Posts by SWTarget

Since Sluggo hasn't chimed in with his AI response, I thought I'd try . . .

AI Overview

The surname Shleigh has roots in the British Isles, specifically England, originating as a locational name derived from the Old English word sleah, meaning a clearing or a grove. It indicates that original bearers likely lived near a wooded area or forest clearing, with records showing the name in the USA and Canada. [1]

• Meaning: Derived from sleah, indicating a dweller in a clearing or wooded area.
• Origin: British Isles (England).
• History: The name evolved with various spellings (such as Sleigh, Schleigh) and was found in North American census records, with a notable concentration in Canada in the late 19th century.
• Variant Context: It is closely linked to similar surnames like Sleigh, Schleigh, and Sligh, which can also be traced back to nicknames for a "sly" or "cunning" person. [1, 2, 3]

Based on that, I wonder if you got a picture of the other victim, Sung Rae Cho?

Though, fairly ironic that a guy with a name that means sly or cunning was ripping off the perp.

If a developer was going to allow only a single synagogue in the middle of it, and a K-12 Yeshiva, and claim it was going to be a safe place for Jews, there would be mass hysteria and they'd be drummed out of the state.

Quote from Beej

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What does the electoral college have to do with Gerrymandering? Winner of the popular vote in the state gets all the electoral votes. That's how the electoral college works. (Unless you are Maine or Nebraska.)

You're pouring it over gravel fill, there's going to be seepage.

Quote from El Sluggo Loco

I'm coming up with 40.... 720/2 = 360/9 = 40

27 cubic feet in a cubic yard. So 360/27 = 13.3 cubic yards.

You have to add concrete for the footers, for the sloping around the raised slab, I assume a ramp of some kind unless your want to navigate an 18inch step with your vehicles, so there is more than a 6inch slab to consider.

OK so if we go with Storch on Concrete and then you may or may not have to move earth to get stable soil. Is he grading it? Giving you a dirt pile or hauling it away? I can see that adding a couple grand.

Then add 18 inches by 24 feet by 30 feet of gravel which is 40 cubic yards minimum/no overflow if I did math right. At 1.5t per cubic yard of gravel makes it 60t or probably four dumptrucks. At $25-$35 per ton makes another $1500-$2000 for just the gravel plus cost of transport to your mountaintop retreat at $5 diesel cost plus labor plus depreciation on equipment.

Then he's probably charging you for having to problem solve all this stuff since you hadn't thought of it for him.

Maybe you should get a second opinion. Ideally a third. Unless this guy is an artisan like Storch, the additional bids should be ballpark. If $24k is standout higher, that will tell you something. (of course, if one is standout lower, that probably also tells you something isn't right about Mr. Lowball)

But I don't know anything except how to argue with both the sales team and the procurement guys so don't mind me, just passing by.

What's going to raise it 18 inches?

Quote from Beej

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Quote from Bronk

lol, oddly this is exactly the same as my Polish neighbor.

The town I grew up in was settled by primarily by Swiss and German immigrants. When I was a kid this was about 75-80% of everyone my family ever knew.

Especially the "Don't touch me" part.

I thought Escapegoat indicated at one point a Baptist upbringing, but my mind may be playing tricks. In any event, I am sure he was mistreated in some way by someone who proclaimed to be a follower of God and of Christ. And rather than blaming the individual responsible, he has blamed "religion" writ large.

Until the appointed time, Mankind has been left in his state of rebellion, which unfortunately means the innocent can be harmed by someone else's flawed choices. We can't expect perfect justice in an very flawed world run by even more flawed (if not downright evil) human beings. Understandably, this leads many to question why God would allow injustice and why he doesn't fix it, and in fact they end up blaming God, remaining ignorant of where we are in the stream of time and that such injustices are a direct result of mankind's continued rebellion. That rebellion will come to an end - is simply isn't the end, yet.

Acknowledging God is a start, but is it enough? There are certainly people who believe so. The tool we have available to find out is the Bible, which is his letter to mankind so that we may better understand Him and His thinking. We can't possibly understand his mind perfectly (Isa 55:8,9), but using this tool can get us much closer to His way of thinking.

The example set by Jesus gives us a path to follow (1 Pet 2:21). An integral part of that example was his compassion for people. Jesus demonstrated that compassion through his teachings and miraculous healing of many people. The extraordinary thing he taught was that his followers should show the same compassion, not just toward their spiritual brothers, but also toward those who hate them. Matthew 5:43-44 says "You hear that it was said 'You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' However, I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Loving them does not mean surrendering God's values (Acts 5:29), but it requires us to examine our motivations - do we feel the way we do because of something they did, or because of our own selfish desires? It's a topic worth deep consideration.

None of us are perfect and so will never be able to follow Jesus' example perfectly. James 3:2 says we will all stumble many times. But if you struggle against the current system of things and "the authority of the air" (Eph 2:2), you may indeed receive salvation, and at the appointed time, everlasting life.

