OT - Grumpy Old Man Thread

[betarhoalphadelta]

Starting to see more Cybertrucks. Makes me grumpy.

There's a part of me that thought that after I saw lots and lots and LOTS (this is OC after all) of Cybertrucks, I would get used to them. 

Nope. They look as stupid as they did on day 1. 

[utee94]

Starting to see more Cybertrucks. Makes me grumpy.

I'm actually seeing fewer and fewer of them.

All of the left-leaning EV folks that bought them either out of a true concern for the environment, or for reasons of virtue-signaling (and there are definitely some of both kind around here), have now turned agaist Elon and are ditching all of their Teslas, Cybertruck included.

[betarhoalphadelta]

I think that California has progressed in the EV adoption curve such that it's not a "virtue signaling" measure nor a marker of someone that leans left. 

They're just cars with an alternative powertrain, not a political statement. While this might be a left-leaning state, this is also Orange County, a red[dish] outlier county. And yet you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Tesla 'round here. 

That said, I do see a TON of Tesla cars with various anti-Elon stickers or other stuff on them. So buying the car but trying to separate yourself from the stigma is definitely a thing. 

[utee94]

I think that California has progressed in the EV adoption curve such that it's not a "virtue signaling" measure nor a marker of someone that leans left.

They're just cars with an alternative powertrain, not a political statement. While this might be a left-leaning state, this is also Orange County, a red[dish] outlier county. And yet you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Tesla 'round here.

That said, I do see a TON of Tesla cars with various anti-Elon stickers or other stuff on them. So buying the car but trying to separate yourself from the stigma is definitely a thing.

Yeah Texas clearly isn't California.  Around here, the demand has dropped through the floor for Tesla vehicles.

[847badgerfan]

I'm actually seeing fewer and fewer of them.

All of the left-leaning EV folks that bought them either out of a true concern for the environment, or for reasons of virtue-signaling (and there are definitely some of both kind around here), have now turned agaist Elon and are ditching all of their Teslas, Cybertruck included.

I've only seen a few, but that's still too many. Maybe all the red folks around here who want an EV are buying cheap from those goofballs in Austin.

[utee94]

I've only seen a few, but that's still too many. Maybe all the red folks around here who want an EV are buying cheap from those goofballs in Austin.

That makes both sets of folks goofy.  

I need to move further away from people.

[Honestbuckeye]

Saw a G- Wagon in this color the other day.  Shocking myself- I really liked it.  

These are fast as hell.   

[MikeDeTiger]

Honestly I never see anyone driving them here, male or female.  Couldn't tell you the last time I saw a G-Wagon in the wild in Central Texas.

In the movies it's always Russian gangsters that drive them, so maybe we're lacking in that particular criminal element?

Oh, they're definitely there, all over the place.

One more reason nobody should move there.  

[betarhoalphadelta]

One addition... I guess the G-wagon isn't only for rich white ladies... 

I actually asked my wife and oldest about this. They also said it's the car for rich Newport Beach ladies. But it was my wife that reminded me that Vanessa Bryant drives one... She's certainly a rich Newport Beach lady. 

[utee94]

I have no idea who Vanessa Bryant is, and that's okay by me.

There's definitely not the same concentration of wealth in CenTex as there is in Orange County, maybe that's why I don't really ever see these in the wild.

I do see quite a few Aston Martin, Lambos, Ferraris, Maseratis, and a handful of Bentleys and Rolls Royce. 

Oh, they're definitely there, all over the place.

One more reason nobody should move there. 

Lebanese mafia is what rules Austin.

[betarhoalphadelta]

I have no idea who Vanessa Bryant is, and that's okay by me.

Kobe Bryant's widow. 

[MikeDeTiger]

Not sure if this is real Grumpy Old Man or just general whining/complaining....

There's a big annual review process for faculty here, which my department has recently renovated/automated and oversees.  Not the compliance or review aspect, but as far as designing the digital process and administrating the software and trouble-shooting technical problems if they arise.  A paper version of this process has been around for years and years, and no faculty could be unfamiliar with it.  

A very small percentage of the faculty apparently don't look at any of this until it's due or past due, or read the instructions we provide them with.  We say very clearly, if you're listed in the wrong department, let us know immediately.  Because it's not the quick fix they probably think it is.  We have to launch a completely new review process for them for the year, we can't just change their department.  This happens when their data is incorrect in our database and gets integrated into the software, listing them incorrectly.  I don't directly touch our database as far as editing anything, that's above my pay grade, all I can do is run reports off of it.  

Some of these professors go through the whole process of typing out all the outcomes, measures, goals, whatever, that they're responsible for, and attaching all the documents (probably 100 or more, in most cases), and then email us that their department is listed wrong.  Meaning some irrelevant department chair received their review and can't do anything with it.  Then they get mad when I tell them to copy/paste everything they wrote into Word or a text editor or whatever, and I'll launch a new, corrected process for them, and they'll have to paste everything in and reattach all the documents in the appropriate sections.  Some have emailed about this several days past their due date.  

I think to myself.....these are presumably people who tell their students to turn in their projects/assignment on time and if you don't, your grade gets docked for every day you're late.  That's how it worked when I was in school.  I'm like......dude.....you had a month to do this.....you didn't read the directions or you waited til the last minute (or beyond) to do it, and now you gripe at me because your department chair wants to know why they don't have your stuff yet?  

Now, a few of our older faculty are simply technologically challenged, and struggle to complete the process due to poor basic computer-user skills.  But I have sympathy for that and I don't mind helping them, even when their email exchanges get long and tedious.  But these folks who just waited til the last minute and didn't read the directions?  GTHO.  Go re-do your stuff and don't gripe at me about it.  

[Drew4UTk]

Instant torque.  What gearhead can't love that?

I think they pushed too hard too fast and wrecked what could have been an otherwise rational transition.  That's socially, politically, and logically.  Weird that those three aren't the same, though they never have been. Huh.

My neighbor has a Rivian. Dang thing lays the equivalent of 750hp to each wheel.  Its 0-60, 0-100, 60ft, 120ft, 1/8m or 1/4m not to mention top speed would embarrass even the most famed of the original muscle cars and a good portion of the most recent ones... with four passengers while listening to a podcast and counting blue cars or sumshiyat.

True Hybrids is where its at... logically... an engine capable of providing constant power for 99% of need, and that battery reserve for when its needed, and some programming to kill the engine until reserve drops below 50%.  Not talking an engine with throttle cables connected to a foot either by wire or cable, but a constant rpm of perhaps five levels depending on depletion rate of the batteries.  Here is the kicker: its automated- the driver doesn't need to be present for the engine to charge the system... and critical to that: hydrogen or alcohol fuel.  A freakin 1500cc v twin could do that, especially if using technology like a 6 stroke ice.

I watched a drag bike, electric, make a pass at right at 175mph and well under 9 seconds in the quarter.  That was enough to get my attention. That was around 2009 or so.  We should be further along than we are.

[utee94]

There's definitely not the same concentration of wealth in CenTex as there is in Orange County, maybe that's why I don't really ever see these in the wild.

And so of course today, I see a black Mercedes G-Wagon rolling down the street less than a mile from my house.

However I could not tell if the driver was male or female, because the windows were tinted so heavily they were completely blacked out.