Bear Down Wildcats

Driving in Phoenix between the hours of 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM is horseshit.

Phoenix is easily in my top-3 places I absolutely despise driving.

Atlanta and LA round out the trifecta.

When you're old you don't have to drive in rush hour.

It really is terrible. I remember it being bad in high school almost 20 years ago but it is on a completely other level today. It is up there with LA for sure.

dovecanyoncat wrote: ↑Tue Jan 18, 2022 7:06 pm When you're old you don't have to drive in rush hour.

I had to take my oldest son to his therapy appointment and Thunderbird is all tore up. Phoenix has two seasons; Summer and Construction.

Welp, we got our butts kicked at Pauley but at least we're losing shit tons of money in the market.

I grew up almost entirely in the southwest and have spent most of my life outdoors and involved in outdoor issues.

One of the greatest devastators of our natural environment is feral horses and burros. People who have a great passion for the "cute" horses and burros on our public land are causing the continued destruction of a very large part of the American west. It's exhausting trying to turn their passion into championing for the protection of pur environment by removal of these destroyers of natural ecosystems.

Horses and burros on our public land, and the people (mostly women) who think they're cute, are destroying the American west.

Carcassdragger wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 11:04 am I grew up almost entirely in the southwest and have spent most of my life outdoors and involved in outdoor issues.

One of the greatest devastators of our natural environment is feral horses and burros. People who have a great passion for the "cute" horses and burros on our public land are causing the continued destruction of a very large part of the American west. It's exhausting trying to turn their passion into championing for the protection of pur environment by removal of these destroyers of natural ecosystems.

Horses and burros on our public land, and the people (mostly women) who think they're cute, are destroying the American west.

I didn't know that. What kind of destruction do they cause?

They are not native to North America and didn't evolve in this ecosystem.

Nothing really preys on them much, so they've completely overrun most of the range they occur on. They eat most vegetation and quickly completely denude and destroy native plant communities.

In areas without much water, they foul water holes and destroy the habitat in every direction. It's easy to tell when they exist in an area because the vegetative community will be denuded and trails across the desert will be everywhere, not to mention all the shit they produce which usually makes areas overrun with them smell like a feedlot.

They compete directly with bighorn sheep for, in the neighborhood of 70% of their forage base, and in the summer when resources are tight, compete with desert mule deer for a very large amount of their forage.

This doesn't even count all the other critters affected by the complete destruction of habitat that occurs where these feral pests are present.

Mountain lions much prefer deer or other naturally occurring prey and might only take an occasional foal. But generally lions don't prey on horses or burros, which allows burros or horses to dominate an area even more.

What's competely insane about this situation is that, because they are cute, congress passed an act in the 70s which provides federal protection. If you poach a deer, you've broken a state law. Kill a worthless burro and you've committed a serious federal crime.

The only thing that kept them at all in check historically, were folks who would shoot them on sight and regularly would have pit barbecue parties. This never occurs any more.

The BLM spends millions just trying to keep them somewhat in check, but resources are not near enough to do so and they have, and are, failing spectacularly.

I'm tired of seeing the desert areas I love utterly destroyed. Oyyvay.

Sorry but it is a venting thread.

Very well said CD. Wildlife/Range management isn't a sexy topic but it's sure as hell important. Feral horses/burros are the animal equivalent of an invasive noxious weed introduced from another ecosystem. Aside from the vegetative impact I bet they totally trash riparian sites and foul fish habitat. The Feds historical job description is that of an expensive Sorcerer's Apprentice.

Carcassdragger wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 11:04 am I grew up almost entirely in the southwest and have spent most of my life outdoors and involved in outdoor issues.

One of the greatest devastators of our natural environment is feral horses and burros. People who have a great passion for the "cute" horses and burros on our public land are causing the continued destruction of a very large part of the American west. It's exhausting trying to turn their passion into championing for the protection of pur environment by removal of these destroyers of natural ecosystems.

Horses and burros on our public land, and the people (mostly women) who think they're cute, are destroying the American west.

I've had discussions over this many times with Facebook friends and such from the Midwest.