Quote from Jeros

People also tend to borrow less money here, it has increased a ton in the last 30 years, but you will still find the majority of folk don't have credit cards (debit is default) or buy cars on finance.

Thought I would let the stupid AI searchbot do a check. I'm too lazy and it's not important enough to me to go digging into the source document, but here it is anyway.

In 2025, an estimated 2.1 million consumers in the UK purchased cars using finance (loans or similar products), with the motor finance sector projected to reach over £41 billion in new business. The market continued to grow, with Finance & Leasing Association data showing car finance new business volumes growing throughout 2025.

• Total Financed Cars (2025): Approximately 2.1 million consumers were expected to be supported by car finance by the end of 2025.
• Market Share: Around 80% - 90% of new cars and an increasing volume of used cars are purchased using finance agreements.
• New Car Market: Total new car registrations passed 2 million for the first time since the pandemic, with 2025 seeing 2.02 million units.
• Used Car Market: Used car transactions significantly outnumber new ones, with used cars making up a substantial portion of the >2 million finance deals reported in 2025.
• Finance Trends: The value of consumer car finance new business reached new highs, with an 11% increase in March 2025 compared to the previous year.

And here are the US stats:

n 2025, over 80% of new vehicles in the U.S. were acquired using financing, such as loans or leases, with approximately 16.2 to 16.3 million new vehicles sold in total. This high rate of financing is consistent, with over 80% of new purchases financed. Additionally, in Q3 2025 alone, Americans took out $183.9 billion in new auto loans, according to Demand Local, Inc..
2025 New Vehicle Financing Trends

• Financing Volume: About 16.2 million new vehicles were sold in 2025, according to NADA and Hedges & Company.
• Financing Percentage: More than 80% of new vehicle purchases were financed in early 2025.

So in terms of financing rates, looks pretty much the same to me.

And for credit cards, UK:

Credit cards are extensively used in the UK, with roughly 65-68% of adults owning at least one and £249 billion in transactions made in 2024. While debit cards are preferred for daily transactions, credit cards accounted for around 25% of total card spending in 2024. Usage is high online, and the average monthly spend per card is around £360–£372.
Key UK Credit Card Usage Statistics

• Ownership: Over two-thirds (68%) of UK adults have a credit card.
• Volume & Value: In 2024, credit card transactions totaled £249 billion, up 5.3% from 2023.
• Average Spending: As of April 2025, the average monthly spend per credit card was £360.

And for the US:

Credit cards are the most popular payment method in the USA, accounting for roughly 30-35% of all transactions. There are over 1.5 billion credit cards in circulation, and in 2022, consumers charged roughly $3.2 trillion in purchases. The average user carries around 3-4 cards, with average monthly spending per person estimated at around $1,506.
Credit Card Usage Statistics (2025-2026):

• Ownership: Approximately 69% to 74% of U.S. adults have at least one credit card.
• Total Usage: Credit cards account for 32%–35% of monthly consumer payments, making them the most popular method.

Looks like card ownership is about the same, but I will give you that we use them more. So you're batting .250.

I have not heard anything about making Iran an official no-fly zone? I know commercial flights are avoiding western Iran, but I wonder how many Chinese and/or Russian aircraft are using east Iranian airfields to resupply them? Or their Caspian Sea ports, for that matter.

Quote from Escapegoat

The strait could be open right now and gas would be cheap. All the Tinyhanded Pedophile had to do was nothing.

Quote from SWTarget

A bit of a long read, but I thought his conclusion at the end said it very well:

https://www.aljazeera.com/opin…an-is-working-here-is-why

"But the critics are making a different error: They are treating the costs of action as if the costs of inaction were zero. They were not. They were measured in the slow accretion of a threat that, left unchecked, would have produced exactly the crisis everyone claims to fear: a nuclear-armed Iran capable of closing the Strait of Hormuz at will, surrounded by proxy forces that could hold the entire region hostage indefinitely.|

Quote from Jeros

Its a false notion.

After medical bills, "car payments" lol and property taxes most americans are poorer.

Half the bills you pay don't exist here.

Are you saying Brits have no medical care, cars, or own property? Because that sounds like what you are saying.

Shortly after college I visited a friend whose father owned an African Grey and two rather large hounds of some kind. The Grey had a large cage but it was always open and while I was there it was walking around the house on the floor looking for the father. Fast forward about an hour and I hear whistling and "Here boy!" My friend starts laughing. It repeats a few times, more whistling. Then I hear one of the hound dogs suddenly howling and hear the dogs running / sliding into walls / nails clicking on the hardwood floors. My friend laughs more.

Friend tells me, the Grey is so good at mimicking his father that it fools the dogs. When the Grey is finally convinced the father isn't around, he goes to his cage and whistles for them in the father's manner. The dogs go to the cage room. He keeps whistling until one of the dogs gets close enough to the cage for him to bite their ears. Then they howl and run off and the parrot is just loving it.

"So the dogs haven't learned yet?" I ask. He replies, "Well, not for the last six years they haven't."

About that time, *whistle whistle* "Here boy!"

