming a Wikipedia editor or murderer.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 6:48 PM
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101

100: It's a fine line.


Posted by: apostropher | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 6:51 PM
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102

It's just so much effort to learn the style.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 6:52 PM
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103

The first establishment I've found that is exercising its option to keep requiring masks is, surprisingly, a poke place in a downmarket strip mall. A small, clearly personally-printed, sign, next to the old "Masks Required" sign, saying (paraphrased) "We can't tell who's vaccinated by looking, so please keep your masks on for a bit longer."


Posted by: Minivet | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 7:13 PM
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Heebie U just semi-reluctantly removed its mask requirement for anyone vaccinated, which rests on the honor system, because Abbott. Basically it's too hard to be out of sync with the CDC.


Posted by: heebie | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 7:31 PM
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105

Abbott the governor or the pharmaceutical company.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 7:49 PM
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106

This is Wikipedia's best list.


Posted by: Walt Someguy | Link to this comment | 06-18-21 10:37 PM
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107

https://www.orbitbooks.net/2021/06/15/an-update-regarding-the-culture-notes-and-drawings-by-iain-m-banks-and-ken-macleod/
(Though what I'd actually pay for is the original manuscript of Use of Weapons.)


Posted by: | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 3:06 AM
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104: Are they going to mandate vaccination?


Posted by: Bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 4:33 AM
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I don't think they are even allowed to in Texas.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 6:01 AM
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109 is right. Although the courts upheld the Houston hospital for employers. We're requiring that everyone submit documentation - either of vaccination, or a notarization of a signed statement that they are choosing not to. I love that we're requiring them to get it notarized so much.


Posted by: heebie | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 6:09 AM
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The schools here are going to let the kids go maskless for the last week of classes, which seems like tempting fate.


Posted by: Spike | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 6:10 AM
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112

Jeez you guys get out late...


Posted by: heebie | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 6:11 AM
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112: it's practically criminal that schools have begun starting before Labor Day.


Posted by: Bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 6:16 AM
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110: That is just a brilliant touch of passive aggression.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 6:18 AM
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It's not quite as good as the Enzyte thing which supposedly had you sign a statement that your penis was not getting bigger before they would cancel your subscription.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 6:24 AM
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113. I agree, but there's been a slow creep in MA of towns starting before Labor Day. The pandemic got everything confused and might slow it down, but I've seen announcements of early starts in some towns and cities. I think a lot of it is about fitting 180 school days into the calendar as required by state law. Boston is September 9th, at least.


Posted by: DaveLMA | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 6:34 AM
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20 years ago Concord tried to do that, and the parents just refused to ring their kids in. I think their resolves is weakening.


Posted by: Bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 7:37 AM
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Yesss, they ringss the kidsss in, preciouss.


Posted by: Opinionated Gollum | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 8:11 AM
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the girl in front of me at this baseball game has a tshirt on advertising some clinic, and the last bullet point is "abortion reversal pill" so they can fuck right off.


Posted by: heebie | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 8:33 AM
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Jeez you guys get out late...

The school year opening was postponed by two weeks because covid, so now we are making up for it on the back end.


Posted by: Spike | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 8:44 AM
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121

USA!


Posted by: mc | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 9:16 AM
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122

Go us.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 9:47 AM
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122: I can expound on the details at wearisome length, but suffice to say, 121 is worth a lot more than may at first be apparent.


Posted by: Mossy Character | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 10:16 AM
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I was supposed to pick up a rental car today at noon so i could visit my parents. But zipcar cancelled the rezzo at 9am. So now im on amtrak. Which i guess is fine since its several hundred dollars cheaper.


Posted by: Zedsville | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 10:40 AM
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121 is very good news


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 10:43 AM
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126

Subtextually, it means China shouldn't invade you because you're not alone.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 11:26 AM
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127

Just put in another job application, major research uni in the midwest.


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 2:04 PM
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Well done Barry!


Posted by: | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 2:08 PM
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129

Break a leg. Even if it is The major research university.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 3:15 PM
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Good luck, Barry!


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 4:15 PM
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131

Good luck, Barry!


Posted by: peep | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 4:15 PM
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132

Thanks all!


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 4:41 PM
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At some point, probably in a donated collection, a research librarian is going to find the pee tape and the version of Cats where they have visible buttholes.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 6:56 PM
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Kick ass, chew bubblegum, Barry.


Posted by: snarkout | Link to this comment | 06-19-21 8:48 PM
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Well, the Selkie has COVID so we are isolating for the next week and a half. Not seriously ill thank god, just bad cold symptoms, and we have plenty of board games etc. I am irritatingly healthy throughout.


Posted by: Ajay | Link to this comment | 06-20-21 4:51 AM
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You were supposed to get her vaccinated! She'll never forgive you!


Posted by: | Link to this comment | 06-20-21 5:15 AM
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136: Maybe she got 1 shot already. Ask before you condemn, anonymous.


Posted by: Bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 06-20-21 5:49 AM
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135 best wishes for a speedy and uneventful recovery


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 06-20-21 6:48 AM
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You can have events while recovering, as long as you don't expose other people.


Posted by: Moby Hick | Link to this comment | 06-20-21 6:51 AM
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135: What lousy luck -- a friend described worrying about catching Covid now that vaccines are available as being like worrying about getting shot on Armistice Day.


Posted by: LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 06-20-21 8:40 AM
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Check your fucking privilege.


Posted by: Opinionated Rest of World | Link to this comment | 06-20-21 9:12 AM
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140 And yet...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Gunther


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 06-20-21 9:12 AM
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Yeah, she's had one jab already and we were both due to get second jabs this week. Fairly rotten timing.


Posted by: Ajay | Link to this comment | 06-21-21 8:29 AM
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I think 142 was in the movie Sergeant Stubby, which I mightily regretted seeing with about 15 eight year olds.


Posted by: heebie | Link to this comment | 06-21-21 8:49 AM
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143: Oof, sympathies.

Vaccines are available, but the vaccination schedule is going to take months here (only seven more weeks until I get my second jab, and no, I will not shut up about it, sorry) even if everyone gets one as soon as possible. And we're way ahead of continental Europe which is ahead of much of the rest of the world. But even so the delta variant is climbing; case levels nationally are back to where they were in late February (or where the US was in early May) ~13 cases/100k/day from a low of ~2 cases/100k/day a month ago. Thankfully, cases are converting into hospitalizations at a much lower rate than previously, so the vaccines are having a very obvious positive effect.

It's a lot better than the winter peak, but it sure doesn't feel like we're close to the end.


Posted by: dalriata | Link to this comment | 06-21-21 9:48 AM
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I got a job interview for an position I applied for back in early May! It would keep me in Arrakis but working for a major American university there.


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 06-22-21 8:43 AM
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147

There is a new check-in thread!


Posted by: Minivet | Link to this comment | 06-22-21 8:47 AM
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146: Nice!


Posted by: Minivet | Link to this comment | 06-22-21 8:47 AM
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147, 146 Thanks, i'll pop it in there


Posted by: Barry Freed | Link to this comment | 06-22-21 8:52 AM
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