Them: Oh, how can you kill such friendly and smart animals?.
Me: They have no natural predators and are destroying the west
Them: Well round them up, and board them. But don't slaughter them, and don't send their meat to Europe
Federal government: Sounds good to us
Me: Pigs are nice and smart too.

https://www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse ... ls/arizona

BLM Arizona manages eight wild horse and burro herd management areas on approximately 2.3 million acres. The combined appropriate management level for all HMAs in the state is 1,676.

Since 1971, the BLM has removed approximately 11,000 animals from public rangelands in Arizona as part of its efforts to maintain healthy horses and burros on healthy public rangelands. Animals removed from public rangelands are offered to the public for adoption; unadopted animals are cared for on open pastures for the rest of their lives. Below, find more details for on-going and recently completed gathers, organized by HMA.

Thanks Merk and Dove.

Yeah Merk, then you know how exhausting it is trying to bring these people to the correct side of the issue when all they know is that these animals are cute.

Carcassdragger wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 1:30 pm Thanks Merk and Dove.

Yeah Merk, then you know how exhausting it is trying to bring these people to the correct side of the issue when all they know is that these animals are cute.

It's the same discussion wrt forest management. We need lumber but we don't need to devastate the biomass to get it. We can also reduce fuels and enhance wildlife habitat at the same time.

"It's ugly."
"We don't manage for pretty."
"You hate Bambi! You killed Thumper!"
"Your house that cost a gazillion dollars in lumber just burned to the ground."

^^^^^^^^^ We just need to rake the forests!

My dad many years ago had a neighbor who was a Polish WW2 refugee. She told my dad that one time a German military horse died, so the Germans buried it. The Poles were so starved, they dug up the horse and ate it.

Merkin wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 12:55 pm Me: Pigs are nice and smart too.

and delicious.

UAEebs86 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 3:20 pm ^^^^^^^^^ We just need to rake the forests!

Just was such an astonishingly stupid thing to come out of his mouth. But good God where do you place that statement in the hierarchy of the thousands of moronic things that fucking idiot said.

There's a guy two cubes over that when he's not sneezing as loud as he can, he's sucking back his snot or coughing.

We're supposed to wear masks when we are not eating or drinking but everytime I check he's not wearing one.

We're in a pandemic a-hole! It's freaking disgusting.

UAEebs86 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 3:57 pm There's a guy two cubes over that when he's not sneezing as loud as he can, he's sucking back his snot or coughing.

We're supposed to wear masks when we are not eating or drinking but everytime I check he's not wearing one.

We're in a pandemic a-hole! It's freaking disgusting.

Surprised if you're in a cubie, you guys aren't teleworking.

UAEebs86 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 3:57 pm There's a guy two cubes over that when he's not sneezing as loud as he can, he's sucking back his snot or coughing.

We're supposed to wear masks when we are not eating or drinking but everytime I check he's not wearing one.

We're in a pandemic a-hole! It's freaking disgusting.

You could out him. You could help promote his sinus drainage with a machete. Decisions, decisions.

You could get the office together and do an intervention.

Throw a pillow case over his head.

Writing research proposals sucks! Got rejected again. Love that the result was dropped on a Friday, just kills the whole weekend. Glad I have lots of homebrew on tap.

I'm getting really jacked off at the maskholes coming into the shop without a mask, and getting up themselves when I ask them politely to put one on.

Most people say oops, sorry and put it on (its only been more than 18 months that masks are required indoors, figure it out for fucks sake).

But the ones that claim an exemption with no evidence or just say no, fuck off are really pissing me off.

Really, I dont if care these assholes go down the street somewhere else to buy their 2 dollars worth of scratchie tickets.

Just wear a mask or stay the fuck out of the shop.

I just heard the term “Midwestern-Forward” used to describe a restaurant and now I’m ready to murder someone.

Chicat wrote: ↑Wed Feb 16, 2022 9:43 pm I just heard the term “Midwestern-Forward” used to describe a restaurant and now I’m ready to murder someone.

Avant-garde ketchup surely.

dovecanyoncat wrote: ↑Wed Feb 16, 2022 10:29 pm

Chicat wrote: ↑Wed Feb 16, 2022 9:43 pm I just heard the term “Midwestern-Forward” used to describe a restaurant and now I’m ready to murder someone.