I'd seen the event many many times, but as far as my aging brain can remember, this is the first time I've seen it with the actual context.

Quote from Razer

Will see Rome then ride down the coast to see both volcanos.

Can you be more specific?

Quote from KdF

Well?

We're waiting.

You guys keep doing it wrong.

Quote from Gina

what does "Rock" stand for in Yacht Rock, Soft Rock, Pop Rock, etc?

Hot funk,

cool punk,

even if it's old junk

It's still rock 'n roll to me.

A bit of a long read, but I thought his conclusion at the end said it very well:

The US-Israeli strategy against Iran is working. Here is why

Every aspect of Iran’s ability to project regional power is being successfully degraded.

www.aljazeera.com

None of this minimises the human costs. More than 1,400 civilians have been killed in Iran, a moral burden the US and Israel will carry. Oil price spikes are hurting every economy on Earth. At least 11 US service members have been killed. I live with these sirens every day, as does everyone across the Gulf. The costs are real, they are serious, and any accounting that ignores them is dishonest.

But the critics are making a different error: They are treating the costs of action as if the costs of inaction were zero. They were not. They were measured in the slow accretion of a threat that, left unchecked, would have produced exactly the crisis everyone claims to fear: a nuclear-armed Iran capable of closing the Strait of Hormuz at will, surrounded by proxy forces that could hold the entire region hostage indefinitely.

Seventeen days in, Iran’s supreme leader is dead, his successor is reportedly wounded and every principal instrument of Iranian power projection – missiles, nuclear infrastructure, air defences, the navy, proxy command networks – has been degraded beyond near-term recovery. The campaign’s execution has been imperfect, its public communication poor and its post-conflict planning incomplete. War is never clean. But the strategy – the actual strategy, measured in degraded capabilities rather than cable news cycles – is working.

Quote from Beej

I got a shingles vax. I'm told you don't want to get THAT shit either, and unlike the Covid or flu shots, it actually prevents you from getting the disease

8am

Mrs. : Do these bumps on my face look like acne or something else?

Brauno; Uhh . . . doesn't look like acne to me. Does it hurt?

Mrs. : Yes, it hurts a lot.

2 Hours Later

Mrs. : Honey, I have more bumps. My phone (where she gets all her information) says it might be shingles.

Brauno: Yikes. It's all around your eye. I think that can be bad. You'd better call the Doctor.

One Hour later

Mrs. (sobbing): I called the dr and the lady said there was nothing they could do and then I said but it was around my eye and she said sorry there's nothing we can do you just have to wait it out and I said but it's really painful and she said just take aspirin and I said but what about it being around my eye and she said I said there is nothing we can do about it because it's a virus and I said but it really hurts and she said take an aspirin (takes a breath) and so I called Walgreens and talked to the pharmacist and he said there was nothing he could do because it was a virus and I said but it was really painful and he said take a Tylenol and I said but it's around my eye and he said sorry that's something for an eye doctor there is nothing he can do and so I said but it was really painful and he said I told you Tylenol was the best thing for that and I said isn't there eye drops or something and he said I already told you to call your eye doctor (takes a breath) and so I called WalMart since that's the where I get my glasses and I said I think I have shingles and they said that's great would you like to make an appointment and I said yes please and they said next Tuesday and I said but it's Thursday and it hurts and they said Tuesday was my earliest opening and I said but I think it's SHINGLES and it's in my eye and she said so what time on Tuesday is best and I said no it had to be today and she said what time Tuesday works best and I said but it really hurts and I need something today and she said to take an aspirin and come in TUUUUUUUUUEEEESSSDAAAAAAAAAY!!!! (more sobbing).

Brauno: Uhh . . . did you try calling my optometrist? You know, the real one and not the Wal-Mart special?

Mrs. : But she's in that town a half hour away and I know you went to school with her and she's your friend but you said she's always all booked up and she'll never see me and besides its so far awaaaaaaaaaaaaay (more sobbing).

Brauno: Well, let's try and see.

Phone rings: (generic pleasant answer).

Brauno: Hi. This is Brauno. I know Kimi is probably all booked . . .

(Gentile laughter on the other side of the phone): You must have gone to school with her. No one calls the Dr. Kimi unless they knew her as a kid.

Brauno: Well, yes, as a matter of fact. But anyway, Mrs. has bumps all around her eye, and we think it might be shingles. So I was hoping . . .

(Much more serious tone) Shingles? Please hold.

2 minutes of elevator music

(Pleasant tone) Hi there. We are normally closed for lunch between noon and 1 but the Dr. can see you at noon. Can you be here by then?

Brauno: looks at clock, adds 30 minutes, Yes we can.

By noon thirty, we have eye drops, a prescription for an anti-viral, and the obligatory lecture about depending on Wal-Mart Specials for your medical needs and praise for our good sense to know that TUESDAY would have been way too late to prevent damage to the eye if it actually got in there.

Oh, the Mrs and the kids go to my eye doctor now, not Wal-Mart. More expensive, but in some cases you really do get what you pay for.

/endramble