Avant-garde ketchup surely.

Raisins in everything, but the fancy green kind.

8 different kinds of mayo!

8 different kinds of Ranch dressing.

dovecanyoncat wrote: ↑Wed Feb 16, 2022 10:29 pm

Chicat wrote: ↑Wed Feb 16, 2022 9:43 pm I just heard the term “Midwestern-Forward” used to describe a restaurant and now I’m ready to murder someone.

Avant-garde ketchup surely.

Or as we used to spell it in Michigan: catsup

Chicat wrote: ↑Wed Feb 16, 2022 9:43 pm I just heard the term “Midwestern-Forward” used to describe a restaurant and now I’m ready to murder someone.

It's tax time and I'd hate to be anywhere near my accountant's brain right now. But earlier he had emailed me that we hadn't replied to the new Tax Engagement language and that it was vital, critical, imperative that we get him the Docusigned form. Yesterday I informed him he hadn't yet sent me the new language. This morning I reminded him again. He just emailed a thank you saying he hoped it would be sent sometime today. SMDH.

Just saw a guy walk away after he got his cup leaving one pot with 2 ounces and another with 1 ounce, even though someone had already filled a carafe full with water and put coffee into a filter for the next pot. Lazy bastard.

UAEebs86 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 10, 2022 8:46 am Just saw a guy walk away after he got his cup leaving one pot with 2 ounces and another with 1 ounce, even though someone had already filled a carafe full with water and put coffee into a filter for the next pot. Lazy bastard.

Ah yes, the type of asshole who leaves his shopping cart behind a handicapped person’s car.

I hope the coffee makes him shit his pants.

UAEebs86 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 10, 2022 8:46 am Just saw a guy walk away after he got his cup leaving one pot with 2 ounces and another with 1 ounce, even though someone had already filled a carafe full with water and put coffee into a filter for the next pot. Lazy bastard.

That used to bug me so much I went and bought my own coffee pot and put it in my office.

We bought a house in November that was supposed to have a "quick" remodel that would be ready the first of February.

We are in April 1 and the plumbing isn't even finished yet. I think the contractors basically show up one day a week. I've spent $120,000 so far and now we are getting crushed by paying for AirBNB and the Mortgage at the same time.

Anyone else have any remodel horror stories?

We’ve been finishing our basement for 2 & 1/2 years. It’s taken since November just to get our stairs to a point where we can carpet them.

The pandemic played a big role in the delays but at this point it’s just dealing with people who don’t want to take on small jobs. We had to threaten the guy who took our $500 down payment on the stairs with small claims court before he would actually come and do the work.

We are almost there, but our building permit expired in late 2021. Can’t wait to hear how screwed we are when I tell them we are finally ready for the last inspection.

I inherited some real estate a few years ago and used the proceeds to invest in some rental houses. After getting a property manager, I rented two of the brand new houses to people who have wrecked them.

One house was brand new last August. The guy and his family moved in and after paying rent for two months, quit paying altogether. Took me 4 months, lawyer fees and a court order to get him out. Lease allowed 1 dog. Turns out he had 3 and a cat. He basically used the entire house as a kennel. I've replaced all the carpet and padding, triple cleaned the house, and paid 1300 dollars to have the ducts cleaned. I ran an ozone machine on high inside for 3 days. It still smells badly of urine.

Next step is to rip out all the new carpet and scrub the cement underneath, tear out and replace the base boards underneath, and repaint the entire interior. Not sure where the money is going to come from.

Another new house had a guy use the garage and driveway to repair cars. The entire garage floor and most of the driveway are one big oil spot. He also apparently painted things in the garage because there are 5 colors of paint on the floor. A door is busted through in the house. He burned a couch against the backyard wall. The front landscaping is completely fucked up. He never paid rent on time. I evicted him.

These were brand new, nice, multiple bedroom houses with garages.

At this point, I think I've squandered what was to be my retirement. Losing faith in mankind here.

People are the fucking worst.

That's why I'll never be a landlord. Saw the quality of my parent's tenants on two rental houses go down over the years and said nope.

Thankfully my wife will never let me consider owning a rental.

My pool has a clog in the line. I had already planned on upgrading the older motor system, so I did but it isn’t dislodging the clog.

So, now we are going to use a pressure jet bladder gizmo that you feed through the pipe. If that doesn’t work, there’s a reverse pressure procedure that typically dislodges clogs.

If that doesn’t work, it’s excavating and replacing, so, good bye tax return. :/

Overall, it needs it and I’m not unhappy to do it. As I mentioned, I had been planning on swapping motor since January.

But right now the circulation is not good so pool is looking pretty gross.

So my new fiance just found out she didn't get the job she had been interviewing for in Flagstaff. It's devastating since it's now the third time in less than a year she's been one of the final 3 ish candidates for a job and didn't get it. When she started looking for jobs like 15 months ago she never thought in a million years it would take this long. She's smart, has 7+ years experience, multiple degrees, and is well qualified but this job search experience is soul sucking. 80% of the jobs she applies to don't even acknowledge her application or even send a form rejection email, it's just nothing. And it's not like these are jobs at McDonald's or something, they're decent paying jobs at well known and respected museums, non profits and universities. Just is harder when we are long distance and now for the third time in a year, we're at square one and have no idea when we'll be able to start our lives together. Don't know why finding a job should be this insanely difficult in a "worker shortage".

Part of the problem is that instead of paying HR people to look over resumes, there is software that picks out key words and phrases and if a resume doesn’t have them it’s immediately discarded. That’s why she’s not even getting “thanks but no thanks” notes.

Today, more than ever, it’s who you know. I’d tell her to network like crazy if there’s a job out there she really wants and once she makes friends with someone there have them suggest her for the job. That person will then likely get some kind of employee referral bonus because it’s really hard to find people when your cut rate HR software immediately rejects them because they don’t have the word “dynamic” in their resume header.

Chicat wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 3:02 pm Part of the problem is that instead of paying HR people to look over resumes, there is software that picks out key words and phrases and if a resume doesn’t have them it’s immediately discarded. That’s why she’s not even getting “thanks but no thanks” notes.

Today, more than ever, it’s who you know. I’d tell her to network like crazy if there’s a job out there she really wants and once she makes friends with someone there have them suggest her for the job. That person will then likely get some kind of employee referral bonus because it’s really hard to find people when your cut rate HR software immediately rejects them because they don’t have the word “dynamic” in their resume header.

Unfortunately that's not really possible. She lives in rural New Mexico and works with like 4 other people in a terrible toxic environment. Just really aren't any opportunities to network or talk to anyone outside of work and most of the people she knew from school or in previous positions are retired now.

I meant network online. Email, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.

I was in a car accident on the freeway this morning. One of those 'I stopped, the car behind me stopped, the car behind them didn't stop' type things.

azgreg wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 5:48 pm I was in a car accident on the freeway this morning. One of those 'I stopped, the car behind me stopped, the car behind them didn't stop' type things.

Always at the most inconvenient times too, hope you're ok first off and that the car isn't totaled.

ASUHATER! wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 5:55 pm

azgreg wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 5:48 pm I was in a car accident on the freeway this morning. One of those 'I stopped, the car behind me stopped, the car behind them didn't stop' type things.

Always at the most inconvenient times too, hope you're ok first off and that the car isn't totaled.

I'm fine and my car is lightly damaged. The other two cars are totaled and the lady at fault went to the hospital.

And now my wife just called with a blowout on her way back from Tucson.

azgreg wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 5:57 pm

ASUHATER! wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 5:55 pm

azgreg wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 5:48 pm I was in a car accident on the freeway this morning. One of those 'I stopped, the car behind me stopped, the car behind them didn't stop' type things.

Always at the most inconvenient times too, hope you're ok first off and that the car isn't totaled.

I'm fine and my car is lightly damaged. The other two cars are totaled and the lady at fault went to the hospital.

It happened to me in San Antonio ... minus the middle car. Hopefully someone involved has insurance, and repair on your car will not be messed up due to supply-chain issues.

Yeah I talked to someone the other day that said their car was in the shop for 6 weeks because they couldn't get the parts in...